Susan's Adventures

Much to be Thankful For

2011-11-23T18:22:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving reminds me of all I have to be thankful for: A wonderful family who loves me from 2,000 miles away A loving boyfriend who has supported me through the ups and downs of the past 14 years A job that pays (most of) the bills A strong, healthy body A cozy home and food on the table Lots of great friends The good fortune to live in a place where rush hour traffic means wheel to wheel

The Rains are Coming

2011-10-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year when we're all shaking our heads and asking "where did the summer go?" And it's not just our imagination that this one was short and cool. Summer was late coming to the Pacific Northwest, even by PNW standards, and we didn't hit 90 degrees until the end of August. We've succumbed to flannel sheets but steadfastly refuse to turn on the heat so early in October.I like

Mountain Bike Oregon

2011-08-25T10:17:00.001-07:00

Another summer of MBO has come and gone :-(. I had the chance to go both times again and they were the highlights of my summer! I've been too busy to blog, buhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gift Zach put together this video from the August session. Yes, it's 15 minutes long, but for 15 minutes you can be at MBO... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzbehj_gIG8

Test of Metal: the Canadian Epic Mountain Bike Race

2011-06-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

I'll spare the boring details. Here are some of the highlights from Saturday's race (67k, roughly 42 miles):Over 800 racers in a mass start sounds like serious potential for chaos. But the Canadians have it down pat: self-seed yourself in the start chute between the signs with estimated finish times. Everyone seemed to be pretty honest here, parking bikes upside down 30 minutes or so prior then

Trioba Adventure Sprint Race

2011-06-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Port Gamble, Washington, on the northern tip of the Klitsap Peninsula, sandwiched between Bainbridge Island and the Olympic Peninsula, where Russ Gober, Renee Seker and I united our adventure racing skills for the Trioba Sprint race.Due to busy schedules and logistical challenges, (Russ lives on the far west side in Forest Grove and raises a son and a couple step-children with

A Journey Down the San Juan River

2011-06-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

I've always loved spending time on the river, but until last year had never done an expedition rafting trip. We finally got around to applying for permits and spent six days in Hell's Canyon in late June. I felt so completely at home at the oars and slept peacefully with the sound of the river rushing by. So when I got the call from the Cattertons that they had a San Juan permit and I was invited

Away for May!

2011-06-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

A series of random events led to me escaping the misery of Portland's endless rain and cool weather for most of the month of May. Now that I'm home and tan and tired and one beer away from the dreaded muffin-top, I highly recommend this sort of escape for anyone who feels suppressed by the refusal of summer (or even spring) to arrive.First, my one and only nephew was graduating high school in May

More Running

2011-03-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how great a run feels after a week off due to illness. The body is eager to move and the lungs appreciate the rush of fresh air. The flu kept me from doing much of anything last weekend and I've taken it easy all week, resisting my usual habit of pushing my body too far too fast and suffering a nasty relapse.I'm on a long layover in Wenatchee, Washington and stepped out for a run in

A Return to Running

2011-03-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Back in December, my friend Peg, formerly part of a core group of running partners in Cody, Wyoming, emailed me with plans for a running event to celebrate her 60th birthday. Although running used to be my main "thing," chronic back issues and straying interests have put seven years between me and my last marathon so I was not immediately enthused. But she had me at "Palm Springs" which was

Sundance Film Festival: Adventures in Standing in Line

2011-01-28T09:12:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took advantage of our flight benefits and my friends Zach and Monica who live in Park City, UT, to go to the Sundance Film Festival. Since I went two years ago, I kind of knew the drill--how to get around (not with a car--traffic and parking are a nightmare), how to see films without advance tickets, etc.Let me just start by saying that this year's festival was a lot more crowded

Adventures in Reading

2010-12-10T00:47:00.000-08:00

I've loved to read ever since I can remember. But when I was a kid, I dug some pretty deep ruts with my book choices: the Buttons books from the elementary school library, then Beezus and Ramona--all of them. Then every Nancy Drew mystery I could get my hands on; I even collected them just to make sure I didn't miss one. By 7th grade, I was all about teen romances. Then Gothic romances in high

Winter Running

2010-11-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

This is an oldie I found in a notebook from the Wyoming days. The memories came flooding back when I was in Calgary a couple days ago--minus 22F and fresh snow on the ground. Brrrr!Outside the snow is falling in big, soft flakes. The flag hangs straight down the pole, unbuoyed by wind. At five minutes to 12, I pull my running clothes from my bottom desk drawer and slip quietly out of the office.

Adventures in Politics

2010-10-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

I generally keep my political views to myself. It keeps the peace in the family and among less like-minded friends and coworkers. But on occasion (twice, to be exact) I've been coerced into joining a campaign.The first time was two years ago when I unexpectedly had some time on my hands and limited physical ability. I spent two or three days a week campaigning for a certain presidential candidate

FAT55 Mountain Bike Marathon

2010-09-19T17:44:00.000-07:00

I very nearly bailed out of the inaugural FAT55 mountain bike race in Oakridge, Oregon (aka OROR) yesterday. It was early in the race on an atypical rainy September morning and I was already struggling with both bike- and rider-induced challenges. I've always enjoyed racing but promise myself to keep it fun and not take it too seriously.On this particular morning I was not having fun. And not

Hells Canyon: The Rest of the Story

2010-08-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

The three miles between Wild Sheep and Granite rapids disappeared in a flash at the high flow. We made a mad paddle for a campsite on river right, just above Granite. The site featured a gravel beach with a flat-ish area for the kitchen and a row of tent sites on a partially wooded bench above and to the right. A trail hugged a granite wall downstream to a view of the rapid.The first camp was a

Hell's Canyon Rafting Trip

2010-07-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

It all started in the damp and dark of January when the Four Rivers Lottery opened. The lottery is how one procures permits for the Main Salmon River, the Middle Fork Salmon, the Selway, and the Hell's Canyon section of the Snake.Scott, our friend Justin, and I agreed on dates to submit on our applications and that we would all apply. A few weeks later, the lottery results arrived by email: I was

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 7

2010-07-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, but I'm finally getting back to this. Stay tuned for a run-down of our week-long adventure down the Hell's Canyon section of the Snake River--maybe I'll get that up by Christmas!The last day of the road trip--I was stoked to get home, but not ready to be done (although Tucker was!). I packed up camp efficiently but not rushing while keeping an eye on the dysfunctional dynamics

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 6

2010-06-04T13:32:00.001-07:00

North Fork John Day RiverJohn Day Fossil BedsPicture GorgeTuckered OutT and I crawled out at 5:30 a.m. to pee, then went back to bed for some more zees. I had to call T away from eating something to get back in the tent. An hour later, I awoke to the loud "ack, ack" sound that often precedes barfing. Unzipping the tent in panic mode, I tried my hardest to push Tucker out the door, but I was too

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 5

2010-05-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

Strawberry MountainsTucker on Canyon MountainSumpter DredgeKam Wah Chung14 May 2010I had a lot on the itinerary for today and was worried about fitting it all in, so got up at 5:30 and made coffee but skipped breakfast to get an early start on the day. The tent had a light frost on it, so it got packed up wet but would quickly dry out at camp this evening.We were rolling a little after 7. Spent

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 4

2010-05-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

Steens MountainTucker cools off in upper Pike CreekPeeking out at the Alvord DesertThe ultimate camping machine!Thursday, May 13, 2010Woke up early to a refreshingly sunny day and traipsed across the gravel road for a soak in the hot springs while enjoying the sun coming up across the Alvord Desert. Had a quick breakfast of oatmeal, packed up camp, said goodbye to my campsite mates, and drove two

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 3

2010-05-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

Donner and Blitzen RiverRimrock WallTucker at the Alvord DesertAlvord Hot SpringsCamp 2Wednesday, May 12, 2010Got up at 6:30--not hard when you go to bed before 10 (when it's cold and dark, getting in the sleeping bag seems like the most logical thing to do). Made a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs, then packed up camp. Since today's hike leaves right from the campground, I leave some things

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 2

2010-05-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hwy 140 northeast of LakeviewDeGarmo Canyon hikeHart Mountain Hot SpringsPage Springs Campground from the nature trailTuesday, May 11, 2010When I looked out the window to see snow covering the car, parking lot, and all visible terrain, I decided to linger in warm environs til mid morning and the promised warming/clearing trend. I took advantage of Internet access for weather and road conditions,

View through my window this morning:

2010-05-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Day 1

2010-05-10T21:13:00.001-07:00

Beaten back by rain, snow and wind, Tucker and I shamelessly retreated to the shelter of a Lakeview motel. The weather is predicted to improve tomorrow, so we hope to be right on track with the itinerary for a hike up DeGarmo Canyon tomorrow, a quick soak in Hart Mountain Hot Springs, and the trip over to Steens.We finally launched from the driveway a bit after 10 a.m., just a couple hours after

Ronde PDX, round two

2010-04-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I took my second Tour of West Portlandia by bicycle, riding all uphill (at least it seemed that way) for over five hours to finally gain the summit of Council Crest in a spring downpour. Inspired by Belgium's Tour of Flanders, or Ronde van Vlaanderen, this unofficial, un-permitted, free ride is not sponsored, hosted, or condoned by anyone. The route is marked only by subtle yellow

Flag Point Lookout

2010-02-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

Can't believe I never posted this! A highlight of our winter--Six months ago, I got lucky enough to find two consecutive nights' availability at Flag Point Lookout. A 14x14-foot cab perched atop a 60-foot tower, the lookout is staffed in the summer, but available to the public the rest of the year. Reservations are tough to come by--a maximum of six months in advance, and weekend dates are

Fences for Fido

2010-02-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

Fences for Fido is a Portland-based non-profit endeavoring to free dogs from chains, one by one. We volunteered at a recent fence building project.

A Frosty Winter Run

2009-12-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

A rare weather system has brought the Pacific Northwest relief from the typical low, grey skies, drizzly rain, and perpetual sogginess, instead revealing blue skies, snow-covered volcanic peaks, and foggy puffs of breath in lung-searing cold air. Most Portlanders root for a comeback of "50 degrees and rain," but I, for one, enjoy the taste of real winter minus the snow.I packed smartly for my

Halloween Cross Crusade

2009-11-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

“Get a costume!” You gotta be faster than that if you're not wearing a costume!” were some of the heckling calls from the frenzied area near the barriers on the upper end of the course. A rowdy crowd had gathered on the bandstand and along the course opposite, cowbells jangling and beer flowing freely. Supportive cheers favored those in costume for the day-after-Halloween race (Sunday is always

Cross Crusade #1

2009-10-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

As I drove through downtown on my way to the Alpenrose Dairy Velodrome, I saw the throngs of runners 15 minutes into the Portland Marathon cruising along Front Street, a backdrop for the glassy Willamette River in the almost dawn light. Seven years ago when I lined up for my 10th marathon and second Portland, I had never heard of cyclocross. Now I felt only a mild twinge of envy, looking forward

40th Birthday Hike in Glacier Peak Wilderness.

2009-09-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

That's right--I'm 40! How the F--- did that happen? And no, we didn't go to Glacier National Park--that's in Montana. Glacier Peak is one of the tallest mountains in Washington's North Cascade range and has a wilderness area named after it.As always, my objective is to get up high--above timberline where there there's lots of granite, wildflowers and glacial lakes. To that end, I planned the

A Whole Weekend of Riding Bikes!

2009-08-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Mountain Bike Oregon did not disappoint again this year! My friend Peter and I arrived late Thursday night and found a flat spot in the growing sea of tents to make camp.I was a guide this year, so I had to get up early to check in and get my ride assignment for the day. My ride schedule couldn't have been better: "The Epic" on Friday, followed by mellow North Fork on Saturday, and long Middle

Planes, Trains, and Motorcycles

2009-08-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

...oh, and ferries, too!This weekend I joined Scott on a group Harley ride called "Too Broke for Sturgis." I needed to find a way to seriously limit my time sitting on the bike since that really aggravates my back. So I concocted a plan:We left the house at 6:30 Friday morning and Scott dropped me off at a coffee shop downtown before heading up I-5 to meet the rest of the group. After an

Suffering from neglect

2009-07-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

I've seriously neglected my blog this summer. And not for lack of content; mostly because I'm too busy out doing things to sit and write about them. I've been thinking about doing some catch-up, though, so stay tuned! If you follow me on facebook at least you've gotten the abbreviated versions of my summer activities.

Our "transition neighborhood" gets noticed

2009-06-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

Portland's Cully neighborhood--that most locals have never heard of--has gotten noticed recently. More specifically, the Ainsworth Street Collective is a loosely organized group of neighbors just one block north of us. We walk down Ainsworth Street almost every day when taking Tucker to the dog park and know several of the residents there.Apparently, Sunset magazine has a feature on ASC in an

Spring has Sprung!

2009-04-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

Every year, it seems like I leave for a trip in typically cold, wet weather and come home four days later to discover that Spring has occurred. This year was no different. These were all taken in my yard:

Great day on the river!

2009-03-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

What better day to spend a rainy spring day than on the river? The great thing about kayaking is that you're wet anyway, so it doesn't really matter if it's raining.Scott and I slept in, then went to yoga. Then he had to go to work for a few hours, so I made plans to meet one of our paddling buddies out at the Clackamas. The river was up from all the rain this week and since my boating has been

2009-03-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

It was no surprise that the best part of my day occurred while riding my bike. Friday morning, I finally got around to putting slicks on my 'cross bike so I can use it as a road bike during the non-'cross season. The tire changing is fodder for a blog post of its own--let's just suffice it to say that after 45 minutes, a blister and a punctured tube, I threw tires and wheels in the truck and

Via Rail: The Canadian

2009-02-17T18:35:00.000-08:00

I awoke this morning to a very loud announcement making the second call to breakfast. When I raised the blind to look outside, I was nearly blinded by white. We were nearing Saskatoon in a snowstorm and the sky was nearly as white as the vast expanse of snow-covered Saskatchewan farmland.We boarded the train at 5 p.m.

VIA Rail: Day One

2009-02-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

The champagne flowed in the dome of the Park Car as the train rolled out of Vancouver Station at 8:30 p.m. We enjoyed the nighttime view as the train crept through the city under a nearly full moon and were later rocked to sleep by the steady motion.We arrived in Vancouver without incident and met my dad and Liz, who arrived over an hour ahead of us, at the airport. We took a cab to the train

A few shots from today's snowshoe outing...

2009-02-01T19:16:00.001-08:00

Patrick, Craig, Scott and I tried to get to Elk Meadows on the east side of Mt. Hood.

Sundance Film Festival, Day 2 & 3

2009-01-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

After Afghan Star, we made a quick trip to the grocery store for supplies, then made the 45-minute drive to the spectacular Sundance Resort for the afternoon screening of It Might Get Loud. The rustic resort is nestled in the Wasatch Range and surrounded by classic rocky mountain peaks.Catherine and I needed tickets, so we joined the wait list line for a few minutes until Zach scored extra

Live from Sundance, Day 2

2009-01-18T12:09:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Zach Sachen. Robert Redford at the IndieGoGo party, 17 Jan 2009.This morning we rolled out of bed at 7:30 and drove to the Library for the early screening of Afghan Star. Luckily they sell coffee and bagels onsite and allow eating in the theater.Afghan Star is a world documentary about daily life in Afghanistan, using four contestants in the native version of American Idol as a

Sundance

2009-01-17T21:12:00.000-08:00

I caught an early morning flight to Salt Lake City and arrived at The Playground (aka Zach's house) around 10:30 a.m. He and Monica were at a movie, but arrived home by the time I settled in and changed clothes. Their suggestion of an afternoon ski sent me changing again. I thoroughly enjoyed my first day of alpine skiing in 10 years, schussing down a wide range of moderate runs at Deer Valley.

A rare sight: sunrise in Oregon

2009-01-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Eyelids still heavy with sleep, thermos of hot Stumptown coffee in my backpack, I throw a leg over my trusty steed, clip in, and roll down the driveway. As I pick up some speed on the flat road, the frosty air slaps my face, reminding me of an icy wave of river water shocking me to life on the first drop of a whitewater day.Although the Scott Cross Team is surefooted, I corner cautiously to avoid

Still snowing!

2008-12-24T08:50:00.001-08:00

It seems the prospect of a white Christmas is no longer in doubt. It would take a lot of melting to change things at this point! Our neighborhood has been transformed into a ski-in-ski-out community. That should bring property values up a bit ;-).Even the courts closed on Monday, so Scott stayed home and we skied to the Post Office to collect the mail. Yesterday I skied to the grocery store, but

Marshmallow World

2008-12-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

Desperate for some exercise this afternoon, Scott and I suited up in snow pants, gaiters, and parkas for an expedition to the gym. The roads are too treacherous for running and the iced-over snow is too lumpy for a decent ski. No hope of getting the car out--the driveway is several inches under and the drifts against the garage door are plastered with a quarter-inch glaze of ice. Besides, most of

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

Last week, my computer and I caught viruses. My nasty cold slowed me down for a few days, but one day my computer flat out refused to get up. Lucky for me, my friend Tim is a computer guy (that's generic for people who do stuff with computers but you don't know exactly what; it's like someone saying they're an engineer--what does that mean, exactly??) and since I give him guest passes every year,

Aaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

2008-12-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal: I'm kind of unemployed, but I have a job--but I'm not getting paid for it and I can't go get another job that does pay because I already have a job--but I'm not getting paid. Make sense?? Only if you're an airline pilot.Since I was hit by a car in September, I've been medically unqualified to fly airplanes. Now my doctor has released me to "light duty" which has no application to

Much to be thankful for

2008-11-28T09:20:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day dawned sunny and dry, a practically unheard-of occurrence here in the PNW. After several days of no rain, the yard and surroundings were lacking the usual sogginess. This allowed me to smoke the turkey outside on the deck instead of in the garage where Scott feared it would deposit greasy residue on everything. I spent a beautiful day on the river with my friend Rachael and her

Back in the saddle

2008-11-23T17:24:00.000-08:00

Last week I rode my bike for the first time since "the accident." Just my single-speed cruiser that keeps me fairly upright with very little weight on my wrist. It was exciting and scary at the same time. But mostly exciting! For me, a bike spells freedom. It means I can get where I want to go--exactly where I want, not a parking space or lot four blocks from where I'm going. It also means I

Squirrel stalking

2008-11-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

This has been a week of perfect fall days for visits to the dog park. Tucker is a regular no matter what the weather, but when it's dry and relatively warm, we linger a bit longer than in the gray winter months of rain and slop. He has become a master of stalking squirrels. As we approach the park, he begins scanning the trees for signs of the taunting, twittering creatures. Ever since the day a

Any Given Sunday

2008-11-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

The rhythmic beating of drums pounded through my veins, gradually getting nearer and louder as I walked from the soggy grass field that passed itself off as a parking lot toward the race area at Portland International Raceway on Sunday afternoon. As I rounded a corner and threaded my way through the throngs of racers, family members and fans, I finally saw the source: the Last Regiment of

Toweling season

2008-11-12T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here in Oregon we have two seasons: summer and toweling. In the summer, it's usually warm and dry if not sunny, but during toweling season every outing with Tucker involves cleaning and drying him off with at least one towel before he comes inside. When it gets really nasty (which it's about to -- the forecast is for 2.5 inches of rain over the next two days) we have a two-towel system. We start

Overheard

2008-11-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

In the locker room at the gym a couple days ago I overheard two women talking about Halloween. One of the women said she was a retired librarian and she passes out books to trick-or-treaters--and this year she had 345 visitors to her door! She used to offer kids a choice between candy or a book, but so many chose the book she did away with the candy altogether. The other woman apparently has

Miss Gail's Southern Cooking

2008-11-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

Watkinsville, Georgia sports a new restaurant, recently opened by none other than my sister. What started as a seemingly hare-brained idea hatched when she found herself unemployed last spring is now a wildly popular reality. Both of us adopted our mother's kitchen skills, but my sister has always excelled at cooking the rich, traditional southern foods: sweet potato souffle, macaroni and cheese

Hiking with Hans

2008-10-31T19:55:00.001-07:00

I was going to call this post Thursdays with Hans after the book "Tuesdays with Morrie" but then I remembered that one of our hikes was actually on a Friday.One day I had a voice mail message from my friend and coworker Hans asking if I were interested in hiking the next day. My first lesson as a housebound invalid (okay, maybe a slight exaggeration since I can walk and ride the bus, but I

Halloween

2008-10-31T19:53:00.001-07:00

Although it rained most of the day, it's warm and dry outside and yet hardly a trick-or-treater around. Two years ago it had been raining for days and the yard was soggy and gross, but tons of trick-or-treaters. Last year it was dry and beautiful but cold and we had tons of trick-or-treaters.Scott and I don't even like kids. We generally don't like other people's kids and we certainly don't want

Exercising your rights

2008-10-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

Since I haven't been able to work, or even to be particularly productive around the house, I decided to finally act on my long-time goal of volunteering for the O'Bama campaign (don't tell my parents). So I took the bus down to the local office and signed up. I'm rather introverted and both calling and canvassing go against my nature, but I sucked it up and went door-to-door for a few hours my

Pin-free at last!

2008-10-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

I had the pins taken out of my wrist today after 4.5 weeks. Scott drove me because he thought they would give me anesthesia and I would be woozy afterward, but no such luck. The doctor just unscrewed the bracket, grabbed the first pin with a huge pair of pliers, and started pulling. I winced with pain as it left the skin. He explained that bone doesn't hurt, but there is a thin membrane around

Vacation

2008-10-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our vacation. We started by flying into Billings, MT--late, with an injured wrist, and in the rain, so instead of embarking right away on our backpacking trip, we spent the night in Cody. We got invited to Laurence's friend's house for dinner with the friend's new mail-order Russian bride. He's a gourmet cook and the food was awesome.The next day, we packed our

Life with one arm

2008-10-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking that missing an arm for six weeks is no big deal, try putting one hand in your pocket for a few hours and see how things go. Here are lists of things I can and cannot do; I'll update it over the next few weeks.I can:open a beerpull on elastic-waist pantswalk the dogtype with one handI cannot:button pants with more than one buttonapply deodorant to my right armpittie my shoesdo

The Dangers of Cycling

2008-10-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

Portland is often considered one of the most bicyle-friendly cities in the U.S. We have bike lanes, bike paths, maps of bike routes, and aware drivers (when they're not talking on cell phones and otherwise being oblivious to their surroundings). While ridership has escalated over the past five years, the number of bike/car accidents has remained the same. Still, when I ride in town, I exercise

From Cody, Wyoming--

2008-09-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

My vacation to Montana/Wyoming/South Dakota has been extended with wrist surgery. The day before we left, I was on my bike downtown and was hit by a car making a right turn across the bike lane. My 9-day-old cyclocross bike suffered a bent brake/derailleur handle and I was left with knee abrasions, a nasty bruise on my left hip and a broken left wrist. X-rays did not show a fracture, so I wore a

Birthday backpacking trip

2008-09-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

Scott and I took Tucker on three-day hiking adventure in the Three Sisters Wilderness for my annual birthday backpacking trip. For once, the hike in was fairly short and easy. We started at the Park Meadow trailhead just south of Sisters, Oregon, in the central Oregon Cascade mountains. Overuse by horses has chewed the trail into a six-foot-wide pile of powdery dust that traverses a ridge below

Mountain Bike Oregon

2008-08-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Mountain Bike Oregon is a sort of all-inclusive vacation for those of us with a warped sense of luxury and a thirst for epic singletrack. The brainchild of Randy Dreilling, lifelong resident of Oakridge, city councilman and mountain bike guide, MBO is wildly popular, now filling two summer weekends with over 250 riders at each session in only its fourth year. Basically, you show up with your tent

Nice day at the coast?

2008-08-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

In true Oregon style, it was cold and rainy for our motorcycle ride to the (coast. We planned to leave early Saturday morning, ride a scenic loop, then spend the day at the beach before heading home to have dinner with our neighbors down the street. In reality, it was almost noon by the time we fired up the Harley and roared out of the neighborhood.I had mapped out a route that would take us out

Culture Shock

2008-07-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

On the way home from kayaking the Clackamas River this morning we stopped off at the local Harley-Davidson dealership where Scott had to return a part he bought but didn't need. As we pulled into the parking lot in the 20-year-old Nissan loaded with kayaks and dog I already felt out of place. A band was playing bad music really loud, a cook was serving up grilled burgers to leather-clad, tattooed

Gorge Games Adventure Race

2008-07-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

Last month when I was home on reserve and got to do things I don't get to do when I'm out of town, I went to the Wednesday night mountain bike ride/trail run with the local adventure racing club. It was fun to see some old friends whom I really miss and meet a few new people.One night, Renee and Russ were pondering who to get for a fourth person for their team in the 24-hour adventure race at the

2008-07-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

My friend Teresa and I went kayaking on Monday. It was a fabulous, warm, sunny day--the kind you long for in the middle of winter when you're layered in fleece under your drysuit.

Cascade Cream Puff 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race

2008-07-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.cascadecreampuff.com/As we pulled into the Westfir School to check in for the race, one of my first thoughts was that everyone else seemed to know what this was all about while I didn't really have a clue what I was in for. Camps looked professionally set up; toned,fit mountain bikers rested on cots in the shade. It was the hottest day of the year so far at 100 degrees with near record