Discovery Park Trail Run Sample

A day in the life of a Discovery Park Trail Runner....(04/21/2011)

Leaving Soon

Just a couple of days left before I take a little trip to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. While I am overly excited about the trip, I am also a little saddened by the fact that upon my arrival back home Sylvie, Ian, and Sarah will all have moved on to a new phase in life and won't be here. In addition to this I will be missing my sister's bday.

I have a lot of little things to figure out before I go, like what clothes to bring and in particular should I bring my running clothes, how should I pack my bags, should I bring a book, yadda yadda yadda.

It will work out in the end, just as life always seems to do but I still can't help but shake these butterflies.

Idle Me Part Three

Yet another day of idleness. It is driving me nuts. Nuts!

I spent the afternoon pouring through cookbooks, which is torture because I can't really eat anything, and after finding some unique recipes, spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and baking. I must say that I was successful in finding some great new recipes. My new personal favorite is a new take on a traditional favorite, Banana Bread with Crystallized Ginger and Dark Chocolate Chunks. Heaven. It was so good in fact that I made some loaves for Sarah, Sylvie, and Ian. The recipe is a keeper for sure! Thank you Molly Wizenberg, you goddess of the kitchen you (for those of you who don't know...Molly is my favorite food blogger @ http://orangette.blogspot.com/ She is also the co-owner of Delancey, the best pizza in Seattle).

While I was waiting for things to cook I also re-arranged my living room. I just recently acquired two new Ork posters, Portland and Seattle. If you are not familiar here is the link (http://www.orkposters.com/). I love them and they are perfect in my cute little place.

So I guess today wasn't a complete wash. I did start my day with an amazing breakfast at Wild Mountain with Angie and Jason, Bekar's and Jon (yep 5th wheel). That place alone would make me happy all day long and even though I didn't go on a run or a bike ride...today was kind of nice.

Back in Seattle, STP and Cannon Beach, Missed Opportunities

Another Seattle To Portland Bike ride down. This makes three in a row. After riding for 215 miles for 13 hours and 50 minutes and then spending a few days of recovering time at the beach house down in Cannon Beach I am now back in Seattle, sitting at a Ballard coffee shop with my everything bagel and tall americano listening to CocoRosie while writing this post.

This year I rode solo and it was a great mental challenge because I missed my friends Justin and Jimmy. I wouldn't have them to lean on if I needed to, to help keep me going and focused while also adding a little more fun and humor to the ride. While you are surrounded by other riders from all over the country, it is nice having a friend to ride with, someone with whom you share the experience.

Thoughts on the ride:
1. it sucks waking up at 3:30 am
2. it is important to keep your mouth closed while riding...there are a lot of bugs.
3. I don't want any bananas for a week. 5 in a day is just too many.
4. I love girls in spandex. I think it is oddly sexy. Just saying.
5. I am glad I didn't crash this year.

Anyway. I feel a great sense of accomplishment, like I succeeded and overcame some seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Oddly enough, deep down I knew I could but I didn't want to admit it to people.

While I was waiting for Ross and Sylvie to pick me up post ride, all I could think about was getting a coffee. I really really wanted Stumptown but there wasn't one where I was by the Convention Center so I just went to Starbucks. After ordering and finding a spot on the patio next to two cute girls I sat and thought about what I had just done and it felt good. Really good. More importantly, my americano was heavenly. The best part about it....as I was leaving one of the girls said to me "hey you, I just wanted to tell you that I think you are extremely hot."
Silly me...my response was 'Thanks.' Are you kidding me. 'Thanks'!!! Sheesh.

Cannon Beach was exactly what I needed after the ride. Sipping tequila next to a toasty fire on the beach late a night, listening to the waves crash and singing songs while Jason strummed his guitar, it was perfection. Ian brought a frisbee with a light in it. Wow, that is one of the greatest things! You can't see who you are throwing it to, but they can see the frisbee so it all works out in the end. Dave and Charissa joined us one night and we told ghost stories by the fire.....'And the call came from inside the house!' Oh Charissa. I miss you.
I have so many more stories to tell but I'll save them for another time.

Seattle To Portland 2010

I leave tomorrow morning on yet another adventure. It appears my life is filled with such things and in retrospect, it is completely true because, for me, this is one reason why life is worth living. So tomorrow, at 4:30 am, I will hop on my Schwinn Paramount and ride 215 miles and make my way to Portland, for the third year in a row.

This ride will be different than the last few though. For the first time I will be riding alone, due to Justin's bike being stolen, boo, and Jimmy's moving back to Minneapolis tomorrow, again boo. Because I will not have them to help carry the weight, I do have some nervousness that I may not in fact make it all the way there (but this tends to be the same nervousness I get when I run marathons and yet I have completed all that I have done and I have done well). There is just something to be said about having the support of friends on the road.

My ultimate destination is Cannon Beach, to the family beach house. My friends and family will be there, which thrills me to no end. I will get to see Dave and Charissa, who are doing their annual trip from Minneapolis. I will also get to see Portland Charissa, which is so exciting for me. It is her birthday, today in fact, so I am excited to cook for her and celebrate. Also in attendance will be Rossome, Ian and Sylvie, and in spirit Sarah (who sadly couldn't get the night off of work).

What I am looking forward to most...looking at Haystack Rock while sitting with friends on the beach and sipping tequila.

Camping Weekend Gold Basin

Before I really write anything you should look at the photos because they will do so much of a better job than I can in describing what took place.
(http://picasaweb.google.com/105068785704661864798/GoldBasinCampingWeekend618620201002#)

Ok, so this past weekend Angela, Jason, Ian, Sylvie and I went on our camping trip. Sarah was hoping to go as well but sadly wasn't able to find the time.
It is somewhat difficult to write about this trip because it was simply just soooo amazing and breathtaking. Not only did we have an amazing campsite, good company, wonderfully prepared and slightly gourmet meals, and the views....wow the views, but it was utterly serene and peaceful. We slept by a winding river, the Stillaguamish, that would put me to sleep each night. The first day the sun radiated off of the rocks, baking your exposed and sun kissed skin. Next time I am bringing floaties or an inter-tube.
The hikes we went on winded through old growth forests, where remnants of ancient stumps remain with new trees growing among the decay. In several of the stumps you could still see the loggers' notches that were carved for support as they would cut away, cutting into the past while preparing for their own, and often uncertain, futures. At times it was sad to see this, but I have to understand that these people were creating their own new starts, using these humongous trees to build their log cabins and shelters. Seeing these stumps made me think of our past, and my past, and how I have come a long long way in certain respects. It also gave me a glimmer of hope for my uncertain future.
I really don't know where I am going, will I stay in Seattle or will I move to Portland if a library job opens up. These are the sorts of things that were running through my mind as I hiked on these trails, past the streams, past the waterfalls, over the moss covered bridges, up the mountains, around the lakes, into the ice caves, and back to my campsite where a fire would warm up my hands and a "Brass Monkey" would fill my stomach. (Thanks to Jason and Angela via Andy....a Brass Monkey is 3/4 beer-Rainier or PBR- and 1/4 orange juice....try it for it is disturbingly delicious).
I always love camping with Angela and Jason. Their excitement only adds fuel to my own and I cannot think of a time when I didn't have fun with them. Jason, in particular, really shines when he is playing his ukulele or guitar by the fire. Angela is a super trooper, storming up the mountain with a full backpack and no complaints. You can tell she is a Koroshec, for her endurance and strength are pretty evident. She is a strong woman, both mentally and physically, and now that Angela and Jason are together they form some sort of super couple. I am lucky to have them both in my life.
I wish Ian and Sylvie could have spent more time with us, but timing was a factor. When they arrived it was just starting to drizzle, which turned into rain and we had to put up tarps, with the rain preventing us from playing in the river. Like Angela and Jason, Sylvie and Ian are one of those power couples, who balances each other out so perfectly and are truly a delight to know and spend time with. I have really come to love trail running with Ian and it will be hard once he leaves for Africa to not miss that.
This past weekend has really made me appreciate those few key people I have in my life. When you surround yourself around good quality people it is hard not to strive for greatness and through them and with them you can achieve that.