Random Smattering Of Images To Show That I'm Still Alive

Crater Rock attempt. Great day but respiratory infection makes you prone to AMS, and I could walk maybe 20 feet at a time. MSR snowshoes worked great on the steeper parts but those damn straps drive me bananas. Partner made it to Triangle Moraine, where there was ice and wind. Allow 4 hours unless you're a BEAST.

Better than being at work. Practiced self arrest and had some mac n cheese.

Beach babe. Haystack Rock with out-of-town family.

Turkey day bike ride with the hubs, in which we were surprised to learn that after 1.4 million trips to Sauvie Island there are still things to discover.

Bay bridge at sunrise, Halloween. back again to take the WSET Advanced.

MSH

Cathedral bridge in No Po.

Back in business, hitting the trails again despite some ACL issues. I need a smaller cassette on the Cannondale - why don't I listen?

October Color Weekend

My recovery from the marathon was what I expected - I walked funny until Wednesday, and by the weekend I was more or less back to normal. Encouraged by a promising weather forecast, I joined my husband and his friend (who are both much better riders than me) for a butt-kicker Rock Creek ride. It was amazingly beautiful, and almost made me forget that I need to get a bigger cassette on my new bike. Oh, and the downhills? Pure fun!

On Monday I had the crazy idea to drive all the way to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness for a hike I'd already done... just to see some larches.I invited my summer hiking buddy, and we found the trail to be a frustrating mix of ice, slush and deep snow. Neither of us brought our trusty microspikes, and I struggled with my snowshoes throughout Headlight Basin. Nevertheless, it was a gorgeous day, and one that I didn't expect to have again this year. Almost enough to take the edge off ten hours of driving in one day.

Oh hey, I signed up for the 2014 San Francisco Marathon. No big whoop.

A Full Weekend

I packed the last couple days full, with a nine mile running loop over the Sellwood Bridge, a surprisingly easy ride to the Vista House (didn't that used to be really hard?) and then a double whammy ski-and-run today. Trillium Lake conditions were icy and lame this morning, which just goes to show that bluebird skies do not equal prime conditions. Reluctantly, I returned to Portland and headed down to Helvetia to run on some country roads until I got bored. And so far, the carb-protein combo is doing the job of helping me keep my energy and immunity up. And all of this is to get me ready for what I really love to do - hike my ass off. I've been plotting the two challenging hikes to Tank Lakes (via the east Fork Foss River through Necklace Valley) and Jade Lake (via Deception Pass) in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and hoping I'll be ready by summer. Good times, good times.

I'd Make A Pun About the Woods, But I'm Stumped

So, I'm thinking global warming might work out for Portland. After yet another sunny Sunday here in the previously-unbearably-gloomy Pacific Northwest, I may just stop daydreaming about Bend and Mammoth.

Headed out to Trillium again, I know it's not exciting. But it was a great day nonetheless - I did two loops and even learned to control my speed a little better on the long downhill at the end. I think one of my problems last week was not getting my legs far enough apart... that's not a problem your Mom has - blammo! That's one of the things about teaching yourself, you can miss the basics. So I kept a wide stance this time and never got going too fast. The downside is that probably would've been an okay day to let go a little what with all the soft snow, but I like baby steps when it comes to high speed sports. Except all the freaking babies out there ski better than me.

But if anyone comes to this blog ever looking for a peaceful spot for xc skiing, I can't recommend this place on the weekends. Aside from a gaggle of shrieking blondes in heels near the trailhead who somehow managed to make it about 500ft down the hill, there was also a men's Christian choir treating everyone to their falsetto stylings next to the outhouse on the far side of the lake. I usually go into the woods to escape that kind of noise - don't be mistaken, this is not the woods.

Getting Good

Good is what I'm not when it comes to skiing. Today was my second day, and I have the bruises to prove it. I bumbled around at Teacup for about five miles, and then bailed out and looped Trillium Lake. It took me several years to become proficient in the wilderness, it's taken me my decade-long serving career to become somewhat knowledgeable about wine, and I trained intensely to do my first cycling double-century. And still for some reason it baffles me that I cannot just hop onto a nordic trail and look pro.

XC Skiing at Teacup Lake

It only took 34 years, but I finally put on a pair of skis. Teacup is a zoo on the weekends, especially with this run of gorgeous weather.  The snow was getting mushy and my rented skiis had too much grip, but my girlfriend and I had a giggly, sweaty, wonderful time regardless. I freaking love it - now, to get braver and faster!

The Sun Chaser

The mountain must have heard I've been waiting 36 hours to get up there and try out my new snowhoes, because the forecast changed from mostly sunny and clear to cold as shit and gray in about the two hours it took me to get there. I got out of the car and started up the trail at Summit Ski Area, quickly decided that I didn't want to spiral from a mild cold into a full-blown flu, and kept on driving. The road was icy and a little sketchy, but the Subie did fine even without snow tires. On the other side of the mountain, I finally found my sun. So there's that, which was nice.

Iron Constitution

Being productive right now is a huge effort. I tagged along on a rainy wine country ramble with my husband and his biking buddy the other day, and while I didn't embarrass myself completely, I was certainly tired with only 28 miles and 1500 feet of climbing. The only reason I even thought I could keep up is because it was supposed to be an easy ride due to our friend being "injured." And it was, objectively, an easy ride. But I have a long way to go before summer to get where I need to be, even to where I was in 2011. With that in mind, I hit the running trail again today. Only did three miles, but it felt good. Afterwards, I read another chapter in my Ben Franklin biography - in the winter I like to read about badasses with iron constitutions to inspire me. That's a good phrase, that one. A coworker described me that way last week -- but he's from New York, so he doesn't know that I'm like the first or second rung on the ladder above pussy compared to all these hearty Pacific Northwesterners who triathalon to work and rappel into bed. But I'm going to try to be inspired with that image of myself as the season progresses.

My First Snowshoe!

Gorgeous hike on groomed trails from Ski Bowl West on the Glade Trail on Mount Hood up to near the PCT at Timberline. Rented showshoes from REI, but I can see a new gear purchase in the immediate future.