Larch Mountain, Still Closed By Snow

I love this ride now, just bummed that the road was still snowed over because I was killing it. And when I say killing it, I mean for me, not compared to the ten people who passed me and my husband. I don't count them!

Silent Spring

Things may get a little quiet around here until the nice weather kicks in. I started school this month, and I'm learning to balance it with work and getting fit for the summer. I've gotten on the bike twice since starting, and both were strong rides, but there's been little hiking to speak of. So, since you don't want a picture of my stack of notecards and heavily-tabbed Business Law book, here's a picture of Dr B's new bike with the troll wall on our Sunday ride. Here's to next Sunday!

Road-tripping Oregon: Photo Album

A collection of spring pictures from the eastern Gorge, Astoria and Oregon Coast.

A Week In Cuba

Visiting Cuba left me with a complicated mix of impressions, and it's hard to put them into perspective just yet. I can't say that I enjoyed myself, other than the time spent with family. Yes, the joy of riding in a fat 50's Buick on dirt roads cannot be overstated. Of course Havana is a beautiful relic full of photo ops. And I'm well aware how fortunate I am to have visited a place that most Americans can only romanticize. But I'm here to tell you, life in rural Cuba is rough. And while that doesn't surprise anyone, the people's lack of freedom to visit and learn about the outside world only added to my sense of discomfort. It's not that anyone's dying of malnourishment or living in filth like in other third-world slums - Castro's success with delivering basics human needs is well propagandized. It's just that everyone's poor, and almost no one can leave. It's a frustrating situation, and one that I don't pretend to understand. I certainly didn't understand the language, so take my impressions with a grain of salt. Here's a sampling of the 600+ photos we shot traveling in Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Isabella de Sagua and Havana: