Tuesday

Withdrawls

The past four weekends in a row I have traveled north, across the border to the promise land with JM. I think I would need several sets of hands to count the times we rode up north this summer. Who would of thought I would ever fall so in love with biking. WHAM! Here I am, there is nothing more that I would rather do.

Each weekend this summer revolved around biking. We have faithfully trudged through the week, putting in our time in cubicles and offices for the promise of a great weekend of biking on increadible trails. Mondays were rough, I hobbled into the office, usually cranky because I was so hungry from the previous two solid days of riding, and the fact that we had to leave Squamish ( the best place on earth). Each weekday, we both would get up at our usual crack of dawn in order to put in the time, each morning looking at eacher muttering something to the effect of "three more days" or "we are so close." Fridays would roll around and we would both bound home inoreder to feed the chickens, JM would tune our bikes (thanks for the great ride) load the trusty van, and thank goodness for my parents we would drop the black beauty off for some doggy retreat on the bay (Sophee is problably still traumatized from abandoment issues). Then we would make the short hour and half drive to the wooded heaven that is just north of our little nook.

Each weekend we would explore new trails, ride the some real champs over again the following weekend. Hour after hour... we pedaled and pedaled, I pushed, I cursed, JM waited patiently, I smiled, we ate bars, more bars, rode more great trails, saw increadible views of Howe Sound, the Chief, Garibaldi, Whistler, on and on, I wondered if JM ever got tired, I was convinced that JM never got tired, we ate burgers, chowed down on the best fish and chips in the world, drank pitchers of beer, slept in our trusty van.... all in all, my life is perfect.

All in all our summer was increadible. I have dust on my clibimg shoes and I am okay with that. Running? No running, too slow. I have logged so amny miles on trail, on world class trail, more trail than probably most people ever get on. We were weekend warriors to the Nth degree. I got my fill and now it is time for me to redirect my energy to other parts of my life. This is easier said than done. As JM gathered his gear this morning to go ride up north, I had to find other things to do. Hard.... but who wants to ride in the rain anyway. I am sure that JM is glad to go ride with other people and not wait on me. I have to focus my energies on my knee, keeping it rested and getting ready to heal fast so when the spring rolls around and I have a new ride.... a new year, with new intrests.

The K word/s

The time has come to face the music! Arg!
I have been so lucky (or honestly a cautious, timid lady) that I have never had to have surgery, casts for broken bones, or in John's case "walked" anything off.
Last year, biking in Whistler about this time of year, I crashed. Nothing major.... just a slow tumble off of some wood ramp. As I tipped over and landed, I landed with all my weight and the bike on my left leg. SNAP! My knee buckled. In shear pain, and a little bit of fright I screamed and John dropped his bike and came running. As soon as I got the dirt out of my mouth, out of my eyes and untangled from the bike, I stopped whaling and realized there was no gashing wound or bone protruding, rather my knee had dislocated. I propped my toosh back on the bike and was able to roll trough the rest of the trail, trough Whistler Village.... straight to the Whistler Brew House where we had dinner with friends. For a couple of weeks I favored my knee, stayed off of it, nursed it and even went to the doctor just to hear "you sprained your knee."
Time passed, I ran... I ran a 50km race, I rode, I crashed more. I can't tell when my knee started to dislocate on regular basis but it is a fact of life as of late. Getting my bike on the lift at Whistler, getting up from the ground, yoga... it was/is happening a lot.
So I requested to get an MRI, thinking I would hear more of the same, but I was surprised (well I guess I shouldn't actually). I have several tears in my meniscus that cannot be healed through physical therapy or rest. Yep, the KNIFE! to my KNEE! Well not exactly, of all the knee injuries and surgeries to have this is probably the best. I will be fine and recover in a jiff! Or at least I better because.....
I know John just cringes at the thought of having to deal with me, laid up for a couple of weeks. It is hard to imagine..... arg! I don't even want to go there! I will recover in a snap and be back to bouncing around the room, yoga, a new bike waiting for me!!! (Maybe!) and probably no running. GASP! Can you believe it?!?! I might have to put this on the shelf... A year ago this thought would send me goose bumps and panic. Not these days, believe it or not. It is okay. Did I mention the thoughts of a new bike!
Next week I go to the surgeon and hash out the details. Until then.... well..... I hate waiting!

Teenage mutant ninja turtle bars

What does Thursday need? A little help in order to get us to the blessed weekend! Today it came in the form of a little treat for a fantastic co-worker, wonderful mother and friend on her birthday.
These little bars turned out perfect. I cut them into 1 inch squares, just the perfect bite size morsel to get the morning going on the right foot.
(sorry about the lack of pictures.... they were made late and gobbled up early)

Teenage mutant ninja turtle bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted

1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 Tbs butter

caramel topping
pecans (or other nuts...)

Pre heat over to 350.
Mix graham crackers and melted butter. Press into a 8x8 greased pan. Bake for 8-11 minutes.
Mix the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter. Melt until nice and smooth.
Spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the crust, bake for another 6-8 minutes.
Drizzle caramel topping over the top and sprinkle with nuts.
Chill for thirty minutes - store at room temperature.

Helmets are cool!

Helmets are cool... Helmets are sexy... Helmets apparently save lives! Steve wears a helmet... and lives.....

One day we are having a BBQ celebrating the brief return of a great old friend and the next thing we know there is news that a boulder, courtesy of those infamous goats on Snow Creek Wall in Leavenworth tried to take the cheer out of our good Friend Steve's birthday. Silly goats! Steve likes beer not rocks! Well thanks to his great new partner Suz, he was in the hands of an extremely capable climber/partner. I am so impressed by what I have heard of her stunning ability to deal with an injury in the alpine. Kudos to you for being prepared and knowing what to do. My heart goes out to you! AND teaches me that I need to be prepared! Shit happens and it happens to anyone. I have climbed this route at least a half dozen times with several different partners.

From Cascade Climbers:

Hi,This is NOT Steve, but his climbing partner Susan using his account. I live in the Tetons so don't have an account here.I can clarify what unfolded October 9th at Snow Creek Wall. Steve Murphy and I had finished Outer Space and were walking off when the accident occurred not far from the base. At 5:20pm Steve, wearing his helmet, was struck on his torso by a head-sized rock dislodged by a goat. The impact knocked him off his feet, down 10’ of scree/slab, and over a 20+ foot drop. He landed on rocks on somewhat of a ledge.Two climbers, Brian and Eric, were just below us and helped me assess and treat Steve’s injuries: concussion, facial laceration, broken molar(s), jaw, ribs, and ankle and the associated abrasions and contusions. The ankle required surgery. The two climbers played an instrumental role, especially in having a phone and going to the car to get sleeping bags to insulate our patient. The goats sporadically knocked more small rocks and scree down over the next few hours. Search and Rescue response was delayed because personnel were busy on other calls. The team that arrived included a couple of Chelan County Sheriffs deputies in addition to members of the all-volunteer Chelan County Mountain Rescue Team, one of whom was both an emergency room doctor and a climber. We were fortunate to work with a great team.The evacuation involved belaying the litter for 7 or 8 pitches, mostly traversing and also some down through the logs of the old burn. Many thanks to all the wonderful people who assisted. We arrived at the trailhead and the ambulance around 6:15 the following morning. Two corrections to the article: Steve is only 46… as of the day of this event. We do not know why the goat thought Steve would appreciate a chunk of granite for his birthday. He prefers beer. He recently moved from Bellingham (now on an extended road trip). Key points: wear a helmet anytime you’re potentially exposed to rockfall especially at crags that goats are known to inhabit. A few days prior, we observed goat-generated rockfall at Pearly Gates and noted that goats could be a serious hazard. Responses to this incident reinforce the frequency of goat-generated rockfall. Without the helmet Steve would not have survived.Also, learn and practice field-based first aid skills. This is more important than a first aid kit. I am an experienced Wilderness First Responder and recommend this level of training because it is more field appropriate and relevant, especially with the gear we carry as climbers, than Wilderness EMT. Snow Creek Wall is not a remote crag… until one gets injured. Safe Climbing and Sweet Cracks, Suz

Steve I am so glad you are okay! The BBQ this time is going to be courtesy of John. He has something waiting for you.... very special.......

Cabrito!