Remember the time...

Michelle ~ Hey John! Remember that time....

John ~ That time at band camp.....

Michelle ~ NO!

That time we were in Mexico.......

......walking back to our van late at night and got stopped by the police and I thought I was going to never see you again?

Yeah, Michelle I do, they didn't even take our money.

That little scare induced some wildly vivid dreams.

I can still taste the little mini bananas that we ate on the beach in Sayulita, they were the best.

That was the same beach that we were camping at and someone ran off with your sandals during the night.

We also watched men climb trees to pluck coconuts on that beach.

We even got married on that beach, that was kind of a big deal in our little lives. We bought your wedding ring from a street vendor.

We swam all the time while we were next to the ocean. We even swam off the beaches of San Fransisco just north of Sayulita.... where no one else swam.... because it was scary as hell.

Sometimes I think about getting us a little cement house in San Fransisco to go to in the winters. We could widdle away wet spring months learning to surf and eating tropical fruit.

How about our puppy dog of a friend. Gustabo. Crazy Gus.  He took us to some great climbing spots.
We climbed everyday.

Remember this tieda? Yeah you guys forgot me here. No biggie....

Do you remember the evenings we spent climbing up to Memorial Ledge in Squamish, drinking a beer watching the sun go down then hike through boulder fields in the dark back to the van, skipping dinner because we were too tired?

All those new and unxplored mountain biking trails in Squamish. I am really excited to get back there with you.

And Bellingham... oh Bellingham.....

Remember when we climbed every night after work?

Well you climbed every night.

I just stand around in climbing shoes because they feel so comfortable....

Captain Stiles!

We made the best of those long Pacific Northwest days.

I was so stoked for you when this climb went down. Phew!

Do you know that there wasn't a climb that you would back away from? You are incredible.

How about hiking up to Shannon Falls after a full day of climbing and getting two more pitches in because they are just that good.

We put in some long days together.

I can still feel the tingle course through my body with the vivid memories of jumping in the Skykomish River because it was too hot to climb the granite of Index. It may have been in the triple digits according to the mercury but that river was still glacier cold.

Do you know how proud I was to walk up to Cunning Stunt and be able to cruise up it? How about when you encouraged me to swap leads on G-M/Heart of the Country, and I did it, you know I felt like a rock star? Then Thin Fingers, maybe the best climb around that I have done. Then Breakfast of Champions on my own, I couldn't wait to tell you all about it.

Skinny legs and all, we cover some ground.

This picture makes me smile, then a few dirty jokes start to invade my brain. Made it through that one alive....

.......the best part of the adventure is the unexpected.

But I really don't need to be stranded on a mountain pass in a van with three guys ever again.

Do you know what is even more incredible? There are just so many more adventures that are in our future.

I had a hard time sleeping the other night, all I could think about was the possibilities.

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.

Squamish * then & now *

It is my lunch break, I know I should get up and look at something besides my computer but I am sucked into the history of Squamish through threads on supoer topo. If you are interested in the history of the climbing in Squamish and have several hours to kill check it out.

Here is my last trip to Squamish with the ladies.

Getting my legs back under me at Octipuses Garden.

A perfect afternoon to do laps on Paul's Crack at the Malamute.

A little bouldering in the sunshine! Cutting Edge is oh so fun (props to the peeps who can actually send this problem...)

getting my whoops....

Because this is all I can think about this morning, it is all I want to do (well one of the many things that I want to do actually)...
What a great weekend filled with friends, kids, bikes, DH, Whistler, Squamish bouldering, family, fireworks, and fun.
I will post some pictures of Birch Bay on the Fourth. Thanks to everyone who made the pilgrimage to the Bay to spend the fourth with us. Good times.
See the rest of you yahoos in Whistler next weekend!
Some reading for ya: State of the Park

Giddy

It is nearly the end of the working day and I can hardly contain myself. I have made plans with Brenna and Az to venture to Squamish for the weekend. Ladies weekend! There is something very empowering about a group of women out together, I am already so stoked or is it pure nerves about the thought of climbing/leading that has butterflies in my stomach. It just might be the latter. Thanks John for not letting me back out and bring my bike (or you) which would be a way to skirt around the nervousness of climbing for the first time this season.
I promise pictures when I return!
Have a great weekend, everyone, where ever you are, whatever you might be doing!

A piece of Paradise

I have found it, my little slice of heaven right in my back yard. I hate to just come right out and advertise the best place in the Pacific Northwest but I have found it nestled away on the Canadian coast.


I have been traveling the 2 hour drive north for over 5 years now and loving it more and more even tough it is becoming more crowded, more houses, a Wal-Mart, and traffic. The parks department (BC Parks?) has done an incredible job planning and accommodating the increased traffic and hoards of people amassing on Squamish. New trails, more camp sites, cleaning out old crags, and implementing a strict dog policy. Kudos to Squamish and all the parties involved who are going to keep Squamish beautiful for the years to come. The area seems to be getting "better" with time.


This last weekend John, Bryan, Jess and myself ventured to the play land in celebration of Bryan's 34Th birthday and the promise of good weather.

We hiked to the top of the Chief, breaking a sweat, letting the sun warm up the air, and for the sake of doing something new. It ended up being a great little adventure!

I don't know how John can make this move. He has the campasing moves stored in his back pocket at all times. It is called "Cutting Edge" (rightfully so), a beautiful and proud boulder. We have been frequenting this patch of boulders as I insist on being in the sun and not going into the forest to the Grand Wall Boulders.

"A bad day outside beats a good day in the office." I am sure John will have this problem the next couple of goes.

Saturday night, with a few hours of day light left we harnessed up and hit the Malamute. What a perfect day!

Squamish or bust

"I can't wait to see what happens next!"
This was scribbled on a shop chalkboard the other day. I love it, I think it sums up my feelings toward my life right now, or at least the feeling I strive for these days. The possibilities are endless. I think I might be intoxicated from the first glimpse of sun and a bit of warmth that the Pacific Northwest experienced for the first time. I think the city of subdued excitement is coming out of hibernation. People are out on the streets again, I am not the only one on the trails, there is smell of cut grass, there is color to the tress, flowers are popping out of the ground..... We made it through another dark, cold, stormy winter... we made it, now comes the fun part, the part that makes us stay here through those dark months....


This last weekend we packed the van for the first time in months, we gathered Natasha, our bikes, shoes and a crash pad to boulder and drove north to Squamish. We tested the mountain bike trails for the first time, was it ever worth it! The trails (once we found them) were incredible. We only rode in a couple of different places, we ran into snow, ice, confusion, tired legs, all the usual.... but left with smiles on our faces. What a relief, camping, biking, bouldering, friends, Squamish... spring is here (or at least peeking its head in every couple of days) and I am ready to play outside!

I have always threatened to move to Squamish, the climbing is just that good. Being there this weekend confirmed my love for this town, nestled in the mountains, perched near the bay, filled with endless recreation opportunities. We rode great trail and then on the way out stopped at the "Clean Boulders" and bouldered for two hours on some of the best boulders around (really, world class!). I cannot imagine the endless possibilities that would be a stone throw from our house, ** oh** the possibilities! I feel so fortunate to live just an hour and a half drive away. Moving north wouldn't do a single thing for this winter blah that plagues us.....

Beating the blah

I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.
- Rita Mae Brown

**Sam and I a couple of years ago exploring the boulders in Squamish. (Saggy butt jeans and all)**

John and are headed out for the weekend. **thank god** I haven't been able to get in the groove and get motivated to do all the activities that I usually love. We are going to hit Squamish for the short weekend. The weather is suposed to be nice so we decided to break the routine and meet some friends up north. We were going to head east to Vantage for some sun and a bit warmer/drier climate, but Squamish is just that much closer, the rock is that much better and there will be friends.

The thought of getting out gets me excited, this office nonsence is just not that stimulating nor remotley rewarding. There is nothing like a little adrelane and fear pumping through my veins to bring my mood back and desire for physical activity around.