Ideal job #3

Okay, in a perfect little Bellingham, doing a perfect little job..... I would be a professional athlete. That is broad I know, since one criteria is that I have to be able to do this job here in Bellingham I narrowed it down, and it wasn't hard at all....
I would be a professional trail runner.

Trail running is about the only sport or hobby that I feel as if I could compete in. I wouldn't settle for just any kind of competitive running, I would never be a marathon runner (my knees would obviously not take that kind of output) but I could race shorter distances, such as half marathons, if I really needed to. It is all in the training. To trail run, east and west of the Cascades, in BC, all over the northwest for that matter, and would that be a dream job. I have the determination and drive that I could run several 50 km races a year (well at least I used to have the drive), or I could run several shorter races, I could be happy training to run (and getting paid for it).... in a perfect world.

Here is the closest I have ever been to being competitive. 2nd place (women) in the North Face Endurance Challenge (2007)

Sunday adventures

In prep for an afternoon of football watching, pizza eating, chip munching and some good heckling, John and I went for a grand tour of the Chuckanuts this morning. Whooped that is what I am. I have grown accustomed to Galbi, know the trails well, cruise control. The Chuckanuts are an entire different ball of wax.
We parked in Arroyo Park, pedaled out the Interurban Trail, a lovely grind to the TOP of Cleator Road. From the top, we had a good view even on a cloudy day, and I must not forget the two inches of snow that remained frozen on the ground. We then ducked into the woods, giggling all the way down Double Black Diamond. At the bottom my eyes filled with tears, my hands were so cold, I was pretty sure that I wanted to call it then but we charged back up the hill which got the blood moving again and we were ready to continue on. We pedaled back up the Fragrance Lake connector, zipped down Cleator, rode the lower ridge, and finished it up with the new Hush Hush trail off of the Sala trail. I drug my ass to the car, tired, John was so stoked he was all smiles.
The whole point of this long description was the fact that the ride was perfect. It was a bit too cold for me, yes it was snowing for like the 5Th weekend ride in a row, but the trails.... the trails were perfect! We got back to the car without a drop of mud. For the Chuckanuts in February..... incredible. The trails were dry. Perfect conditions. Dry trail conditions make riding the ridge a lot more fun.
So we went home, I ate about a thousand calories, tried to comfort my tired body and mind, opting out of football for some peace and quiet, yoga and of course The Wire.

State of Bellingham's Trails

John has been hitting up Galbraith several times this week, coming back and raving about it. I have been hunkered down in the yoga studio, getting too hot rather than too cold. This morning I ventured out to the trails on my bike with John and Bryan in hopes to squeeze in a ride before the precipitation comes. Woa! I know what he was raving about now. The trails are perfect! perfect! PERFECT! There for 1. no foliage, as in nasty blackberries vines exploding, devil's club, nettles, and other "pesky" shrubbery 2. it is too cold for most people to venture outside 3. the ground is frozen, the trails are frozen solid. They just don't move, it is spectacular. It is like riding on pavement. 4. I haven't ventured out in the evening but John says that with lights the ground just twinkles.
For the love of bikes!
I didn't even freeze this morning! It was "ear to ear" as John describes it.
Yes John, this is what it is all about.