Mt. Adams

I skipped this trip b/c -you've heard it before- I'm not too excited about summer skiing. It sounds like they had a great time, however.

The trip was not without the usual adventurous hiccups but that's all a part of the fun. A log blocking the road delayed the summit ski by a day. But the guys spent a relaxing day at Heiko's girlfriend's house in Hood River, watching the funny antics of Spider, her jack russell terrier (thanks for your hospitality).

The next day, they headed out again, this time no road blockage. Heiko got altitude sickness but kept on pushing hard. He finally got too sick and had to stop. Ed & Brandon continued on and made it to the summit. A few turns in not-great snow...and then Brandon, showing off for the helmet-cam, did an awesome turn that resulted in a fall in which his ski did not come off (had his bindings locked in), thus torquing the ankle in some bad way. I can't wait to see the helmet-cam footage of the swear/stress-fest after the fall! :)

No rescue needed (thankfully...we'll tell you the story if you ask), the guys made it out on their own. Brandon's ankle turned out okay after all...just a bad sprain. As with all of these adventures, they make for good stories afterwards.

Heiko, Ed, & Brandon

Taking a break

Headed up some more...

Ed & Brandon, at the summit

Way Better Than "The Hangover"...

We spent a few days with friends in Whistler celebrating their bachelor/ette parties. No strippers, massive hangovers, or regretful awakenings. Instead, we enjoyed our time wandering Whistler village, ziplining, mountain biking, skiing, eating well, and relaxing with good friends.

On the chairlift up to the gondola...

the Peak-to-Peak gondola

Wishing we had skis

The bride-to-be enjoying a bucket drink

Julie going upside down on the zipline

Marci, fearless on the big one

No tigers, but lots of bears

"That's illegal!"

Going for the Gold!

B learning how to ride...

Ed, groom-to-be

Ed, Brandon, & Eric- after a ride

A good day ends with beer...

A 4-mile bushwhack into Cayoosh Mountain

Ed taking a break...

A few good turns...maybe worth the bushwhack in.

I've Made Up My Mind...

There has been much debate in our marriage over the last few years about skiing. I know, there are plenty of other, much more important issues to debate, but we find this one most entertaining.

So the crux of the issue is that Brandon is OBSESSIVE about skiing. I love to ski. I love to tour into beautiful spots for some great, untracked turns. I love the exercise, the views, and the lack of people. Of course, I love powder, even the Cascade version of it.

However, I have made up my mind- I am a 'Winter Skier'. For those of you who don't ski tour, you're probably thinking, "Duh...that's when the snow comes." But know this: there is a whole world of crazies who obsess about how many days per year they ski. Some of those people make it a goal to ski at least once every month of the entire year. And yes, it is possible, but is it worthwhile?

As we were trudging up Silver Peak in the drizzle last Sunday, here were my thoughts on that question:

• This is good exercise.
• I can't run on the trails right now because there is still too much snow so...this is the best form of exercise I can get near my home.
• Compared to sitting on my couch eating chips, this is definitely a better choice.
• Compared to basking in the sun in Vantage while climbing, this is ridiculously stupid!

Pea Soup

Once I thought of climbing in the sun, thus began the rapid decay of my positive thought process...

• Why the heck am I out here skiing when its nearly June?!
• Where is the sun? Really, is it gone for good?
• Does this wet, sliding stuff actually count as snow?!

Okay, you get the idea. So, Brandon can do his strange spring skiing with fellow crazy, best ski buddy Ed. And I will get a tan and enjoy some fun climbing moves in the sun. Debate over!

Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon

You all know that I have always hated running. A strange thing has happened....No, I don't LOVE running but I no longer hate it. My friend Emily coerced me into running the local half-marathon. She has been patiently jogging with me for the past several years, talking comfortably while I huff & puff next to her. As we trained for this race, I actually got better at running (shocking to me...I really didn't think it possible), so that I could match her pace and even hold a conversation.

It rained throughout the whole race, which I actually prefer b/c it keeps me cool. And somewhere around mile 9, the weirdest idea occurred to me: "I should run a marathon!" Don't worry...I quickly banished that crazy notion. I did, however, enjoy the race. Maybe I'll try an ultra-marathon...running in the woods is definitely more my style. ;)

Look at that smile of enjoyment!

Next Time, We'll Buy a Waterproof Case...

It was just last year when I posted 'flashback' shots, pictures from my childhood. I did this for two reasons: 1) the pics were cool and newly discovered, and 2) our camera was broken.

Here we are again, one year later, unable to post current pics. The reason? After committing to buy a new, more expensive camera (eeks!), we ruined it. :(

The camera took a little soak in a water-proof backpack when the hydration bladder leaked all of its contents. Good news: the backpack is truly water-proof...Brandon had no idea that the camera was sloshing around in 48 oz of water while he skied an entire afternoon. Bad news: the camera is dead.

So, for the time being, we will be providing image-less tales of our adventures. Maybe you will enjoy the more narrative approach...