Ascent of Squak Mountain 3/21/10

The obsessive nature of one who loves to climb up mountains sometimes has drawbacks. Instead of hiking what are I am sure very pretty trails we decided to hike up the road because it was the most direct way to the summit. This is made even funnier by the fact that the summit has a road to the top, a large communications tower and no views to speak of. We still had fun catching up with an old friend Ninja John who hiked up with us. Hopefully next time his son Olliver will not be napping and will get to come hiking too!

Little Si 1,576 ft

I remember when February meant cold, clouds and rain! It was a beautiful day for a hike and Piper and I had a great time.

Tiger Mountain Winter Ascent

Piper and Daddy on the summit of West Tiger Mountain Janurary 3rd 2010 I got my butt kicked carying a 50 pound pack! Piper had a fun time and talked to everyone on the way up. By the time we got to the summit she was pretty sleepy and slept most of the way down.

Polar Bear Plunge 2010

Travis, Risa, Dan, Janene, Julie and I getting ready to get COLD!

I started the year off with a brisk dip in Lake Washington at Mathews Beach in Seattle this year. This has become a tradition for Julie and I having done it 9 years in a row now. This year was extra special because after years of inviting friends to come and join us we finally got some to actually come and do it!

For years I had heard about crazy people who go for a swim on New Years day and called themselves polar bears. Julie and I did our first and third swims in Vancouver BC where it has been a tradition for many years.
We are pretty happy that it has come to Seattle though as it is a little closer to home!

Bicycle Fun!

Another awsesome activity for Piper and daddy has come of age. I am so proud of my 1966 Raliegh 3 speed. I have been working on getting the bike and seat set up for the last few months. Fritz at Dutch Bike Seattle installed custom gooseneck and handlebars to accomidate this kid seat. The final piece of the puzzle came Christmas morning when Julie got Piper a new helmet. Looking forward to many fun rides with her and Julie this spring and summer!

Future KAVU ad!

Surf Safari 2009

Riding a wave has got to be one of the most amazing and magical things that a person can do. I had an opportunity to surf again last week and was once again left feeling humbled. It has been seven years since my last trip to San Diego and my first opportunity to try it. I knew from that experience that it was a pretty difficult thing to do. I went into this trip hoping for the best but not expecting a lot.

My first opportunity was at South Mission beach in San Diego. It was rough surf and for me very difficult. My surf coach took me through some basic drills on paddling, popping up and how to deal with waves breaking over your head (turtle rolls). I was feeling very determined and definitely gave it my full efforts. I completely exhausted myself but I was able to catch several waves and stood up for like 1.5 seconds. It was a small but tasty feel of the stoke.

The next day we went to San Onofre or as the locals call it San O. It is state park about an hour north of San Diego and one of the coolest places I have ever been. It is very popular but big enough that it doesn't feel crowded. The surf here was small, slow and mushy. Paddling out beyond the break was much easier than on any of my prior attempts and gave me some confidence that this might be my day. However it was difficult for me to catch waves they were so small. Also my shoulder muscles were exhausted from the prior days adventures and the fact that at San O the breaks were a long way out from the beach.

I had a great time getting out and giving it a go. It was great fun to get to meet and hang out with some really cool people. It feels like it is almost within my reach to be able to stand up and ride a wave, but with such a limited time to try I wasn't quite able to do it. I really want to learn how but living in Seattle it is a pretty long drive. I hope I get an opportunity to try again before seven years goes by again. A big shout out to my surf coaches and enablers Jen, Greg and Glen, you guys rock! Also my very patient wife who kept Amelia from eating shells and seaweed while I was busy eating seawater.