Seasons

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each."
-Henry David Thoreau



Photo taken on 11/4/11

Photo taken on 11/11/11

The Light will Always Shine Brightest for Those that do not Keep

Share your light.
                           Be open.
to the light of others.

                      If you open that door,
light will shine
                one
          way
                and 
                     maybe
                               the
                                    other 
                                            way  
                                                  too!                     

Acting a fool,
                   is almost always,

 the
     only
           way
                 to
                    go.

Back
On
Top.

Two photos for Thursdays.

Seldom flying down the stairs of our house in Bellingham.

Seldom-Cat Vacuum cleaner! It works really well when there is food on the ground.

100,000

Lil' Wayne turned 100,000 miles old today. Congratz tough guy! Damn it feels good to be a gangsta!

Family, Food, XZ-1 Testing

My Parents just stopped into town for a brief visit. They were on a 5 day sail on Schooner Zodiac. We got out for some great food last night, along with a vicious partners cribbage game where the females came from behind and smashed Allen and I! Great to see them, even for a short spell. Kicked them out at the train station today for a cruiser train home to Oregon.

When I was in Olympic National Park a few weeks ago I ruined my little point/shoot camera with condensation it was so wet. After a lot of fussing around about what would be the best replacement, I finally decided on an Olymps XZ-1. It's a beautiful little camera that takes some seriously incredible images for it's size. One of the great features is the lens, it lets in a lot of light and therefore is great for low-light photography - a common theme while mountain biking in the woods of the PNW. Pretty impressed with the results this far. I'm excited to get to know the camera more and see what it can do!

Next on the hit list is Test of Metal in Squamish BC. It's a mass-start, point-to-point mountain bike race. 800 people on the start line! Have been hearing about it for years and this year (special Thanks to Logan for the free entry!) I'm toeing the line! Deanna and I are loading up Lil' Wayne and rolling up for a night or two of camping and then the race Saturday! If you've never ridden a mountain bike in Squamish, you're missing out! There are some pretty great trail up there.

(click on any of the images and they should get bigger for best viewing)

Patrick's Truck v4.0: Lil' Wayne

So by "Check back later in the week," I really meant, "later next month." If you haven't seen the Farewell 4Runner post, please click here before continuing to see what is next in line.

Lil' Wayne is the name of my new truck.

Here's a photo.

Pretty freakin' tough, I know. Doing his best with the stock "grill" and a little body damage out on the Olympic peninsula at La Push. Gangsta!

I've had 4 vehicles total in my life thus far. First, a 1987 fire engine red Toyota 4Runner, 4cylinder. She was a beauty. moon roof, tilt-o-meter, the whole nine yards. Then for a short time I had a 1992 4wd standard cap Toyota Pickup, green. Then the 1991 blue 4Runner, which by now you all know what she looks like. Notice a trend? Yeah, it's safe to say, Toyota-for-life at this point.

The first adventure for Lil' Wizzy and I was a cruise to Oregon with a stop-off at Washington State XC Championships in Wenatchee, WA. It was super fun. We camped out with friends Logan, Whitney, Chris and Courtney. Who all smashed out the racing h-core. It was a tough course and everyone raced hard. What more can you really ask for? Team S&M Alum, Spencer Paxson (Kona Bikes) won the Pro men's race handily. He's on to bigger stages and it's always great to race with him, or mostly, chill after the race, he pretty much races in front of me.

Before the race photo, tent, Lil' Wayne, myself.

Post-race grin because I finished. The week before I'd been kinda sick so I knew the race would be a rough one!

A few photos of Chris, Courtney and Whitney all racing bikes.

The following week in Oregon was awesome. Love it there. Corvallis was beautiful. The weather was 70 plus most of the time, didn't need arm warmers or knee warmers the whole time! Couldn't even believe it. With this being the coldest spring since 1956, my body was in absolute bliss. Then homie Alex NB showed up in Corvallis for the weekend and I knew I was in for some serious miles on the road bike. After that it was back up to Bellingham for me.

I had a couple extra days before I needed to be back at work so I figured I'd rally up to Olympic National Park. Lil' Wayne pulled 100's of miles of back roads and threw down a mean 28.6 miles per gallon!!! All my gear and everything! Olympic National Park is incredible. I barely scraped the surface, one hike in the Hoh rain forest, then another night at Mora campground near Rialto beach. Yet another beautiful piece of Washington State.

Here are a few photos of the Olympic NP camping/hiking. (I recommend hitting the full-screen button on the slideshow)

I ended the trip with a ride up Hurricane ridge from Port

Angeles. That is a spectacular ride if you've never done it, it's a really nice grade too, nothing too crazy steep, unless you like steep...

Hurricane Ridge, 17miles, 5000ft vertical gain, and amazing views! Worth the trip.

Farewell, Sweet 4Runner.

Farewell, Sweet 4Runner

Farewell, Sweet 4Runner,

Forever will you have place in my heart,

I am excited to pass you on, to a great family's fresh start.

The adventures have been many,

And large and small, warm and cold.

I remember so many good times, many, and quite bold.

I truly love you. You do know that right?

Tis’ why you've been so true, and full, full of might.

I know that you know, exactly what I mean,

We've been together so long, we made such a great team!

I know you'll run strong, with the right TLC,

It's time to make others smile, the way you made me.

I don't like goodbyes, so let's not draw this out.

Farewell, Sweet 4Runner. And on to the next bout!

You (left), Michael (far Right), and I somewhere in the Oregon Cascades. Winter 2006?

Kevin Hall and Matti Howell, about to shred the amazing and beautiful MacKenzie River Trail. Fall 2006

Here you are, kinda broken, but determined to see us home after yet another whirlwind Oregon Mudslinger weekend. How many of those did we make together? Spring 2011

Looking rather majestic aren't ya? Never went to your head though. Hwy 20, Summer 2010.

Guarding camp for us in the Methow Valley, Summer 2010.

Your favorite location: anywhere down a dirt road. Methow Valley, Summer 2010.

This road you know like the back of your windshield wipers. We're on our way to gleefully rally the trails of Marys Peak. Summer 2009.

Loaded! This trip, I remember well. Along with helping us advertise for a naked crit, you also pulled 20+MPG with 4 dudes and camping/bike racing gear! I couldn't have been more proud. Hwy 20, Fall 2006.

Great ass! Here you are faithfully toting around Deanna's bike and mine. Anytime in the last 5yrs? Any location in the Pacific Northwest?

Left to Right, myself, K.Hall. Nancy. Matti.

You're normal Oregon resting place.

Too many trips like this to remember or count them all. This is the start of 2009 summer.

Check back later in the week to learn about "Patrick's Truck: version 4.0"

36hrs of Mudslinger

Last weekend was the 23rd Annual Peak Sports Mudslinger. It's a race I try to never miss if it can be helped. Back in high school the Mudslinger lay dormant for a few years. The promoter lost venue that was currently being used. My Junior and Senior years I put in a lot of hours of trail work out at the current course. And the best part is, at the time, I could ride my mountain bike from my house on Alsea Hwy, over the skirts of Marys Peak and ride the trails that are now used for the course, without ever seeing automobile!

It was a super quick trip. Luckily, three good pals joined me for the weekend! Logan Wetzel, Ben Rathkamp, and Whitney Anderson. It was quite a good bunch. So we all piled in the trusty 4runner and pointed it South.

Well, I won't bore anyone with details, but the 4Runner blew a headgasket and to get back home we had to refill the radiator 3-4times to keep her from over-heating.

Here's the 4Runner all loaded down. I know, she's a beauty in her old age. 277,000ish miles old that is.

But to the really great news, the race was amazing! Conditions were incredible, though not the conditions that the race was named for, it was still a super fun race. Here I must put in a few words about Race Director Mike Ripley. The dude knows how to put on a great race. check out his other races at mudslingerevents.com. The races he promotes are truly all about having a great time racing/riding your bike. Always timely, badass raffles, and it's my opinion that he wouldn't put on a race where the course doesn't kick ass. He's a rider too, and he know what to look for in a great race course. If anyone is curious about the race, there is the Test of Endurance50 miler that is held on the same trails, and then some, on June 19th. Check it out!

Race a good race and you should feel like this.

Results: Logan only won the damn thing, in front of fellow S&M Teammate Sean Babcock (2x Mudslinger champion). A sprint up the finishing hill was the only thing that could separate those two riders. I came in a few minutes behind them and another rider in 4th place. Ben smashed it! Dude came in 10th overall in his first mtb race. Nevermind that he's a super strong road and cyclocross racer. He is strong like buffalo. Whitney finished a super strong race in her large field of lady racers.

Ben shredding up Panama Canal. (Thanks to oregonvelo.com for the photo)

Finding my way down Panama Canal for the last time. (Thanks to oregonvelo.com for the photo)

Logan. shredder. (Thanks to oregonvelo.com for the photo)

http://www.oregonvelo.com/ for more great photos! Although, I couldn't find one of Sean...

Mom and Allen just after the race. They were an amazing support group!

Logan, myself, and Ben; just after finishing.

Tall skinny white dude on the top step!

Since we'd be getting back to Bellingham late no matter what, we decided to enjoy the fruits of our location a bit and stopped in Portland for a beer and burger. It was incredible to say the least. We were beyond hungry, frankly, maybe getting a bit hangry.

Galbraith Public Meeting Today

For those that don't know, our local mountain biking hotspot here is "under attack" for lack of a better term.

The following is from my friend Mike's blog: http://mountaingoatblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/galbraith-public-meeting-4182011.html

"

Galbraith Public Meeting 4/18/2011

There is going to be a public forum on 4/18/11 to discuss the current situation on Galbraith. Word is council chambers hold 250 people, so 500 riders should help get the point across. Ride your bike to the event and tell all your friends.

Stay civil and strong - we want to look organized, motivated and respectable. This meeting is a chance for the local riding community to show how valuable Galbraith is to us, as well as demonstrate our sheer numbers.

Galbraith Public Forum
Date: 4/18/2011
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Bellingham City Hall Council Chambers

"

Time for the post!

Life is good. Lots of bike riding and coffee making. Not much coffee drinking though. Unless I'm in Oregon with my friend Chris... Then caution is thrown to the wind. I still love riding my bike! I've come to terms with Winter weather, after last weeks multiple sub-20 degree days, 35 degrees and raining feels downright balmy! I took a long weekend trip to Oregon with Chris. He raced Cherry Pie, the OBRA season opener. Crushed it too. He took 2nd place on the day. Hats off to you my friend. Besh wishes for the coming season. The other days we were down there we cruised out some really nice Corvallis pave. Lots of good food and games with family and friends. It was a great trip.

I'll leave you with a couple photos. The first two are from Galbraith Mountain, just outside Bellingham.

Lookout Mountain's svelt curves leading down to Lake Samish.

Looking South at Lake Samish and Blanchard Mountain, the Skagit flats beyond...

Chrisp and I driving back from a great Oregon weekend.

Marys Peak looms over the small town of Philomath, and the even smaller cyclists. The top was our goal this ride but her morning robe of white beauty told us we'd never make it... We barely made it to 1200' feet, until ice and snow turned us around. The top is 4097' respectively.