It's that time of year again! Time for
NaBloPoMo... (National Blog Posting Month)
The lazy-man's version of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)
Who's in?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Back in the Saddle
The Studly Hubby and I took a whole week off from biking but finally dragged the bikes back out to get to work faster today.
Well, my butt survived it but just barely.
Well, my butt survived it but just barely.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
San Juan Islands Bike Trip
We had quite an experience out in San Juans.
First, a big THANK-YOU to those who donated for this amazing event! You've helped the American Lung Association in their quest to help kids breathe better, and you helped our team have the craziest bike trip we ever thought we could have. Now I'll tell you the whole story.
Next, the team:
The Studly Hubby is in red and I'm in green with the bike helmet on. This was taken at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, where we camped at the fairgrounds on Sat and Sun night.
But let me start with Day 1.
DAY 1: The crazy departure
We arrived at the ferry departure site, in Anacortes, late Friday night (after dark), and set up tent in the soccer field of a middle school with about twenty other tents that were all lit up from the inside with flashlights. I'm sorry to say I didn't get a picture.
We awoke at 5 am because it had started raining. At first, the rain was kind of pleasant. But at 6 am, we had to take down the tent, and it started to suck - everything was wet, and it was dark, and we had to get on our bikes at 7 am and bike out to the ferry terminal and stand around in the freezing rain and cold for about an hour while we waited for the ferry to come in. That really sucked. Plus it was cold. I'm glad I didn't get any pictures of that. If we weren't so excited we probably all would have given up and headed back home before we even got out there.
DAY 2: The First Crazy Adventure (aka San Juan Island in the Freezing Rain)
San Juan Island was a mess of freezing cold and rain. We biked off the ferry and headed out on our 40-mile trek around the island with the rain beating down on us mercilessly. This was not good ole' Northwest drizzle (which I can handle), this was what one would call a Midwest Downpour. And it was relentless. And cold. None of us remember much from that day, except the rest stop where we stopped and huddled together for warmth and drank hot water and ate wet apples slices.
But I think I can find a positive spin. We had many new and unique experiences that day, such as: getting dirtier than I've been since I was five, getting windburn (on my face! it hurts!), biking in soaking wet underwear for four hours, slipping off the handlebars and falling on top of the bike (this was the Studly Hubby's great misadventure), and coming around a corner to see a beautiful view and five guys standing in the pouring rain in their bike gear enjoying it and somehow having a good time... they will be my new role models.
DAY 3: The crazy hills of horror (aka Walking Our Bikes Around Orcas Island)
Day 3 we headed out to Orcas Island, and it started out a lot better, because it wasn't raining.
The ferry right before we loaded:
It turns out that Orcas Island was sculpted by some vengeant God who was angry with all the bike riders and sought to put an end to their misery. The center of the island is a mountain (Mount Constitution). The rest of the island is a series of mini-mountains (what they told us were 'rolling hills') compounded by constantly rough pavement.
Our team suffered both a flat tire and a lost bike-rack bolt on this island, and several riders got bruises and blisters on their palms. After we made our way to the other end of the island (Doe Bay) we could hardly feel our legs (it took 3 hrs to get there). On the way back, we were walking our bikes up the hills and dreaming of a taxi ride. As we departed the last rest stop, we were worried we wouldn't even make the ferry. But the sun was out, the island was beautiful, and we successfully made it back - then went straight to the bar to celebrate.
After the ride on Orcas island, the team gathered to wait for the ferry.
Derek's expression says it all about Orcas Island's crazy hills.
DAY 4: The crazy last day (aka Recovery on Lopez Island)
Oh, Lopez Island was so beautiful! It was quiet, flat, very rural, and had astounding views of the water and the other islands. We stopped many times to take it all in (and rest our weary legs).
The Studly Hubby and I taking in the view - so pretty!
In all, it was an amazing experience. But alas, it will probably remain a one-time experience. Next time we go to the San Juan Islands, it will be from the comfort of our car!
First, a big THANK-YOU to those who donated for this amazing event! You've helped the American Lung Association in their quest to help kids breathe better, and you helped our team have the craziest bike trip we ever thought we could have. Now I'll tell you the whole story.
Next, the team:
The Studly Hubby is in red and I'm in green with the bike helmet on. This was taken at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, where we camped at the fairgrounds on Sat and Sun night.
But let me start with Day 1.
DAY 1: The crazy departure
We arrived at the ferry departure site, in Anacortes, late Friday night (after dark), and set up tent in the soccer field of a middle school with about twenty other tents that were all lit up from the inside with flashlights. I'm sorry to say I didn't get a picture.
We awoke at 5 am because it had started raining. At first, the rain was kind of pleasant. But at 6 am, we had to take down the tent, and it started to suck - everything was wet, and it was dark, and we had to get on our bikes at 7 am and bike out to the ferry terminal and stand around in the freezing rain and cold for about an hour while we waited for the ferry to come in. That really sucked. Plus it was cold. I'm glad I didn't get any pictures of that. If we weren't so excited we probably all would have given up and headed back home before we even got out there.
DAY 2: The First Crazy Adventure (aka San Juan Island in the Freezing Rain)
San Juan Island was a mess of freezing cold and rain. We biked off the ferry and headed out on our 40-mile trek around the island with the rain beating down on us mercilessly. This was not good ole' Northwest drizzle (which I can handle), this was what one would call a Midwest Downpour. And it was relentless. And cold. None of us remember much from that day, except the rest stop where we stopped and huddled together for warmth and drank hot water and ate wet apples slices.
But I think I can find a positive spin. We had many new and unique experiences that day, such as: getting dirtier than I've been since I was five, getting windburn (on my face! it hurts!), biking in soaking wet underwear for four hours, slipping off the handlebars and falling on top of the bike (this was the Studly Hubby's great misadventure), and coming around a corner to see a beautiful view and five guys standing in the pouring rain in their bike gear enjoying it and somehow having a good time... they will be my new role models.
DAY 3: The crazy hills of horror (aka Walking Our Bikes Around Orcas Island)
Day 3 we headed out to Orcas Island, and it started out a lot better, because it wasn't raining.
The ferry right before we loaded:
It turns out that Orcas Island was sculpted by some vengeant God who was angry with all the bike riders and sought to put an end to their misery. The center of the island is a mountain (Mount Constitution). The rest of the island is a series of mini-mountains (what they told us were 'rolling hills') compounded by constantly rough pavement.
Our team suffered both a flat tire and a lost bike-rack bolt on this island, and several riders got bruises and blisters on their palms. After we made our way to the other end of the island (Doe Bay) we could hardly feel our legs (it took 3 hrs to get there). On the way back, we were walking our bikes up the hills and dreaming of a taxi ride. As we departed the last rest stop, we were worried we wouldn't even make the ferry. But the sun was out, the island was beautiful, and we successfully made it back - then went straight to the bar to celebrate.
After the ride on Orcas island, the team gathered to wait for the ferry.
Derek's expression says it all about Orcas Island's crazy hills.DAY 4: The crazy last day (aka Recovery on Lopez Island)
Oh, Lopez Island was so beautiful! It was quiet, flat, very rural, and had astounding views of the water and the other islands. We stopped many times to take it all in (and rest our weary legs).
The Studly Hubby and I taking in the view - so pretty!In all, it was an amazing experience. But alas, it will probably remain a one-time experience. Next time we go to the San Juan Islands, it will be from the comfort of our car!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The manly KILT
I guess some men prefer skirts over pants... but they call them kilts.
I discovered over the weekend that there is a growing population of kilt-wearing men out there. They even have a whole store dedicated to them, Utilikilts (there's one in downtown Seattle, but if you don't live here you can order your kilt online).
If you're curious about the underwear situation of these kilt-wearing men, check out some of the home-made commercials on the Utilikilts website (called Mockumercials, to see the whole list, go here). My favorite is Round 2, 3rd Place: "Pants don't stand a chance."
Happy Punctuation Day today, everyone! Also, Happy Birthday to my li'l bro JUSTIN, who is turning 21!!!
Coming soon: My memoir of our crazy bike ride... get ready!
I discovered over the weekend that there is a growing population of kilt-wearing men out there. They even have a whole store dedicated to them, Utilikilts (there's one in downtown Seattle, but if you don't live here you can order your kilt online).If you're curious about the underwear situation of these kilt-wearing men, check out some of the home-made commercials on the Utilikilts website (called Mockumercials, to see the whole list, go here). My favorite is Round 2, 3rd Place: "Pants don't stand a chance."
Happy Punctuation Day today, everyone! Also, Happy Birthday to my li'l bro JUSTIN, who is turning 21!!!
Coming soon: My memoir of our crazy bike ride... get ready!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
My Studly Hubby earned more nerd-points
My Studly Hubby just sent me a picture that he took with his iPhone of the INSIDE OF THE BUS!
And he was text messaging me the whole time!
And he was text messaging me the whole time!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Opal POWER
It was our FIFTH wedding anniversary last weekend and the Studly Hubby got me a beautiful opal ring.
It's not just any ring either. His Studly Parents, who own an amazing jewelry store in Iowa City, made the ring. Isn't it pretty?
As soon as I put it on I realized it gave me Super Powers, which I will use for good (not evil) once I learn to master them. I think some of my friends want me to use the ring's superpowers to make duplicated copies of it so they can have one too (but the duplicated rings probably wouldn't have SuperPowers, they would just be pretty).
I'm such a lucky girl!
It's not just any ring either. His Studly Parents, who own an amazing jewelry store in Iowa City, made the ring. Isn't it pretty?As soon as I put it on I realized it gave me Super Powers, which I will use for good (not evil) once I learn to master them. I think some of my friends want me to use the ring's superpowers to make duplicated copies of it so they can have one too (but the duplicated rings probably wouldn't have SuperPowers, they would just be pretty).
I'm such a lucky girl!
What happened to the crunch cone? (part 2)
While we were in Iowa, I went to Dairy Queen to get a much longed-for crunch cone and interrogate the manager there about why our Dairy Queen in Washington state doesn't have crunches.
Well the manager of the Iowa Diary Queen assured me that all Dairy Queens can have crunches if they so choose but that some decline them because there is an untrue belief that crunches need to be applied with an expensive piece of equipment. He showed me how that piece of equipment is unnecessary (you just roll the cone in a tray of crunches) and recommended that I put in a suggestion to the manager of our Washington Dairy Queen that they get some crunches and apply them that way.
Then I asked if I could simply buy a bag of crunches to take home with me and he said no, not unless I have $250,000 to open my own Dairy Queen franchise. I was briefly tempted to do this, but then remembered that I can still have crunches whenever I return to Iowa.
Well the manager of the Iowa Diary Queen assured me that all Dairy Queens can have crunches if they so choose but that some decline them because there is an untrue belief that crunches need to be applied with an expensive piece of equipment. He showed me how that piece of equipment is unnecessary (you just roll the cone in a tray of crunches) and recommended that I put in a suggestion to the manager of our Washington Dairy Queen that they get some crunches and apply them that way.
Then I asked if I could simply buy a bag of crunches to take home with me and he said no, not unless I have $250,000 to open my own Dairy Queen franchise. I was briefly tempted to do this, but then remembered that I can still have crunches whenever I return to Iowa.
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