Are You Living It?

Stolen from Seth’s trip to the Enchantments in June. Looking forward to getting closer to the goats myself!

This weekend I’m headed to Mazama to check in at the cabin and then on Monday, Chris, Johnny, Chloe and I are headed up into the Enchantments for a week long trip of exploring the North Cascades. Should be amazing! Can’t wait to snap photos and document our adventures….

As I sit at my desk and spend time surfing the blogs I enjoy reading, listening to the mellow tunes of Cold Play, I can’t help but reminisce. A year ago - with all of the planets aligning - oblivious to outside forces about to rock my world. Life was so easy. I was growing older with my soul mate - encouraging one another to pursue life to the fullest.

For some reason all I can think about today is that one day I woke up in January to snow on the ground and had the walk into the gym. I suppose you could say we paid our dues. Now it’s nearing 100 degrees and supposed to stay there a few days in a row. I’ve got a paddle board reserved for mid-day and am smoking the 15.5 pound salmon I caught in the sound the other night. Life is good….

But in the midst of our heat wave - I am hoping and praying our forests don’t explode into an epic fire. Lightening strikes have started several fires in the Baker/Snoqualmie forests…. check out this link for aerial photos on the area in question.

It’s 67 degrees in my basement and I’m loving it. Time to work on the office for a change…

It’s interesting how sometimes you can learn and relearn the same lessons time and time again and sometimes in the matter of days.

So today I was recalling what happened last year at FSA and realized things didn’t go so smoothly. During the team pursuit, our team caught and tried to pass another team on the track and they did an exchange just as we tried coming around them after yelling at them to stick. Not a big deal except it was our last lap and it caused big confusion for all of us and I gaped off the other two riders for the finish and they rolled in a couple of seconds behind….. if it wasn’t an event I feel passionate about I wouldn’t have cared. But since we were going against some top talent and I wanted to see how we would stack up - I was a little upset.

Larch, 4′x6′ oil by Trish Harding

more www.bluehorsegallery.com

I want to thank my “friends in painting” for all the support that you have given me since Sept 7th 2008; the day my world came to a halt and I was cast into a strange and different one. My saddness has been lessened by all of your incredible concern and kindness. Thank you, I mean that with all of my heart.

Alpenrose is like an ancient wooden roller coaster. Sure there are newer, safer models out there but it’s still fun as hell and contending with the G-forces in the corners puts a smile on your face afterward. Maybe it’s the feeling of skating fate from the rough corner transitions or the bumpy track - or maybe it’s because you’re surrounded by people who love this sport equally as much - but regardless come Monday morning after the AVC, nothing can move me from the couch and put me back on the bike.

This weekend is the annual Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge. Racing starts Friday and continues all the way through Sunday. I’m headed down with a great group of ladies - Tela, Kendi, Mary, Christine and Jennie. Should be a blast!