Rainbow Riders 10th Annual Christmas Gathering

Oh what fun we had. We have been doing this for a while now, and every year seems to bring more fun, more interest and more traditions!

‘Twas the week before Christmas,

            our annual times 

To gather together

            for fun of all kind.

The stockings were hung

on the stairway with care,

With hopes that everyone

            Soon would be there.

Soon the creatures were stirring

            in and out of each house,

Strewing lights and candles

            and Santas about.

Outside arose a noise we could hear.

All in our sneakers

            and warm outerwear,

We ran to the front

            to see what was there.

We tore open the screendoor

            and ran to the porh

When what to our listening

            ears should appear,

The cars were arriving

            with bikes on the rear.

Coupeville so close that a little call

            brought pizza for dinner to feed us all.

We talked and laughed,

            and one by one

We drifted to bed

            as our day was done.

All snuggled up

            in our bedroom of choice

In our fuzzy heads

            we could hear a small voice:

On Vickie and Gerry, Vernetta and Liz; on Susan and Nancy, on Maridee and Carol; on Angela, Christina and JJ too; on Kristi and Kristin, on Cheryl (at last); on Jody and Lisa who could not come,  for a food borne illness kept them home.

Now ride away, ride away, ride away all.

Merry Christmas to us, let’s be of good cheer

As we all ride together for another good year.

Saturday brought us sun and blue sky for a fantastic riding day. We cycled along on tree lined, lightly trafficked rural roads with water views and mountain views and just a few modest hills for the heart.

There was delightful lunch in Coupeville and some shopping afterwards. The 50% off shop got a bit of our business, and some got red tickets from venders to bring with them the next day for a drawing to win $1000.  I have not heard if anyone of our group won?

Now it was a few short miles back to the cabins where we would prepare for the evening’s event. Vickie researched and reserved the officer housing at Ft. Casey and we felt we were in luxury accommodations. Everything was provided – bedding, towels, cooking apparatus and utensils!! Those of us that have participated in our minimal weekends, bringing all of that gear with us to sparse housing, were confused to not have to bring anything! Don’t mistake – those minimal adventures were fantastic as well, it is just that this felt decadent! We even had separate bedrooms upstairs from kitchen and living room areas. We took up three “cottages” (duplexes actually) plus Vernetta’s quarters. Vickie had brought lights and decorations for each cottage, and Cheryl had bought a bigger tree for us for this year. Each of our “homes” had a warm and welcoming glow as we entered, and it definitely felt like Christmas.

Breakfast had been prepared by Kristin this morning, dinner would be ala Vickie, and Sunday Christina and Angela would feed us.  With snacks, drinks and side dishes, (as usual) there was no shortage of food. But first we had to get the table working correctly!

Now it was time for the gift exchange part, which was much calmer this year than most. There was not a lot of gift stealing, and we were anxiously waiting to get into those stockings! A new tradition has begun  - Vickie has put our names on each stocking for filling each year.

We ate breakfast and packed up our stuff on Sunday morning, then went for a wonderful walk. We strolled through Fort Casey campground and all around the fort, around the gun turrets, over the grounds, to (and up) the lighthouse, and back home.

Time to say our goodbyes until next time. We never look forward to that! But – we will be riding together again soon,  will be back here for our Christmas weekend next year under Vickie’s flawless coordination! Thank you Vickie for all you did to not only make this happen, but to make it such a warm and memorable holiday for us all.

Pedal Up,

Nancy

Lake Sammamish Trail, trees and shopping December 2-14, 2011

Earlier this month we saw the colorful warming of the bike rack.

This day we have the colorful warming of trees ...

       My friend Dorothy and I had a good ride on the trail. It was cold at 42 degrees, but we were bundled up for it and kept warm enough. We were happy to have a dry day even if cloudy and cold. We made it to  our snack stop at the outdoor shelter, enjoyed a quick bite and retraced our path back to the cars. Of course if felt colder after a good warm up stop.          

 

Having shown Jaydon meeting Santa in a "screaming" manner, perhaps this photo indicates that he would be happier being Santa. He remains anxious for Santa to come to his house and his wish for a Christmas gift from Santa is ..... an apple. As his Dad Jeremy says, let's enjoy this for the moment. Next time to wish it may be for another apple, but that could be an Apple iPhone, iPad, iBook or any new "apple" there is.

This month also included a shopping trip to Seattle (Nordstrom) with Lynne. She has titled this photo she took as Shopping with Nancy. Well, Lynne had accidentally locked herself out of her adjoining dressing room when she came out to model something for me to see. I went out to see her, and to see if I could help her open her door, and had not guarded my own door from slamming shut, thus locking me out of the other adjoining dressing room. 

There was no one around at the moment (our stylist was out looking for clothing choices for us) so what to do? I have crawled under doors in worse places! So I slithered under her door and let her in. Then I had to crawl under the dividing wall to get to my own room. It worked! Our stylist was a bit taken aback when we told her of the episode, and was so sorry she had not been able to leave the doors unlocked for us.

Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities and the Opera

At two years old, Jaydon is not too happy about Santa. He had been so excited to go see Santa to ask for an apple for Christmas. As he neared his turn in line he started to back up a little each move someone made that brought him closer.

Once near to his lap he resisted heartily to sit with him!!!! When we got about two feet away he stopped crying and waved bye bye to Santa and said "he's a big guy". When we got home to his mom he told her that Santa was a "tough guy".

The bus had brought us from our house to the festivities at the town center. We decorated cookies, crafted a decorated crown, listened to singers from the High School (Jaydon loves any kind of music and kept asking for more each time they finished a number), and watched the tree lighting in the outdoors. Jeremy arrived and Jaydon was happy to see his Dad join us for the lighting of the tree and the drive home.

This was the extent of my "activity" for this day as I mainly sat at the opera for four hours! I went to the HD Met broadcast with Bill and Frank and three of their other friends for "Rodelinda". It is an opera that is not performed often, and even these seasoned opera goers had not seen it. It was a bit boring, but Renee Fleming as the lead was her wonderful self. (I wonder if Jaydon will like opera.)

Lunch after the opera was enjoyable with all of us sharing a bit more time together before going in our separate ways to home.

December 1, 2011 ride - Centennial Trail

I will not try to "catch up" with my entries! I have found it is much easier to keep up with a blog when on vacation then during my normally usual days. But I do like to write about things I do, so will try to do that a bit more often.

November did not hold many cycling days for me (as in one is not many), so I was looking forward to doing a ride on this first day of December with Vickie and Kathy. It was a cold 38 degrees when we were ready to ride, and would warm up only to about 41 as our day progressed. But it was not raining ;'-)

Our plan was to start our ride from a different trailhead from our usual start, one that was a little further north and would allow us to explore the newly added portion of the trail within reasonable miles. First we had to research how to get to that trailhead by car. We pass it by bike all the time, but driving there added some question. The three of us arrived at the appointed time and layered up with plenty of warm wear to buffer that 38 degree temp.

Being an old railroad bed, this trail has only mild inclines - up from the start to the top in the middle, down to our turn around in the town of Arlington, and then reverse the up and town for our return. We stopped in town long enough to eat our packed lunches and to appreciate a little of Arlington's "flavor". Vickie demonstrated the "woollies" someone had thoughtfully knitted to keep the bike rack warm. Bike racks get cold too you know.

We found the "co-ho-ho" too good to pass up. 

Kathy runs an annual photo contest that starts in December and ends the following November. Anyone who takes a photo of her doing an outdoor activity through the year has a chance to win a dinner with her at a place of their choice. Kathy uses that photo for her Christmas card greetings. Of course this meant taking any advantage of avIalable photo ops. Vickie watched the workman hang lights in the gazebo as we tromped through wet grass for those photo ops.

By the time we were heading back the fog had set in for part of the return ride. We had all, fortunately and with experience, dressed appropriately for the weather and kept as warm as we needed. The fog added some artistic views through the trees and into the valleys, and we were soon back at the trailhead loading up for our drives home. Nice day in the saddle with good friends -- doesn't get much better.

Summer outings with Jaydon

In addition to our Everybody Bikes outings, we have enjoyed several little adventures with Jaydon this summer. About a seven minute drive from home brings us to Meadowdale Park which has a mile and a quarter trail down to the beach. Jaydon's little legs walked almost all of that distance to the beach, and then continued through the train tunnel, onto the sandy shoreline, down to the water's edge, and in and around some tide pools. He did need to be carried back up (and it is up) the trail as those legs were spent!

All I said was that I "should" try to do more shopping and errands by bike. That gave Susan a good reason to pursue and complete a project. She rigged up this Rubbermaid tote onto our existing Bike Friday trailer frame so that I would have no excuse to not do shopping by bike!

We took Jaydon in his beloved "chariot" for our first "tote" shopping outing and stopped along the way for a visit with the giraffes. He is loving giraffes lately and this was a highlight for him -- after coming to terms with the enormous size of the mama. Every time we have driven nearby these giraffe sculptures he has been sure to point out to us that they are coming up, but once in touching distance of them, the size was a little intimidating. He liked them once he was introduced and familiar with them.

Northwest Trek is about a two hour drive from home, and Susan has especially wanted to take Jaydon to this wild animal park for the tram ride through the forest to see the many different animals in a natural habitat. An hour is a long time for a 23 month old to maintain interest in anything, add in sitting in a tram for that amount of time, and that is asking a LOT! Though restless and a little "antsy", Jaydon was a real trooper and attended as well as he was able. And we all enjoyed our day with him.

Part 2 Elkridge Lodge

Susan says she feels "decadent". Most people would feel far from decadent at Karl's Lodge RV and Campground, but our cabin is pretty nice even with the walk to the restrooms and shower. It has a refrigerator and microwave, and kitchen sink with hot and cold running water. Compared to the outhouse and cold water pump we have had for the past two days, I guess it could be considered decadent.

The fly fishing club (with 22 attendees) is taking up most of the lodge as I don't see anyone else here. There are some in tents, some in camping vans, truck and tent campers, and two cabins -- ours being one, and the club "hosts" for this weekend have set up the kitchen and cooking center. We will be provided breakfasts, lunches and a dinner from this created kitchen. Fascinating to watch them create this area from the hauled stuff in the back of an open trailer

The campground/lodge is strewn with old stuff -- tractors, fire trucks, farm implements, old sheds with old signs, cars and car parts, and, of course, junk -- and Karl the owner makes this his home. We are right on the river so fisherpeople make this a regular destination. Some, including Susan, have been down to the river for some casting for those elusive fish, and I catch up with some writing. There is no wifi here, but Nancy, the owner of the restaurant where we ate said I can use hers -- if I can ever get up there! So posting will be spotty, and most may have to be done from home.

Eight of us went to Nancy's for dinner and I at at least got one entry posted. Will work at getting this one done tomorrow. In the mean time -- good night.

So far behind...

I have not been keeping up here ...

But, let me start at the end ;'-). After all, the dates don't matter -- it's the adventures that are important!

I and we have been busy having fun this summer, and this weekend is kind of the "last blast" before Susan returns to school. So it was off for a fly fishing weekend in eastern Washington for her club's outing. We drove there two days early and camped on our own for a couple of days before reaching the designated fishing "hole".

After being set up in camp we did some exploring. We biked a short distance across Bumping Lake bridge (a dam actually) in search of a place to fish, but first we had to ride down the gravel road to check out the "resort and marina". Note I said gravel and you will hear more about that shortly.

Susan explored a potential spot, with fishing gear loaded in the new tote she made (for me, and you will see more about that in another post). This wasn't quite the spot, but she would soon find one to her liking and get a few "fish on".

This morning (Friday) we left for Elkridge Campground for the fishing fleet gathering. Susan was so kind as to let me ride from our camp to Elkridge and she would finish up packing our camp gear and drive there. I donned layers of clothing against the chill offered by the early morning hour that kept the sun low, the deep shade of the lodgepole pine and fir trees that lined the road, and the air off the icy cold Bumping River that ran along side of me.

Only four cars passed me on the entire twelve mile quiet forest road, and at times I felt I could reach out and touch the river as it rapidly made it's way upstream. The sun began dappling onto the roadway, but with the trees so tall and the sun still low, my jacket stayed on as a buffer against the chill that remained in the air.

I was enjoying this traffic free, gently rolling road so much. I was anticipating losing the tranquility once I reached the highway, and was pleasantly treated to similar conditions, with the Naches River now as my companion. The traffic was light, and the cars that did pass me were courteous and seemed in no hurry. Then there was this side road. Susan and I had discussed this possibility shown on the GPS that she so lovingly attached to my bike in very good working order, and with the correct map at the ready. I reached the turn off and thought it a great adventure to skirt the highway on what Susan was sure was a paved road. Sure enough, a paved road took me across a bridge and turned a curve into more forest. It was now warming up, and this detour afforded me great privacy to peel off some layers of clothing. There were wonderful views of the river now far below me and I was hoping this road would not end. It did. In less than a tenth of a mile. Gravel. I hate, loathe, deplore, despise, (fill in any word that you find worse) unpaved riding. My heart goes up into my throat, my teeth clench, my hands form into fists in a death grip on the handle bars, and I am sure I will fall.

Anyone in their right or wrong (depending on your outlook) mind would find this a wonderful backroads bike ride. I could hear the "delightful" traffic over there on the delightful paved highway and gave thought to trying to wade my bike across the rushing river to join it.I had biked (and walked a few loose rocks or sandy areas) about a mile and a half. It felt like ten miles at least. Too far to turn back. How much further? The woman driving slowly past me in the pick up said, after I asked, you're almost there. Best words I think I have ever heard.

Finally I touched down on pavement.

Susan had checked in at the cabin -- almost. There was no one there so she left a message, deposited her bike on the porch and headed back to meet up with me. I was a mere mile and a half from the cabin, and we stopped for a restaurant meal before coming in.

Stay tuned -- a little more about today in my next post.