Taking Bellingham by Storm

How I became a true Pacific NW'er

2011-10-11T10:48:00.001-07:00

It didn't happen overnight. In fact, it took a good solid THREE YEARS. (And I am not exaggerating.)

The first summer (2008), I turned the heat on in June, and railed against the fact that it was 60 degrees and raining right up until July 5. That winter, I shivered and froze, running up a massive Cascade Natural Gas bill and sleeping in flannel pajamas, fuzzy socks AND a hoodie (to my husband's chagrin). I whined constantly about the rain, shook my fist at the sky, and huddled indoors, drinking too much beer and eating comfort food until the buttons on my pants just gave up.

The next summer (2009), we had a heat wave. I sweated like a pig in my 92 degree, non-air-conditioned house while my husband slept in a tent in the backyard. I didn't mind. All of the Pacific NW moaned and sweltered, while I paddled serenely in lakes I finally found warm enough to brave. That winter, I was pregnant, and finally warm enough. I was grateful that it was not summer, while I heated the house with the fire in my belly.

Finally summer number 3 (2010) arrived, as did Miss Maddy Storm. Truly, I hardly remember a thing about the weather, summer OR winter. That year was a total blur of colic and nursing and joy and sleep deprivation and neediness and cuddly, heart-expanding love.

So that brings us to summer number 4 (2011). It was slow coming, but then exploded into a perfection of long, warm days in which I could get off work, pick up Maddy, and still have 2 hours of outside sunshine time with her before bed. I rode my bike to work every day, and biked and walked Maddy all over town. We hardly sweated at all, and it was heaven.

And now winter is here, and I am still riding my bike - IN THE RAIN (gasp.) I am putting on my jeans and boots and GoreTex with a smile. I am loving this place of endless summer sunshine and verdant green watercolor landscape. Soon I will be driving all of 1 hour to strap on some skis and rip through feet and feet of fresh powder, in this land of outdoor wonders vying for a place in my backyard.

We moved here three and a half years ago, and Bellingham has not changed. I have. For the better!

Why commute by bike?

2011-09-29T10:14:00.001-07:00

I think this sums it up nicely.

(I want less fat and more money, in case you hadn't guessed.)

Bellingham is for Cyclists

2011-09-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Simply put, I could not ask for a better town to bike in! Last night, rode from my house the 12 whole minutes to the Galbraith Mt Birch Street trailhead. Met friends Sandy and Julie, and up we went for some awesome chick mountain bike action. Rode up the ridge trail to enjoy the fabulous view it offers of Bellingham, the bay, the San Juan islands, the Canadian Cascades and Mt Baker. Then we continued up to the top of SST and finished by ripping down in the (terrifying) near dark - Sandy pronounced it "riding by Braille" - and then I rode home. Round trip? 2 hours. Gas expended? 0. Sushi feast earned? YES!

Then today dawned sunny and cool, and I hopped on the commuter to bike into work. Enjoyed my little glimpse of Bellingham Bay from the top of my neighborhood, then rode down to the Whatcom Creek trail. Rode along the trail, car free, enjoying the damp early morning smells, the tweeting of birds and the crunch of my bicycle tires on gravelly dirt. Arrived at work in less than 15 minutes, with a flush of light exertion and sunshine exposure.

Now I just have to wait till 5 so I can ride home again!

Metal Chickens are awesome

2011-06-27T16:39:00.001-07:00

Don't know if you have been lucky enough to come across the blog site knows as "The Bloggess" - and if you haven't, start here: Pick your battles

And after you get done with that bit of HILARITY, this picture will make more sense to you! I sent the awesome, rolling on floor laughing hysterically story to lots of friends and several coworkers. A few coworkers rewarded me today with this little baby, perched on my laptop when I came back from lunch. LOVE HIM! Should I name him Beyonce'?

My Salad Days

2011-06-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

So, I continue to rave about my new job. Tuesday and Thursday are "Salad Day". You see, there is this fabulously stocked kitchen downstairs. We have everything from a stove to a George Foreman grill to a bagel slicer. It is RAD!

The kitchen is stocked with a plethora of options, some of which are free, and some of which have a minimal cost. Fruits and veggies? Free. Coffee? Free. Juice? Free String cheese? 1 tick. Pop tart? 2 ticks. Espresso from the (yes, really) Espresso machine? 3 ticks. Can of wild-caught salmon? 4 ticks. (A tick is a mark you put beside your name on a tracking sheet and is equal to 25 cents).

On Tuesday and Thursday Karen, our culinary-inclined facilities manager, makes a big, tasty salad for everyone to share. Each salad is a different style - and totally FREE. Today's salad was a Caesar - romaine lettuce tossed in Caesar dressing with Parmesan cheese, buttery croutons and fresh ground pepper. Tuesday was a Greek salad - to which I added the wild caught salmon and a whole wheat pita (total of 6 ticks) for a buck-fitty bomb diggy lunch. I hear that the Asian salad and the Granny apple/blue cheese are on the docket for next week.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!

Tanya gets her Dream Job!

2011-06-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

Finally, after nearly three recession-laden years in this little seaside paradise, I have found what looks to be my dream job!

I started this week at a company called Dealer Information Systems (DIS.) I will be their Website Content Coordinator, Social Media Expert, blogger and more. The work is creative and tech, exactly what I love. The workplace is relaxed, friendly, happy, downtown and bikeable, everything I like. I will be working Mon-Thurs, 32 hours a week - giving me the time off I need to be a mom, a wife and a happy human being. And don't even get me started on the free salads...

I am just so darn elated I don't even have words!!!

Jet Pack Baby (or how Daddy entertains Maddy!)

2010-05-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Artist's Point with Family

2009-09-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

When my folks visited at the end of July, we took a drive up to Artist's Point - this amazing spot with a panoramic vista of the Cascade Mountains, including the glaciers on Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker. We stopped halfway up to take picture at 'Picture Lake'. Then on the way home we stopped at Nooksack Falls. It was a glorious day!

Mt. Shuksan

Mt. Baker

Back in the car!

Mt Shuksan in Picture Lake

Me and Mike at Mt. Shuksan

See the rest of the pics at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2034068&id=1278180492&l=8b6d6b9974

Tour de Lopez Weekend (San Juan Islands)

2009-05-10T00:12:00.001-07:00

Been doing most of my posting on Facebook lately, but I hear some non-FBrs are feeling left out! Our latest trip was to Lopez Island in the San Juans, for the Tour de Lopez - a 36 mile bike tour of the island. We spent the weekend, staying in a very cute guest cottage.

Check out all the pics at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023572&id=1278180492&l=2a3daccd64

Snow snow and more snow in B'ham

2008-12-22T22:05:00.001-08:00

We have been getting POUNDED with snow for more than a week now. We have had 3 seperate storms, with one more possible in the next week. More than a foot of snow covers our yard, driveway, and back porch. We can't drive down the hill to our house - not even with our chains on! We have to leave our car parked at the top of the hill (outside of the neighborhood) and hike up the huge hill in the foot-deep snow every time we need to go anywhere. As of yesterday, the roads were so bad that we just parked the car until they get some of this mess cleared up. It is crazy - this town is totally unequipped for snow!!!

Digging out the Fit
How do these thangs go on? We are Southerners for Pete's sake!

Sledding down our hill

Our back porch (we got another 6-8 inches AFTER this pic)

Happy snow dogs

Skiing deep-pow at Mt Baker!

More Maui - bikes and seals

2008-12-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

The past several days we biked in the Mokowai forest - some pretty fun stuff in there. We also surfed again, and met a monk seal. Also in this album are pics of Julia and Eric's lovely Maui home!

Biking in the Mokowai forest

Mike sends it!

A monk seal rolled up on the beach to take a nap. See his tracks?

Sideyard - they did all their own landscaping. It is beautiful!

Backyard plumeria trees

Fresh picked in the backyard today

Surfing Maui

2008-12-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

I took a surf lesson at the Goofy Foot surf school in Maui yesterday. What a fun and addictive experience. I got up on my very first try, and rode the wave to shore. Then I rode about 8 more. Can't wait to do it again!

Winter in Maui

2008-12-05T22:23:00.001-08:00

We are in Maui for a week! We flew in on Thursday to visit our friends Julia and Eric. The weather here is beyond fabulous! Today we just beached it - did some swimming and sunning and watched Julia surf.

Happy couple on a North side beach

From Wailea

So happy!

Taken from the plane on our way in - Makawao District
Santa winters in Maui, getting ready for his big season
See all the pics from today at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2010983&l=1bf66&id=1278180492

Sunshine and Mountain Bikes

2008-10-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

The sun continues to shine here, even though we are solidly into fall. I took a ride on Ramone, the Santa Cruz Nomad, up our local mountain (Galbraith) today. From my house, 15 minute pedal to the trailhead, up the ridge trail (a pretty tough haul) and down Bob's, to Lower Bob's, to Karma. Nice downhill, lots of booters, a few drops. Funness!

Me at the top of the Ridge Trail, looking back at Bellingham

Self-portrait using the camera timer. Notice me holding my bike tightly so it doesn't roll of the cliff!

Bellingham, from the Ridge Trail. The mountains in the background are the Canadian Rockies.
Mt Baker, as seen from the top of the Ridge Trail. Kinda fuzzy, but I was sort of hanging off a ledge :-)
These mossy pics are from Saturday's ride at North Fork. The trail was a bit much for me, but Mike had tons of fun. On the way there we drove through this eerie section of forest and I had to stop and snap a few pics. Isn't it strange and beautiful?

Adventures in Dogwalking

2008-10-24T23:22:00.000-07:00

Still unable to find much gainful employment here in lovely, over-educated Bellingham.... your fearless blogger walks bored pooches on our vast and wondrous trail system. These are from today's walk on the Silver Beach trail area in the Northeast part of town.

Fall here has been surprisingly beautiful. It has not rained very much at all, and the leaves have shocked me with their riot of color. I never realized how many deciduous trees we had until everything turned yellow!

Brinkley (white), Lucy (black), and our Yogi (big goofy yellow lab)

That's a lake peeking through at the bottom of the hill
This last one is actually my backyard. Fabulous, but there's gonna be some serious raking!

Why Lie, I Need Weed

2008-10-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

I saw this guy yesterday on the Guide at I-5.. It cracked me up so much that I pulled over and asked if I could take his picture. His name is Marlin, and he asked me if I wanted to adopt a hippie..

Bellingham... where even the beggars are honest! :-0

Snowy hike up Skyline Divide to Mt Baker

2008-10-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Our Canadian friends Carmel and Ray visited us for their Thanksgiving (in Canada Turkey Day is in October!) We did a hike up Mt Baker's Skyline Divide trail. Mt Baker had just gotten 4-6 inches of snow a few days before. It was fabulous.

Here is a video of us on the ridge... Fabulous views of Mt Baker, the Cascades, and lots of snow! (And this is only October 11th!)

Some pics from the day...

The usual wrap-up party at North Fork Beer Shrine

See all the gorgeous pics from that day at http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007676&l=9a965&id=1278180492

Victoria, Vancouver Island weekend trip

2008-09-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Carmel lives on Vancouver Island in the glorious city of Victoria. I took a weekend trip and visited her - it was such a beautiful place! Carmel and her husband Ray showed me a very good time that weekend. We did some urban-touring on our bikes (great photos from this day), and Sunday we rode some of the local XC trails at Prospect Lake. Thanks Carmel, for showing me the best of Victoria!

On the Ferry from Tsawassen, BC to Victoria, BC

Taken from the ferry.. what a gorgeous sky!
A mini-lighthouse on one of the small islands in the San Juans

On the Selkirk Trestle, on our way to downtown (that's Carmel on the right)
Inner Harbor of Victoria
Me at Inner Harbor of Victoria

Fisherman's Wharf - people live in these floating houses!
This one is bigger than my LAND house.
A paddleboat, the S.S. Beaver. Could not resist.
Breakin the law..
Parliament

Parliament, with Queen Victoria statue
Empress Hotel
Cutest moochy harbor seal

You could buy fish and feed it

World's 4th tallest totem pole

The Breakwater
A pretty fountain we saw while riding around
This is how it should be!
They have very good trail markers at Prospect Park, where we rode
Mt Baker, from the ferry on the way home
Mt Baker sunset view
A perfect end to a perfect weekend!

Mount Baker Day Hike - Glacier, WA

2008-09-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Michael and I did a day hike up Mount Baker, the glacier-topped volcanic mountain that we see daily from Bellingham. Mount Baker is the northernmost of the Cascade volcanoes, and stands 10,781 ft high. We hiked up a trail called 'Heliotrope Ridge', right to the edge of the glacier. It was breathtaking!

We have never seen a glacier close up before. So crazy to see that sharp, jagged, thick ice... sitting next to a sunny green field on a 65 degree day. The trail was very steep, about 6 mile round trip. Come visit - we will take you on a hike there in the summer, or to ski there in the winter!

At the Visitor Center - this tree is 730 years old.

And 8 ft, 2in wide!

We hiked the Heliotrop Ridge trail. Want to go back again and so the others!

Mike and Yogi with a tree cave.

Small figure in pink is ME, by an enormous waterfall!

Views of the Cascades

A very very old tree, fallen and cut off of the trail. Born in 1631. Wow.
Mike had to carry Yogi across some of the larger stream crossings.

This is a special kind of lichen that only grows where the air is exceptionally clean. Deep breath.. ahhhhh!

There it is, peeking out at us!

Heliotrope Ridge trail

Heliotrope Ridge trail

The scariest of the stream crossings

Mt. Baker

Mt. Baker and it's glacier

The glacier. It was HUGE! And really jagged. Local ice climbers come up and practice on it.

Panorama, with Mike

To the right of the snow-capped peak

View out to the valley

On the way home, we stopped at the N. Fork Beer Shrine, in Deming (Pizza, wedding chapel) too funny!

It really is a beer shrine!

Happy, fed, beered, and done!

See this trail on a sunny day at my friend Carrie's blog: http://moxiesdiner.blogspot.com/2008/09/heliotrope-ridge.html

She got some really great pics too!

Day trip to Orcas Island

2008-09-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

Mike was working, so I took a solo day trip to Orcas Island, one of the gorgeous San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington. The island is named for "Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo", the Viceroy of Mexico who sent an exploration expedition to the Pacific Northwest in 1791.

I enjoyed a lovely and bracing 1.5 hour ferry ride, then took a sea kayak tour. It was so amazing - we saw seals! Then I traveled to Moran State Park, which boasts Mt. Constitution, the highest point in the San Juans. I hiked into the woods to a gorgeous waterfall, then drove to the top of the mountain, and enjoyed a 360 degree panoramic view of the San Juans, Washington, and Canada. Next, I drove to a fabulous restaurant called 'Cafe Olga', where I dined on locally farmed foods and the best blackberry pie of my life.

Leaving the Anacortes, WA ferry terminal (about a 45 minute drive from Bellingham) My ferry was called the Kaleetan
Looking back at Anacortes
On the Ferry (this is a smaller one)
Stop at Shaw Island, another of the San Juans. I like their sign!
Me on the ferry
Coming into Orcas Island - so quaint!
The sign outside the whale-watching/kayak tour place
Me in my 'spray skirt'
Kayaking the smaller islands off Orcas. The ropey looking stuff in the water is called 'Bull Kelp'. It was very hard if you whacked it with your paddle!
SEALS! We saw a group of 3 that hung around for awhile.
Self portrait
Jellyfish in the water
Starfish on the bottom of Reef Island

Around Yellow Island, a ecological preserve
Madrona tree - amazing tree whose bark performs photosynthesis
Crow Valley on Orcas - most of the island if VERY rural
Heading into the state park, my camera died! Will have to go back to show you the amazing views from the top of Mt. Constitution, the highest peak in the San Juans.
More shots from the ferry

In a bind and way behind..

2008-09-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

We know, we TOTALLY owe you readers some updates! I have pics from my trip to Orcas Island and my trip to Victoria (Vancouver Island) that both need to be posted. But that is the trouble with LIVING life so much... you hardly have time to write about it.

We are headed back up to Whistler again for a couple of days this weekend. I think this will be my 4th trip up there this summer, and Mike's 6th (he has a season pass, that turkey.) Mike is still working at Fairhaven Bike, and I have two part time jobs. One more and I get to be an official Jamaican ;-) I am working at a machine shop (office stuff) 1 day a week, and doing dog-walking/pet-sitting several other days a week.

We are heading back to Charlotte next week from Wed-Mon for our wedding reception. Looking so forward to seeing some of ya'll there! (And hearing people use the word "ya'll"!)

On a funny note, my cat, Tiggi Lee, has her own line of "Blue State Cat" gear. Check it out at http://www.cafepress.com/bluestatecat/5986570

Interurban Trail ride

2008-08-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

Had a lovely adventure today. Rode the Interurban trail from Fairhaven all the way to Larrabee State park! The views of the bay and the San Juan islands were amazing - it was a clear, sunny day. I got a bit lost on a trail and ended up on a railroad track, and had to scale a hill and hand my bike over a fence to some startled campers. But then I found the right trail and rode down to Clayton Beach, where I had lunch and then took a nap on a warm rock by the sea. Happiness!

Connelly Creek Trail - on my way to Fairhaven

Overturned tree now part of trail

Overlook on trail, with Amos (my sweet ride)

Wild retaining wall, it is actually a planter!

Along the Interurban, high above Chuckanut Drive

Moss really DOES grow on the North side of rocks!

A waterfall in steep canyon section (Arroyo Park)

View from Interurban - Bellingham Bay

Your tired but happy blogger

My reward - a warm rock for lunch and nap Views from Clayton Beach
Views from Clayton Beach
Views from Clayton Beach
Saw this on the way home - so Bellingham!

Wedding Day on Green Lake, Whistler, BC

2008-08-09T12:57:00.001-07:00

The day was perfect, the ceremony was perfect, we were beautiful, the guests were beautiful - it was the most wonderful day! Here are a few non-professional pics taken by my friend Bobbi (thank you Bobbi!)

The ceremony

Kiss the bride

Signing the marriage license (required in BC during the ceremony)

Oh happy day!

Us and our wonderful wedding planner, Julie

Dirt Divas in their finery!

Mike and the moms

Tanya and her Mom and stepdad

You can see all the pics from my camera at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004463&l=caccf&id=1278180492

Wedding Week is here!

2008-08-08T04:32:00.001-07:00

We are in Whistler, and having a fabulous time! There have been a few glitches of course, and right now it is 4am the night before the wedding and I cannot sleep. Sigh. Lucky you though, because now you get to see some pics! The ones below are from a bike ride we did yesterday (day before wedding). We rode several Whistler Valley Trails, including the fabulous stucture-full 'A River Runs Through It' !

Our group

Doc on the crazy high log bridge

Me riding the crazy high log bridge (the day b4 my wedding!)

Yvonne on a structure

Me in a stunt called 'Mike's Garage'

Doc makes a tight structure turn

Rainbow Park at Alta Lake

Want more? See the rest of the pics at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004406&l=75421&id=1278180492

Night before wedding dinner

2008-08-08T04:20:00.000-07:00

These are pics from our wonderful dinner at the Trattoria, the night before the wedding.

Dale and my Mom, Cynthia
Friends!

Mike, his mom Mary, and sister Amanda

Yvonne and Tim

Linda, napkin puppet, Shelley

Dolby contemplates

Tim and Melanie

Mom and me getting a pre-event pedicure You can see the rest of the dinner photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004408&l=7c5f7&id=1278180492

Going to the chapel and we're...

2008-08-06T07:48:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to say we are on our way to Whistler for wedding week! So think of us on Friday, 8/8/08, at 2pm on the shore of Green Lake :-)

The road to Whistler is OPEN!

2008-08-04T09:44:00.001-07:00

Big sigh of relief..

Vancouver, British Columbia (AHN)
The Sea to Sky Highway of British Columbia was opened to motorists Saturday night after four days of emergency repair following a landslide.
B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon said a portion of the highway between Vancouver and Whistler was closed because of boulders the size of buses that blocked the road. Thousands of commuters and motorists were stranded during the incident.
Falcon said workers worked around the clock to quickly clear the highway so that travelers to and from Vancouver could immediately use the road.
Workers did some rock scaling at Porteau Cove to double check that there were no casualties and that the area was safe. They also cleared the place of debris by pushing it into Howe Sound.

A Landslide on the road to Whistler

2008-07-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

As luck would have it, half the mountain appears to have fallen off and blocked the only road to Whistler (the site of our wedding in 9 days). We were planning to motor up there for a day trip tomorrow - do some last minute wedding planning, ride a bit. But currently the road is closed, and may not reopen before tomorrow morning, when we would need to drive it. (And yes, it is the ONLY road!) No one was hurt, thankfully. And please, please, let this be cleaned up by the week of our wedding! Here's the whole story, and some pretty impressive pics.. (from CTV British Columbia)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A massive rock slide has blocked a portion of B.C.'s Sea to sky Highway and a parallel railway system in both directions. Highway 99 is closed from the Furry Creek Bridge to Horseshoe Bay, about 20 kilometres south of Squamish, B.C.

Just before midnight Tuesday, truck-sized boulders came crashing down on the road near Porteau Cove, covering both lanes of traffic and trailing into the water. At least 16,000 cubic metres of debris have fallen onto the highway.

Police say one van was grazed by the rock slide but no one in the vehicle was hurt.

Squamish RCMP Corporal Dave Ritchie says the larger rocks will have to be drilled and blasted and hauled away in smaller chunks to clear the road.

A Transportation Ministry spokesman said Wednesday the road would be closed until further notice because it's too dangerous for crews to get through.

"Geotechnical engineers are at the site, assessing the stability of the area,'' said Jeff Knight. "They need to make sure it's safe before workers go in and begin the cleanup.'' Early estimates suggest the road will be closed for at least 24 hours.

Rail lines are also affected. Rock piles have spilled onto CN Rail tracks that run parallel to the highway, preventing its two freights from completing their daily trip from Prince George to North Vancouver. A spokesperson for CN Rail says they are looking into rerouting freight traffic through Kamloops and Boston Bar.

The Sea to Sky Highway is currently undergoing a $775 million upgrade for the 2010 Olympic Games. The route is being improved to ensure it can handle all the traffic expected between Vancouver and Whistler during the 2010 Games but critics fear the work is not enough to guarantee the highway will remain open during the run of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The indefinite closure of the winding and picturesque road leaves just one way out of the upper Howe Sound, Whistler and Pemberton areas. Drivers have been advised to find alternate routes.

"The only route out would be through the Duffy Lake, and around, down through the lower Interior which would take seven to eight hours to get to Vancouver," said Ritchie. Local helicopter companies are offering charter flights between Vancouver and Whistler or Squamish for travellers who can't wait for the Sea to Sky to re-open.

Today's slide is only the latest incident that raises questions about safety on this key transportation artery. More than 14 major slides on the Sea to Sky have claimed at least 12 lives in the past century. A 1991 slide near Lion's Bay, B.C., closed the highway for 12 days.

Smaller slides are common, causing major headaches for commuters and area residents. The road's windy curves and two-lane sections are blamed for many of the more than 800 accidents in the last five years alone.

The windy mountain highway was seen by some as the Achilles heel during the 2010 Olympic bid, drawing protests from local residents, who are opposed to highway expansion.

The International Olympic Committee said the road to Whistler was their prime concern for Vancouver's 2010 bid until B.C.'s provincial government committed $600 million for road improvements.

B.C. Premier, Gordon Campbell, says highway officials are dealing with the slide as quickly as possible. Campbell says hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to make the highway safe, not just for the 2010 Olympic Games, but also for residents who use the highway regularly.

Bloggers Comment: And you thought CHINA had problems! :-o

The perfect summer, and 2 weeks to the wedding!

2008-07-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Two weeks to the wedding! We are preparing feverishly.. can't believe it is truly almost here. We are so looking forward to seeing many of you very soon! It will just be so wonderful to see our Charlotte family and peeps.. really, you are the only thing we miss about the place!

So yes, now I will rub in again how fantastic the weather is here in the summer. Every day for the last 3 weeks has been 70s, low humidity, and sunny. It is heaven. It is hard to get anything accomplished because all you ever want to do is be outside! So for those of you coming to the wedding.. you are in for such a treat!

Us enjoying Margaritas at a Mexican restaurant

Kayak lesson at Boulevard Park
This is where I come to lay in the sun and watch the ppl go by
Just another perfect Saturday in Bellingham
More Boulevard Park, looking at Lummi Island
Kayakers on the bay
We need a friend with a boat!

Mike meets his idol, Ryan Leech, in Whistler

2008-07-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

I think the highlight of our Whistler trip for Mike was meeting Ryan Leech, his favorite (and probably the world's best) 'trials' rider. Ryan was there with Norco, his sponsor, and put on a helluva show for the Whistler crowd. Afterwards, he signed autographs (a poster, DVD, and helmet for us) and I snapped a pic of him with Mike! He is a SUPER nice guy. Mike ran into him on the trails the next day and chatted with him again. Extremely talented and down to earth.. what a great combo.

Mike and Ryan (and my helmet, getting ready to be signed)

I also shot some video of his show.. prepare to be AMAZED...

Want more Ryan Leech? Check out http://www.ryanleech.com/

We just got back from a 3-day Whistler trip!

2008-07-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

Mike and I just popped up to Whistler, BC to settle some wedding details and get in a few days of riding. We were there Wed thru Fri and managed to meet up with some of the women from the Spokeswoman mountain bike camp that I did last year. We rode with Claire and Graham (Manchester, England) and Vera (Hong Kong/Whistler dual residence). We had a blast, of course!

Mike and I were 'roughing it' at the campground, but we ended up spending most of our non-riding time in Claire and Graham's swanky room with a pool/hot tub that overlooked the 'Boneyard' (riding area with big jumps, to the unitiated). Enjoy the pics!

Claire and Graham at the Boneyard/lift base

Tanya and Claire, armored up
Mike and Tanya
Mike jumps high!
Tanya is learning to jump
Check out that backdrop.. wow.
Claire rips it!

We had to buy gas :-/

2008-07-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it 4 weeks, slightly less than the 5 I had hoped for. I think we would have had the full 5 weeks, but one evening we took a trip up to Birch Bay (20 miles) to meet friends for dinner, and then I took a few promotional event temp jobs that required me to drive 2 days to outlying towns that were about 30 minutes away - which put us on 'E'. Darn! Hopefully, in the future, we will both have jobs that let us bike, walk, or bus ourselves to work. For now, I am back to no job at all, so.. gas problem solved! :-)

Pacific Northwest Trail Hike

2008-07-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

Today (July 1) on yet another gorgeous 75 degree sunny day, we decided to head down Chuckanut Ridge to the Pacific NW Trail for a hike. The hike was VERY steep, heading up Blanchard Mt. from basically sea level to over 2200 feet. The forest was mystical, with gigantic trees and pre-historic looking ferns. We had planned to hike to 'Oyster Dome' but took a wrong turn and instead ended up at a different lookout, but it still had a great view of the sea. For some reason the air was hazy so the view of the San Juan Islands was not very clear... but still, it was an amazing day!

Wow, that's a big tree...

Foxglove in bloom (a non-native plant, brought by the Europeans)
Marker at top of Pacific NW trail overlook
Hazy day for the San Juans

I have no idea what this 'rock talk' thing is all about!

Gas tank check in...

2008-06-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been almost 2 weeks since our first tank of gas, and so far we have only driven 75 miles... which means so far we have only used about 2-3 gallons of gas. Woo hoo!

Also, I registered with this program in Bellingham called 'SmartTrips' where you can log your non-car travel. Here are my results so far...

You've entered 14 Smart Trips since June 1, 2006.
You eliminated 180 miles from being driven.

You prevented:
146.3 pounds of carbon dioxide (contributes to global warming)
0.54 pounds of hydrocarbons (contributes to smog)
4.92 pounds of carbon monoxide (poisonous gas)
from being emitted into the environment.

You saved 7.51 gallons of gasoline and $32.58 dollars.

A few updates

2008-06-25T11:06:00.001-07:00

Just a few bits of news - Mike got a job! He is working at Fairhaven Bike & Mountain Sports, a very lovely shop located in the historic Fairhaven area of Bellingham. Added bonus - the bike mechanic area faces right onto the bay with a big window. Sweet views!

This is also the shop where I bought my awesome commuter bike, a Specialized Sirrus. I need to get some pics posted up! She is all matte gray and I have named her the Grey Goose, or GG for short :-)

The other bit of news is that I will be volunteering with an amazing local organization called 'Sustainable Connections'. They are a non-profit membership organization of 600+ NW Washington business and community leaders working to transform and model an economy built on sustainable practices. I will be helping them with the setup and administration of online auction that they will be holding later in the year. You can check them out at http://sustainableconnections.org/

That's it for now - stay tuned for some new pics of GG, and an update on our gas tank level!

Finally, the rest of the XC trip pics!

2008-06-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

Dear readers... thanks for your patience on this one! It has taken awhile to get this uploaded and ready, sorry. I posted them on my smugmug site, complete with narrative comments.

I hope you can find the time to look at them, because unless you plan on driving across America anytime soon, you may never see anything like this in your life. It had our southerner eyes bugging out pretty much the whole time. Want to skip right to the photos? Go to http://tiggilee.smugmug.com/Bellingham/542361 and be amazed. Otherwise, read on... to be amazed... :-)

South Dakota's Badlands defy description. Here's the happy couple, at a Badlands overlook...
This is "Yellow Mounds" - formed by a inland sea that dried up millions of years ago.

Wyoming was all wide, green open spaces...
And coal mines, and oil derricks! Look at this mine in Gillette, WY - where they produce 40% of the nation's coal.
And Montana was, you guessed it, Mountains! The Rockies, to be exact. It even snowed on us there, while you folks back home were sweltering in the 100s.

Who don't need 'em a used cow?
The last leg of our trip, through Idaho's panhandle and into Washington. Mountains, to hills, to desert, to river basin, to HUGE mountains to the sea, all in one day. Damn. This is lovely Coeur d'Alene, ID by the lake...
Then we finally rolled into our new home state, Washington. We were shocked after we passed though Spokane into the Eastern/Mid part of the state. It is DESERT. A lot of nothing. Then flat, flat farmlands and scrubland. Finally, when we were wondering if we made a wrong turn at Missoula, we could see Mt. Rainier off in the distance - the distance of 200 miles away! That is one big mountain. I didn't take this next pic, as my camera had died at that point, but it gives you and idea of what we saw...
Next, we hit the Columbia River basin, and again, wondered how this existed so close to our new, green homeland. Huge, wide, and blue on a brown background...
And with that, we crossed into the Cascade mountain range, and finally, it began to feel like home. These are some seriously pointy mountains, unlike anything back east. Formed by volcanoes, they jut up out of nowhere, straight into the sky, jagged and dangerous looking, divine, and now ours to call home!
Did you love those photos? There are so many more, and we want you to see them! Go to http://tiggilee.smugmug.com/Bellingham/542361 to get your mind blown!

Bellingham Marina

2008-06-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

It's still sunny and 70 here - and we have more fabulous photos for you! This past weekend, we met our new friends Carrie and Robby for dinner at the Boundary Bay Brewery. We rode our bikes there, and so did they. Check out this pic of all the bikes in front of the restaurant. Isn't that a beautiful sight?

After dinner and some sweet Microbrews, they took us to the gorgeous Bellingham Harbor to watch the sun set. The Harbor has a wide, green park with a memorial to Bellingham fisherman lost at sea. It was so inviting there that I actually went back the next day to bask in the sun and watch people fly their kites. (Apparently it is a big kite park.) These pics are from the harbor that evening. Just breathtaking! This town continues to amaze.

Carrie and Michael, Fairhaven area of Bellingham in background

Lots of big, pricey boats in the Marina

Looking out the harbor to Lummi Island, and the San Juans

The Fisherman's Memorial

Another part of the Fisherman's Memorial
Bellingham, with ship in port

Gas is $4.50 here - how long can we make it last?

2008-06-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

We bought our first tank of gas here on Saturday. Gas is about $4.50 a gallon, so even filling up our Honda Fit's little 10 gallon tank cost almost $45. We are going to see how long we can make that tank of gas last. So far, we have only driven the car to Target, Costco, and to pick up my commuter bike. For everything else we have ridden bikes. Barring any road trips to Seattle, Vancouver, or Portland, I wonder how long we can milk this one tank? Be sure and vote on the poll!

Way behind, but so much to tell!

2008-06-13T22:08:00.000-07:00

The phrase most frequently heard around our house... "WE LIVE HERE!"

Tankers on the Bay

Oh my God, where do I start? This place is amazing! Let's start with the basics - our moving truck finally got here on Wed. and we spent the last 2 days getting it unloaded. They picked it up today, and we have a house full of boxes and craziness... but who cares? It's 65 degress and sunny!

The last 2 days have brought us some amazing weather. Yesterday Michael spent about 3 hours at the town dirt jumps at Civic Field and I took a ride on my hardtail bike all around some of the town trails. I rode from our house, onto the Whatcom Falls trails (saw 3 waterfalls) to Bloedel Donovan Park (on Lake Whatcom). Then left there and took the Railroad trail (converted rails to trails) all the way across town. Along the way I took in amazing views of town, Bellingham bay, and the mountains. Needless to say, the elevation change is no joke - I am gonna be a hard core hill goat in no time!

Mike went back to the dirt jumps today for some more funness, but I was too beat from yesterday's ride and Wednesday's run (6 miles in Whatcom Falls park) to attempt any more athletic activities... not to mention the carrying of approximately 80 bajillion boxes up our very steep driveway (too steep to park our Upack on, dang it.) So I just unpacked boxes and worked on settling the place all day, then we took a drive down to Larabee State Park tonight to watch the sun set. So beautiful - pics of this tonight at the end of the blog. By the way, the sun sets at 9:30/10p here! Wow!

As for our other travels, I am still working on getting all that off the camera and uploaded - it is coming, I swear!

Tomorrow we are going to do a ride with the local Mt bike club (WHIMPS). But for now, enjoy our sunset - we miss you all, but not enough to come home! ;-)
T + M

Me in my hoodie (it was chilly and windy) Attempted self-portrait, with wine
Mike macs on rock
Speechless

Want more? View our full set of photos from tonight at http://tiggilee.smugmug.com/gallery/5164440_Ddq5o#312772711_8xQwp

A big shout out

2008-06-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

This blog would not be complete without including a HUGE THANK YOU to our new Bellingham by way of Georgia friends, Carrie and Robby.

I met Carrie via her blog ( http://moxiesdiner.blogspot.com/ ) and she kindly loaned out her very strong husband to help unload our moving truck on Wednesday. Seriously, someone (probably me) would have died in the unloading of the 'red toolbox of death' if Robby had not come out and pushed it up our massive driveway hill with his superior manly strength. Not to mention the 12 gazillion boxes he toted in, and much more. So thank you gracias merci beaucoup spaceeba and ankthay ouyah a million times over. We are looking forward to rewarding you with dinner and beer at Boundary Bay Brewery tomorrow night! :-)

This is the red toolbox of death going into the truck in Charlotte, in case you forgot. Now, imagine pushing that 500+ pound thing up at steep grade hill of a driveway. I totally hid in the house.

WE ARE HERE! (Or there, depends on where you are...)

2008-06-08T21:39:00.001-07:00

We did it! After more than 3000 miles and 50 hours in the car, we made it! We rolled into town at about 3:30pm PST today, and we brought some sunshine with us. We tossed our carload of stuff in the house, hopped on our bikes, and rode down to Boundary Bay Brewery, where we each proceeded to drink an entire beer sampler on our own. The ride home was much more interesting than the ride there. We even stumbled on this little singletrack bike trail with some nice downhill and lots of scenic ferns and trees - that runs right into the back of our neighborhood. This place is off the hook!

This is gonna be kind of short, as we are beat and need to get some sleep overdue for about a week. (However, that may be hard as it is 9:45pm and still daylight - wow.) We know we owe you tons of info and pics over the last several days (we have not had internet since Badlands, and right now I am poaching on my neighbors unsecured wireless network (thanks, wlan-g). Our furniture won't be here till Tuesday, so we should be able to fill you in tomorrow.

But rest easy, we are here, we are safe, our animals are all accounted for, and the wedding is still on! ;-)

Do cats camp? Come on, seriously.

2008-06-05T23:02:00.001-07:00

Your brave blogger and her two assistant editors

In answer to my friend Therese, I apparently need to write a bit focused on the whole 'camping with cats' experience. The answer, as I am sure you know if you have half a brain, is that NO, no self- respecting cat camps. As we found out.

We arrived at the KOA Kampground in Oakdale, WI on Tuesday evening and began to set up camp. Both kitties were wearing harnesses, so I attached their leashes and let them out of the car while Michael was setting up the tent. They immediately went in 2 different directions, to the end of the leash, then rolled over and dragged on the ground.

I finally managed to get them together enough to pick them up and take them to separate locations where I tied them up. (I know, the humiliation to them must have been extreme.) At this point first Tiggi, then Mister proceeded to slip out of their harnesses and light out for the woods. I would chase one down, hook them up, and strap the harness on tighter. Then the other one would be out. So, at a loss, I put them back into the car until I could figure out what to do.
We got the tent set up, and I grabbed Tiggi and took her into the tent to try to calm her down. She proceeded to pee on our blanket. (Thank God KOA has a laundry.) So, back to the car with her. I finally just set the litter box/food/water up in the car and that is how we passed the night - cats in the car, Mike, me and Yogi in the tent. The next day I vowed, NO MORE TENT CAMPING WITH CATS!

So, that is how we ended up in this lovely KOA Kabin, which seems to suit them both fine. (And us too, considering the non-stop rain.) Our last 2 overnights will be in hotels or cabins - no more feline fiascos!

Mister Moguai mackin in the KOA Kabin

Tiggi Lee working on a new piece

The Badlands, or Rain, rain, go away. Please.

2008-06-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

Day 4, Thursday, Hanging out in the Badlands of South Dakota

Today we awoke to a torrential downpour. Well, actually it poured all night, and then just kept going all day. Our hopes of touring the Badlands on our bikes were dashed. But we gamely set out in the car (like we wanted to be in a car, ugh) to see what we could see. We started with the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, in hopes that the downpour would let up. We learned about the history of this area, and how the White man pretty much snaked it from the Lakota Indians. And we learned how the land was formed over time, through a vanished inland sea, volcanic ash, and lots and lots of erosion.

When we left the visitor center it was only lightly raining, so we headed up to a few of the trails. Some of the trails are basically a boardwalk, and it is a good thing, as the silty land is pretty much impassible when it is wet. So we saw what we could, and even in the rain and cold winds, it was stunning. Here is what we found (sorry about the flat quality of the photos, the weather suuucccks for pics...)

From the Cliffside Trial

From the Door Trail (baddest of the Badlands)

From the Cliffside Trial

We were walking this part of the Cliffside Trial

When we saw this Owl (he blends so well, I circled him for you)

We drove back to our cabin in more torrential downpour, and took a shortcut dirt road across a plain that turned out to be flooded in several places. It made for some pretty serious excitement! Now we are holed up from the rain in our cabin, and hoping that tomorrow will be a prettier day. If so, we will hang around a bit longer and take some more pics. We have a relatively short drive (6.5 hours) to Billings, MT tomorrow, so we can afford a bit of time. Send us some sunshine if you have it - we need it!

Day 3 - South Dakota blew our minds (and we are half way there!)

2008-06-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

Day 3, Wednesday, Wisconsin to Badlands, South Dakota

Us in Blue Earth, Minnesota on Wednesday

Today was our longest mileage day, and our biggest wow. First, Wisconsin is absolutely beautiful. We passed out of flat lands into rolling hills with volcanic rock outcroppings, and dairy farms everywhere. You need only 4 colors to paint our Wisconsin - green for the rolling pastures, red for the perfect barns, white for the silos, picture-perfect farmhouses, and half the cows. Black for the other half of the cows. It is just lovely.

We passed into Minnesota by crossing the Mississippi River. Again, gorgeous. The river is HUGE at that point, and surrounded by big hills, almost mountains. Then as you leave the riverbed, BAM, flat, flat, flat and more flat, with dairys giving way to farmland and rich, black dirt. Gigantic windmills dot the land. They were turning slowly as we went by - can't imagine what those monsters look like in full whip.

We drove into South Dakota around 3pm, and it was like nothing we have ever seen. So much SPACE, it was overwhelming and humbling. You could see miles and miles of grassland, and the sky just loomed over you, larger than life. We saw horses, cows and bison grazing in the fields. We drove to, under, and through rainstorms and sunshine. The road vanished into infinity ahead of us. If you have never been through this kind of country, we say you must go. It is a real experience, and incredible that such a different world is only several days car ride away from our old home.

In South Dakota, we crossed the Missouri River, and we were stunned. The river was wide azure blue, and the flat land gave way to big, round hills that looked like Ireland or Scotland.

And after 9 hours and 630 miles today (and almost 1600 miles since Monday), we are finally in the Badlands. We are at a lovely KOA Kampground in a Kabin. (Yes, those K's are for real.) With free WiFi, really roughing it, hah hah.

Thursday we will take a day off driving and tour the Badlands. Can't wait to share the pics with you - because this place is BADASS!

Day 2 - Raining in the flats, and stinktown

2008-06-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

Day 2, Tuesday, Louisville, KY to Oakdale, WI

Long haul through Indiana, in the rain most of the day. This is my first venture into the midwest. The land got VERY flat, the minute we crossed the Ohio river. Flat, flat and more flat, with farm crops everyone, in brown and green rectangles. The kind of stuff that looks like a quilt from an airplane.

Then we hit Chicago area, and pretty much skidded to a halt. It took us probably 3+ hours to get through. Should have taken a different route, now we know. We hit Gary, Indiana (just outside Chicago) at 2:45 and traffic was terrible. For the next 3 hours. No wrecks or anything, just heavy volume and not enough road. It made Charlotte traffic look like Sunday morning at 7am. We have now renamed Chicago 'Stinktown' after this torturous experience. Sorry to offend if you love the place - to be fair all we saw was the interstate!

We decided not to drug the kitties today. They did fine, thank goodness! We decided to swap them and let Mister Moguai ride upper pod and Tiggi Lee ride base. The view seemed to soothe him, he was pretty quiet today. Lee cried a bit, but she could see me better from base pod, so she was easy to pet and reassure.

Here are a few pics from our departure yesterday and some shots of how everyone is riding, ghetto fabulous...

One full Fit

Upper cat pod and lower cat pod

The lab room (and a 'what are you doing to me?' face)

Mackin' in the Red Roof Inn, Mon. night

More pics from Indiana, Chicago, Wisconsin

2008-06-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

Still Day 2 - a few more pics

Farmland in Indiana

Rock outcropping in Wisconsin (formed by volcanoes)
Will it EVER stop raining?

Nap time

Entering Chicago

It cost us about $10 in tolls to drive this dang highway!

Day 1 - We did it!

2008-06-03T04:53:00.001-07:00

Day 1, Monday, Charlotte to Louisville, KY

We finally got that damn truck loaded and we are waking up in Louisville, KY this morning. It took us until early yesterday afternoon to finish up the loading process and get the house cleaned. We hit the road at 1:30pm and made it to Louisville at about 9pm.

The scenery between Charlotte and Louisville is BEAUTIFUL. We went through the NC and TN mountains - always green and gorgeous. Then after we pulled out of the mountains in KY, we were in 'horse land'. Rolling hills and horse farms with lush green pastures and little black picket fences everywhere you look. It is just like what you see in the movies. Very pretty country.

The kitties were drugged up and did pretty well, with a small amount of distressed crying. Yogi was happy as can be in the car, as usual. It was pretty funny spending the night in a tiny hotel room with two cats and a dog, but luckily we had a king size bed, on which everyone except Yogi slept. Overrall the kitties do seem to be handling this well, thank goodness!

I will get some pic up of this whole thing soon. That will be my 'car project' today while we are driving. Michael's project is to put together a video of the trip - we are filming various things from the road. Should have something fun to show everyone after this is all over!

Ok, off to Wisconsin and camping tonight - thanks for following along!

My life as a truck

2008-06-01T05:27:00.001-07:00

It's our final day to pack the truck! We are outta here tomorrow. It is just the strangest feeling. Neither of us have slept well for the past 2 nights. It is a combination of the dust, the air mattress, and lots and lots of anxiety. We are fast learning that to pick up one's life completely and move it somewhere brand new is terrifying. I know we will make new friends. I know we will find jobs. I know in the big scheme of things we will do just fine. But somehow that does not make the here and now any less scary.

To look out the door and see this big silver truck in your driveway, and know that it contains everything that the two of you own is disorienting. You think of your life as more expansive than what would fit into half of an 18 wheeler. I know that the stuff in that truck is not really our life, but sometimes it feels like it is. It is so easy to lose touch with the fact that who you are is actually what is inside of you, and has nothing to do with your collection of things. I think that is part of what this move is about. Shedding a layer, scrubbing our souls a bit more bare. Getting closer to who we are inside, removed from all the things n stuff in the big silver truck that feels like all we are. How can we learn to not let our possessions define who we are? I guess this is step one in that direction.

Our truck, fully loaded and ready to go!

Moving meltdowns

2008-05-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I had my first moving meltdown today. Britney Spears style, without the head shaving. I realized I had accidentally let my CDs get packed, before I got a chance to pull out the ones I wanted for the road. So, I went to the truck and looked for them, couldn't find 'em of course. They were strapped down behind the mattresses. So I went inside and proceeded to sob my heart out until Michael took pity. He went out to the truck, climbed up behind the mattress, and found my box of CDs. My hero! He nearly herniated himself doing it too. My really BIG hero! I love that boy.

As for progress, we have all the big stuff in the truck, now it is down to small and oddly shaped things. The least fun part, I think. Eventually you just get so damn tired you just start throwing stuff into boxes labeled 'Miscellaneous' and hope for the best. I am not to that point yet, but I have a feeling that after tomorrow I will be! Thanks to my Mama for coming over and helping, and keeping me sane today. I love you Mom!

Ok, beat down and off to sleep on the air mattress. Last night we had the futon, but that got packed today. So we are camping in our own bedroom. I guess we will find out whether cat claws penetrate the Coleman tonight!

Ripped from the headlines

2008-05-30T04:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with our move, but it made me laugh so hard this morning I just had to share. How much do you love it when they put the wrong picture with the wrong story? This is from the Charlotte Observer this morning.. Guess they don't like dem Honders too much in Alabamer...

Big Packing Day (or, adventures in bubble wrap)

2008-05-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hold it right there, bubbles.

Yesterday they brought the bigasstruck. Today, we starting loading it. I am darn near too tired to write anything coherent at this point, so before I start to meander, a BIG THANK YOU to our good friend Dave (Viking Dave, Mr. Bubble wrap above) for his help today. We never would have survived without you! The rest, will just have to be a story in pictures...

Dave and Mike push the hellaciously heavy toolbox up the ramp. I assisted with 'guiding'. This picture was almost named 'how we killed Tanya' because when the toolbox got in the truck it kept going.. with me BEHIND it. Smoosh.

Mike and Dave, strapping one on.

Who are they kidding with this packing job? They better not leave me.

Don't forget to 'retrieve' the labrador!

If that damn dog is coming, I am OUT of here.

Itinerary change.. we want BADLANDS!

2008-05-27T20:56:00.001-07:00

We have updated our travel itinerary after Sir Chico's comment that we should do South Dakota rather than North Dakota. I have updated the map and dates in the previous post with all that stuff. Long story short, we are going to spend 2 nights in South Dakota's mysterious and awe-inspiring 'Badlands National Park.' Whoa, check it out...

Packing progress, and the world's largest roll of bubble wrap

2008-05-27T19:56:00.001-07:00

'How's the packing going?' That is the question I keep getting this week, so here.. this is how it is going... (picture at right). I believe so far we have about 40ish boxes in the house, and many more in the garage. And lots more to do! Packing sucks, argh.

Also, we have collected 8 blankets/comforters to help with our bike and padding - THANK YOU friends! And FYI, when we get to our new home, all extra blankets will be donated to the Humane Society to use as animal bedding. You know what suckers for the wee animales we are!

A big thanks to our friend Tim (Sir ChicodeMonte)

for donating what appears to be the world's largest roll of bubble wrap. We could start our own roadside attraction. Tiggi Lee agreed to pose on top of it to lend perspective in the photo below. That helpful tabby!

As if we needed another reason...

2008-05-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

I usually peruse the Bellingham Herald daily online to get a feel for the town we will be calling home in less than 2 weeks. Today they had an article on the local mountain bike club - WHIMPS (Whatcom Independent Mountain Peddlers). The article gives high praise for the trailwork they have done on a local mt bike playground, Galbraith Mountain. It also says that Galbraith is mentioned in the latest issue of Bike Magazine!

Here are excerpts from the Herald and Bike Mag articles..

"If you're new to town and haven't had a chance to ride Galbraith or run or hike its trails and don't quite understand the allure, here are a few words from the guys who showcased its charms in Bike magazine...

"Other parts of the mountain are home to steep downhill runs, complete with log rides, doubles and fast berms that match anything in Vancouver or Whistler. But most of the 50-plus trails here are tight and twisty and filled with slippery roots and long, gravelly climbs. One of those climbs leads us to the summit of Galbraith, 2,000 feet above Bellingham, where we watch the sun set over the bay," writes Lou Mazzante."

Another excerpt from the Herald...

"Locals bike it, run it or hike it. "It's an incredible benefit to the community," Peterson says.
Mountain biking enthusiasts have been known to ride it as a sort of trinity of fun — a visit that includes rides on Galbraith, then the North Shore of Vancouver, B.C., and up to Whistler, B.C.
But local riders love that Galbraith is so close to home, including the stunning vistas that come with living here. On the Wonderland trail, he can see 180 degrees from Orcas Island on one side of the trail to the Twin Sisters on the other side. "Right now, with Baker and the Twins covered in snow, it's beautiful up there."

You can see the full Bellingham Herald article at http://www.bellinghamherald.com/513/story/418674.html

Couldn't find the Bike Mag article online, but you can certainly pick up a copy or just peruse it in the store!

Did I mention we can ride our bikes 10 minutes from our house and be at the trailhead of this mountain? We are actually moving to mountain bike HEAVEN!

What is this 'Bellingham' place anyway? (Biltingshire?)

2008-05-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been living under a rock, or who barely eked by in geography, Bellingham (or Biltingshire, as my 'pronunciation-challenged' mother likes to call it) is in the northwest corner of Washington state. An hour's drive north brings you to Vancouver, Canada. An hour and half's drive south gets you to Seattle, WA. Four hours drive south lands you in Portland, OR - the site of the Oregon Brewer's Festival each July (which we plan to attend and drink heartily of.)

The fantastic picture at top left is of Bellingham Bay, taken during a mountain bike ride from our April 'recon' trip. The picture at right is of one of the sets of falls in Whatcom Falls park, which is literally right across the street from where we will be living. Starting to see why we chose this place?

Then there is beautiful Boulevard Park (below), a waterfront park with a boardwalk that goes out over the water, tons of greenspace, and incredible views of the San Juan Islands. See it below? That picture does not even do it justice. It is huge!

Basically, we were continually wowed during our trip to Bellingham in April. By the scenery, the mountain biking, the bikeable and livable town, the and by it's friendly, down to earth people who we found warm and welcoming.

Oh yeah, and the laid back, tree-

hugging, liberal hippie vibe sure don't hurt. I think we could get used to this place!

Note: You can see all of our Bellingham pics at my photo site - http://tiggilee.smugmug.com/Bellingham. Enjoy the green!

Our XC trip itinerary (or, do CATS camp?)

2008-05-21T20:37:00.001-07:00

Want to see our route of crazy cross country-ness in detail? Just click the map above!

Mon, 6/2

Drive: 482 mi – 7 hours 33 mins Passing through Tennessee

To: Louisville, Kentucky - Red Roof Inn (hotel 1 night)
Tues, 6/3

Drive: 536 mi – 8 hours 38 mins Passing through Indiana, Illinois

To: Oakdale, Wisconsin - KOA campground (camp 1 night)
Wed, 6/4 - Thurs, 6/5

Drive: 610 mi – 8 hours 43 minsPassing through Minnesota

To: Interior, South Dakota - Badlands National Park (camp 2 nights)
Fri, 6/6

Drive: 453 mi – 6 hours 13 minsPassing through Wyoming

To: Billings, MT - Red Roof Inn (hotel 1 night)
Sat, 6/7

Drive: 542 mi – 7 hours 43 mins Passing through Idaho

To: Spokane, Washington - Riverside State Park (camp 1 night)
Sun, 6/8

Drive: 367 mi – 5 hours 46 mins

To: Bellingham, WA (HOME!)

Why so many breaks you ask? Well, U-Pack is rolling out with our moving truck full-o-stuff on Monday, 6/1. And we can't move in until Sunday, 6/8. So we HAD to find something to do, didn't we?

Oh, and did we mention that we are camping with CATS? (2 cats and one dog, to be exact.) Now THIS should be interesting. Do they make feline claw-proof air mattresses?

10 day countdown (and some tears for our friends)

2008-05-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we are rolling out of Charlotte in 10 days. I have no idea how we are going to be ready! Every spare moment (not spent packing or planning the trip and/or wedding) has been spent trying to get together 'one last time' with our friends. Many of you we have already seen, some are scheduled for the upcoming week, and some we just are going to miss out on that 'last goodbye.' Leaving our friends (you!) is undoubtably the hardest part of this move. We will miss you soooo much! <tears...>

PLEASE COME VISIT!