She said it best...

Two Star Hotel

What an amazing experience we had. Fun in the sun on two wheels powered by our own two feet.

Moto Dreams

1966 Triumph Bonneville

Marathon Tapering Begins!

One 20'er down, one more +6 to go. Saturday was the climax of our marathon training with a 20 mile run. There is a somewhat well known route from Seattle to Woodinville via a paved bike/walk/run/rollerblade path to the Redhook Brewery. We put together a crew of 4 to do the entire run and 1 more runner met up with us for the last 3 miles. It was a long haul on a beautiful sunny, hot day. Everyone was in good spirits throughout the run and especially at the brewery as we washed away our sore bodies with a fresh beer and some lunch while basking in the sun. The longer the runs, the more mentally challenging they become. This has been the farthest I have run and believe another 6 miles on top of that is definitely doable, but will be tough.

The days ahead of us, until June 2, we are reducing the number of miles we run every week. I have been looking forward to this portion of the training for a long time now, basically since we started. It has been a long road, but we have survived with minimal injuries and both look forward to the race in Newport, OR. This race is on a Saturday, which we thoughtfully selected so that we could have the run completed and still have the rest of the weekend. We plan on driving up the OR coast and finding a B&B or VRBO near Cannon Beach to visit and soak up some of the laid back coastal life. Hopefully pondering future adventures looking at this view, maybe a sunset with a fire on the beach.

Marathon Training Begins

Yesterday I embarked on the first of many runs in preparation for a full on 26'er.
Although we are not sure exactly which one to run just yet, we are thinking of running in
Newport, OR (coatal)
Vancouver, BC (inner-city)
Winthrop, WA (mountainous, not the run though)

Keep me motivated!

VITAMIN-D, I needed it.

Maiden voyage for the 'new to me' vintage Titan's (skiis). I acquired them from a friends moving party recently. He was going to donate them to the Goodwill, instead he donated them to me! The boot fit pretty well, other than a small hot spot on my heels by the end of the day. The plans were to head up to Snoqualmie Pass and absorb as much Vitamin D as possible on the beautiful weekend that was foretasted for the Pacific Northwest!

We did just that. Rose in the morning, had a typical saturday breakfast (eggs sandwhich on a toasted english muffin with cheddar and a very tasty fake sausage) and were off with our cross country skiis on the roof. After a bit of a slow start and a few extra looks at the map, we were finally off with huge grins on our faces. The sun, the warmth, the snow, the adrenaline, the amount of smiles on peoples faces and the adventure ahead. I was hoping to make it to a hut a ways back, but after making it half way there on the green trail we were wondering if we had enough time.We gave it our best for the next hour on the intermediate trail and nearly made it to the hut. I really wanted to check it out and thus pushed on for another 20 minutes knowing it was going to be a much shorter trip back (hopefully). Jim Brooks Hut - Check.

We sheltered from the wind for a few minutes and then quickly headed back out into the sunny winter wonderland. I was so happy! In the woods, with my baby, in the sunny serene winterwonderland. The only thing that could have made it better is if we were going to spend the night out there.

The way down had a bit of nervousness looming above our heads. There were a lot of people on the trail and some of them were coming down very fast, with little room for error. I think it gave us both confidence and scared us for the up and coming trip down....

Down was fun! it may have taken a fall or two to get the hang of it, but it was really fun. Very different than downhill skiing. Once we completed the intermediate section we were pretty much on flat ground and still had some work to do to get back to the car. Another 30 minutes of 'nordic track-esque' movements and we could see the ski area. The car was near and we were hungry.


We headed on trail 17 along Keechelus Lake and then up the intermediate trail to the hut.

Trapeze - Check

So, a few months back Andrea and her friend went to a trapeze class and loved it. Andrea loved it so much, she wanted me to experience it and thus booked us a lesson. When we arrived we walked into the arena and there were ropes and swings and people doing tricks. It was pretty exciting knowing that we were about to be the ones doing such acrobatic tricks. Quickly we were put through what we were to accomplish and how that was going to happen. After several practice attempts, we had to have it just right in order to be caught by the other swinger, the time came to complete a catch and release trick.

I swung, I hung, I was caught and released.


Post adventure, as we were driving home, Andrea and I both agreed that we need fun things on the weekend nights. Our blood just seemed to be flowing with a bit more excitement that night. Swinging at heights and doing fun tricks is definitely a plus in my book.

Moto Tribute

Let the good times roll...

I have mixed emotions as I just watched the new owner of my moto drive away. In the past year, since moving back to Seattle from the Olympic Peninsula, I have ridden my moto little, yet simply knowing that I had the moto downstairs in the parking garage was a good feeling. At a moments notice I was able to saddle up and cruize the neighborhood streets, highways, farmroads or seaside highways. The GZ250 gave me a sense of freedom and an exhilarating feeling while captaining the two wheeled motorcycle. I know that the new owner shall feel the same emotions and hope that I never forget the moments Andrea and myself had on the moto.

Peace be with you moto.

Application

Whew. It is out of my hands now. Husky or not?

DQ Blizzardless life

As a child the occasional visit to a DQ was indeed a treat, mainly with my dad as I remember. Walking in and pondering what sort of frozen treat I was going to have them make was always a tough decision. Typically a blizzard. Well... to this day those memories are still great, but something else has changed. And that fact is that the quality of my most recent DQ adventure, one I was very much so looking forward to, was a complete disappointment. The day finally came when Andrea and I were driving back from Portland and stopped to enjoy the "on the road snack." I ordered the blizzard of the month, a mint oreo. As many of you may know mint and chocolate are two of my most favorite things! I was waiting for the perfect moment to return to a DQ and taste the tastey treat and it was finally presented itself. Needless to say, I had a bad enough experience to write DQ and give them a firsthand account of my experience. Below is the copied text that was sent to DQ.

It has been a few weeks now and I am still unhappy about my experience at the aforementioned Dairy Queen. As a past loyal visitor during childhood I have even made a vow to never return to a Dairy Queen. I simply will settle for the quality of the blizzard I was served. The blizzard was a small mint oreo of which I was extremely excited to try. After a very long wait time I received my treat to find out that nearly 99 percent of the treat was ice cream and very, very little oreo! So little cookie in fact that I felt like I was eating a cup of mint flavored ice cream only. I was shocked at the amount of cookie that has been reduced from years past. To this day I regret not taking it back and gaining an explanation on whether it was a mistake or rather a reduction in the amount of cookie. Thus I am saddened to see the quality of the once delicious blizzard be reduced to what I purchased a few weeks back. Thank you for listening to my complaints and please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Best Wishes,

Tyson Goeppinger

Recently I have been loyal to the companies I deal with, whether it has been regarding sunglasses, hummus, camping equipment, or tastey treats. I treat each purchase as a vote towards the company and thus am careful of which products and companies I choose. This past experience compelled me to write the company and inform them about their decisions on quality. Cheers to homeade blizzards!

On the Dashboard

Bike:
Have recently acquired a rear derailleur from craigslist which had some unseen imperfections. I am dealing with those now, but should be shifting smoothly as soon as I purchase some new jockey pulleys. New shifters/brake levers just arrived in the mail. Yesterday Andrea and I were looking through REI's gear garage and found a sweet deal on some pedals for half off retail! Still trying to land a good deal on a headset.

Garden:
growing up and up. Radishes, various lettuces, spinach, green onions, shiraz beets, and rainbow carrots. I have also constructed a 'gutter garden' which turned out really well. It is quite fun to come home and check on the garden for various reasons and see that we have a bounty of veggies and lettuces and herbs (as bounty as our urban oasis can offer). It is giving me excellent practice for the day I am able to have a real garden. That potentially could be this summer as I have been on contact with a school program that needs some help with their community garden over the summer months when the kids are out.

Wedding update:
All major events/spaces/ideas/concepts are set up and scheduled now we are working on the smaller details. It is going to be the small things where we are going to be able to display our characters. We have been much more lackadaisical about the planning and we both agree that we need to pick it back up and get our butts in gear. Need to stay on schedule to keep this event from being a stress factory.

Mountaineering Course:
Started on May 5 with the first classroom portion as a 2 hr. 'get to know ya' and what the class is going to entail. Have since had a day trip up Mt. Washington involving some rain/snow where our group of 8 really got to know each other in more detail. Have learned about gear do's and dont's. Heading on an all day outing tomorrow at a local ski area to work with our navigation skills and ice axes. Weather should cooperate this go around. Just one more day closer to climbing Mt. Baker on June 18-21.

Little Garden

What better day than today to celebrate my first, on my own, gardening experience. Happy Earth Day!

After completing the novel "Farm City" by Novella Carpenter, I have finally been pressured into caring for a garden of my own. As small as ours is it will not produce much, but this is an experiment and a means to gain gardening experience for the day the City of Seattle will loan me a pea patch (10 x 10 ft community plot). Our garden currently consists of two flower planters hanging over the balcony (2 square ft) and a small circular pail (0.8 square ft) totaling nearly 3 square ft. Sarcastically HUGE, well big enough to have an herb garden and grow a few veggies on the side.

I have chosen a few local easy to grow plants to start with and they are currently poking their heads out of the soil. French Breakfast Radishes - heirloom. Rainbow Carrot Mix. They are originally from Bellingham, WA and soon will be in my belly and perhaps yours too.

Meet my friends the Radishes... and

Carrots

Andrea keeps asking me, "why again are you growing radishes? neither you nor myself eat them." I will eat them and if I do not, then perhaps I will give them as a gift to someone or to some people who are in need of food. They are great on tacos or in salads. Perhaps I will unearth my harvest, in a few weeks and just .... ^& crunch #@.... bite into it and bask in the glory of growing food for ourselves. Ah... the life of a farmer, and urban farmer.

Parts to the puzzle

A few months later and a few more parts are under the bed/leaning against the wall on my side of the bed. They are patiently waiting to be assembled. Just a few parts more...

Mavic Wheelset


SRAM rear cassette, all those pretty gears, sigh.


Kore Brakes, FSA Stem, SRAM Chain

Also not pictured is a tube of nano-ceramic lubricating grease I acquired from my brother, apparently some of the best stuff you can get. As well as a FSA SL-K crank set, the part your pedals are affixed to and pull/push on the chain.

Still seeking a few items:
Headset
Bottom Bracket
Front & Rear Derailleur
Pedals
Seat Post & Saddle
Handlebars
Shifters
Good Times on my 2 wheels!

Happy & Safe Riding

Winter Bike Build

My winter project this year is a bicycle build, since I have yet to replace my stolen Redline Conquest. It is something I have always wanted to do and now that I have the time and money set aside... I present to you the SOMA Double Cross. Here is the beginning of what I shall soon be commuting, racing, touring, cruising and all things 2 wheels on. I have been slowly acquiring parts and pieces to complete this bicycle through various sources.

The first step for me was to have my frame prepared for the build. I took my frame to the local bike shop, Velo Bike Shop, and had them do some tool specific work. They faced my bottom bracket and head tube; chased the bottom bracket and any other brazed on threads (such as the rear derailleur hanger and luggage rack mounts); and reamed the seat tube of any burrs that could damage my seat post. This is likely crazy bicycle jargon to many, but it basically removes any unwanted paint buildup from areas where perfection is needed. That is right... perfection. I cannot wait to be zippin' through traffic on this bad boy or perhaps circumnavigating the Olympic Peninsula on a multi-day trip. More to come as parts arrive!

40 Yards

Exact words per my friend Rob's email:

"Thanks to our incredibly powerful and influencial friend, Jonesy, the time has come for T-Bone to prove his kicking prowess! This one-time high school place kicker and current nature guru will have the opportunity to showcase his skills (or lack thereof) at the home of the 2010 NFC West Divisional Champion Seattle Seahawks; the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, WA.

Mr. T-Bone will be placed inside the indoor training facility, at the 30 yard line, and will have one (1) attempt to kick a 40 yard field goal. If he is successful, he will claim his just prize of a steak dinner at any restaurant establishment in the Greater Seattle Area. Obviously, failure to accomplish said goal will result in him treating Mr. Robert R. Leslie to a medium fillet mignon at Daniel's Broiler.

Now, Mr. Christiansen brought up a fair point that NFL field goal posts are narrower than high school, therefore Mr. Leslie is willing to renegotiate the deal and offer T-Bone one (1) extra point attempt (ball placed on the 10-yard line) prior to his 40-yard fg attempt. But please be advised, those will be the only two (2) kicks attempted of any kind once on the hollowed grounds of VMAC.

Those parties included in this email have been invited to attend this epic wager. Mr. Leslie will supply the offiicial football to T-Bone prior to leaving for the VMAC. The kick will take place directly off the field turf and T-Bone may select any of the attending party to act as holder.

Here are the necessary details:

DATE: SUNDAY, FEB. 6

MEETING TIME: 11:30 AM

ARRIVAL AT VMAC: NOON

PRACTICE PAT ATTEMPT: 12:10

FG ATTEMPT: 12:15"

I will let the picture below speak my words.

Let it be known that neither this picture nor any words can describe the feelings after watching the ball travel end over end, in what seemed like slow motion, through the uprights.

After a drizzly day of practice on February 5 with a ball that was not quite inflated properly I was confident in my accuracy, but not sold on my distance. Figuring that a fully inflated ball and the adrenaline of the moment would give me the edge I needed, I ended my practice and was confident. Sunday morning came and my dearest friend and fiance Andrea kept giving me words of encouragement! The moment was drawing nearer. We all arrived at the facility and I was taken back to my days as a competitor in the Track & Field arena. I was mentally prepared and focused. We were greeted and taken on to the playing field... wow was it amazing! The energy from the field felt very powerful. As we walked in and were astonished by the facility I began to get nervous. Crossing the 30 yard line, which coincidentally had an "X" on it, was the point of peak nervousness. It seemed so far! During the practice kick at the 10 yard line I simply thought to myself, "kick this as you were kicking the 40 yarder," to get a feel of my power. The ball was set and... kick... GOOD, with ease. This is all when the nerves settled a bit for me and when Rob began to feel the tension. The walk/jog/stretch/hop back to the 30 yard line felt good. This time looking at the "X" seemed much more attainable. The ball was set and... music plays from a smart phone (Eminem) and I do not take much time. The ball is set and... kick. It starts out a tiny bit wide right, but enough to miss and then about halfway through the ball starts to curve in. At this point all I can think is, "now its good, it just needs the distance." Again, time was in slow motion. Waiting, waiting and... GOOD! Holy S$%t, I cannot believe it. Well I can, but at the same time it was an unbelievable feeling. Rob dropped to the ground and I began running and jumping for joy! Accomplishment and joy were pouring out of my smiles.

After winding down quickly we made our way out of the field and were given a tour of the facilities. Incredible. Many thanks to our host Mr. Jones for a great opportunity and tour!

Films & Memories

A day in the life of a Bicycle [SHORT FILM] from jeroen Klokgieters on Vimeo.

Alive & Kickin

My blog heart does indeed pump, just had a period of stillness. As I have recently come upon a few interesting moments, now which I cannot remember, I felt the need to write about them. Thus, here I am saying hello. Hello.

NZ Road

On the road since the 5th of April and will be flying out of Auckland on the 13th. Plan to see heaps of NZ sights. Will be posting whenever I am able. Cheers.

Motley Crew

Finally after several 'leaving parties,' today I had to actually say goodbye to many of my friends and co-workers at the Skyline Restaurant. It was pretty sad to say goodbye. I visited the restaurant one last time to drop off my uniform and sign some paper work and gave away my hugs and well wishes to those working and then headed down the gondola with Andrea to play some soccer with most of the other friends. Luckily I had to rush out of there after about an hour of playing because I sometimes do not do well with goodbyes. I will miss you all and wish you the best this winter and in your future endeavors, wherever they may lead you. Thanks for all the memories.

Routeburn Rain

Please see Andreas Blog as she has been better at posting lately. www.andreafranzen.blogspot.com
This photo pretty much summarizes our trip. Rainy fun!

3 Years

3(sun in Japanese) wonderful years with my main squeeze and they have been amazingly fun and full of excitement and love. I love you baby, bring on the next year!