Spring Break 2009 - Day 2

March 27th, 2009


Ah, the joys of sleeping in! Friday found us sleeping late and working on some school projects for several hours, while the puppies explored both the cabin and the countryside. After perusing the guidebooks in the house and inquiring at the Boone Visitors' Center, we decided to set off for the Cascade Falls trail. It was an interesting drive out on the Blue Ridge Parkway out of Bamboo Gap, as every other sign warned us of the impending closing of the road. Luckily it ended at the Cascade falls parking lot! (Despite the instructions of the Visitors' Center staff.)


It was EXTREMELY foggy and ours was the only car in the parking lot. We followed the path down a wooded trail with markers for various indigenous trees and plants. As we reached the top of the falls, it began to to rain gently. By the time we descended a steep set of stone steps to the main waterfall, it was simply pouring. Nevertheless, we took some interesting shots.



After returning to the cabin to dry off and warm up, we headed back out on the road to Banner Elk Winery, which we became familiar with during our last two visits to the Blue Ridge Wine Festival. The Garmin had a mind of its own and directed us along the most winding, roller coaster, switchback road we have ever seen...otherwise known as Route 194. Through Valle Crucis and west into Banner Elk, we were happy to finally arrive! So we drank some wine, bought some wine, crashed some random guy's 30th birthday, inquired of the locals how they survived in High Country year-round (specifically the winter?!?!) and general stuff that wine makes you do.



We stopped back at the cabin for a visit with the puppies and turned right back around again to go shopping at the outlets in Blowing Rock. The fog was so thick that when we arrived, we couldn't see the opposite end of the small shopping center from our car. Some serious damage done at J. Crew, we headed to Twigs for a casual dinner at the bar. Then off to sleep in the mountain air.

Spring Break - Boone, NC

March 26th, 2009

It's Spring Break 2009. We had planned to finally take a vacation up to Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia. The cabin was booked and W and I were ready to tackle a snowboard and possibly some skiis. Unfortunately Snowshoe decided to close a week early due to poor temperatures and rain in the forecast. Our kind cabin owner refunded the deposit but we were back to square one. Lucky for us, I work for a nice guy who, along with his wife & family, owns a cabin in Boone, NC!



So this morning we took off from Mebane on our way to the High Country. We decided to take a little detour due to a chance encounter in July of last year with the owner and brewmaster at Catawba Valley Brewery. We drove to Morganton, NC to pay Scott Pyatt and one of his employees, Tate, a little visit. Despite our visit occuring outside of normal serving hours, Scott met us at the brewery for a tour, tasting and some lunch! We left with three growlers, some pint glasses and full bellies! What a better way to celebrate being on vacation than having beers before noon. If you are ever driving to or from Asheville, it is worth the two mile detour off of the highway! It's an interesting old warehouse filled with art, a stage for live music and what else, beer!!! Favorite beers? Try the Whiskey River IPA, Farmer Ted's Cream Ale or the White Zombie Wheat.




A half an hour later, we took another detour in the Pisgah National Forest to view the Linville Falls. Guinness and Harper had the chance to stretch their legs (and get REALLY muddy) on our .8 mile walk down and back. Took some pictures and headed back down the trail. We dried them off as best as possible and hopped back into the car for our final, super winding, drive into Boone. We settled into the cabin and just relaxed.


The weather this weekend is forecasted to be rather dismal, with mostly cloud cover and some rain. But driving over to Boone for dinner, the clouds broke and gave us a great view of some farmland covered in fog.






For dinner we decided to try a local spot called Black Cat Burrito. Great food and beer, but no TV's, an unfortunate circumstance when it's the middle of March Madness! Despite a valient effort to find a non-smoking bar with a television, we wound up back at the cabin for some DVD watching and relaxing. (Not without a trip to the store first for hot-cross buns, oreos and a Magic Hat mixed case.)

First day of Spring Break? GREAT!!!

Key West - Day 5 & 6

Day 5


On this trip to the Keys, we tried to focus on doing a few 'new things' like eating at new restaurants, trying new touristy type stuff, etc. So today we went on a kayaking and snorkeling trip with Lazy Dog Outfitters out of Hurricane Hole. This is not snorkeling in the Carribean with giant fish and wide open ocean. It is like snorkeling in a rain forest that is two feet deep, where you are looking for little fish among the coral, sea grass and mangroves, when suddenly a channel about ten to fifteen feet deep opens up below you to reveal schools of rainbow fish and a huge grouper or two. It can be quite unsettling when a hole opens below you that is about 3 feet across but an unknown amount of feet deep. Some run down and then turn under the mangroves. We eventually reasoned that my discomfort with them was due to my fear of heights. There is a definite ledge and what can be perceived as a 'fall' down into the hole. Odd but understandable once our guide, Robin, explained it to us. Along the way, we learned about the three different types of mangroves, played with starfish, sea cucumbers and anemones, saw a nurse shark and tried to avoid stepping on coral. We even saw a sea turtle observing us from his underwater perch as we kayaked by!

In the late afternoon, we returned to the site of the 'hot iguana lovin' to try and go fishing on Butch's boat. We succeeded in getting out of the Summerland Key channels but some problems with the engine stopped us from getting out into the deeper areas. We headed back in and cleaned up before our trip back to No Name Pub.

A trip to the Keys is not complete without a visit to this local's pizza place and pub. Decorated entirely with news stories about the former brothel, bait shop and general store, as well as at least 30,000 single and five dollar bills, this restaurant serves the best pizza in the Keys. (Plus it's fun to drive through Big Pine looking for Key deer sitting on the front lawns of homes. We saw three on this drive.) Great pizza, cold beer, and good company with Raye & Butch and our trip to the Keys came to an end.

Day 6 - Travel Day
On our final day in Key West, we tried to get a little exercise before our hours of airline travel. W and I ran down to the end of Summerland and back for a little under a mile and a half. Then we headed next door for a swim at a neighbor's pool. Unfortunately a mama crab got a little lost looking for the ocean and ended up in the pool, with all of her babies on her back. W spent about a half an hour fishing them all out!!! We swam around a little, gathered our belongings and said farewell to Summerland Key.

Butch, W and I met up with Raye downtown and had a leisurely lunch at Hurricane Hole. Much of the conversation at lunch centered around the prospect of opening and running various businesses in the Keys, bars, health clubs, marinas, etc. Raye is planning a wedding for a friend of the family in April and is looking for a photographer....hmmmmmmmm. Maybe we'll be back in Key West sooner than we thought!

A little shopping downtown on a slightly rainy Duval Street and then we headed to the airport as the wind and cold moved in. We left Key West as Fight Night and Boat Week were beginning, which our usual time to visit. Our trip boasted the warmest and most sunny weather we have ever had on a January trip. Perhaps it was the timing in coming down a week earlier? The forecast for Boat Week is cloudy, windy and high of barely 65....brrrrr!

The Key West airport is under major renovation and we sat in the Conch Flyer restaurant for perhaps the last time, talking with the local bartender Mike, a New England native and HUGE Patriots / Sox fan.

It was a painless trip home to Greensboro, except for the 20 degree weather that greeted us!!!!

Send us an email if you plan to go to the Keys - we can definitely give you some referrals on restaurants, bars, activities and places to stay!

Key West: Days 3 & 4

Day 3 - Key West Shorthand (hey, we're on vacation!)

• worked out at the gym


• walked around trying to find a donut...went to Bad Ass Coffee instead for a bagel sandwich


• rented bikes


• went to Camille's for lunch (thanks Lisa & Tim!)


• rode to South Beach


• rode by Southernmost Point (super crowded)


• got vertigo climbing up into the Key West Lighthouse, saw all the way around the island, dropped W's sunglasses off of the top, found them at the bottom (unscathed),


• decided NOT to go into Hemingway House for about the 10th time...I love Hemingway but the house just doesn't look that interesting


• rode past Higgs Beach to Smather's Beach - took photos of kiteboarders at the beach...decided to ride all the way around the island...then did. Odd to ride bicycles where the brakes are just rotating the pedals backward!


• had a drink at the Conch Republic Seafood Company


• went back to Sunset Ceremony at Mallory Square...took LOTS of photos, had more 'Green Things' from Jimmy and a pretzel


• ate dinner at Half-Shell Raw Bar, had drinks at Island Dogs Bar, finished up the night at Irish Kevin's
  

Day 4
Sunday morning we woke up early to take some pictures. We rode the bikes down a completely empty Duval Street (with the exception of the streetcleaners) down to South Beach to watch the sunrise. We weren't alone! About 5 different photographers were out to take in the gorgeous sunrise. We took in Duval Street, Southernmost Point and several other attractions on the very quiet morning. W and I did a little shopping at Montage for some new signs to add to our Key West collection on the second floor. Then we met W's parents at the Bistro for brunch.

After checking out and heading back to Summerland, Raye, W and I headed to Bahia Honda State Park for a little beach time. We explored part of the old bridge, spent a little time in the water and on the beach. When we were done at the park, we travelled south to Big Pine and searched for Key Deer. Success! We caught two in front lawns and two out in the wild! I feel like a staffer for National Geographic!!!

Annual Trip to the Keys 2009 - Day 1 & 2

Each year in January, W and I make a pilgrimage through Miami down to the Florida Keys to visit W's parents for a late holiday celebration. Part family visit, party holiday recovery, part vacation, it has become a tradition. This year, we will stay at the Bixby's home on Summerland Key for two nights, then head downtown for two nights, and then finish up our stay on Summerland.

Travel Day
Not bad actually. We left the house at about 5:45am when it was a balmy 60 degrees. Fast forward 35 minutes and it was about 35 degrees and pouring rain in Greensboro. An uneventful flight brought us to Miami where we sat for a few hours listening to New Yorkers argue with the American Eagle staff about the injustice of their missing their flight to Nassau due to airline regulations and flight 'closure times.' Karma is always ready for you...shortly after we got on our plane, the pilot realized that the number two engine wouldn't turn over. We deplaned, took the bus back to the gate and sat around for another 45 minutes until they found us a new plane. This time the blender worked and we took off for Key West at around 4pm. We landed safely and got our first taste of 80 degree weather. Finally, after years of being told that I brought bad weather (cold, rainy, crappy, you name it) to the Keys, we might get lucky!


We spent a relaxing evening at the house and had some fun getting caught in a brief rain shower. We giggled through Tropic Thunder with the Bixbys and headed to bed early.


Day 1
Our first full day in Key West was about 75 and sunny! We visited an old standby on Summerland Key, Summerland Sandal. I found a great new swimsuit and matching shorts. W picked up some new hiking / water shoes. We headed down to Hurricane Hole to rent kayaks, a frequent activity during our trips to the Keys. This was the first time we kayaked this far south in the Keys, and we were rewarded with a very interesting trip through a maze of mangroves, a visit to a saltwater pond behind the airport, and several specimens of wildlife, including a great blue heron and two rather grumpy iguanas.

Afterwards we relaxed at the house and then took a walk down to the end of Summerland Key. It's great to just check out the styles, sizes, prices and colors of homes in the Keys.


That night we had dinner at Parrotdise (home of Big Pecker Wines and some fervent Ohio State fans) with Raye & Butch. Tomorrow we head into Key West!





Day 2
On the second day of our visit, we spent the morning tooling around Summerland Key and its canals on the Bixby's pontoon boat. W and Butch spent 20 minutes trimming a tree that overhung the canal at our put-in point. It belongs to Claire, a friend of the family.

Once out of the water, it was low tide, which presented some challenges navigating the coral. Towards the end of our trip, we passed a tree that contained about five iguanas of different age, color and size. This was nothing compared to what awaited us back at the put-in point, the home of the Bixby's friend Claire. There we found two grown iguanas sunning themselves on the sea wall. Shortly after we put the boat up, one started to bite the other's tail. We expected a fight to ensue.....wow, were we wrong! As W's sister said later upon viewing the photos....hot iguana love! Nature day continued when we stopped at a small salt pond to feed some tarpon that had been trapped there during recent hurricanes. There are now at least a dozen living in a little impromptu wildlife preserve, along with pelicans, iguanas and turtles.

We had lunch at Sugarloaf Food Company (best sandwiches and bakery north of Key West) and prepared to head into town. We checked into the Hyatt Sunset Harbor. Raye was able to secure us rooms thanks to her connections. Our first stop after arrival? Two 'green things' from Jimmy at the Bistro, a pretzel from the Key West Pretzel Man, and Sunset ceremony at Mallory Square. It was a weekend for both new and old traditions, so we tried out a new location for dinner, Caroline's on Duval Street. Mark the bartender introduced us to the Mark-a-Rita and his mangorita...yummy! The sandwiches and salads were huge and affordable, a great combination in a location that offers plenty of people watching.

In Key West, you do the 'Duval Crawl'...a long, leisurely and typically inebriated walk up and down Duval Street, the main drag that runs across the bottom third of the island from an area around Mallory Square and the cruiseship drop-off point down about two miles to South Beach. Along the way are t-shirt shops, restaurants, bars, galleries and more. As our next bartender Gigs said when we inquired as to the quiet night at Bogart's Irish Pub, most cruise ship passengers and tourists get about halfway down Duval, see less crowds or a rainbow flag, and think 'oh crap...I don't belong here' and turn around (or they just tire of walking). Unfortunately they miss many of the treasures of Key West, including places like Bogart's and bartenders like Gigs, a Brit and an ardent Red Sox fan! They also miss the 'girls' outside of 801 Bourbon, advertising the 9 and 11pm drag shows. (If you talk to Gigs, he'll tell you the tall girl in the really short skirt, Inge, is really a baseball hat wearing bloke named Brian.) We finished up the night in typical style at Irish Kevin's, drinking beer and listening to JMH and New York Pauly.

Mail Goggles

So Gmail is now offering a new service, which automatically asks you to answer some basic math questions before hitting the send button if you happen so send an email out during late night hours. It is designed to prevent what used to be called drunk-dialing, what now takes the form of regrettable late night emails and text messages. If you happen to send out stupide emails without thinking at all hours of the day and regardless of your level of imbibing, you can set up the service to be functional at all hours, thereby giving you the chance to really think about your choice of words and emoticons.

The question is, can this service be put on your work email? How many poor choices of words, sending of random chain mails and deriding of fellow co-workers could have been prevented with this service? Might a few people still have their jobs today?

Now can gmail apply this service to your cell phone? It might be the antidote to our culture of immediate gratification and online all the time status.

2008 Washington DC Breast Cancer 3-Day

This year I had the opportunity to see the Breast Cancer 3-Day from an entirely different perspective as a crew member on the route safety team. Here is a brief account of my participation in the event.

Crew Day

At about 11:30am on Thursday, October 2nd, my teammate and tentmate Danielle and I met up with most of the route safety crew for a get-to-know you lunch at Chili's. We had the chance to meet many of the 20 or so motorcyclists and 5 cyclists who would make up the Moto team. Our responsibility over the weekend was to direct walkers and traffic in intersections, call for sweep vehicles for walkers needing a ride or medical assistance and to ensure the overall safety of those on the event. The team consisted of quite a few veterans of the event, for one teammember who I had previously met on the Atlanta 3-Day, this was his 18th!

Later that afternoon, over 300 crew members gathered at the site for Opening Ceremonies at Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge, Virginia to participate in 'Crew Day.' We learned how to use Nextel phones, what to do in emergencies, learned the general route and more. Other teams had specific training in driving a MULE (little RV), setting up a Western shelter, unpacking a Pit Stop pod and more. Danielle and I reunited with our friends we trained with last year, Terri and Angel, as well as Larry, the writer of the now famous Underground Guide to the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Danielle quickly took off to the campsite to begin her work on the Camp Logistics Crew and I stayed for the remainder of my training. A quick dinner with some new cycling friends at Red Robin, a shopping trip for some quick laces for my running shoes and it was off to bed at the hotel!

Day One

Friday morning began with an early 4am call time. The moto-crew was tasked with directing traffic through the drop off lanes for three hours until Opening Ceremonies. Walkers began arriving around 5am and the ceremonies began at 7:30am. When the first walkers with the 3-Day flags departed the mall, I was in front of them on my bicycle. I slowly rode my way up to an intersection in front of Pit Stop 2 where I was assigned to work with Deb, a moto-veteran. Wow - what a new experience! Not only were we directing traffic, but stopping walkers from walking right into intersections with green lights in order to try and 'catch up' to their friends and teammates. It was also the start of the safety crack-down on iPods, headphones and cell phone usage while walking. (All are forbidden while walking. You need to stop walking to use the cell-phone. Route safety helps enforce this.) We danced walkers through the intersection to the sounds of Motown and Disco provided by little speakers and our iPods. About three hours later, all of the walkers had come through and I rode forward to find my next intersection. Along the way, I had to radio in to Command to direct sweep vehicles and one ambulance to walkers needing assistance. There was also a LOT of cheering walkers along the way.

My second stop was at an intersection with Repo, our crew captain, where I was sent on an errand to the Lunch stop for a meal for our police support. This was a lunch that as a walker, I would have skipped! Due to the early mileage (8.5), the walkers weren't very spread out. The ending result was a line about 400 deep. (Check it out at left.) My friend Larry the crew captain quickly adapted and the problem was fixed by Day 2. Luckily I could scoot around it as a crew member and get lunch for our officer. My lunch was another 'Uncrustable 'and some string cheese at the next Pit Stop.

The afternoon was spent at an intersection near Occuquan, where I saw the last 1200-1500 walkers move through. Lots of sunscreen, much dancing, and several hours later, the last walker came through and I was pushed forward to check on other route safety crew members until I reached camp at Occuquan Regional Park. This entailed riding on a very busy Route 123, through the hilly and charming town of Occuquan, across a footbridge and up quite a few hills, while continuing to check on walkers. All of route safety gathered at the entrance to camp to welcome walkers to their last half mile and to determine the route assignments for the next day. While as a walker, I was typically in camp at 1-3pm, as a crew member, we wait for the last walkers and the caboose (a staff member on a bicycle who stays with the last walker.) On Friday, we walked in with the last walker at around 7:15pm. After dinner and settling into our tent, it was 9pm and lights out.

Day Two

The next morning saw my fellow cyclists, Leslie and Sheena, and I departing camp around 6:30am. We helped set up patrols around the Lorton area, on a 19 mile out and back route that included about 5-6 miles of trails, grass and rough terrain. As the only member of the team on a road bike, I was assigned to entrances and exits of trails for much of the morning. I set up music, the pink sweatered teddy bear that W had sent to me in the hotel the first night, lots of chalked encouragement and began welcoming walkers to the '3-Day Obstacle Course.' Unfortunately uneven terrain exacerbates blisters and many walkers had to catch a sweep van or get medical attention at Pit Stop 1.

All afternoon, Sheena and I, along with Leslie and our friend Gary (wearing his pink Crocs, knee socks, kilt and pink ribbon cape) worked with local police to direct traffic and walkers on the very curvy and busy Lorton Road. We welcomed them to Part 2 of the obstacle course! We saw lots of great costumes and danced many walkers through the intersection. We saw walkers dressed as Fred & Wilma and walkers with multi-function bras! As the course was about 19 miles, we rolled into camp around 6:30pm that evening after our waterfront cheering station.

As Leslie and I rolled into camp, the emcee for the event announced the arrival of the last walkers into camp and the walkers and crew went out to the flagpole to greet them. When the crowd parted, a familiar face appeared. I pointed out the guest to Leslie, who turned to me stunned and asked me to repeat myself. "That is Nancy Brinker, you know....the woman who promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything she could to end this disease" I said. Since it was Leslie and I, we naturally rolled up with our bicycles and Ms. Brinker's 'handlers' introduced us and our roles in the event. Her son walkers in Chicago in '08 and she is very familiar with the event, but she did have a few questions about our route safety team. A quick chat, some tearful thank you's and she was gone. What an honor! Leslie and I each took a collective moment after parking our bikes at a crowd control barrier ironically placed at second base on the field where the dinner tent stood. That evening we were treated to a brief speech by Nancy Brinker, congratulating us on our accomplishments, and then the walkers watched the 3-Day Idol finals and had a dance party. The cycling group dispersed for showers in the 18 wheelers, went over our assignments for the next day and watched the staff dismantle most of the 3-Day cafe area, post office, New Balance, Pepperidge Farms and LaCroix tents.

Day Three

Danielle and I both woke at 4:45am on Sunday to begin packing up our stuff. Leslie, Sheena and I met up with the Sweep team at 6:20am for our rides to Pit Stop One. All of the walkers were being bussed into Abingdon to start their final 16 mile walk into Washington, DC. Due to some directionally challenged driving, my Rock & Roll van ended up leading the way into the Pit Stop and were directed to get out on the route. So I accidentally got a ride past the infamous Superman Hill (Walter Reed Drive) and was dropped off to start riding at the front at about mile 2.8.

I rode quickly to mile 5.7 and set up a station in front of the Arlington County Courthouse that entailed a double intersection, where I saw all 2700 or so walkers!!! I also saw my nerves stretched a little tight after my first run red light. Two later and I had the rhythm down to the intersection. By the 11th red light runner, I was confident but cautious.

No injuries or car accidents and four hours later, I was off to ride with Sheena into DC. We hustled out of Arlington and Fairfax and navigated some Army 10 Miler traffic to get to the Key Bridge. The pedestrian area was too congested so I stuck to the driver lanes. Shortly afterwards, we navigated church traffic in downtown Georgetown on M street and stopped quickly for food and necessary porta-potty breaks at the lunch stop. We gathered up what must have been our fifth or sixth Uncrustable of the weekend and headed downtown through Dupont Circle and lots of DC traffic to meet Leslie at our patrol in front of the White House. We spent the next several hours watching the walkers navigate through tourists and protestors. Our main role there was to watch out for walkers who needed assistance (it was mile 14) and to cheer them on. Our other role was as chief picture takers!

Our costumes attracted LOTS of attention. My wings and halo prompted pictures with foreign tourists, as well as a protestor dressed as Uncle Sam! It's hard to explain that you are an 'Asphalt Angel' to someone who doesn't speak English. I think they just assume you are an insane American.

The caboose finally caught up to us and we took off at a quick pace through Chinatown, in front of the Washington Monument and the Capital, towards holding and Closing Ceremonies at the City Center Lot on New York Avenue.

At Holding, the walkers and crew gathered to rest, grab their victory T-shirts, and wait for the final walkers to enter the area. At the end, we walked through a gauntlet of walkers to Opening Ceremonies. The tears flowed as walkers gave us high fives and hugs, and told us how we had made their experience a great one. (I was even told by one walker that he had his sunscreen on....I guess I did my job!) It was certainly the emotional event of the weekend for me.

Then the roles were reversed. The crew made a gauntlet outside of Closing Ceremonies and cheered the walkers coming through in groups of 6. It was about twenty minutes of cheering and blowing our whistles. My parents were trying to reach me throughout this, so I texted them to stay by the stage and watch the event. We would be difficult to miss in our orange shirts and pink blinking vests!

Closing Ceremonies was an emotional salute to those who are no longer with us and a celebration to those who are. The survivors circle included all age ranges and both sexes. Men do get breast cancer too, and due to social stigma and many late diagnosis, it is often fatal. Nancy Brinker announced that the DC 3-Day, the first to take place in that area since 2004, raised over $7 million dollars for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

Miles ridden - 54

Events participated in - 4

Funds raised to fight breast cancer - Over $800
Amazing experiences - too many to count

Thanks for supporting me once again in the fight against breast cancer.

Summer comes to a close

It's Labor Day...post party. Gustav seems to have shown a slightly softer side to NOLA. And I can't help but reflect on the summer.

IT WAS WONDERFUL! W and I had the chance to travel to many places we've never been, including Portland, Oregon and Asheville, NC for two weddings in two weeks. We spent time at the beach with our Mebane friends, visiting Oak Island for the first (and hopefully not last) time. We went to two concerts...one OK....one great. REM with Modest Mouse and Counting Crows with Maroon 5 and Sara Bareilles. You guess which was which, it might surprise you. We visited with the family at the beginning and at the close of the summer. We finally made up for Christmas and were able to have dinner at Filomena's in Georgetown.

Friendships came and a few left. That's the way it is every summer I guess, from the time you are 5 until you are 95.

I ran many many miles and decided to start training for the Cannonball Half Marathon in October. I also began riding a new bike in training for the 3-Day and my role as a route safety crew member this October in DC. W did well in his bike races and was in great shape...until he crashed at a high speed and got run over by a chain ring to the head. He's back in form now and ready to finish the season. (Oh yeah...and go for tenure in October.)

I feared losing my job all summer, only to have the tables turn at the 11th hour and an extension through the end of 2009 fall in my lap. So this weekend, I finally indulged in my many year long passion and bought a very new and very large camera.

We celebrated the 15 year anniversary of our first date...and a few other momentous occasions. In November it will be the big 10. We're looking forward to celebrating that around the same time as our friends' wedding in Huntsville. It's going to be a busy fall....the 3-Day, tenure applications, rafting on the Gauley, Elon football games, travel to Alabama, and maybe an anniversary trip and a GMAT class.

We're looking forward to it. Hope to see you soon!

Day 6 in Portland

Our final day in Oregon was a quiet one, with some late sleeping, late breakfast, shopping and time with friends. We spent several hours taking advantage of Oregon's tax-free shopping at the Woodburn outlet mall. W and I made a few nice bargain purchases, and walked out of a Banana Republic because the music was SO loud and the manager refused to turn it down. Oh well...their loss....another store's gain.

In the late afternoon, we headed down to Salem, Oregon to have dinner with Jason and Heather, their two boys and their two dachshunds. It was a great night of pizza, wine, conversation, and playing with kids and dogs. It's too bad that two couples who share so much in common and have such a great time together, live on opposite ends of the country. I'm sure we will get together again sometime soon!

Our journey comes to an end with packing and dropping W off at the airport. I'll be in Seattle for several days with meetings.

Day 5 in Portland

Our fifth day in Portland comprised of two main activites, the Widmer Brewery tour and the wedding of our friends Eric and Katherine. It was a relative scorcher in Portland (80 degrees by 10am and 90 plus by 4pm) so we had a quick workout in the hotel gym.

Then we hopped in the car for what should have been a quick trip across the river to the Widmer Brewery. Unfortunately we got stuck behind the same slow train twice and ended up getting to the factory and gasthaus a few minutes after the video. At the nice hour of 11am, we were sampling Widmer's award winning Hefeweizen, winner of the Gold Medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup. We also tried the Halo IPA, Drop Top Amber, and the Crimson Wheat seasonal. Then we were off to tour the brewery. (Pictures to be posted later.) It was a great start to the morning that we finished with lunch at the gasthaus with some nice beers. You gotta love beer at noon! Even better, we received free Widmer beer glasses and bottle openers just for attending the tour! (Tours are given on Fridays and Saturdays only. Reservations are required.)

After lunch, we drove over to visit the store version of my favorite catalogue, Title 9 Sports. I had the chance to try on and purchase some running gear that I drooled over in the catalogue months ago while W patiently waited and gave fit advice. We need a Title 9 in Chapel Hill!!!

We ran back to the hotel to freshen up and change for the wedding, setting out at a little before 4pm for our short walk to Eric and Katherine's wedding site on the waterfront. It was a lovely ceremony with about 60 people in attendance from all over the country. We hopped on the eco-shuttle for the trip to McMenamin's Edgefield, the reception site. We met up with the honeymooning couple, Brian and Meredith, and stopped at the winery on site for a quick tasting before the arrival of the wedding party. Dinner and dancing ensued on the 3rd floor of the Power Station, where we met some new transplants to Chapel Hill - Kristin and John. We caught up with friends both new and old, and partied late into the evening with the bride and groom at Jerry's Icehouse and the Distillery Bar. Late in the evening (or early in the morning depending on your point of view) we caught up with a friendly cabbie and went back to our hotel in Portland.

The wedding whirlwind of the summer is officially over....next stop Huntsville, Alabama for Arch and Sarah's wedding in November!

Day 4 in Portland

We decided to forego the Residence Inn breakfast and try a local favorite this morning....Voodoo Donuts. It is located in a rather questionable area of town, but is highly worth the hype and the view!!!

Brad Pitt may be a fan of the maple donut with bacon, but I'm sold on the Voodoo Doll donut, a man shaped donut with (ahem....) an anatomical addition via pretzel stick, with iced face and filled with rasberry jelly. W had the triple chocolate penetration, a chocolate angel food cake donut with chocolate frosting and Coco Puffs on top. What a sugar rush we had on our journey to the Oregon coast!

Sights along the 90 minute journey on Route 26 west included signs warning of elk, car washes, tall hills, and lots of trees. It appeared as if many areas were strategically logged or burned. You can see the famous Haystack Rock and the ocean from the highway. We stopped in the town of Cannon Beach and headed to Bill's Tavern & Brewhouse, based on a recommendation from our friend Jason. Great find!!! W is a huge proponent of the 'don't fruit the beer' rule, but a sample of the Blackberry Beauty may have expanded his horizons slightly. A nice wheat beer with just a hint of berry taste, it was perfect for sipping out on the porch while eating lunch and watching the world go by. I stuck with a simple turkey sandwich while W ate the largest chili dog we'd ever seen. It was more a plate of chili with cheese and onions, with a hot dog sort of sitting in the middle. A knife and fork were necessary.

We then wandered around the Cannon Beach shops, found some peppermint ice cream and drove down to the parking area for the beach. You can see by my hair that it was extremly windy down at the shore, with gusts of up to 40mph and temperatures in the 50's. Very different from what we are used to on the east coast beaches....Shortly after, we headed back to Portland.

It turned out that we picked the ideal hotel for this wedding! While my choice was partially dictated by Marriott points, and partly on the recommendations of Heather and Jason, it turned out that the rehearsal dinner and wedding ceremony are both a two minute walk from the hotel! Katherine and Eric's rehearsal dinner was held at Thirst, a local wine bar. We had the chance to meet lots of Katherine's friends from Penn State, childhood friends of Eric's, along with everyone's family. A nice surprise were the researchers there that W has attended conference with over the years. We also had the chance to catch up with our friend Steve, who we spent a week with at the Outer Banks a few summers back. It was a great evening of wine and people watching, with just a short walk back to our hotel.

Day 3 in Portland

Day 3 in Portland was a little less active due to our 'overactivity' yesterday. In the morning, W browsed the Tour de France action online while I took a test on the 21st Century Physician, thereby completing my Certified Medical Representative status. Twelve courses over two years and I'm finally done!!!!

We got our act on the road and drove to Dundee Hills, Oregon in the center of the Willamette Valley wine country. (For the correct pronunciation - it's Will-AM-ette, dammit!) We ate lunch at the Dundee Bistro, a swanky little restaurant and wine bar that caters to a high end clientele while sitting in a small, slightly run-down city center comprised of less than 4000 people. . We shared a caesar salad and a pizza with white sauce, chicken sausage, radicchio and garlic. Perfect for our afternoon of wine tasting! Then back in the car to the first winery.

There is a blue sign pointing the way to a new winery or tasting room on almost every corner of the towns of Dundee Hills and Newburg. This area of Oregon is known as the Willlamette Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area). Sokol Blosser winery was our first stop. The bride and groom selected it as the first stop on our tour based on the reviews of the wine, the beauty of the area and the dedication to organic production utilized there. We walked through the vineyard walking area prior to the arrival of the wedding party. We found a just hatched baby robin in a nest among the vines!!!

This area of the country is known for its great pinot noir vintages, and it certainly lived up to expectation. We also enjoyed the Meditrina, a mix of syrah, zinfandel and pinot noir grapes. Both the red wine afficianado and the die hard white drinker enjoyed this fruity red.

We met up with the groom and a few more wedding guests at Elk Cove Winery in Gaston, Oregon. (If traveling here from Dundee, DON'T follow the directions on your Garmin. The street it tells you to travel on actually ends at a gate and a grassed over road. We swear we heard banjos....call for actual directions.) The tasting room was not quite as lovely as Sokol Blosser, but the pinot was more to W's taste. We bade farewell to the bride and groom, suggesting Deschutes Brewery as a possible dinner option for the large group, and headed back into town to get ready for the evening.

Four years ago, I was paired with a roommate for hospital training with my company. Turned out to be the best 'blind date' ever. I met my dear friend Heather that way and we've talked at least three times a week ever since. She is married to a PhD (Jason), has 2 dachshunds, 2 boys and unfortunately, lives on the other side of the country from us. We see each other at every meeting (until lately when she left the company for a new opportunity) and finally got the chance to meet as friends with both of our husbands! Heather and Jason picked us up from the hotel and took us to Portland City Grill, a great restaurant on the 30th floor of a building with panoramic views of Portland. We had a great evening of food, drinks and lots of catching up. After dinner and some drinks, we headed out into Portland's nightlife. After a false start or two, we ended up at the Blue Hour. People watching, drink imbibing, and storytelling ensued late into the evening (FRL)! Midnight saw us back at the hotel and Jason and Heather at a cute boutique hotel downtown, with plans for a Sunday afternoon visit to their house in Salem firmly in place.

Additional Day 2 in Portland info

W and I both utilize a Garmin Forerunner GPS to track our speed and mileage while we run and bike. We brought it along to our Multnomah Falls journey. Take a look at what it showed on the elevation after all was said and done.....

Our peak elevation was 2545 feet. Even more interesting was our total ascent, 11,000 feet! So basically we climbed the equivalent of a mountain in Colorado!!!! (No wonder we could both barely walk today....)

Day 2 in Portland, Oregon

Day two of our vacation started with breakfast at the hotel and lots of reading about local trails. We chose to visit Saddle Mountain on the way out to Cannon Beach along the Oregon coast. Luckily, W took a look at the website while I was dealing with a small work issue, and discovered that the trail was closed. Some quick reading and a text to Heather sent us in the opposite direction to Multnomah Falls. We detoured to Target for water bottles and other supplies, arriving at the trailhead at around noon on Wednesday.

We had no idea what was in store for us.

The trip began on Trail 442 heading West to Wahkeena Falls. The trail ascended quickly, passing small waterfalls (and a slug) along the way. Past Wahkeena Falls, we moved up the mountain via a series of sharp switchbacks on Trail 400 / 420, paved to make things easier - but still a challenge for the heart, lungs and legs! I took a break under Fairy Falls and got soaked.

We traveled up to Wakheena Springs to the see the start of all of the waterfalls we saw along the way. Then we hiked up a nearly completely overgrown path to a summit of 2400 feet at Devils Rest. Both Mt. St. Helens (what is left) and Mt. Rainier are visible from this high peak. The rest was all downhill, past Ecola Falls and Weisendanger Falls and to the Multnomah Falls Overlook, the most visited tourist attraction in Oregon. It was an 8.5 mile trip that lasted until nearly 6pm! We took over 100 photos and had a wonderful time looking at waterfalls, wildflowers and the nearby mountains.

We decided to forego the highway and follow the Historic Columbia River Highway back to town. What a great choice! We stumbled upon both Bridal Veil State Park and the gorgeous falls there, as well as Latourelle Falls and the Vista House at Crown Point.

After some extensive cleanup, we headed into Northwest Portland for the New Old Lompoc brewery and pubhouse, where W had an amazing mac&cheese dinner with ham, tomatoes & scallions. Mac & cheese seems to be on every menu here so he figured he had to try it. Then we wandered down the street for a quick peak at what we would be drinking on Saturday evening, by going into one of McMenamin's many Portland watering holes. McMenamin's started in the 80's with some beer loving brothers opening up a pub and has grown into an entertainment and beer staple of the Pacific Northwest. From schools renovated into hotels and pubs to beer halls that show movies, they have it all. Eric & Katherine's wedding will take place in two days at McMenamin's in Edgefield.

Visit to Portland, Oregon - July 8th, 2008

After an unreasonably easy and pain-free set of flights, W and I arrived in Portland for some much needed vacation and the wedding of our friends Eric & Katherine.

Upon arrival, we grabbed our car and headed downtown to the Residence Inn on the riverfront. We laced up our running shoes and headed out for a 3 mile run along the waterfront and across some of Portland's many bridges.

Then upon the recommendation of my friend and local resident, Heather, we set out for the Pearl District of Portland on the streetcar, to the newly opened Deschutes Brewery and Pub. We had a great dinner that included our own personalized flights of beer. We browsed around some of the downtown stores, including a gigantic REI, the Puma store, and the North Face, wandered through the Pearl and found ourselves at a local gelato cafe. We grabbed something sweet and planned to catch the streetcar back to the hotel.

Unfortunately, everytime we arrived at a streetcar stop, the LED sign indicated that the ride was over 10 minutes away....so we just kept walking. We hit the Safeway for some sodas and snacks....and walked some more. We were approached by many of the locals who were interested in some spare change....so we walked some more, eventually walking all the way back to our hotel - a 3 plus mile journey. We figured we'd rest later. It was a great introduction to Portland...we're looking forward to our next adventure tomorrow!

Trip to Asheville - July 3rd, 2008

We arrived in Asheville, NC on Thursday afternoon at about 5pm. The purpose for our holiday weekend escape is the impending nuptuals of our friends, Brian & Meredith, on the Biltmore property on July 5th.

Per the suggestion of our friend Elizabeth in Mebane, we began our tour of Asheville at Barley's Taproom on Biltmore Avenue. We devoured one of the BEST pizza's we've ever tried and sampled some of North Carolina's finer brews. On the way in, we saw the Catawba Valley brewer delivering some kegs while wearing a great shirt that said "Screw Milk....Drink Beer.' I had the chance to introduce myself to the brewer, Scott, at the bar and inquire about a T-shirt. While he didn't have any available there, he gave us his contact information and an informal invitation to the brewery, located about 50 miles east of Asheville.

After Barley's, we walked around downtown Asheville, by the Grove Arcade, St. Lawrence Basilica, the Thirsty Monk and more before meeting up with Brian, Meredith and the wedding crew for drinks at the Biergarden.

It was a long day of travel so we turned in early.


More later which included:
Friday, July 4th golf for W
a 4.7 mile hill run for me0
a speedy audio tour of the Biltmore Estate (beautiful!!!!)
a forever drive to get off of the Biltmore property
Rehearsal dinner at 1816 Bistro with a slideshow by yours truly
skipping out on fireworks with Eric & Katherine to get coffee at the Double Decker Bus
Saturday morning 4 miles for me, bike ride for W
BEAUTIFUL wedding service at St. Lawrence Basilica followed by reception at Lioncrest on the Biltmore property
Sunday - brunch and departures


Next stop..... Portland, Oregon!!!!

Add sobriety to your workout!

W teaches an indoor cycling class each Monday and Wednesday for our good friend Annie at the Fitness Playground in Mebane. Since I typically attend ballet on Mondays, I missed out on the night we decided to go cold turkey. W, Annie & Sarah were bemoaning the extra empty calories, loss of wallet control and general Sunday stupor that seemed to accompany each of our nights out in Mebane. Brilliant minds stunted by an hour of riding a bike to nowhere came up with a plan for them to be alcohol-free until our attendance at the Blue Ridge Wine Festival. That's basically one solid month in the liquor-free zone. A sucker for supporting anyone's efforts at sobriety and looking to speed up my running times, I decided to join the group.

Three weeks later and almost 6 pounds lighter, I have spent less time numbing my brain in front of the TV, spoken to my husband more and run faster than I ever have. Of course, the 18 beers and 3 bottles of wine in the fridge keep talking to me like those snarky vegetables from the Muppet Show every time the interior light goes on. And holidays with the family take on an entirely new light when sober. I have never been one for drinking to excess but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a nice Belgian brew a couple of nights per week. With work ever increasing, perhaps more than a couple nights per week. So this has been an interesting challenge.....not difficult, just interesting.

The sobriety has made me do odd things, like finally sign up for a bootcamp session with Annie and get up for a 6:30 track workout with some Mebane Running Club pals. But the heavier wallet, lighter me and better relationship status have made it all worthwhile.

Maybe this will be a new annual event? (Although the lack of tolerance may make for an ugly Wine Festival....9 more days and we'll see!)

Mebane Runners Compete in Charity and Fun Runs

Published in the 3.12.08 edition of the Mebane Enterprise - written by yours truly)

Members of the local Mebane Running Club and Fitness Playground's Boot Camp came together over the last several weekends to participate in local competitive and charity events.

Four teams and one individual braved a cold day with threats of rain on February 17th , 2008 for Off 'n Running Sports' annual Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon and Marathon Relay. The event offered either a full marathon or a relay option for 2 or 4 person teams. The first participant ran a 2.2 mile leg and then three 1.6 mile loops, and the remaining three team members each ran four 1.6 mile loops to make a full marathon. Team members alternated with about 30-40 minutes of recovery time in between each lap. Throughout the event, participants and their families, including many from Mebane, were able to cheer on their fellow team members.

Jack Mignosa won the overall individual event as the first finisher of the solo marathon category with a time of 3:01:09. Team Mebane 2 finished in second place at 3:09:43 for the 4 person, co-ed category. Team members included WB, Denise Snyder, Barbara Taylor, and Chris Walker. Team Mebane 3, which included EB, Pete Elder, Sarah Elder and Steve Gray, finished in third place in the same category with a time of 3:15:02. The fourth team was Mebane 1, which finished second in the 'Geezer' category which included runners whose combined ages exceeded 160. This team included Laura Brown, Rod Snyder, Derek Waterhouse and Lynn Waterhouse. The Mebane Running Club's participation in the event was headed up by club member Stephanie Rankin. Last minute illness prompted Lynn Waterhouse and Rod Snyder to substitute for Stephanie and her husband Bob.

On February 23rd , 2008, the Coach Bubba 20 km and 4 mile races took place in Durham. The event was organized by the Carolina Godiva Track Club to honor Bruce Koenig, aka 'Coach Bubba' who passed away unexpectedly while leading a group run. This year the primary beneficiary of the race was the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA), a treatment and rehabilitation program founded in Durham. Mebane Running Club member Rachel Massai finished 8th in her age group in the 4 mile event with a finishing time of 34:43.

Saturday, March 1st brought the 19th annual Zeta Tau Alpha Franklin Street 5K Race to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. It was a perfect day for running for the nearly 400 participants, with near 60 degree temperatures and sunny skies. Mebane Running Club members won first place in three age categories, including Sarah Elder in the 25-29 group with a time of 23:20, Elaine Bixby in the 30-34 group with a 27:01 finish and Wally Bixby in the 35-39 group coming in at 21:11. Annie Luxmore of the Fitness Playground challenged her Bootcamp and CardioFit program participants to run in the event. Three members of the group received third in their respective age categories, including King Nelson at 28:38 in the 35-39 group, Annie Luxmore at 27:48 in the 25-29 group and Kim Powell-Bailey at 29:44 in the 35-39 category. Tara Corbett finished twelfth in the 25-29 group with a finishing time of 37:23. Mike Aydt finished fifth in the 50-54 age group with a time of 28:59. Mike's daughter Melanie is a member of the race organizers, the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at UNC Chapel Hill.

Members of these two groups will be participating in many more events as the spring racing season takes off, including the Carrboro Classic Endurance Sports Festival and the Dogwood Festival 5K. The Mebane Running Club welcomes new beginner, recreational and competitive runners to its Saturday morning runs. They meet at 8 am each Saturday in front of Sweet Tooth Heaven on Clay Street. Coffee and conversation after the group run is optional but highly encouraged. Email mebanerunning@gmail.com for more information. The Fitness Playground is in a new facility on North 5th Street, offering Bootcamp, CardioFit, Indoor Cycling, Yoga and personal training. More information is available at http://www.fitplayground.com/.

Photo Information - Franklin St. 5K Photo - Photo courtesy of Pete Elder Back row, left to right- Wally Bixby, Sarah Elder, Elaine Bixby, King Nelson, Mike Aydt, Kim Powell-Bailey Front row, left to right - Annie Luxmore, Tara Corbett

Photo Information - St. Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon Relay Back row, left to right - Derek Waterhouse, Rod Snyder, Sarah Elder, Pete Elder, Steve Gray, Wally Bixby, Jack Mignosa Middle row, left to right - Denise Snyder, McKenna Snyder Front row, left to right - Elaine Bixby, Lynn Waterhouse, Laura Brown, Barbara Taylor, Chris Walker