Happy birthday Scooby!

Born Feb 14, 2018
Immigrated to USA 7/4/18

adopted by Gerald 7/7/2018

Snowshoeing with Scooby (Jan 4-6, 2019)

My main computer just crashed, which is just as well- it will keep me from getting stuck trying to post all the unposted stuff over the past year. Apparently my procrastination has a name - ADD, well whatever keeps me in the Dexies and Special K.

But I owe Elmer at minimum a small post about an amazing weekend, which otherwise would have passed alone in a hungover haze with a pizza balanced on my bloated pajama belly and spilled red wine, rather than in soft new Ruston Way/ Olympia sweatpants watching the Seahawks with true friends in Packwood WA.

I vowed to always be out of town for my birthday but it seemed pointless to go anywhere without a run, and I had not abeen running regularly for nearly a year (the 20+lb weight gain in 6 months reflected the realization of my worst fear of my loss of running identity that had kept me going these last 14 years). It no longer surprised me that I could get so overwhelmed as to reneg on a low key weekend with a few close friends who already know my worst.

That is the magic of Scooby. I wanted him to experience snow. Also I was feeling guilty that Elmer had not had any good opportunities to try the well-intentioned snow shoes I gave him for a gee thanks birthday gift years ago, which he kindly kept. 

My Canadian twin Susan met me at the Oasis Friday. I had just gone “jogging” with VVN and talked about how all the top chefs go for the duck and I’d never had good duck, so the 3 of us went for dim sum and picked up some duck wings for the road.

Susan and I drove the 2.5 hours to Packwood, then stopped at the gas station across the street for beer  and Diet Coke, which I tried to get Scooby to poop. This didnt happen right away, despite all the poop lying around for inspiration (which I later found out was probably from free roaming elk).

When Elmer and Ventoux arrived, we headed into town and had local brews and fried food with more antler decor before retiring early.

‘

Susan and I must be twins, we love sitting around in motels doing nothing but drinking and watching cable.

People say it’s easy to get me stuff because of my obvious love of polar bears, hot sauce, soft XL clothing, alcohol, but the gifts were so amazing and unique. Even a PB cake reminiscent of our hot tub time machine days ...

Next morning, awesome motel breakfast with eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, waffles from one of those machines you pour/ flip, and coffee. I noticed we seemed to be getting a later start than mst, though we were there right at 7. 

Then drove to White Pass, which was already fully of skiers/ boarders. We parked a bit down the road and put on our gear. 

It was a warm day, we didn’t know where we were going and started out on the side of some groomed ski trails. We ran into a ski instructor who very politely commented on how cool it was that we were going snowshoeing without passes and an off-leash dog on the PCT (I.e. not on the groomed trails).

We wound up the switchbacks, and my fingers got cold trying to take more pics of Scooby who was in paradise on the snowy trail. He is arctic. 

Too soon we were getting hungry and headed back down for showers, naps, and out for more food. But the post ski crowd was huge, so we ended up eating some leftovers while watching the Seahawks and Dallas in our room, while herds of elk were wandering outside our windows (and pooping). If you want Scooby to stare at you all night, just slather your fingers in Chinese duck wings.

I wonder what I did to “deserve” such friends, my unburnable bridges. Scooby doesn’t ask. He just lives in the moment.

Chris and I went to Portland last week to meet up with Davis. It was nice to hang out with old friends again. We all travel in our different orbits and I appreciate the times that those orbits collide.
I also appreciate the breakfast  buffet at the Hilton and the staff who found Chris' Wall Street Journal even though Chris only needed it to look smart during breakfast. (Or I'm guessing because I chose to sleep-in for the 10:00 breakfast.



The room was fancy and the view was spectacular.  You can see either Mt.Hood or Mt. St.Helens from the downtown Portland Hilton and if you listen close enough you can hear Nelly's hit record Country Grammar. There's more to Nelly than band-aids and extremely hot room temperatures.

Oh and the security was top notch. It had to be in order to protect the reason Davis drove down. Have a good year you nutty, crazy bike run swiggers

2018 NMN Playlists

Happy Listening!

Monday 11/26/18

Cats Kuro & Chami - in cat beds - (what you don't see is their new cat play super-structure and cat toy from Amazon)

 New found joy - shucking oysters - re-found joy - Diet Coke -

 Papa Ventoux & L'il Ventoux at WWE Survivor Series

 Papa Ventoux in LA - Any Randy Newman on this year's NMN?

 Back to the basics - Instead of just admiring, I broke these puppies open.

Great with breakfast potatoes. Speaking of breakfast, Sun am meet-up with Gerald for big breakfast. Starting to build up the running legs again. Got some fun events planned for 2019, but first big one is April in Manzanita, OR for the 2019 Davis Challenge.

2018 Bike Run Swig Events

Ha! Only two months remaining for 2018. So why not get in some BRS events? But first some photos from my recent trip to Chicago...



1) New Music November - Pick 10 songs. 13 letter animals (ten year anniversary) - Email me your playlists (or link to the songs). I still make CDs.

2) 2018 Eugene Open. Saturday, November 10, 2018, Eugene, OR, USA.

Looking at BRS, and realized I haven't posted yet in 2018. So here's my last seven months:

Two new roommates. Chami & Kuro.

New grandson. Sabastian. 5.5 lbs. (with Swiss Dog)

With Mom

My new hand-me-down bike from Gerald

Back to baby pics. Ocean Jr. with son

Solo:

Scooby- Gerald's new roommate

My newest interest: (look closely, there's a turkey)
I don't have pics of 1st Class' new car, or my new car. Both reliable Japanese products. Looking forward to the 1st BRS Major of the year. The 2018 EO. 8/25/18. Eugene, OR, USA.