PNW, part I
Yes, everything you’ve heard about the Pacific Northwest is true. Except maybe that thing about Sasquatch roaming the forests.
It rains a lot in the PNW. Like, every damned day. But when the sun peeks out - WOW!!
This wasn’t my first rodeo with webbed feet. My first Army assignment was to Ft. Lewis, just south of Tacoma, and my ex’s entire family lives there. I vividly remember deplaning on the tarmac in Afghanistan and watching 200 Army peeps stare up at the flaming ball of light in the sky, exclaiming how “beautiful” it was there. Yep, that’s what living in the PNW does to you.
But this time, I was there voluntarily. (I swear, it makes difference.) After sweating my way through interior British Columbia this summer, some clouds and cool drizzly rain sounded absolutely divine. Not to mention all the NEW TRAILS to discover!!!
Yes, I am aware that I look like a serial killer. That’s my “so fucking stoked” face.
I arrived in Bellingham, Washington in early September - still kinda summery and “not quite rainy season” (???). A dear friend from New Hampshire had a work thing in Seattle later in the month, and she flew out early so we could spend time exploring and reconnecting. Karen and I were best friends a few lifetimes ago, until we were both total jackasses and stopped speaking for 15 years. Luckily, we both matured a few years ago, and now have the best time together when we can make a visit happen.
We still even look alike (although she’s aged more gracefully than me.)
For Karen’s visit, I splurged for a real campsite with all the hookups, and she folded herself into the kid-sized bunk bed in my camper. We explored, we hiked, we rode, we cooked steaks and drank wine, and we stayed up talking into the wee hours every night. It was some of the best times of this entire road trip.
We still remember how to shred together!
I definitely asked “is the bike OK??” before I whipped out the camera.
Exploring one of the many beaches in the Bellingham area.
We hiked up to the edge of the glacier on Mt. Baker.
We picked the perfect day to get high on Mt. Baker … views all the way into Canada!
The campground was on a working farm, where the chickens confused Kiva, but provided the freshest breakfast for us every morning.
There were lots of hikes deep into the forest. No Sasquatch sightings, though.
One does not pass a winery without going in for a tasting. That would be rude.
Sunday took us on a scramble up above the harbor in Annacortes, WA.
This sunset was the perfect end to a full day exploring beaches and wineries.
Sadly, not all of us are retired, so Karen eventually had to make her way down to Seattle for her work thing. Hopefully, she gets to retire soon so we can have more extended playdates like this.
Then it was time to buckle down and get ready for my PMBIA certification. I was originally scheduled to take it in Bellingham, so I spent every minute I could riding the wet, loamy, rooty trails, and practicing all the drills. But, at the last minute, that certification course was cancelled, so I had to head back to Canada to take the same course in Whistler. (More on that in this blog post.)
But not before I GOT A NEW BIKE!!!!!
New Bike Day! NEW BIKE DAY!!! NEW BIKE DAY!!!
Part of the grant I got from Semper Fi America’s Fund (more on that later) includes adding a new MTB to my quiver. The Fund has a great relationship with Transition Bikes, which is headquartered in Bellingham, so they set me up with a multi-day, multi-bike demo of three different models. I was skeptical, because I had my sights set on a sweet ride from Colorado-based Revel , but I’d be a moron to say no to free demos. I was also skeptical of even trying a mullet (29” front wheel & a 27.5” rear wheel - “business in the front, party in the back”). But holy hell, I fell hard for the Transition Patrol. It is such a party bike - its got more travel and greater slack angle than my Esker, and that together with the tighter geometry and smaller rear wheel makes it so much more nimble. Until this summer, I was straight up a XC girl, and the Esker Rowl 29” is dope for that kind of riding. But I had trouble controlling that behemoth in the park - tight cornering, jumps, drops - but the Patrol flies like buttah. Wait - that doesn’t even make sense. It flies like a tiny bird and handles like buttah? Better.
So, that is how I concluded my first chapter of the PNW. With a new bike, no significant new injuries, and stoked to get back up to Canada and get this certification.
Do I have a problem? Maybe.