Full Tilt: Poulsbo to Arizona with Three Kids and a Minivan

I'm reading a fantastic book entitled Full Tilt: Ireland to India With a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy. Traveling alone with her bicycle in the early 1960's, it's an amazing account of the myriad adventures she had along the way. I highly recommend it!
While not quite on par with her undertaking, our spring break trip was definitely jam packed with adventure. And yes, we drove, which we wanted to do because it allowed us to explore more places along the way, plus (the real reason) it's cheaper. Our, well, my goal (which everyone else, read-my husband, agreed sounded like a good plan), was to hit the coastal Redwood Forest, San Francisco, Disneyland, Santa Monica and Venice Beach, Grandma and Grandpa's in the greater Phoenix area, Las Vegas, then bee-line it home. Our goal was to do all of that with $1000. Yes, ambitious plans all around, but that's how we roll. My husband and kids mostly enjoy these activity packed adventures and probably wouldn't be surprised if I told them I had signed us all up for sky diving lessons along the way, so they know to ask lots of questions about what exactly I'm getting them into these days. Our time frame was 9 days, 10 if we needed it, but our hope was to be waking up in our own beds on Easter morning, which would have been the tenth day.

You probably noticed that Disneyland was on the list and are thinking, "Hmmm, just one day at the happiest place on earth is going to eat up about half their budget already." And you would be right, except.....except we jumped on the "Give a Day, Get a Day" bandwagon and volunteered at the local Habitat For Humanity in Bremerton, thus earning ourselves one day vouchers for the park. Also, I would like to note that I spent our usual weekly amount on groceries and packed them with us; I did not count this as an additional trip expense as we would have to eat whether at home or on the road. Our first two dinners were microwavable items that I had prepared in advance and frozen, knowing that we would have access to a microwave at the hotels we would be staying at. Lunches were sandwiches, etc. that we made daily out of the back of our van, using our cooler as a kitchen counter at rest stops, or making them in the a.m. before checking out of our hotel. As for the rest, here's how it played out:

Day #1 (Friday):

• 12:30 p.m. Depart Poulsbo w/ full tank of gas ($55.00)
• Stopped in Silverdale to pick up goodies from my Mom (Grandma Jane)
• 1:30 p.m. Paid $4.00 toll at Tacoma Narrows Bridge
• 6:00-ish Stopped at Oregon University Campus in Eugene to stretch our legs and check the famous Hayward Field (if you're a runner, you know)
• Gassed up in Myrtle Creek, OR $49.00 Oh, yeah. They pump it for you in good ole' Orygun.
• 8:30 p.m. Arrive @ La Quinta Inn, Grants Pass, OR $113.40/nt (Two queens plus a rollaway for our bonus child)
• Kids swam in the indoor pool; adults soaked in hot tub, ahh....*I got the best rate by calling the hotel directly, whadaya know?

TOTAL MILES: 447     TOTAL COST DAY 1: $221.40

DAY #2 (Saturday): Redwood Highway

• Breakfast at the hotel - waffles, cereal, fruit, muffins, juice, etc....it was a good spread and included with our stay; made sandwiches for the road.
• 9:45 a.m. Stopped to hike the Stout Grove Trail in the Jedediah Smith Redwood National Park - A one mile out and back to a beautiful stand of old growth Redwoods near the Oregon/California border, just off the Redwood Highway. As we approached the quaint old covered bridge that leads to Howland Hill Road, we spotted runners registering for a race. Ralph Hirt of the Six Rivers Running Club was putting on a trail race that morning, with options of 15k or 5k. Oh, so tempting! But the race did not start until 11:00 a.m. and we were set on a short hike with the kids, then on to Crescent Beach to chase the waves and get our feet in the sand. So that is what we did.

Above: Sloan at Stout Grove; Family Photo, Stout Grove; Crescent Beach pit stop, above and right.

Time? Short detour off of Highway 101 to the Klamath Overlook. We hiked down the trail to the lower overlook (about 1 mile roundtrip). Grey whales and harbor seals were hanging about, on the beach (seals) and below the cliffs (whales). The California sun was out and despite the breeze off the ocean, we were feeling the heat on the hike back up to the car.

• Veered off Hwy 101 onto the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway and stopped at the Big Tree Wayside
• Kuchel Visitor Center - Interactive exhibits on marine life, Redwood Forest, Yurok Indian history and culture. Spent $4.00 on trinkets. "Okay, Mom, when are we going to be there?!"  "Be where, I ask, as our journey is our destination." I had a hard time explaining that idea to three kids tired of piling in and out of the car already!
• Gas in Laytonville, CA (288 miles into our day) $53.82
• 6:30 p.m. Arrive @ Embassy Suites, San Rafael, CA $129.10/nt for 1 bedroom suite (2 double beds + fold-out couch in living room)
• Complimentary Happy Hour drinks and snacks for kids and adults, yeah! It pays to arrive before 7 p.m. at this hotel. :) Dinner was microwaved burritos in our room, however.
• 9:00 p.m. Kids swim, adults soak in hot tub. It was a very busy pool, lots of kids....10:00 p.m. pool closes for kids. Yes, I would recommend this hotel.

TOTAL COST DAY 2: $186.92       MILES/DAY: 428.7 miles

Sloan at Kuchel Visitor Center near Orick, CA  

Covered bridge on Howland Hill Road (unpaved scenic byway). Runners are registering for the 2010 Redwood Wild River Run 15k and 5k.

Rainey, Mikhaela, Sloan and Shawn hiking up from the lower lookout at Klamath River Overlook near Requa, CA. We spotted a cluster of harbor seals nestled together down on the beach at the river's mouth with the aid of a volunteer ranger's scope, as well as brief glimpses of the grey whales hanging out below the cliffs as they surfaced to breath.

DAY #3 (Sunday): Sausalito and San Francisco

• Complimentary all you can eat, made to order breakfast smorgasbord at the hotel. Yum.
• Strolled through Sausalito and as cyclist after cyclist after groups of cyclists sped past I wished we were all doing the Blazing Saddles rental bike tour of the Bay Area that morning. Maybe next time.

The Sausalito Ferry is a foot ferry from Sausalito to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was tempting to hop on the boat and really get a chance to soak in the views, although the views of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge were amazing just from the shore in little Sausalito. The kids were most interested in Alcatraz though; being frequent ferry riders at home the ferry didn't seem to draw much interest from them. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to make it over for a tour of the mysterious prison from the past. It's incentive to spend more time in San Francisco again soon. After driving through the pretty neighborhoods and hills above Sausalito, we crossed the famed Golden Gate Bridge, only to realize that neither Shawn nor myself had the $6.00 cash needed to pay the toll! Mikhaela offered that she had some cash, but it was tucked away in her suitcase up in the rooftop carrier. Shawn put the car in park, scrambled out, unlocked the Yakima Carrier, fished Mikhaela's purse out of her suitcase, tossed it in to Mikhaela, who then produced the cash for the toll booth collector. The line behind us wasn't too long... My husband (almost) never carries cash, but I (almost) always do, so I guess it was my bad.

Anyway, we parked by the YMCA at the Presidio and enjoyed a lovely stroll from there, past the Monument to the Arts, down the boardwalk along the marina, through the park and Aquatic Park, then on to Fisherman's Wharf where we bought fish-n-chips for lunch ($40, and not even close to as good as Ivar's back home), plus some salt water taffy and a few souveniers for the kids ($20). It was a 5 1/2 mile jaunt by the time we got back to the car. Along the way we saw so many people running, cycling and swimming (triathletes wearing wetsuits in Aquatic Park) that my 11 year old daughter, Rainey, commented "Mom, it seems like everybody in San Francisco is into exercising!" Well, it was a particularly beautiful day, so everyone was out taking advantage of the sunshine and warm weather, so

it did seem to be the case.

We saw hundreds of cyclists in Sausalito and very few cars early Sunday morning.

Golden Gate Bridge (above)

Aquatic Park, San Francisco, CA (below)

Sloan enjoying fish and chips at Fisherman's Wharf (above left): Monument to the Arts (above right)

 After making it back to our car we drove through the Presidio, and followed part of the 49 Mile Scenic Drive as far as we could along the ocean beach side of San Fran, where Mikhaela kept pleading with us to let them out to play in the surf. People with surfboards were everywhere. By that time it was almost 3:30 in the afternoon and we still had to make it down to Anaheim, so after a loop through Golden Gate Park we managed to get headed out of town in the right direction, following Hwy 101 to Hwy 152 to I-5, stopping for gas in Jayne, CA ($57). We arrived finally at The Holiday Inn in Anaheim at 10:30 p.m. Needless to say we were a tired crew, but the promise of heading to Disneyland in the morning kept everyone's spirits up.

• 
  
  The Holiday Inn, Anaheim $124.00/night for 2 rooms adjoining (each with 2 dbl beds). I booked this before we left on Hotwire and it was a great deal. The hotel had an outdoor pool which we never had time to utilize, but it looked like an inviting place to hang out if we had been doing a multiple day park experience, like so many people do these days.  Having two bathrooms for two nights was a major bonus for the five of us, so I was glad I booked two rooms here. Everyone crawled right in to their respective beds and fell quickly to sleep that night, dreaming of castles and Mickey Mouse.

TOTAL COST DAY 3: $247.00      MILES/DAY: 457

DAY #4: Monday, Disneyland

We woke early, filled the backpack up with snacks, sandwiches, refillable water jug, sunscreen and hats, and headed out to Disneyland in our minivan. It wasn't far and we could have opted to take the shuttle or walk, but decided to save our legs for the park and liked the idea of having easy access to our car, so we drove. We arrived at the Chip n' Dale Parking Lot at 7:45 a.m. with vouchers in hand. The park opened up at 8:00 a.m.; we walked through the gates at 8:05 in morning and didn't walk back out until 10:30 that night.

It was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be, I'll say that. I had a temporary set back in mood after losing my favorite hat and brand new Smith Pivlock sunglasses on Splash Mountain; it didn't help that I was completely soaked and received zero sympathy from the ride attendant. Oh well, move on Michelle, they're just glasses. The fireworks with Tinkerbell flying over the castle really capped off the magical feeling of the day.

 

Rainey in Toon Town

 Shawn and Sloan on It's A Small World

Mikhaela and Rainey exiting Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - our first ride of the day, and Rainey's favorite.

Got to pose with Goofy! 

I got to participate in an impromptu jam session (moonlighting as a drummer) inside Innoventions

• 
  
  Batteries for Camera $13.00
• 1 latte, 2 smoothies, 1 soda $16.00 (We refilled our large water bottle at the fountains all day and by the end of the day I'd say that that one sports bottle was worth at least $60!)
• Cotton Candy $3.50
• Parking $14.00
• Souveniers $50.00
• Mexican Dinner in Frontierland $49.00
• Holiday Inn Anaheim $124.00

TOTAL COST DAY 4: $269.50       MILES/DAY: 9

DAY #5: Tuesday, Huntington Beach and Arizona

We had breakfast at the Holiday Inn, where kids eat free, then headed to Huntington Beach, a.k.a. "Surf City", to soak up a different aspect of Southern California living. While the kids dug in the sand and Shawn went for a short run down toward the pier, I dipped my feet in the waves and was surprised by a pod of porpoise (dolphins?) right in front of me. I watched them make their way up the beach past the few kids out surfing that morning and up toward the pier. We could have stayed here the whole day, but were determined to get to my Dad's place by dinner time so Shawn whipped together some sandwiches after his run and we headed off to Arizona.

Our travel time to my parents' place in Sun City West was about six hours and except for the fact that our air conditioning was out of commission, the ride was pleasant, and a great ham dinner was awaiting us upon arrival.

Mikhaela, Huntington Beach, CA

Breakfast @ Holiday Inn $22.00 Parking @ Huntington Beach $15.00 Gas near Palm Springs, CA $47.00 Coffee $1.00   TOTAL COST DAY 5: $85.00       MILES/DAY: 393

DAY #6 (Wednesday): Grandma and Grandpa's, AZ

My sister Susan had flown down to visit, and my Grandma Cox (my Dad's mom) had come over from Scottsdale to visit while we were there as well, so it was a full house. My Dad and I headed out for a bike ride with his riding group in the morning; Susan and Shawn drove out to the White Tank Regional Park for a trail run and the kids stayed with Grandma Lynn and Great Grandma Cox to enjoy the pool in the backyard. Sloan picked fruit from Gr. and Gr.'s lemon, orange and grapefruit trees and made fresh juice with grandma. There was a dove with two eggs in her nest in one of the trees, so we were careful to tread quietly around it.

Cost for Day: $6.00 park entrance fee @ White Tank

Enjoying their own personal pool, working on puzzles with Grandma Lynn, and baking occupied the kids for the two days we were visiting

                    

Great Grandma Cox (age 92) with Sloan (age 9)

Sloan juicing grapefruit with Grandma Lynn

DAY #7(Thursday): Grandma and Grandpa's, AZ

• 
  
  White Tank Mountain Regional Park - Ran for two hours with Susan and Shawn on the trails there. We saw a rattlesnake, but luckily it was on the road while we were driving, and it was dead. We all forgot our cameras and found out just how crappy the pictures taken with our cell phones are. Bummer. It's a beautiful park, with saguaro cactus in abundance.
• 
  
  World Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium- Shawn, Susan, Sloan and myself  ($60)
• 
  
  Gas in Sun City West, AZ $53.06

TOTAL COST DAY 7: $102.06             MILES/DAY 6 and 7: 119

Aunt Susan and Sloan make like flamingos

Sloan feeds the 3 and 4 year old giraffes

DAY #8 (Friday): Homeward Bound

• 
  
  Hoover Dam - Wow. The dam, the Colorado River, the sculptures. The new bridge is almost done too.
• 
  
  Las Vegas - Costco for lunch $15/Gas $34
• 
  
  Walked down Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) - It's definitely not like Disneyland. The kids didn't like it and wanted to get out of town. They just didn't know what to make of the whole place and sights such as the replica of the statue of David at Caesars Palace and the amazing siren that graces the ship at Treasure Island elicited comments like, "Ew" and "Gross". I had a crazy urge to get (re)married in one of the chapels, with our kids as attendants. Maybe if we had stayed the night we could have pulled it off. Ah, well, it was fun thinking about it anyway.
• 
  
  Gas in Ely, NV $30 The towns on our path through Nevada were few and far between so we filled up our tank whenever we got the chance, just in case.
• 
  
  After leaving Ely, night fell, and a snowstorm swooped down on us, so it was a bit of a nail biter gettting to Wells on the two lane highway. I happened to be the driver at that point and the snowglobe affect made me a bit dizzy, but there was nowhere to pull over, as there was no shoulder to speak of, and for all we knew it was going to snow all night, so my only choice was to keep driving. At one point my son asked, "Mom, how can you see where you are going?!" I really didn't have a good answer for him. I tried to keep the tail lights of the car in front of me within sight, which helped but required me to travel at about 40 mph, which made my husband very nervous in the passenger seat. Needless to say, we were all relieved to arrive at the motel in Wells where, aside from the sticky rug, disgusting couch and holes in the sheets, we had a clean room. And anyhow, it was better than sleeping in the van on the roadside in the middle of an April snowstorm. 
• 
  
  Rest Inn Suites Motel, Wells, NV $68.15 (2 queens +rollaway)
• 
  
   Indignant quote of the day:  "Mom, these sheets have holes from cigarettes in them!" - Mikhaela, 13

TOTAL COST DAY 8: $146.67         MILES/DAY: 660

Hoover Dam and the nearly completed bridge above

Rainey and Mikhaela get mock kisses from a street artist in Vegas

Venezio, Las Vegas, Nevada
DAY 9 (Saturday): Home through the Snow: Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington


• We awoke to about 3 inches of snow, our van frozen shut and a "Continental Breakfast" consisting of miniature muffins (bran or blueberry) and coffee. I started off driving again, encountering compact snow and ice on the highway through Jackpot, NV.  The sun was out and the surrounding countryside was freshly dusted with snow.  On the downside, the windshield cleaner was frozen and so I had no way to clean the muddy sludge that every passing car and truck spewed onto our windshield. We stopped once and Windexed the window off, but it was soon coated with grime again and so I had to get creative in order to see through the windshield. I found that if I timed my windshield wipers to go off just as a large truck passed (and blasted us with muddy slush) then I could get the window fairly clean and as long as I turned them off after only two or three swipes the window wouldn't get smeared with dirt again, at least for a stretch. Shawn refilled the cleaner fluid in Jackpot when we stopped for gas, and after another 20 miles or so it finally defrosted and I could enjoy the beautiful snowy fields and mountains all around us. Hooray! We had snow all the way through Idaho and in Oregon as far as Pendleton.
• Gas in Jackpot, NV $27 +windshield cleaner (their most popular item that morning) $3.29
• Stopped at a rest stop in Ontario, Oregon to stretch our legs and make sandwiches for lunch
• Gas in Pendleton, OR $51.22
• Rest Stop near Cle Ellum, WA for bathroom break and to make sandwiches (not again, Mom!) for our dinner. We had lots of other good snacks along with us, too. We each had a reusable sports bottle that we filled each day at hotels and rest stops, plus some juice boxes and such.
• 9:00 p.m. Ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island $35.41
• Home!!!!! at 10:00 p.m.
• The next day I noticed my 11 year old daughter, Rainey, had written this on the white board in her room:

Hola! (Ha Ha)

Washington

Oregon

California

Anaheim

Arizona

San Fran!

I'm home. And I'm tired.

TOTAL COST DAY #9: $117.13     TOTAL MILES/DAY: 810

Okay, we went over our $1,000 budget, but overall we did pretty well for 5 people over a busy nine days. Our total damage for the trip was $1411.68 and it was worth every penny. Our total miles covered were 3,324 miles. Now that is what I call a road trip. And although it was tiring, my mind is already wandering to another family adventure. We've never been to Alaska. Hmmm....

-Michelle

Crestview Bicycle Club Group Ride

Sun City West, AZ - Spring Break - When we knew for sure we would be driving down to visit my parents near Phoenix during our kids' spring break, I e-mailed my Dad and asked if it would be possible for him to round up a bike for me to ride. I wanted to join him and his cycling club on a group ride while there. Got to get my miles in where I can, right? Could my Dad find me a bike? Well of course he could! This is my Dad we are talking about after all, he is the gear guy, and I am one of his three daughters. I have to be careful about mentioning any skiing/running/cycling/camping/hiking/climbing gear needs or wants around him, because whatever I mention usually ends up on my doorstep shortly thereafter. Yep, I'm spoiled. So, of course there was a pristine bike and shoes awaiting me upon arrival in Sun City West. Thanks to my Dad's countless connections, this time in the form of a fellow club rider by the name of Alice Wohlgemuth. She was out having surgery and graciously allowed me to ride her Scattante Elite. A nice bike I might add, which gave me the itch to upgrade. It was a much smoother ride than mine, guess all that jazz about carbon really is true. The bike rode very comfortably and the compact gearing shifted nicely, although I didn't need to do much shifting; the only "hill"  on our ride being the overpass above Loop 303 Highway. But, like I always say, the bike I like riding most is the one I'm pedaling and so I'm still quite fond of my new-ish Trek 1200.

I must confess, I didn't really give much thought to whether I might be able to keep up with the group on our outing. I'm a confident rider and these are seniors, as in senior citizens. On previous visits I have headed down to Sun City West's metered track and felt gloriously youthful. My normal track workouts are at the local high school, where the abundance of teenagers make me feel my age acutely. So, yeah, running down in AZ is a morale boost and I figured riding would pretty much feel the same. Larry Curran and Jim Panek, plus my own Daddy-O set me straight right out of the gate. I was enjoying the scenery and thinking of striking up a conversation when I realized I was getting dropped by the speedier club members. The group was breaking up into three distinct sub-groups and my Dad was up ahead waving me forward. Okay, go.

I haven't had much paceline practice and the guys helped me out and they all took turns leading while I got a free ride the whole way. In my defense, I had no idea where we were going or how to get back. But I still had to make sure to hang on to the rider in front. It was a new type of riding for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I fell more than a foot back I was waved forward and I was able to get into the rythm of the paceline fairly well.  Below are Jim Panek, Larry Curran and Greg Cox (a.k.a. "Dad"). These guys are my new idols. I want to be like them when I grow up. Actually, the whole group is an inspiration to me and I hope in my senior years I will be as healthy and vibrant as they are.

Jim Panek, Greg Cox, Larry Curran @ "Our usual nose blowing stop".

Fay Fray and Al Horn arriving back at the Echo Mesa Golf Club...they took a diffferent route.

Above: Fay Fraye, Greg Cox (my Dad), Al Horn, Ron Van Camp, Larry Curran, Donna Harlow, Ron Neesham

Unfortunately, several riders had already headed home when I got this picture at the usual group chat after the ride. Some are year round residents of Sun City West, while others, like Donna Harlow, are snowbirds from New York. Ron Neesham flies in yearly from Midlands, England! I was informed that the annual dues for membership are a whopping $3.00, but that members are afforded a $3.00 discount for the annual Christmas Social. Hah! I took a strong liking to the group upon hearing this bit of news. And why do they call themselves the Crestview Bicycle Club anyway? Well, apparently they used to meet a the Crestview Shopping Center in Sun City West, but it has since been renamed or replaced. There was talk of renaming the group to the more apt "Sun City West Bicycle Club".  At any rate they can be found at http://www.scwclubs.com/. If you are in the area go out for a spin with them. They meet almost daily at 8:00 a.m. and generally go for 15-20 miles.

Ahhh, sunny, warm and flat Arizona.....at least in the Phoenix area; it's hard to come home to cold, windy and wet weather, with hills that have names to boot. It was a great vacation outing, thanks Dad, and thanks Alice, as I wouldn't have been able to keep up on a beach cruiser (that was my other bicycle option). Happy riding!

-Michelle

No Foolin'

Thursday - April 1, 2010

Mission Ridge - Women's Escape was all that and then some! With winter making a return this spring - I had the best day on the mountain yet.  Each year Mission Ridge host's a series of women specific events that includes ability specific on-mountain instruction (with female instructors), demo equipment & a delicious lunch.  I've attended in years past and this year they have got it dialed in. 

I pulled into the parking lot and was greated by the parking lot attendent immediately and directed front and center to the reserved parking area specifically designated for us ladies.  Then, from out of nowhere, a guy came to my vehicle in search for my board to take to the lodge.  Being an independant sort, I wasn't sure how I would feel about that kind of service.  I decided I could get used to it.  (Now if only he could have whisked the kids to their designated areas as well!)

Max, Sam & Eli were headed to daycare for the day.  Max and Sam told me that they were just going to take the day off from skiing to play.   I will continue to promote the daycare facilities at Mission.  Paula and her staff have made my time on the mountain much more enjoyable.  It's peace of mind and a comforting feeling to know that the boys are being cared for in an environment they look forward to spending time in.  They allow care for infants 3 months old to children 6 years old at an reasonable cost.  Justin, a local high-school student and a daycare

staffer, is Max, Sam & Eli's favorite dude to hang with.  Here is a photo of Eli getting down to business inside while Max, Sam & Justin are playing hard outside in the daycare play area, which is adjacent to Chair One. 

In the past, snowboarders have been greatly outnumbered by skiers at the Women's Escapes - this year was no different.  Being the sole boarder my instructor, Karen and I were able to go off and explore on our own.  Our goal was to see as much of the mountain that we could.  

A Head demo representative was also present to let the twin stick gals have an opportunity to try out some new equipment.  It was an AWESOME powder day too - a great way to show off what the new powder skis can really do!  I went down to the rental shop to see what they could do for me and I was able to try out a couple of boards that were not quite down the same road as the boards I tested at Whistler.  I tried a Burton Feelgood - 155 and a Burton Custom - 161.  Both boards were stiff and heavy and I struggled with the binding position.  Mostly I was not getting the response I wanted and was too impatient to get to the deep stuff so I ditched the boards and strapped on my ole trusty - no time to waste!  

Our first stop was to the 'Outback' off of Chair Three.  The Outback is generally accessed via Chair Four, but Chair Four is only operational on Saturdays & Sundays and one must know the route to get there.  Trully awesome snow and there wasn't a wrong turn to be found. 

I wanted to hike and Karen was happy to oblige.   We headed to the Windy Ridge backcountry area to ride Bowl Four.  Once we completed the 20 minute hike up to the Microwave Towers we rode the ridge and dropped into Bowl Four.  I am still grinning. 

We met back up with the whole group forlunch at the Hampton Lodge.  I had a Chak Chak panini with a salad (yum!) and found a group of ladies heading out after lunch to hike and ride/ski some more... heck yes! (I am actually going to suggest to the organizers that they consider integrating the skiers and snowboarders to allow for more camaraderie for those few boarders that do attend - as long as the ability levels are compatable.)

I was able to meet four wonderful women:  Karen M. - an amazing skier and textiles & design professional who is rehabing from a back injury, Kim A.- a great snowboarder, a traveling nurse and a mom with a son who is 15 months old,  Laurie - a ski school instructor and avid snow lover who takes time away from her full-time job at the hospital to teach skiing and to get as much time on the mountain as possible and Karen C. - my fantastic snowboard instructor who picked up snowboarding later in life and I hope is safe to say, is older than my own mother - a true inspiration.  (This actually the second time I had the opportunity to ride with Karen C. The first being three years ago.  It was really nice to spend more time on the mountain with someone I admire!)

It's actually difficult to put into words the wonderful experience of the day.  After lunch we hiked Windy Ridge two more times and took Chair Three once to the Outback.  I put together a little video of photos that better depicts the days' events.  In 9 years of riding, I have not had better conditions and terrain.  This day is marked as one to beat.  With an all-female group of talented skiers and riders, epic is the only way to describe it!  Thanks so much ladies!!

Side note:  I honestly find it very hard to figure out how some 'bloggers' are able to post daily - even multiple times a day.  I know I struggle with access to an internet connection when we are at our cabin - but even when I have access I am unable to sit and compose a comprehendable statement (or even jot something down for that matter) very easily.  I'll continue to plug away!

Whistler Mountain

Saturday - March 27th

Off to Whistler we go!  Having purchased 'Fresh Tracks Breakfast' tickets when we made our accommodation reservation, we were set with a 7 a.m. line call for the Whistler gondola.  Looking forward to a breakfast buffet and priority loading (general upload to the top begins at 9 a.m.) at 7:30 - the day was off to a great start.  As soon as ski patrol gives the all clear, we are able to start riding.  The breakfast, presented by Nature's Path Organic Food, was a hearty meal of roasted potatoes, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, assorted pastries, muffins, cereal and bagels.  It was better than I imagined. 

At around 8:30 the bell was rung and we were off.  We met a nice couple, Bill & Carole, from Vancouver Island, B.C., on the gondola ride up and they joined us for the first three runs down.  It was their first trip to Whistler and they were glad to find someone to show them around a bit.  Honestly,  I would have enjoyed spending more time with them - but I was committed to demo'ing boards at the Demo Centre hut and once they opened at 9 a.m. I was there.  We were able to get three runs in before 9 a.m.  - that was a record for me.  I am usually still shaking out the kids to the various locations they need to be (at the bottom of the mountain) at 9 a.m.

The Whistler Demo Centre is located outside the Roundhouse at the top of the gondola.  With a credit card and photo id you are able to try out skis and snowboards for a couple of hours.  The service is free, the credit card is to 'find' you in the event they don't see you or the board/ski again.  

First up the TRS by LIB Tech (154) with Magne-Traction and Banana Technology.  The Magne-Traction is supposed to turn ice into powder - which was very appealing to me as I have very little gripping power in my current board.  I have been looking forward to trying this technology all season.  While riding this board I definitely felt connected to the mountain.  In order to fully compare my board with the TRS, I headed straight to the steep and fast Upper Dave Murray Downhill run - the sight of the Men's Olympic Downhill & Super G.  In order to get the run prepared for the races they water it down to get it compacted and hard.  It would be a true test of the edges and I was sold.  It locked me to the hill and I hardly noticed the block of ice that was the run. 

Next stop - Harmony Ridge & the Symphony Amphitheatre. The resort opened new terrain called the Symphony Amphitheatre three years ago which is accessed via the Symphony Express chairlift. Whistler-Blackcomb is a resort we generally visit during Thanksgiving which is opening weekend for the mountain and in late November that area is still closed due to low snow levels.  One of the main reasons we picked Whistler as our get-a-way destination was because of the Symphony area.  Off the Harmony Express chair we are able to get a glimpse of the open bowls and vast terrain, but to experience it full handed, what a treat!  

After a brief text-in with the kiddos back home, we headed in the direction of the Symphony chair.

Here I am on the far right side of the photo - no that is not an ant.

Where's Elisa?

The shear vastness is something one can only grasp in person.  Photos are a poor representation of the bigness.

Time for a new board - next up the Skate Banana also by LIB Tech.  Right before lunch I exchanged the TRS with more of a 'park' board.  It was a bit shorter (151) and had a lot more flex.   I took a run and decided right away that I did not like the softness at all.  I didn't feel like I had any control and felt pretty slow. 

I exchanged the Skate Banana for a Burton Feelgood (149).  Rob and I wanted to head back to the Symphony Amphitheatre area and wanted a board that would be comparable to the TRS.  The Feelgood was a shorter board than I am used to, but handled well.  I would like to compare the TRS in a 151 to a Feelgood in a 151 and make my decision from there. 

Wanting to make the most of our day, I was late (45 minutes) turning in my last board to the demo shop.  (I overheard the guys working in there that any time before 3:15 was ok - 2:30 is the suggested time...I took them up on it)!  I straped on my old board and rode a bunch more.  We took the last chair up the mountain at 4 p.m. and rode all the way to the village - it was awesome!  Still smiling today.

Blackcomb Mountain

Friday - March 26th

Rob and I took a big plunge and hired a willing soul to watch our hooligans and headed to one of our favorite boarding spots, Whistler-Blackcomb, eh.  The Olympic & Paralympic Games are over and the crowds should be less impacting, so we hope!

Upon confirmation by our sitter that she would be willing to watch our three boys & two dogs for the weekend, I jumped on Central Reservations on the Whistler-Blackcomb website and selected what I found to be the 'best' option.  I also checked Vacation Rental by Owner and Owner Direct Vacation Rentals, two websites we have found accommodations during past stays at Big White, Sun Peaks & Whistler.  The Horstman House was the choice, as it was $150/night (CAD) and had a kitchenette and living room with a king size bed in the bedroom.  The reviews were positive and at that price, I was willing to give it a try.  Of course I admit, as we approached our destination I was getting nervous as the last 'this price is too good to be true' delivered an interesting place - comfortable, but odd.  Sometimes pictures are very deceiving and Rob had not previewed my selection.  In the event the choice was a bit 'off' in a way - I'd hear about it.

The drive to Whistler, B.C. Canada,  from Poulsbo, WA is 225 miles plus a 30 minute ride on the Edmonds/Kingston ferry.  We departed on the 1:40 p.m. ferry and arrived at our accommodations in Whistler at 7:35 p.m after making a wrong turn (Mt. Baker Hwy vs. Guide Meridan) and hitting rush-hour traffic in Vancouver, B.C.  The boarder crossing (Aldergrove)took a meer 5 minutes, the real patience game started shortly thereafter.  We passed the time joking about our wrong turn and by practicing our Canadian enuciation of 'about' and 'eh'. 

Luckily, The Horstman House was a fine selection.  Rob did mention his preference could include a spot a bit closer to the village and the gondolas, but he had no real complaints about our room.  (Bonus, his F250 fit in the parking garage!)  On our walk to dinner (at 9 p.m.!!) we passed the Four Seasons and the Pan Pacific, both five star hotels and he questioned how much a room was there.  I did not have a response, they did not show up on my accommodation search.  Hmmmm?  Apparently, I missed a search option - hotels.com.  Duh!  Rob figured that since we were visiting during a slow time, we could have found a place at a high end (not that Horstman House was a dump, mind you) place for a dirt cheap price.  I spent the whole night questioning my decision.  He joked with me throughout the trip, but really we had as good of a place as any so there were no complaints.  (When we returned home, the first place I looked was hotels.com and found that a room at the Pan Pacific or Four Seasons ran about $300/night...  we definitely had the right choice from the start.  We would not have been able to get $450 more fun out of a different spot.)

Oh how extremely wonderful it was to only be in charge of myself!  I was enjoying my freedom more than I imagined I would.  The debate became which mountain do we ride first?  I was thinking Whistler as we are not able to enjoy all the above alpine areas when we visit during opening week (Thanksgiving), but I know that Rob predominately prefers Blackcomb.  Both mountains are awesome, but it is a choice we needed to make before we stepped onto the gondola.  In theory, we are able to change our mind once we get to the top - just step inside the new Peak 2 Peak gondola and in 12 minutes, we could be at the top of the other mountain.  The fact is, it will take an act of god to make Rob step foot in that 'ride'.  Once we decide on a location, we are committed.  Blackcomb it is. 

The photo below is the view of the high alpine area near the Harmony chair on Whistler mountain from Blackcomb. 

I have to admit, I struggled in the a.m. with the spring-like early morning conditions.  It was warm and rainy the day before and the groomed runs had hardened into ice during the night and I was having difficulty connecting to the mountain. 

This is the time when I need to insert a disclaimer on my behalf.  I am riding a 2001 K2 Eldorado (154 cm) board.  It has seen many a day on the mountain and beginning to delaminate a bit.  The edges are beyond grinding to make useable and my ability to hold an edge is tough.  I am in desperate need of a new board if I am going to ride hard all day.  Up until this trip, the riding I have been doing this season have been accompanied by a couple of boys that are under the age of 7.  It has been sufficient.  I have been relucant to buy a new board without trying it out first and all the demo days on my local mountain have fallen on days I did not make it up.  Excuses, excuses, excuses. 

After an early lunch at the Rendezvous - poutine none-the-less (french fries, cheese curds & gravy) and some 'about-eh' lessons (I needed all the Canadian support I could get) I was ready to get back out there.  I also wasn't complaining that the temperatures were getting warmer and the snow softer. 

Things were looking up!  Off the Solar Coaster Express lift we ducked some ropes and found the closed 'Children's Adventure Park' and did some exploring. We are easily amused on the ride up, we found the highlight of the day - THE BOARDERCROSS COURSE!  I've watched the races on t.v. and have always wondered where one would go to actually ride a course.  I was just telling Michelle a few weeks back that boardercross is something I would dig... and I did!  I am still giddy about the run.

We saw cloudy skies, fog and sun - sometimes all on the same run.  It seemed that the weather varied in 500' increments.  Visibility was questionable from time to time, but if we just kept riding we would run into something different.  Tree riding was variable as well.  At the top of a tree run we would have awesome conditions but traveling downhill we found wet heavy snow that was soft and tough on the ankles to get the board to respond.  No complaints. 

It's always a great day (either early or late season) when you can ride from the top of the mountain all the way to the base.   We parked at Base II and was able to ride right to the truck.  It was apparent that the snow conditions were dwindling as shown here with a view from the half-pipe just above the parking lot.  But we were happy!!