Adventures NW Spring 2011

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SPRING 2011

BIKING GALBRAITH all in one day

loveletter

SAILING PAST RACING FAST

to Washington

WE RUN...

aboard the

schooner zodiac

| competitors | participants | athletes all

ZEN of WALKING

PLAY smart on the WATER

WILLAPA BAY

history & hikes of Southwest Washington

SURFSKI for SkItoSEA PLUS A

3-LegGED TALE AND RACING Car-free

Plan your spring with the race | play | experience calendar inside and online.

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Single d n Stunt a Kites n io t Trac

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Located on the Water in Squalicum Harbor at 2620 N Harbor Loop Drive, #18 Bellingham, WA www.kitepaddlesurf.com 360-775-2741 or 360-SPLASH-1

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CONTRIBUTORS

SPRING. 2011

Volume 6. Issue 1

Hunter Bennett’s well used quote as a child was, “the couch is my butt’s destination,” and he had little or no interest in running. As a teen he began to run, found he was good at it, competed often and spent very little time couch-bound. Interested in excelling, Hunter trained hard to become successful in racing.

Tammy Bennett, his mom, is virtually unable to sit still and so participates in a variety of events and activities just for fun. Interested in laughing, Tammy plays hard because it’s good for her soul.

Adam Jewell has fond boyhood memories of riding his Huffy bike through every puddle he could find, even if it meant going out of the way a bit. Shocked by the results of his recent research revealing declining size and decreased abundance of puddles, he is considering petitioning the federal government to list the native puddle as “threatened.”

Dale McKinnon lives in Bellingham and is a threeseason rower almost every day in Bellingham Bay. In 2004 she solo-rowed the Inside Passage from Ketchikan to Bellingham, and in 2005 solo-rowed Ketchikan to Juneau. She is currently researching and writing a book entitled Rowing Home.

When he’s not walking and wondering, John D’Onofrio writes for various fine publications, takes photographs of the wild and wonderful world, makes masks, performs with The Monkey Puzzle Orchestra and designs web sites for local businesses and non-profits. Tough work, but someone has to do it. Visit his web site at jdonofrio.com.

Craig Romano is the author of eight Washington guidebooks, including the newly released Backpacking Washington and Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula (Mountaineers Books), which includes an entire chapter on Willapa Bay. When not on the trail, he’s at home in Mount Vernon with his wife, Heather, and cats Giuseppe and Scruffy Gray. Visit him at craigromano.com.

Over the years, Mike McQuaide has undertaken many a worthwhile pursuit, including attempting to logroll from Fairhaven to the top of Chuckanut Mountain, as well as trying to spit a watermelon seed from Gooseberry Point to Lummi Island. He is the Bellingham author of five books, including Insiders’ Guide to Bellingham and Mount Baker and Day Hike! North Cascades.

Read more McQ at mcqview.blogspot.com.

Abigail Sussman has much affinity for sagebrush, blue sky and sandstone but she misses the smell of cedar, unexpected sunshine and glaciers. Now that she wears sunglasses daily, she only loses one pair a year. In addition to Adventures NW, Abigail’s words can be found in Backpacker, Backcountry, Mountain Gazette, The Ski Journal and Women’s Adventure. See more at abigailmsussman.com Larry Goolsby is a Whatcom County resident with a passion for both the mountains and water. Besides being active in the local kayak racing community, his other passion is mountaineering. The volcanoes of Washington and South America are his favorite ascents. Currently, he works in healthcare and teaches at Bellingham Technical College.

Fairhaven Middle School 7th grader Dana Ringler, and her mom, Laural Ringler, love reading, writing, bicycling, hiking, and bilingual adventuring. A runner even when her leg isn’t tied to a friend, Dana thinks she’d like to mountain bike in the adult Ski to Sea some day. Laural’s first experience with Ski to Sea was the sailing leg in 1989, but her last decade on the road bike leg was more fun, and the car-free team the best yet. Their summer plans include backpacking in Mexico, climbing Sloan Peak, and bicycle camping in the San Juan Islands. For more on their family adventuring, check lauralringler.com.

4

race | play | experience

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Saturday, March 12

Saturday, July 23

Choose a 2mi or 5mi course from Bloedel-Donovan Park.

An awesome, inexpensive event. Run 2.6mi., Bike 14.5mi., Run 2.6mi.

$15 ($20 after 2/9); kids 8 & younger run free w/out shirt or timing.

$15 ($20 after 6/22), Max: 200

Saturday, May 7 Paddle races, demos & equipment sales for any type of human-powered water Paddle Palooza craft: kayak, canoe, SUP, etc.

A perfect warm-up for upcoming races, including Ski to Sea. Demo Days: wakekayak.org Whatcom Classic: soundrowers.org

Mondays, June 13-August 29 Track and Field events, including hurdles for 4 & under, sprints, distance runs, pole vault, shot, and other events for kids & adults. $4 day pass,

$30 season pass, $90 family pass

Saturday, June 25 Two sprint-distance events, Padden Triathlon staples of the triathlon market.

2011

Competitive: Swim 1/2mi, Bike 21mi, Run 5.2mi Recreational: Swim 1/4mi, Bike 10mi, Run 2.6mi. $50 ($60 after 3/31), Max: 300/event

Register today!

cob.org/races

Saturday, August 27 Healthy & fun distances for kids to learn & participate in triathlon (pool swim).

11-13: Swim 400yd, Bike 3mi, Run 1mi.

9-10: Swim 200yd, Bike 2mi, Run1/2 mi.

8 & under: Swim 100yd, Bike 2mi, Run 1/4mi. $15 ($20 after 7/27) Max: 50/event

Saturday, September 10 A community—and destination—event along Bellingham’s waterfront.

$20 ($25 after 8/10); chip timing, tech shirt & post-race party with live music. Max: 1000

Sunday, October 9 Stay motivated through the fall on this technical course.

Run 2.6mi, Mt. Bike 4mi, Run 2.6 mi. $15 ($20 after 9/8) Max. 200 ADVENTURES NW magazine >>> a proud supporter

Lromo@cob.org • 360-778-7000

ADVENTURES nw

SPRING. 2011

Volume 6. Issue 1

>FIND Adventures NW is available free at

hundreds of locations region-wide: throughout Whatcom, Island, Skagit, and San Juan counties, at all Washington REI stores, in select spots in Snohomish County, Leavenworth, Winthrop, Wenatchee, and Vancouver, BC, at area visitor centers, and through numerous races and events.

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>CONTRIBUTE Adventures NW welcomes original story and article queries—including feature stories, expert advice, and photoessays.

Visit the “Contribute” page of AdventuresNW. com for detailed information on contributing.

>EVENTS Have your outdoor-related event, race or outing listed in the quarterly race|play|experience calendar and the regularly updated online version. Info is on the “Events” page of AdventuresNW.com. >ABOUT Adventures NW is an independent,

Life’s A Journey, Enjoy The Ride. www.wibank.com 6

Client: race | play | experience Pub: Ad:

quarterly publication enjoyed by nearly 40,000 readers each issue. ANW’s mission is to publish a high-quality, engaging magazine that will inspire local and visiting readers to try new activities, to fully explore the natural beauty and recreational offerings of the diverse areas throughout the Pacific Northwest, and to have adventures in their own communities—and beyond.

Adventures NW is also committed to providing organizations and businesses a valuable, contentrich, respected publication in which to communicate their marketing messages. Further, it is the goal of Adventures NW Publishing, Inc. to be an example by supporting independent and local businesses and following socially and environmentally responsible practices in order to maintain sustainable and healthy communities.

Copyright ©2011 by Adventures NW Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed herein are those of the authors exclusively. Adventures NW is not responsible for unsolicited material.

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>INVOLVED...

Hunter Bennett • Tammy Bennett John D’Onofrio • Pam Fralick Larry Goolsby • Hal Holman Adam Jewell • Dale McKinnon Mike McQuaide • Dana Ringler Laural Ringler • Craig Romano Abigail Sussman

>ALSO...

Scott Banac • Dani Bates • Brad Bennett Tom Caldwell • Russell Clap • Crystal Daniels Brent Detta • Jay Haskins • Chris Hughes Michael Hughes • Michael Lampi Lisa Lewis • John & Karen Morgan Judy Pratt • Dan Ringler • Lance Romo Schooner Zodiac • Terry Thalhofer Nancy Trainor • Jerry Trump Adventures NW magazine is printed by Lithtex NW Printing Solutions, Bellingham

Publisher/editor Paul Haskins MANAGING EDITOR/EDITOR Alaine Borgias

Adventures NW magazine PO Box 2426, Bellingham, WA 98227 Paul@AdventuresNW.com 360-927-1843 www.AdventuresNW.com Adventures NW proudly supports hundreds of important local and national organizations, events and efforts, including:

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>IMPORTANT DEADLINES SUMMER 2011 releases May 27 (Memorial/Ski to Sea weekend):

article queries Mar 1; ad reservations Apr 20; final ads & calendar listings May 1 Fall 2011 releases Sep 1: article queries Jun 1; ad reservations Jul 20; final ads & calendar listings Aug 1 Winter 2011/2012 releases Thanksgiving week: article queries Sep. 1; ad reservations Oct 20; final ads & calendar listings Nov 1 Spring 2012 releases March 1 article queries Dec 1; ad reservations Jan 20; final ads & calendar listings Feb 1

and be eligible for regular prize drawings.

INSPIRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE

dear washington loveletter from afar IMMERSION a cautionary tale in search of one big puddle an endangered species?

Zen of walking trail to enlightenment galby in a day mountain bike marathon Competitor | participant runners both

SAILING PAST and racing fast Willapa Bay history & hikes in SW Washington transitioning on the water kayak to surfski Elegant Rhinoceroses 3-leggeding JR Ski to Sea Race car free the new challenge DESTINATIONS Athlete Spotlight—Mo Trainor 42 Getting Away—Willapa Bay 36 Next Adventure shot 58 Play Smart—cold water ready 13 Race | Play | Experience Calendar 46-57 Spring Emporium 23 Warmups—race car-free 50

advertisers Academic Adventures

45 Amjay Screenprinting 52 Apple Century Bike Ride cal Backcountry Lodges 10 BayPort Financial Advisors 43 Bellingham Bay Marathon 28, cal Bellingham Bay Rendezvous 4 Bellingham Kite Paddle Surf 3 Bellingham Parks & Rec Events 5 Bellingham Rowing Association 43 Birch Bay Road Race 29, cal Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro 8 Brandon Nelson, RE/MAX Whatcom 43 Busara Thai Cuisine 20 Cascade Joinery 29 The Chrysalis Inn & Spa 41 Chuckanut Century (MBBC) 52, cal Clean Air Adventures 56, cal Clear Lake Triathlon 55, cal Colophon Café & Deli 11

Abigail Sussman

9

Dale McKinnon

13

Adam Jewell

16

John D’Onofrio

19

Mike McQuaide

24

Hunter & Tammy Bennett

27

Paul Haskins

30

Craig Romano

36

Larry Goolsby

39

Dana Ringler

44

Laural Ringler

50

“We must go fast, because the race is against time.”

—Anna Held, Polish born stage actress, 1872-1918

cover

Zodiac on the Salish Sea;

photo courtesy of Schooner Zodiac

PLEASE patronize these businesses & LET THEM KNOW YOU APPRECIATE their support of ANW Community Food Co-op 20 Dave Mauro, UBS Financial 14 Dawn Durand, Windermere 29 Emerald City Lights Bike Ride cal Everybody Bike 49 Eugene Marathon cal Eugene Women’s Half Marathon cal Fairhaven.com 35 Fairhaven Bike & Ski 26 Fairhaven Fitness/B’ham Tennis 21 Fairhaven Runners & Walkers 60, cal Fanatik Bike Co. 25 Fit Adventure 18 Fun with the Fuzz 5k cal Gap to Gap Relay cal Gato Verde Adventure Sailing 35 Girls on the Run 5k cal Gone Diving 14 The Grace Café 29 Harmony Motorworks 18

Historic Fairhaven District 21 Jillian Trinkaus, Coldwell Banker 52 Kulshan Cycles 12 Leave No Trace 15 Lilac Bloomsday Run cal LFS Marine & Outdoor 39 Lithtex NW Printing Solutions 57 Magdalena’s Creperie 23 The Majestic Inn & Spa 41 The Marina Inn 23 The Markets 11 Moka Joe Coffee 23 Mount Baker Bike Club 26 Mt. Baker Lodging 11 Nathan McAllister, Attorney at Law 18 North Cascades Institute 12, 23 Northwest Behavioral 12 NW Navigation Co. 23, 35 Orca Inn 23 Penn Cove Water Festival 33, cal

RAPsody Bike Ride cal The RE Store 18 Run Like a Girl Half Marathon cal Sally Farrell, Coldwell Banker 10 Salud Spanish 20 San Juan Sailing 33 Schooner Zodiac 34 Seattle City Light / Skagit Tours 59 Seattle Marathon Events cal Ski to Sea / Whatcom Events 2, cal Sustainable Connections 10 Team in Training/LLS 42 Tour de Whatcom cal Train or Tri Coaching 55 Tulip Pedal / Skagit EMS 55 Whatcom Family YMCA 23, 45 Whidbey Island Bank 6 Wood-Mizer 38 Yoga Northwest 26 Tucson Marathon cal

race I play I experience O

ver the years I have applied, months

in advance, for a coveted backcountry permit to hike and camp in the Grand Canyon from rim to rim with my family.

And every year we receive the same notice informing us, in bold black letters: “your request has been denied.” The form letter always includes the declaration that the “demand for permits often exceeds availability.”

Dejectedly (after a few gosh-darnits) I file the notice away and remind myself to not be too disappointed with unrealized dreams.

And I also remind myself that there are other ways to get into the Canyon, one of which is to simply go there and get on the waitlist for the small number of backcountry campsite permits that come available through noshows, or that the National Park holds back for walk-in visitors. It’s a crapshoot, as you may get lucky and obtain a permit the day

8

race | play | experience

commit

you arrive, or you could spend your entire time at the Grand Canyon, maybe inching up the waitlist, but otherwise confined to day hikes from the rim. Not at all an entirely unpleasant experience, but not as savory as the experience and satisfaction of multiple self-sufficient overnights, away from the crowds, below the rim.

This year, since we’ve already received our annual rejection letter, we are choosing to go for that crapshoot, to show up at the North Rim without the permit, and try our luck at the daily waitlist. We’re going for it, because I know what will happen if we don’t—we will, most likely (hopefully), be another year older, and it’s as probable as not that we’ll be too busy, or otherwise-engaged next year.

And even if we do try (try and try again) for that advance permit, our request would, most likely, garner yet another rejection.

But by making the commitment—first, the decision to commit, then committing to making the time, saving the money, etc., we are also making the commitment to be open to new, different, and quite possibly challenging experiences.

Regardless of our outcome, I know that my time with Alaine and Finnian in the Grand Canyon this spring is going to be awesome because we’re making the commitment to go there in the first place. And it is my sincere hope that all of you reading this are able to make a similar commitment this season, be it to a new event or destination, to volunteering your time, or to embracing and realizing a dream. Just go and see what will happen.

Commit. Because you know what will, most likely, happen if you don’t.

Spring, 20 Dear Wash 11 i n g t on , How

Doubtful Creek, North

Cascades National Par

story & photos by

k

Abigail Sussman

are you?

I’m doing well , but I miss you writing fr . I am om the sa gebrush c Gunnison o u ntry of , Colorado . It ’s my se here , and c o n d spring so I am fa miliar wi nature of M th th e true ud Season . The snow ished and has vanthe local m ountain b are closed ike trails to protect the endan grouse . Th g ered sage ey’re too m uddy to ri The sun is d e anyway. always out , which (t the truth) o tell you is kind of getting on I miss you m y nerves. r monochr omatic da joyousness y s a n of unexpec d the ted sunshi I hope you n e . don’t take it personall I’ve spent y that the last tw o winter a seasons he n d spring re—I neve r actually leave you fo th o ught I’d r another, let alone a as many st ate with roads and people as But life is C o lorado. full of un anticipate and I supp d c h ose my sto anges ry is an old enough to one . It is say that I fell in lov job led us e , and his here .

Despite the fact that I have moved twelve degrees south and a few degrees east, you still figure prominently in my life . I dream about your glaciers, long to smell salt in the air, and wrap myself in memory of green forests dripping steadily. It is said that olfactory memories are among the more easily preserved , and when I take walks here I slide my fingers along sage leaves both to inhale their sweet scent and to be reminded of cedar. In a few months I’ll be back in your dramatic embrace and will once again take up my position on the crest of Copper Ridge , but for now memory will have to suffice .

I have spent springs in the

I know this missive will not tell you anything you do not Skagit Valley, Bellingham and know. As with most letters, this one is a method of recollecthe Nooksack Valley and I have tion , a way to look upon a landscape I am too far from to seen that each place manifests touch . I will tell you what it is I miss within your topography: a terrain that continues to rise up inside me regardthe season in a unique way. less of my physical location . I was not born in your cedar lowlands, or in your tidal marshes. I did not grow up in your deep river valleys or your vertiginous peaks or your eastside high deserts. These are landscapes that I came into fortuitously and have come to regard as home . I have spent springs in the Skagit Valley, Bellingham and the Nooksack Valley and I have seen that each place manifests the season in a unique way. continued >>>

>>> What’s YOUR next adventure? Go to AdventuresNW.com for hundreds of past stories & a full year of events.

race | play | experience

9

<<< LOVELETTER, continued from previous page

In the spring, the floor of the Nooksack Valley is finally collecting its fair share of sunshine . If the weather holds, hardy Glacier gardeners begin preparations on raised beds and leaf through seed catalogues. My transience never boded well for my own garden , but one’s hopes cannot help but be raised by the sight and smell of beautiful soil . The sunny days of helping in friends’ gardens grounded me in the season just as their friendship gave me foundation .

Rainy afternoons were quite frequently passed with long walks on unnamed trails in the valley, fiddleheads about to unfurl , the leaves of maples slowly curling outward over a period of weeks until it wholly changed the sound of rain into a leaf-born pitter-patter. There is a bend in the river that I liked to visit, a place to take a journal and an apple and watch the water move . Art projects begun during the long nights of winter were finished or, more often than not, abandoned in favor of a late evening bike ride .

I dream about your glaciers, long to smell salt in the air, and wrap myself in memory of green forests dripping steadily.

The ski area at Baker closes with the usual flare— short sleeves and sunburns seem nothing short of miraculous. There is enough daylight to sit on a tailgate in the parking lot and watch the alpenglow on Sefrit, Goat and Tomyhoi while sipping a beer. The steel snake that wends up the switchbacks every powder day ceas-

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race | play | experience

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es, and business owners in Glacier take the opportunity to renovate , clean or go on vacation . Backcountry skiers carve turns before the snowpack transforms into mashed potatoes; those who are not yet satiated climb to higher elevations.

The spring seasons I spent in Bellingham were marked by afternoon bike rides on the Interurban Trail from town to Clayton Beach and back , or a ride out to Ferndale for root beer floats at Frank–n-Stein .

This time of year, I can see in my memory, bicycle commuters might not have to don rain pants, a hoodie might just be enough of a layer, and ubiquitous beanies might actually stay tucked in a jacket pocket. I will not mention sunglasses. The trails at Galbraith have begun to dry out and mountain bikers itching with anticipation descend on the single track , this spring, without me .

Other mountain bike or hiking trails in the area—Anacortes Community Forest Lands and Fort Ebey State Park—come to mind as well ; they are generally, satisfyingly empty and I already miss them. I’ll also miss the days and weeks just after Washington Pass opens, bike-rack laden vehicles heading east for the sagebrush and ponderosa pine country of the Methow Valley.

continued >>>

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11

ns. magical and allerge is replete with both at th e ac pl a y, lle up a trail . in the Skagit Va revisited by hiking be n ca I spent a few springs er nt wi d re else , an melt from nearby s behind everywhe Watching the snow . er Here , spring is week gh hi le litt a , er crest advance a little furth ed over the Cascade Each week , one can ite frequently head qu I d an s on ni pa ar. Trips were patience . My com -shadow effect is cle in ra e peaks is a lesson in th of ce en id ere ev ed of the eastside , wh d that rarely surviv freshly baked brea toward the sunshine for isp Tw on am wth forests t a visit to the Cinn ders about old gro gra h fift t not complete withou gh tau m, where we scade Learning e back to Newhale before the North Ca ng lo the two-hour driv m ra og pr ol n Scho a not Institute’s Mountai Olympic Peninsul for North Cascade e San Juans or the th to s nt jau d— ar derstanding also headed westw ovided a better un pr t bu rk Center was built. We Pa e at St Lime Kiln agit Valley slowly watch whales off of to Anacortes, the Sk ed only allowed us to ad he ry fer a of ck .

Standing on the de home was revealed of where we lived . the place we called of e or m , ed tch wa we this highopened up, and as ce I’ve left you for sin w no e m m fro letter I strange to get this please don’t think I know it ’s a little officially over. But ost alm is g rin sp til ntain will not return un . So while the mou elevation town and you in every season d ve lo ve ha I e— y de m time less than genuin or hike-able , I’ll bi ble ia sk am being anything er ith ne e ar peaks ow g sunshine . The sn y out and the high new feeling of sprin bike trails here dr e th in h as aw iss olving. Soon it aces and people I m g and earth is rev in dd bu and imagine the pl e ar s ve , the lea ens are burgeoning is melting, the gard spring. til then , enjoy the will be summer. Un Love , ed from previous page

<<< LOVELETTER, continu

Abigail

Are you on the right path?

y

ea

1 01

25

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Immersion Immersion

a cautionary cautionary tale tale a story & & photo photo by by story

Dale McKinnon Post Point buoy, Bellingham Bay

G

lenn Biernacki’s week had already started out odd.

Four days prior he had found an unconscious woman lying directly next to his house, and between himself and a neighbor kept her breathing until paramedics could take over. Now he was at a Tuesday evening’s kayak polo session at Marine Park to focus solely on the game of whacking, paddling and shooting for the floating net.

He can’t remember how he became aware of something odd in the bay as he and others carried gear and boats from the parking lot to the water at 6:30 p.m. He thinks he overheard someone up on the grass say, “What’s that? Is someone in the water?” while launching his boat. As a long-time Bristol Bay fisherman, Glenn intuitively knows when something is odd on the water

and immediately as he looked out past the shore, he began sprinting his short, whitewater kayak hard between the overcast and chop on the water toward the odd yellow blip about 800 yards out. Three more paddlers raced for their boats and tried to catch up to help. At water level it was hard to determine what he saw, but nearing the object Glenn realized it was a person wearing a PFD lethargically waving a yellow paddle float. Why would someone be swimming in the water this far out into the bay?

Paddling closer, Glenn saw the man’s head and called out, “What are you doing out here, are you okay?” He reached the man, but kept a distance, knowing that a panicked swimmer could grab his boat and flip him. Glenn asked him his name, if he was okay, and how long he had been

in the water. The man said his name was Chris Wigen and told Glenn he’d been in the water for “at least a couple of hours, maybe longer.” The other kayakers arrived then, and because it was apparent that Chris seemed calm enough, the paddlers proceeded to tow him behind their short kayaks to shoreline and the awaiting paramedics, trading towing duties as their arms tired.

How did this man remain conscious in the very cold Salish Sea for that long, particularly when the region has rivers like the Skagit and Nooksack which in late spring pour cold snow melt into captive bodies of water that are already cold? And how did he end up in the water with no boat around? continued >>>

race | play | experience

13

<<<IMMERSION, continued from previous page

tions are riskier, the person accepts less risk.

Chris had put his kayak in the water his boat was quickly getting blown out of This self-assessment is called “risk homeostaat Marine Park at 3:50 p.m. under an reach. In the confusion of that first minute sis” and is different for each person, but evearly June sheet of grey blanketing the of cold shock, he remembers grabbing his eryone intuitively knows what he can handle. sky. Everything around him was calm yellow paddle float and breaststroking with Unfortunately, many do not have adequate with barely a breeze over the beginning it toward the buoy, thinking, “Dude, this is knowledge about how quickly northwest of a very flat flood tide. At shoreline, he not the place to teach myself how to do a Washington seas can change. Chris put in wiggled himself into the wooden kayak wet entry.” he’d made from a kit, still Glenn intuitively knows when something relatively unfamiliar with Chris tried to pull is odd on the water, and immediately as he its handling, and paddled himself up on to the buoy looked out past the shore, he began sprinting for the Post Point buoy. To platform, but couldn’t, so this day he doesn’t “know instead flung the paddle his short, whitewater kayak hard between the why rounding the buoy float around one of the overcast and chop on the water toward the was such a big deal.” And legs on the buoy light and odd yellow blip about 800 yards out. he doesn’t know why he wrapped the ends of the at 3:50 and everything was fine. But at 4:15 flipped his boat, although he remembers float belt around his hands, then pulled his p.m., out at nearby Post Point buoy, the bracing at an uncomfortable angle, quietly legs up to jam them between the side of the wind speed tripled, from 2 to 9 miles-persaying “no, no, no, no” until his body went buoy and his body. He thinks he may have hour, with gusts jumping from 7 to 15 mileshorizontal and underwater, floating free, been in that position for up to 45 minutes per-hour. The wind hit, chop increased, and fifty feet northwest of the buoy. hoping a power boat would come by and Chris was suddenly beyond his paddling see him. Meditation helped him keep fear skills that were suitable for conditions half an Every person has his own assessment at bay (“I spent a lot of time trying to stay hour before. His body was in the water and of how much risk he can accept. If condicalm”), but coupled with the slow process

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14

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>>> Get shoes, beer, burgers and more: “Like” Adventures NW on

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of hypothermia in his body, his relaxation techniques almost put him to sleep. When he would drop his legs simply for a momentary change in position, he felt stunningly cold water just two feet down, and he pulled his legs up again between his body and the side of the buoy float. “Out at the buoy, my feet were gone.” As he fought off the urge to sleep, he realized that death “would have been easier than what I was doing.” But that was not his choice. Ultimately, with no boats in sight, Chris decided to try to drift in closer to shore on his back, holding onto the paddle float with his left hand. His right hand was numb and useless. He thought maybe he “had enough time to drift to the shipyard and yell for help.”

It is at this moment in Chris’ life that his childhood coldwater training on the Spokane River (learning to deal with cold shock), the extra fat on his body, and his ability to remain calm all came together to allow him to understand his situation and what he needed to do to survive. But the single-most reason that Chris is alive to tell his story is that he had on his PFD. Regardless of the body fat content and his prior cold-water experiences, he would not have floated for as long as he did once he decided to try to make it to shore. The effort to keep his head above the 59ºF water would have been too much expenditure and Chris would have drowned.

Because of his PFD he did not have to

struggle to stay afloat. Additionally, the PFD provided insulation around his core.

There are consistent responses of the human body to cold water immersion, and Chris did experience them. No one escapes them. But Chris is a glaring and happy exception to the speed of the body’s response mode because of his body fat content. He is “large” around his midsection, and that insulation considerably slowed the hypothermic cascade. After the paramedics released him to go home, his son, Schuyler, asked him, “So—you glad you got all that … insulation?”

For a few days after his experience, Chris had a slight starboard list when he tried to walk, and his physiological depletion and exhaustion only allowed him to work an hour or two a day for a full week. It took a nearly a week for the nerve damage to his feet and hands to subside and heal, and his shoulders were numb for several weeks as a result of hanging onto the buoy.

Glenn Biernacki is still trying to make sense of that particular week. As he recounted his story about the woman at the side of his house and, then, the experience with Chris Wigen, he looked aside into the distance and said, “That was an … odd … week,” and he shook his head. “If the sun had been shining, we would never have seen that paddle float because of the reflection off the chop.”

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Port of Skagit County trail

16

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In Search of One Big Puddle

story & photo by Adam

Finding

the biggest puddle around isn’t as easy as it sounds.

For one, I discovered there is a strong anti-puddle movement out there systematically working to eradicate puddles. In response to a post I made on mtbr.com about puddles, a member known only as “juice” wrote, “Biking in puddles goes a bit against the grain of how we do it here in Washington. We spend a lot of time making trails durable and getting water off the trail.” Two forestland managers I spoke with both echoed the same mantra when asked where one could find a big puddle: we don’t know of any because when we see one, we fix it.

Fix it—huh? Sounds like the lowly puddle’s days are numbered if those in influential positions have their way. Begs the question: will my grandkids even be able to find a puddle to jump in? That would be a shame.

Besides the increasing rarity of the native puddle, the second hurdle I bumped into was in trying to define this fluid word. After some deliberation, I finally settled on three qualifiers: it must be across a trail or road, it must dry up at some point in the year, and it cannot be flowing.

Thirdly, to determine a champion, I would need some kind of scoring system. I created a quick and dirty rating system where points were assigned for four categories: size, accessibility, usage, and sheer enjoyment. Yeah, I know, “sheer enjoyment” is a little subjective but if a puddle isn’t enjoyable, why bother? So theoretically, if a massive puddle existed five-miles-in on a trail inaccessible by bicycles and only saw two mountain goats and a few similar looking hikers each year, it would rate relatively low, where a medium-sized urban puddle would rate relatively high.

I began my quest with a couple local puddles I knew of. The first candidate was located next to the Mayor Roger “Gus” Tjeerdsma Boat Launch in Burlington, Skagit County.

A muddy road threads through the cottonwood trees to the east of the boat launch on the Skagit River. Depending on the time of year it can be boating territory or a dusty walk; today it’s mud and puddles, just what I’m looking for. Fresh truck tire tracks slice through the mud, furling the edges over like plowed sod. I step crosswise through an ankle deep chocolate mousse rut.

“Looks like cookie dough when you squish your boot through it,” I tell my friend Bo. “Yeeaahh—cookie dough,” he drawls out. A grin spreads across his face as he adds, “Makes me want to eat mud.”

We laugh, as I can’t help but agree. My stomach rumbles as I hungrily plod ahead through the mud to scout out the remaining contenders. They all definitely fit the “big” category, but there is so much mud and it’s deep. I glance over and see Bo hanging onto

Jewell

branches trying to keep his balance and the tops of his rubber boots above the greasy river mud. That clinches it for me. Despite there being four puddles over one hundred feet long, these man-eaters are impossible to ride through. I must disqualify them and continue my search.

Still, to give you an idea of how my rating scale works I’ve shown what the boat launch puddles would have scored, if eligible (maximum 2.5 points per category, 10 total): Size: Accessibility:

2.5 (max points for one-hundred-foot plus) 2.0 (very accessible, but not on high-traffic trail or

Usage:

1.0 (fair amount of use when drivable, which

road)

depends on the river conditions, but certainly not getting any bicycle use right now)

Sheer Enjoyment: 0.0 (no points, since nearly impossible to ride

through; possible charity enjoyment points for mud-induced cookie-dough daydreams)

TOTAL:

5.5

Another local wet spot I knew of is on the Port of Skagit County Trail System, near the Skagit Regional Airport. All of the trails are built with crushed rock base, double track in width, and pretty flat, which means some of them are prone to not draining. Sure enough, I found a sprawling “eighty-footer” parked atop a trail bordering Paccar’s property near Farm to Market Road. With a hard-packed trail bed underneath I could pedal or run fast through it and create some spray, but it really wasn’t all that exciting. I rated it a boring 6.5, with no category standing out from the others (*yawn*).

Having exhausted my local knowledge I decide to take a different approach and hit up a few local bike shops hoping to find a solid lead.

“Hey, I’m writing an article on puddles—kind of scavenger hunt. You know where I can find any big ones?” I bait the guy behind the front counter at Kulshan Cycles in Bellingham.

He pauses for a moment, then his face brightens as he answers, “Food Bank—on the vacant lot next to it. The drain plugs up with maple leaves—makes a pretty decent puddle.”

It’s windy the day when I converge on the Food Bank Puddle, technically located on the edge of Platt Electric’s parking lot and Ellis Street, in downtown Bellingham.

“Ughh … that’s it?” I groan with disappointment as I get my first glimpse. I watch as a car pulls into Platt’s parking lot, splashing through the puddle, washing off its undercarriage. I’m here so I get out and take a few measurements, but this urban puddle is just not that impressive. For sure, the kids from school are going to use it, but aside from that I feel overly generous giving it a 7.0.

>>> What’s YOUR next adventure? Go to AdventuresNW.com for hundreds of past stories & a full year of events.

continued >>>

race | play | experience

17

<<<PUDDLE, continued from previous page

Depressed with my findings so far, I put out a plea for help on a mountain biking forum. Finding that one big puddle was proving to be an extremely difficult task and my inability to do so yet was making me uneasy. While contemplating how to exit my looming literary bungle, a comment appeared on my computer screen from the biking forum.

“Ever heard of Walker Valley? The whole place is a puddle.”

Walker Valley—of course! I had forgotten about the sprawling network of trails that zig-zag across creeks and up hillsides there. The Walker Valley Off-road Vehicle (ORV) Park, as it is officially known, sits just east of Big Lake overlooking Mount Vernon and Burlington. There are literally hundreds of puddles in the park and any number of trails could be “puddalicious,” but I picked two areas to showcase the best of the best: the Jam Trail and Pat’s Trail. You won’t find a monster puddle on either of these trails but you will get wet due to an effect I call puddleomy of scale; the idea being that the net effect of twenty-five smaller puddles will get you just as wet as one big puddle. In addition, Pat’s Trail finishes with a chance for some good air and a big splash-down just before kicking out onto a main road. Riding downhill through multiple ten- to thirty-foot-long puddles was both challenging and a lot of fun. Cobbles or roots could be lurking around any corner and wet brakes constantly limited your braking ability. Being at an ORV park, you are likely to get a few strange looks as a bicyclist, but if you ride mid-week you are just as likely to have the place all to yourself. I docked the “Sheer Enjoyment” category a bit on the Jam Trail due to having to dismount to move out of the way of an ORV but still rated these two high.

The big puddle search results: Jam Trail, Walker Valley ORV Park

7.5

Pat’s Trail, Walker Valley ORV Park

7.0

Bellingham Food Bank Puddle

7.0

Port of Skagit County Trails

6.5

While the Walker Valley trails led the standings and easily took the prize for being the most enjoyable puddles to ride, they still couldn’t break that 8.0 or 9.0 mark, something I would expect a true winner to do.

That one big puddle—the “grand champion”—is still out there.

Notes:

I limited my search to Skagit, Whatcom, Island and Snohomish counties and during a short period of time.

I’m sure there are some big puddles out there still, as well as in more southerly destinations. If you know of a big puddle I missed, email me at: jewellal@mail.masters.edu!

I did get a couple of referrals to check out Cedar Dust on Galbraith Mountain but it must have been too dry the days before I rode because all I could find were a couple puddles the size of my bike tire.

18

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Zen Walking

The of

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”

—John Muir

M

any years ago, back when the world was young, I was introduced to the pleasures

of hiking by that most American of institutions, the Boy Scouts. And while my approach to the not-so-simple act of walking and walking and walking some more (usually burdened by a cumbersome weight on my back) has changed considerably in the intervening decades, some lessons learned early on continue to serve me well. Pacing myself.

Carrying enough water. Letting someone know where I’m headed. That sort of thing.

However, I have learned much more in the nearly 40 years that have passed since those New Jersey Boy Scout days. Lots of hiking techniques, sure. But also a lot about how both embracing the necessity of perseverance and an awareness of our place in the natural world illuminates who we truly are and helps us stay centered in a sometimes wildly

story & photos by

John

D’Onofrio

along Sahale Arm, North Cascades National Park

off-kilter world. In fact, having reflected on the experience for the who-knows-how-many-miles that I’ve wandered and wondered, I have learned much of what I know about myself, for better or worse. One thing about hiking is that there’s a lot of time to think….

Frankly, the introduction provided by the Boy Scouts wasn’t ideal. For one thing, I was in New Jersey, a state not known as a hiking Mecca. Day hiking through industrial parks didn’t really turn my crank. Eventually, I resigned my commission in the scouts and more or less forgot about hiking until high school, when I rediscovered the call of the wild (such as it was in New Jersey) and learned to love the silence of the eastern woods. The confusion of adolescence was made slightly more manageable by forays to Hacklebarney State Park and Round Valley. continued >>>

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19

<<<ZEN, continued from previous page

But it was on my first trip west that my life-long love affair with getting “out” was cemented. Venturing into the back country of the Rockies and Sierras was a revelation.

Unlike back east, here was “high country.”

The landscape at altitude was decidedly harsh—but at the same time rich with nature’s most tender details: pools of crystal clear water mirroring the sky, the scrimshaw of morning frost in the meadows, gardens of delicate and fragile flowers that made a mockery of the suburban gardens of my youth. This dichotomy was a revelation.

I was hooked.

—Beyond Limits—

It was on these first glorious excursions that I had my first epiphany. I was climbing a wickedly steep trail in the Santa Lucia Range near Big Sur and had seriously underestimated both elevation gain and distance to camp. I ran out of water. The chaparral hills were bone dry and blazingly hot.

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the map turned out to be non-existent when we reached it, and the next water source was many miles away, up a precipitous canyon.

I was spent—and thirstier than I’d ever been. It was a tough spot.

But of course, in a situation like this there were no options.

Onward and upward. A half dozen times I felt like I could go no further—my pack grew heavier with each passing hour. But slowly, gradually, my suffering gave way to something else—as I grunted my way up the massive canyon, I had my epiphany: my self-perceived “limits” weren’t limits at all, but rather self-imposed expectations. I could vanquish the limits simply by changing the expectations, releasing long-held conceptions of what I could and couldn’t do.

In fact, once I hit the wall, a kind of euphoria overtook me.

I was whipped, yes. And God, I wanted some water. But I wasn’t done.

It was dark by the time I crawled into camp beneath a stardazzled sky and dipped my sierra cup into a stream of glorious water (those were the days!). I had learned something fundamental about myself: I had more in me than I had been led to believe. It got me thinking. It changed my life.

In the years since, I’ve kept thinking. And walking. While I’ve never found myself in such a water-deprived state since, I’ve hit “the wall” many times. And sure enough, the wall turns out to be an illusion. Our self-estimations diminish us. We can—and must—challenge them if we are to truly realize our potential.

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—Connecting—

Our culture is one that comes from a place of trying to dominate nature. Historically, the Old World approach to the natural world was one of conquest. People saw the wild as an enemy to be vanquished, an impediment and obstacle to establishing their “safe place” in the world. Over time, this perspective was institutionalized to legitimize the creation of wealth by the exploitation and subjugation of nature. The rationalization for subduing nature was the establishment of a “standard of living,” that is, a life protected from discomfort, danger and uncertainty.

But in truth, we are nature. To separate from nature is to divide ourselves in two and to exist in a state of perpetual inwardlydirected hostility. When we go down this road we cut ourselves off from the essential ingredients of a happy life. By spending time in the wilderness, the separation between our internal “nature” and the external “nature” of the environment is revealed to be an illusion. It is only by vanquishing this false dichotomy that we can be whole.

—Authenticity—

More than one philosopher has described the purpose of life as a search for meaning, a quest to discover the true nature of reality. Sadly, by and large, our materialistic modern world has been organized in such a way as to obstruct this effort at every turn when we look to goods and services in vain attempts to “fill the holes” left empty by a lack of meaning in our lives. This underlying agenda continued >>>

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Point of Arches, Olympic National Park

I had my epiphany: my self-perceived “limits” weren’t limits at all, but rather self-imposed expectations.

<<<ZEN, continued from previous page

taints and diminishes much of our culture. Years of being bombarded by this highly-directed materialistic messaging takes its toll on our ability to depend on the veracity of the world around us. We can become disillusioned and isolated.

But out in the mountains, this polarity is reversed. There are no constructs at all. Every aspect of the environment is the way it is because, in the big picture, that’s the way it has to be. It simply is.

You can completely let your guard down and drink it in, with the certainty that every square inch is authentic, healthy and whole. No agendas, no strategies, no bells and whistles. And when you get right down to it, bells and whistles will drive you crazy. All that noise!

Once you grok this (and it’s a lot to grok!) you find yourself able to accept the fact that beneath all of the neon and flash animation of our constructed world, maybe, just maybe, there’s an underlying foundation of basic truths that exist independently of our furious wheel-spinning and ingenious machines.

We can connect to these truths, writ large by the innate grandeur of the natural world—the unvarnished real deal. And once connected, we become aware of the deeper realities behind the constructs.

Simple? Well, yes and no.

The journey (which in truth is the destination) to self-discovery begins when we get out of our cars, out of our homes and—to some extent—out of our minds. When we slow down, the world becomes a richer place. Breathe. There’s no hurry: just put one foot in front of the other. It turns out that satori, that unified sense of enlightenment and wholeness, that cessation of nagging desire, isn’t so very far away.

In fact, it’s within walking distance.

22

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Galby in a Day

story & photos by

Mike McQuaide

T

he philosopher Nigel St. Hubbins once said that

there’s a fine line between stupid and clever, but to be honest what we had in mind was nowhere near that line. It was just plain stupid. Our plan: ride every single trail on Galbraith Mountain in a one day.

Good ol’ Galby—Bellingham’s woodland playground, crisscrossed with untold miles of serpentine and mind-bogglingly creative trails built and maintained mostly by the tireless Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC). Beloved by outdoor fanatics of every stripe—hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, trail runners, coyotes, bobcats and the like. And in one day we aim to ride every trail up there, from Art’s Trail to Whoopsie Woodle, Kaya to Keystone, the Three Pigs to the Three Bears and everything in between.

Why do such a thing?

“Why not?” answers Steve Hindman, our intrepid leader and route-maker.

“Might as well ask ‘Why get up in the morning?’”

He’s got a point there.

24

race | play | experience

7:30 a.m.

In the semi-darkness of a mid-October morn, the four of us meet at the foot of the Miranda Trail on Galby’s north side.

Besides myself and Hindman. the players in this dubious epic are Steve VanderStaay and Cathy Crouch. After spending a few moments unsuccessfully talking each other out of spending the next eight? ten? twelve? hours pedaling up and down some 70-plus trails and dirt roads, we’re under way, inching up Miranda for the first of two times in less than an hour.

First time up is our Sherpa ride, the one in which we each schlep heavy packs stuffed with all the extra crap we’ll need—as well as emergency crap we hope we won’t need—and that we’ll stash partway up the mountain so that we can revisit it throughout the day. Jackets, tubes, chips, pretzels, chocolate, lousy-tasting but nutritionally satisfying sandwiches, energy drinks, bottles of Coke, shorts, shirts, gloves, arm warmers, leg warmers, Olivia Newton-John headbands (not really), first-aid crap, cookies, lights and more.

Climbing the two-mile roller-coaster hill that is the Miranda/Ridge/Family Fun Center/Wallace and Grommet section in the chilly air, we’re like steam engines huffing and puffing billowy cloudpuffs of condensation. It’s slooooow going but that’s OK, this isn’t a race—at least, not against each other. The sun, however, has different ideas. (NOTE: a foreshadowing moment has just taken place.)

At the top of Wallace and Grommet, we’re given respite from uphill pedaling and after a few glorious downhill(ish) minutes on Road 1240, we reach our stash spot where, under a fallen log, we drop off our extra-crap bags. A great weight off our shoulders (literally), we hop back on our bikes and now, feeling strong as the dopiest of dopers, climb a few hundred more feet and a couple more miles (2600 Connector to Cleavage to Bypass to Esophagus, etc.) to the top of Upper SST. Here, we head right back down to the parking lot—albeit via a series of completely different trails— pick up our daypacks and then head up Miranda again.

By and large, that’s the theme of this ride: claw and scratch our way to some perch high on Galbraith Mountain’s lumpy shoulders, only to immediately jump off and land somewhere far below at its feet.

Then do it all over again—via a different set of trails—and then again and again and again.

11:30 a.m.

In a clear-cut area just below the crown of towers at the top of Galbraith, we sit on logs and overturned stumps sipping, quaffing—fairly gulping—what we’d each probably agree has to be among the best cups of coffee any of us has ever had in our lives. We’ve clicked off some 30-or-so named trails and dirt roads and figure we deserve this stop to eat, drink and soak in the scenery.

There’s not a cloud in all the Northwest, I bet, and our birds-eye views cover everything from the San Juan Islands and Strait of Georgia to the rural flatlands of Whatcom County; from the snowy peaks above Vancouver, B.C. to the shimmering waters of Lake Whatcom down below. To the east, above a great ridge, poke the tops of Mount Baker and her pointy pyramidal siblings, the Twin Sisters; they’re like nosy neighbors spying over a fence. Drinking coffee, scarfing down handfuls of chocolate, enjoying views like this—it’s beginning to dawn on me that maybe this plan wasn’t so stupid after all.

We can thank Hindman for the coffee; he carried a stove, gas canister, water, mugs and ground beans all morning so we can enjoy this luscious Elevenzies break. Thank Hindman too for putting together today’s route. Over a period of months, he spent countless hours poring over Chris Behee’s Galbraith Mountain Trails map concocting a route that included every trail with as little overlapping and repetition as possible.

“I put the original route together in 2008 and finally succeeded in riding it after three tries that September,” says Hindman, who rode 55 trails that day.

“It took me nine hours then, but there are a few more trails now.”

Something else to consider: October’s daylight hours are shorter than September’s.

(NOTE: Unless I’m mistaken, I’m pretty sure that was another foreshadowing moment.)

Why do such a thing?

4 p.m.

I’m gobbling a handful of gloriously salty pretzels and chugging an equally heavenly (as well as belch-inducing) bottle of Coke at the extra-crap stash spot, when reality sets in. We’ve ridden 56 trails so far, but it doesn’t look like I’m going to make it through all of Galby’s offerings today. We’ve already lost a Steve—VanderStaay, whose knee protested about six hours in—but mine isn’t a physical issue. It’s an error of omission; I didn’t bring a light. And though

Why not? ...

Might as well ask: “Why get up in the morning?”

continued >>>

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25

<<<GALBY, continued from previous page

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we still have at least three more hours of riding ahead of us, there’s little more than an hour of sunlight left. I’m going to have to bail.

And well …, truth be told, I’m not exactly crushed. Don’t get me wrong—I love Galbraith as much as anyone, but ride this much of it in one day and you go a little crazy. Every trail begins to look exactly the same and your perception of time and space becomes kookily all a-catawampus. I couldn’t tell you if we’d ridden Cheech and Chong’s Wild Ride or was it Brick, Stick and Straw? Did we just ride Banjoland an hour ago or was that this morning? Or last Tuesday? Or next week? (?!?)

Lucky for them, Cathy and the Steve that’s still pedaling (Hindman) brought lights, which they attach to their helmets.

Leaving the extra-crap stash area, the three of us head off one last time on what will be a homestretch for each of us. For me, I pedal ‘til 5 p.m. (Banditos to 911 to Kaiser to Oly to Lost Sole to Papa Bear to Texas Chainsaw Massacre) when I say goodbye and, in the fading sunlight, head down off the mountain by the quickest route possible. I get in 62 trails over some 36 miles with 6,200 feet of elevation gain. I temper my disappointment at not finishing what I started by realizing that with the addition of the new-to-me trails I rode today, I have at one time or another ridden every trail on Galbraith. That’s sorta something.

But not nearly as much of a something as what Steve and Cathy did. At 7:45 p.m., more than 12 hours after heading up Miranda that first time, they descended it for the final time, successfully having ridden every trail—72 of them—on Galbraith in one day.

“It was so fun riding the last set of trails under a moonlit sky, blanketed by millions of stars,” Cathy tells me later.

Sounds magical.

And not at all stupid.

Check out the WHIMPs (Whatcom Independent Mountain Pedalers) Mountain Bike Coalition website for information about Galbraith Mountain and other area mountain biking trails, races and volunteer opportunities—whimpsmtb.com.

26

race | play | experience

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photo by Brad Bennett

PARTICIPANT | COMPETITOR story by Tammy & Hunter Bennett

Competitor: Hunter Bennett My alarm clock goes off at 7:15; I stumble out of bed and grope clumsily for my shorts, singlet, shoes and socks. I had laid everything I would need for race-day out the night before so that I could make my way through my at-home preparation with minimal consciousness. My mom is downstairs playing fetch with our tripod-dog and drinking coffee; she has been up for three hours and greets me with a chipper “Good morning, Hunter!” I mumble something (I think) and go to the kitchen to make peanut butter toast, my pre-race favorite. And at 7:30 I throw my sports bag into our Toyota, pick up my friends, and head to the starting line.

Arriving at the registration, my friends and I rush to pick up our race bibs, then proceed to crinkle them up into tiny balls and unfold them, a process said to keep the race number from flapping in the wind during the race, but also a pre-race ritual.

Then we begin a late and hurried warm-up jaunt (this rushed schedule seems the norm rather than the exception when we do community races), and head over to the start-line in a pack.

In the middle of our strides at the starting line, I catch a glimpse of my mom. I detest distractions or taking time out of my warm-up, so the well wishes are terse, along the lines of: “Good Luck.” —“Thanks. Meet you at the finish.”

Soon it is time for the start. My friends and I settle at the front of the line, and the chatter ceases as the race starter relays instructions and makes light-hearted comments, but I take deep breaths, tune out the comedy, and begin to focus on the stretch of concrete in front of me. I had trained all winter for the track season, and on this off-weekend in early May my coach and teammates had decided we were to go for 5k PRs. The gun goes off.

So we run. The race goes as according to plan as any race can. Darting up the first hill, we follow the lead pack and begin the 1.5-mile descent that makes the Haggen to Haggen race worthwhile. Our goal was to start the race with a sub-5-minute mile; I am sure we do that, though the marker was conspicuously absent. As we roll through downtown Bellingham I focus on form and breathing and just let my legs go. So often, runcontinued >>>

race | play | experience

27

It’s Mother’s Day weekend, and with it the annual Haggen to Haggen 5k in Bellingham. My family has volunteered for this event every year since it began (1993?

1994? honestly, I can’t remember), but in 2010 we had the opportunity to participate.

My oldest son, Hunter, and I both registered—and that was about the last Haggen to Haggen 5k detail that we had in common.

Note: I said event, not race. While you’re at it, note this: I am registered to be a participant in this event, not a racer. Duly noted, there will be more on that later.

My morning routine is no different this day. Up at a time that many consider painfully early, if not freakish, I make myself some coffee and take my 3-legged dog out

for a ball session in the front yard. When the dog’s energy meter is closer to a low of 2 versus a high of 10, we go in and I do some chores, make another coffee, and read the paper. The 5k starts at 8:30am, so around 7:45am I load up a pack and ride my bike to the start.

Arriving at registration, I stow my bike, pick up my number and start scanning the crowd for people I know. This may be my favorite part of an event. Some people you rarely see in your daily circle of life, you can catch up at a large community event like this. So I chat a lot, spend time in the sanican line a bit, and eventually (maybe 8:20 or so) meander to the start line. Chatting my way to the mid-pack—my happy-place—I decide to squeeze my way past all the alphadogs to the front to wish my son good luck.

There is a palpable feeling of nervousness and excitement up here that I don’t care for one bit. Hunter is one of the many singletclad, watch-setting competitors who are doing pre-race strides. Catching him for a quick “have a good race” leaves me won-

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<<<RUN, continued from previous page

ning is a game of consciousness: the seconds loom long and the minutes are arduous, but the runner who keeps his wits about him is the one who will go the farthest and fastest. After fighting the last few miles past Whatcom Middle School and through the surrounding neighborhood, I turn left to the finishing stretch and scan for the clock. I see 15:02. The excitement of a PR shoots to my legs, I increase my turnover, and I sprint toward the line, watching the clock all the way through ...15:38...15:39...15:40.

After post-race chats with the local studs as well as my teammates, I look for my mom. Soon I see her coming down the finishing stretch as I had minutes ago.

Now, she will tell anyone that she is not a racer, but if you ever see her staring down fellow age-groupers on the way to a finish, you realize she is a racer. The truth is we all are. What separates us is what we are racing for: time, place, fitness, or the smorgasbord of cookies at the finish line. On that day my mom, my friends, myself and much of

28

race | play | experience

the city were brought together to travel a specific distance at a specific time relying on nothing but our own bodies and will. Now that is a beautiful thing.

Participant: Tammy Bennett

dering where I got a kid like that. I have never done a stride, never set my watch, never worn a singlet, and never started an event in the front. Then this fact hits me like a two-by-four: Hunter is a competitor, while I am a participant. He is there to race; I am here for fun.

So we run. Hunter runs like the wind and I don’t see him until the end.

I run like the middle-aged, psycho-competitive woman that I am. If you’re asking what psycho-competitive means, it’s this: I will do my best in everything I enter and will try to pick-off anyone who is in front of me if I think I can. In the heat of the moment, my energy meter will be a 10 just like my 3-legged dog, which is laughable because I never actually push myself when I run or ride outside of an organized event. Oh—I have pushed myself once. A local athlete, who shall remain unnamed, pulled up beside me at another local event. Though he was not breathing hard or sweating, I was doing both.

He said to run right next to his heel. So I did. My breathing was labored, my sweat was pouring, and I saw hypoxia-induced white spots for awhile. He kept talking to me, keeping me close to his heel and, sure enough, I finished with my best time ever. I was deeply conflicted on whether to hug him or kick him in the shin, but I was certain that I did not enjoy running at that intensity level and had no interest in doing it ever again.

As I run down toward the finish line, a teenager zips past me like I am standing still. Hunter is in the crowd waiting, obviously having already had time to cool down, get food, and still be there for me. We hug (yes, hug) and acknowledge that he ran a great race, and I finished a fun event. He leaves to head home with friends as I turn to run back to the start where my bike waits for the ride home.

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race | play | experience

29

Sailing past

T “Y

h e day ends with such calm, yet the hours behind me were filled with unanticipated thrills and excitement. We were tested. We broke records.

ou are my…?”

“Peak!” comes the unified cry of a dozen or so people holding the inch-thick line opposite me on the boat’s port side.

Chris Wallace, the ship’s mate, turns to us. “You are my…?”

“Throat!” we on the starboard side all yell out.

“Peak and throat—haul away!” she commands, and we commence raising the largest working mainsail on the north coast. Pull breathe pull breathe pull breathe pull….

We work together, and it’s apparent that after just the first sixty seconds all of us are fatiguing from the effort and the fact that, with each pull, we draw more weight into the air until all 2,000 pounds of gaff and mainsail hang, suspended, ready to work the southerly blowing off the Olympic mountains.

As with the main, our work, is not over. We all breathe hard as we move forward on deck to raise the not-quite-asbig-as-the-main foresail, followed by raising the much easier staysail and jib before making our lines neat and shipshape. A beautiful sight it is, a full set of sails raised, and I’m transported to a time when ships were moved merely by the grace of nature’s elements.

story & photos by

Paul Haskins

T

he schooner (defined as a two or more masted sailing ship) Zodiac was built in 1924 in East Boothbay, Maine, as a gift from one brother to the other of the Johnson & Johnson family. In 1928, the 165-foot, gaff rigged (a wooden spar extending aft from the mast along the top edge of a four-cornered sail) ship competed in the King’s Cup Transatlantic Race, finishing in fourth place. She was a high-society racing and cruising beauty.

But when the Great Depression came along, Zodiac was sold off and pressed into service for the San Francisco Bar Pilots. She obviously was heartily built, and must have been well maintained, for of all the working pilot schooners in the United States, she was the last to retire—in 1972. Being a wooden vessel she might have languished and been sold off for scrap were it not for Seattle’s Karl Mehrer, his family, and a few good friends who acquired the ship and formed the Vessel Zodiac Corporation in the mid-70s. With their care, Zodiac was restored to her original glory and now serves as floating classroom, cruise ship, boardroom, chapel and even sleek, competitive racer.

A

board the vessel on an afternoon Bellingham Bay sail a couple months prior, I had the opportunity to speak with Jeffrey Carlson who has been working the boat since 2006. We talked about the sails, the boat’s maintenance places it had been, and then racing.

When he found out I used to

at anchor in Bedwell Harbour, Galiano Island continued >>>

shirt, and creep quietly to the galley so as to not disturb my fellow crew, most still slumbering, and exchange a hushed “good morning” with Ian, the cook, before grabbing my designated mug and filling it with fresh hot coffee and heading topside.

In the gathering morning sunlight I find a spot to perch on the rail and, squeegying with my hand, clear the overnight dew that had settled on the varnished teak. I sit to look south toward the fog bank a quarter mile off that rolls in atop the strait.

We are in Aleck Bay, at the southern end of Lopez Island, an afternoon sail from Zodiac’s homeport in Bellingham.

A

<<<SAILING, continued from previous page

race boats, Jeffrey’s eyes lit up. “Today is nice,” he said of the robin’s egg blue sky and fresh bay breeze that pushed the boat along languidly. “But when the wind is at 18 to 20 knots, she can be the fastest out there. You should see her when we’re in the middle of a race and there’s good wind!” And I do. In my mind’s eye I see Zodiac out in the strait: sails full, well heeled, sea spray coming over the bow. The taste of salt is on my lips.

T

he boat creaks and rocks almost imperceptibly as I stir to consciousness in my port-side upper berth and rise, feeling as if, well, as if I have spent the night on a boat—in other words, very rested and satisfied and eager for the day. I dress, grab my sweat-

total of just 17 passengers joined the 16 crew members (mostly volunteer) and one captain for a week-long cruise that would incorporate a couple legs of the C.R.I.S.R.—the Captain Raynaud International Schooner Race—starting in Victoria and heading north into the Gulf Islands. Yesterday’s sail included many calls from Chris—“Sailing stations!”—as she and Captain Tim Mehrer, Maximum theoretical hull speed Karl’s son, befor Zodiac is figured to be gan the process of transform12.5 knots. ing passengers (many never before on a sailboat) into a working crew. My station is at the foresail with Ken, whose day job is cameraman for CNN when he’s not part of Zodiac’s crew.

As the ship turns during each tack, we work together to backwind the sail so that Zodiac’s nose will be pushed through the eye

Zodiac’s binnacle

32

race | play | experience

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Suva, with reefed sails, off Vancouver Island

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of the wind. Once past that, we sheet-in as quickly as possible in order to keep the boom centered. It’s a one-shot deal, as sheeting-in after Zodiac’s sail is fully loaded with air is nearly impossible. Unlike modern sailboats, there are no winches to gain mechanical advantage. Instead, it’s all timing and muscle.

I

I

n addition to our assigned sailing stations, all passengers rotate through four other, half-hour, stations or positions. I’m up on the rotation today and I first head for the chart house to go over navigation “rules of the road, and the differences between Canadian and US charts. Next is bow duty, where I’m continued >>>

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an rings the bell, the sound beckoning us to a hot, scratchmade breakfast, after which Captain Tim gives us a briefing of the day: forecasted sun and a freshening southerly of 18 knots— perfect for sailing Zodiac to Victoria—and clearing customs, with anticipated time to spare for going ashore.

But before any of that, crew and passenger alike set to the task of swabbing the deck, polishing the brass, and tending to the brightwork—no one wants Zodiac arriving in Victoria without looking her best. As menial as the work may sound, it’s not. It’s enjoyable, educational, and another aspect of turning passenger into crew.

Boat prepped, we depart the anchorage and ready the sails.

This time it feels like our pull, pull, pull at the throat is more unified. The strait is alive with the forces of Mother Nature. In my much smaller sailboat, I might feel a tad intimidated by the wind and current, but Zodiac’s mass is assuring as she parts the swells coming in from the Pacific with ease, only taking water over the bow occasionally. My vision is complete.

Today though, with a 30-knot westerly driving her, we disprove the theory and set a new record —13.4 knots!

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race | play | experience

33

<<<SAILING, continued from previous page

to watch for, and report via the brass sounding tube running from bow to stern, any object that could potentially damage Zodiac, be it a nearly submerged deadhead, navigation buoy, or another vessel. When my relief arrives at the bow, I head for the stern-end of the sounding tube to play the part of messenger—conveying any reported sightings from the bowwatch to the ship’s mate, before, finally, taking my turn at the helm.

Though I have steered boats in the twenty- and thirty-foot range, nothing compares to taking control of a 165-foot behemoth.

The wheel serves as a talisman linking me to hundreds of others over the past 80-plus years who have been at this very spot at the helm, feeling the pull of the wind and the push of the sea.

As my rotation is the last of the day, I’m still at the wheel when the sails are lowered and we commence entering Victoria’s busy Inner Harbour. Float planes taking off and landing, water taxis scuttling about, other boats entering and departing the harbor—all in the shallow, not-quite-quarter-mile-wide channel—makes me tense.

But Captain Tim calmly relays new headings to me until he finally, thankfully, relieves me and masterfully docks Zodiac right behind two other hundred-foot-plus schooners rafted together and joins the dozen or so other schooners along the dock’s fingers, most there for the big race.

S

ailboat racing in the Pacific Northwest can sometimes be an oxymoron given the fickleness of summer breezes. So it is a relief that the morning of race day dawns overcast with high winds—high enough that some of the smaller (in this case, under a hundred feet) schooners venture a postponement (to no avail) and we set about readying both ourselves and Zodiac for the 11:30 start time. Like the wind, the excitement onboard is palpable.

As we exit the harbor, sustained gusts scream through the rigging, and though the strait is an angry mess of whitecaps, the 327,000 pounds of Zodiac hardly takes note. Meanwhile the smaller schooners are tossed about like toys in a tub. Jeffrey’s eyes are alight with the thrill he anticipates is ahead in this wind and he smiles at me knowingly.

Every boat, including Zodiac, has reefed sails so as to not be over-powered, and it’s fortunate that today’s course, from Victoria to Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island, doesn’t require beating into the wind. With the skies clearing, Zodiac’s run up to the line is near perfect and she is soon accelerating on a beam reach away from the competition.

Maximum theoretical hull speed for Zodiac is figured to be 12.5 knots. Today though, with a 30-knot westerly driving her, we disprove the theory and set a new record—13.4 knots! There isn’t a soul on board who doesn’t recognize how truly special today is, and

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race | play | experience

Zodiac at Desolation Sound

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NwNavigation.com atypical of his subdued nature, even Captain Tim is caught up by the thrill of max speed.

Though we’ve established a good lead, the wind begins to lighten as we fall off for the 20-mile downwind run north along Vancouver Island to South Pender. The other schooners that are far off our stern begin to make up lost ground. Tim sets us to task and we all work together to take the reef out, raise the sail to its fullest, capture more wind, and keep our place at the front of the pack.

But slowly, slowly the other schooners gain on us. Tim, hoping to push us further ahead, maneuvers us into the thickest part of the incoming flood tide—which happens to be the center of the shipping channel. This helps, but then we’re dealt a blow. An outbound freighter is headed our way and Zodiac must vacate the shipping channel.

We fall off dejectedly and are soon overtaken by the 84-foot Martha. Try as we might, in these light airs we’re unable to match her sprightly pace and she pulls away to win the day.

“Good sail!” and “Wow, what a race!” are hailed at the finish and echoed again that evening at the all-schooner potluck hosted aboard Zodiac in an atmosphere that’s rich with genuine camaraderie.

T

he following day Zodiac races another leg in the much more capricious winds of the Gulf Islands from Bedwell Harbour to Montague Harbour, 17 miles away on Galiano Island. We don’t win, nor even place, with today’s wind, but it doesn’t matter. More importantly—raising, lowering, tacking, jibing—all goes smoothly.

By now we know our posts and even begin to anticipate the captain and mate before “Sailing stations!” is called out. Not only have we completed our transformation and turned into crew, but each of us has been touched by Zodiac; we’ve come to know her intimately, have added to her past, and have even left a bit of ourselves aboard.

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race | play | experience

35

>>> GETTING AWAY

—Willapa Bay— history & hikes of Southwest Washington

story & photos by Craig

Romano

While growing up in New England,

Cedar tree at Teal Slough

36

race | play | experience

I imagined Washington to be a land of big rivers, big timber, and big emerald hillsides—a rural and rugged land flanked by a wild coastline. My introduction to the state was in 1980 when I crossed the Columbia River at Astoria, Oregon, into southwestern Washington’s Pacific County. I was eight months into a ten-month aroundthe-continental-United-States bike tour. As I pedaled along the glistening mudflats of sprawling undeveloped Willapa Bay—the Washington that I imagined was real.

Big trucks hauling big timber barreled down lonely US 101. Small dairy and oyster farms dotted a sparsely populated, rain-saturated landscape. And the bay was nearly empty of vessels and void of homes ringing its shores.

By the time I reached Puget Sound, however, I realized that much of Washington was just as urban, harried, and paved over as other parts of the country. But when I returned to Willapa Bay after making Washington my home in 1989, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it pretty much remained the way I remembered it. And two decades hence, southwestern Washington is still one of the least populated regions of the state.

It’s ironic, though, for Pacific County was one of the first parts of the state to be settled, established in 1851 while still part of the Oregon Territory. Of course, Native peoples flourished here long before the settlers arrived, lured by the area’s abundant resources. Those resources

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attracted scads of folks, mainly to build and feed a burgeoning San Francisco in the midst of a gold rush. At Willapa Bay, oysters became as valuable as gold and fortunes were made and lost on the bivalve.

The settlement of Oysterville boomed.

Dairy farmers and lumbermen followed the oystermen. A small beachside resort on the Long Beach Peninsula catering to Portlanders arriving by steamboat flourished. South Bend and adjacent Raymond on the Willapa River became the county’s civic and commerce centers. But the region’s population remained small. And conservationists realized that mostly undeveloped Willapa Bay, the second largest coastal estuary on the continental United States’ West Coast, needed to be protected. Not only was this 260-square-mile estuary a significant oyster bed, but also an important wintering ground for thousands of migratory birds. In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt established the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, which has grown to encompass tidal flats, salt marshes, old-growth rainforest, dunes and prime ocean shoreline. And along with providing excellent habitat for summering brown pelicans and wintering brants and other migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, the refuge also harbors several endangered species.

For hikers, Willapa Bay offers some of the finest and wildest coastal hiking south of Olympic National Park. Divided into five units, the 16,000-acre refuge offers a range of excursions from overnight wilderness wanderings through an incredibly diverse array of habitats to child-friendly strolls, several of which start near the refuge headquarters and visitor center on US 101.

The Salmon Art Trail, one of the more interesting and aesthetically appealing paths in the state, is a .7-mile trail utilizing a 300foot snaking boardwalk adorned with lifelike sculptures of toads, frogs and newts before traveling through a forest decorated with life-sized silver salmon silhouettes. Beautifully blended into the natural surroundings, this trail was the work of University of Washington art students.

The .6-mile Teal Slough Trail climbs to one of the last groves of coastal old-growth forest remaining within Washington. Here monstrous Sitka spruce and gargantuan western red cedars up to 800 years old with circumferences exceeding 35 feet provide critical habitat for Vaux’s swift, endangered marbled murrelets, northern spotted owls, and rare Van Dyke and Dunn’s salamanders. The property was saved from the chainsaw in 1999 when the Nature Conservancy purchased the 338-acre tract from the Hancock Timber Resources Group.

A longer trek in the area is to the stunning Don Bonker Grove. Getting to this ancient forest grove is a true adventure as you’ll need to paddle or motorboat across the narrow but

tide-influenced channel to the trailhead on Long Island. The largest estuarine island on the entire Pacific Coast, 5,460-acre Long Island contains miles of trails and old-woods roads leading to quiet tidal flats, scenic bluffs, hidden sloughs, and old town sites. Home to settlements and sawmills during the past century, most of the island had been logged. However, a 274-acre tract, the last large coastal old-growth forest grove left in Washington, was preserved in 1986 thanks in part to former congressman Don Bonker. With 900-yearold giant cedars, the grove is the island’s biggest attraction.

Once on the island, a 2.5-mile walk leads to the grove from where a .75-mile loop trail meanders beneath the ancient canopy.

There are five backcountry camping areas enticing you to stay awhile, with bear, elk, deer, and cougar all sharing the island. Elk in particular are profuse and so are hunters during season. Otherwise, the island is pretty quiet.

The hike along the Bear River captures the very essence of Willapa Bay. Located south of refuge headquarters in the Lewis Unit, this nearly flat trail follows the lazy Bear River into the sprawling intertidal mudflats. Along an old dike it’s a 6-mile out-and-back hike that can easily be completed in less than two hours. But you’ll linger—especially during a low tide when the flats glisten, gurgle, belch and reveal an amazing tapestry of life. I’ve stood mesmerized watching herons spear fry, osprey drop from the sky, and otters slide playfully. And I’ve scanned the swaying grasses, rippling waters, and mounds of mud, capturing in binoculars countless geese, cormorants, blackbirds, ducks, kingfishers, and songbirds. I’ve been captivated too by the intricate patterns etched into the flats by receding tides.

And while I realize many hikers may not care to recreate among miles of mud, most, however, appreciate dramatic coastlines. The Leadbetter Unit and adjacent Leadbetter Point State Park on the tip of the Long Beach Peninsula protect Washington’s wildest shoreline south of Olympic National Park. One of my absolute favorite places in the state, Leadbetter Point consists of over 3,000 protected acres of dunes, salt marshes, maritime forest, and more than eight miles of vehicle-free ocean and bayside beaches.

At the 1,200-acre Leadbetter Point State Park, over six miles of trails loop through salty spruce forests, over massive dunes, along wildlife-rich marshes, and out to the Pacific. And unlike at the adjacent national wildlife refuge, you are free to hike with your dog here. The 3-mile Dune Loop travels through thickets of myrtle and bear berry over secondary dunes before edging along Willapa Bay. I particularly like hiking along trail at

... the flats glisten, gurgle, belch and reveal an amazing tapestry of life.

Leadbetter Point

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continued >>>

race | play | experience

37

<<<WILLAPA, continued from previous page

the flats here during low tide checking out the signatures left behind in the mud of raccoon, bear, deer, and bobcat.

The grandest hike at Willapa Bay is the 10-mile out-and-back trek around Leadbetter Point. While the distance is grand, the real challenge to this hike is an oft flooded approach. From November through April the half-mile access trail to the beach is usually inundated with water. This keeps most hikers away, but if you are like me you welcome the knee-deep cold tannic water as an adventure.

Plodding across the limb-numbing waters is fun in a bizarre sense— like exploring a Louisiana swamp without the snapping turtles, leeches, and alligators. And unless you have an aversion to mucky leaves, there is nothing to worry about, except perhaps a little loss of circulation in your feet.

Once through the “bayou,” embrace an empty and wild beach where vehicles are prohibited and few footprints ever mar the sand.

It’s 3.5 miles from here to the tip of the peninsula, which is always shifting. Unlike the mouths of Grays Harbor and the Columbia River, there are no jetties at Leadbetter Point to contain the shifting sands. Hence, the point is surrounded by treacherous shoals. British sea merchant John Meares noted this in 1788, naming the bay Shoalwater. It was eventually changed to Willapa after the region’s Native peoples.

At Leadbetter Point survey the dunes for wintering snowy owls and breeding endangered snowy plovers. And scan outlying sandbars

for pupping harbor seals. When the tide is low you can continue hiking along the bayside for another mile or so. But don’t think about rounding the point—I did that once and it is extremely difficult, requiring crossing hip-deep channels and slogging through calf-deep mud.

But no matter how far you hike or where you hike at Willapa Bay, you will be rewarded with images and experiences of a wild and sparsely populated Washington. A Washington that I once imagined—and that still exists at Willapa Bay. start of the trail on Long Island. across the put-in at the Willapa NWR headquarters

FOR INFO: Willapa National Wildlife Refuge: www.fws.gov Leadbetter Point State Park: www.parks.wa.gov

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38

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Transitioning

on the water

Swinomish Channel, La Conner; photo by Larry Goolsby

story by Larry

Goolsby

I

consider myself a veteran of the Bellingham Ski to Sea races,

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having participated in seventeen of them by the year 2001. Each one of those years involved crawling out of bed before five in the morning and dragging my tired body up to the ski area. It seemed like half of those race mornings were wet and cold as I stood waiting for my hand-off from a cross-country skier. And all the rumors that abounded about how the kayakers slept in on race day, laid in the sun as they waited for their hand-off, were cheered by everyone as they crossed the finish line—ran rampant through my head. Without a doubt, I wanted to learn to kayak and do the final leg of the race.

I didn’t own a kayak—well, at least not a single kayak. So with a borrowed Seda Glider, my training regimen for the 2002 race was paddling around the north end of Lake Whatcom three times a week. By the time race day came around, I felt ready, like I might impress the crowds by setting a new speed record. When the results were posted, though, I saw I had ranked 117th. My heart sank. How could 116 people have beaten me? Then I remembered having seen a lot of fast-looking narrow kayaks on the lawn at the finish line. I imagined how tippy they would have been if the conditions had not been so calm.

For the following year, I prepared by buying my own kayak so I could train harder and more often. A friend urged me to use his wing paddle for the race, and while I had no concept of how the wing-shaped blade actu- ... I felt ready, like I might impress the ally worked, I decided crowds by setting a new speed record. that it was worth a try.

The choppiness of Bellingham Bay on race day only increased my confidence because I assumed that those fast skinny boats would be useless in such conditions. I expected to see my name in the top twenty. Once again my dreams were shattered: I ranked sixtyeighth overall.

Something inside me couldn’t accept the fact that I wasn’t as fast as I imagined I was.

I started making some calls and found out that those skinny kayaks that passed me were called surfskis—long, narrow, fully-sealed kayaks with an open, sit-on-top cockpit with molded indentations for a paddler’s butt and feet. I did a little searching and found one for sale locally. After answering my litany of questions, Simon, the owner, agreed to meet me at Lake Whatcom so I could test it out. continued >>> race | play | experience

39

<<<TRANSITIONING, continued from previous page

The surfski felt incredibly light as we lifted it off Simon’s roof rack and placed it on the water’s edge. My intentions were to paddle a couple of miles before coming to a purchase decision. The first thing I noticed about a ... I couldn’t paddle more than surfski is that five feet before I would flip over. you can sit in the seat with your legs dangling in the water—pretty slick. The second thing I noticed is that as soon as you lift your legs up, the boat flips over faster than you can say “huh?”—not so slick.

To my astonishment, I couldn’t paddle more than five feet before I would flip over.

Simon patiently stood on shore watching with amusement as I remounted and fell off time after time.

After completing my longest ride, of almost six seconds, I asked Simon to fill me in on the trick to keeping the beast upright. He had this quizzical look on his face as if he couldn’t think how to answer such a question. He grabbed his paddle, sat in the seat, and took off like he was a train riding on rails. With Simon paddling it, that surfski looked smooth and forgiving. He finished by paddling right up to me and after gracefully standing, he flipped the boat over and appeared to be inspecting the hull.

He finally turned to me and said, “There’s nothing wrong with this boat, maybe it’s your sense of balance?”

With that, I walked to my car and returned with my checkbook: I only had 360 days left until the 2004 Ski to Sea race.

The very next day I returned to the lake with my surfski, paddle, and PFD. I discovered that I could fall off and climb back on about forty times before I became too exhausted to climb back on one more time—there must be something commendable in that. My one shining moment came just before my final dunking when I made the surfski travel about fifty feet before it finally gave in to my lack of balance.

This was my routine each day for an entire month; and with each day I gained a little more distance without swimming. I realized that paddling a ski takes focus, a bit of relaxing the body, and an incredible amount of inner ear balance. During the first few months, if I turned my head to the right or left, I went in the water. If a boat’s wake or any small wave hit the side of the boat, I went in the water.

What kept me going was the challenge of mastering something so difficult, and the camaraderie of the other fifteen-or-so surfski paddlers I met on the lake.

40

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By the end of June, Lake Whatcom became too busy with power boats, so I moved my daily sessions to the much smaller Lake Padden, which I challenged myself to circumnavigate without a single swim.

This isn’t as easy as one might think because the wind always blows on some part of the lake and, eventually, waves will intersect with the beam of a boat’s hull. When this happens, the small waves rock the hull and you lose your balance. It was on Padden that I reunited with Simon; he had a new surfski that he was getting use to. Occasionally, Simon would paddle alongside me for a few minutes before getting bored with my snail’s pace and continuing on ahead. But even watching him from behind helped me focus on my form. He was kind enough to instruct me on proper use of the wing paddle: holding it more vertically while sweeping it away from the hull.

That summer, whether he liked it or not, Simon was my mentor.

Finally at the end of August, I comLake Whatcom Classic; pleted three full photo by Michael Lampi laps around Lake Padden without falling in. Of course, I had to “white knuckle it” around the windy end and the humongous two-inch waves, but I made it and, with images in my head of Australians paddling their surfskis in stormy conditions, felt I was ready for the bay.

It was cloudy and a bit windy when I launched from Marine Park to test my skills out by Post Point. That first day on Bellingham Bay taught me two important facts: salt water is nearly always moving, and surfskis like to surf. I knew enough that if I traveled up- or downwind, I could probably handle the current and waves. The problem would be when I needed to change directions and the waves would hit the hull on the side. I paddled out into the wind, and the further I went from the park, the taller the waves grew. Now, we aren’t talking huge breakers like along the Washington or Oregon coast, but wind waves that What kept me going was were one to two feet the challenge of mastering in height. As the something so difficult, and waves grew in size, I became more and the camaraderie of the other more fearful about surfski paddlers I met .... attempting to turn.

Finally, I reached a point when I had to turn if I ever wanted to get back to shore.

I was dressed in neoprene pants and booties, a neoprene vest, and my oversized PFD. Since it was still summer, the air was warm.

But the stories about cold water killing you in minutes did make me

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slightly nervous. When I finally attempted my first U-turn, a wave jostled the tail of the boat.

I went over and into the water.

Panic started to set in until I realized that the water wasn’t really that cold. I grabbed the gunwales to point the nose of the ski downwind and I waited for a wave to pass before hoisting my body back on top of the boat. I figured I had practiced about 300 remounts during my first three months, so I was an expert at that, if nothing else.

When I finished my remount, my fear of the cold water was gone and I was no longer as tense as I had been paddling out.

U-turn complete, I was heading for shore when I felt a sudden push as my surfski rode on the front of a wave. I was actually surfing.

It was intoxicating—movement without effort. I loved the feeling so much that I made several more trips (fall-ins and remounts included) back out to the point before calling it a day. That was when I discovered that a surfski was more than just a fast kayak.

I chose to use my sea kayak one last time for the 2004 Ski to Sea race only because I still didn’t trust my balance. After that, my skill

and confidence increased and I became a Ski to Sea surfski racer. At the 2010 race, I was twenty-second overall—my best finish so far—and I’m OK with that, considering I’m now in my mid-fifties.

It’s been seven years since the first time I sat in a surfski, and there have been a lot of changes beyond my own ability.

Surfski popularity has grown a lot; in Whatcom County alone the community has grown Round Mercer race; from about 15 to as many as photo by Michael Lampi 50 paddlers on the water. And compared to the few brands and types of surfskis available in 2003, now, through local and regional dealers as well as the internet, we have access to several brands, each offering beginner and advanced models.

But since achieving balance and confidence, my own main focus hasn’t changed much: getting out on the bay when the wind is driving waves in from the south. I’ve done a lot of different sports over the decades, but nothing compares to riding a surfski on the front of a wave while the blade of your paddle gently skims over the water’s surface.

>>> What’s YOUR next adventure? Go to AdventuresNW.com for hundreds of past stories & a full year of events.

race | play | experience

41

one

inspiration to race

>>> A T H L E T E P R O F I L E

Mo Trainor (right), Lake Padden Triathlon; photo by Paul Haskins

reflections compiled by

Pam Fralick

“Starting the race is the biggest achievement.”—Mo Trainor While Mo Trainor is known for her exceptional talent as an athlete, she is remarkable in the athletic world for more than that. She has generously shared and taught her broad and deep knowledge of the triathlon sport, with a rare mix of humility and enthusiasm that invites novices to venture into this intimidating world, as well the more seasoned athlete. Mo is an enormous inspiration to the “tri newbies” in that she not only makes you believe that you can really do this crazy thing, she readily provides advice and encouragement in the nuts and bolts of training. She throws the door wide open for those of us who initially would not have ventured near. What also sets Mo apart, is that she teaches and lives true sportsmanship. It is not solely about being fast and first; it is about celebrating movement and improvement as an athlete, and growth as an individual. Being a real triathlete means taking your turn with helping another teammate become better and stronger, and in the process you become better and stronger. That may mean on a training ride, hanging at the back of the pack to teach pacing and breathing technique to a lesser skilled rider. Being a true triathlete is not all about me and my race times and negative splits. It is about bringing others into the sport, pursuing a healthy active lifestyle with healthy competition. At her core, Mo is a teacher, coach and friend. Put another way: she enlightens, she encourages, and she inspires our community. She is dearly loved. —John and Karen Morgan It is impossible to put into words what an inspiration Mo has been to so many and what an asset she has been, and will continue to be, to the triathlon community. —Jerry Trump When I first began with TNT I was struggling with some nutrition issues. And I was feeling down in the dumps. I went in to talk to Mo, and she was so nice to me, in the end I started to cry, and she gave me several tissues and the biggest best hug ever. That is the way she always is as a coach, she is there with words of encouragement, direction on how to improve, whatever.

She will run or swim or bike at the pace of the person who needs her the most. She seems completely selfless, even as she privately struggles with her own issues and trains for her own events. She is so proud of us when we finish, and I am proud to say I have been coached by Mo. —Dani Bates 42

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I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve given me over the past two years of knowing you and training under your wise and wonderful tutelage. You help me believe in myself, that I can attain a dream.

You keep me inspired and on track. Thank you for being wonderful you! —Lisa Lewis Mo Trainor you have and will continue to be an asset to the triathlon community. You have touched and inspired so many. I remember my first triathlon—you selfishly gave your time to help me succeed, asking nothing in return, except for the details of my race after I finished. Thank you for being my inspiration. —Dr. Michael Hughes Mo is the ultimate motivator. —Russell Clapp I truly feel so blessed to know Mo Trainor. She inspires and encourages me when I need it, and even gave me great company with her showtunes on some bike rides! She is the most giving and amazing woman I have met. I would do anything for that lady. —Crystal Daniels Mo really just took it upon herself to give me a ton of advice, and is a tremendous, honest business person to boot. She has more knowledge than I could get in the next ten years, but she is very understanding in giving her opinion and never comes across as knowing everything—no ego, just loving advice. To have her appreciate and be there with hugs and kindness when there is so much going on in her own life means the world to me. Her energy, enthusiasm and friendship put me in the perfect position to accomplish my goals, and move toward future goals. —Brent Detta Mo is an inspiration to triathletes of every ability! Her support and sponsorship have been great! —Judy Pratt What qualities does one hope for in a friend, mentor, and coach?

Genuinely caring and generous; knowledgeable, yet humble with a sense of humor; empathetic and understanding. These area just few important qualities, and they all apply to Mo. I am honored to be her friend and coaching colleague. —Terry Thalhofer Maureen has added more adventures to my life than I ever thought possible—all of them have been learning, positive experiences and with each of them, no matter the challenges, there has also been fun; she has such a child like quality! —Nancy Trainor She fitted me for my first wetsuit, sold me my first pair of SBR skins, and got my form in order on the bike. She not only inspires me to do more, but helps me keep things in perspective. Most importantly, whenever I have a doubt in my head if I can compete or finish a race, I always remember what Mo told me the first time I went into her store. “Starting the race is the biggest achievement.” —Chris Hughes a few things you might not know ABOUT MAUREEN (MO) TRAINOR: • born in Green Bay, Wisconsin • only girl on boys 7th and 8th grade flag football team, played basketball and softball, threw discus in high school, runner, went to WWU as a redshirted freshman soccer player • attended Western Washington University, earning a degree in English; earned a Master of Fine Arts, with a concentration in poetry, from University of Alaska/Anchorage; some of her poetry has been published • taught at UA/Anchorage, Skagit Valley CC, Northwest Indian College, Laredo CC (TX), WWU and Whatcom CC • after contracting Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), transitioned from classroom teaching to teaching through her triathlon shop and training program (Train or Tri), and as a coach/ mentor in the Team in Training program

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race | play | experience

43

Elegant Rhinoceroses story by

Dana Ringler

I

was cold. A sort of freeze your face off frigidness that gives your very soul a jerk. Maybe it was because I was merely wearing some light shorts and a t-shirt. The frosty day was gray with hostile sapphire skies punctuated by stabs of slithering cirrus clouds.

A breeze stirred hair into my face and I agitatedly pushed it out of the way. I was waiting, nervous, in the midst of a pack of paired teenagers bound by the legs into three-legged single units. An odd scene.

Most Bellinghamsters are familiar with the scene at Lake Padden Park. They see children herded like animals into holding pens, where the kids await the relay wristband handoff and their turn to race their leg. It’s Junior Ski to Sea. But people, let me tell you! It’s a whole lot more complicated from the inside.

I participated in this event the last two years, in the elementary then middle school divisions, and plan to do it again this year with my middle school girls’ team. Basically you assemble a six-person team that races a course centered around Lake Padden Park. There are three divisions—elementary school, middle school and community—with separate race starts and distances, but the same leg sequence: first is a short run on park fields, paths and trails; then the three-legged run (that’s my leg) through the ball field and around

44

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the playground; next, the biker rides the trail around the lake; they hand off to the soccer person, who dribbles through a course with a bunch of challenges; waiting for the team wrist band at the final leg is the obstacle course racer, who scurries over playground equipment, climbs in and out of a giant box, and potato-sack jumps to the finish bell.

You don’t win any leg, or the race, by a fantastic stroke of luck.

Winning teams practice a lot, especially the three-legged racers. My three-legged partner, Lizzie, and I practiced constantly. We went through a full weekend of tireless training. I even slept over at her house and we strapped ourselves together with a scarf the entire time. ~

~

~

The race begins with a sharp cracking gunshot and the runners jockey for position, then settle into their pace. After her second time around, our runner hands us the armband and shouts out, “Move it!” We do.

Our legs pump in unison like elegant rhinoceroses, beating the grass to a pulp. Our faces are carved in grimaces of determination

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You don’t win any leg, or the race, by a fantastic stroke of luck.

Winning teams practice a lot.... photo by Tom Caldwell; photo illustration ANW

and our hearts are just about leaping out of our bodies with excitement. At first it is an easy lope, but as we pass pairs, we realize we have to kick ourselves into gear. Suddenly it isn’t just our excitement powering us along, it is our strength and technique: we pulse our legs in quick jolts, pummeling the concrete section of the course with our shoes. We move as a unit, locked together, extensions of one another working as one. We pass several pairs of racers and abruptly veer around the final corner. Our victory is in sight. We sprint, our breath coming in short gasps.

Screaming clusters of people, parents probably, encourage the boys in front of us who are just feet ahead. They call to the kids, “Go go go! Don’t let those girls catch you!” Lizzie and I grin with maniacal malice as we hurtle toward them. The orange plastic mesh fencing encases us in the finish chute; we are running out of time to beat the boys. We mechanically dart to their right and dash past. “No!” one boy cries as I throw the orange armband to our cyclist.

Practice, patience, and some tenacity. The qualities of a winner.

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>>> What’s YOUR next adventure? Go to AdventuresNW.com for hundreds of past stories & a full year of events.

race | play | experience

45

late winter late FEBRUARY >>> Saturday, 26 Feb SHOE Romp to Stomp—Mt. Hood, OR. A 3k snowshoe race or 3k/5k snowshoe walk to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Demos, sweepstake prizes, top fundraiser awards. tubbsromptostomp.com LEARN Snow Safety Awareness/ Intro to Transceiver Use—Mt. Baker, 9am-4pm. Low-cost classes. mtbaker.us XC SKI P’ayakentsut Loppet— Whistler, BC. At Whistler Olympic Park, this is BC’s newest sanctioned xc ski event, with competitive and recreational races, 2k to 50k, for all ages and abilities. payak.ca, bcnordic.com XC SKI Hogloppet XC Ski Trek— Wenatchee. A non-competitive 30k from Mission Ridge to Blewett Pass.

509-548-5477, skileavenworth.com BOAT About Boating Safely— Bellingham, 8am. An all-day, USCG Auxiliary class at Squalicum Yacht Club.

360-739-1310, bliaux.com FISH Smelt Derby—LaConner, 8am2pm. All ages may fish on the public docks. Prizes in multiple age divisions and categories. laconnerrotary.org RUN Smelt Run—LaConner, 10am. Certified 5 and 10k races, plus a kids’ run. Proceeds benefit Skagit Symphony’s youth programs. skagitsymphony.com

MARCH >>> Wednesday, 2 Mar

SPEC Bike to Work & School Day Meeting—Bellingham, At Whatcom Smart Trips headquarters, get involved!

(Also 4/6 & 5/4) 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Friday-Sunday, 4-6 Mar SPEC Special Olympics Washington Winter Games— Wenatchee/Leavenworth. sowa.org

Saturday, 5 Mar RUN Mountain Marathon & Hillbilly Half—Olympia, 8/8:30am.

Both muddy, hilly courses are from Rock Candy Parking Lot in Capitol Forest. guerillarunning.com 46

race | play | experience

RUN Honeywagon Runs—Everson, 10am. At Nooksack Valley Middle School, this event includes a 1/2mi kids run, 4mi walk/run, and half marathon walk/run on mostly flat, low-traffic roads. gbrc.net SKI Little Buck Slope Style Competition—Winthrop, 10am.

At Loup Loup Ski Bowl, be part of a terrain park event scored by judges.

866-699-5334, skitheloup.com SKI TRI Methow Valley Winter Triathlon—Winthrop, 9am. Bike, XC ski, and run. Open to iron competitors or 2-3 person teams. mvsta.com

Sunday, 6 Mar RUN Lord Hill Trail Runs— Snohomish, 8:30am. Trail runs (5mi, 10mi, 20mi and 50k) at Lord Hill Regional Park. 425-301-7009, evergreentrailruns.com TRI UBC Triathlon & Duathlon— Vancouver, BC, 8:30am-1:30pm heat starts. 3 distances, including Olympic, Sprint and Short. rec.ubc.ca/triathlon

Tuesday, 8 Mar LEARN Missing Marine Birds: Who’s Flown the Coop?— Eastsound, 7pm. At YMCA Camp Orkila, learn about the amazing wildlife of our region. Free. seadocsociety.org SEE Bicycle Australia, Erie Canal Trail & Mexico—Bellingham, 7pm. At ReSources Sustainable Living Center, enjoy a slideshow about experiencing the world by bike. Free for Smart Trips participants. everybodybike.com

RD BIKE Chilly Hilly—Bainbridge Island. A 33mi tour with significant elevation. cascade.org

XC SKI Nordic Masters World Cup—Vernon BC. At Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, watch athletes from 28 nations compete in classic and free technique, 5k to 45k. mwc2011.com

SPRING | 2011

Thursday, 10 Mar

Sunday, 27 Feb

3-11 Mar

race I play I experience

SPEC Kulshan Cycles Ladies Night—Bellingham, 7-9pm. Ladies (only) are invited to see current women’s cycling products and receive information about local cycling opportunities for women. Prizes and refreshments, too. A free event. 360-733-6440, kulshancycles.com

>>> Before participating, confirm all dates, times and fees.

THANK YOU to event organizers who email their info to Adventures NW. >>> See your outdoor-related event / outing / presentation in the next print calendar or online.

Submit anytime for the online calendar, by 30 April for the next print edition.

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Saturday, 12 Mar

Friday, 18 Mar

>>> RUN Runnin’ O’ the Green— Bellingham, 10am. The 2mi fun run/walk and the 5mi run both begin and end at Bloedel Donovan Park and wind through Whatcom Falls Park. Lowcost, shirts, draw prizes, and top finisher awards. 360-778-7665, cob.org/races

SKI/SPEC Keg Toss—Winthrop, 4pm.

After “sweep” at Loup Loup Ski Bowl, the furthest toss of a full-size empty keg wins a full pony keg of Twisp River Pub brew. 866-699-5334, skitheloup.com

SPEC St. Patrick’s Day Parade— Bellingham, noon. This parade, sponsored by Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, goes through downtown, with Irish dancers, pipe and marching bands, and human- and green-powered floats representing community businesses, schools, neighborhoods, clubs, and groups. Ride to the parade on your bike, walk, or take the bus and be green. Sign up to be part of this event, whether as a participant, sponsor, or volunteer stpatsbham.com

BIKE Bicycle Body-to-Body Geometry Fit Class—Bellingham, 7pm. No registration needed for this intro to bike fitting with Master BG Fitter Theirry Werderits and BG Fit Technician John Hauter. 360-733-4433, fairhavenbike.com

Friday-Sunday, 18-20 Mar BOAT Anacortes Boat Show— Boats of every type and style are brought to Cap Sante Marina for this free event. anacortesboatshow.com

Saturday, 19 Mar RUN Canyonlands Half Marathon & 5mi Run—Moab, UT, 10am. The course follows the Colorado River through a redrock canyon. 36th year.

435-259-4525, moabhalfmarathon.org BIKE The McClinchy Mile— Arlington, 8am. Explore Snohomish Co. backroads on a 30, 40 or 100mi ride. 425-778-5530, bikesclub.org

RUN Dallas Kloke Memorial Sunset Loop Relay—Anacortes, 10am. A 10mi relay of 4x 2.5mi loops of the hilly Sunset Loop Rd though forested Washington Park. Register as a team or run solo. 360-293-1948, cityofanacortes.org

BOAT Marine Radio Procedures & Regulations Class—Blaine, noon.

A fundamentals class from the USCG Auxiliary at Blaine Marina; includes use of radio frequencies, emergency calling and FCC regulations. 509-988-7131, d13cgaux.com/sites

RUN St. Patty’s Day Run— Snoqualmie Ridge, 9am. A USATFcertified 5k plus a kid’s 1k. Shirts for all pre-registrants. Medals for 1k. 425-9225844, runsnoqualmie.com

HIKE/LEARN Movin’ & Shakin’: Historic Mega-Landslides of the North Fork—Whatcom Co., 10am.

Learn from a geologist. Minimal walking. Free for WLT members. 360-6509470, whatcomlandtrust.org

FISH Lingcod Season Opens— Washington. Most of the WA coast will open to recreational lingcod fishing a week earlier than the date listed in the state’s 2010/2011 sport fishing rules pamphlet. The fishing season in those areas will run through Oct. 15 as previously planned. Marine Area 4 will be open for lingcod fishing from April 16 through Oct. 15. wdfw.wa.gov

NAV Alki Street Scramble— Seattle, 9:30am. On foot or bicycle, visit as many mapped checkpoints as you can in 90min. Team or solo. 3hr option.

206-291-8250, streetscramble.com

Saturday & Sunday, 12-13 Mar

ULTRA Chuckanut Ridge 50k— Bellingham, 8am. A scenic, very hilly and often muddy trail run. Start/finish at Fairhaven Park. Nourishment along the way and post-race. chuckanut50k.com

EXPO Seattle Bike Expo—At Smith Cove Cruise Terminal 91, see exhibitors and sessions on all things bicycling. cascade.org

RUN/WALK Magnuson Series —Seattle, 10am. 5k, 10k,15k, kids’ dash, special events, and relay option. magnusonseries.org

PADDLE Cedar River Slalom & Downriver Races—Maple Valley.

NW Slalom Cup #1, NW Downriver Cup #1; Class II+, nwwhitewater.org

BIRD Wings Over Water Birding Festival—Blaine, 10am-4pm. A free event celebrating migratory birds that visit Blaine/Birch Bay area. 360-3324544, blainechamber.com/wow

Sunday, 13 Mar RUN St. Patrick’s Day Dash— Seattle. 8:30am. A nearly 4mi jaunt beginning and ending at Seattle Center. A Leprechaun Lap for kids 10 and under before the 4mi start. stpatsdash.com

Sunday, 20 Mar TRI RainMan Indoor Sprint Triathlon—Seattle, waves 7am-4pm. At Evans Pool, racers swim in the pool, bike on a trainer, and run around Green Lake.

425-766-8787, trifreaks.com

>>> MORE Race|Play|Experience events & regular additions, in searchable PDF or Flash format, at AdventuresNW.com

20 Mar (cont.) - 26 Mar (plus recurring events) RUN Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8k to Fight Prostate Cancer—Vancouver, BC, 10am. A lap of Stanley Park Seawall; music at finish. canadarunningseries.com RUN Mercer Island Rotary Half Marathon—Mercer Island, 7:30am.

39th annual half, 10k, and 5k to benefit colon cancer prevention. 206-2365323, mercerislandhalf.com XC SKI Ozbaldy—Snoqualmie Pass, 9am. A 10k or 50k freestyle XC ski race from Cabin Creek Sno-Park. Mass start; 10k for juniors. kongsbergers.org WALK Padilla Bay—1:45pm. Meet at The Farmhouse on Hwy 20 for a 10k walk. Free, or AVA credit $3. 360756-0470, nwtrekkers.org

CLIMB Big Climb for Leukemia— Seattle, 8:30am. The 69-flight course up Seattle’s tallest skyscraper includes 1,311 steps and 788 ft of vertical elevation. A physical challenge and a chance to make a difference. bigclimb.org

Thursday, 24 Mar HEAR An Appalachian Trail ThruHiker’s Tale—Bellingham, 7:15pm At Fairhaven Runners & Walkers, Alan Fox shares how he made a boyhood dream a reality. Free. fairhavenrunners.com

Friday-Sunday, 25-27 Mar BOARD Neil Edgeworth Memorial Banked Slalom—Big White, BC. bigwhite.com

Weekly / RECURRING events>>>

MONDAYS

RUN Mount Vernon, 6pm, Beginner/Recovery: 3-5mi at 9-11min/mi; meet at Skagit Running Co. 336-2475, skagitrunners.org MEET Bellingham, 7pm. NW Straits Surfrider Meeting: 4th Mondays at Boulevard Park. surfrider.org/nws MT BIKE Arlington, 6:15pm, XC & Light-free Trail (May-Sep). 360-6296415, stanwoodvelosport.com READ Bellingham, 7pm, PNW Book Club: 1st Mondays at WLT office. 360-650-9470, whatcomlandtrust.org

TUESDAYS

RD BIKE Ferndale, 9am (10am winter) Social Ride: 30-40mi from Pioneer Park at 13-16mph. mtbakerbikeclub.org RUN Bellingham, 6pm, All Paces: 40-minute run with various speed groups, from Fairhaven Runners. 6764955, fairhavenrunners.com RUN Mount Vernon, 5:30pm, Skagit Advanced: up to 6 miles, 7-8+ min/ mile pace, from Skagit Running Co. 336-2475, skagitrunners.org KAYAK Bellingham, 6pm (spr, sum, fall). Kayak Polo: at Marine Park.

No exp. needed (some gear avail.).

676-4279, kayakpolobellingham@ yahoogroups.com RD BIKE Arlington, 6pm (Mar-Sep).

Sweetcakes:14.5mi at 15-18mph. 360629-6415, stanwoodvelosport.com FIX Bellingham, 6pm, Bicycle Repair Clinic: “last Tuesdays” at Fairhaven Bike & Ski. 733-4433, fairhavenbike.com RUN Bellingham, 5:30pm, Evening Track Workout: emphasis on team running and racing; meet at Sehome High. fairhavenrunners.com RD BIKE N Bellingham, 5:45pm (Apr-Sep), Evening Ride, develop group ride skills at 15-16mph for 18-20mi; meet at, Bakerview & Northwest. mtbakerbikeclub.org

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WEDNESDAYS

RUN Bellingham, 6pm, Evening Epic: “strenuous,” hilly runs of 1.5-2 hours; meet at Fairhaven Runners. 676-4955, fairhavenrunners.com RUN Mount Vernon, 6pm, Skagit Advanced: up to 7mi, 7-8 min/mi pace; meet at Skagit Running Co. 336-2475, skagitrunners.org PADDLE Bellingham, 6pm, Casual Pick-up Race (Spring-Fall): Paddlers of all types informally come together at Bloedel-Donovan Park/Lake Whatcom.

RD/MTB BIKE Bellingham, 6pm, Group Workout: Oct-Mar, Night Trail Ride. Apr-Sep, Race/Training pace. mtbakerbikeclub.org

THURSDAYS

RUN Anacortes: 6pm, Trail: 3-7mi from Heart Lake. skagitrunners.org RD BIKE Arlington, 6pm (Mar-Sep), Pacelines: 25+mi at 19-20mph. 360629-6415, stanwoodvelosport.com FIX Bellingham, 6pm, Fix a Flat Demo: at Fairhaven Bike & Ski, free.

733-4433, fairhavenbike.com RUN Bellingham, 6pm, Hit the Trail: causal ~40min trail runs around Bellingham; meet at Fairhaven Runners.

676-4955, fairhavenrunners.com

FRIDAYS

WALK/SEE Bellingham, First Fridays, Art Walk: Exhibits at many downtown galleries. downtownbellingham.com KAYAK Kirkland, 9-10:30pm (thru June). Kayak Open Pool Sessions: $10, instruction/rentals avail., at Juanita HS. outdooradventurecenter.com

SATURDAYS

RD BIKE Bellingham, 10am, 2nd Saturdays, Recumbent: 14mi town ride from Kulshan Cycles; weather may cancel. mtbakerbikeclub.org KAYAK Bellingham, 9am, Informal Day Paddle: meet at Sehome Village.

WALK Bellingham, 8am, Fairhaven Walking Club: all levels. 319-3350, fairhavenrunners.com

race I play I experience

race I play I experience Saturday, 26 Mar RUN Birch Bay Road Race—8:30am.

A spectacular run along the shores of scenic Birch Bay and country roads for serious and recreational runners alike, with inspiring vistas and early morning rural roads. Training for your 1st marathon or half marathon? The 15k or 30k are the perfect distance for May race goals.

Experience a fully supported race and learn what to expect; you’ll go into your marathon with more confidence and excitement than you thought possible! birchbayroadrace.com

BOAT About Boating Safely— Bellingham, 8am. An all-day, USCG Auxiliary class at Squalicum Yacht Club; meets WA boater ed. card requirements.

360-739-1310, bliaux.com RUN Can Do 5k/10k/1mi—Bothell, 8:30am. Help bring awareness to what kids with special needs “Can Do.” Starts and finishes at The Seattle Times North Creek facility. cando5k.org XC SKI Vancouver Island Loppet —Mount Washington. Choose a 15k or 30k route on rolling terrain, and take in the views of Strathcona Prov. Park, Comox Glacier, and Mt. Arrowsmith. A 2k or 5k for kids; team categories available too. bcnordic.com

run • bike • walk • paddle • ski • shoe • learn • see • fix ...

RD BIKE Bellingham, 7am Mar-Sep (7:30am Oct-Feb). Donut: 24-45mi, race pace, from Kulshan Cycles to Ferndale and back or to Birch Bay and back. mtbakerbikeclub.org SHOE Wenatchee, 5pm (through Mar), Twilight Snowshoe Treks: For beginners; $10. missionridge.com SKI/BOARD Wenatchee, 4:30pm (through Mar), Intro to Ski & Snowboard Lessons. Rope tow & rental not free. missionridge.com

SUNDAYS

KAYAK Bellingham, 10am. KayakPolo: at Marine Park, all weather, all welcome, some gear available. kayakpolobellingham@yahoogroups.com RD BIKE Bellingham, 8am, F’haven Ride: race pace for 30-40 mi, or med speed/shorter dist.—from Village Green. 733-4433, fairhavenbike.com

daily, MAY-NOV

SEE 100 Years of the Bicycle. Lynden Pioneer Museum; opening celebration Sun, 5/1. lyndenpioneermuseum.com

Other outings/clubs/meetings:

• mountbakerclub.org (area hikes) • holeinthewallpaddlingclub.org • friendsoftheacfl.org (hikes in

Anacortes Community Forest Lands) • wakekayak.org • bellinghamseniorcenter.com • gbrc.net (Greater B’ham Running Club) • nwskiclub.org (weekend trips 3/5 Stevens; 4/15 Whistler) • www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs (Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie Nat’l Forest; snowshoe treks with a ranger Fri, Sat, Sun through 3/27; 360-677-2414) • whimpsmtb.com

>>> See your outdoor-related event, club or volunteer opportunity in ANW’s calendar.

Submit anytime for the online calendar, and by 30 April for the next print edition—SUMMER 2011 Details:

AdventuresNW.com

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VOLUNTEER WA Trails Assoc Statewide trail maintenance occurs every day but Monday.

206-625-1367, wta.org WHIMPS Mt bike Coalition Whatcom Co. trail work Mar 6, 13, 20; Apr 3 & 16; May 15; Jun 25

whimpsmtb.com

Mt Vernon Trail Builders

jimtaylor@wavecable.com, 360-708-2462 Nooksack Salmon Enhancement ASSOC

360-715-0283, n-sea.org

CHUCKANUT CONSERVANCY

chuckanutconservancy.org Pnw Trail assoc Skagit/Whatcom work parties 1st & 3rd SAT, Apr-Oct.

pnt.org

Whatcom Land trust Work parties 3/26 & 4/23

whatcomlandtrust.org 360-650-9470

Volunteers for outdoor washington

trailvolunteers.org

PEOPLE FOR PUGET SOUND

206-382-7007, pugetsound.org Washington water trails

wwta.org

Anacortes Community Forest Lands

friendsoftheacfl.org

Padilla Bay Reserve

360-428-1070, padillabay.gov Bellingham Parks

360-778-7105 cob.org/government/public/ volunteer/parks

race | play | experience

47

race I play I experience

26 Mar (cont.) - 9/10 Apr RUN Berthusen Park Trail Run— Lynden, 10am. At this free, informal run hosted by Fairhaven Runners & Walkers, explore meandering forested trails in the middle of farm country for 30-40 minutes. Meet by the playground. fairhavenrunners.com ROW Spring 2K Novice Regatta— Lake Stevens, 8am. 1000M and 2000M rowing events for novice, elites, juniors and masters. 888-769-5772, lakestevensrowing.com RUN Lake Sammamish Half Marathon—Redmond, 9am. Chiptimed, finisher award, tech shirt. 425301-7009, evergreentrailruns.com

Saturday-Sunday, 26 & 27 Mar FISH Anacortes Salmon Derby.

The 2-day derby fills early. $25,000 in prizes, plus merchandise; optional FRI meeting. anacortessalmonderby.com PADDLE Riverhouse Rendezvous Slalom–Bend, OR. Class II-III on the Deschutes River; NW Slalom Cup #2. nwwhitewater.org

Sunday, 27 Mar

BIKE First Gear everybodyBIKE Class—Bellingham, 6pm. At Birchwood Elementary, get the tips and secrets that make bicycling safe, comfortable and fun for getting around town. Preregister. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

weekdays 28 Mar - 4 Jun >>> SPEC Girls on the Run Spring Session—various Whatcom Co. elementary schools, 3:30-4:45pm. GOTR is a character development program for girls. The highly interactive curriculum combines training for a 5k run with self-esteem enhancing lessons and uplifting workouts. GOTR is a noncompetitive running program and all girls are welcome, culminating in a 5k on 6/4.Volunteer coaches always needed! 360-733-8630, jgallant@whatcomymca.org, whatcomymca.org

Wednesday, 30 Mar ADV RACE BEAST #1—Seattle, 7pm. A 2-4hr race: biking, running, map reading, and special challenges. Solo or team. 206-291-8250, beastrace.com

RUN Fort Vancouver Runs— Vancouver, WA, 8:15am. 5k, 10k, 15k & kids run at the waterfront and through Nat’l Fort Vancouver Historic Reserve, 360-909-0211, energyevents.com

through March

TR RUN Redmond Watershed Preserve 5mi, 10mi, & Marathon —Redmond, 9:30am. Precisely measured courses on forest trails. 206-2918250, nwtrailruns.com

BIRD Shorebirds/Migrant Bird Viewing—Regional. Through March, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and neotropical migrants depend on northwest WA’s abundant natural habitats to rest and eat before continu-

ing north, or to nest to grow their population. This annual phenomenon affords some of the country’s best bird viewing. 866-922-4737, wa.audubon.org SNAP Fun on the Trails Photo Contest. BC Nordic wants to see how folks enjoy activities, like XC skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic ski touring and backcountry skiing on BC’s Nordic trails.

Take your photos and enter them to win.

1st Prize? A Nordic Winter Getaway in BC valued at $1450. Contest deadline is 3/30. bcnordic.com

APRIL 2011 >>> Saturday, 2 Apr RUN Yakima River Canyon Marathon—Ellensburg, 8am. The Ellensburg to Sela course offers views of the canyon as it follows the river. yakimarivercanyonmarathon.com WALK Guemes Island— time tbd.

Enjoy an 11k walk. Free, or AVA credit $3. 360-756-0470, nwtrekkers.org BOAT Boating for Women by Women—Bellingham, 9am-4pm. At Squalicum Yacht Club, learn boating skills from Bellingham Sail & Power Squadron. Fee includes lunch and a chance at door prizes. boatingisfun.org

Saturday & Sunday, 2 & 3 Apr PADDLE Rich Weiss Cup Slalom & Downriver—Chilliwack BC. Class III & 1V on the Chilliwack River. nwwhitewater.org

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race | play | experience

SPEC/BIKE Fanatik Bike Co Grand Opening—Bellingham. The 2-day celebration includes Ryan Leach Trials Shows, live music, BBQ, tons of demos and a “mega schwag raffle.”

360-756-0504, fanatikbike.com WALK Walk MS Washington— 8:30am programs/9:30am starts. Walk 3 or 4 miles. All events on 4/2 except Seattle, which is 4/3.

Bainbridge Island High School Bellingham’s Barkley Village, Kitsap Co’s Klahowya Secondary Lacey’s Horizons Elementary Snohomish Co’s Tulalip Amphitheatre South Sound’s Fort Steilacoom Park Tri-Cities’ Columbia Park Seattle’s Husky Stadium. walkwas.nationalmssociety.org

Sunday, 3 Apr RUN Sunshine Coast April Fool’s Half Marathon—Gibsons, BC, 8/9am.

34th annual half-marathon and relay.

Low fees, finisher medals, certified course. 877-493-5163, foolsrun.com RUN Race for the Roses—Portland, OR. A fundraising 5k, 10k or Half Marathon. race4theroses.org RD BIKE April Fools Ride— Bellingham, 10am. Join Mount Baker Bicycle Club for a social ride to Lummi Island. Non members welcome. mtbakerbikeclub.org

Monday-Sunday, 4-10 Apr FIT Free Yoga Classes—Bellingham.

Free classes for new students (or current with a friend) to experience Yoga Northwest’s classes and instructors. yoganorthwest.com

Wednesday, 6 Apr SPEC Bike to Work & School Day meeting—Bellingham, At Whatcom Smart Trips headquarters, get involved!

360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Saturday, 9 Apr RUN Skagit Valley Tulip Run— Burlington, 9:30am. This 2mi or 5mi course is on flat trails near Skagit Valley Airport. 360-540-1611, tuliprun.com NAV Rock Creek Rogaine— Sprague. At Escure Ranch find 50+ checkpoints; solo/team; 4, 8 & 12hr options. 206-291-8250 mergeo.com DU Wenatchee Valley/Apple Capital Spring Du—Wenatchee.

8am. From Confluence State Park. 509679-6793, triwenatchee.net WALK/LEARN Geology of Point Whitehorn—Whatcom Co., 10am. An educational .75mi walk with a geologist.

Free for WLT members. 360-650-9470, whatcomlandtrust.org

Saturday & Sunday, 9 &10 Apr BOAT CharterFest—Bellingham, 11am-5pm. For 2 days at Squalicum Harbor, tour sailboats and motoryachts. Free. 360-676-2542, portofbellingham.com

AdventuresNW.com >>> MORE Race|Play|Experience events & regular additions, in searchable PDF or Flash format, at AdventuresNW.com

race I play I experience

9/10 Apr (cont.) - 23 Apr RUN Whidbey Island Marathon, Half Marathon, 5k—Oak Harbor.

Ocean views, farmland, community on each of these runs. SAT: 5k run/ walk (9am) and Health & Fitness Expo (11am). SUN: full and half marathons.

Over $5,000 in prizes will be awarded. whidbeyislandmarathon.com

Sunday, 10 Apr ULTRA/RUN Mt. Si Relay & Ultras —Snoqualmie., 6:30-8:30am starts. A 59mi 5-person-team relay, or 50mi or 50k ultra. 206-276-1635, mtsirelay.com RD BIKE Daffodil Classic Bicycle Ride—Orting, WA. A 40mi, 60mi or 100mi loop, or a flat, family-friendly, paved trail option. twbc.org RUN Seahawks 12k Run at The Landing—Renton, 9am. “Show your Seahawks spirit.” seahawks12krun.com MULTI Ski 2 Sea—Kelowna, BC. From the slopes of Big White to the shores of Kelowna, teams of 2-7 (or solo) race 6 legs over 95 mi. ski2sea.ca

Friday-Sunday, 15-17 Apr PADDLE Port Angeles Kayak Symposium. Speakers, demos, sales, clinics, music. raftandkayak.com

Friday-Sunday, 15-24 Apr SPEC Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival—Whistler, BC. A week-plus of arts, sports, and music. wssf.com

Saturday, 16 Apr >>>BIKE Tulip Pedal—La Conner, 7am. Ride 20 miles around the tulip fields between Mount Vernon and La Conner or ride 40 or 60 miles that also offer views of Samish and Padilla bays—all from La Conner Middle School. Kids 14 and under ride free. 2011 is the 30th anniversary of this event, Skagit Medic One’s premier fundraiser. skagitems.com

BOAT/SPEC Bellingham Bay Charter Boat Rendezvous & Zodiac Homeport Renaming— 9am-4pm. At the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven, celebrate as the historic Tall Ship, Schooner Zodiac makes Bellingham its official home port (1pm ceremony). Tour the Zodiac and the fleet of local skippered charter boats, including visiting vessels from the NW Windjammer Fleet. Also enjoy sea chanties, maritime-themed presentations, nautical arts, and antique marine engine demonstrations. Sponsored in part by Port of Bellingham. 206-7197622, fairhaven.com

RUN Run for Water—Seattle, 8am.

Run at Elliott Bay Park to bring awareness to lack of safe drinking water in 3rd-world communities. seattlerunforwater.org

NAV University District Street Scramble —Seattle, 9:30am. On foot or bicycle, visit checkpoints on a map in 90 min. Team or solo. 3hr option.

206-291-8250, streetscramble.com

RUN WWU Earth Day 5k & Alumni Run—Bellingham, 10am.

From WWU’s track, enjoy the run and be honored with a sapling tree. wwuearthday5k.org

RUN Vancouver Sun Run 10k— BC, 8/9am. vancouversun.com/sunrun

SKI/BOARD Raven’s Edge Dual Slalom Races —Mt Baker Ski Area.

Raven’s Edge is for skiers and snowboarders ages 8 to 80 years. Advance online registration. 360-201-2567, mtbakerraceteam.us

ULTRA/TR RUN Spokane River Runs—mult. start times. Run a 50k, 25k, 10k or 5k on trails of stunning Riverside State Park, located minutes from downtown Spokane. All four distances are primarily on single-track trail with some wide paths at the beginning. And all are full loops (no laps), with courses that wind through thick pine forests set against basalt cliffs, and end with a twisty single-track next to the roaring Spokane River.

Early registration/savings ends 4/7.

Event benefits Garfield Elem. APPLE program. spokaneriverrun.com

PADDLE Cowichan Slalom— Vancouver Island, BC. Class III on the Cowichan River; NW Slalom Cup #3. nwwhitewater.org

RUN Bridge to Brews—Portland, OR. 8:30am. An 8k or 10k crossing Fremont Bridge, finishing at Widmer Brewery.

503-926-2662, terrapinevents.com

Sunday, 17 Apr

RUN Bellevue 5k/10k—Bellevue, 8am. 5th annual event to benefit Kindering and Seattle Children’s Autism Center. bellevuerun.com

Saturday & Sunday, 16 & 17 Apr

RUN Race for the Cure 5k— Spokane, 9am. Run in downtown Spokane. komeneasternwashington.org

Monday, 18 Apr RUN Boston Marathon—The oldest annual marathon. bostonmarathon.org

Thursday-Sunday, 21-24 Apr RD BIKE Northwest Crank— Wenatchee. Several supported rides each day beginning and ending in East Wenatchee. northwestcrank.com

Saturday, 23 Apr SPEC Golden Egg Hunt—What better reason to play in the snow at Mt. Baker Ski Area? mtbaker.us >>>RUN Fun with the Fuzz 5k—Bellingham, 9am. The race/run/ walk is a benefit for the Behind the Badge Foundation, which supports families of fallen officers. The race starts and ends at the Bellingham Police Department and is flat and fast throughout nearby neighborhoods.

This year, the event will be offering chip timing and online registration. funwiththefuzz5k.com calendar continues on p. 51 >>>

TRI Delta Triathlon—Ladner, BC. A sprint tri at Ladner Leisure Centre.

Youth categories too. deltatriathlon.ca RUN Wenatchee Marathon. Run a Full, half, 10k, or a marathon relay—all on scenic, traffic-free courses. 509-6622066, wenatcheemarathon.com RUN/WALK Magnuson Series —Seattle, 9:30am. 5k, 10k,15k, kids’ dash, special events, and relay option. magnusonseries.org ROW NW Sculling Regatta—Lake Stevens, 8am. 1000M and 1500M races for all levels. 888-769-5772, lakestevensrowing.com RUN/WALK The Bunny Hop— Lynden, 9:30am. From Isom Elementary, this community 5k benefits Lynden Girl Scout troops 50439 & 50834. lyndengirlscouts.org/funrun

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race | play | experience

49

photo by Dan Ringler

race

>>> WARM-UP to...

by Laural Ringler

Sometimes

you can extend race fun. Why begin a running race or multi-sport challenge at the starting line, when you can add to the endurance required by bicycling or jogging to the event? My husband cycles to Lake Padden mountain bike race starts, and we have both bicycled up for the Lake Padden Triathlon. True, we only live three miles from Lake Padden. But we get in a pre-race warm-up and post-race cool-down, completely eliminate parking hassles, and do the right thing by the environment.

Around town, we do errands by bicycle, towing our Burley trailer of groceries, or once, the Christmas tree. We do not drive to other locations to work out. And there was that year we bicycled to Mexico to start our family sabbatical. Okay, we did take the train to Eugene and cycled from there, but we rode our bikes to catch the train in Bellingham, and then it was a 1500-mile, six-week commute to San Diego.

Yet it wasn’t until friends succeeded in completing the Ski to Sea relay race car-free that we realized we could skip the cars for bigger races too. We decided to follow their fine example and challenge ourselves on an event that would take us much further than Lake Padden—we’d do Ski to Sea car-free ourselves. Now we just had to recruit other folks who were willing to, say, extend their 8-mile running leg by bicycling 60 miles to the Mt. Baker Ski area for their leg’s start, and then bicycle the route in reverse to get home after their run.

Amid our endurance athlete friends, the idea was met with immediate enthusiasm. Everyone we approached had done Ski to Sea for many years, and was excited to change it up. Our team of

photo by Laural Ringler

CAR-FREE

eight had experience in impressive athletic events, the majority having competed multiple times in the Chuckanut 50K running race, IronMan-length triathlons, century-length bicycle rides, and I think everyone had run a marathon—except me.

So when Alan was enthusiastic about bicycling the 36-mile road bike leg, and cycling to the start, and cycling from the finish, I switched from the bike leg I had done for six years and started to learn about mountain biking. Riding fifteen miles to the mountain bike start at Hovander Park, racing a similar distance, and riding three miles to the big finish at Marine Park, no problem—how hard could mountain biking be? I knew I was the weak link, but I figured the other folks were so fit, the team would still finish well.

In fact, my husband, Tom, started analyzing team members’ splits from previous years and thought we could actually be competitive, even with all of the extra miles we would put in before we raced.

Ralf ’s Bavarian Pretzels stepped up to sponsor us, and we entered as a competitive mixed team in the 2010 Ski to Sea. Our friends who had raced car-free in 2009 recommended support people. They got by with a little help from their friends—nonracing folks on bicycles to help schlep camping gear, food, and skis for the mountain start racers tenting at Douglas Fir campground the night before the race. Plus other people could help bicycle-tow the canoe and kayak into position. We didn’t listen. Tom wanted to do it ourselves, all of it not only car-free, but independent of support outside the team.

This meant the first four racers left town right after the Ski to Sea Grand Parade on Saturday. The post-parade street cleaners were continued on p. 52>>>

50

race | play | experience

race raceI play I playI experience I experience

<<<CALENDAR, continued from p 49

23 Apr (cont.) - 8 May PADDLE Jetty Island Race— Everett, 9am. A 5mi race around a nature preserve. soundrowers.org RUN Earth Day Run—Tigard, OR, 8:30am. 5k, 10k, & Kids race. 360-9090211, energyevents.com ROW NW Collegiate Rowing Championships—Lake Stevens, 8am.

NCAA Div. II/III schools in USRowing NW Region compete. myhome.spu. edu/kpjeffr/NCRC/NCRCmain.htm RUN Squak Mtn Runs—Issaquah, 8:30am. 12k, half-mrathon, or 50k. 425301-7009, evergreentrailruns.com

Monday & Tuesday, 25 & 26 Apr BIKE First Gear Bike Class Parts 1 & 2—Bellingham, 6pm. At Carl Cozier Elementary, get the tips and secrets that make bicycling safe, comfortable and fun for getting around town. Day 2/Part 2: learn how to handle traffic and intersection situations, basic bike mechanics info and practice riding from the class site to a local shop on residential streets. Pre-register. 360671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Friday-Sunday, 29 Apr - 1 May BIRD Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival. This event takes place during the annual migration of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds as they stop at the Grays Harbor estuary to feed and rest before departing for their nesting grounds in the Arctic. 800-303-8498, shorebirdfestival.com

Saturday, 30 Apr RD BIKE Tour de Lopez—Lopez Island. A mostly flat bike tour of 10, 17 and 31mi routes. lopezisland.com BOAT About Boating Safely— Bellingham, 8am. An all-day, USCG Auxiliary class at Squalicum Yacht Club; meets WA boater ed. card requirements. 360-739-1310, bliaux.com >>>SWAP Great NW Recreational Gear & Bike Swap— Bellingham. 10am. Whatcom Events/Ski to Sea and The Bike Shop team up for a combined swap at the Sportsplex.

Drop off equipment for sale Friday evening or pre-10am Saturday. The Bike Shop is a non-profit project that uses the bicycle to engage youth from lowincome homes in healthy physical and social activity 360-758-2035, thebikeshop1.org, skitosea.com TR RUN Soaring Eagle Park 5mi & 10mi—Sammamish, 9:30am.

Precisely measured courses on forest trails. 206-291-8250, nwtrailruns.com ULTRA Capitol Peak 50mi / 55k— Olympia, 5am/6am. Wind through the Capitol State Forest. A benefit for Friends of the CSF and WA Trails Assoc. capitolpeakultras.com

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RUN Holland Happening Eagle Run—Oak Harbor, 8am. At Windjammer Park, a kids 1mi or a 5k along scenic waterfront. eaglerun.org LEARN All About Nest Boxes & Bat Boxes—Whatcom Co., 10am.

Free for WLT members. 360-650-9470, whatcomlandtrust.org MULTI Suburban RUSH— Vancouver, BC, 10am. A 30k multi-sport adventure race in scenic suburbs of Vancouver. suburbanrush.com

MAY >>> Sat-Sun, 30 Apr & 1 May RUN Eugene Marathon/Half/5k/ Kids Run—Eugene, OR. This premier event in ‘track town USA’ includes a 5k and Kids Run (Saturday), and the Marathon and Half-Marathon (Sunday). The full and half courses are beautiful, flat and fast—taking participants by numerous parks and miles of riverfront trails before reaching the spectacular finish line on the track inside historic Hayward Field. Don’t miss one of the prettiest, flattest and most unique certified races in the country! Run in Eugene, and run in the footsteps of LEGENDS. eugenemarathon.com SPEC Dirty Dan Days Festival— Bellingham. A 2-day event at the Fairhaven Village Green: kids crafts, salmon toss, oyster eating, chowder cook-off, music, a piano race, and the Dan Harris Challenge (at Boulevard Park on Sunday). fairhaven.com PADDLE Bull Run Slalom & Downriver—Sandy, OR. Class III on Bull Run River. nwwhitewater.org EXPO Spring Recreation Expo— Monroe, 10am-5pm (4pm Sun). Learn about indoor and outdoor recreation activities, including things to do in your own backyard. Free. 360-805-6700, evergreenfair.org

Sunday, 1 May PADDLE/ROW Dan Harris Challenge—Bellingham, 10am. At Boulevard Park, be part of a 9mi or 4mi open water race for all human powered craft. Part 1 of the Think Kayak International Challenge (a friendly competition between USA and Canadian surf skiers; 2nd race is 5/15).

360-223-5806, danharrischallenge.com MULTI Snow to Surf Relay— Comox, BC, 9am. Alpine, Nordic, run, mt bike, kayak, rd bike, canoe—for teams of 9 people. snowtosurf.com

RUN Tacoma City Marathon, Half, 5k & Kids Marathon—Rolling hills provide views of Commencement Bay, Mt. Rainier, and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. tacomacitymarathon.com MT BIKE Indie Series #1 —Port Angeles. A single-lap course for each category; long course with gravel road/ dirt road/quad trails/fresh singletrack/ well-ridden singletrack. indieseries.org RUN Lilac Bloomsday Run— Spokane, 9am. The Lilac Bloomsday Run is one of America’s classic road races.

In its 34-year history over a million runners, joggers and walkers have crossed the finish line. Olympic athletes and thousands of citizen runners navigate a course that weaves back and forth across the Spokane River gorge, facing the infamous “Doomsday Hill” at five miles and, spurred on by nearly 30 performers along the route, enjoying a dramatic finish above Spokane Falls.

509-838-1579, bloomsdayrun.org

DU Mt. Rainier Duathlon— Enumclaw, 8am. Long and short courses offered. buduracing.com RUN Vancouver Marathon— Vancouver, BC. bmovanmarathon.ca RD BIKE May Day Classic—Federal Way. 50, 72 or 104+ (mountainous) miles. maydaymetric.net RD BIKE Rhody Bike Tour, Metric & Half-Metric Century—Port Townsend. Supported routes of 32, 45, 55 or 62 miles, plus a family 12mi, following varied rural terrain. ptbikes.org

Friday, 6 May SKI Nordic Ski Clinic/Classic— Bellingham, 9am. Pre-register for this clinic at Mt. Baker’s Heather Meadows to tune-up your xc ski technique for Ski to Sea or other spring events. (5/13 is an xc skate clinic.) 360-733-4433, fairhavenbike.com

Saturday, 7 May RUN Sunflower Relay & Marathon—Mazama, 8:30am. A 26.2mi trail marathon through miles and miles of sunflowers. Competitors may run solo or on a team of 2-7 people. mvsta.com ULTRA Lost Lake 50k—Bellingham, 8am. This Chuckanut Mountain course from Clayton Beach Park is scenic and challenging, with 8,200 feet of elevation gain. 10hr limit. skagitrunners.org RUN/BIKE Mud Run Ride— Campbell River, BC, 10am. At McIvor Park teams of two race a 10k on bike, foot and through challenges. mudrunride.com RUN/WALK Inspiring Hope Runs—Mukilteo. 10k run and a 5k run/ walk. inspiringhope.info

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PADDLE/ROW Paddle Palooza / Wake Demo Days / Lake Whatcom Classic—Bellingham, 9am.

Paddle races, demos and equipment sales for any type of humanpowered water craft: kayak, surfski, canoe, SUP, etc. Classic: Race solo, or with other paddlers/rowers, 12mi from Bloedel Donovan Park. Also a 5.5mi course option. wakekayak.org, soundrowers.org, cob.org/races NAV Kitsap Peninsula Scramble— Bremerton, 9:30am. On foot or bike, visit as many mapped checkpoints as you can in 90 min.Team or solo. 3hr option.

206-291-8250, streetscramble.com FISH Kids Free Fishing Derby—Marysville, 8-11am. Kids 2-12 may catch a fish at the Jennings Park Kiwanis Pond. 360-363-8400, ci.marysville.wa.us RUN Over the Dam Runs—Grand Coulee. Features a 5k and10k walk/run and a half marathon. trifreaks.com RUN Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon & 8k—Snoqualmie, 9am.

USATF-certified and “very flat and fast” from Mt. Si HS. 425-922-5844, runsnoqualmie.com RD BIKE Skagit Spring Classic— Burlington, 8am. Supported rides through Skagit and southern Whatcom counties. 25, 40, 62, and 100mi routes. skagitspringclassic.org RUN/WALK Haggen to Haggen 5k—Bellingham, 8am/8:30am. Both the walk and run start at Sehome Haggen and finish at Meridian Haggen. gbrc.net RD BIKE Ride Around Clark County—Vancouver. Four routes from Clark College—18, 34, 65 or 100 miles. vbc-usa.com/racc

Sunday, 8 May WALK Deception Pass— 1:45pm.

Meet at Cranberry Lake for a moderate 5k or 10k walk. Free, or AVA credit $3. 360-756-0470, nwtrekkers.org RUN/WALK Heroes Half—Everett, 7:30am. Run or walk a half marathon or 10k for the kids of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and make a difference in the lives of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. The courses follow the Yellow Ribbon Highway (SR529) from Port Gardner to Marysville and back.

The north lane will be closed to traffic Have a special Mother’s Day weekend in scenic Everett, with a Sports Expo on Saturday, plenty of local entertainment, great restaurants and miles of running trails. heroeshalf.com

calendar continues on p. 53 >>>

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51

<<<CAR-FREE, continued from p 50

Ride 25, 50, 62, 100 or 124 beautiful miles

—with classic Whatcom & Skagit county sights, including Bellingham Bay, Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay, Chuckanut Drive & Samish Island.

Fully supported. Finish festivities (with free burger or beverage) at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, in Bellingham.

2008 Chuckanut Century; photo © CJ Berg Photographics

humming as we hugged our teammates good-bye, wished them well, and watched them pedal away in the chilly drizzle. Our kayaker and I biked home from the parade and then walked her boat to Marine Park. She paddled it across the bay to the kayak start while I went home and got a tandem bike to ride around the bay and pick her up. We pedaled home together wondering how the car-free campout was going.

The morning of the race, the canoe duo rode a tandem bike the twenty miles to Everson with a special trailer carrying their boat. And a little later, the kayaker and I bicycled to her start. She locked up her bike and I bicycled on to Ferndale’s Hovander Park.

As our cross-country ski racer, Tom figures he bicycled 140 miles on Saturday and Sunday, almost all of it towing gear. He towed camping gear up the Mt. Baker highway pre-race, and post-race rode to Everson to get the canoe trailer with the canoeists’ tandem bike attached, towing both to Ferndale to the canoe finish. He was completely exhausted when he made it back home, and spent most of the post-race party flopped on the couch. Feeling happy and accomplished, yes, but now agreeing that the support people recommendation was a good one.

Working out the logistics of getting people and gear to their starting points, the twist of so much additional exercise, and the positive responses of other teams and spectators to the car-free efforts was the most fun any of us had ever had in Ski to Sea racing. Plus we spent a lot more time with our teammates and really were competitive, placing 65th overall and third in our division.

Every team member wants to race car-free (or provide car-free team support), again in 2011.

The exhausted husband, meanwhile, recovered and decided to mount a car-free Bellingham Traverse in September. His brother was willing, and they raced as a two-person family team, alternating legs. The logistics were easier than Ski to Sea, and Tom even allowed a little non-racer involvement. Our daughter and I walked the kayak from our house to the Marine Park start, and I tandem-biked my brother-in-law downtown to the start of the race. Again, they raced competitively, had fun with the additional challenges, and would do it again.

Athletic events are meant to be challenging, and going carfree ups the challenge. If you live in the same county as your event’s start, I invite you to try the car-free option. Extend the race fun. Reduce your carbon footprint. And smile as you go by all those other folks searching for a pre-race parking spot.

EARLY REGISTRATION just $50! at active.com

USE COUPON CODE ANSPRING11 FOR ADDITIONAL SAVINGS!

Ride

foR

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18

Info at chuckanutcentury.org

Now offering

photo by Scott Banac

Real Estate by Bike

52

race | play | experience

JILLIAN TRINKAUS Independent Broker with Coldwell Banker 360.510.6555

JillianTrinkaus.com

race I play I experience

<<<CALENDAR, continued from p 51

8 May (cont.)- 28/29 May RUN Cinco de Mayo Half / 10k / 5k—Portland, OR, wave starts. 503926-2622, terrapinevents.com RUN/WALK Kirkland Half Marathon & 5k, 7-8am. Both runs from Juanita Beach Park. 206-729-9972, kirklandhalfmarathon.com

Tuesday, 10 May ADV RACE BEAST #2—Seattle, 7pm. A 2-4 hour race: mountain biking, running, map reading, and special challenges. Solo or team. 206-291-8250, beastrace.com

Thursday & Friday, 12 & 13 May HEAR Richard Louv w/ The Nature Principle—Seattle, 5/12, 7pm at Town Hall; Bellingham, 5/13, 7pm at Sehome High School. Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, gives a presentation on his new book, The Nature Principle, about the power of living in nature— not “with” it, but “in” it. 360-854-2599, ncascades.org/get_outside/events

Friday, 13 May SKI Nordic Ski Clinic/Skate— Bellingham, 9am. Pre-register for this clinic at Mt. Baker’s Heather Meadows to tune-up your xc ski technique for Ski to Sea or other spring events.

360-733-4433, fairhavenbike.com

Saturday, 14 May SPEC Penn Cove Water Festival— Coupeville, 11am-6pm. This free family festival is a blend of Native culture, history, and environmental education, and is the only authentic Native American event on Whidbey Island. It includes Tribal Canoe Races with clubs from WA and Canada participating, music, dancers, storytelling, native arts and crafts, food and children’s activities. Native Spirit Arts Show May 14-15 at the Recreation Hall. 360-678-3451, penncovewaterfestival.com RUN Windermere Marathon / Half —Spokane, 7am. Full (Boston qualifier), half, 5k. Expo on Friday.

Post-race music festival. 509-321-9160, windermeremarathon.com SEE Youth Fitness Expo—Everett, 9am. A new and “out-of-the-box” event to awaken youth’s health and fitness lifestyle—at Comcast Arena. Free. 425212-1919, youth-fitness-expo.com MT BIKE Stottlemeyer 30/60 Mile Endurance Race—Port Gamble, 8:30am. Fully stocked aid stations.

425-301-7009, nwepicseries.com BIKE Pedal with Your Politician— Bellingham, noon. An easy town route, with stops highlighting transportation improvements and noting where challenges remain for making walking and bicycling safe. everybodybike.com

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TR RUN Cougar Mt Trail Run #1— Newcastle, 9am. A 5miler; finish line refreshments. 206-291-8250; nwtrailruns.com BOAT/FISH Silver Lake Boat Expo—Everett. 10am-4pm. At Thornton A. Sullivan Park, view and board boats, go for a float or paddle, and learn about boating clubs and classes offered in Everett. (Kids’ “Fish In” 8am-3pm.) ci.everett.wa.us RUN Bay View Women’s Walk/ Run—Bay View State Park,10am. A 2mi or a 10k along Padilla Bay Shore Trail. A benefit for the Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. skagitdvsas.org RUN Have a Heart Runs—Mount Vernon, 9:30am. A 10k run, 2mi walk/ run, and half-pint 1/2mi at Edgewater Park. 100% of the registration goes to help fight hunger and homelessness.

360-588-5737, haveaheartrun.org RUN/WALK The Human Race —Bellingham, 10am. A fundraising 5k walk, or a timed 5k/10k run at Zuanich Park. Register, then gather pledges for the nonprofit of your choice. 360-7343055, whatcomvolunteer.org BIKE Camano Climb—Stanwood.

Scenic and challenging cycling around the perimeter of Camano Island with an escape route of about 28 miles for a shorter ride. stanwoodvelosport.com

Saturday-Sunday, 14-15 May BIKE Washington State Omnium Stage Race Championships. bikewenatchee.org

14, 15 & 21 May WALK Arthritis Walks—Tacoma 5/14;Vancouver 5/15, Bellevue 5/21.

Walk 1mi or 3mi as an individual or on a team with friends, family or coworkers. Dogs welcome. 800-746-1821, letsmovetogether.org

Sunday, 15 May PADDLE Tour de Indian Arm— Deep Cove, BC, 1pm. A race into Burrard Inlet, the 2nd in a friendly int’l competition beginning with Dan Harris Challenge 5/1. deepcovekayak.com/ rental-and-lessons/racing HIKE Lookout Mountain Preserve Dog & Human Hike—Whatcom Co., 1:30pm. Hike in this 369-acre watershed. Free for WLT members.

360-650-9470, whatcomlandtrust.org RUN/WALK Haulin’ Axe 5k— Bellingham, 9:30am. Run from Barkley Village to Bloedel Donovan Park following the Railroad Trail. A benefit for the Whatcom Co. Fire District 4 Association. wcfd4.org RUN Capital City Marathon, Half Marathon & 5miler—Olympia, 7am.

Rolling hills and rural roads provide views of Olympia, Mt. Rainier, the Olympics. capitalcitymarathon.org

Wednesday, 18 May RUN/WALK Forest Park Hill Climb—Everett, noon. At the park’s Upper Field, walk, run or skip up 10 hills in a 30min timed event. Team or solo. (Also 6/15, 7/13, 8/17 and 9/21).

425-257-8300, everettwa.org/parks

Friday, 20 May BIKE National Bike to Work & School Day. Check what’s happening in your community—or make something happen! Commute alternatively.

BIKE Bike to Work & School Day —Bellingham/Whatcom Co, 6-9am. 50+ Celebration Stations welcome cyclists and walkers with prizes and goodies for the commute. mtbakerbikeclub. org, everybodybike.com

Saturday, 21 May PADDLE Commencement Bay Race—Tacoma, 10am. 6 miles, from Headshaw Park. soundrowers.org RUN Seattle’s Best 15k—Seattle, 7am. Enjoy the views of Lake Union during a unique training distance for marathons or half-marathons. Starts at Gas Works Park. seattle15k.com RUN Mazama 5k & 10k Fun Runs—Mazama, 9am. Run through open fields and forested areas, with elevation and dirt trails. mvsta.com BIKE Adaptive Cycles Expo— Bellingham, 11am-2pm. At Civic field, try out hand-cycles for riders with limited or no leg movement; 3- and 4-wheel cycles for those wanting more stability; tandem cycles, and more. 360-778-7000, cob.org, everybodybike.com JR MULTI Junior Ridge to River Relay—Wenatchee. Teams of kids (5-16 years old) run, paddle, bike and do an obstacle course at Walla Walla Point Park. 800-258-2821, r2r.org JR MULTI Ski to Sea Jr. Race— Bellingham, 8am-4pm. With elementary, middle school and community divisions (separate start times), teams race at running, 3-legged-ing, mt biking, soccer ball kicking, and obstacle-coursing. See p. 44 in this issue! jrskitosea.com MULTI Pole Pedal Paddle—Bend, OR. Teams, pairs, and solos compete in alpine ski, xc ski, bike, run, canoe/kayak and sprint from Mt. Bachelor to Bend. mbsef.org MT BIKE Whidbey Island Mudder —2011 event cancelled. indieseries.org SPEC Harvey Haggard Hoedown —Kendall, 4-9pm. Enjoy music, dancing, and BBQ at this festival in honor of a local legend. On the lawn across from Paradise Market, 6483 Mt. Baker Hwy. 360-599-1518, mtbakerchamber.org BIKE Tour de Cure—Seattle. This fundraising event of the American Diabetes Association offers routes of several distances, from Marymoor Park. tour.diabetes.org

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BIKE High Tide Ride—Anacortes, 8am. Choose a 25, 50, 75 or 5mi ride, with views of the Skagit flats and San Juans. 360-941-1091, http://sites.younglife.org/sites/northislands/default.aspx

Saturday-Sunday, 21-22 May BOAT Anacortes Waterfront Festival. A boat show at Cap Sante with boat rides, a children’s play area, swap meet, model boat show and safety demos. anacortes.org

Sunday, 22 May RUN Rhody Run—Port Townsend, 11am. A 12k rural loop run/walk, with views of mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. rhodyrun.com RD BIKE Munchen Haus Ride— Leavenworth, 8am. Ride 50, 75, or 100 miles, including through Wenatchee Nat’l Forest. munchenhausbikeride.com RUN Great Kilted Run 5k—Seattle, 9:30am. A run/walk from Magnuson Park; participants encouraged to wear kilts. Beer garden and Scottish music.

206-729-9972, promotionevents.com RUN 10k Rum Run—Tualatin, OR, 8:45am. A 5k, 10k and kids’ run. 360909-0211, energyevents.com RUN Peach City Half Marathon & 10k—Penticton, BC, 8am. A flat, fast course running along Skaha Lake. 250490-3334, peachcityrunners.com TR RUN Lord Hill Regional Park 10k & Half Marathon—Snohomish, 9:30am. Precise courses on forest trails.

206-291-8250, nwtrailruns.com RUN West Seattle 5k Run/Walk— 9am. Run along Alki Beach to benefit W. Seattle HS PTSA. westseattle5k.com

Tuesday, 24 May TALK Wendell Berry—Seattle.

Seattle Arts and Lectures and North Cascades Institute present this author of more than 40 books of poetry, fiction, and essays that address ecological and agricultural responsibilities—at Benaroya Hall. ncascades.org

Saturday, 28 May NAV Gig Harbor Street Scramble —9:30am. On foot or bicycle, visit as many checkpoints as you can in 90 min.

Team or solo. 3hr option. FREE. 206291-8250, streetscramble.com MULTI Mind Over Mountain 1—Burnaby, BC, 9am. 30k and 50k multisport courses. 866-912-3331, mindovermountain.com RUN/WALK Magnuson Series —Seattle, 9:30am. 5k, 10k,15k, kids’ dash, special events, and relay option. magnusonseries.org

Saturday-Sunday, 28-29 May MT BIKE 24 Hours Round the Clock—Spokane, noon-noon. Race at Riverside State Park, solo, team, and a free kids race. roundandround.com

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29 May - 13 Jun Sunday, 29 May >>>MULTI Ski to Sea—Bellingham.

A multi-sport relay for recreational to elite athletes, from the slopes of Mount Baker to the shores of Bellingham Bay. This year, celebrating 100 years, the course will be a full 100 miles, with 7 legs, 8 racers/ team—XC ski, downhill ski or board, rd run, rd bike, canoe, mt bike, and sea kayak to a finish at Fairhaven’s Marine Park. Multiple divisions from recreational to competitive; Top Gun Awards as well as divisional awards presented at the finish festivities around 6pm.

Likely to reach the 500-team limit early.

(See several stories about racing Ski to Sea in ANW’s Story Library online!) skitosea.com SPEC Fairhaven Festival— Bellingham, 10am-8pm. An all-day fest in conjunction with Ski to Sea—just blocks from the finish line—for all ages and tastes, with live music on 2 stages, kids’ fun, arts and craft vendors, ethnic foods, a beer garden, and more. fairhaven.com RUN Coeur d’Alene Marathon— ID, 5am. Course starts and finishes 2200 feet above sea level. Also a Half and a 5k. cdamarathon.com BIKE Seven Hills of Kirkland. Do 7 hills (40mi), or a metric century with 11 hills; or full century into the Snoqualmie Valley and Snohomish Co, with 4 hills. 7hillskirkland.org WALK Mount Vernon—9:45am.

Meet at Hillcrest Park for a 10k walk.

Potluck picnic after. Free or AVA credit $3. 360-756-0470, nwtrekkers.org

Tuesday, 31 May BIKE First Gear everybodyBIKE Class—Bellingham, 6pm. At Happy Valley Elementary, get the tips and secrets that make bicycling safe, comfortable and fun for getting around town. Pre-register. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

>>> See your outdoor-related event in ANW’s calendar.

Submit anytime for the online calendar, and by 30 April for the next print edition—SUMMER 2011

54

AdventuresNW.com

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Friday-Sunday, 3-5 Jun ADV RACE Wild Canyon Games—Antelope, OR. Teams of 7 run, swim, bike, geocache, climb, zip-line, and blob. wildcanyongames.org

Saturday, 4 Jun (National Trails Day) ULTRA Rainier to Ruston Rail Trail Relay—Mt. Rainier. 50mi running relay, 15mi walking relay, 50k & 50mi ultras. rainiertoruston.com WALK Spokane Bridge Walk— 9am. Be part of a 4.5mi walk crossing 17 bridges over the Spokane River.

509-625-6546, spokaneparks.org SKATE Skatefest—Anacortes, noon4pm. Three levels of skateboarding competition at Ben Root State Park.

Free. cityofanacortes.org >>>RUN Girls on the Run Spring 5k—Bellingham, 9am. A community (girls, boys, women, men, leashed pets and strollers welcome!) 5k at Barkley Village to celebrate and support Girls on the Run of NW Washington.

(GOTR is an afterschool character development program that uses the power of running to build girls’ self esteem.)

Low registration fee; free to GOTR participants; race proceeds help allow girls of all socio-economic levels to participate in GOTR. 360-733-8630, jgallant@whatcomymca.org, whatcomymca.org MT BIKE Bavarian Bike & Brews —Leavenworth. Series race #2. Family fun, racing, beer, and music. An 8.6mi loop with 1800ft elevation gain, creek crossings, single track. indieseries.org

Monday, 30 May

Details:

JUNE >>>

TRI/RUN Issaquah Tri—Issaquah, mult. start times. A sprint triathlon and duathlon, a 5k and 10k run/walk, and a kids triathlon. issaquahtri.com BIKE 24th Annual Apple Century Bike Ride—Wenatchee, WA. 8/10am.

NEW ROUTE. Start at Walla Walla Point Park, and wind through the orchards and vineyards of Monitor, Cashmere, Dryden and Peshastin en route to Leavenworth. From there, 50milers return, while 100milers continue on through the foothills of the eastern edge of the Cascades to the turnaround, Nason Creek Campground at Lake Wenatchee. Water stops along the route and at the two main pitstops (Cascade HS, Leavenworth—25mi; Nason Creek—50mi). SAGwagons and post-ride party, with food, beverages, entertainment. applebikeride.com

MULTI Gap2Gap Relay—Yakima, 7:45am. This multi-sport, 5-leg relay race utilizes the Yakima Greenway, a series of parks connected by over 10 miles of pathway along the scenic Yakima River. Elite course has a 2mi fjeld run, 20mi mt bike, 8k kayak/ canoe, 30mi road bike, and 10k run.

Sport Course features an in-line skate leg in place of the kayak/canoe, 8mi mt bike, same fjeld run and rd bike courses, and a 5k run. Compete solo or form a team. Jr. Gap2Gap, the same day, is for 6-14 yr-olds. 509-453-8280, yakimagreenway.org/g2g RUN Race Beneath the Sun— Bellingham, 10am. The 5mi mostly-trail race and 1/2mi kid’s run begin and end at Fairhaven Park. gbrc.net BIKE SWAN Century & Family Fun Ride—Sedro Woolley. 100, 58 or 13mi supported rides along Skagit River and S. Skagit Hwy or on toward the flats. Benefit for Serving Women Across Nations. swancentury.org RUN Middle School Challenge— Bellingham, 10:30am. See 400 kids run at Whatcom Falls Park.

Saturday-Sunday, 4-5 Jun PADDLE NW Whitewater Championships—Roslyn. WKC Salmon la Sac Slalom & Downriver on Cle Elum River. nwwhitewater.org

Sunday, 5 Jun PADDLE Round Bowen Challenge —Bowen Island, BC, 10:30am. A 38k race for kayaks, canoes, surfskis and outriggers. Finistere Dash open to paddleboards. roundbowenchallenge.com BIKE Peninsula Metric Century— Gig Harbor/Southworth. Waterfront views, countryside, and rolling hills. 29, 44, 62 or 100 miles. twbc.org RUN San Juan Island Marathon, Half-Marathon & 10k—Friday Harbor, 8:30am. A beautiful marathon, with an out-and-back course along the west side of San Juan and views of Haro and Juan de Fuca straits. The half offers rolling hills and farmland. The 10k is new this year. sjmarathon.org RD BIKE Fort2Fort Bike Ride— Port Townsend. From Fort Worden State Park tour through Jefferson Co. to either Old Fort Townsend (17mi rt or 42mi loop) or Fort Flagler (62mi rt). fort2fortride.org WALK Bellingham—1:45pm. Meet at the YMCA for a 10k in Whatcom Falls Park. Free or AVA credit $3. 360756-0470, nwtrekkers.org RUN 3 Towers Adventure Run—Olympia, 9am. 10-15 miles; no set route; each runner must get to checkpoints located at 3 water towers.

360.970.2896, guerillarunning.com

RUN North Olympic Discovery Marathon & Half—Sequim. Course to Port Angeles includes the Olympic Discovery Trail. Relays, 5k, 10k, and kid’s marathon, too. nodm.com

Saturday, 11 Jun BIKE Flying Wheels Summer Century—Redmond. Enjoy Puget Sound rural riding with loops of 25 to 100 miles. cascade.org RUN Sound to Narrows—Tacoma.

A 12k run/walk that traverses the hilly terrain of west Tacoma and Point Defiance Park. Also a 5k, Junior Shuffle and Diaper Dash. soundtonarrows.org FISH Kids Fishing Derby — Anacortes, 7-11:30am. A family event at Heart Lake; free for 15 and under cityofanacortes.org PADDLE Hawaiian Canoe Races —Everett, 10am-2pm. A family-oriented event at Silver Lake, hosted by Hui Wa’a O of Puget Sound. everettwa.org/parks TR RUN Cougar Mt Trail Run #2 —Newcastle, 9am. 7.5mi; finish line refreshments. 206-291-8250; nwtrailruns.com PADDLE Wenatchee River Festival—Cashmere. A “premier PNW whitewater event” on anything that you can float or paddle. wenatcheeriver.com SAIL Leukemia Cup Regatta— Seattle, noon. Join other sailors in a fun-rules race to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 206-628-0777, leukemiacup.org/wa

Sunday, 12 Jun RUN Edge to Edge Marathon & Relay—Tofino, BC. Run from Tofino to Ucluelet on Vancouver Island. (See the ANW Story Library online for Craig Romano’s E2E story.) 250-726-464, edgetoedgemarathon.com RUN Sandcastle City Classic 10k Road Race—South Surrey/ White Rock, 9am. From Crescent Park Elementary. sunrunners.ca RD BIKE Bill’s Hills—Bellingham, 7am. Join Mount Baker Bicycle Club for a challenging, social ride of up to 100 miles—all close to Bellingham—with 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Open to nonmembers. mtbakerbikeclub.org RUN Shore Run/Walk—Seattle, 8am. Annual event to benefit Immunotherapy Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Ctr. shorerun.com

Mondays, 13 Jun - 29 Aug RUN+ All Comers Track & Field— Bellingham, 6pm. Every Monday, take part in multiple events for all ages at Civic Stadium. Enter as many events as you like. Multiple age divisions with awards given 3 deep. cob.org/races

>>> MORE Race|Play|Experience events & regular additions, in searchable PDF or Flash format, at AdventuresNW.com

race I play I experience

15 Jun - 13 Jul

RUN/WALK Forest Park Hill Climb—Everett, noon. At the park’s Upper Field, walk, run or skip up 10 hills in a 30min timed event. Team or solo. (Also 7/13, 8/17 and 9/21). 425257-8300, everettwa.org/parks

Saturday, 18 Jun BIKE Tour de Blast—Toutle Lake.

Ride up the spectacular Mt. St. Helens Memorial Highway to Johnston Ridge and back. tourdeblast.com ADV Survivor Mud Run— Carnation, wave start 9am. 14 obstacles over 3.3mi. survivormudrun.com RUN Berry Dairy Days Runs— Burlington. 8:30/9am. “Flat and fast” USATF-certified half marathon and 10k, plus a 2mi. berrydairyruns.com

Sunday, 19 Jun RUN/WALK Magnuson Series —Seattle, 9:30am. 5k, 10k,15k, kids’ dash, special events, and relay option. magnusonseries.org

20 Jun - 6 Aug

MT BIKE Methow Mt. Challenge— Winthrop. A mix of open trails and steep climbs; separate loops for beginners and advanced. indieseries.org TRI Golden Gate Triathlon—San Francisco, CA. trifreaks.com MULTI Mountains to Sound— Snoqualmie/Seattle. Teams, pairs or solos mt bike, rd bike, canoe or kayak, run, then sprint to the finish. Benefits MTS Greenway. mountainstosound.com RUN Vancouver Half Marathon & 5k—Vancouver, BC, 7am. UBC to Stanley Park; 5k in the park. canadarunningseries.com NAV Columbia City Street Scramble—Seattle 9:30am. On foot or bike, visit as many checkpoints as you can in 90 min. Team or solo. 3hr option.

206-291-8250, streetscramble.com TRI Ironman Coeur d’Alene— Coeur d’Alene, ID, 7am. One of the world’s toughest events: 2,200 athletes, 2.4mi swim, 112mi bike and a 26.2mi run. ironmancda.com

JULY-AUGUST >>>

Tuesday, 21 Jun

Saturday, 9 Jul

RUN Chuckanut Footrace— Bellingham, 9am. 7 miles from Marine Park, along the Interurban Trail, finishing at Larrabee State Park. gbrc.net

Saturday, 25 Jun

>>>TRI Clear Lake Triathlon & Youth Tri— 9am/11am A chip-timed event in the Skagit community of Clear Lake on scenic Hwy 9. A 1/3mi swim in the shallow lake (~72 degrees), a 14.8mi bike course with a few gradual inclines about 5 miles out, and a relatively flat 4mi run. Solo or teams. Also a separate Youth Triathlon for 14 & under. 360336-9414, skagitcounty.net

RD BIKE Cannonball—Seattle. A 1-day, 275mi ride between Seattle and Spokane; almost all on the shoulder of I-90. redmondcyclingclub.org >>>RUN Dog Island Run—Guemes Island, 10:45am. A 10k or a 2mi, with awards, drawings, San Juan views, and good feelings (benefits Guemes Library.) A shuttle to the start, so leave cars in Anacortes. dogislandrun.com

Saturday-Sunday, 25 & 26 Jun TRI TriMonroe—Monroe. This is a 2012 USAT Olympic Qualifier. Olympic distance, pro and age group races.

Spectator friendly. trimonroe.com

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—fully-supported —free cycling beanie

EARLY REGISTRATION

— just $30 at

360-428-3236 www.SkagitEMS.com

Saturday July 9

active.com

Proceeds fund child injury prevention efforts in Skagit County kids 14 & under ride FREE!

24 th Annual

a selection— more at AdventuresNW.com

ADV RACE BEAST #3—Seattle, 6-7pm starts. A 2-4hr solo or team race: bike, run, canoe, map read, and more. 206-291-8250, beastrace.com

BIKE Chelan Century Challenge & Cycle de Vine—Chelan. The ride(s) offer orchards, vineyards, and mountainous terrain. Cycle de Vine visits a number of wineries. centuryride.com

Ride 20, 40 or 60 miles through world-famous Skagit tulip fields & along Samish & Padilla bays

Sunday, 26 Jun

BIKE Big Ride Across America— Seattle to Washington, DC. A 48-day, 11-state fundraising ride for the American Lung Association. bigride.org

>>>TRI Padden Triathlon— Bellingham. At Lake Padden, participate in the competitive division (8:30am, .5mi swim, scenic 21mi rd bike, 5.2mi tr run) or the rec division (1pm, .25mi swim, 10mi bike, 2.6mi tr run). Solo or team; t-shirts and top finisher awards. This popular tri fills early.

360-778-7000, cob.org/races

Saturday, April 16

Photo: Linda Wright

Wednesday, 15 Jun

TR RUN Cougar Mt Trail Run #3— Newcastle, 9am. A 10mi run.

206-291-8250; nwtrailruns.com

13-16 Jul, 19-22 Jul, & 20-23 Jul >>>CLIMB Climb for Clean Air— Mt. Rainier. Join the 24th annual Climb for Clean Air, a 4-day fundraising climb of Washington’s most prominent landmark, Mount Rainier, to benefit the American Lung Association of the Mountain Pacific. World-renowned mountaineer Lou Whittaker serves as honorary chairman of this popular event. Elite guides from Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. guide climbers of event description continues next page >>>

Iron Person & Team .3-mile swim 14.8-mile bike 4-mile run

Plus a YOUTH TRI

(flotation devices allowed & parents encouraged to participate with their kids)

360.336.9414

parksrec@co.skagit.wa.us www.skagitcounty.net

TRIATHLON HEAQUARTERS TRAIN-OR-TRI products • periodization spin classes • personalized coaching •

Sprint, Olympic, Half & Full Ironman—train or race

MO TRAINOR

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Train O r Tri . cOm race | play | experience

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13 Jul (cont.) - a selection of Fall events all experience levels in their quest for the summit. Climbers receive fundraising assistance, regular meetings and training hikes to help ensure success!

Registration is limited! 206-441-5100 x23, climbforcleanair.org

3 days 3 islands 1 breathtaking adventure

Friday, 15 Jul GOLF Charity Golf Classic— Lynden, 1pm. At Homestead Golf & Country Club, be part of a 4-person scramble. 360-733-2866, arthritis.org

Saturday, 16 Jul RUN Samish Bay Low Tide Mud Run—Bow, 12:07pm. A run through 250 yards of Samish Bay mud at Taylor Shellfish Farm. Shoes required. 206-6122761, bivalvebash.com

Sunday, 17 Jul RD BIKE 2nd Annual Kent Cornucopia Days Emerald City Lights— Kent, 7am. Bike 25, 60 or 100 miles (the 100mi route is a great training ride for Ramrod!).

Van Support, food, and live music, with ALL proceeds going to “Our Daily Bread Basket,” helping those in need in our communities… One Meal, One Day, One Bike Ride at a time. Check out the 9/10 Emerald City Lights Bike Ride and 5k Walk, too. 253-709-1530, emeraldcitylightsbikeride.org

Saturday, 23 Jul

you’ve never vacationed like this before...

29th Annual

TREK TRI-ISLAND September 16-19, 2011 San Juan

•

Orcas

•

Lopez

206-441-5100 x23

www.cleanairadventures.org

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race | play | experience

>>> RD BIKE DU Padden Duathlon —Bellingham, 9am. A fun du at a great location, with both 2.6mi runs on trail around Lake Padden, and the bike out and around Lake Samish. All participants receive a t-shirt and are eligible for generous draw prizes; trophies for top 3 male and female overall. Solo or team. 360-778-7000, cob.org/races

Sunday, 24 Jul MT BIKE Padden MTN Pedal— Bellingham. Lake Padden Park offers a good venue for spectators and a challenging course for riders. (note new date) indieseries.org

Saturday, 30 Jul >>>BIKE Tour de Whatcom— Bellingham, 7:3011:30am starts. A ride to benefit local charities of your choice, with 25 (flat), 50 (a short hill and rollers) or 105 (a bigger hill) miles. All routes offer great scenes and settings of Whatcom Co. Regular reststops, bike techs, safety checks, and a “family” rate. tourdewhatcom.com

race I play I experience

RUN Anacortes Art Dash Half Saturday -Sunday, 27-28 Aug Marathon, 10k & 5k—9am. Start BIKE RAPSody (Ride Around Puget downtown and enjoy the waterfront Sound)—Tacoma, Tommy Thompson Parkway and Trail.

7am. Enjoy the sceAn event in association with the nic backroads of Anacortes Arts Festival. 360-293-1918, five Washington anacortesartsfestival.com state counties while supporting stateSaturday & Sunday, 30 & 31 Jul wide bicycle advoSAIL Lake Whatcom Hobie Cat cacy and education Regatta—Bellingham, 9am. A 2-day on the Ride Around event at Bloedel Donovan Park open Puget Sound. With 170 miles of rolling to Hobie Cat skippers of all levels. hills, RAPSody is challenging fun, and Fee includes Saturday dinner. hobie@ still small enough to be friendly. The earthlink.net, div4.hobieclass.com route crosses the Tacoma Narrow Bridge, uses portions of paved trails, Sunday, 7 Aug and provides many wonderful TRI Lake Samish Triathlon— Bellingham, 8:30am. Just 6 miles south of Northwest views. 253-857-5658, rapsodybikeride.com B’ham, a perfect tri for first-timers and a great training distance before Ironman Canada. lakesamishtriathlon.com

Saturday, 13 Aug RUN/WALK Run 4 the Light— Westport, 10am. A USATF-sanctioned, “flat and fast” coastal 5mi loop course from Westport Maritime Museum.

Benefits the WA Lightkeepers Assoc.

253-982-4874, run4thelight.com

Saturday-Sunday, 13-14 SPEC Stillaguamish Fun Run & Festival of the River—Arlington. A free family event on the South Fork Stillaguamish (River Meadows Park) honoring the environment and cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Includes the Stilly 5k, fly tying, a climbing wall and much more. festivaloftheriver.com

Saturday, 20 Aug RUN Friday Harbor 8.8k Loop Run—San Juan Island, 9am. A fun run/ walk that’s been 34 years running. A scenic course with sea and pastoral views, 360-378-4953, islandrec.org

Sunday, 21 Aug RUN Lake Union 10k—Seattle, 7:30am. An around-lake course that celebrates the rich history of Lake Union. lakeunion10k.com TR RUN Cutthroat Classic— Mazama, 8am. 11.1 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail to the top of Cutthroat Pass and down to Cutthroat Lake. mvsta.com

Saturday, 27 Aug >>> TRI Bellingham Youth Triathlon, 9/10/10:30am. At Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, kids can take part in a super fun tri.

Ages 11-13 swim 400yd, bike 3mi, run 1mi. Ages 9-10 swim 200yd, bike 2mi, run 1/2mi. Ages 6-8 swim 100yd, bike 1mi, run 1/4mi.

T-shirts, finisher medals and many draw prizes. 360-778-7665, cob.org/races

SEPTEMBERDECEMBER >>>

MORE online at AdventuresNW.com

Sunday, 4 Sep RUN/WALK Eugene Women’s Half Marathon—Eugene, 8am. The Eugene Women’s Half Marathon is for those who like a little pampering!

Ladies (and Gentlemen if they wish) will be treated to a fabulous Eugene course that starts downtown and finishes at the 5th Street Market. Participants can expect a race experience unlike other typical road races. Unrivaled swag bags, an AVEDA finish line experience at Gervais Day Spa, delicious Ghirardelli chocolate, bubbly champagne—what more could a girl want? 877-345-2230, eugenewomenshalf.com TRI 13th Annual Steve Braun Memorial Triathlon—Orcas Island, 9am (8:30am pre-race meeting). At the Cascade Lake Picnic Area of Moran State Park, swim .4mi in beautiful Cascade Lake, rd bike 17mi along a picturesque rural road, and trail run 3.5mi around Cascade Lake—solo ($45/$55 day-of) or teams ($35 per individual on a team/$45 day-of). This year, the event is sponsored by and benefits Friends of Moran. 360-3763111, support@friendsofmoran.com, friendsofmoran.com

Friday-Saturday, 9-10 Sep WALK Bellingham Walking Festival. 4pm Fri; 8:30am Sat. Two days of neighborhood and waterfront walks, plus special events. Free. nwtrekkers.org

Saturday, 10 Sep BIKE/WALK Emerald City Lights Bike Ride & 5K Walk—Auburn, 7am.

From the Auburn Game Farm Park, bike an 18, 30 or 65mi route or do

>>> MORE Race|Play|Experience events & regular additions, in searchable PDF or Flash format, at AdventuresNW.com

10 Sep (cont.) - a selection of Fall & Winter 2011 events the walk. ALL proceeds benefit Our Daily Bread Basket. 253-709-1530, emeraldcitylightsbikeride.org >>>RUN/WALK Fairhaven Runners Waterfront 15K —Bellingham, 8:30am. Whether competing or participating just for fun, running or walking, enjoy a beautiful 9.3mi course along Bellingham Bay from Fairhaven to Squalicum Harbor and back. This run, the 8th year in 2011, is a wonderfully fun event, especially because of the great volunteers, postrace party with food and drink, live music, awards, and free massage/chiropractic care after. All participants get a shirt and chip timing. cob.org/races, fairhavenrunners.com

Saturday & Sunday, 10 & 11 Sep MULTI Festival 542—Glacier, Maple Falls, Mt. Baker Ski Area. On Saturday, there’s Cross 542—a CX bike race at Silver Lake; and Run 542—a challenging mountain trail run from Mt. Baker Ski Area to Artist Point. Sunday is Ride 542—24.5, 50, 100 or 150 miles from Glacier to Artist Point. festival542.com

Friday-Monday, 16-19 Sep BIKE Trek Tri-Island—Anacortes.

Join the American Lung Association of the Mountain Pacific in its fight for air by participating in a 3-day fundraising ride through Lopez, Orcas and San Juan islands, kicking off on 9/16. Short and long courses are offered each day of the trek. In addition, cyclists receive fundraising assistance, training tips and memories to last a lifetime! 206-441-5100x23, cleanair adventures.org/trek_tri_island

Saturday, 17 Sep MULTI Bellingham Traverse— Bellingham, 12:30pm. Individuals or teams do a 5.5mi run from downtown to Lake Padden, a challenging 6mi mt bike above the lake, a 17mi rd bike out and around Lake Samish, a 3mi trail run, a 4mi open water paddle, and a .5mi team trek. Raise funds for environmental groups. bellinghamtraverse.com

Sunday, 18 Sep >>>BIKE Chuckanut Century— Bellingham, 7am. Presented by the Mt. Baker Bike Club, this event benefits Whatcom Hospice Foundation. Ride some of the most scenic routes in Washington—25mi, 50mi, 62mi, 100mi, or the double metric

“Like” Adventures NW on

century (124mi). The south loop treats you to views of the San Juan Islands while overlooking Bellingham, Samish, and Padilla Bays, skirting along and viewing Chuckanut and Blanchard mountains, also known as “where the Cascade mountains meet the sea.” The north loop, through farmland and along bays, offers views of Baker, Shuksan, the Twin Sisters, and the Canadian Cascades. Start and finish at Boundary Bay Brewery; regular rest stops with hearty food; and free beverage or burger afterward. Check the discount code on p52! chuckanutcentury.org

race I play I experience Saturday, 26 Nov

RUN Seattle Marathon 5K Race & Seattle Children’s Kids Marathon —Seattle, 8:30am & 10am. Be part of the 4th annual Seattle Marathon 5K Race! This year’s out-and-back course starts and ends at Seattle Center near 3rd and Mercer and travels through the streets of downtown Seattle. All participants will receive a Saucony technical apparel shirt and goody bag. The Kids Marathon is for children up to age 14, a fun 1.2mi loop around the Seattle Saturday, 24 Sep Center. Make this a Thanksgiving tradiBIKE Tour de Whidbey— Greenbank, tion with your family and friends! 2067am. Many route lengths up to a century.

729-3660, seattlemarathon.org A fundraiser for Whidbey General Hospital Foundation. whidbeygen.org Sunday, 27 Nov RUN Amica Insurance Seattle Sunday 25 Sep Marathon & Half Marathon— >>>RUN Bellingham Bay Seattle, 7:15am. Be a part of the tradiMarathon, Half & 5k—Bellingham. tion, and Both the full (a Boston qualifier) and celebrate the half are relatively flat, well-supported, Seattle and along the beautiful, picturesque Marathon and expansive waterfront of Bellingham Family of Bay as well as the Interurban Trail. The Events over 5k is “flat and fast” along downtown Thanksgiving Weekend 2011! The trail and streets. The marathon is a events include the Seattle Children’s point-to-point (shuttles to the start Kids Marathon and the Seattle available) and the half is a loop.

Marathon 5K Race (11/26), a Health + bellinghambaymarathon.org Fitness EXPO (11/25 & 26), and the Seattle Marathon and Half Marathon run/walk on Sunday. The RRCA- and AIMS-certified marathon and half maraSaturday, 1 Oct thon courses consist of rolling hilly RUN/WALK Run Like a Girl 1/2 sections and scenic views of downtown Marathon—Bellingham, 9am. A nonSeattle and Lake Washington. 206-729competitive, strictly fun (probably the 3660, seattlemarathon.org only half marathon you’ll get to wear Sunday, 11 Dec your very own tiara), out-and-back RUN Holualoa Tucson Marathon, event from Fairhaven Park along the Damascus Bakeries Half Interurban Trail. Each mile will be Marathon & Tucson Marathon marked in celebratory, “girl-style” with Relay—Tucson, AZ. The point-to-point, the “chocolate mile, the pedicure mile, mostly downhill (with a few ups) and the tattoo mile, etc. Proceeds course follows the spectacular Santa will be donated to Girls on the Run, a character development program which Catalina Mountain Range from Oracle south toward Tucson in the sunny combines an interactive curriculum Sonoran Desert. The event typically and running to inspire self-respect sees mild temperatures and is a top and healthy lifestyles in pre-teen girls. qualifier for the Boston Marathon runlikeagirlbellingham.com (qualifying times good for 2 years). The Half and Relay are popular with those looking to complete a shorter distance race. A family-friendly finish line area is Sunday, 9 Oct great for spectators. 520-320-0667, >>> MTB DU RunningShoes.com tucsonmarathon.com Mountain Bike Duathlon— Bellingham, 11am. An off-road duathlon for teams or individuals on the trails of Lake Padden Park: run 2.6mi around the lake, >>> See your outdoor-related mt bike 6mi on event in ANW’s calendar. the trails above the lake, then run around the lake again.

Submit anytime for the online Trophies to top 3 males and females calendar, and by 30 April for the next overall; all participants eligible for draw print edition—SUMMER 2011 prizes. (A free YMCA Youth Du is after the adult finish!) 360-778-7665, Details: AdventuresNW.com cob.org/races

to receive UPDATE notices, submission reminders & more <<<

360.676.1977 • www.lithtexnw.com

race | play | experience

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the

Next

Adventure

looking over Lopez photo by: Hal Holman

share a summer â&#x20AC;&#x153;next adventureâ&#x20AC;?

See your photo on this page in the next issue: for consideration, email your image by May 1 to submissions@AdventuresNW.com.

Experience the North Cascades Skagit Tours July/August 2011 n n

n

Skagit Tours 2011

n

Diablo Lake boat tour and lunch Walking tour of historic Newhalem and Gorge Powerhouse Explore the hydro highway by van tour and foot then picnic in the Park Special tours coming in fall 2011

For more information, visit www.skagittours.com. For reservations, call 206-684-3030.

North Cascades Institute Celebrating 25 years of connecting people, nature and community through education.

You are invited to the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center for: Family getaways Base Camp n Group rentals

Diablo Downtime Adult classes n Youth programs

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www.ncascades.org or 360-854-2599 Programs at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center are at Diablo Lake, 65 miles east of I-5 on Highway 20.

North Cascades National Park Something to savor

Enjoy summer learning and recreation.

www.nps.gov/noca or 360-854-7200

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