HAPPY 2010!

The new year is here and after 10 relaxing days up at the cabin, I am more than ready to start 2010! We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years up at Mountain Shadows with friends and playing in the snow! Tim and I drove out on Christmas eve and had a nice lunch in Hood River to launch our celebrations. Here is how we spent our time off. Both from work and bikes!

On Christmas day, we downhill skied at Mt. Hood Meadows with our friend Chris Moor.

Chris & Tim on the lift. Tim's first time sitting on a lift in many years.

The inversion made it sunny and beautiful above the clouds. And warm.

And like any evening at the cabin, there was good eating. Christmas dinner.

Then the day after, Chris gave me a lesson on skate skiing. It's hard work, especially when I am officially on a 'rest', giving my body and lungs a break. It is something I have been meaning to do more of for the past 3 years (maybe longer), but there has never been any time. Tea cup is wonderfully groomed and the views are quite spectacular. And I didn't suck as bad as I did the last time I did it.

Then it was a couple of days of xc skiing out the door of the cabin and lots of good eating and fun on Wendy's new Christmas present, the indo board.

The inversion kept it cold and frosty.

Tim's favorite XC ski pose.

Some drink beer and balance.

Some are safety first and wear their helmet.

The crew for Christmas weekend.

Then finally we got some new snow, so Tim and I traded skinny skis for fatter ones and did our first shake down cruise together this season on the backcountry. Mine usually doesn't get used until February!

Neighborhood trailhead.

Skinning up the Tilly Jane. The burn is about 18 months old now.

The weather got windy and nasty once out of the trees, but it didn't stop us.

The Cooper Spur stone shelter at about 7000 feet.

One of the few powder stashes. Tim got first tracks. I followed him.

Yep, there was a theme:

Then the new year was upon us. The weather turned pretty miserable with rain most of the day on the 31st, making our snow crunchy as can be. We decided against our midnight ski and opted to join the neighbors for fireworks and the bonfire. But that was challenging in the rain too!

Wendy, Emily, me and Anna.

Tim and I bringing in the new year!

At least I had pretty toes all week up at the cabin. I couldn't resist sharing since no one has seen them.

And now we are back in Portland and almost back to reality! I am excited to start riding my bike, continue to play in the snow (if we get any) and cheer my fellow cx'ers on from afar. Happy 2010 everyone and thanks for continuing to share in my adventures! Here's to a great 2010!!!