SNOW MUCH FUN!!! March 18-21, 2011

March continues to be busy. Mom still here and random visits from friends in town on business, like Tony Torrance on Tuesday.  Then I got sick on Wednesday and remained curled up in the fetus position for a day. No relation to Tony's visit, I am sure.

Tim , Sue & Tony

But the week passed and the weekend came. This past extended weekend will be hard to beat. My cousin Brian, who is in the Coast Guard at Depoe Bay came up with his wife and boy Zach.

Bryan, Zach & Gina. Zach has a lot of energy. He is 3.

Kendra and Melissa came for the weekend to play in the snow and O'Malley even joined us Friday night for pizza and movie night. Saturday morning I skied with my good pal Erin "O'Malley".

Sort of a blue bird powder day. Amazing morning of skiing. Didn't want to leave, but I had promised Tim I would be home.

I came back to the cabin to go ride with Tim, but much to my surprise, Tim had decided because we had so much new snow, we would go XC skiing. Kendra, Melissa, Erin, Tim and I headed out for the 'long loop' from the cabin. I hadn't done this yet this season, so the 3.5 hour, 11 mile ski was great. I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

The ladies!

 I thought I was back to pedaling the next day until we woke up to even more snow. Coach K gave us the green light to play in the snow, so Tim and I went as high as the stone shelter. Kendra and Melissa joined us to the A frame. It was a winter wonderland. I was smiling ear to ear. I really do love snow.

Trailhead photo.

My first time up Tilly Jane this season.

I love snow! Melissa and I at the A-frame.

Fresh snow, breaking trail. Life is good.

Had to go to the stone shelter for pictures.

Then Monday came. I stayed at the cabin with my mom and then met my buddy Seth Patla at Meadows in the morning. 3 hours of ever changing weather and conditions, ending the day large, with a run down God's Wall. It was a great way to start the week. Then to Hood River and across to Washington to play on Syncline. We did one lap on the rock garden, then up little maui and down coyote. A great ride, with very little (maybe 3-4 minutes) rain. It was the perfect day.

On our way to Coyote in the ever changing gorge weather.

And thus the weekend was over. Although it seems every day is a Monday or a Friday lately. Not a bad way to go through life. Training again is feeling good, or bad, depending on how hard it feels. But definitely making my way back to race shape. Slowly but surely. Mom leaves tomorrow. Then I really have no excuses to slack off.