Before setting out for my year long trip to Europe in 1999 i needed a shirt. I didn't want to take one of my favorite shirts, because i knew i would destroy it wearing it every day for a year. But i wanted to have a shirt i liked, a shirt that was comfortable. Since i would only have one long sleeve shirt, it needed to be very flexible. One that was casual and yet could pass for kind of a little dressed up if needed.and good in different temperatures.
I figured i was looking for nice a rubgy shirt.
I love the used clothing store, but i do dread shopping for used clothes. It's even more time consuming and frustrating that shopping for new clothes because you usually have to search long racks of clothing and try on dozens of items to find one or two that are going to work. Don't get me wrong, i'm thrilled to have these great used clothing stores near by and i get almost all of my clothing from them; it's just that it can be tiring and frustrating as a shopping session stretches into infinity. I try to hang in there as it seems like it will never end, although it's only an hour and a half or so.
So on Yellow Pig Day, (July 17th), 1999 (which from 1984 to 2002 was consistently my lucky day!) i headed up to the then recently opened Value Village in the old REI flagship store location, determined to hang in there as long as it took, and find a shirt that was going to work.
I walked in, went up the stairs, and walked along the racks for my size. Without really breaking pace i pulled 5 or 6 shirts that looked like they would work and took them to the mirror. I tried them on quickly, two were decent, one i liked a lot, a green and blue striped shirt. I tried it again, it felt right, i walked downstairs and bought it. Less than 5 minutes, and SCORE!
This was a GREAT shirt while i was traveling. I wore it every day. I wore it to dinner parties and working on the farm, on trains, in churches, hiking and even, once or twice, to bed. It was comfortable, durable, flexible, kept me warm and looked good on me.
Of course the trip was amazing. It turned into 14 months and is filled with many of my happiest memories. I still have that shirt. It's pretty tattered around the edges and looks heavily worn, but when i'm feeling a little down, i put it on and i have a good day.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
09 August 2012
22 September 2011
Tri-Island
The 29th annual Tri-Island Bicycle Trek was this weekend. This was probably the last one. That's very sad, it's the end of an era. It makes me wonder if i should see it as a sign.
I moved to Washington exactly 20 years last Tuesday. First i lived in Olympia and then Issaquah. I moved into my apartment on Eastlake to start a new life December 1st 1992 and six weeks later i got involved with the Tri-Island. It's been an incredibly important part of my life since then. Even today much of my social network is people involved, or formerly involved in that ride.
Tri-Island a three day charity ride for the American Lung Association of Washington has run every September since 1983. The past few years it has run only once, but for many years it was three times, three consecutive weekends in September. I have ridden it twice, and volunteered for road staff 23 times. It's a heck of a lot of fun. It got me into the amazing San Juan Islands very soon after moving here, got me involved with HAM radio and gave me platform to teach cycling.
Most of the times i volunteered as road staff i was a HAM radio operator in a vehicle, such as a mechanic or medic vehicle. I love working with the radio. I had been wanting to be a HAM radio operator since i was 9, but it had not happened. When i got involved with Tri-Island i met a bunch of HAMs and they taught me, and have mentored me ever since. On December 12, 1994, with the help of Joe & Tom, i got my HAM license. I was thrilled.
I have long admired many of these people and i enjoy working with them. This is a tight solid group of hard working volunteers. We've lost a lot of folks as volunteers have peeled off for various reasons now and then, but there is still a core there. I have 15 years service, there are more than a few with 18, 20, 25, even a few with 29 years service.
I worked almost every position on the ride possible, over the years. But my dream from the beginning was to be sweep rider. Few of the volunteers are actually cyclists, so being a HAM operator and a cyclist was an advantage. It took a long time but, finally in 2007 i got that position. I loved it. I got to ride my bike, in the San Juan Islands, use my radio and help people all at the same time -- four of my favorite things.
I was sweep rider for four years and i assumed i would be this year too. A couple of months ago the new director of the event called me up and asked if i would be Command this year. I was floored. I've got a pretty fertile imagination and yes, i had i worked every other position on the ride, but i have to admit that i never even imagined i would one day do Command for Tri-Island. This was beyond my dreams.
But i thought i could do it. I was nervous, but pretty confident. I've watched a lot over the years and i've done a lot of other HAM radio events, including doing Command for several. I thought i could do it, but i didn't feel like i was the best choice. I suggested to the director that there were better choices than me. I suggested Tom, my long time mentor who i work with every year on the ride; Tom who taught my HAM class back in 1994.
Laura's response: "He recommended you."
I was honored. And amazed.
So i worked my butt off in the weeks before hand preparing and for four days i ran the meetings, made the position assignments, controlled all the radio traffic and directed all the volunteers. It was hard work. It was fun. Everyone said i did well. And i had a great time in the Islands. Man they are beautiful, relaxing, wonderful.
I slept a lot this week recovering from it. I would really look forward to next year, i'm always better at things the second time around, but there isn't likely to be one. This ride once had 950 people a year, this year we took 75. The culture has changed and the organization has not supported the event. They are no longer interested in it. So it was sad too.
I moved to Washington exactly 20 years last Tuesday. First i lived in Olympia and then Issaquah. I moved into my apartment on Eastlake to start a new life December 1st 1992 and six weeks later i got involved with the Tri-Island. It's been an incredibly important part of my life since then. Even today much of my social network is people involved, or formerly involved in that ride.
Tri-Island a three day charity ride for the American Lung Association of Washington has run every September since 1983. The past few years it has run only once, but for many years it was three times, three consecutive weekends in September. I have ridden it twice, and volunteered for road staff 23 times. It's a heck of a lot of fun. It got me into the amazing San Juan Islands very soon after moving here, got me involved with HAM radio and gave me platform to teach cycling.
Most of the times i volunteered as road staff i was a HAM radio operator in a vehicle, such as a mechanic or medic vehicle. I love working with the radio. I had been wanting to be a HAM radio operator since i was 9, but it had not happened. When i got involved with Tri-Island i met a bunch of HAMs and they taught me, and have mentored me ever since. On December 12, 1994, with the help of Joe & Tom, i got my HAM license. I was thrilled.
I have long admired many of these people and i enjoy working with them. This is a tight solid group of hard working volunteers. We've lost a lot of folks as volunteers have peeled off for various reasons now and then, but there is still a core there. I have 15 years service, there are more than a few with 18, 20, 25, even a few with 29 years service.
I worked almost every position on the ride possible, over the years. But my dream from the beginning was to be sweep rider. Few of the volunteers are actually cyclists, so being a HAM operator and a cyclist was an advantage. It took a long time but, finally in 2007 i got that position. I loved it. I got to ride my bike, in the San Juan Islands, use my radio and help people all at the same time -- four of my favorite things.
I was sweep rider for four years and i assumed i would be this year too. A couple of months ago the new director of the event called me up and asked if i would be Command this year. I was floored. I've got a pretty fertile imagination and yes, i had i worked every other position on the ride, but i have to admit that i never even imagined i would one day do Command for Tri-Island. This was beyond my dreams.
But i thought i could do it. I was nervous, but pretty confident. I've watched a lot over the years and i've done a lot of other HAM radio events, including doing Command for several. I thought i could do it, but i didn't feel like i was the best choice. I suggested to the director that there were better choices than me. I suggested Tom, my long time mentor who i work with every year on the ride; Tom who taught my HAM class back in 1994.
Laura's response: "He recommended you."
I was honored. And amazed.
So i worked my butt off in the weeks before hand preparing and for four days i ran the meetings, made the position assignments, controlled all the radio traffic and directed all the volunteers. It was hard work. It was fun. Everyone said i did well. And i had a great time in the Islands. Man they are beautiful, relaxing, wonderful.
I slept a lot this week recovering from it. I would really look forward to next year, i'm always better at things the second time around, but there isn't likely to be one. This ride once had 950 people a year, this year we took 75. The culture has changed and the organization has not supported the event. They are no longer interested in it. So it was sad too.
17 April 2011
Doe Bay
I was lucky enough to spend the weekend at Doe Bay on Orcas Island.
I was with an Art Camp For Big Kids group. It was an intense weekend in a truly gorgeous spot. Good food, good people, forest, hot tubs, and art classes.
On the way out to Doe Bay we stopped at a pie shop i had bicycled past last September. They were out of the Salmon Pie i was craving, but chicken pie was amazing. By far the best i've ever had (and i don't say that lightly, i'm very picky!).
The weekend was spent in often intense, always social and fun art classes. I taught a chocolate tasting class as part of the event. The location was amazing and i really enjoyed getting to spend some time in the hot tubs in the forest.
table of art
photographing art installation
art installation at Doe bay
Art instructors Jenna Lori & Cherrie
On the way home we stopped in LaConner for frybread salmon tacos that were fantastic and then we drove through the tulip fields looking for tulips. They were a little late this year, but we did see a few. The Skagit flats are along the water on one side and the high mountains on the other side, and the clouds that day were amazing. As we wandered the tulip fields i could look up to the mountains, clouds sticking to them like honey, and i could see rain storms, rain coming down, in FIVE different locations. It was awesome.
I was glad that Gene was driving, i was really tired. I don't ride in a car very often and i don't really enjoy it, Gene's a very good driver, but i was quite happy to be home, although it was a bit discombobulating to walk through my urban neighborhood not that long after being in the forest by the bay on the island.
I was with an Art Camp For Big Kids group. It was an intense weekend in a truly gorgeous spot. Good food, good people, forest, hot tubs, and art classes.
On the way out to Doe Bay we stopped at a pie shop i had bicycled past last September. They were out of the Salmon Pie i was craving, but chicken pie was amazing. By far the best i've ever had (and i don't say that lightly, i'm very picky!).
The weekend was spent in often intense, always social and fun art classes. I taught a chocolate tasting class as part of the event. The location was amazing and i really enjoyed getting to spend some time in the hot tubs in the forest.
table of art
photographing art installation
art installation at Doe bay
Art instructors Jenna Lori & Cherrie
On the way home we stopped in LaConner for frybread salmon tacos that were fantastic and then we drove through the tulip fields looking for tulips. They were a little late this year, but we did see a few. The Skagit flats are along the water on one side and the high mountains on the other side, and the clouds that day were amazing. As we wandered the tulip fields i could look up to the mountains, clouds sticking to them like honey, and i could see rain storms, rain coming down, in FIVE different locations. It was awesome.
I was glad that Gene was driving, i was really tired. I don't ride in a car very often and i don't really enjoy it, Gene's a very good driver, but i was quite happy to be home, although it was a bit discombobulating to walk through my urban neighborhood not that long after being in the forest by the bay on the island.
05 May 2000
a new view of Rain
I would like to talk for a moment about rain. I live in Seattle - i have a RELATIONSHIP with rain. I hike in the rain, bike in the rain, walk in the rain and watch the rain. It rains while i sleep, work and play. I have grown to know the different names for the different kinds of rain and to be able to distinguish the different sounds of rain. I adore the rivers streams and rainforests. I live in the rain and thrive. I love the rain. I love watching it, hearing it and feeling it. I honestly believed that i had experienced all aspects of rain - but working on a farm is has opened me up to entirely new viewpoints on the rain.
Sitting in the middle of a muddy field in Germany planting onions in the rain makes me think about how much they NEED the rain, but only at the right time.
The farmer is never happy about the weather. If it is raining a lot, we can't do farm work - but if it doesn't rain, the plants die. If it rains at the wrong time, the plants will have problems.
It is spring so it rains in hard short spurts 2 to 10 times a day - often with small hail included. The clouds and rainbows are amazing. It is wonderful.
Sitting in the middle of a muddy field in Germany planting onions in the rain makes me think about how much they NEED the rain, but only at the right time.
The farmer is never happy about the weather. If it is raining a lot, we can't do farm work - but if it doesn't rain, the plants die. If it rains at the wrong time, the plants will have problems.
It is spring so it rains in hard short spurts 2 to 10 times a day - often with small hail included. The clouds and rainbows are amazing. It is wonderful.
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