Time to Head South??!!

Hello ya'll! I've been in Bend, Oregon this week visiting my long-time friend Cari McCown Press, her husband Mark and her children, Milo and Silas.

Cari originally hails from El Campo, Texas. Her parents and sister still live in the area. However, Cari and I met in sixth grade at Breckenridge Elementary when her parents moved briefly to Breckenridge, Colorado and have been friends ever since. We've had incredible adventures together over the years in many different states and countries. Every time we see each other now we reminisce fondly.

I have enjoyed my time here exploring the backcountry trails around Bend and getting to know Cari's family. I ran the Tumalo Falls trail two days ago and it snowed on me! I was wearing a visor and t-shirt at the start of the run...Luckily, I added arm bands and gloves to my camelback. I've added some pictures showing the beauty of that trail (and the early snow), some pictures of the Deschutes River Trail and Cari working hard.

With the snow closing in, I guess it really is time to head South folks...Cari and I leave for St. George, Utah tomorrow for our next adventure...slickrock mountain biking!

I hope you are all out there enjoying your own adventures.

Best wishes,

Kelly

Portland, Oregon

It has been a great weekend with Kay and Kianna in Portland! They showed me the town and we still had time for a lot of lounging. Here's our theme song:

"I don't care if you call me Lazy Bones. I love to lounge away the day alone. Why mix with others when being myself is so beautiful? When the day's at my pace, I can relish small pleasures like ripe cherries, spiced blackberries, the aroma of sweet wood and fresh herbs. Afterall, there's no shame in putting off for today what can truly wait 'till tomorrow."

Cheers,

Kelly

Bellingham and Whidbey Island, WA

So, it has been a little while since my last post...I've been in Bellingham, WA visiting my Dad for about a week now. It has been a great spot to recharge and get organized. I've been joking that I should start my own travel agent business...I've been trying to find the best flights to Costa Rica, calling the Transcanyon shuttle in Arizona to try to bribe them into leaving the South Rim earlier than scheduled, writing a running training plan for the Coastal Challenge, figuring out how I can get from Nicaragua to Belize, giving hotel advice for the Miami Man triathlon, and mapping out mountain biking routes in St. George, UT.

My brother flew out from Ft. Lauderdale to visit and has been freezing in the 68 degree temps here in Bellingham. I, on the other hand, have been suffering from heat-stroke on my training runs on the Interurban Trail that skirts the town.

Here are some fun facts I've found about Bellingham, Washington and some great photos of our trip today from Bellingham to Coupeville, WA on Whidbey Island. Fantastic day out there!

Cheers,

Kelly

Best Place To Drink Wine: Gadling.com named Bellingham “One of the 25 Greatest Cities in the World for Drinking Wine,” noting the city’s wine bars, local wine, proximity to British Columbia and laid-back pace of life. (2010)

Espresso Capital: Whatcom County holds the record for the most drive-up espresso stands per-capita in Washington. More than 50 stands dot the landscape, with such lively names as "I Wanna Moka" and "Supreme Bean".

Best Paddling Town: Outside Magazine rated Bellingham as the best paddling destination in the U.S. (August

2006)

Adventure Town USA: National Geographic Adventure named

Bellingham one of the top adventure cities in the nation. The issue, themed “Where to live and play now,” describes Bellingham as a “base camp essential to the Northwest.” (September 2004)

Best in the Continent! Frommer’s Cities Ranked & Rated (May

2007) rated Bellingham #2 as the best place to live compared to all cities in Canada or the U.S. Criteria was based upon demographics, economy and jobs, cost of living, climate, education, health and healthcare, crime, transportation, leisure, and arts and culture.

Where's Wrangell?!

If you haven't taken the Alaska Marine Highway yet, you should. Hey, you get to visit Wrangell, AK! I've had a great time and all kinds of weather. You've seen the beautiful scenes from our trip from Skagway to Juneau. We also had a nice ride from Juneau to Ketchikan.

In Ketchikan, we stayed at a great place right on Creek Street...The New York Hotel. Sorry Anthony...We never found the "bucket bar." Next time I guess!

Today was a very different ferry experience. We woke up at 4:15am this morning in Ketchikan to driving rain and 60 mile-an-hour winds. When I drove my little Honda onto the ferry at 6:20am, the AMH staff warned me on the car deck, on the stairs, at the Purser's office and in the cafeteria that today was "going to be a bumpy one." Well, they didn't lie! We had quite a ride...I even had to remind myself a couple of times that I've been on the Bering Sea and that this was no big deal. My Dad was a real trooper though. People were running outside left and right and he just curled up and took a nap.

Still swaying from today's ride, we are now hanging out in a cute little B&B built right on the dock at Cow Bay in Prince Rupert, B.C., Canada. The goal tomorrow is to drive the 450-500 miles to Prince George or Ten Mile Lake. I hope it isn't raining there! I feel like I am beginning to mold...

I'll shut up now and add pictures.

Cheers,

Kelly

Ferry to Juneau

I'm hanging out in Juneau for a few days, waiting for the ferry to Ketchikan. My Dad and I actually had a wonderfully sunny ride to Juneau. Predictably though, it is now pouring rain and foggy here in Juneau. My Dad and I attempted to be tourists and visited Mendenhall glacier. Here are some pictures from the ferry trip and from the glacier.

Klondike Slideshow

I'm trying out a slideshow of the Klondike including Amber's pictures. Let me know if it works!

http://www.flickr.com//photos/39119353@N04/show/

Klondike 2011 Images