Family Boat Evening

I think I've said this before, but one great thing about living in Spokane is the proximity to beautiful lakes.  It's almost as common to see boats in Spokane as it is to see jeeps in Moab.  With only a 20-minute drive to Long Lake (or Lake Spokane...take your pick) and many other lakes, there's little excuse not to have a boat!  (Are you reading this Sarah?)

Although Caitin quickly became glued to the solid footing inside the boat, Jamie was brave enough to get out on the tube!  She rode well until the bumps and spray became too much.  As we slowed down, the front of the tube began to dive and pretty quickly we were both rolled off into the lake...with Jamie being dunked.

But she's a trooper, that Jamie!

Sarah went out on the tube also. 

At one point she dangerously gave the sign for "I'm bored". 

She didn't last much longer after that!

Thanks to our friends the Rippys for taking us out!

Summer Work

I have yet to figure out why (in the best part of summer) we do this to ourselves...
We've started our 2010 summer house project.  We're going to level the floor of our basement.  This is the first step toward improving the basement to livable space.  So far we've been doing preliminary work:

• chip away delaminated sealant from the concrete walls
• clean up exposed concrete to receive new concrete filler and a fresh coat of sealant
• survey (elevation measurements) the concrete floor
• check the floor drain to be sure it actually works (it does)

Our plan is to lure Ralph up for a weekend and have everything ready to start construction.  We will use treated lumber as tapered joist strips that will be covered with a vapor barrier and plywood sheathing.  The most difficult part (for which I will be extremely glad to have help) will be trimming the joist strips to match the existing floor contours.  Once they are prepared, it's only a matter of nailing them down and then screwing the sheathing on top.

The long-term plan is to frame in the laundery area, insulate and sheetrock the walls, carpet the floor and stairs, create an egress window, and move the playroom downstairs.  Before any of the other can be done (except the egress window) the floor has to be ready.  And so it begins. 

*Pictures to come.

Bubblicious

Last evening we had a wonderful (and finally uneventful) time as a family.  While hamburgers cooked on the grill I put into practise something I saw last weekend...serious bubble blowing.  Check it out:

A Spokane man, who calls himself a Bubblusionist, gave a show to some scouts last weekend.  He had recently set a new guiness world record for the biggest bubble.  His were obviously more impressive than mine, but these little girls didn't know the difference!

Slickrock (La Sal Trip Post #5)

*This post concludes the La Sal Trip Saga

On the 29th of May 2010, a little more than 30 years after my birth in Moab, Utah, I conducted my first mountain bike ride in Moab...and it was GREAT! 

I conned my two brothers, one brother-in-law, and three college friends into joining me for a ride on the classic Slickrock Trail.  One brother, Jeff, threatened to bring his motorized steed, but to his near demise (more on this below) he threw in with us to get rental mountain bikes. 

Jason and Jeff were real sports, although Jeff complained about the under-powered nature of his bike.

There were plenty of opportunities out there to show our manly abilities to push bikes up hills.  Ben and Spencer were occasional participants in such shows of testosterone.

Of course there was always the "easy way out" of just riding up.  Way to go Ash!

At the beginning of the ride (for the first 200 yards almost) Jeff wore brown shorts.  Then, after a minor descending incident, he stole my gray shorts from me.  (That's why there are no shots of myself below the waist in here!) 

Leaving the main trail for a brief minute, he and I found a little hill (about 20 feet tall) to go down.  At the bottom of the descent was a little drop-off...about a foot high.  The slickrock transitioned smoothly to level terrain below that drop.  I went down where there was a little bridge across the drop, and thus had a pretty smooth ride.  Jeff followed (although I didn't expect him to), and took the more daring drop path.  He made it through the drop safely, but being used to a bike with much more mass, he was hanging back over the rear wheel when he hit the transition to level ground.  The bike looped out from under him, letting him fall with the force of his descent, right on his butt.  He slid about 10 feet across the slickrock (which is slightly less slick than 150-grit sandpaper).

His wife was a bit disappointed when she saw his shorts torn from hem to beltloop right up the back.  I was disappointed when he rolled over to his belly after the incident, and those shorts splayed wide open!  I had meant to spare this crew the lycra version of my rear, but it beat what Jeff was then ready to share. 

To his credit, Jeff overcame and developed into a descent specialist...quickly discovering that any spare momentum he could gather was worth it.

Sean and crew showing their best sides on a long descent.  How about that view of the Colorado!

Honestly, this was probably the most fun I've had on a mountain bike.  The trail was great, but you can't beat spending quality time with great people!  Thanks to everyone for making it out and pushing through to the end.

59:42

It's here!  After a 6-week absence my road bike has returned to the stable!  It left looking like THIS and returned as one of these:

That's a Giant Defy Advanced frame fitted with all the bits and pieces from my original road bike.  It took me a bit of thinking, reading, and discussing with others before committing to a frame made of carbon fiber.  I have yet to weigh it in, but I believe the carbon diet plan took off about 3 pounds.  That is partially due to this hollow carbon crank: 

This bike is officially ranked above my abilities!  Let's look at it one more time:

Fortunately I had a bit of time today to initiate this new ride.  I did the river loop from my house.  Last year at the end of the riding season I posted my first ever sub-hour ride on that loop.  Today, after six weeks off the road bike, effectively in the beginning of the season I finished the loop at 59:42.  A minute shy of last year's final, but impressive nonetheless!  I love it!

That's How Ya Do It (La Sal Trip Post #4)

Monday of last week we all headed to Moab to do a bit of jeeping.  With 3 rental jeeps, 1 battered jeep, 2 trucks and a Rhino we were prepared for everything!  Klondike Bluffs was the target of the day.  We were on a hunt for dinosaur footprints!  For the first 20 minutes of the ride, Caitin was worried that real live dinosaurs were going to be out there waiting for us.  (She had been forewarned by her cousin that if dinosaurs went to heaven they would eat Jesus).

I love doing things like this:

Notice the presence of Caitin and Jamie in the Jeep, but no Sarah...scardy cat!

Pretty soon we came upon the dino tracks.  I believe those are Stegosaurus.

Sarah stayed in the jeep for the next gap crossing...but mine wasn't as spectacular as when Jeff crossed it.  Please forgive my giddy laughter.  I can't help myself when mechanics and physics come together with such poise. 

Against all odds, we had no mechanicals or accidents.  I don't even think we left any parts out there on the trail!  In our book, that's beyond spectacular. 

Thanks Mom and Dad!

Explainer (La Sal Trip Post #3)

From our 10-day road trip to southern Utah I've got at least two more posts to adequately document the event. 

In summary, we visited lots of family and had a great time everywhere we went.  My brothers and sisters all took time to join us for a weekend at our parents' house.  (Thanks Mom and Dad for putting up with us!)  With 13 grandkids and 12 extra adults in and out of the house for an extended weekend, my parents get big props!

A few people have asked us, "What is in La Sal?"  To which we have responded, "Pretty much nothing."  Can you think of a better place to hang out!?  Although, "Nothing" is terribly incorrect.  True, there is practically no shopping, basically no grassy parks, and definately no city attractions.  BUT there is also no traffic, very few neighbors, plentiful fresh air, beautiful views (including the most colorful sunsets in the world), and loads of prarie dogs to plink away at! 

La Sal is a place where motorcycle, jeeping, and 4-wheeler rides start from the house; where guns are often kept in the passenger seat of pickup trucks; where swimming is done among the fish; and where first names are used in the most formal of situations.  It's a place where adults can sit and talk while kids run free.

One evening we spent up on the mountain, and had a dutch oven dinner together.  While the food cooked, some people explored on ATV's, some went hunting, kids sought out frogs and horned toads, one kid (Jamie, of course) went swimming in the very cold runoff stream, and then we gathered for the meal as the sun sank behind the mountains.  The temperature began to drop, and jackets and blankets were necessary for some endure the meal.  It was a simple evening, but really very fun to spend with everyone together. 

In church the next day I was known as "Brother Brandon" and enjoyed the privelage of offering opening prayers in two meetings.  (Seems like that happened last time I was there too.) 

That's La Sal.

The Culprit (La Sal Trip Post #2)

*Auther's Note:  These vacation posts are not in chronological order.

We visited many of our family members on our trip, and learned all kinds of new things.  For instance, when we stopped at Grandma and Grandpa Astles', we discovered who taught the girls about the Fuzzies:

Sheesh, and to think I had Sarah pinned as the culprit...

Reservoir (La Sal Post #1)

We recently took a 10-day road trip to Southeast Utah to visit family and play in the high desert.  Among other interesting and fun events (for future posts), we spent some time at the reservoir.  We enjoyed spending loads of time with family!

What's better for keeping kids happy than a reservoir surrounded by rocks? 

And who said adults can't play too?

One of the beauties of the high desert are these Collared Lizards.