October 30, 2006
Run Like Hell
We've been having a stretch of beautiful fall days here in Portland but we were lucky enough to get a wintry drizzle for the Run Like Hell half-marathon yesterday to make it an authentic end of October Portland event. The extra hour of sleep from turning back the clock really helped make the 7am start easier. Waiting at the start was a little chilly but the temperature was great once you started running. I got great comments for my "pink princess" outfit. Afterwards a bunch of us enjoyed a big breakfast at Utopia. It doesn't get much better than that for a Sunday morning.
Posted by Dave at 11:10 AM |
3rd annual pumpkin carving party
Saturday night I hosted my third annual pumpkin carving party and it was another great success. We carved a total of twelve pumpkins, some from patterns and some straight from the imagination. I didn't end up carving a pumpkin but enjoyed watching everyone else work and visiting. Everyone was amazed how much better the pumpkins look once you take them outside and light them from within.See the photos...
Posted by Dave at 10:43 AM |
October 26, 2006
Sauvie's Island
Posted by Dave at 05:58 PM |
October 24, 2006
Horning's Hideout
Sunday I finally made it to the starting line of a cyclocross race this year. I missed the first couple after turning my ankle on the Timberline trail. Sunday dawned a perfect day, cool and sunny with the air getting fresher as I drove west of Portland and north of Highway 26 to the aptly named Horning's Hideout that is in a beautiful little canyon a world away from town. I raced in both the beginner men's category and with my unicycle. On the bike I quickly remembered how cyclocross takes the breath out of you pronto and keeps the heart rate high for the duration. What a great workout and tons of fun. The course was challenging, so little of it was flat that you didn't have many opportunities to rest. One steep hill run-up was a real tester. I came in 32 out of 100 finishers in beginner men's which I was happy about especially after starting around 70th or so off the line. It can be hard to pass on the mostly narrow courses. Drew posted another top 10 finish with 8th in the men's category C. In the unicycles I was DFL of maybe 8 of us but not too worried about it since I was still a little winded from the first race and hadn't been on my unicycle in a while. Also there are some great riders who show up. Going to miss the cyclocross race this weekend but I hope to hit a couple more before the season is out.
Posted by Dave at 03:54 PM |
October 16, 2006
Rumble at the Ranch
With two mountain bikes on the back and little Sarah strapped in a car seat, Drew, Beth and I headed out to Yamhill yesterday for the Rumble at the Ranch put on by X-Dog Events. The event is an off-road duathlon with the emphasis on "off". On the six-mile run we encountered everything from a nice gravel road to steep single-track uphills to slip and slide downhills and of course plenty of fun stream crossing; and I don't mean ones that you can leap across with a giant stride and keep going. You have to plow through the water and then scramble up through the briars on the other side.
I was expecting all this since I've done two previous scrambles by the X-Dog folks, most recently up at Mt. Hood. However the rude awakening occurred on the 11-mile mountain bike. I hadn't been on my mountain bike in forever, maybe one ride a year and half ago and then I can't remember so I was expecting to be a little rusty. However the course just plain kicked my butt. The biggest challenge was this ungodly mud that gunked up your tires quickly causing them to stop spinning as the space between your tire and brakes filled in to where you could probably plant a nice patch of vegetables there. So either you lift your bike on your shoulders and walk or you roll your bike but stop every ten feet to clean out your tires.
Despite and partly because of all the obstacles the ride was a blast and a terrific challenge. I am definitely pumped up to do some more riding although I hope on firmer trails but that might be wishful thinking this time of year in Oregon. Drew rocked the course, we think coming in third but the results aren't out yet. He had a solid run then passed most of the rest of us on the bike.
Posted by Dave at 11:01 AM |
October 01, 2006
Timberline trail
Scott, Sam and I went for a run/hike along the Timberline trail east of Timberline lodge on Posted by Dave at 05:29 PM |