Merry Christmas

To help save in the number of trees that must get cut down just for Christmas Cards, this will be my version of a christmas card.

Jen and I enjoyed the past year in a number of ways. We rung in the year in style back in Tahoe during a huge storm cycle, and with a few hours of sleep, rose to several feet of more powder skiing at Squaw Valley. Our winter continued to be good with a trip to Colorado for me to celebrate my Grandmother's 90th birthday. I enjoyed a hut trip outside of Aspen with many great friends while I was out there. For Jen's birthday, we traveled up to the great town of Nelson, British Columbia and the ski area of Whitewater. A great little area with tons of backcountry terrain. We spoiled ourselves here our first ever day of snowcat skiing. A recommended adventure for everyone! As I got laid off from work in the Spring, I pushed the kitchen remodel into full swing with anticipations of starting law school in the fall. Check out www.2814eastolive.blogspot.com for more details on this ongoing project. As Jen finished her second year, she didn't get too much of a break as she had to study all summer her board exams. This included study sesssions on the weekends. This allowed me to do a good deal of kayaking on the weekends with all my friends. Several trips to BC and a trip to Wyoming made it another memorable season of boating. See below for a more detailed account of some of these trips. As fall approached I learned that I would not gain acceptance to law school. While disappointing at first, it has seemingly been a blessing in disguise. Allowing me more time to work on the house (finish the kitchen), find work for myself doing small carpentery projects, and continue kayaking and skiing on my own schedule....can't really ask for much more. The fall was memorable for some friends coming out for a week long kayak, birthday celebration and then a trip back to Colorado for my brothers wedding. Currently, the NW is suffering through a drought for snow, but we are anxiously waiting to get back on the boards, and building a desk until then. Hope the holidays treat you all well. Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year, 2004

Grandma and Grandpa. Happy Birthday Grandma!

McNamara Hut outside of Aspen. February, 2004

A tour of our christmas tree by Graham 

Check it Out!

I just heard a great conversation on the radio with David Suzuki. His Foundation and website can be viewed here: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

That radio program can be heard here: http://www.kuow.org/m3u/wk1_20041202.m3u

check it out!

Blaahhhh!

This is the time of year when Seattle becomes a little challenging. Sun basically comes up about 8 am and then you have 8 hours of gray before it sets again at 4 pm. Its cold, but not cold enough to snow. Luckily I don't work in an office, and the sun does usually pop out for a couple hours, so I am lucky enough to be one of those people who notices. And if we can just make it to Dec. 21st, then our daylight will start to grow again. And finally, it its supposed to dump in the mountains this weekend, so I'll soon be schushing down the mountains. I don't know how non-skiers/boarders survive the NW. So I guess its not all that bad.

Oh yeah, we Seattlites also, love our coffee this time of the year. Jen and I add Cupcakes to that love at our local coffee shop/cupcake bakery: http://veritecoffee.com/

Thanksgiving - Bastyr Style

An awesome Thanksgiving dinner last night hosted by Chrissy Amicone and April Ferris and Graham Blake. If you have never been to a Bastyr potluck, I'll give you a little idea of what its like by the menu:

Turkey (suprisingly, a Real Bird); Vegan Sweet Potatoes; Wheat Free, Sugar Free, Vegan Cornbread; Mashed Potatoes; Vegan Raw Spinach Soup; "Real" Sweet Potatoes with Jack Daniels; Vegan Mashed Potatoes; Green Pea Casserole with Faken Bacon; Really Good Cranberry sauce; Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie; Tiramasu; Wheat Free, Sugar, Vegan Pumpkin Pie, and so on.

Nevertheless, Everything was amazing, and I don't think I will have to eat for a couple days...but if I do I have leftovers for a week :)

LVM #14

I hosted the newest LVM video tonight at Red Hook--#14. This one featured Tatlow Creek, which I filmed this august. An awesome creek, and awesome to see the crew on the big screen.

Check out LVM here: www.lunchmag.tv

Check out Tatlow Creek: www.bodyboatblade.com/video/Tatlow.wmv

Saving the Ashlu

After returning from Colorado last night I woke up early and headed north to meet Bryan Smith for a mission to save the Ashlu. It was the final meeting, and the last chance to comment on the proposed Micro Hydro Project on the Ashlu River. Before the meeting, however, we met Jonaven for a celebration of the Ashlu by running the Box canyon. It turned out to be quite high and pumpy, especially for Bryan's first run. But we all made it through, and feeling charged, we headed to town to voice our opinion about this special river. There was a big crowd with several people for and against the project. We can only wait and hope now.

The Husband and Wife

The Robinson Family

The Best MEN! Check out my dad looking good in a suit :)

Little Brother's Big Wedding

I recently got back from a great trip to Colorado for my Brother's wedding. He and Ashley got married on Nov. 13th in Ft. Collins, CO. They had several friends and family come up and join them for both the ceremony and the reception. It was a great opportunity for me to see much of my large family, as well as many friends. I also enjoyed spending a few days in the old college stomping grounds with two nights out in Old Town Ft. Collins. Then we spent a night at Dave and Tami's in Longmont before heading up to Buena Vista for a couple days to say hello to CKS and the new kids, as well as a quick stop in Summit County. A quick but productive trip as always to Colorado.

Check out more of the pictures here:
http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=276716990203&page=1&sort_order=0
and
http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=493546990203&page=1&sort_order=0

Shades of Purple. While I am not excited about the outcome of the election. This may gives a better perspective on our "not-so" divided nation.

Happy Halloween

A fairly low key celebration this year (no party at our house). We went to a documentary film presentation/speaker/dj dance party presented by Woody Harrelson, who was on tour promoting his organization, Voice Yourself www.voiceyourself.org I got to meet him afterwards because Jen knows him fairly well after dating one of his friends back in her Hollywood days. While he was preaching to the choir somewhat, it was a good reminder to keep buying organic and remembering that small actions make a big difference, and everytime you pull your wallet out, you are supporting something.....organic or genetically modified, small farmers or factory farms, bulk foods or mass-marketed, heavily packaged products.

Sorry got a little off topic there. I guess the political season is overriding the Halloween season.
Cheers.

Booo!

Beware of the Clowns

Skookumchuck Birthday

What can I say...Skookumchuck is awesome! Its in the ocean, the water is crystal clear, there are seals in the eddy, starfish in the tidal pools, the wave is perfect, the people are great, the weather was good, and it all made for an awesome Birthday! Everyone gave the birthday boy a few cuts in line which I then turned into a few beatdowns on the wave. That night we all met at the BackEddy Pub for some great food, Canadain Molson, eh, and a band featuring a drummer on a Bull-like-riding-drumset, built on springs so it bounces as he plays american country with a canadian accent....awesome! Thanks for everyone who made the journey!

I'll let the pictures say the rest:

The Creek Cabin at Moccassin Valley

The line-up

Heading for the dryers

Connor Taking Off

starfish

Todd, on a Right Blunt

Jonaven, Nicola and Me.

Evan

Taking the Water Taxi Home

Egmont

The Box Canyon of the Ashlu

The Box has been on my hitlist since the first time I drove up the Ashlu River and looked down at 50/50 and the entrance in to "Commitment Canyon". It has also grown in mystery to what actually is in the canyon, hearing stories of difficult rapids and always seeing it at raging high levels. However, this run has eluded me for various reasons in the past, including earlier in this trip, and while tired and sore from the previous day, Jonaven was set to guide us down in the afternoon. So it was on! Connor, Jonaven and myself all stepped up to run 50/50 and Evan met us below the diagonal ledge, that we all opted out of. From here, it was through the most continuous section taking us through engagement drop, and into the heart of the Box canyon. While the first section is beautiful and should be hiked by everyone, even if they have no interest in running the box, it is below engagement drop when you realize how lucky you are as a kayaker to be able to see canyons like these where there is virtually no access except by kayak. The remainder of the Box Canyon is an incredible section of river. The beauty is unsurpassed, and the drops are both fun and challenging, yet surprising clean with manageable lines. Unfortunately this section of river is severly threatened by a micro-hydro project. This decision will be made very soon, and comments are still being considered. If you have any interest in seeing this canyon as I saw it, please go to the link below, click on take action and write a short letter explaining your disapproval of the project. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District and its board members will have the final say. And even more important.....go see this river...NOW!

http://www.ashluriver.ca/index.cfm

Connor below 50/50

Todd waits at the bottom of The Box canyon, enjoying a Kokanee, eh

South Creek

South Creek is the next drainage up from the Ryan. After seeing the level on the Ryan, Jonaven, recommended this run because it is difficult to catch with the right amount of water (low). He also told us how long of a day South Creek is, and to get an early start. We woke at 6am, made some quick breckie, and hit the road. We made it to the creek by about 8:30, but were met with the security guard for a heli-logging operation. After convincing him to let us go up the creek, he told us about his bear attack, while we waited for a logging truck to come down. Eventually we were at the put-in, and despite the blue sky we were getting dressed into all the warm (and dry) clothes we could find, knowing we wouldn't see much of the sun down in this steep canyon. South Creek requires a very steep hike down to the edge of the canyon. From that point, we had to locate a 20 foot waterfall and a 35 footer, and rappel into the canyon between them. While Evan and Connor set up the rappel, Todd and I took a little hike down the edge of the canyon, knowing we wouldn't be able to scout the first four drops once in. Eventually all of us and our gear made it into the canyon, and after a few eddy hops we were scouting the 20 foot entrance waterfall. This waterfall drops you into a beautiful room where the walls go past vertical almost touching at the top, giving it a cave-like feel inside the canyon. The exit of the pool is an 8-10 foot double drop that then sends you to another blind ledge before the next eddy. Another 8 footer that was marginally scoutable, a few more ledges, and then we arrived at the biggest drop that can't be portaged. Its a triple slide with a hole in the middle, and a blind third drop. Connor, our trip probe, dropped in and never popped out at the bottom. Eventually we realized he was sitting in the eddy out of sight at the bottom left. A few more varied lines and we were all out of the unportageable part of the run....whew! From here the river only gains in steepness and the portaging begins. Some of the drops we portaged had new wood from the logging that would look more runnable without wood, and a touch more water. The gradient never lets up on this short run (maybe 600 ft/mile) and the portaging and running of drops continues as you gain sight of the end of the canyon. A broken boat and the increase of technical boulder drops slowed our progress, again making this run a race against the daylight. Seeing the bridge around the final corner was a sweet sight as the logging helicopter landed at the take-out right before darkness.

The Upper Ryan

The Ryan river is one of the largest drainages flowing off the Pemberton Icecap. Prior to the floods of fall '03, you could drive all the way up to this icecap. But now you only make it to where the remenants of the second bridge cling to the shore. This is where our trip would start. We ferried across the river, hiked up to the logging road, and began our 5k hike uphill. We were told to hike to the next bridge, but after hiking what we felt was 5 kilometers, and looking upriver at a long flat stretch, we decided to get in. As the boulder gardens quickly grew steep enough to lose sight of the majority of the lines, the group experienced a little communication break-down. After a little group huddle, we were back on track, eddy hopping and scouting our way downriver. The drops seem to never stop and almost build in steepness and difficulty. One of the biggest and best drops is seen in the pictures below. Another big drop was only run by Bryan and Jonaven. As the sun fell closer to the horizon we were glad when Jonaven recognized the old put-in to the "middle" Ryan where the run eased up a bit in gradient, but stayed fun and technical all the way to the washed out bridge where once again we hiked up to the trucks just in time to watch the darkness of the North set in.

Bryan examining what is left of the bridge.

Hiking up to The Upper Ryan

Jonaven, Boofing his way down The Upper Ryan