Happy New Year!

Three Fingers on New Years Day 2014

We woke to sunshine!  I had to take the camera out to get some day one photos of the new year!  The photo above shows you just what a beautiful morning it was!  Dazzling to see the white at least starting to build up on the mountains.  I walked up to the woods, plenty of winter work to do there, but always beautiful~

Cedar Lane Trail

I found the plant below years ago at Machias Nursery, now need to remember what it's called & have asked Chris.  It's spread out so much that part of the corner of my trail is now under it's shiny green leaves!

 Farah was a little surprised when she saw "Dad" loading the bikes into the truck!  Time for a ride!  The clouds were moving in & it felt a little chilly, but really a nice day to get my husband back on his bike & on the trail.

Butch on the Centennial Trail

  We left from Haller Park, visited our bricks & then continued up to the Bryant Store - where we were resting on the bench when another couple on bikes came up & called out to Butch by name!  A guy he'd worked with around 03 up in Mt. Vernon!  Better yet, the lady with him rides horses too & we exchanged email addresses!

My other "ride" :-)

We rode about seven miles & that seemed like enough - since my face was getting numb from the breeze!  There were only a few people out on the trail, everyone wishing everyone else a Happy New Year!  What a Great Day & Great start to the new year!

I'd started our traditional New Years dinner of Bean's & Ham before we left.  The smell that greeted us when we opened the door - made us both hungry for dinner! 

Biking on the Trail~

Grandson Ben & our bikes!

The Bronco is way more used to having the horse trailer on the back than a bike rack!  But with Ben visiting for a couple days, we thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce him to the Centennial Trail! 

Ben & his BMX

The "tradition" has been created, to start all trail "newbies" under the arch in Snohomish.  The day started out hazy, but it was pretty warm & we started off at a nice pace, Ben well out in the lead!

Ben leads the way~

Ben didn't expect to see any other BMX bikes out there, but as we moved north, two boys passed us going toward Snohomish - both riding bikes similar to Ben's.  It's an uphill grade, so before long...

The bikes needed a rest~ :-)

We sat for a while on the bench overlooking the Pilchuck River - what a perfect way to spend a morning?  We continued on, Ben asked if we had any particular destination?   Not really - a little further up we saw a Bald Eagle!

He's the white spot, 1/3rd of the way up from the grass in the frame

At just under five-miles we crossed Machias Rd. & could see the roof of Machias Station up ahead!  That looked like a good stopping point to us both!  Ben showed me some of the tricks he can do with that bike!  We decided to start back & Ben wanted to switch bikes.  OK, I was game...  after less than 100 ft. - my respect for Grandson Ben leaped up several notches!   Talk about Hard to Ride!  Wow!  Effort expended is Huge!  Especially when the boys don't even sit on the seats~!  Good kid that he is - we switched back!  Our round-trip even with me forgetting to turn the GPS back on after our break, was over ten-miles.

On the way back, we had a little "head-wind" - but also the downhill grade, so made good time!  Enough good time that we headed for the bakery!  A cup of soup & sandwich hit the spot!

At home, we did chores & waited for Butch to get home so that the three of us could go riding again!  This time we decided to leave from Haller Park in Arlington & head north over the bridge.  It was just a stellar evening - birds singing, people friendly & blue evening sky.

Ben & Butch on the Haller Bridge

Ben & I were a bit worn...  I was anyway!  So we decided on the Bryant Store as our destination stop.   Ben was again staying Way out in front of the two of us!   He has No gears though!  It was about 3-miles of beautiful trail to the bench at the Bryant trail-head.   The bikes were complaining - so after another short break, we were headed back, with dinner on our minds!

Butch & Ben under the arch~

On our way we stopped for a photo under the arch!  Once back at the park, Ben did some swinging while we loaded the bikes.  Another 6-mile ride!  So, on Ben's first time on the trail, he rode that BMX well over 17-miles!  What a kid!  Someday...  want to be able to ride the Whitehorse trail all the way to Darrington!  I think I'll take Farah!!!  :-)

All in a Day's Ride~

A convoluted 20-miles!

Farah...  her only "excuse" was that we didn't get out as much as usual last week.  Friday afternoon I opened the pasture gate to let her up to the barn.  Instead, she ran through the gate I'd left open out to the yard & raced up the hill into the woods at 90 mph.  I stood helpless as she ripped through my trails, jumping ferns in a single bound, sinking into the trails 6" with every step & knocking over an old rotted stump!  Finally she came back down the hill, slid across the paving on the driveway & raced back into the paddock for a big nice drink!

I was furious!  So - since the weather was to stay nice, I tried to find someone that was heading out on Sun. for a nice long, fast paced ride.  Dory agreed to let me tag along with her - which I knew would be a very fast ride!  When I arrived at the Bracken Rd. parking to the tree farm, it was packed with trailers, horses, more than I think I've ever seen!  Among all the people there were some endurance "friends" who invited me along with them, since their plan was for at least 15-miles at an endurance pace.   Another rider was accompanying us.  Once on the trails, I was told to go ahead & lead.  Away we went - but after less than a mile the lady behind me said;  "Wait, we've lost the others."  I turned around to find that she & I were the only two riders on the trail?  Where were the other three???  We turned back, looked, hailed, called - no answer.  

I have NEVER been able to ditch endurance riders any faster!  I'm going to have to remember the trick!  I wasn't introduced & had yet to know my pals name.  She mentioned that she was to meet her other two friends at the potty in less than an hour.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I am directionally "challenged" & cannot remember my way around - but now I had the added, unwelcome responsibility of getting this lady back to her friends.

Luck was with me, the first riders we met were the friends she needed to meet!  I passed her off to them, Farah exploded up the trail & away we went!  One way or the other - I would get in my ride!  Again, more luck - the next riders were Dory, Dean & Linda!   I was welcomed & we had a FUN, fast good ride, completing the 20-miles in just 2-hours.

Once back at the trailers, I headed home, gave Farah a bath, I cleaned up & Butch & I headed out for dinner at one of our favorite spots in Antacortes.   The bikes were on the back, so on our way home we stopped at the Bryant trail-head of the Centennial Trail & rode north up to the Nakashima Barn, then back at dusk.  So very beautiful out there!  My weekend ended with 10-bike miles on Sat., 20-horse miles on Sunday & another 8-bike miles on Sunday!

Today?  Goofing off!  Enjoying the warm sunshine!