What a scare!

Here's what my windshield looks like after a softball-sized (or larger) rock came off a construction truck and hit my car. Darn thing just about came through the windshield. It even slpit it from top to bottom. Sooooo glad I wasn't on a motorcycle!

Guitar Show

So much to see! Including some really great packaging:


And a guitar that looked really familiar:

Good Luck Jenn!

Go get 'em in your 10 K today!

Gettin' Outta Dodge...

Crater Lake trip.

It rocked.

We camped, we hiked, we went to two ranger lectures, went on a boat tour, did an impromptu circumnavigation of Diamond Lake (in sandals!), and tried desperately to avoid the local rats:

They seemed hell-bent on giving me bubonic plague.

I also stopped at the Veteran's Memorial Living Sculpture Garden in Butte Valley, CA, on my way back to Marin. Pretty cool. Well, the Sculpture Garden was cool... the drive back was hot — over 100 degrees most of the way.

Race weekend

One of my favorite things about the Downieville Classic race weekend is how much the locals get into it. There's nothing better than seeing the town's elderly residents hanging out in rockers on their porches watching the revelry and waving as you walk past. (Except maybe hearing the sweet lady who runs the Downieville Grocery call a 190-pound, ripped & tattoo'd downhiller "sweetie" as she rings him up.) Volunteer camping is in two places: on the high school baseball field, and on the private property of a Downieville resident, right on the Yuba River. Many locals are volunteers, including a couple of teenagers who -- very creatively -- manned the bike check.

The town's population is 325. The racer limit caps at 800, so adding in significant others, friends, and kids, the town's population on race weekend at least triples, probably quadruples. Parking is non-existent, every hotel and campsite is full, the streets are jam-packed with riders and spectators. But even so, there's no theft, there are no fights, there's no frustration. And because there's also no cell phone service, everyone is forced to slow down and relax.

Except when they're on the race course, that is. ;)

Utah Arts Fest sword dance performance

I am not happy with the filming and editing, because you can't see our dance formations, poses, or fully appreciate the choreography. But at least we have video!

More Ottawa

These pictures are in reverse order of when they were taken.
Musical parade of RCMP

Start of musical parade of RCMP

US Army Black Knights parachute in to parade of the RCMP


Guests of honor at parade of RCMP

On trail at Pink Lake in Gatineau Prov. Park

Sunset from Irina's apartment.

At Irina's apartment.

At the Ottawa mint.

Rideau Falls on the Ottawa river.

Cool breeze on the Ottawa river tour made it quite cool and nice.

Ottawa river tour: Ottawa skyline.

Rideau Falls

Parliament building.

Here's comes our tour boat.

At Ryan's apartment.

Fountain near many foreign embassies.

Bridge to the Museum of Civilization with Parliment in the background.

National Art Museum with Notre Dame Cathedral in background.

Notre Dame Cathedral.

Applying sunscreen.

Parliament.