My deck helpers!

Since I started the deck project Sadie has been outside with me the whole time. Sometimes she is this close other times she is looking for rabbits or just laying near by. She goes to the front yard every time I go up. About the only time she is not on my heels is when I walk across the deck and it is not totally covered so that she can't see to the ground. This has really interfered with her nap time--usually most of the afternoon.
Paul was a day early with the orange for the Bronco Sunday. He was a big help on Saturday while mom and the mom to be made a maternity and baby clothes shopping run. His processing skills were very helpful, not to mention that he carried and cut several 2x10's while I pretended to be busy.

Deck Repair

The deck has lasted 12 years, we bought our home in 1998. I have always wanted a larger deck. Now that I am taking this one apart I have changed my mind. WOW! I should have paid to have it done. Rotted 28 2x10 joists, very heavy long pieces of composition decking, and over 2000 screws to remove makes my hands and arm really tired. I realize that biking is great for legs and heart but does very little for hands and arms.

I had to chisel the wood out of the pillars, the builder did not skimp on the nails and screws. Lots of wood rot and carpenter ants (large black dudes). My neighbor has some great labor saving tools. He helped on Saturday afternoon, the stairs caused us some delay, too rainy to do anything on Sunday, so I am back to being by myself.

A milestone--1650

I got a late start on the cycling season due to cold weather, but made up for it! Over 800 miles since mid May. This equates to a bunch of trips since my longest ride has been 41 miles, most of them around 20. It is almost time for a new rear tire--I have never had to buy a new bike tire before, my first time to wear the tread off. 1650+ since I bought my bike Feb 2009. Actually, the bike has traveled about 5000 miles on top of the car--Grand Junction, Cedaredge, Telluride, Seattle, Sun Valley and Glenwood Springs. So, a good share of the riding miles have been out of town.

This is not a lot of miles by some standards but for me it feel like an accomplishment.

Telluride mushrooms

Kevin and some friends picked this one! It was one of three about the same size, they gave the others away. Puff Ball is a generic word, referring to three different types of fungi: Calbovista, Calvatia, and Lycoperdon. This one was cooked in olive oil and Parmesan cheese--tasty and very filling.

While hiking near Lizard Head, just above Telluride we found all kinds of mushrooms. Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric (pronounced /ˈæɡərɪk/) or fly Amanita (pronounced /ˌæməˈnaɪtə/), is a poisonous.

I thought I was faster!

Since riding with Kevin last week I have increased my cycle cruising speed by about 5 mph. I was crusing today and was scrapped by two F-16's. I think they were using the road a a target run. It definitely ruined the peace and quiet.

I thought I was faster!

Sun Valley, Seattle road trip stats, thoughts.

16 days, 3373 miles, ~55 hours of driving, not counting the around town driving, hiked 22 miles, cycled 52 miles, 24 on the round trip Sun Valley to Hailey, Sadie ran 4 times those numbers, 5 states, some new places--Gig Harbor,WA, Widby Islands, Leavenworth, WA, Wenatchee river and lake, Kennewick, Richmond, WA. 3 flats, our car right out of the garage, Amanda's on trip back to Seattle from Leavenworth and my bike near Elkhorn Village condo. Best wines--Clonk de Plonk, Red, Tagaris Winery, Kennewick, WA, (Kevin was house/dog sitting for the daughter of the winery owner) and Acrobat, Pinot Gris, Oregon. Best beer--Tangerine Ale, Iceberg Brewery, Kennewick, WA, Hefe, Widmer Brewery, Portland, Org. Worst beer--Blonde something, Sun Valley Brewery.

An unexpected fun thing--watched the World Cup finals in the "viewing room" at the Wrigley (gum) Mansion--Sun Valley. Underground parking for 20 cars--that's all we got to see. Kevin knows the couple that are the care takers and dog sitters. They are trying to get him to watch the place and the 2 dogs when they leave town.

Best part of the entire trip--visiting with Amanda, Ben, Kevin & his friends, Larry and Darrell.