Mountain Biking

Panoramic view of Boise!

I grew up with a mountain bike and went on family rides here and there. Then I went to the San Juan Islands on my mountain bike (because I wouldn't have it any other way) with Mom and Cam and I don't think I have touched my bike since. That was over ten years ago! Despite talking about that trip frequently and even wanting to go back, it was that trip that made me hate biking.

Zac grew up on a BMX bike and a motorcycle. I tried getting into dirt biking...we got a bike for me and I was all decked out in super cute black and pink Fox gear. However, it only took the annoying ruts in trails and one too many wrecks to decide dirt biking wasn't for me. While Zac loved the sport, he found himself going less and less. So he sold both of our bikes and we were bikeless.

Last spring Zac decided he wanted to try mountain biking. He bought a bike off of Craig's List and started going. He fixed up my old Specialized from high school and I went out a few times with him. It didn't take long until we both realized that we enjoyed the sport and we both needed new bikes. We found a screaming good deal on a Specialized for me...plus it's orange...it was meant to be. It has front suspension and disc brakes, that's all I cared about. Zac opted for a new 29er. We both love our bikes! Plus he was able to sell both of our old bikes on Craig's List.

Beautiful view of the City of Trees!

Zac and I

Going up Elephant Rock trail. It doesn't look steep but it is. In fact, I almost made it up the first time, but then tipped over. I was so close. Zac suggested I go back down to the bottom of the hill and try it again....so I did....this is round two of the hill and on the second time I made it up!

Zac up on Elephant Rock

And the epitome of my first crash on my new bike. I was doing great! We were on the downhill, I was screaming having so much fun when I got into some sand....I don't know if my front tire just got wobbly in the sand or if I accidentally put on the front brake, but regardless I crashed hard. I nailed my front handle bars and knocked the wind out of me, so I couldn't breathe and I was covered in dirt. When Zac picked up my bike, the front tire and handle bars made a 90 degree angle. I broke the back brake lever off, messed up the fork, handle bars are super lose, and the front tire wobbles. I did some pretty good damage. I'm super bummed! I'm hoping we can get it into a bike shop to get an idea of how much it will cost to repair it. Despite being pretty beat up (I fell hard), I have two bruises on my thigh (both the size of a softball), a bruise on my hip, my ribs hurt, both elbows are scraped up and I'm sore all over...I want to get my bike fixed and get back on the trails.

Staying Busy!

As our summer winds down...our weekends will start slowing down....more time here and less traveling. Zac starts the radiology program this week! Crazy, I know! We both know it is going to be strenuous, stressful and crazy busy! We are both gearing up for it. He took one last weekend getaway with the guys camping. I have been preparing freezer meals, trying to over prepare and get ahead for my school year, stock up on food and other items and sign up for everything I can to stay busy!

Our freezer is full. I have written a scope and sequence outline for the first grade curriculum. I have signed up for yoga and I'm officially on the volleyball team "We Could Carry Less," for the fall season...plus football starts in 21 days!

I'm excited for yoga...I'm doing some classes with some friends from my master's class. I'm super excited for volleyball! I haven't played since high school and ever since Zac played flag football last year I have wanted to get on a team. This year it's happening. Kirtley, her sister and some other friends make up the team and we are all ready for a great season! But I'm even more excited for Bronco Football! 21 days and counting until the season opener against Georgia. Which means only 20 days until our 10 year high school reunion!

Once Zac gets through this first semester, our life as we know will begin to get back to normal. So let the countdown begin!

Discovery Center

Bry had a 5-step day today....but it turned into a 6-step day!

Step 1--Flu Mist
Step 2--Pick up Emmy
Step 3-- Pick up Great Grandma
Step 4--Unplanned stop at the Dollar Store for Emmy (Grandma is painting a Bronco head on a piece of glass for me. I am so excited about it, I asked Grandma if she would paint one for my house and one for my classroom too!) So we knocked that stop out with some extra time we had...Bry was not so happy about the unexpected dollar store visit.
Step 5--(which should have been 4)--Discovery Center! First we played in the vet's office. I looked at all 24 xrays of various dogs, birds, cats and even a dinosaur (according to Bry). It was pretty interesting. Zayden put a leash on a tiger and took it for a walk, while Bry brushed a big bear. Then we were onto the grocery store...every kids' dream as a child is to be a checker at some point or another, and if it's not their dream, at least every kid plays "store" when they are younger. The pretend store is perfect for every kid. Both Bry and Z got their own shopping cart and started throwing in every item in the store. Monica got to check them out, Great Grandma watched with a smile on her face and I got the wonderful job of putting EVERYTHING back in the correct place! Next we headed to the bubble room. We listened to a story, blew some bubbles and even made some bubble art. I even made one to take back to my classroom. I think my first graders would love making bubble art on a beautiful day. After bubbles, we checked out a few exhibits. They still have my favorite, which happens to be a favorite of Bry and Z...the shadow box. We, Monica and Great Grandma included, piled into the shadow box to get a picture of our shadows. It was great. I tried taking a picture (I'm sure you're not supposed to) but it didn't turn out.
Step 6--(which should have been 5)--lunch at Flatbread...my favorite! Here's a good story. Bry apparently loves Subway (gross, I know)....well Monica told her there weren't any Subway's by Great Grandma's. Bry insisted there was. Funny that there is a Subway next to the Dollar Store, which was such a random and unplanned and unexpected stop. Of course, nothing gets past Bry and she saw Subway right away! Needless to say, Flatbread won and it was a great lunch!

After lunch, we reversed our steps...took Great Grandma back to her place, they dropped me off and then headed home. Thanks for such a great day! Besides having so much fun, the highlight of my day was having little Zayden as my buddy....besides him insisting he go with Bry and I to the bathroom....it was a crowded trip, he said my name for the first time today.




All smiles...Bry with Great Grandma!



Zayden, Bry and Great Grandma



Grandma had a great time! Look at her in the back with a big smile on her face! Bry and Z's paper plate bubble art!



Bry and Emmy with our bubble art necklaces!

What a great day!

Home Sweet Home-Hailey

Zac and I are trying to get in all of our last minute weekend getaways. Last weekend we headed up to Hailey for a fun filled weekend. Friday night we joined Mom and Cam for the gallery walk up in Ketchum. We enjoyed some good wine, good art and good company. We ran into some high school friends and even a high school teacher. Then we were off to meet up with Beth, Krista and Ryan for a drink and some dinner in Hailey. It was fun seeing old friends and catching up. We reminisced about old memories and started to get excited about our 10 year high school reunion coming up! We called it a night early and rejoined Mom and Cam on the deck for some wine, the heater and the bugling elk.

Saturday we headed up north of town for a bike ride. Mom and Cam were on their tandem, Zac on his new "29-er" and me on my new bright orange Specialized....we both love our new bikes. We opted for a shorter ride because the weather was looking pretty promising for a thunderstorm. We parked at Owl Creek. Our plan was to ride to Galena Lodge on the Harriman Trail, have lunch and then ride back. It was a great adventure.




We started out by having to wade across the river....it was cold. We waded in our flip flops and then stashed them on the other side, changed our shoes and were on our way. Just as we got to the other side of the river (before we even had a chance to change our shoes) it started pouring! Luckily it was warm, but the rain was coming down hard.

My favorite memories of the ride (in no particular order) are as follows:

• We finally got going and on the first corner (just getting onto the trail) Mom and Cam got into some gravel, lost their traction and fell over....it all happened in slow motion!


• Going up a hill, I was following Mom and Cam and saw one of Mom's shoe's pop out of the pedal, so she popped out the other (I can't blame her, I'm sure it's not easy pedaling with only one foot), she stuck both of her legs out to avoid getting whacked with a pedal and unbeknownst to Cam, he did all of the pedaling up the hill!


• We were going down a pretty steep hill...again I was following Mom and Cam and they cruised down it, so I pushed myself and went as fast as I could (I can't believe I didn't poop my pants)....Low and behold, when we came to a stop....Mom and Cam admitted their breaks were on all the way, they weren't slowing down and they both were expecting the worst....a crash landing! Good thing I pushed myself past my limits and nearly out of control!


• Rain running down my helmet, off my nose and down my cheeks for the entire ride!


• Getting to Galena Lodge just as the rain stopped so we could sit out on the deck.


• Zac finding a bubble in the tube of the tire of the tandem.


• The tire popping during lunch.


• Mom and I sat at Galena and drank coffee and Kahlua to warm up while Zac and Cam (on my bike) rode back to the truck.


• This was the first ride I was back with Mom and Cam on their tandem and me on my bike, since the San Juan Islands....it brought back a lot of memories!


• It was a lot of fun!

Sunday we headed in for church, met up with Bruce, Karen and the kids, had a java after church and they joined us out at the house for homemade cinnamon rolls.

Sunday afternoon we headed out for a BEAUTIFUL hike. It was only supposed to be a couple of miles, but like the energizer bunny, our ring leader kept on going, and going and going....6 miles later we made it back to the truck. It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't eaten cabbage and lettuce for lunch and we weren't hiking "alone"....all because the Ketchum Art Fair really wasn't last weekend! Hahaha! However, the dogs loved every minute of it and we got some gorgeous views. Beautiful hikes....one of the many reasons I miss home and would love to move back.

Zac


Cam and Rockee

Mom

Home Sweet Home...no place like it!

The dogs running free!

Monday morning we packed up and headed home. Grandma rode back with us and it was great having her company!

Remmy's Healing

Keeping our fingers crossed that Remmy continues to heal. We are a week post surgery operation and we haven't had any more vet visits (besides the day after when Remmy broke open the incision and he had to be put on antibiotics)....knock on wood that was our only visit until the stitches come out! He seems to be doing a lot better, acting more like himself and he appears to be in less pain. He's off of the Rimadyl and almost finished with the antibiotics. He wants to play but we have been keeping him and Rio low key to prevent the incision from breaking open again.

We are now battling Remmy's leg. He has obsessively been licking his leg where it was shaved for the IV. We have just been keeping an eye on him when we're home to keep him from licking, but when we are gone we have wrapped his leg with vet wrap....which didn't really work. We would return home to find the vet wrap on his ankle rather than on the middle of his leg over the shaved part. To give Remmy credit, he is pretty good at getting the wrap down....it was always still wrapped, not wet and not gathered. Somehow he could get it about two inches lower down on his leg, just far enough for him to continue licking the shaved part of his leg. I wish I was a fly on the wall to see him work his magic. Zac and I outsmarted Remmy though...we still are using the vet wrap but now we are wrapping his entire leg. We've left the wrap on for a day now and hopefully the hair is growing back enough that Remmy will stop the licking!

We're hoping he'll be well enough to go on a weekend getaway this weekend and upon return he should be able to get his stitches out! Still coughing down the $600 dollar vet bill for two optional procedures....but we love our Remmy dog and want him to be as healthy as possible!