Well, my dear readers and followers…this has been the longest I’ve gone in a loooong time not posting in here.  Been kind of a nice break and breather.  Sometimes I just don’t feel compelled to post every week like I’ve typically done the past few years…wow, this blog will be SIX in September!  Life has transformed in so many ways since that first “I don’t know what’s going to happen in here” post in September 2009.

So what’s been going on lately?  A HOT HOT HOT Seattle summer…mind blowing and record-breaking!  90s temperatures (32-33 degrees C)…before the 4th of July???  Yes.  And I love it.  I embrace it and relish in it.  So I have sweat running down my back upstairs here in the townhouse sometimes?  Who cares.

And I’ve gone to the dark side these past couple months…yes, I’m getting into cycling.  As in bike riding.  I was fortunate to stumble upon a great (free) offer to take a bike from a friend and former co-worker…one of those classic “I got a bike and I only rode it 6 times in 3 years” stories.  And I’m hooked!  Wow.  I’m discovering the freedom and flexibility (not to mention great exercise) provided to your mind and body when you ditch your car and hop on your bike.

I started right away doing some urban biking with E.  Along the Duwamish trail.  West Seattle to Georgetown.  West Seattle up to Fremont for the annual Solstice Festival.  And the bus system provides even more flexibility, as they come equipped with bike racks.  What could be easier than this?  Just hop on the bus, clamp your bike on the rack and voila!  Actually, E’s been helping me with getting my bike up onto the bus racks until I get the hang of it. I’ve got the upper body strength to lift it up, but the mechanics of it aren’t quite there yet for me.  I’m super happy for the help meanwhile.  And discovering the joy of (re)discovering my hometown on two wheels!

I’m glad my first ventures out were straight away into urban environments like Georgetown, Beacon Hill, Columbia City and other Seattle neighborhoods.  You really have to be on your guard watching for cars and large trucks…this is the industrial heart of Seattle where it all happens…neighborhoods you might normally zip through and not pay much attention to in your car.  Now, on a bike…you savor them.  The scenery.  The sounds.  The smells.  Bakeries.  Truck Fuel.  Urine. Flowers.

And when we switched to riding in more suburban or paved bike trail environments around here, I felt so calm, like it was no big deal.  Going super urban and through downtown right away…well, I didn’t have any time to second guess myself or feel nervous.  Just GO!  Now THAT’S awesome.

We’ve beaten the heat getting outta Dodge for some beautiful hikes…the latest was Rachel Lake, just over Snoqualmie Pass.  It’s a challenging one with some steep switchbacks and a couple of small rock scrambles.  When you get to the top (see the pic above) you’re at around 4600′ elevation (1420m).  Amazing.  Even at that elevation it was warm…but the breezes were cool and I was ready to cannonball into the lake!  But dunking my feet in was bliss.  I highly recommend this hike – it’s not an easy one, fair warning, though.  And bring your bug spray.  The mosquitoes are rampant, but when I was doused in spray I managed only 4-5 bites over a 6 hour hike which is pretty amazing.

Sometimes dreams reawaken with a crack of rotten wood and a SNAP.  That’s just what happened when E put his foot through the rotten dried up wood on one of my deck balconies.  Thankfully it was intentional and not an accident (eesh).  So a trip to the lumber yard is on the list soon to replace the boards (it’s pretty small , about 65 sq feet).

And with that, a dream from 20+ years ago reawakened from its long slumber…I need to live in the city and get out of the suburbs.  For real.  Now that I work downtown and spend most of my free time in the city as well, I’m realizing how my townhouse has morphed into a crash pad.  A crash pad screaming for more repairs and updates.  Things I’ve put off due to confusion or just pure procrastination and fucking laziness.

Oh yes, you’re intrigued now, right?  Stay tuned for much, much more on this new (reawakened) dream!  The wheels are in motion to fix this place up and find me a new place to live.