Patience? What Patience?

If anyone has ever told you that it takes patience to learn a something new. . .they are a lying s.o.b. I am making great progress in my desire to learn to ski. And just look how little patience i have! This video and several of the photos listed in this post are proudly brought to you by the hands and eyes of Charles R. W. , aka Deputy Picaboo. Thankfully, his digital equipment does not record sound so we can keep this blog safe for all viewers, even Fiona.

Ryan flew into stumptown Valetine's night and we've been destroying Mt. Hood ever since. The weather deities unleashed the sirens for his visit. Uncommon to PDX this time of year, the skies were clear, the rains ceased and the temp even raised a bit. And. . .today is your lucky day, i'm not in the mood to write, so all you're going to get out of me are pics and captions. Here you go. . . enjoy!

But first. . .some words of caution.Couldn't have said it better myself, "You or your heirs."

So Ryan helped me figure out why i have such a hard time reading maps. It's upside down, stupid!

Here's Ryan trying to make some folks jealous. Ahh, what did we do with ourselves before the camera phone?

I think it's safe to say that we've had a few inches of snow this year. You can see it piling up to the third story of Timberline lodge.

This is only one of many reasons for hitting the mountain on a clear day. That's Mt. Jefferson in the distance. More to come.

Here i am skiing back down to the tree line. Just part of the 1 1/2 mile run we attacked all day.

Here's Ryan trying to keep momentum along the flat lands. All the more reason to ski, poles seem to help in these situations.

No good deed is left unpunished. This is what he gets for all his efforts.

From the top there is only one direction to take. . .it's that way.

Here's the camera man du jour preparing for another downhill photo shoot.

Check out the technique. Not bad for only my 3rd day on the hill.

Some more action shots of Brody doing some serious shredding.

It's pretty easy to get caught up in trying to find the meaning of life. . .i think we found it this weekend.

After a hearty lunch in the lodge the clouds tried to punish our beloved mountain. Everyone was a winner.

Catherine joined us on our 2nd and even more spectacular day. The snow was just right, soft, fast and plentiful.

The mountain rats take a break for some tasty grocery store sandwiches, kettle chips and pop (yes, i said pop).

"Dear Video Diary, Day Two, Portland Oregon. . ."

On our way home my "patience" paid off again. Too antsy to sit in the typical Mt. Hood downhill traffic jam, we took the "long" way around the backside of the mountain. After a quick pit stop in Hood River for some replenishing goodies, we headed back through the Columbia River Gorge and into Portland. No trip through the gorge is complete without a stop at Multnomah Falls. We jumped out to strecth our legs and let Ryan shutter shake off some of its dust.

Vital statistics.

The low light give the picutres a "dreamy" look, according to the photagrapher. I would have to agree.

A whispy shot of the lower falls.

As the cliche states, "All good things must come to an end." And so this trip did, although our successes on the mountain made it very tempting to spend the sabath celebrating the great weather and spirits.

I hope this post finds you all green with envy. If i were you i would be. Although i lock my door every morning when i leave and before i go to bed each night, it's always open. Bring your wax, boots, hat, shorts, gloves, sleeping bag, and of course. . .your camera.

Spank Me

A snow covered Pacific Crest Trail. Nothing is better.

Sorry i've been so bad about posting the last few weeks. I wish i had a good excuse but i don't, although i was nearly abducted by hippies (another day friends). I took a break from the left coast and shot across the country to visit the ol' fam. Going home is always a tale of two trips. Since i moved to Portland i have been telling my mom and willy that they screwed up (i know, i know, it's obvious enough, i don't need to rub it in) and raised me in the wrong area. Hell. . .i think the whole family would have loved growing up out here. But it is always easier to say that if you don't know any different. Spending time in VA makes me miss the people i left behind. I miss spending time with my family and some of my long-time friends. I even miss the pets that live there. Despite the people, the connections and furry critters, i belong here and it's a challenge to find peace with the distance between me and my kin.


Amazingly, there are tones of home in pdx. Christina, for example. I went to high school with Christina and she just so happens to live down the street (for now, she's moving to N. Portland). It's nice having at least a few people around who understand where i come from.


A few weeks ago Christina and i went for a snowshoe trip. I probably should have been up on the mountain working on my 1080 jackaroo tail grab but even Brody needs a break every once in a while. It wasn't the best day for shredding; in fact it was a pretty bad day for snowshoeing. We left Portland with the standard precipitation falling. I think we had both hoped that it would turn into the white fluffy stuff once we started gaining some elevation but we weren't so lucky. We choose the Twin Lakes loop trail which turned out to be a pretty good idea. What really turned out to be the good idea was to leave at 8 am. We headed up the trail and didn't see another soul. Made a quick trip around the lake, plopped our asses in the snow banks and ate some lunch (pb&j on jewish rye and some potato salad from New Seasons). A few sips of whiskey would have been nice to thaw the bones before we started back downhill but SOMEone didn't think ahead (so much for being raised by a boy scout). On our way back to the parking lot we passed about 3 groups of 15+ people. That's where leaving at 8 am pays off. I snapped a few pics of our adventure.

Here's Christina standing next to the snow pole. It shows a solid 6 1/2 feet of snow are below her feet.

This is the view as you decend onto the first lake. The fog made for a nice setting.

Here we are looking at a rather soggy map trying to figure out where we are. I've never been much of one to know how to read a map. I certainly didn't learn this day either.

What the map didn't show or i couldn't read (you be the judge) was this kick ass rope swing.

I will have been living in Portland for 3 years this April and in my short time here i have seen and heard many things, outrageous, hairy, smelly, funny, unbelievable things. I may venture to say this one takes the egg, milk and butter free cake. I was informed by a co-worker or friend, i can't remember, that a new strip club opened in town. This isn't news i typically receive seeing as there are about 500 strip clubs in the metro area and they are opening and closing all the time. But this strip club is a noteworthy strip club. Now. . .i'm all for the liberal, love everyone and everything mentality of the Pacific NW but this strip club takes it to the next level. No, there aren't any donkey shows. This place is Portland's first, one, only and most likely last (and short lived) strip club of it's kind. And it figures it was opened by a Californian transplant. It's our very own vegan strip club. Some may ask, "Scott, what exactly is a vegan strip club?" Well my friends, i will tell you. As disgusting as it may sound many strip clubs in this city serve food (pervs have to eat too). The Acropolis on 99 south is known for it's $5.99 16oz NY Strip steak special, Mary's Go Go conveniently has a back door to El Grillo (Mexican food and strippers, ummmmmmm). This new joint, instead of steaks or chicken chimichangas, serves vegan only fare. Now vegans can enjoy rump shaking while they eat their Tofurky Melts. I hear the strippers still follow standard upkeep rules but many are vegan or vegetarian themselves. I have gotten to know a few vegans in my time here and trust me. . .the last thing you to see is a vegan naked on a stage next to a pole. Okay, maybe the last thing you want to see is a naked vegan walk behind the pole, they would disappear all together. All jokes aside, my mom always told that you shouldn't judge people until you have a chance to know them. So. . .i'll let you know what i think. Maybe i'll have some more pics to post next time.

That's about all the energy i have for now (really i'm splashing on some cheap sage oil cologne, my hemp shoes and headed out to the vegan joint). Keep it clean.