I am now a snowshoer!

Hello everyone!

I had a really fun weekend. Shortly after work on Friday I left to drive to Trout Lake. I went up by myself to meet Dave who was playing that night. Elaine and Gina both had work commitments so they had to stay in town. It was a very windy drive in the Gorge but it was calm in Trout Lake. I ordered dinner and warmed up in the Inn. Dave was playing that night with Wampler, Steve and Jimmy. They set up the stage and a digital recording device which was really cool. They sounded great! I watched and talked with Jason and Joseph and some of the other Trout Lakers. I spent the night up in one of the vacant Inn rooms. A queen bed all to myself!

The next day we woke up to heavy fog. Dave and I drove the few blocks to Wampler's house to pick up Lincoln. First he made us yummy bagel sandwiches. We drove to Joseph's house who was lending Dave a pair of snowshoes and then went to the Northwest Service Academy which is an Americorps program in Trout Lake. Carter checked out snowshoes for both him and Lincoln and we headed up the mountain. We drove just a few miles and there was snow and very heavy fog. After a few more miles we broke through the fog to sunny, blue skies. We drove until the road was getting a bit treacherous for Dave's Ford Explorer (snow chains would help) and parked near a trail. We all got our snowshoes on and took off. There was a beautiful view of the mountain looking down the snowy road. The trail headed into the woods which were beautiful and snowy. I love snowshoeing! It's amazing to be out there and be able to get around. You don't fall through the snow!

We hiked down the trail for some ways and climbed a few hills hoping for the forest to open up to a view of the mountain. We couldn't find a clear view of the peak but the woods were beautiful and we had a great time. We saw a snow chicken, uh, I mean a grouse. Dave's snowshoes began disintegrating as the rawhide ties were brittle and disintegrating. They still functioned though despite their sorry state. We were out for a couple hours before making our way back to the car and the still spectacular view of the mountain. We drove back down into the fog and returned to a much cooler Trout Lake in the clouds. We stopped by Wampler's house and the Inn before we each drove home. The drive home was amazing with dramatic clouds in the gorge and the glow of the setting sun to the west. Again it was freakishly windy though.

I got home and took a shower and headed over to Elaine & Gina's house. The three of us and Dave drove down to Madison's where I ate dinner and we met Adam and Bridget. We then went across the street to Jolly Rogers for some drinks before calling cab. We were going to Dante's Inferno, a club downtown, to see The Standard play. They used to a favorite local band of Elaine's but now they live scattered across the country. Before the band started Gina and I saw Britt Daniels, the lead singer from the band Spoon. I've loved Spoon for years. I've paid $5 to see them at the student union in Madison and $20 to see them at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland this summer. Gina and I went up to him with our camera and asked his girlfriend to take our picture with him. ahahaha! It was very funny but he was quite gracious about it. The girlfriend gave Gina the dead fish handshake though.

The Standard sounded really great and the show was lots of fun. We went next door to the Ash St Saloon for a drink after it was over then called a cab home. We made a late night pizza and then I crashed upstairs in their guest room.

Sunday was a lazy day of coffee and movies and reading the Sunday paper. In the evening I went over to Elaine and Gina's. Elaine made a great dinner of steak, baked potatoes and a giant caesar salad. Afterwards we watched "The Last Waltz", documentary about the farewell concert of The Band. The song with Van Morrison drunk in his sparkly suit was definitely the funniest.

So that was my weekend. I have a two day work week as the college is closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'll spend Wednesday baking pies for the big Thanksgiving dinner at Elaine and Gina's house. It should be a great time! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends!

xoxo,
carolyn