40 miles on a bike...for BEER!

Today was an amazing 75F degree early fall sunny Seattle day! Jo and I had discussed (along with other workmates, Lee and Tina) to do the big bike ride from Gasworks Park in Seattle to Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville...since last summer. So 2007 flew by and Lee left us as work. Then next thing we knew summer of 2008 flew by and left us too. Today was probably the last nice day (when we were available) before we put off this biking challenge until 2009! So Jo and her lovely GF Lynn, and I with my amazing BF Noel set off this morning at 11:30am for our 40 mile round trip bike ride to Red Hook and back. http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=24# The Burke-Gilman Trail is amazing! So beautiful and scenic and almost totally flat the whole way. http://www.seattle.gov/PARKS/BurkeGilman/bgtrail.htm. We got to see the UW campus, Sandpoint, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, the Bothell channel, and Woodinville's wine valley.

We got to the huge Red Hook brewery at 2pm-ish and it was packed, looks like everyone else had the same idea we did (though many were families who drove via car not bike).

We waited for 45 minutes but it was all worth it. Two pitchers of beer and some greasy food, and then we passed out on their lawn for 1/2 hour. Now the question with our buzz on, can you get a DUI ticket on a bike. Hee Hee Ha HA HA! Can I tell you how painful the ride back was for all of us. Going there was beautiful and fresh...coming back we were pooped, full, buzzed, soar legs and butt...YIKES! But we did it...40 miles baby!!! Whewww.... Maybe again in 2009? Maybe...

SATURDAY, SEPT. 27th -

I also wanted to give out a couple more shot outs:

I actually drug my ass out of bed and went to the gym for 9:30am Water Aerobics! This was a first for me...and it wasn't a bunch of old people either...a couple fatties but mostly like me. Heidi had told me how fun it was, but she didn't show up. But it was Kristina, our kookie Aussie, who talked me into it the night before while having drinkies with her and Lori at the new Kushibar on 2nd and Battery (cool new sushi restaurant between Wasabi Bistro and Travola). Kris is training to be a substitute trainer for the class, so she helped me in the water. There were weights and everything. Pretty good workout. Heidi (and Andy) better show up next time! LOL.

Then Noel and I drove over to West Seattle to see Moon's little Sagean! She is so adorable! OMG!!! (ok so is Doug and big old Nugget their dog...and their house for that matter!). Carrie stopped by with huge Orien and it was suddenly a baby-fest. Very fun.

Then we met up with my Mom and did the end of Swanson's Nursery Fall Sale. Just when you thought there was not one more inch of dirt in our front yard, suddenly Noel bought 6 more plants. He is so friggen cute when he gets all gardener-y! My Mom matched us and also got some plants. My favorite was the "Wilma Goldcrest" which is a light green skinny cypress...but I think sounds like an 85 year old Jewish lady from Long Island at a bingo parlor. LOL. "B-12!"

We ended the day at Sam's Sushi in Ballard with Mom. She loved it. Good times. She has been sad and lonely with her pending divorce and all so I hope it helped to hang with us. Love her!