WE'RE GOING TO STATE!

Saturday, Bake had his first chess tournament of the year. Up in Lynden at the fairgrounds. (Last time I was there, I was racing my cyclocross bike across the muddy demolition derby area and through the pig parn; see pics, etc. below.) He's been real busy with indoor soccer, basketball, and is in a much more stimulating school environment this year, so we've played just about no chess. Our expectations weren't great.

So, what does he do--he goes out and wins three out of five games to qualify for the big state tournament in Seattle! It'll be his first time. He was so happy and proud, as were his parents. (That's him in the rainbow dreadlock hat by the way.)

Chess tournaments are all-day affairs from like 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. One can only read so many magazines before mind-numbing boredom sets in. (Especially if you're in someplace like Lynden.) Below, Mary Margaret Bowmer of the Fanatik Bike Team passes a few hours spinning on her rollers.

Oh, and if you haven't seen it, check out the story I wrote for The Seattle Times about riding cyclocross bikes on the trails and roads around Bellingham: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2004115882_nwwbiking100.html.