CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR (AGAIN)

On Friday, I'll be pinch-hitting for Alan Rhodes at a live taping of the Chuckanut Radio Hour at Bellingham's Leopold Ballroom. Northwest treasure Ivan Doig is the featured author and for those unfamiliar with the program, it's kind of like B'ham's own "Prairie Home Companion." There's live music (the Quickdraw Stringband), a Poet's Corner (Emily Warn), another episode of the Bellingham Bean, and yours truly reading a humorous (let's hope) essay. It's a terrific show; I did it once before in April and had a great time.

Tickets are $7.50 and available at Village Books and at the door, I believe. Show starts at 6:30. (Or 7, I better find out.) For information, go here: www.thechuckanutradiohour.com

'NOTHER GALBRAITH EPIC

Le Towers, Le Evo (sehr scary), Le Woopsie Woodle, Le something through the woods (but not to grandmother's house), and finally, Le Last Call. (Above are Bake, Kyler, and Kyler's dad, Ed; you can just barely see Mount Baker in the far right corner.)

Here's a tip: if you're new not only to riding a 29er, but riding a 29er with clipless pedals, don't make Evo the first trail you try.

First time to Le Towers for most--Jimmy, Jacob, Kyler, Bake--probably 1,200 feet of climbing in less than 4 miles. Killer! First day also for Bake on his new Norco Wolverine and me on my Felt Nine, a 29er. The McQuaide boyz is very happy!

ECONOMIC DOWNTURN ... YEAH, SO WHAT?

BELLINGHAM, WA (AP)--In a stunning decision to help stimulate the local Whatcom County economy, area boys Baker and Mike McQuaide scored two new bikes from Fanatik Bike Co. For Baker, 9-1/2, it was a Norco Wolverine, his first ride featuring 26-inch wheels, disc brakes, and some really cool graphics of little guitars that look to be Gibson SGs, if we were to venture a guess.

Mike, the elder McQuaide, who's a rather boyish sort, took home a 29er, a Felt Nine Pro which, with its oversized wheels, looks to him like something a giant might ride. Say Hagrid, from the Harry Potter books.
After Bake's schoolday, the McQuaides hurried to the 100-Acre Wood where they jumped and rolled over all sorts of logs, rocks, and roots, all in name of stimulating the economy thing.

In other news, please peruse Mike's story in Thursday's Seattle Times on places to see the alpine larch turn their golden autumn glow. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2008270268_nwwlarch160.html Places such as the Enchantments:

RUNNINGSHOES.COM DUATHLON PHOTOS

Here's a couple shots from yesterday's duathlon. Above is the sassy John Clark. Below, I'm the blur in the background wearing orangish-brown. I must've been going really fast.
For more images, go to www.bellinghamherald.com/492/gallery/603674.html#http://media.bellinghamherald.com/smedia/2008/10/12/17/530-081012-13_Duathlon-DFG-01.standalone.prod_affiliate.39.JPG

SUNDAY GALBRAITH SUNDAY

Yes, another epic day on Galbraith but before we hit the hill, I did the RunningShoes.com mountain bike duathlon at Lake Padden this a.m. A lot of you have asked (actually just my sister, Kath) how me ankle's been. Been fine. It's me left knee that's been barkin' fer about 10 days now.I suspect the dread IT band thingee syndrome stuff. No matter, it was fine for the the couple jaunts 'round the 2.6-mile lake loop and once up and down (and up) the expert mountain bike course.
I was done in 1:07 'n' change, about nine minutes behind the ever-sassy John Clark who took seventh overall, I believe. It was great fun and oddly (kinda) the first event I've done all year that involved running. In two weeks, I plan on the Belly Cross cyclocross race at Cornwall Park. www.cascadecross.com/races/belly-cross.

I wanna thank Kelly Mielke for the duathlon photos he took. Look at the way I run. I look like a freak. I lean so far back I look like the "Keep On Truckin'" dude from the R. Crumb comic. Right, so after the duathlon it was onto Galbratih with Baker, his schoolchum Kyler and dad Ed, and Kyler's friend Logan. Great ride (as usual). From the Birch St. side we did Miranda (where we saw the ubiquitous Galbraith rat, Steve Noble), Ridge, Cedar Dust (twice), Family Fun Center, Road 1200, SST (where the above and below pics are from), and back to Ridge-Miranda.
The above video is from Karma, which we threw in at the end of the ride. First rider is Bake, then Kyler and Logan.