Riding Capital Forest on Christmas Eve

Riding Capital Forest trails on Christmas Eve from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Under sunny skies and unseasonably warm, 55 degree temperatures, after a long I-5 drive and handfuls of holiday cookies later, we eagerly grabbed our mountain bikes and headed for some of the Pacific Northwest's finest single track trails in Olympia's Capital Forest to go for a muddy holiday ride...

Armed with our new Santa-delivered, action cameras fresh out of the boxes, we clicked in and excitedly mounted up to see what kind of adventures we could film over 10.5 miles of ups, downs and rooty arounds... 

*Includes fast & fun, expert rider Jim views, testing out his new Contour ROAM camera bombing down narrow sections at speeds near 20 mph! And Nadja with her new Nikon pocket waterproof camera! = :) + :) !!

Additional holiday gift appearances by a couple of our nation's most well-known volcanoes surprised us and enhanced the clear cut views when majestic Mount Rainier and neighboring sleeping giant, Mount Saint Helens appeared on the eastern Cascade mountain horizon, with possibly a sleigh and reindeer overhead...

~ Happy Adventuring Holidays 2011
from us @ Island Paddlers! ~

Kayaking at Deception Pass

Playing at Deception Pass from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

From practicing peel outs in a tandem Necky Nootka Plus, to surfing standing waves to sea caving and then being surrounded by Dalls porpoises...

You just never know what adventures are possible until you spend a few hours playing at 'the Pass'!

Capitol Punishment 12 hour Relay Race

12 hour Capitol Punishment Race from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.
3 friends spend 12 hours mountain bike relay racing nearly 100 miles together between 10 laps over a super fun, flowy and steeply sweet technical single track course to finish 1st (and only;) in the 3 person, co-ed class. With 20 miles of 'hard time' put in by Nadja, 30 from Jesse and 50 ridden by ironman Jim... 
Lap after lap Team 'A-town Pirates' raged on, super pumped as they continued to happily escape crash and injuries in their first group endurance race together on this unusually hot fall day. 
Challenges instead came in the form of a chest cold for Nadja, a loose wheel for Jesse, and a light failure for Jim to deal with- which left him stranded alone in the dark forest for about 30 minutes after he was bombing down a super steep section of the rooty trail at speeds near 20 mph, took a jump and middair before he landed his new bright light suddenly went out!...
*Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers who come along and share their extra lights!  And great event organizers and volunteers...We're looking forward to next year's  12 & 6 hours of Capitol Punishment Relay Race race already! :)

Mountain Biking Crystal Mountain

Mountain Biking Crystal Mountain from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Follow along with Team Jolly Roger- husband and wife, expert & beginner level mountain bikers- as they spend a weekend at Crystal Mountain Resort, under the shadows of majestic Mount Rainier, riding the Northway Trail...

On a grueling, 3 steeeep miles ride/ hike-a-bike ascent up a gravel service road to reach the 6,856 feet summit ridge trailhead before being rewarded with the best 7 mile, high alpine, singletrack ride *with the ultimate Cascade mountain volcanic views* in the Pacific Northwest!

Lower Inside Passage paddle journey

Ahhhhhh = First shower in 9 days. First sleep in own bed in 16 nights. First day our swollen, blistered, sunburnt, water-logged hands and/or sore shoulders get to rest since pushing each stroke of the watery way back

 from the north end of Vancouver island to Fidalgo island in two very loaded, kevlar Necky Nootka Plus tandem sea kayaks.

 And what now feels like a luxury most of all, the first morning without having to scramble out of a tent, over uneven rocks, driftwood, to find/ filter/ boil water for our morning coffee!

(photo credit Kathleen M.)

326 mostly sunny miles later, 4 t-shirt & sunglass-tanned Sound Rowers kayak racing friends happily return home a bit stronger and a few pounds each lighter.  

After 13 islands kayak-camped on (22 this year so far for Jim & Nadja:), humpback & gray whale blows, a false killer whale, a black bear,

Steve & Greg seeing 3 wolf, Jim & Nadja a pod of white-sided dolphin, and as always lots of up close curious eagles & seals...

 With only a few days of paddling/ getting swallowed by/in big seas-
fought some strong headwinds the first day in Johnstone Straits. 

Then one day we got caught unexpectedly by unforecast gale headwinds with accompanying big open fetch swells while trying to round Neck Point into Nanaimo

and our last day was big & messy while crossing Rosario Strait near Lummi island...

Inspiring encounters with people and nature while pushing the limits through high mileage in loaded boats at faster-than-average-touring speeds as we navigated through the unknown,

 more often than not against strong currents, through rapids, a few rainstorms, tide rips, reefs, shoals, rocks, gales, sunrises, sunsets,

to set up paradise home-for-the-night camps again and again each day at the next beautiful island destination,

which was always "just around the next point"...

What a freaking adventure!!!  For 3 of us at least, Steve is currently continuing on another approx. 40 miles solo from Anacortes to Tulalip Bay. While us here at Island Paddlers have already got next summer's adventure paddle journey planned... :)

Mountains to Sound Relay 2011

           Mountains to Sound Relay 2011 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

One man, One day, One hundred miles!!

Pacific Northwest native and adventure sport expert Jimmy Z. earned himself some impressive bragging rights as he dug deep for a good cause, doing what he does best from Cascade Mountain trails to Puget Sound waterways...

While racing in Seattle's 6th annual Mountains to Sound Relay, an event which has "contributed over $50,000 towards improving trails and recreation along the Mountains to Sound Greenway, for the I-90 Corridor from Thorpe to the shores of Seattle."

In a 17 mile mountain bike, 46 mile road bike, 12 mile kayak leg, 13.1 mile/ half marathon run and a final 10 km 'sprint' race to the finish...

With many liters of water, Gatorade, Gel Shots & caffeinated power gummies later...

Through leg cramps and into the pukes...

He surprised himself (but not us supporters:) with a strong, 1st place IRONMAN finish at 8 hours and 20 minutes in Seattle's finest fundraising, multisport relay race!

WAY TO GO JIM!!!

Bavarian Bike & Brew 2011

We rose at 4am to depart our Fidalgo island home by sunrise

and head East over the Cascade mountains to our favorite lil' Bavarian town of Leavenworth for Jim's second year in a row of participating in a grueling, 24 mile mountain bike race...

To give it all on an incredible race course that starts off with 1800 feet of elevation gain in the first 4 miles, grinding racers up to the top of a high alpine ridge

with rewarding spectacular craggy-peaked views, before bombing it back down into the forest through creeks and over rollers to the finish line far below.

At last years race just months after having back-to-back spinal surgeries for a rough water paddling injury, it was difficult and painful for me to even walk up the hill to where the start line was to watch Jim's race...

So this year at the last minute I decided to also compete in the 14th annual Bavarian Bike & Brew ,  in the 8 mile (1 lap) beginner class race simply for my own personal, huge sense of feel goooood accomplishment of  being able to cross the finish line on my bike instead of in a back brace and a cane...

(Who knows what next year's race will bring:)

Jim loves this course because it reminds him of the kind of terrain he grew up riding back on his home alpine slopes of Mount Rainier.

With temperatures in the 80's, it just kept getting better ane better when we went exploring for a place to set up camp and found more than we hoped for down Icicle Creek Road...

*Not pictured are the 4 foot long snake and young bear that I saw close up, but fumbled with my camera in excitement and missed taking pics of either!

All in all another great weekend playing with friends in our adventure sport paradise home o' the Pacific Northwest. 

Whidbey island circumnavigation

90.5 miles in 18 hours of paddling over 2.5 days.

 We had the time of our lives this past Memorial Day weekend, with the weather and current goddesses aligning for once and giving us the absolute perfect travelling conditions to accomplish our latest (big ass;) paddling goal in the least amount of pain possible- circumnavigating Whidbey island in our tandem Necky Nootka sea kayak, the largest isle in the Puget Sound and one of the longest in America.

The night before embarking on this ultra marathon paddle journey, I overheard Jim answering a friends inquiry as to why we would want to take on this uber endurance challenge.  I chuckled to myself as I heard him reply simply with the classic line made famous by early Everest mountaineer George Mallory, "Because it is there."

And so after months of training, the last few evenings of pre-departure gear pile-making and dry bag packing, we excitedly launched on Saturday morning a little later than planned at just after 8am from Cornet Bay, into flat water with a slight drizzle and gentle headwind breeze. Within a few miles we passed Ala Spit and began getting a good speed boost from favorable currents. We rode that for miles gratefully down into Saratoga Passage and kept going comfortably at a good pace until about 20 miles in, when we stopped for lunch next to Cama State Park.

Then as forecast we watched the seas start rippling and waves appearing (we didn't believe it could be happening since how often is our PNW marine forecast actually accurate?!;)  We sat on the warm beach rocks savoring our PBJ sandwiches as we watched the winds change direction and increase in intensity, giggling at the afternoon possibilities...

So we pulled out the sail and suction cupped it on the deck before launching again, for what would turn into the kayak sailin' ride of our lives, a freaking awesome 20 mile downwind sail & surf run! We flew by Langely, Camano Head, Getney island & Clinton, laughing away as we were connecting set after set beautifully at speeds of 7~9 mph!

 Tired as we were, we figured it was a no brainer that we weren't not going to use the perfect kayak-sailing conditions given to us, so we rode the winds all the way to the south end of the island for an incredible 43 mile first day!

We would have probably kept going another hour or two if we could have continued with the help of the sail, but rounding the south end of the island we were met with a wall of headwinds, so with our screaming muscles and roaring bellies we instead pulled out onto a ruggedly homeless beach and set up pirate camp for the night. Exhausted and giddy we enjoyed our instant jasmine rice and Indian curry while watching the most beautiful sunset over the Olympics and Mount Rainier.

Sunday morning we were woken early by barking sea lions near 5am, and jumped up to get water boiling and gear packed and on the water as quick as possible. Again currents were with us as soon as we launched, so the miles and hours flew by enjoyably...

Until we hit Admiralty Inlet just south of Fort Casey. The strong currents then changed and started kicking our tired tooshes.  By the time we made it to the State Park we'd already planned at stopping at for lunch, we were at 25 miles for the day, 68 miles total, and both ready to be done.

So we grabbed the second to last available campsite amongst a city of RV's, and treated ourselves to a lunch of hot sandwiches and Mike's hard lemonades from the Keystone Cafe. Then spent the rest of the afternoon napping in the sun in the grass on top off the bluff at the old military fort as crowds of tourists frolicked around us.

Sunday morning we again rose at 5am and got on the water just after 6am. Launching off of the beach next to the Keystone ferry, we got sucked right into a raging rip and up to speeds over 10 mph for a few miles. Not yet fully caffeinated I wasn't quite awake yet or as ready for the sudden bucking bronco raging rip ride as Jim was, but who needs coffee after that wave-slapping, coooold watered good morning!

We stayed offshore a half mile to a mile for a lot of the morning up the westside, as the military has restricted waters and we didn't feel like getting chased. The swells from the wide open fetch of Strait of Juan de Fuca were gentle and kind, and pushed up our speeds each wave as well, so we made it back to Deception Pass just after max flood and in time to get rocket-shot through the Pass at over 11mph to end our trip back at Cornet Bay by 11am on our third day!

We were so happy to get home early, get the salty gear rinsed and hung to dry. Barely back on land an hour Jim took off on a couple hour mountain bike ride.  Already getting into the zone for next weekends race while we'd both alternate smiling at each other knowingly over the next few days, overflowing with endorphin-fueled inner rainbows from this mega mission accomplished trip.  :)

Unleash the Beast Triathon 2011

For the second year in a row we eagerly packed up bikes & boats and headed down beautiful, Pacific Northwest back roads, across a few islands and onto a small ferry

 to take us to the Olympic Penninsula, for the 2nd annual Unleash the Beast Adventure Sports Festival in the historically lovely lumber town of Port Gamble on the Kitsap Peninsula.

This year we excitedly cross-trained for months for a new addition to this two day, adventure sports demo & racing bonanza line up, an adventure sports triathlon. 

The first leg, the Paddle the Dragon 6 mile kayak race. 

Then those brave enough could opt to go on solo or switch out with teammates

for two more muddier than muddy legs in the nearby Port Gamble trails- jumping out of their wet kayak gear and onto their bikes to get dirty on a 14 mile sport class,

single track slip & slide mountain bike leg followed by a 5km run... 

With the grand finale finish line bringing the hardcore multi sport racers back to the waterfront to finish amongst rain sodden & windswept crowds with vendor booths

proudly displaying colorful array of kayaks & SUPs.

Ambitiously we both pre-registered in the iron man/woman solo triathlon divisions-

 with Jim using this as a warm up for his super endurance solo efforts in next month's '100 miles in 1 day' Mountains to Sound race and I as the next major fitness challenge goal I'd hoped to check off while still cautiously on my own personal spinal injury rehab journey...

 Unfortunately two weeks before race day I frustratingly got struck hard by case of acute bronchitis.  Even though I'd brought all my gear along  just in case I miraculously began feeling better overnight, at registration I had to stubbornly admit defeat and follow doctors orders to scratch my race and save my health...On the bright side, it then left my day open to be Jim's personal cheerleader and support person at every transition :)

While Jim had also been fighting a spring cold all week, luckily it didn't take him down nearly as hard, and with what he attributes to super hydrating the week before, Jim had the race of all races, months of training paying off as he led the way to an incredible
 *ironman* 1st PLACE OVERALL finish!  

  Proving that he and the skies could both be beasts that unleashed, Jim held a sweeping lead from the kayak leg all the way through each of the following sport legs in the triathlon race- beating the 2nd place finishing team by nearly 12 minutes!  AND in and through some pretty unforgiving weather conditions at times-

Sea kayaking across the Hood Canal  against 10 knot and increasing gusts o' headwinds while fighting ebbing currents on the return.  Then onto mountain biking and running along super-soaked trails...

Doug in a super beautiful, kevlar Necky Looksha 2

finished the Paddle the Dragon kayak race in first place overall,

 Followed by a Mens Double Sea Kayak with Jim close behind in third place overall, in his older & not-as-beautiful but definitely his most favorite boat, a kevlar Necky Looksha 3. 

 Jim then took over first place in the triathlon as he ran outa the cold Puget Sound salt water up the rocky beach, down a few hundred yards along rain-wetted grass to the kayak-bike transition zone to quickly change into biking clothes, while simultaneously refueling with Gu and downing gulps of Gatorade.   

Oblivious to the passing spring rain squall that was not helping his shivering as it turned briefly into even more unforgiving sideways hail,  Jim grinningly took off in a screaming first place solid lead on his next most favorite piece of gear, a tested, tried true & trusted, old school GT Zaskar LE mountain bike. 

By his time estimations, I made sure to be at the next  bike-runner transition zone, in a grassy field just outside of town about an hour and a half later.  Again it was awesome for a small crowd of us to see Jim come flying out of the forest this time, covered in mud from head to toe to the point of being nearly unrecognisable...except for that grin! 

 

With one final, quick shoe change again, a few sips of water & a few Power Gel gummies he was off again, to next be seen until he came cruising down the trail just under the flagpole back in Port Gamble, 20-something minutes later, still looking as happy & strong as when he started, as he came down onto the waterfront and around a final loop in the race course that hid him briefly out of sight behind a building before a final 200 yard straightaway sprint to finish at 3 hours 16 minutes...

 As the endorphin high still fuels that grin, he's already looking forward to next weekend's endurance cross-training plans, a 60 mile open water, kayak camping island adventure.~