Whistler for Dan's 40th

I dont usually do to many crazy and wild things but this one seemed a bit crazy and wild to me.  Our friend Dan turned 40.  He planned a trip to Whistler Canada and asked us all to come.  He didn't expect anyone but his wife to come.  Then our friend Rob found super cheap tickets to Seattle.  We found a babysitter for our kids. We booked a hotel room for 4 of us to go and then reserved a car and we were off.  

I flew in before Rob, Ang and Darren.  I got to hang out with my friend Angenette (Neti).  We had a lovely hot cocoa and some delicious food.   Then I drove to my sisters house in Seattle and got to go to my nephew Ely's  graduation from preschool.  We went for a bike ride when we got home.  And of course my sister Rach cooked an amazing meal for us.  

I slept for about 3 hours then headed to the airport for a 12:00 AM flight arrival.  We drove across the border into Canada and slept a few hours in Vancouver before heading to Whistler. It was a great group.  Dan and Katie LaRiviere, Rob Hyldahl, Ang Isaccs, and Darren and I.  (or Dalls as all his bike friends call him)  Riding down hill bikes with lots of suspension was great fun.  Lots of jumps and curves.  I thought I was invincible on my bike.  But Ang and I called it a day after one day.  Everyone else biked a second day but the two of us went on an amazing 13 mile hike.  

We started out with small ambitions. but it was so beautiful we just kept going and going until we got to the very top of the mnt.  The rivers and lakes, the forest and bridges.  It was all breathtaking.  

The boys and Katie enjoyed a second day of biking but we were all exhausted by the end.  We ate good food, sat in the hot tub and slept well.

11 or 12 years ago Darren and I went to the same waterfall as newly weds.  We just took a picture of us standing up at the top of the waterfall.  This time we found the crazy trail down to the base.  Maybe we look older and wiser now compared to May 2004.

We did a little rock climbing while there.  Darren opted out of the climbing and ran/hiked up the Chief in Squamish. I did it pregnant last time with him, it was a good steep hike with an incredible view at the top.  We made it home.  It was a great adventure.  A great 40th birthday party getaway for our friend.  Our kids missed us.  They had the flu while we were gone and we got it when we got home from them.  But thanks to Renee and Ben for taking care of them for us.  

100 mile Mnt bike race at Targhee

We really had a fun summer.  It was exhausting but amazing.  Darren signed up for a 100 mile bike race in Driggs Idaho at the Targhee Ski resort.  Its called Pieres Hole.  I watched Darren take off at 7:00 AM and expected to see him back in 10 hours.  Mean while Ang, who grew up in Driggs, took us hiking to an amazing cave.  Amazing.  My kids are such good hikers.  It was about 5.5 miles and a bit steep.  They were excited to get to the cave but when we pulled out the flashlights and jackets and told them to crawl back into the dark small hole they weren't into it.  One day I will go back and explore with Ang.   

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We made it back to watch Darren finish the race.  He was slower than he wanted to be because his bike had broken.  He had no shocks for the last 30 miles.  I cant even imagine!  He wasn't to happy when he crossed that finished line.  100 miles is hard and long, but 30 of it with no shocks is terrible. Our good friend Corey Larabee took first this year  It was a nice finish.  

Then we headed back to Angs parents house were we had slept the night before.  The back drop of the Tetons in their backyard is pretty amazing.  Her parents had us an amazing dutch oven dinner and marshmallows to roast.  Ang pulled out her guitar and played away for us.  It was a night I will never forget.  Ang's mother has a green thumb for sure.  But since Driggs has a very short growing season she built a shed and planted corn right in the dirt in the shed.  And that was just one of her amazing tricks.  

Timpanogoes Campground - Balls Reunion

At the end of July we had a great visit from all the Balls family.  Nellie arrived first.  She brought a NICE boyfriend named Jordan.  He is very talented just like her.  So instead of going to bed we stayed up late and listened to them play the piano for us.  Then each kid got to show off for Nellie on the piano too.  Nellie isn't just talented musically but she has a knack for making all the kids love her.  My girls had cute hair every day.  They are also the only two girls in the Balls family.  Next we saw Jason and Whit and their son Jack.  We miss seeing them because they are far away in Florida but we enjoy them when we can.  

We camped at the base of Mnt Timpanogoes.  4 tents with all of us.  Darren cooked us great food for 3 days.  We camped and visited and biked and hiked.  We all did a 4 mile hike to Stewart Falls, even my sweet sister in law Whit.   It wiped her out for the rest of the trip but it was great to have her out in the wilderness.  On the last day some of hiked up to Timpanogoes Falls.  That was steep!

Darren rode his bike home over mnts and then down mnts and then back over more mnts and then finally home. He always gets some beautiful pictures when he is out there.  

 We got to spend one more night all together.  Since we forgot to get a group family shot we hurried to get one of 3 of the 5 couples of the Balls family.