Another Year....

Holden Beach, NC in October

Okay, so it's been almost exactly a year since we last posted, which means that most of you are probably in or out of the loop at this point.  A lot has happened in a year, to say the least.  We'll just bullet point the highlights and call it good.

• Pauline Spent 3 weeks on a research boat in Kodiak
• We got pregnant ( we're due at the end of February )
• Moved from Kodiak to...the lower 48 ( I guess this will be the next blog entry )
• Took the Alaska Ferry for an entire week from Kodiak to Bellingham for the big move
• Andy got a new job with Emergency Air Lift based out of Klamath Falls, OR
• Super Sized the last mobile set-up of Subaru Outback pulling 16' Scamp Trailer to a Dodge Ram 1500 and 22' Travel Trailer
• We Vacationed with Andy's Parents at Holden Beach, NC
• Andy got a new dirt bike

I think that sums it up till I get motivated to really keep folks in the loop.

Andy looking good for interviews

The Definition of a Gypsy

Gyp·sy also Gip·sy -  (jps)

n. pl. Gyp·sies also Gip·sies. 

1. gypsy One inclined to a nomadic, unconventional way of life.  2. A person who moves from place to place as required for employment

Us on top of Piller Mtn, with downtown Kodiak below.  Late summer photo, it's a little browner and snowier right now:)

Kodiak, Alaska
We moved to Kodiak because Andy got offered a job, I guess that takes care of the second part of the definition.  

A typical day in Kodiak for me is easily described as nomadic, unconventional way of life.  So, that takes care of the first part.  Everyday is filled with one, or many, of 10 part time jobs, there's probably more, but it's hard to keep track of them all. 

On this particular lovely day in Kodiak... I'm not being sarcastic!  There's light, if any wind at all, the snow-laden peaks are aglow with the brilliance of a late morning sunrise and I have just sat down at the Kodiak Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center information desk.  I've been volunteering here since the first hours of our arrival back in May.  Sometimes I'm at the desk, other times I'm running the FUN (Families Understanding Nature) program, and when I'm lucky I take to the field by boat or plane.  I've learned so much about this Island through this experience, I recommend everyone volunteering for their local natural resource agency.  No, they didn't make me say that, I've genuinely enjoy working here, and wouldn't be writing about if I didn't.

This morning Andy and I woke up in a little cabin in the woods overlooking the water on all sides.  We let the dogs out for their morning business - No we didn't get dogs!  We are actually house sitting.  When the need arises we house sit and dog sit. It's nice because different parts of town have different vibes.  This place makes us feel like we're on vacation, we're partial to having a cosy fire when it's cold outside.

So it's before noon, and I've already taken care of two jobs.  I did bicycle to the bead shop first though to get some ironing in.  It's not technically work, but that does bring up the bead shop, Stringbeadz.  I help Dana out, the owner, when she travels or gets real busy, it's a trade for material, which is better than getting paid if you ask me.  And of course next door is a quilt shop called Just Jane's, thus the ironing.  I'm working on a quilt.  This will be my fourth quilt since I met Dana and Jane back in September.  Currently I'm also working for material at Just Jane's as she is inventorying everything.  I'll bike there next to do just that.  Between the inventorying, I'll also work on my quilt and some custom jewelry orders I took earlier this week.  So this last paragraph described three more facets of my gypsiness.

Of course when all that is done, 7pm will roll around and it's time to bowl.  I'm also in the Women's Bowling League.  I'm not just bowling three games tonight, but I'm also the League's Sargent of Arms.  That's right, I take care of security as needed.  I'm hearing the laughter now...

And that my friends takes care of Friday!

Tomorrow I'm helping out with a running clinic at the Coast Guard Base.  Zoya, a local physical therapist, is doing gait analysis and has asked me to help.  This is actually part of a health fair so I look forward to the venue and working with Zoya.  I normally teach yoga on Saturday mornings at A Balanced Approach, Zoya's studio, but due to a nasty fall on ice last week, I"m taking a couple weeks off.  I think I'm talking about jobs six and seven, but I've already lost track.

I'm also gearing up for my College Beginning Yoga Class, which starts up next week.  I'm an Adjunct Instructor at Kodiak College.  I'm pretty excited because I've accumulated 3 credits from teaching last semester, so I'm taking a wooden bow building class this semester!  My other extracurricular endeavors are learning the violin, and hopefully glass art.

I might get a breather on Sunday, but then Monday will roll around and there are the boys upstairs to watch, otherwise known as babysitting, then back to the refuge for work on Envirothon.  It's a high school competition that focuses on natural resources.  Check it out here:  http://www.envirothon.org/  The Kodiak Wildlife Refuge is hosting the Alaska State Competition this year, so I've volunteered my time gearing up for it. 

And of course, my number one job on the Island is taking care of Andy!  He does get fresh baked bread every week for his sandwiches, and no, we do not have a bread maker :)

And while I'm going about business on the ground, Andy is in the air making sure folks around the island get their mail, fuel, and groceries by air.  Or else he's doing a medivac, getting folks into town to catch a flight off island, or any number of other transport needs.  He's an everyday hero in my mind, because his services are so crucial to this island's well-being.

We may not be on the "move" as most of you know us to be, but we are gypsies by heart and are constantly on the go about Kodiak.

Kodiak Gypsies

Gypsy on the Run

October 2, 2010 - Pauline runs the Baker Lake 50K

Soaking the legs beneath Mt. Baker after completing 31 mi

The night wasn't too bad, the air was damp and warm, heavier than I'm used to.  Morning came, darkness afloat, but light sliding through the overcast layer.  It was 7am before we knew it.  I was ready. The 10 second countdown began... happy that the day had finally come, nervous that preparation was not complete, but no looking back as 15.5 miles were ahead for the running.  I don't remember the first mile on pavement, I do remember crossing the Baker Lake Dam, I also remember the gravel road hill climb/walk.  If it was uphill the first mile, who knows how hilly the remainder would be once on the actual trail.  Finally, after almost 30 minutes, the South entrance of the Baker Lake Trail came into view.  Upon stepping onto the duffy trail, I reached up and grabbed ahold of my silver pendent, a character in Japanese symbolizing good luck and wealth, pronounced "FUKU" and it instantly made me laugh out loud.  Though it was difficult to wipe the grin off my face as I strode through the lush forests of home. The forests were filled with fir and cedar in a bed of moist moss.  The distinct smell of October's earthy rotting hard wood leaves, which were scattered upon the trails, energized me with each breath.  And of course, the soothing sounds of water pulled by gravity towards the great expanse of Baker Lake tickled my ears.

The warm fog lingered upon the lake and low lands, but when I'd gaze over towards the foothills of the west bank, I knew that not so far off, Mt. Baker loomed.  The sleeping giant would hold watch over the 120 runners this fine morning.  Oh, the smell of wet red cedar as I carefully cross the first of 45 wooden bridges in this direction.  I happily converse with another female runner as I mossie my way on this glorious single track, sticking close, but then moving on to keep up with my own pace.  I'd pass her on the way back.  I was on my own again...

It's nice contemplating life through the woods of the Pacific Northwest, there is nothing like it in the whole world.  Around the 1:30 hour mark I began to keep watch for the main pack of runners that started an hour after.  The race allowed for early starters taking their sweet time, which included me.  At 2:14 the leader passed me on what I deemed the slipperiest bridge on earth.  I hand over handed down the rail of this one as he cruised on by commenting on the slickness of the surface.  Then, the world would pass me...
The only difficulty in this was the fact that the single track didn't allow for folks to pass without one (mainly me) actually stepping off the trail and waiting before starting up again.  Honestly, I didn't care, but it definitely threw my rhythm off a bit every now and then.

At about 3 hours, we all began wondering where the turn around was, it seemed like we should have been there by now.  I wouldn't get there for another 30 minutes!  The trail was definitely more hilly than advertised on this "lake" run, in fact, I actually can't remember very many straight-a-ways, as I was walking up the hills, cruising the downs, holding on for dear life over bridges, picking my way through stream crossings, or blindly trying not to trip through rocky patches that were overgrown by fern and devil's club.  It was an adventure and it sure was great crossing the huge suspension bridge on the North side knowing that Andy would be waiting for me there.  With a hug and a kiss my pack was rebuilt.  I don't quite know how I only made it through 10 ounces of water in the first 15.5 miles, but those 10 ounces were replaced along with enough goodies to get me back on the 15.5 mile trip to the finish.  I felt good, but I definitely wasn't so peppy or fresh at this point.  Andy walked me down the trail as I finished off a handful of potato chips and flat coke, then I was on my own again...

It was great cheering people on to the turnaround.  That's one of the coolest things about ultras, you cheer for each other 1st or last place.    Coming back over the bridge, the warmth of sunlight finally hit me.  The sun was warm enough to start burning off the fog layer.  It was a glorious run back as Mt. Baker actually came into view.  That just made the run.  It's hard to recall too much, other than the fact that I spent the last couple of hours with a runner that had some major muscle cramping.  He tagged along behind me although he had started with the main group of runners.  He seemed to enjoy my walk/run style.  It was nice to have someone to talk to those last hours as they seemed to drag anyway.  My hip flexors were achy, but other than that all was well, just an overall tiredness, which I think is understandable since I was on the backside of 20+ miles.  Some where along the way I did manage to run my first marathon, but there were still 5 miles more to run.

I remember feeling the pull of the trailhead, I remember it being downhill to start so it would be the last hill of the race.  I was looking forward to that, though that also meant a long downhill to the finish.  For some reason that gravel road would just not end, but then, the dam!  Oh the dam!  So close now, must keep running!

Of course the finish was not straight forward, in fact, it was probably the only part of the entire race where people got lost, and I'm only talking about the last 50 yards.  As soon as I figured out the finish line, it was a cartwheel over the caution bump. Then...the buffet of food began!

My first 50K, sorer than I have been in a long time having run 3 hours longer than I have ever run in my life.  Recovery was within a couple of days.

Thanks everybody for your support!

Gypsies in America...

Well, the lower part anyway...

September 30: Kodiak, AK to Seattle, WA
We arrived in good fashion, me on mileage and Andy using jump seat privileges.  We sat by each other all the way down from Kodiak, which is quite amazing considering he was the absolutely last one called for a standby seat.  We managed to finagle me onto the morning jet, instead of my original afternoon ticket, out of Kodiak.  This move was good for the ultimate reason - CHINESE FOOD earlier!  This we enjoyed at the Red Lantern in Chinatown with mom, sister, and grandma -- good eating company.  So for anyone heading to Seattle, a recommendation for some great Chinese food.

A warm shower at home then had me diving into my bed, oh for the love of the perfect firmness.  That's the hard thing about gypsies, they move too much to own a bed and/or they're too cheap to buy one :)  There was no way you were going to budge me for the night...but Andy headed out on the town to catch up with an old coworker (this one from our aerial surveying days).  Unfortunately, this ended with a call to the police as as some bastard decided that of all the cars out there, they wanted to break into my grandpa's 1998 Subaru Forester.  At least you'd think that they'd take the cash, but instead  took the garbage and a pair of my grandma's and mom's old ass sunglasses.  Weird people out there...I'd elaborate, but maybe you reading this are one of these.

October 1: Seattle - Concrete, WA
Packed up and headed to run the Baker Lake 50K, camped out in my sister's Honda Element at Kulshan Campground.

October 2: Concrete - Cashmere, WA
Pauline runs the Baker Lake 50K - More to come regarding this, standby.

October 3:  Hay Canyon Ranch in Cashmere, Anjou Bakery (yes, this is considered a destination in our books), Chelan Butte in Chelan, Classic Crack in Leavenworth - Back over to the West side
We arrived over the mountains the previous night, and to our delight, Oktoberfest in Leavenworth!  Just kidding on the delight part, because we blazed right through in attempts not to get caught up in the mayhem.  We checked off a bunch of things on this side of the mountains.  Hung out with good friends, started our day at our favorite French Bakery, Andy took a couple of flights off Chelan Butte, while I belayed old man Pellerin up Classic Crack (this is its own story, we'll have to blog separately about this too).  Then on to my little 4 year old cousin's birthday party.  This is a good way to see everyone all at once, but always a difficult venue as little rug rats running all over the place is not conducive to easy conversation.

October 4:  Seattle, WA
Andy's last day in town.  Sorry to all the people that didn't get a chance to meet up while he was in town, we had a lot of errands to do.

October 5: Andy Seattle, WA - Charlotte, NC
Andy headed out today to get his ATP!  I woke up at 5am to drive him.  I then had a fabulous sun filled day hanging out by water with my good friend Ben up at Exit 38 and Rattlesnake Lake.  I'm missing home!

October 6: Pauline is still in town for a couple of days, my schedule is filling up fast....

It's hard to keep track of us, I can barely remember all the things we have already done since getting on the plane.  I created this blog so everyone could keep track of us when we are on the move, but it's so hard to write when we are.  So this crazy entry is the brief of it.

So until I have time to fill in the blanks, I'll be on the move again...
Pictures still to come.

It's hard to keep track of gypsies...

With the thought of creating a space for our friends and family to attempt to keep track of us, I have created a blog.  Not necessarily the most creative thing in the world, but I'm guessing it's a start.  Our journey has taken us to all parts of the world, and to all sorts of nooks and crannies of the US.  During this time I know some of you have lost track of us here and there.

I named the blog "Following Gypsies" because in my mind, following gypsies is not such an easy thing to do as they come and go as they please, and only stay in places on a whim or if it suits them.  Most of you who are reading this know that when we get somewhere, the obvious question is "how long will you be there?" And of course you also know what the response will be, "I don't know."

So whether we are here or there, this will be a place where we will try not to disappear on you.  Though we are gypsies by nature, so cheers on your attempt to follow us.

Home on the ramp at the Bessemer Airport in Alabama.