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Ever since my man vs boat experience, I have been a bit reluctant to ride a bike in Vancouver. I figure I need to face my fears and get out there.

I bought a bike and started bike commuting. I might be the only person dumb enough to take a bike from Vancouver to downtown Portland, but I have never been much for fitting in. Actually, I do not ride the entire 11 miles. I grab the Yellow Line in North Portland.

I get a Tri-met pass for work, so minus the cost of the bike, my commute is now free. Woohoo.

Going over the Interstate Bridge in the rain, wind, and dark is less than my favorite activity in the world. Otherwise, I enjoy my commute better than sitting in traffic.

Next step, move back to Portland.

I was finally able to go skiing last night. Huzzah. This brings my all time total ski trips to six, hence the two hands thing. For my sixth trip and that I have not skied in two years, I was pretty excited about my progress. I was weaving and curving with the best of them and my confidence is getting better. James even told me I should run a Black Diamond – nah, next time.

Conditions reminded me of late March. Old, packed snow. Lines were very short, we never had to wait more than 15 seconds.

How about some stats?

• About three hours – just after 6:00-9:00.
• 15-20 runs.
• $15. Meadows has super special deals after 6:00 or something.
• Five crashes including the two below.
• One yard sale. Skies off, 20 feet apart and 30 feet behind me. Poles off. Boats unbuckled. Snow in pants. Six inch wide, three feet long, and four inch deep hole, 15 feet behind me.
• One failed lift entrance. Some snowboarder tried to join James and I on the four person lift. He took about three of the spots. My attempt to give him more room failed when I noticed the lift railing between my legs. Adjusting back found myself face first in the snow under the lift. Stupid snowboarders.

A good night, a good night.

The weather hates me. It probably is just fine with other people, but me – hatred. In the last week I have had three failed ski trips.

It all started the weekend before last. I wanted to go night skiing sometime during the week at Mt Hood. After attempting to recruit ski buddies, I found the lifts were closed except on Friday and Saturday due to lack of snow and insanely warm weather for mid-January. Turns out, some lifts were open later in the week, but I had already ditched hopes. Fail one.

For several months a friend from the college dorms was planning a XC skiing trip. I was ready to go this last Saturday, but it turns out it was 40 and raining. Not too fun. Fail two.

After seeing the lifts open later last week, I attempted to reorganize another trip. I got to work early this morning, so I could leave at 3:00. After meeting my ski buddies for the day, we made our way to the mountain. If the foreshadowing did not give it away yet… Closed. All three places. Fail three.

What does a guy have to do to get a little ski around here?

For anybody out there that does not know, the Packers have made the playoffs. It was only a one year absence too. Woohoo. Since the NFL playoffs started in 1933, this will their 25th appearance.

Well, this means for the next few weeks I am going to be a bit crazy. Sorry for anybody who hangs out with me on Sundays. I think this team is better than the 2007 team, so it should be fun.

Go Pack, Go

I thought I would put together my predictions for the 2010 playoffs.

Wild Card Weekend
AFC

• Cinci over the ‘we have no chance of getting in the playoffs’ Jets
• NE over Baltimore

NFC

• “America’s Team” over Phillie
• Pack over Arizona – duh

Division Series
AFC

• Indiana over Ohio – aka Indie over Cinci
• SD over NE

NFC

• Norway over Down Home
• Pack over Saints – the shocker of the playoffs. Yes I think this can beat the Saints.

Conference Series
AFC

• Indie over SD – A great game. The best game but will have less hype than the NFC game.

NFC

• Vikes over Pack – Gasp. MN, as a throwing team, can beat this great Pack defense unless everybody gets off the IR list (Not happening). This Pack offense can beat the MN defense, but the defense will not stop Brett. That is unless Brett pulls his normal playoff choking. Me guess not.

Da Big One

• Indie destroys MN – Manning and Favre cry in one another’s arms. Manning goes to Disneyland. Favre to Mississippi.

If all this comes out this way, I think somebody needs to send me a box of cookies.

It looks like 2009 is going to end soon. I thought I would reflect on what has happened to me over this last year. Although not a complete list, here we go:

• One of my best friends passed away
• I worked 16 hours on my birthday
• Took family trips to the San Juan Islands, Arizona, and Wisonsin
• Lost my job and got a new one
• Dreamed about owning a house and new car

As far as years go, this one was ‘meh’. Good-bye 2009.