Happy Knits

I have a very good aunt. She picked me up at the train station and we drove immediately to a knit shop around the corner on Hawthorne Blvd called Happy Knits. It's a very happy shop and a feast for the eyes with color and very clean lines throughout. Just the kind of shop I could only dream about having. A chandelier and fireplace in the knitting lounge added a classy but cozy touch and whimsical head models displayed hats and scarfs. I purchased several skeins of Madelinetosh fingering merino to make the sample shawl displayed and modeled by the owner.

Leaving Washington

It was a sad goodbye when Laura drove me to the train station in Tacoma so I could start the second part of my vacation in Portland, Oregon for my Aunt Janine's wedding. The Amtrak from Tacoma to Portland was about 2.5 hours and was so enjoyable. The seats recline with plenty of leg room and unlike an airplane I was able to get up and walk around and see other areas of the train like a game room, womens lounge and concession area. I should've been knitting but instead I just sat and watched the scenery as we pulled into small town train stations and the lakes and mountains along the way.

Mount Rainier Adventure

We called this our "mountain day" as Laura and I packed up to head to Mount Rainier which is amazingly only 39 miles from their small town. She's so sporty in her Jeep (I so want one now!) and we took off the tops for some cool mid 60's air in our hair and sun on our face. On the way up the Cascade mountains is a mandatory stop at Wapiti Woolies for new knitted hats. The base of Mount Rainier is at 6,400 feet elevation with recent snow yesterday and the kind of stillness that can only be found in the mountains. Just call us moutain girls.

A Day in Seattle

We loaded up and drove into Seattle (about 40 miles) for a day of shopping starting at the most awesome outdoor sport shop, REI. It's their beautiful flagship store complete with a glassed enclosed climbing rock wall. Of course, I got my shop ON and found a couple sport skirts and REI canvas belt to take back home. As we were leaving we saw a young girl with dreads get slammed up against the building and cuffed by two undercover cops...I almost felt sorry for her.

Then it was on to the famous Pike Place Market for a couple hours before dinner - an absolute explosion of people, art, fish and produce that requires much more time than we had available to see it all. Laura's sister, Lindy (& Gary) joined us for a swanky dinner on the water at Palisade's. We cracked up at Laura who had the largest lobster in the ocean and I opted for the shashimi tuna. It was a magically wonderful event of a meal.

Old Friendships

Thank you Facebook for providing the opportunity to reconnect with old friends. Especially my high school BFF, Laura, that I haven't seen for over 20 years. Emailing across the miles just wasn't enough so I made flight arrangements to Seattle, WA to see her and I'm staying here for four days (before going to Portland, OR for my aunt's wedding). There's something unexplainably cosmic about high school relationships that's so easy to revert back to. Remembering old times and finishing each other's sentences comes so easily to us.

Laura and Dan have a good life outside Seattle with their own business, mountain home in the foothills of Mount Rainier with a killer view and three loving dogs. Our evenings have been spent watching the sun set with seafood, wine, patio fires and joyful laughter. Our mornings spent watching CMT videos, drinking french press coffee and eating Dave's Killer Bread with peanut butter and fruit.

Labor Day Camp

My riding friends (Dawn, Courtny & Theresa) and I met up with some of Dawn's friends (hey, Kacey!) at the lake and had some pretty awesome adventures in spite of all the wind that drove everyone on the north side of the reservoir home early this holiday weekend. They say it was "breezy" but at Kanapolis State Park it was downright gale force winds that ripped up my 2 room Coleman tent. I ended up sleeping under the stars in the back of my truck bed the last night and that just added to the fun of it all. We joked that sometimes the most challenging times are the most memorable and we had plenty of that.

There's hiking and riding trails all over the park and we took advantage of an early morning trail ride. It was a cool morning and the horses were fresh with all kinds of galloping energy. I just loved that.

OKC Kayak

Pattie and I met up with Laurie and a couple of her friends at Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City for kayak lessons. OKC Kayak offers all sorts of lessons and trip adventures. We've started with the Quickstart basics course and I took to it like a fish to water. I really enjoy the rhythm of paddling and being on the water. We were exposed to different kayak styles and this basic skill will be useful to have for future water vacation destinations. Although I could see myself owning a kayak, logistically I think it would be more convenient just to rent one.

Wherever we go for adventure - we also find yarn. Pattie and I stopped at Gourmet Yarn's newly expanded shop and about four feet into the shop we both found our next knitting projects. Mine, the sample Noro shawl on display (pic above) and for Pattie a pair of Spud & Cloe pink lacey socks.

Lace Shawl WIP

Many thanks to Shelly and Di (@ Twist) for helping me block out my Spring is in the Air lace shawl today. It's a very special gift that will be going out in the mail tomorrow. Knitting in the beads was tedious work -- maybe that's why I decided to start another one tonight that will be mine. I used Cascade sock yarn on the first one and this one I'm using Noro Kureyon with beads the color of green turquoise.

Warm Welcome Home

My steel pony, Sinister, got me home safely after a very long, hot day of riding about 800 miles in 13 hours. There were no additional unexplainable breakdowns like bad rear bearings (with only 20K miles) -- Gez! I can no longer make fun of people who trailer their bikes to the rally as I was wishing we had that option when my bike was broke down on a no shoulder roadway. A trip that started out badly turned out to be one of the best times we've had together. We rode about 1,800 miles with not one drop of rain which is unheard of in the Black Hills and we were spoiled with a week of temps in the 60's to low 80's. It was quite a shock to roll back into a 106 degree Kansas afternoon. I'm gonna miss South Dakota -- that is until this time next year!

Riding the Black Hills

While most of the bikers spend their time in bars or at concerts, we spend ours riding around the Black Hills. Today we explored some back roads and routes we've never been on. That's where we found some curves and tight corners but we were not alone. That's what we enjoy most -- besides the shopping!

Good Eats & Knitting

While the rally shopping is good, the riding is even better and is what keeps us coming back year after year. Today's destination took us riding through Spearfish Canyon where we stopped to walk around Bridal Falls and have lunch at a lodge in the middle of the canyon. Riding along the roadside streams made me want to try a trout sandwich and it was a real treat that I can't get back home.

We got back to the cabin early enough for husband to take a nap and I got in a little front porch knitting accompanied with the smells of pine trees. It was a very relaxing way to spend the afternoon on vacation. I've been working on a pretty complex project with beads that I need to get finished in the next couple of weeks so I was glad I brought it along.

Every year the owner of our lodge, Dan (& Joyce) Carsten, put on a prime rib roast out a their place and it's some really good eats. We've had a few groceries in our cabin but today has been the best meals we've had the entire trip.

Sturgis Rally 2010

It's so good to be here for my 12th Sturgis Rally. We got up early and rode to town and my shopping karma was spot on. T-shirts for our friends back home and a couple luxury items for me. A black bone belt to go with my new belt buckle and the most awesome C.C. holster belt both made by Tribe.

We now have a new daily destination, Sturgis Coffee Company, that's located at the entrance of town. Biker-friendly seating inside and out filled with the aroma of roasting beans. It was a fantastic day of shopping, I have my ride back and all is good again here in the Black Hills.

Settled In

We are settled in to our cabin here and my bike is still in the shop. We are determined not to let it ruin our vacation and I rode with husband to Hill City for the day. It's a great pine tree ride to a small little town that fills up with motorcycles and shops. Some therapy shopping cured my motocycle blues when I found a green turquiose belt buckle by the talented Texan artist, Paige Wallace. It's beautiful and such a special reminder of my trip.

Our Kind of Love

Our kind of love is:

• A week of vacation
• A couple of duffel bags
• Riding the open highway beside my love

We were making good time when my bike started wobbling 200 miles from Sturgis. I had to shut her down and we waited in the middle of nowhere South Dakota four hours for a tow to the HD dealership in Rapid City. In the meanwhile, I got to be closer to my love and wonder why my bike hates me so. That one has become a love/hate relationship.

DIY: Generation T-Bird

Generation T is one of the best reconstruction books around with more than 100 projects that transforms boxy jersey t-shirts (that I don't like to wear) into fashionable summertime tops. I can remember my mom making high-necked halters like this in the 70's. I used a local tattoo shop t-shirt on this one that will be perfect to wear in Sturgis.

DIY: Generation T-Tube

Another reconstructed t-shirt from our local tattoo shop that has lots of color. This little number will be good to get sun on the shoulders.

Aggieville

A coworker and I are staying a couple nights in Manhattan across the street from KState University. After our work meetings we've had some time to spend in Aggieville and pool side. The pool has given me the opportunity to test out the underwater features of my new camera. It's an Olympus Stylus Tough 8010 with 14 megapixels that's shockproof from 6.6 feet and waterproof up to 33 feet. It should be just the rugged camera my life requires.