running times

Last Saturday morning we went to the track at Catlin Gabel (a local private school, but their grounds are open to the public) to run some timed laps. Steve ran a mile in 6:05; Seb ran a mile in 6:27; I ran in 7:20. Liesl ran a lap in 1:40 (she didn't want to be timed at a mile). We are going to return periodically and see if we can get any better. I have my doubts about myself, but feel certain that the children and Steve can and will get faster. Liesl has started running laps around our local track with her friend Arianna, hoping to run a timed mile next time we go to Catlin.

On another day, a particularly hot one when we were all stuck inside during the afternoon, we did the NYTimes strength workout together, all four of us in the living room. There are 9 exercises; you do each one for a minute and then move on to the next, so it's about 10 minutes of full-body torture. Steve and I did it twice through and were sweating and breathing hard, and I was proud of the kids for trying to complete each exericse for the full minute.

Umbrella Falls

We got an early start on Monday morning and drove up to Mt. Hood for a quick hike. We were trying to escape both the crowds and the heat, and mostly managed both (saw two people the whole time, but it was hot in the sun even on the mountain at 10 am). The hike is a 4 mile loop that goes up through wildflower meadows, across little streams, and ends at pretty Umbrella Falls, with a view of Hood thrown in for good measure. We had hiked this trail once before, in August 2015, with Danica when she was visiting for a week -- this time, there were abundant flowers and more water in the streams, and it was definitely better.

They were very taken with this 3-butt tree. (Eye-roll) We were slow on the way up -- lots of photos of flowers and exploring trees and rocks -- and then had a snack at the falls. But we hustled down, and were done by 11:30 and home by 1, ready for some work, some screen time, some friends, some lunch, in our air-conditioned home.

Bri's new bike

I did something entirely uncharacteristic on the weekend: I walked into REI with the kids, to get their bikes repaired (seat tightened, handlebar post installed, derailleur straightened, brakes checked), and I walked out an hour later with a new bike for me. I quite literally never buy anything so quickly and impulsively, but I've been meaning to buy myself a new bike for years. My current bike is old and was used when I got it 8 years ago, and it's heavy and creaky. I can't bike very far on it and I can't make it up any of our local hills. So now I have a Cannondale CAADx cyclocross bike, with a racing frame and tires meant for both roads and gravel. I took it out for a ride this morning along Skyline and love how lightweight it is, and the many gears, and the upgraded brakes, and the speed.

Burnt Lake to Zigzag Mtn hike

Steve and I escaped Portland and the kids for a date day hike to Burnt Lake and E. Zigzag Mtn, near Mt Hood. It was about 10 miles round trip, a wide trail heading gradually uphill through beautiful forest, across several small streams, to a mountain lake with a view of Mt. Hood reflecting in the water, and then steeply up through wildflower meadows to a rocky summit. It was sunny and cool, and pretty much a perfect day.

Steve and ever faithful Jasper, close at his heels.

We reached Burnt Lake at noon and found a good log to sit and eat lunch, complete with a spectacular view of Mt. Hood over the lake.

After lunch we headed straight up and soon started seeing so many wildflowers of different types - beargrass, paintbrush, lupine, Columbia lily, asters, anemone, larkspur, gentians.

View of Mt. Hood and Burnt Lake below it.

We could see Jefferson, Rainier, Adams, and Mt. St. Helens from the top of Zigzag Mtn.

While we admired the view, Jasper found a shady place and a stick to enjoy.

And then we headed down, back to the car, back to Portland, with a quick stop to pick up pizza and Caesar salad for dinner. The kids had a fine day, playing basketball, fixing lunch, watching videos, reading books, and barely missing us at all.