Happy New Year!

To bring in the New Year, let's reflect on 2006 with Time magazine's 'Year in Pictures:'
http://www.time.com/time/yip/2006/

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How Beautiful Your Array Is...

Merry Christmas, everybody, from the Mildet on the USNS Victorious! Here is our group photo with the Christmas tree that our SOC Techs made out of spare array parts. Isn't it lovely?

TA-DAH!

What's up with the little-ol'-penguin in the background??

Road Bike Tip

Here's a tip for you roadies. It's a makeshift stopper to keep your bike from rolling away when you park it somewhere. It involves taking a wine bottle cork, cutting it into a 'V', and wedging it in between the brake and your handlebars in order to force the bike to stay braked. When you don't have a kickstand, this could be useful.

You can read more about it at Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools website.

Pepsi Can Stove

Here's a neat idea where can take a soda can and make it into a stove. They are lightweight, and excellent for backpacking. If you already have a stove that you rely on, this one can be used as a lightweight backup. They weigh next to nothing, you can reduce your fuel weight, it's more environmentally friendly, and most importantly, they out-perform store bought models when the temperature drops.





The fuel you can use with these stoves is denatured alcohol, which you can find at most hardware stores or outdoor supply stores. As far as the can goes, Pepsi is the preferred soda because of its shape as it helps stabalize the stove better.





Wikipedia has a comprehensive explanation of how to make the stove, how efficient it runs, how it compares to other stoves, and every other little nuance about this stove that you could think of.

Here's a website that has 3 different versions of alcohol stoves.

A guy did a review on the pepsi can stove here.

If you're feeling a bit lazy, but you still want an alcohol burning stove, there's a company called 'Trangia' that makes them, with some variations.

Choicepoint

Last year Choicepoint, a data broker, inadvertently sold over 163,000 personal records to criminals. They ended up settling with the Federal Trade Commission back in January to pay $5 million to consumers as a reimbursement for the expenses incurred as a result of the security breach. Another $10 million was tacked on as a fine for the company.

(As a side note, I did not exactly know what a 'data broker' was, so I searched for the term. I can vaguely put together what it means, but as a working definition, I did not understand exactly what these companies do with their data as a 'broker.' Evidently, these companies maintain gigantic databases of things like SSN's, birthdays, credit reports, and other sensitive data.)

The FTC has just begun mailing out forms to 1,400 victims that were identified as having spent money to clear up identity theft issues arising from Choicepoint's mistake. There is also a website where consumers can download a version of the file if they do not receive one by mail. This is for people who believe that they have had identity theft issues stemming from scammers getting their information from Choicepoint.

Alternately, if you are just concerned about the privacy of your phone records, check out EPIC's website. EPIC is the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and is a virtual clearinghouse for identity theft and privacy issues, mostly relating to the internet and other electronic forms of communication.

If you would like to have your address and phone removed from search engines on the web, you need to visit these sites independently. Here's the main ones:
Google Phone Book Removal
Infospace - On this one, you gotta search for your info, then remove
YellowPages Switchboard - Once again, search for your data, then click update
Yahoo People Search Removal
Verizon Super Pages Removal
White Pages - Search for it, then click on 'Privacy Concerns?'
AnyWho Privacy
Addresses.com
Intelius - Submit a request
ZabaSearch - You gotta submit an email on this one, & then they'll give you instructions

**These links are courtesy of Bob Rankin. He has an excellent newsletter you can catch at his website - the link is in the upper right corner.


It's interesting to note that a person's address and phone number could previously be found in phone books quite easily, but with the advent of technology like Google Earth, an address can be visually pinpointed on a map. Also, it's easy to plug someone's address into MapQuest which will give you step-by-step directions to get there. As this technology becomes more prevalent, we will begin to see more people concerned with how this data is handled. It's one thing to have your address displayed amongst thousands of others in a drab black-and-white phone book; it seems drastically different to have someone be able to see your car in your driveway, and you on the lawn when they look you up. Smile, you're on camera!

December 7th, 1941

Pearl Harbor. I cannot begin to describe the emotions I felt when I went there this summer. It is so powerful. To think of all the fallout that occured from this act is overwhelming. So many sailors and others lost their lives there, just doing their daily jobs. I think about the ones that were probably standing watch, or lying in their racks, or sitting at the mess decks having some coffee when they were attacked...It was Sunday, which is 'holiday routine.' They were completely unaware of what was about to happen.



When you get there, you hop on a boat that takes you to the Arizona Memorial. Not before you watch a video describing how the memorial was built, though. They tell you all about why the design was chosen and how they went about setting it up. It's all well-thought out. Then the boat takes you to the memorial. While you walk around the memorial, you have a set of headphones on that tells you about the sinking of the Arizona...How the men became trapped below. It is a tomb for 1,177 sailors, and that's just one battleship that was moored in Battleship Row. There were a total of 2,403 that died and an additional 1,178 were wounded in the attack.

It's such a moving experience, and I recommend if you're in Hawaii, to go. I'm so glad that I did.

I also got to meet a guy who had survived the attack. He was a charming fellow -- had plenty of jokes, and was in good humor. Here's a picture of me with him.

Looking at the results and the retaliation that was brought forth from this event is staggering. I was looking at some pictures out here of Hiroshima. Someone on the boat had taken a trip on the bullet to see the town. There was a building that was nothing but a shell which they told me used to be the Red Cross hospital. After the bombing at Hiroshima, it was the only building, albeit a skeleton, that stood for miles. There were pictures of men whose clothes had been fused to their bodies. All this while Stalin marched his way through the islands.

The interconnections and implications of all of these events accumulated into a burst of emotion when I visited the memorial. I felt at awe, but at the same time I had that funny feeling in the pit of my stomach when something's not right. It's staggering. Being in Pearl Harbor at the scene of the attack reminded me that a few decades ago, the world went crazy.

Karl Marx said those who cannot learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. I hope that my generation can keep these events fresh. I hope that we do not let their memories fade, because then we will not understand the pain of those events; that time. I got a forwarded email the other day urging people to remember the Holocaust. My generation needs to remember another's pain so that we don't feel the need to experience it ourselves.

I found Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech that he said the day following the attack. Of course his beginning statement has been forever linked to the event itself. I've included it here, along with a link for you to read it in its entirety. There's also a site that goes over how the speech was prepared.

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of American was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan..."

So if you want to find out more info or read stories of survivors of Pearl Harbor, you can check out Pearl Harbor Attacked and the Pearl Harbor Survivors Project, which are both excellent sources.

Out on the Ocean Blue

I thought I'd share this picture...

I'm out on the USNS Victorious right now. We flew out to Tokyo/Narita on the 27th, and drove over to Yokohama. We had the 28th to beat around base & get a few essentials from the NEX, and then we pulled out the next day. I was really bummed that we didn't get any time in port other than on base. My roomie & I did make it to the 105 yen sushi joint before we left, but it was mediocre that day.

Not doing much out here except for trying to get into a routine. We start our full watches tomorrow, so I'm trying to get on a regular rotation of watch, working out, reading books/watching movies, and sleeping. If you don't find a routine out here, it can be maddening.

Another Bleak Day -- Football and Insurance Woes

I keep thinking I'll feel better, but I just seem to feel blah.

First of all, I watched my football team get beat. It wasn't pretty. We put up a fight, but through many turnovers, some bad calls on Shula's part (4 & 15!? and call a timeout?!?), and just some weak playing, Auburn took us down to the mat. This on our own turf, and the fifth time in a row that we've met, at that. Ugh.

Really, Alabama is just now starting to recover from the wicked sanctions put on them in 2001. They lost 21 scholarships over 3 years! I didn't really understand the implications of the sanctions and where they had originated from. Evidently, University of Tennessee's head coach, Fulmer, is a snitch because he's the one that orchestrated the whole thing. I found an interesting article that explains the lowdown on what happened. With a loss in the recruiting class of 2002 and 2003, Shula still has a team that is low in talent compared to other SEC teams. He's probably going to be sent packing soon; definitely if things don't improve next season.

Also, it has to go back further than that, with the abandonment by Franchione -- what a weasel!! Follow that up with a scandal by Mike Price, and the rush of putting Shula in there...It just made for an unstable team. This carries on through the years, like a sickness.

I just really, really wanted them to win. I'm a fan who will root for Auburn when they're not playing Bama (which my cousin, who's a die-hard Alabama fan chides me and our grandfather for!), but I just want to see them win against Auburn for once!

--------------------

Well, let me take this back to Friday...I haven't really wanted to blog about it because it upset me so much. I finally got in touch with the other lady's insurance company (see Sept post here, and Friday's post here). I first talked to a guy named Bill over there who tells me the person I need to speak with is Mike, and he should be back from lunch any minute. I ask him to leave a message for me. Now, mind you, this is after I've spent the better part of the morning trying to track the right people down to get some answers as to why the liability has not been claimed for the damage to my truck. After getting off the phone with Bill (who tells me Mike should be in ANY minute), I sit around and wait for about 45 minutes.

About this time my mother calls to get an update to the situation. She advises me that I should call back to find out what's the holdup. So I call back and a woman answers the phone. She seems to be fairly harsh to begin with, but perhaps it's because my stance is already somewhat hostile and you can hear it in my voice. So I ask for Mike, and she says, "Well, I can either transfer you to his answering machine and you can leave a message, or you can call back." I say, "I'll hold, please," to which she barks, "You're not going to hold on my line -- this is MY line." I'm pissed now, b/c this woman is just being a bitch, so I say, "I don't care what you do to make it happen, but I want to speak to someone who is going to take responsibility for answering my questions. I've been put off by you people long enough, and it's time someone takes the time to speak with me." I guess she didn't like that, b/c she slams the phone on the desk, but I can still hear her bitching about me in the background. Oooh, I'm getting all upset now just thinking about it.

I finally get transferred to Mike, who is supposed to be the agent with whom I need to speak. We get down to the situation, and I tell him that I want to know what the problem was with liability, since it had been indicated previously that they would take responsibility. I said I wanted to know why when this woman backed into my truck, why her insurance company, whom he represented -- why after 2 months they have not come to the conclusion of whether or not they are going to take responsibility. He goes through the spiel of how the case got transferred from person to person, until he finally got it on the 26th. He apologized for not sending me a letter to indicate that he was now handling the case. He tried to be smooth when he kept saying, "...and I do apologize for that." He was patronizing me!! He was emphasizing his apology for not sending me a letter about the holdup on the case, when he knew the main issue was the fact they were probably not going to claim liability (because he had already indicated as much).

I went on -- meanwhile, he keeps interjecting with all kinds of lame excuses -- trying to pull some sort of 'I'm a man and you're just a woman, so I'll humor you for the time being' crap-- so I went on about how not only was I shocked that they had supposedly not come to the decision yet, but I was also appalled that they seem to have changed their tune.

**Basically, I had been told by one of their agents that they would take liability when she came to inspect the damages on my truck. I asked her at the time what I needed to do, and she said that as soon as I received an email from her company, I could take the paperwork to any shop I chose to have the repairs done. I even specifically asked her, "What if there is a discrepancy between the price you quote and the repair shop's estimate?," to which she replied, "It will be handled between us and them." I even asked again before she left that all I would need would be the email confirmation, and she said yes again. So I get an email a few days later that states (and this is a cut-'n'-paste job, so no b.s.):

"Dear Client,
This is a copy of the estimate written by our appraiser at _____. A copy of this estimate has been sent to your shop choice if you indicated one when we scheduled your vehicle inspection. If a shop was not chosen, please take this copy to your shop choice and tell them this is an insurance matter. The insurance company will typically pay off our estimate and any additional damage is handled as a "supplement" This is typically paid directly to the repair facility. ..."

It says right there!!! Naturally, this is why I took my truck in. I thought I had confirmation, provided verbally and through this letter. Wouldn't any reasonable person?!**

So, here I am, confronting him about why they've evidently changed their story. He denied that she would ever say anything like that. At least he was diplomatic in his approach here by not accusing me of lying, but he definitely made it clear that he didn't believe that she would ever say anything like this. ARGH!! She did say that all I needed was the email confirmation, I swear! And I have the email to prove it!

I also conveyed to him that I couldn't understand how they could NOT take responsibility, as the police report claimed the other driver (his client!) was at fault. He laughed -- actually laughed -- and said, "Well, that means nothing to me." And this is a quote!!! I was floored. I was like, "what?!?" So he goes on to 'explain' to me that the cop had no way to prove that it was the other lady's fault, and that the cop had only arrived AFTER the accident, so how in the world could he have known whose fault it was?! Can I just reiterate again here how I was completely flabbergasted? So, we kept arguing like this for awhile. Me saying that it was his client's fault, and that I had proof -- the proof of the accident report that the cop had filed VERIFYING that it was her fault AND the fact that SHE WAS TICKETED for improper backing!! His reply to me saying something about the ticket is, "Well, tickets get thrown out all the time." He goes on to tell me that unless I provide an 'independent witness,' this is basically just a she-says one thing, and I say another situation. So I keep saying, but no, I have something to back up what I'm saying, whereas this woman doesn't. He didn't care -- the way he made it sound, he said he MIGHT authorize half of the payment. Finally, the conversation of us going back and forth was getting nowhere.

Now, by this point, my voice is quavering, and I am crying as I speak to him. But that saying kept going through my head, "Speak your mind, even if your voice falters," so I did just that. I sounded like I was getting emotional, which I was, but I couldn't contain it. So I just tried to keep my mind calm on the words I was speaking, even though my body was betraying me. I made it clear to him that I needed an answer as soon as possible so I could decide on a course of action. I informed him that I would be flying out for Japan on the 26th for deployment, and because of that, I needed to know soon.

After I got off the phone, I cried. You know, it's not the money. I mean, it is, but it isn't. Yeah, I don't make that much, so over $350 for the repairs is no chump change for me. What I'm saying is that if I don't get reimbursed, it's not going to kill me. It's just that the whole situation seems so upside-down. I don't know...it just feels so wrong. And I guess that's what's got me so upset. I wouldn't exactly say it's the 'justice' of it...maybe that's part of it...b/c I know life's not fair. And I know that people will screw you over if you give them the chance. I guess it's just the way these people have been...from the lady that hit me and her psycho boyfriend, all the way to this guy. The whole situation just sucks.

Well, I called my mother and cried some more to her. She made an interesting point about the cop. She reminded me that how often do police officers see an accident as it occurs? Not many. When they get to the scene of an accident, they take into account the evidence and they make a determination based on that. So his decision that it was her fault was not just the fact that I told him it was her fault (b/c she was sitting there saying the same thing about me). So how can this insurance guy just say that's not valid at all? Mom thinks I need to report these people to the insurance commission.

After all this, I went to speak with the cop who had filed the paperwork on Friday. I wanted to know if the ticket had been thrown out or could it get thrown out. He didn't say too much, b/c I don't think he wants to take sides, but he said that 1) even if the ticket does get thrown out, the at-fault party still stands valid, and 2) I should have my insurance company handle this situation and quit dealing with them myself. Only problem with that is I'm a liability-only customer, and I don't know how this will affect their service to me. I'm going to definitely call them Monday to see what they can do for me, b/c they are aware of the situation already. And I think on top of that, I'm going to take this woman to small claims court to recoup the damages, b/c I had to fork out the cash to get my truck back. It's just frustrating, b/c here I am leaving in less than a week for Japan, and now I have to worry about setting all this up. Is there some sort of limitations on when you can take someone to small claims? I don't know these things, but I guess I've gotta find out. On top of that, Butch (the wannabe-gangster) threatened me at the scene of the accident. I'm not super scared of the guy, but who knows what he might do if I take his girlfriend to court.

Whew! That feels better. I just kind of slammed it out...

I'm not working right now b/c I'm on standdown to get ready for deployment, so I haven't seen any of my coworkers lately. Also, my friends are either out of the country or out of the state right now, so I really don't have anyone to talk with about all this. I guess it helps to dump it out somewhere!

That's why I've been blogging so much lately. I don't have a life right now! haha It's kind of nice to relax for a bit before I have to go to Japan. At least this will be my last deployment before I'm out of the Navy!

I want to say that I should not be getting so worked up about this situation. I heard once that you can 'should' all over yourself, though, so let me rephrase that. I wish I could take it in stride. This is definitely a learning lesson in many aspects. I know in the big scheme of things, it will all get worked out. I'll be a little more wise from it, too.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Officially, last month was 'Breast Cancer Awareness Month.' However, now that it's in the headlines this month with the study I mentioned in my last post, I think this is an excellent opportunity for me to remind you to visit the Breast Cancer Site. Just by visiting their site and clicking on the links, you are helping to provide free mammograms for underpriveleged women. This is not a scam -- here is a link to the Urban Legend Reference Pages which confirms the site's validity. The ULRP is a great source for looking up questionable stories that you may receive via those notorious 'forwards' in your inbox.

For more information on breast cancer-- how to detect it early, symptoms, myths about breast cancer, and answers to any questions you may have --check out the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

By the way, there is a whole family of those websites where your clicks are for charity. If you just visit the Breast Cancer Site and look at the tabs on the top of the page, you can click on each one from there. Also, be sure to visit Campbell's site here:
Campbell's Soup Click for Cans - provides food for the hungry.

Is There Really a Link Between Red Meat Consumption and Breast Cancer?

That's hard to say. The buzz is being generated right now from the recent publication of a Harvard Medical School study suggesting high red meat consumption can nearly double a woman's risk of getting breast cancer. At least, that's how The Washington Post and a few other media outlets, in print, online, and on television, are presenting the data. The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday.

The particular type of breast cancer that was linked to red meat consumption is called hormone-receptive. It should be noted that the study was only conducted on premenopausal women, and it was done by analyzing the answers that women provided for a questionnaire on the frequency that they ate particular foods.

Now, I'm not going to go into some in-depth analysis on what the results mean as the real experts have already hashed it out. I would just like to provide some links for you to follow in order to decide for yourself. I think what most of the skeptics are saying is that there is no real conclusive evidence to a link between red meat consumption and breast cancer. Objectively looking at the subject, I think most people took the reported results and ran with them. It seems there could be some sort of link, but there needs to be more research before a definitive association can be claimed. I personally feel that there are risks associated with eating red meat in excess, without supplementing your diet with alternatives. I also feel that there are risks with eating much of the meat that is processed here in the US because of the hormones that have been injected into the cows before they are slaughtered. That's why I always try to purchase hormone-free meat.

One very good analysis I found was written by a journalist for foxnews.com. I can't say that I much like the source, but his message is solid, and well-researched. It's worth a read here.

Another analysis is done by the much respected STATS at George Mason University. They also make a good arguement as to why this subject needs more research before these results can be found conclusive.

Now, on the same token, keep in mind that there is a definitive link between excessive red meat and processed meat consumption to colorectal cancer. So it would probably not be a good idea to eat red meat everyday. However, the risks for colon cancer and the danger to your overall health are smaller than those created by obeisity and lack of exercise. So, priority-wise, if you are obese, it would be more beneficial to bring your weight under control before you worry about your meat consumption.

OJ: Narcissistic, Arrogant, Sociopathic, I can go on here...

Here we go again. You've probably heard a little about the book that was written by OJ Simpson that has recently been published entitled, "If I Did It." Once again, he is purported to speculate on the details of the murder and how it may have played out if he had commited the crime. It is being touted as a basic confession by the man himself. This is not the first time he's made comments along the lines of some sort of admission. I recall the stir he caused in 1998 when he commented to an Esquire reporter, "Let's say I commited this crime. Even if I did do this, it would have been because I loved her very much, right?" However, it is startling that he has become even more brash in his thinly-veiled admissions. The making of this book is an egregious act coming from OJ, as well as the publisher, that defies belief. He is so arrogant because he has already been acquitted in a criminal court, and he realizes that no matter what he does, he cannot be prosecuted for that crime again.

Not only has he put out this book, but on November 27th and the 29th, he is going to be on Fox television expose entitled, "OJ Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened." Oh yeah, and the publishers of the book fall under the holdings of News Corporation. Murdoch & Co. strikes again!

Everyone knows he did it. He has been convicted in a civil trial which unequivically proclaimed his guilt. In addition, I would argue that despite his acquittal in criminal court, he has not been exhonerated of the charges. If anyone has any doubt left as to the guilt of this man, then they are not taking the facts into account. I believe that this new book will clear up any misconceptions, as OJ virtually confesses to the murders. I understand and fully support freedom of speech. On the same token, I believe there are responsibilities that come along with what you say. OJ is a prime example: he wants to flirt with an all-out confession, then he needs to pay. He needs to be taken back to court, and any proceeds from the book need to go to his children. He should also be seen as an unfit parent. They do it to other parents for much less. Any other way he can be penalized should be applied as well. If there are any charges, such as perjury, or anything that would stick that can be brought against him should be applied. He needs to be nailed to the wall. He's a sorry SOB.

Oh, and one last thing, since it was a war-cry during the trial. The gloves DID fit. First, he had on latex gloves when he tried on the gloves in the courtroom in order to keep from 'contaminating the evidence.' This act was orchestrated by Johnny Cochrane. In addition, the gloves were leather, which had dried wet from the blood and had shrunk. Not only that, an investigator with the same sized hands slipped the gloves on without issue (Simpson made a big theatrical presentation of struggling to get his hands in the gloves.) OJ had also been pictured the previous year with those gloves on. Later in the trial, he tried on a brand new pair of Isotoners -- same size extra large -- and they slid on...like a pair of gloves.

Congratulations!

Well, I've just got to say that Meegan called and told me she got accepted into the University of Washington! I'm so happy for her. At least something good is going on around me! Everyone knew it was coming, and I'm glad that they finally notified her. Awesome!

Frustration

You ever had that mid-chest, sinking feeling before? It spreads upwards into your jaws? Of course, everyone has at some point. I felt it again today. I hate that feeling. It has a helplessness to it, that taste in the back of your throat...I feel like a got stabbed in the back.

I finally was able to schedule a time to take my truck in for repairs. I thought everything was good to go because the insurance company that represented the other driver had verbally claimed responsibility. They had sent out a claims adjuster who took a look at my truck, & who said she would send the information to me by e-mail. She explained that all I would have to do would be to print this out, take it to any car repair shop that I wanted, and that the paperwork would take care of the bill. I even asked her, what if there was a discrepancy between their quote and how much the shop said it would take, and she said that they would work it out with the shop. Well, I finally was able to take my truck in to have it repaired. When they called to tell me it was ready, I went down there excited to have my transportation back. The guy starts looking at the paperwork, though, and he says that it states I am to pay the charges. I was flabbergasted. He called the insurance company to verify, and they indicated that liability is still pending. Bullshit! Any reputable company would have 1) resolved this by now, and 2) claimed responsibility based on the overwhelming evidence that it was their customer's fault! I got on the phone and demanded answers from the insurance company. I couldn't get any straight answers, so I asked to speak to a supervisor. My request was met with, "That's not going to help you any." WTF?!

I was so upset. I was crying because I had gotten myself so worked up. I called mother, & she helped calm me down. Mothers are good at that. But I only slept for 4 hours last night, which is far too little for me. I laid there awake, mulling things over, getting mad all over again for about an hour. Finally I realized that was doing no good, so I got up and read a book. I kept re-reading paragraphs because I'd find my mind wandering back to the situation, imagining what I would say once I got those people on the phone again. It's so frustrating.

The whole situation is fishy. I don't know...they may yet claim responsibility, but it doesn't seem likely with their current reluctance. I never knew insurance comanies could be this way. I'd always had such great service from Progressive (awesome company), and even Geico seemed reliable when I was with them.

I feel physically stressed by this situation. I just can't believe that they're doing this. Needless to say, it may come down to me paying for the damages caused by someone else. It sucks. I'm waiting on a phone call from the insurance company to see what's going to happen -- maybe get some solid answers. I'm going to try and do other things in the meantime to keep my mind off of it.

More Fun Stuff

The last time I left off on my adventures was back in September. On the 23rd of that month, LeAnne & I signed up for and completed a 50 mile bike ride through Whidbey Island, called the Tour de Whidbey. It was great that it wasn't a race, and there were break stations where people were set up with water, fruit, and a smile nearly every 15 miles. I had never ridden that far before on a bicycle, so it was definitely a challenge. We were nearly the only goobers out there with mountain bikes with slicks, but we managed to make it by that afternoon. I didn't really have any problems until the last 3 or 4 miles, when I just wanted it to be over. For the most part, though, we had a great time. The weather held up for us, too.

The next weekend I got together with LeAnne again, and we took off for Whistler in British Columbia to do some downhill mountain biking. We left as soon as I got off of work on Friday, and pulled into Whistler around 10 p.m. We decided to have a makeshift campsite in the back of her Suburu, which afforded plenty of room and best of all was free. Early the next morning, we got up and hit the slopes, sans snow. With an all-day ticket, you can take the gondolas up the mountain and ride down all day long. We both crashed a couple of times, but we got back up and kept going. The bruises stayed with us for weeks; I had a deep gash in my shin from hitting a hill too fast and flipping off of my bike. Next time I'll be wearing shin guards. Once again, we were the least equipped fools up there, but I've got to say we probably had the most fun. Everyone up there had these sick downhill bikes with mad travel, and here we came up with our regular mtn bikes. The guy I took my bike to for repairs after going to Whistler said my back shock pin looked as if it was going to fall out because it had seen so much wear up there! That made me proud. I rode hard and enjoyed every minute. Here's a picture of some of the trails from the gondola. Check out the crazy jump in the background, too:
We were beat by the end of the day, so we decided to get a room to relax, rather than try to camp out again. The next morning, we headed back towards Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, which is renowned for its beautiful vistas and lookout points. I was amazed, because it was completely dark when we had driven up on Friday night. We stopped at a few places, one being Shannon Falls, which is BC's 3rd tallest waterfall. The flow was pretty sparse, but there was enough water to wash my hair:

We pulled into Vancouver around 2 p.m., and headed for an all-you-can-eat sushi joint. Unfortunately, we had just missed the all-you-can-eat part, so we ordered some general dishes, which still ended up being pretty cheap. After this, we headed over to Granville Island, a small area connected to Vancouver with an indoor market, arts, crafts, pottery studios, art schools, and the like.
After we had made the rounds through the market, we came outside to hear a Peruvian flutist who was perfoming. It was pretty funny because LeAnne had purchased the same guy's CD the last time she had heard him, a few years before. It had been relegated to her 'bad' CD pile, and of course, I poked fun at her for having it. As we watched, an Oriental lady began dancing around on the square, doing all kinds of eye-closed moved, swaying this way and that. It was a mixture of ballet and spinning. She was really getting into it, so we wondered if she was part of the act. Come to find out, she was just there watching the performance with her husband, and I guess she just got moved.