To Do List: Rewrite and Reride History

So, last year I wrote a little bit about a new vintage book I picked up online, The Oregon American Guide Series book from the WPA, first published in 1940. Due to the fragile nature of the book, I really haven't fully delved into it's facts, figures, routes, trips and storied past of Oregon history... but whenever my mind wanders into getting outside and exploring more of Oregon... my mind goes back to this book. As I've said before, I'd love to follow some of the routes suggested in the book and then take photos at the same spots pictured in the book; however, I'd do it all on bike. In proper Oregon fashion. The only problem is, for as much as I enjoy riding my bike... I don't really like "riding" my bike. Truth of the matter is, if I'm on my bike it's probably because I'm racing it (and ideally, in spans of time no longer than forty-five minutes at a time). Learning to ride for long distances for long periods of time is something I'll have to get used to. Maybe, thinking of documenting this trip while riding would be a good place to start.

Anyways, I got out the camera last evening and decided to take some more photos of the book... you know, to keep the fires going. If you are a local cyclist who does enjoy riding for long periods of time and would like to sign on with me to explore some of the routes... I'd love to collaborate with you. Let's discuss.

mad props...

I give my gf Sam mad props!

Not only has she been racing cross for the first time this year... she's been doing it on a massivly heavy mountain bike. Better yet, all the races she's done so far have been slog fests. Meaning: mud, muck, and glop that makes her bike 10x heavier.

This past weekend at PIR, she was doing really well.... but going into the last lap her chain had a malfunction. She pulled over to the side of the course and fiddled with it for like five minutes before saying f'it... I'm running with it. In this time sadly, the rest of the field still racing passed her. But rather than give up, she started running with the bike... pushing that heavy bastard alongside her for a mile plus.

The last set of barriers were also on a muddy slippery run up. So, not only did she have to haul her bike up this mucky slope, but she had to pick it up and hoist it up over the barriers. Sam may have been the last one to cross the line for the women's beginner category on Sunday, but she wasn't in last place. As well... she gained the love of everyone who saw her tramp with her bike through the sludge. I give her mad props for finishing the race and not just throwing the bike off to the side of the course and look for the closest beer tent. No, she waited till after she crossed the finish line to do that. Way to go babe.

And... Burk Webb made an awesome video of the race last weekend featuring Sam at :42 seconds. It was shot as she lifted her bike over the last barrier and then pushed it up the hill. Her face is priceless...

watch the whole video here:

Cross Crusade Race #4 PIR from Burk Webb on Vimeo.

ArtCrank... get your engines ready!

ARTCRANK 2010, get ready for it....

For you my internet friends I'll post a sneak peak of the print I made for the show:

To see the rest of the awesomeness... get your tail end down to the ACE Hotel this coming Thursday, Oct 7th from 5-11pm to see the rest of the print and everybody else's (35 or so). Oh, and seeing how this is a bike themed event, you should probably ride your bike there.

Oh and as well.... because this is Portland, there will be plenty of beer there too (now you really want to go, I can tell).

Highly visible...

Spendy and classically trendy bike wear company Rapha, unleashed last week some of their new products for the fall... one of these items that caught my eye were their jeans. While normally the words "denim and bikes" don't go too hand and hand aside from a mention of hipsters on fixies and their skinny jeans, Rapha has taken into account the demands and the wear and the tear that bikes have on clothing. What struck me about the jeans was the plethora of good ideas they incorporated into them. As someone who commutes and goes to work in jeans (and has blown out the seating area of a few favorite pairs of pants) it's the little details that can seemingly can make quite a bit of difference. Especially when it comes to being seen and not seen by the heavier faster bigger machines out there on the road. Lets discuss...

Jeans Material:

While everyone loves wearing jeans, not too many people like wearing their jeans wet. And frankly, the idea of my inner thighs rubbing back and forth on a bike seat in wet denim gives me chafing thoughts just thinking about it. So much in fact, that anytime the forecast out the morning window looks to be rainy, I'll don my spandex (I don't think it's normally necessary for me to wear spandex on my nine minute commute to work)... just to avoid sitting at my desk in wet jeans all day. Rahpa has taken this issue in hand by making their jeans out of a durable, nylon-denim blend yarn (aka: non-cotton), which is water-repellant, stain-resistant and fast drying. As well, to avoid those blown-out seats, apparently the material is highly resistant to abrasion and won't deteriorate at key wear points (aka: my ass). Also, the yarn has a far amount of "stretch" which allows for ease of movement, something my meaty thighs appreciate.

Jeans Fit:

Also, another problem I have while cycling in most jeans is my butt crack showing. Granted, I personally don't have too big of a problem with it, but I imagine the families on their extracycles I pass may. (However, I have had some dudes... while gasping for air as they finally catch up to me at a light, tell me they liked my thong.) Anyways, Rapha has considered this unfortunate crack exposure and has designed their jeans with a cycling fit in mind; namely, the jeans have a high backed waist which is cut low in front. They have also been tailored to accommodate pedaling action and have off-set seams and belt loops to prevent chafing. I've personally never had "belt loop chafing", but it doesn't sound pleasant.

Details:

While I'm not one of those people who can safely lock their bike up with a tiny u-lock and carry it in their back pocket, Rapha has created a reinforced right rear pocket to hold a compact lock. As well, the front pockets are cut deep to keep your valuables safe from falling out (I don't know how many family heirlooms that I keep in my pockets I've lost this way).

The main detail that I love is the reflective Rapha logo imprinted on the inside of the right pants leg. When your pants are rolled up to avoid getting caught in the chain, the logo is visible. Not only are you suddenly more noticeable from on coming cars, but you can tell the whole world that you spent a lot on your jeans.

All kidding aside, I love this idea. I had first noticed this as a detail in jeans last year from San Francisco based company Cordaround, who not only added this bit of flair to the inside of their pants, but also added reflective piping on the seams of their rear inner pockets. Meaning, that one could can turn their pockets inside out and create another barrier of visibility. I myself, did my own DIY take on this by purchasing reflective ribbon and stickers from bike and fabric stores and placing it on the inside of the pants I already owned and commonly bike in. For the purpose of the experiment, it worked okay, but sometimes the material uncomfortable brushed against my calves during the day and irritated my skin. It'd be great if someone could invent an iron-on reflective solution so everyone could be a little safer on their bike using materials and clothing they use everyday.

So, kudos Rapha once again for having some well thought out products. I'll be anxiously waiting for you to make them in a women's cut and also, well... having a pay increase that would allow me to purchase a pair.

oh ps: read my post from last year re: biking attire tips for the daily commuter.

and pss: Rapha also is increasing their women's line for the winter... yeeeah!

of note: Swrve also makes some pretty sweet biking jeans and the folks at Outlier have some nice pants. Also, the folks at Pedaler have some nice details on their everyday items also intended for cycling as well.

worst case scenario

I was thinking not too terribly long ago about how when we were children, our parents and our schools would put emergency action plans into place. Growing up in Ohio, the biggest threat were tornados, so if one happened to hit while we were at school or at the house, the Levo’s had a plan for action. When I worked at summer camp... in case of fire, every counselor had a task and a responsibility to make sure that our campers would be safe and accounted for. However, now I am in my 30’s and I find myself living as a pretty much single girl in the earthquake friendly zone of the Pacific Northwest, aside from my dog ... there is no one in 2000 plus miles that I have a direct responsibility to take care of. No kids, no parents, no spouses... nobody. Okay, I do have a sig other; but basically, there is no mom or dad waiting for me at home, expecting a phone call to tell them I’m okay.

Overtime, I’ve come to realize that my friends who live in town with me, especially the ones who live closest to me, are my family, and many of us are in the same boat. Aside from sig others, we have no legitimate spouses, no kids, and no one to really make sure that we are accounted for in an emergency. True, this is rather depressing and we could choose to sit around and be depressed about our impeding doom or we could decide to put an emergency action plan into place.

In light of recent earthquakes in China, Haiti and in South America... all the reports and readings say that the Pacific Northwest is ripe for the next biggest earthquake. This is something that is very real and very likely to happen, more so than Mt. Hood or St. Helen’s erupting again. And the thing is, unlike midwest tornados... you never really know when an earthquake could happen. True, the ground may shake a little prior... but you don’t get a watch or a warning. And more often than not, you don’t have time to move to a safe place. You could spend all your time and money building an earthquake proof office or home, but just watch the ground start shaking as you’re sitting on the double decker Marquam Bridge, during rush hour. Basically, there is so much we can’t plan for when it comes to earthquakes... but if we survive the initial quake, the steps we can take afterwards can help us survive everything else that also follows.

So, I suggest that if you are like me and your friends are your family and you live in an urban area prone to any kind of natural disaster.. or unnatural disaster... get together with those people closest to you and play the “what if game”. Here are some steps to help you and your loved ones come up with your own emergency action plan.

PLAN FOR THE WORST:
In Portland’s scenario... the earthquake would most likely hit while I was downtown at work. Ideally, I’d want to get home, however I live on the other side of the river from where I work, so this may prove more difficult than I can really imagine at this time. I figure the chances of the bridges still being up and stable are very slim. So, depending on what the water conditions are like with debris, I’d try to swim it. This may not be the best idea, but it’s one that I’m going to play by ear when the time comes.

HAVE A PRE-PLANNED MEETING SPOT:

Keep in mind that most of the local phone lines would most likely be jammed so using your cell to call your friends and loved ones would be out of the question. This is why you and your friends (who live closest to you ideally), should decide on a neutral meeting location. Ideally, this place should be a park or lot that would be free from unsafe structures, light poles, big trees, or anything that could possibly come down during the earthquake or aftershocks. Also, note that during total and mass destruction, familiar landmarks and signs may not be around anymore. Make sure that it’s a place thats easy to find regardless of familiar surroundings. (If one of your friends works near you, also having a meeting place close-by work would be a good PLAN A).

HAVE A FLEXIBLE TIME TABLE:

Be aware that you and your friends may work in different parts of the city, so keep in mind that not everyone will get there at about the same time. So allow for a wide time gap for everyone to meet up (I’d say something like five hours would be safe for mostly everyone to be able to make it).

HOUSE HUNTING:

After everyone meets up, this would be a good time to swing by everyone’s residences to check things out, especially if you have pets. I’d suggest if it’s not too much trouble, that people go to do this as a group, for teamwork you know. However, keep in mind that after an earthquake is a very dangerous time to go crawling around in buildings as they may be structurally unsafe; so, even if you have a group of four or five, I’d suggest that only go in one person at a time. This way, in case the building falls, only one person is trapped and the rest can help. If the building seems to be sound, don’t spend a lot of time in it, but quickly go in and try to round up your earthquake kit.

WHAT? AN EARTHQUAKE KIT?
You don’t have an earthquake kit? Well... this might be a good time to put one together. Basically, this is the kind of survival stuff you’re gonna need when the shit hits the fan. Remember that in times of emergency, you’ve got to plan for things like running water to not be working, for there to not be food to buy, no gas or electricity for several days afterwards. Experts recommend that you make at least three identical emergency kits. Store one at home, one at your workplace, and one in your car. That way... regardless of where you are during the quake, there are the chances one is nearby. Things like rubbermaid containers and backpacks are good places to store this such kit. (Personally, I have a tupperware container which also doubles as my camping kit as many of the things that I use for camping, are also the things that I’d use for an emergency. On that note, it’s a good idea that if you have a big camping kit in your house, to throw in a few more emergency items and store it some place easily accessible.)

Ideas of what to place in your kit:

• Water and food to last at least three days (your car trunk is a handy place for these bulky items).

• Water purification tablets or backpacking filters

• Heavy-duty gloves

• A first-aid kit

• Cash (automated teller machines and banks may be shut down following a quake)

• Family photos and descriptions (to aid emergency personnel in finding missing people) as well as copies of any important documents.

• A flashlight and portable (or solar-powered) radio

• Extra batteries

• Goggles and dust mask

• A personal commode with sanitary bags

Nearby your main emergency kit in your house is where you should also keep any tents, sleeping bags, camping tableware, camping stove type items as well. Other items to have on hand would be any axes or shovels, matches, rope, warm clothing, rain gear, bandanas, disposable camera, duct tape, plastic sheeting or tarps, heavy duty plastic bags.

For food, it’s a good idea to also have on hand dry goods, like crackers and cereals, instant soups, coffee, evaporated milk and “just add water” dishes that can be sealed up tightly in ziploc or other plastic containers. Even if you don’t use much canned food, it’s excellent to have on hand for these occasions. Just make sure you’ve got a manual can opener and to include items that can be eaten cold. Another item to always make sure you have plenty of is water. Remember that if you don’t have a shut-off valve on your tap water, it will be contaminated within 12 hours. The best thing to do is buy a bunch in bulk and keep it in a hall closet or garage... someplace that it will be easy to access when you need it. Remember that if you have pets, you’ll need to be able to provide for them too.

If the earthquake hits while at home, the most important thing is stay clam, but to get out of the house quickly. From there... proceed with the other steps of gathering your stuff and your friends. I'd grab a few basic items and then go meet your friends. From here, you can go back to your house later and hopefully if you need to move into a tent city, you’ll have the proper tools to ensure your comfort and make sure you and your friends are safe till you can get further assistance. As well, when you get a chance you should probably call your parents in Ohio to let them you're okay. I'm sure they'll be worried when they hear about it on the news.

Also, for more earthquake tips... check out this cool site out of earthquake usa capitol, San Francisco.

Shake the Dust...

Last week I had the great pleasure of wondering over to the new Albina Press on Hawthorne Street to see a good old friend of mine from college, Anis Mojgani, preform some of poems of his with other several writers. Anis never fails to make me smile. Even from when he used to be the coxswain for our rowing team at SCAD, he would command and steer our boats with the upmost precision; yet... he never barked out orders. Anis respected us, he saw that we were not a pack of wild dogs who needed discipline and would bark or bite back. No, he spoke to us in the same way he recites his poetry, calm and collected, but so full of energy and life.

Anis has a way of capturing and speaking the english language that at one point, is so clear and simple yet at the same time, it conveys so much profound emotion... it just hits you square in the chest and takes your breath away. Listening to him is almost as if a veil is being lifted off your brain and in that process, all the colors in the room become brighter and more clear and all the dreams you had as a child, sitting under the big oak tree in your neighbors yard, comes flooding back. And you smile...

Thanks Anis once again... you never fail to amaze.

Let the good times roll ya'll...

Cindy: On a scale of 1 to intoxication, where are you Levo?.... me: EIGHT!!!"

Ahhh... it feels as if springtime has finally arrived in our fair Pacific Northwest. I mean, yeah... we will are still guaranteed to have wet and rainy weather for the next four months (interspersed with moments of warm sunny clarity), but the flowers are all a bloom, I've put most of my snowboarding gear in the basement, I'm wearing short gloves on my daily bike commute, I've got softball games now on Sunday afternoons, outdoor soccer on Thursday nights... and it seems as if people are finally starting to come out of their winter hibernation.

Speaking of cycling, softball and winter hibernation.. that is one great thing I love about my little Portland community. While I have plenty of friends that I see week in and week out throughout the year, there are some friends that are simply, more often than not..."sporting friends", meaning... you only really "see" them when you are both engaged in the same sporting activity. Be it telling jokes as you both struggle to crest a seven mile hill climb, congratulating them on a nice hit as they round third, or lamenting over a cold beer about what a bitch the goal keeper for the other team was... you enjoy seeing these folks every new sporting season as it shows that while somethings change (teams, gear, sig others), many things stay the same. You can count on seeing their friendly faces and engage in conversations until the weather turns cold, the skies turn a murky grey, and then the snowboard comes back out. The thing is, you may never get into really deep meaningful life spiritual conversations with these friends, but seeing them out there having fun week after week, is sometimes better than a quick conversation. Just seeing them enjoying themselves and smiling, lets you know that things, life... can't be all that bad for them (or you either).

So, needless to say, I feel as if my summer community is back in the swing of things (literally), and on top of games, races and beers, there is a whole summer of backyard barbecues, cornhole, and camping to plan and look forward to. Smell that in the air folks? .... That's the smell of fun!

Anyways, my softball team the Brewhers, is sponsored by local microbrew giant Rogue. And, in return for their generous donations to our program, we've agreed to volunteer our time in events that they also sponsor. Which means, throughout the year, you can find your friendly Brewhers Softball team manning taps at beer fests all over the city. Not only is that in itself a reason to shell out a few pennies... but, there is beer involved!!! It's pretty much a win win for everyone, especially the volunteer pourers! Pretty much after our shifts (as licensed OLCC servers) end... we are given beer. Free beer, lots and lots and lots of it. Take for example this past weekend my teammates and I volunteered at the Firkin Fest, which was held at the Green Dragon. Pretty much, the room was full of 20 or so kegs from various Oregon Breweries; HUB, Double Mountain, Rogue, Lumpoc, Pelican Bay, Bend Brewing, Bridgeport, Nikasi, Deschutes, Laurelwood, etc... to name a few. (Excited about seeing Double Mountain IRA as a keg, I immediately ran over to pour that all afternoon, and let me just say... I was pretty popular!!!)

After my shift was over, we were given our tickets and it was almost as if your eyes glazed over with choices... oh, where to begin? First of all... let me preface by saying I had gone on a nice little bike ride that morning and had a little snack before I ran off to serve at 3pm. We were also promised food during our shift, so I didn't feel the need to really eat prior. However, during our shift they ran out of the "promised food" (hot dogs, make that kobe beef hot dogs)... So, not only were we thirsty for the beer that we had been pouring for the past three hours... we were hungry too. However, the drinking started before the consumption of food did and by the time my half of mac and cheese finally arrived, I think I was already three 8oz servings of room temperature Black Stout/IPA's into the wind (aka... getting drunk).

I had a great night and the warm beers kept flowing for as long as I had free beer tickets (thanks to my friends who kept putting them in my pocket). Somewhere along the way I lost a few games of shuffleboard, met some nice folks from Seattle and talked bikes, ran into one of my Bridgetown Velo teammates, peed in a parking lot after hopping some railing, and left with all intentions on going dancing... but alas... ended up in my nice warm bed some how at the end of the evening. Apologies to my gf for any amount of PDA she had to endure and to my full time friends and teammates who graciously, keep me laughing all the time (and also to the Green Dragon, I'm sorry for not cutting off that guy sooner who ended up knocking over the keg of Pelican).

Let the good times roll ya'll, spring has finally arrived!!!!

3.31.07

So, the word was released yesterday that one of my favorite singers, Brandi Carlile, was planning to play one of my favorite venues in Portland, Mississippi Studios, in just a few weeks. Looking forward to attending this show, it's impossible to not recall the events that happened roughly three years prior, the last time Brandi played Mississippi Studios March 31, 2007. This date is also the exact same day that I gleefully entered Portland as a newly minted resident. The following story is more about the events that led up to that show than the show itself. These events pretty much symbolized everything I had been working for and looking forward to for so long. It just so happened that the silver lining was a Brandi show.

Mississippi Studios is a special place and 3.31.07 was a special day for me indeed. I'd been a Brandi fan for a few years by that point and been on "the forum" and everything... but I lived so so so far away from every body and everything (Savannah, GA) that I'd never met anyone aside from randomly talking to people at shows hours away, that were also Brandi fans, so I felt pretty isolated. Anyways, getting out of the South and moving to a new life and living in a place that "felt like home" was a pretty big deal for me. Ever since I can remember, I'd been searching for a place that felt like home and had randomly discovered it during a work trip out to the Northwest in 04. Since that time I had set my sights on moving out west, but it was a project several years in the making that always seemed to be plagued by opportunities to stay and settle for something safe and secure. However, by winter of 2007 I was going through a pretty rough emotional patch... so instead of focusing on the negative, I focused on the positive, which was moving to Portland and starting a new life. Luckily, it seemed there was a Brandi show at the end of March that would coincide with my arrival... so I wrangled down tickets to the elusive back to back show and plotted my move.

I was set to arrive in Portland a few days prior to the show, but somewhere along my drive across the country (Gillette Wyoming to be exact) I got stuck in a massive blizzard. The days spent in a roadside hotel started to pile up and I found myself about 24hrs away from the show and still a two day drive away with a reluctant blizzard and the Department of Transportation, who was refusing to open the highways, standing in my way.

Going stir crazy in my hotel room, I'd go out to my car and try to shovel it out only to have my hotel neighbors come out to stare at me and ask where in the hell I thought I was going? I'd reply... "Portland, I gotta get to a concert." Everyone told me I was crazy... that the only way out of Gillette was on the state roads that they had just opened, but once I made it to those, I'd have to drive 200 miles north, out of the way, till I reconnected with the highway and then I'd still have to deal with the blizzard once I turned back west. Well,... I was willing to take that chance. My hotel neighbors just smiled, shook their heads and said that must be some concert I was planning on attending. To which I responded..."It is". I mean, it wasn't just about the concert. Sure I was excited to see Brandi, but more than anything else I was anxious to start my new life and I was excited to finally meet in person some wonderful people that I'd been in contact with over the past few years.

After successfully digging out my fully packed Subaru, I hit the road at appx 2:30pm Friday with plans on getting to Portland by 5:30pm Saturday evening after a 16 hour all night drive. And, I did just as the people said... I drove 200 miles out of the way till the state road reconnected with the highway in Montana. At that point however, I still had the same massive blizzard system that was stalling above Billings ahead of me. It loomed like a massive dark cloud in the sky... trucks were piled up on the highway still waiting for the highway into Wyoming through the Indian Reservations to open. I was afraid that Montana would close their highways just as Wyoming had. I was afraid that I was going to get stuck in the this friggin blizzard all over once again. I was afraid to have wasted my efforts up to this point. So, upon entering the storm cloud, I stopped at a gas station... filled up, grabbed some Starbucks double shot espresso and hit the road. It didn't take long to see that this wasn't going to be an easy drive. All over the place cars were swerving off the road and running into each other. In fact, my windshield was freezing over and the only way I could see out of my window was through a six inch square. White knuckled driving would be the easy way to describe it.

I was getting scared, things were not looking good for me at this point. So, I pulled off at an exit and called my mom back home in Ohio and asked her for an update on the road and the storm. She pulled up MDOT on her laptop and gave me the lowdown. Right now, the roads around Billings where I was at were a level 5 (as in downright shit ass conditions) but... just 30 miles west... the roads were clean, dry and the sky was clear. I just had to make it those thirty miles and I was home free to Portland (providing I still had about 13 hours of driving ahead of me). Clearly, the best, the easiest and the safest option would have been to settle down in Billings for the night and wait for the storm to clear and then be on my way. But, if safe and easy were my concerns... I would have stayed in Savannah or taken that art teacher/soccer-softball coaching job that was offered to me back in Ohio. However, I didn't want to settle for safe and easy. I wanted to get to Oregon.

So, I pulled the car back on the highway and steered my way through the visible six inches I had of blinding white snow. Still, cars were going off the road left and right... I just held my breath and focused, trying to make out the road ahead of me and reminding myself that right on the other side of this mess was dry, clean pavement. Eventually, I noticed the cars coming the opposite direction had very little snow on them. This gave me hope... I must be getting close. I noticed less and less snow on the oncoming cars... and somewhere in front of me... the sky seemed to open up. Finally, instead of my car sliding through inches snow it changed to rolling on wet pavement. The wet pavement then turned to dry pavement and the sky cleared, and there above me were stars. Brilliant white shining stars nestled in a deep deep navy blue sky. I looked behind me to see the massive storm cloud still hovering and dumping on the land and I breathed a massive deep sigh of relief. I had made it. I had finally gotten out of this storm that repeatedly tried to stall my progress. Now, nothing stood in my way (other than a lack of sleep)... I was enroute to Portland to go to a concert.

Needless to say, I drove all night. I stopped to get gas at any chance I could for fear that I would be stranded in the mountain passes over night. Somewhere outside of Missoula I stopped my car at a rest stop for a few hours and caught a cat nap till about 4am. Then, it was back on the road... 8 hours and 24 minutes till Portland. The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. I saw the sunrise in Idaho and entered Washington state with a giant smile on my face. From there it was south to Oregon and the magnificent Columbia River which I followed all the way pretty much into downtown Portland where I was greeted with a brief rain shower upon crossing the city limits sign. At 3:30pm I unloaded my car at my friends house in SW Portland and then found my way over to Mississippi Street at about 5:30pm to greet my best friends that I had never before met. I don't think at that point anyone could have wiped the smile on my face. I don't know if I was happy just to be out of that car, to have finally arrived in Portland, to eat some decent food that wasn't cooked in a hotel microwave, to meet my friends, or to get to see Brandi again.

To say the least, both shows that night on March 31 were great. Brandi and the boys were seemingly on fire. It was the second stop of their tour for "The Story" which was set to be released a few days later on April 3rd and I think they were so amped and excited to get started. Mississippi Studios is such a small and intimate venue that at that time, could only seat about 70 people and the band sounded amazing. During the show I filmed a few songs (I actually had problems keeping the camera steady since I was so fatigued from driving) regardless though, I put the videos up on youtube and watched the view hits start coming in. Later that month, Brandi showed up on Grey's Anatomy and Conan O'Brien with the title track from the album and then well, there were commercials during the Olympics and now American Idol singers trying their hand at singing her tunes and the rest is pretty much history. In fact, due to the popularity of AI and the debate on how the song was sung... my video on youtube is getting even more play now at about 1,300,000 views.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was after the show I was getting Brandi to sign my ticket stub and I told her all about my trek through the blizzard to get to the show. Then, Brandi proceeded to tell me a similar story about how once she drove through a massive blizzard to get to an Indigo Girls show and afterwards, told Amy Ray all about it. Amy Ray looked at Brandi and after hearing her story just said... "that was stupid". It was at that moment that I realized Brandi had just called me stupid. Good play Ms. Carilie, good play. :)

Back prior to all of this in December of 2006, inspired by a hiking trip I had taken up Mt. Hood to see Timberline Lodge the March before, I got a tattoo on my ankle that simply said the words "snowshoe". To this day still, quite often people will see it and ask if I really like snowshoeing enough to get a tattoo of it on my ankle? I just have to look at them and laugh. See, "snowshoe" the tattoo isn't really an activity, it's a just word that symbolizes not settling for less than you want. Snowshoes are designed to float on top of the snow, they allow for easier passage, they help you reach your goals. Without them, one might be tempted to just stay in one place. To let the snow and the struggle pass. To wait for spring time to come and the storms to clear. However, before you know it... spring has turned into summer and then to fall and back into winter. Next thing you know, winter after winter has come and gone all those dreams and aspirations you had are now just faint memories. Stories you tell your kids about things you wanted to do, but then things got rough and well... life happened. But we should all strive to be a snowshoe. To float on top of the shit and get to your destination... to reach your goals and achieve your aspirations. To get where you want.

Really, looking back at that blizzard in 2007 with my car loaded full of all my possessions (including snowshoes)... it's not surprising that I kept driving. I had a concert in Portland to get to afterall. :)