Alicia and the Burg

Congratulations Mike & Alicia!! Alicia - you make pregnant look good. Look how glowing and angelic you look. And so very G....ha!

So when Marketa & I (above) were making plans to drive to the Yak for Alicia's baby shower we asked ourselves: If the shower is at 2pm do we have time to hike The Book for the bazillioneth time? It took us 30 seconds to determine heck yes we do. Sure we had to get up at 6:30am but it was well worth it.

Smell that sweet, sweet Ellensburg air? With just a touch of cowpie mixed in! There is something about Ellensburg that makes for instant relaxation. Anyway - picture at the parking lot of The Book and we were pumped. Woot!



I love that they provide complimentary ski poles at the trailhead now - circa 1973. I grabbed one to help out with all the mud and ice on the way to the trail. Of course Marketa is old school hardcore and refuses to use a pole. I'm glad that she trusts that I can carry her and her broken tailbone down the long trail. Friends like us are hard to find.

And here is the fearless and beautiful Marketa rehydrating. We just got done tackling the b*tch part of the trail. At this point were working a good cold sweat which would ensure we'd be the stinkiest ones at Alicia's baby shower.

With just a touch of cowpie included as well.

View at the top. I just love the memorials that people put up here. (Mt. Stewart in the background). If I ever die a glorious death I'd like my own little spot up here too. And what's my idea of a glorious death? I'll write about that another time!

Moving on - we have done this trail SOOOOO many times. When we were in college I remember doing this hike with Marketa, Alicia and many other poor souls. Being at the summit provides a barrage of good memories - or fuzzy memories at that. We can't remember half of our experiences in college - not sure why but we do still try....I'm a poet and didn't know it.

Moving on - I decided to show you summer and winter pictures of the same trail - check it out:

Marketa heading up the steep trail....

Self-portrait at the top....

Marketa signing the book...

And me posing with the book! We love consistency!

So we made pretty good time and neither one of us fell or broke our tailbone - pretty sweet. Big thanks to the Conoco bathroom (above). A nice clean outdoor bathroom where Marketa and I could change into our baby shower clothes. Deodarant, water, lotion - check and ready!

It really was a pleasant surprise because I always think of movies like Dumb and Dumber and The Sweetest Thing where outdoor gas station bathrooms are an absolute pit of fear.

Were changed, Marketa has food and were on our way!

This is my first official baby shower picture of Alicia. Just look at how happy and glowing she is! I know, I know it's a typical thing to say but she absolutely radiated. I should of taken more pictures of her family - she has the most loving, laid-back and wonderful family ever. I really am trying to find out if there's anyway I can apply for her family to consider to adopt me.

This was my favorite gift she got - so perfect! A camo onesie with ruffles on it. God certainly did meant for little girls from Prosser to wear camo, be supreme hunters and perfect at the art of fishing.

And one last picture of the three of us - it's supposed to be a heart were making... I absolutely heart these girls. Alicia and I bonded during Summer Semester at CWU with our numerous hikes - we went everywhere and it was awesome. This chick is fun & down for anything - which is also the first thing she told me when she first met her husband "He's really cool - he's down for anything." People like that are meant to be loved.

Oh, and her cooking afterwards is the cherry on top.

Oh wait, did you just ask how Marketa and I became friends too? Oh, it was when she threatened to kick my a$$ in the dorms. True story. I liked her INSTANTLY. She was feisty, charming and sweet with her apology regarding the mistaken identity. Just don't take her pen.

But we absolutely could *not* leave the 509 area code without eating at The Tav.

Barney Burger, Texas Toothpicks and cold beer. Almost a perfect end to a perfect day.

Ok - now it's the perfect end to the perfect day! Shout out to D&M coffee - Starbucks has no business in your town man!

Congratulations again Mike and Alicia - I am *soooo* stinking excited to watch Abigal Annette grow up. I'm sure Mike is completely right in his prediction that she'll be driving a boat by the age of 4. If not 3.