A~B~C

Alexandra ~Bridget ~Chris

     I am not sure what I find more endearing?  

    The fact that, before our daughter was born, my wife was the most amazing person I have ever met.  Now that Alex is 17 weeks young, my wife has embraced the role of motherhood and I have an undefined level of admiration for what she has done with that amazing person I knew. 

or

    That it is truly surreal to wake everyday to find that the sun is shining brighter than the morning before.  That with every breath, my body fills with an energy not known, to my soul, before Alexandra entered my life.  

I am sure I do not need to choose ;-)

ABC, easy as.......

Click here to see our pride and joy!

Seven Pound Miracle

An AnGeL is among us!  On the Twenty Fourth of May, Two Thousand and Eleven, Alexandra Grace Lloyd blessed our family with her arrival.  This journey through life is an absolute adventure.  Just when I thought I could not love someone more, along comes this new wonder into my life.  Now, two women bless this breath of mine.  The first - beautiful, strong, confident; my best friend.   The newest - purer than pure, innocent, precious, angelic. 

Alexandra.....the sky is yours!

 "May your heart always be joyful.

May your song always be sung." -Bob Dylan 

Click HERE to meet our miracle.           

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                 

Big Sky Country

In the later part of February, three friends embarked on a journey to the western state of Montana.  The spark for this trip began with a silent auction bid during a very noble charity event for the March of Dimes, called the Signature Chef's Auction.  A three night stay in a log cabin in the middle of  Nowhere, Montana was the perfect ticket.  Fueling the spark was a long overdue adventure with my father and the motivation to get one of our closest friends, Tom (who we consider family) out west and into the mountains. 

Darby, Montana was our final destination, deep in the heart of the Bitteroot Mountains.  To get there, a flight into Spokane, WA, followed by a scenic 190 mile drive from through Idaho and ending up in the very western part of Montana.  Darby is a spit of a town with a population barely pushing 700.  Just what the doctor ordered! 

Rye Creek Lodge is where we would call home for three days.  During this time the agenda called mostly for R & R.   The only exception to this was a highly anticipated day of snowmobiling in the back country of the Bitteroots!   

With a continuous snowfall all day, we rode unguided over epic proportions of snow while traversing miles of groomed trails that lead into the heart of these mountains.  We encountered majestic landscapes and a full proof day of adventure.  Indeed the day did not end without it's challenges.  To sum it up, search and rescue were called because we were more than 2 hrs. late to our rendezvous.  The ability for my companions and I to stay calm, communicate and make educated decisions made us a great team that got us out of the mountains safe and sound.  All said and done, we made it back in time to cancel SAR before they fully mobilized.  "We never take anybody out that far!" stated one of the owners after we showed them on the map where we were that day.  

Following a wonderful three days at Rye Creek, we decided to take the long route back to Spokane, via the 202 mile Route 12 Northwest Passage.  Absolutely stunning and almost untouched with very sparse civilization, it proved to be a great decision.

To be able to spend a full 6 days with my ever loving father and one of our best friends was priceless.  The laughs, camaraderie and ability to pull through tough times is invaluable.  Perhaps the best part of the whole trip for my father and I was being able to see this experience through the energetic and surprising eyes of Tom.

Click HERE to experience the ride!

Our Belgian Bier Tour

Beer.  Behind water and tea, it's the third most popular drink worldwide.  So why not go to the source to and experience it at it's best!

That is exactly what Ray, Megan, Bridget and I did for ten days in October.  Driven by a compact, fuel efficient, diesel car.  Motivated with a thirst to taste some of the best brews in the world.  Challenged by a goal to sample 100 different beers in 10 days.  With the Kingdom of Belgium matching the size of Maryland, we were sure to experience a good bit of the country in our time frame.

Our journey began with two days in Brussels.  Here we were fortunate enough to tour the Cantillon Brewery, the oldest beer brewery in Brussels that produces lambic and geuze beers.  We also stepped into the museum of Rene Magritte. This Belgian born surrealist is well known for his painting "the son of a man" featured in the adaptation of The Thomas Crown Affair.  Even with Brussels being the capital of Belgium and the seat of the E.U., it's  medieval architecture and cobblestone streets help maintain it's roots from when it was a 10th century fortress town.

From Brussels we traveled south to the sleepy town of Chimay.  Chimay Brewery is home to one of the select seven Trappist Abbeys .  Six of these Abbeys are located within the borders of Belgium.  The seventh is located next door in the Netherlands.  After leaving Chimay, we drove along the border of France heading towards the Province of West Flanders for a nights stay in the town of Poperinge.  Of course along the way we make some pit stops at more Breweries.  

Included was a stop in Tourpes to visit the Brewery Dupont, another break in Watou to see the St. Bernardus Brewery and finally, the must see town of Westvleteren to drink the holy grail of Belgian Beers.  Here in the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren the monks brew what is revered to be the best beer in the world, the Westvleteren 12.  This is the only place in the world that you "are supposed" to be able to get this greatness.  Although the monks do their best to keep it that way, I am sure it can be found at other sources with a premium price attached!

Next was a two night stay In Bruges, "The Venice of the North".  Brugge is a canal based city full of cobblestone streets, medieval structures and wonderful waterways.  Although the city caters to tourists we thoroughly enjoyed our two days here.  We stopped in for a brew at the De Halve Maan brewery.  This is the only family run brewery still active in the town of Brugge.  The highlight beer of this city for me, hands down, was De Garre.   This elusive pub is known for its exclusive Tripel de Garre beer.  It's hidden in a narrow cul-de-sac and is notoriously hard to find!  We ended up hitting this place twice.

My favorite city of all was Ghent.  This town offers everything Brugge does except for the touristy part.  Ghent is a university based town with great architecture, beautiful canals and plenty of restaurants and museums.  All without tourist traps.  Brewery Huyghe is a very notable brew house near the town of Ghent.  Known best for its Delirium Tremens with the recognizable pink elephant on the bottle.  The definition of the name is "an acute episode of delirium that is usually caused by withdrawal from alcohol"

For the last night in Belgium we headed to another university town named Leuven.  Not without a stop in Buggenhout first, to see the Bosteels Brewery.  Here they brew another one of my favorites and  internationally known beers, the Triple Karmeliet.

Leuven is home to the worlds largest brewing group, Anheuser-Busch In Bev.  Included in their portfolio is the ever so popular Stella Artois.  This factory sets itself apart from most the others we saw due to it's enormous size, large stacks on the top of the building and acres of storage yards.  

Of course by consuming all this beer, we had to eat!  Belgium is best known for it's gastronomic offer of mussels, pommes frites and chocolate.  Even deeper than those tasteful things are dishes that include magnificent rabbit, stoemp, (potato mashed with other vegetables, often served with sausages), tasty soups and plenty of baked goods. 

So, what do you get when you put plenty of excellent, high percentage beer and tasteful food that fills your stomach??   Answer: An afternoon nap!  Almost everyday after brisks walks in the city, beer and food, we would head back to our B&B for some rest to recharge for the rest of the night.  Admittedly the goal of 100 different beers in 10 days was a challenge.  Every beer in Belgium is not superb.  They do have the equivalent of our Schlitz, Schaefer or Peels.  So to aid in our quest, we stopped a couple of times in a convenient store, bought 3 of these cheapies and walked the streets with them. Yes, in Belgium it is legal to drink anywhere!


By the end of the trip we had successfully met our goal!!  We sampled 100 different beers while experiencing a lot of the country.  The citizens of Belgium are sensible and open minded people that love their beer and their country.  Always with open arms,  the locals helped take our experience in Belgium to the next level.

*Click Here for Ray's review of our tour.*

*Click Here to see my pics.*

Warrior For A Day

As a kid when I came home full of mud, head to toe, shoes, pants and shirt practically ruined, my parents would not be happy to say the least.  Some sort of mild punishment would most likely ensue.  Fast forward to October of this year and here I am paying to get that dirty.

The Warrior Dash is a running series held in multiple cities nationwide.  A 5k cross-country style run that is laced with obstacles such as cargo containers to climb over, mud bogs and murky waters to trudge through, barbed wire to army crawl underneath while wallowing in a mud pit.  WHAT A BLAST!!  This year over 5,000 people participated over the two days.

Your reward?   Beer, huge turkey legs, live music and great friends to hang out with.  
Next year we are taking it up one notch.  The TOUGH MUDDER! 

The Journey is Half the Adventure

Standing a couple yards off the trail on a cactus strewn hillside, we waited patiently for "El Toro".  Finally he comes into site.  Feverishly trotting down the hill, nostrils flaring, we made sure we were not in the path of this horned beast. 

We had not even stepped a hundred yards from the trailhead when we were directed off the path by a local.  Since this gentlemen only spoke Quechuan, we were lucky to understand a few key words such as "el toro" and "malo".  We got the hint.  This is how our trek began and would prove to be an exceptional cultural experience.

I have always wanted to embark on an expedition that exposed me to all of the elements a team encounters trying to reach and return from the trek/summit at hand. From the various transportation used and bartering that ensues to language barriers and acqusition of supplies. Most of all, the exposure to such unique cultures. The excitement and intrique of the whole "journey" is what I have yurned for. Not that this was anywhere near the level of Jimmy Chin's expeditions, but it was my own taste of a mini one!

Our journey started with a 4hr flight from Buenos Aires to Lima, Peru.  After a quick 4hrs of sleep in a hostel we jumped on a morning bus for an 8hr ride to Huaraz.  Huaraz is the gateway for expeditions to the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash.  Since Huaraz sits at an elevation of 10,000 ft,  we took 2 days to acclimate before heading on a 3hr trip to the trailhead at Cashapampa. 

Cashapampa ~ Llamacoral

The trek begins with a slow ascent through a dramatic canyon with looming peaks so tall and sheer you feel as though they could crash upon you at any moment.  Paralleling the Rio Santa Cruz the whole way, a fairly easy 4hr push leads us to the grassy flatland of Llamacoral (12,500ft).  This campsite had it all.  Views of 20,000 ft peaks in the distance, flat ground to set camp and even a convienence hut for all your needs.  Catering to hikers, you could purchase things such as Coke, beer, chips and TP at this hut.  Run by a young family, this valley is where they call home.  Behind their small wood  store was a stone, thatched roof structure where they slept and ate.  To survive they grew potatoes on the hillsides, raised burrows and horses and had several large gardens surrounding the structures.  So simple, so happy.

Speaking of happy.  Keeping with our tradition of packing in as much whole food as possible, for dinner we had fresh tamales that were still wrapped in the bannana leaves.  After a little heating in the pots, dinner was served!  Lesson learned from too many freeze dried meals in the past.

Llamacoral ~ Taullipampa

The trek continues among the flats of the valley with the company of plenty free range burrows, horses and long horned cattle.  It's another 4hr day, not gaining much elevation and passing by an enormous and magnificent glacial lake named Laguna Jatuncocha.  Just a peaceful and beautiful walk to our next site of rest.  At camp 2, we find ourselves in the shadows of giants.  Surrounded by peaks over 19 - 20,000 ft, this would prove to be one of the most beautiful camp spots I have ever encountered.  Since arriving so early, we quickly set up camp and headed up a trail that led to the basecamp of the peak, Alpamayo.  Revered as "The most beautiful mountain in the world" we stopped at a perfect vista point, sat there and gazed at it's hypnotic beauty for a good 1/2 hr.  I could have layed there for hours watching the ever changing weather atop this 20,000 ft peak, staring at the massive glaciers, trying to comprehend the power of this earth.  It was awe-inspiring to say the least. 

Just as we arrived back to camp, rain moved in with a vengence.  With no sign of it letting up, we were so graciously welcomed into the cooks tent of the guided group camping nearby.  We squatted in the corner, boiled our water for our dehydrated food and watched chef Julio whip up a 4 course gourmet meal for his clients.  It was quite impressive!  Ray and Megan had a great conversation with the guides as I sat there and tried to pick up on some of the words.  Megan continuously filled me in on the context so I could keep up.  It was such a pleasurable experience, the guides were wonderful people!

Later that night after the rained stopped, I crawled out of my tent to check out the night sky.  The stars were out to impress and the moon was so bright it was almost blinding.  I was able to spot the Southern Cross directly above a beautiful snowcapped peak. The surrounding three peaks were glowing with the brightest white I have ever seen.  It is hard to put into words what my eyes were seeing, so I tried to snap a shot of the beauty.

Sleeping at 13,600 ft (a first for me) would be the coldest and most uncomfortable night of sleep on this trek.  After the storm moved through and the clouds lifted, the winds picked up and the temp. dropped considerably.

Taullipampa ~ Punta Union Pass ~  Cachinapampa

Waking up in a tent covered in ice is not the most pleasant part of a morning, but it is a small price to pay for the amazing experience that has been unravelling for us.  The morning was freezing but would soon make way for a sunny day and a pleasant crossing of Punta Union Pass.  After shooing off some of the curious locals (long horned cattle), we packed up our wet camp and headed for the pass.  The higher we made it up the switchbacks, the more visible the snow line became.  Even though we had rain at our camp last night, just another 1000 ft higher, snow had fallen.  It was gorgeous.  Delicately laying there weighing down the tall grasses that fill the hillsides. 

Reaching Punta Union pass and crossing over was a new personal record for me.  Standing at 15,580 ft, it was the highest point I have ever hiked to .  Boasting a vivid glacial lake with the backdrop of 19,000 ft peak named Taulliraju, this climax of our trek was breathtaking.  Looking back down the valley where we had come from, was a stunning view of our campsite, the valley floor and the glacial lake we had passed a few days ago.  Truly awesome! 

Crossing the pass we entered into another valley.  The steep descent down countless switchbacks took a toll (as they always do) on everyones (burning) feet and (aching) knees.  This would be our longest push of the trek.  Meandering along the long a eventually flat valley where plenty of livestock grazed beneath the snowcapped 20,000 ft peaks in the distance. 

A welcoming committee of children from the nearby village came running up to greet us as we located our last nights camp.  Well, they really did not want to welcome us, as much as want to sell us cokes, ask for treats and satisfy their curiosity of us foreigners.  The preservation of culture seems very strong in my limited travels here.  With the natives sustaining life by living off the land.  In my eyes, it is kind of ashame that passers by taint, to a degree, the pure culture these locals sustain, by giving the kids candy and treats of the sort. 

Tonight was the only night we were able to light a small campfire.  A pleasant gift on the last night of camping.  Another night with the ever so bright moon that lit up the entire valley and plenty of stars to gaze at. 

Cachinapampa ~ Vaqueria ~ Huaraz

The trek out lead us along the fronts of many adobe brick houses with locals working in the fields or tending to there flocks.  Excited kids would come running out of the fields, up the hill to take a look at the gringos and see if they could get a treat.  It was Sunday, so we passed many villagers of all ages, walking to the highpoint of the village along the trail to worship. 


After a longer hike than expected down and across a huge valley, we finally reach the four house village of Vaqueria.  This is where we wait and barter a ride with the next bus driver to get us back to Huarez.  While waiting for our ride, we were able to celebrate the end of this amazing trek with some cold ones from the tiny village shop, (a coke for Ray and Megan, and me, Cusquena!)

Now, just a 6 hr, meandering bus ride over and down the 15,000 ft pass of Portachuelo, with many more stunning views of the peaks within the Andes. 

Hiking deep within the Andes has given me great exposure to the rich culture of the Andean and Peruvian people.   All the while giving way to the paradigm "less is more".  The simple way of life and total disconnection from mainstream society and civilization is just what the soul needs sometimes.

Many endless thanks to Ray and Megan for the hospitality, translation and most of all comradery and friendship.

Click here to View My Photos

Click here for Ray's Video compilation of the Trek

Click here for Ray's Pics

Eat More Beef!

Bridget and I are extremely fortunate to have a fantastic group of friends that we cherish so deeply.  The diversity of this group allows for us to experience the many avenues this life provides.  Most recently the road we followed was to South America.  Ray and Megan have recently taken up temporary residence in the tango city of Buenos Aires.  Lucky for us, both of them are fluant in Spanish and made navigating the city that more pleasurable. 

Upon our arrival we headed down to one of R and M's favorite places to snack on very tasty baked empanadas!  After filling ourselves we took a short tour of the nearby neighborhoods, picked up some local, very inexpensive but top notch Malbec wine and some fresh handmade pasta for a quiet homecooked meal that night.  These series of events quickly became our loose routine for the week.  Since the food is so delectable, all the days activities were planned around where we were going to eat and drink next.

Traditional Argentine breakfast consists of cortado's (expresso cut with milk), small juice, water and mouth watering croissants known as medialunas.  Lunches and dinners are all about the beef.  Paradillas (grills) are everywhere in the city and the favorite amongst the locals.  Be sure to fill up at lunch because it will need to tie you over for the rest of the afternoon and into the night until the restuarants open near 10pm!  Not to fear, if you need a snack or a quick sugar fix, just stop by Volta and savor a creamy helado (gelato), the best in B.A.! If helado is not your choice there is always the traditional alfajores, two round sweet biscuits/cookies joined together with dulce de leche (a milk based caramel sauce).

Dinner at Casa Coupage by far was the best overall dining experience we had in B.A.  Set within a mid-century Palermo home, two sommeliers are your host as they guide you through a wine tasting and seasonal food pairing.  From 9pm til 1am the four of us ate, drank conversed and laughed, thoroughly enjoying this genuine time with each other.

Standing as the largest city in Argentina and the second largest metro area in South America, B.A. holds many treasures to be discovered.  Mostly by foot or subte (the subway) we had the chance to explore this cities neighborhoods such as Palermo, Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Soho, Recoleta and San Telmo.  In Palermo, the largest neighborhood in B.A., we had to opportunity to stroll through the botanical gardens that play host to over 5,500 species of plants, trees and shrubs.  Not to mention a very large community of cats! Palermo Hollywood gained it's name due to all the TV and Radio produces that took up residence there in the mid 90's.  We also visited a small organic market here as a "field trip" with ray and his Spanish Tutor.  A good learning experience for all!  P. Soho is an area known for it's fashion and provided us the opportunity to do plenty of window shopping.  A very popular district for young upper-class Argentines due to the fashion and street culture set amongst old B.A. architecture.  Recoletta is an affluent, exclusive and the most expensive neighborhood to reside in in B.A.  Not only is it expensive to live in, but to be laid to rest in Recoleta you need to have a great sum of money.

 La Recoleta Cemetary is a world famous mausoleum where some of the most influential and wealthiest Argentines lye, including Eva Perone.  Recoleta was populated by the wealthy citizens fleeing the late 19th cent. cholera epidemic that spread through the San Telmo neighborhood.  San Telmo is the oldest neighborhood in B.A.  Here you can find numerous antique shops, many local artists and more often than none, spot a couple beautifully executing the seductive dance of Tango.

About an hour north of Buenos Aires by train, is the delta region of Argentina.  Tigre is the hub where city dwellers escape the harsh heat of summer by jumping on a boat and wisking off to one of the many islands resting within the multiple arms of the river.  Whether it is a day trip, camping or lying in a hamock next to your summer home, this region is a true gem. 

Bridget and I cannot express enough our gratitude to Ray and Megan.  Along with being wonderful hosts (and tour guides) the memories gained from our ever growing friendship will never be forgotten.

(As Megan once exclaimed "Bubbles of Joy!, Bubbles of Joy") 

Click Here to View The Pics!