Christmas with the Larson's on Orcas Island in the San Juan's. Four days and three nights of family fun.

The family lounging in the rental house.

View from the house..

Some wines to go with dinner on night one. The Vaquerayas from 12th and Olive was better on day 2.

Smörgåsbord on the 24th.

Widely considered the best smorgasbord since 2003.

A happy customer.

In other news, I bought a new bike!! A Trek 2100, in great shape from 2006. It's like riding on a rocket ship. A few small tweaks and it will be race ready. But also, the parents, Susie, Sarah and I went to Vashon Island last weekend. Mom and Dad made a brief stop in Seattle and Tacoma, and we were able to find a great beach front location for Friday and Saturday nights on the Island. I tuned up the new bike and flew directly to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, and after a brief ferry ride I continued to sail on to the house. Sarah came via bike on a later ferry. Starting just after 8PM she somehow managing to bike from Madison beach to the ferry terminal in the dusk, without a bike light, barely making the ferry, and fortunately avoiding serious injury! (ok, she had a headlamp on) It turns out Vashon Island is very hilly. Highlights from the trip include a near verticle 200 foot hike from the road to the house that mom incessantly complained about. A wine tasting at Vashion Winery. An impromptu wine tasting at Palouse winery where I got my 32oz Gatorade bottle filled from the barrel with their 08' Cabernet. I will add some pictures soon.

On Friday, in a timely and predictable cacophony of disorder, Sarah and I and our new bike rack struck off northwards in my dusty Corolla, packed with maps, bikes, a tent. Parked by a nondescript Starbucks near Anecortes and began our bike adventure. Were fortunate to find a great beach front camp site at Spencer Spit state park, thanks to some friendly campers with reservations who didn't need all of their sites. We decided to make that location home for the weekend. Sleeping under the stars awoke to a bright sun on Saturday morning. Biked a little over 50 miles, mostly on Orcas Island, highlighted by biking up Mt. Constitution at 2401' in Moran St. Park, and swimming in Mountain Lake. Our return to Lopez was greeted by rain and lightning. Awoke to a cool pleasant morning on Sunday.

Began biking on Lopez Island with all our gear. The fog burned off and we biked for about 20 miles to Shark Reef park and the ferry. Exhausted and elated after a great weekend.