Suzanne Louise Dantzler, my oldest daughter, graduated summa cum laude from Central Washington University Saturday. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with specializations in Marketing Management and Finance. She also minored in Economics. (Now that is a mouthful.)

She accomplished many things in the last 4 years. Two of the highlights are:

·         Purchasing a condo to live in while attending college and renting rooms to others to subsidize her living expenses.

·         Starting an organization, Giving With Love www.giving-with-love.org , that collects textbooks that bookstores won’t buy back from students, posting and selling them online, then donating to various organization to help improve the quality of life in developing countries and through the local Young Life program.

Graduating Day was full of memorable moments. Suzanne was bursting with excitement and pride. Friends and family sat right next to the fence and were able to see her smiling face as she entered the stadium. The view was perfect to see her and friends wait in line for their diploma. As her name was announced I blew an air horn to express my overwhelming pride while those around me cheered. She spread her arms high over her head with diploma in hand as she sprang down the ramp – a college graduate.

A fun and exhilarating moment for Kayla, my daughter, and I was a trip to Safeway to buy flowers and a balloon.  After Suzanne received her diploma I realized I hadn’t bought flowers. When I mentioned this to Kayla she suggested we “run” to the store to get some. (I was very touched by this gesture, Kayla is a great sister!!) So with only 3 rows of graduates left to receive their diplomas off we RAN to the car and then to the store. We were exhausted by the time we reached the car, Kayla and I strategized the best route to take, talking traffic lights into changing to green quickly. When we arrived at Safeway, I ran into the store and grabbed the flowers and a balloon, while Kayla got into line. While she was in line I gave her the items and ran to the car to pick her up. We parked the car back at the stadium and ran back to our seats near the fence, out of breathe but just in time to see the end and watch the graduates throw their caps into the air!!  We were both still breathing hard as we presented the flowers and balloon to the new college graduate.

After the ceremony, Suzanne had a party at her Dad’s house on Lake Tapps. The party was great with many family members and friends attending. A few special guests included: her fourth grade teacher, Pat de la Torre; her 2^nd cousin Wayne from Nashville with his step daughter Kinsey; and a childhood friend, Brianne with her mom and sister.

At the end of the party after the gifts were opened and most of the guests had left, Suzanne had some advice to pass on to her cousin Tyler. She said, “Just so you know it is much more profitable to graduate from college then high school.”

Suzanne has had two interviews and is hoping to hear some positive news from one this week.

Suzanne was highlighted in the local newspaper and in the college newsletter this quarter to read more go to: http://www.cwu.edu/~relation/pr-june5-08.html

Skiing this year in France is an adventure. We are enjoying ourselves. Being in Europe is always enjoyable. The Euro is very strong so our spending is limited.

We started this adventure spending the day in Copenhagen because that was the most efficient connection. Last year we didn’t find Copenhagen very appealing and this year it really left a bad taste in my mouth. It is amazing how one bad experience can affect your whole attitude toward a place. The experience was being pick-pocketed.  I take the blame for the amount of cash the pick-pocketer got but not the act itself. They are very good at what they do. They unzipped 3 zippers on my purse I had slung over my shoulder before they got to my cash. I was lucky that they didn’t take my credit cash, debit card or passport. I never felt a thing but know it happened while waiting to cross the crosswalk. I didn’t lisen to my gut that said to zip my purse in my coat when I left the hotel. That is why I was so upset at myself, besides not separating my cash so I wasn’t carrying so much.

After a day in Copenhagen we headed to Lyon, France. We enjoyed this city. We went on a tour learning about the silk industry and how it was the focus of the city for centuries. They considered themselves the end of the Silk Road. Many pieces were weaved there for decades but now they only print on silk. Duke did buy me a scarf but the prices were outrageous.  Lyon is a nice walking town with outdoor cafes, bridges that cross the rivers and old town.

After two nights we took a bus to Val d’Isere were we are to ski for a week. Sunday was sunny and beautiful. I was very happy with my skiing skill since I haven’t been on skies since last March. On Monday the clouds came in and I got vertigo on the first run. YUCK! I took a break in the a lodge and sat by the fire while Duke went on a few runs by himself but the visibility didn’t improve and during the next run all I wanted to do is GET OFF THE MOUNTAIN! So I took the gondola down.

A few people from our group, the Seattle Mountaineers, were playing the card game Bridge, so I thought it would be a fun thing to learn. So the following day I played Bridge all day and had a great time, because it snowed all day long. The falling snow was beautiful and it was fun to take a walk in it to dinner.

Today the weather didn’t improve. The snow was heavy, the wind was strong and the visibility was poor. I was hoping my Bridge friends would be playing again but no luck so I spent the day on the computer. One member of our group broken her leg today so I will be having a Bridge player to play with during bad weather the rest of the trip if she doesn’t go home.

Tonight I am looking forward to having meat fondue for dinner. Bonjour!

Training Camp!

I love surprises, especially when they are fun getaway weekends planned carefully with fun for me in mind. Duke did an outstanding job of planning just that. He was so excited giving me hints and clues for weeks before the 3 day weekend getaway. One of the clues was, “KaBoom!” another was to let me know we were bringing our mountain bikes. Usually I am a great guesser but for some reason absolutely nothing was coming to mind. After he practically gave me the directions to the location I finally figured it out. KaBoom of course was for cannon an obvious clue since he loves Cannon Beach.

So Friday morning with our mountain bikes, rain gear, camera gear and goodies to eat all packed we headed to Cannon Beach, OR. We arrived just after 1pm to a gorgeous sunny afternoon. From our room we had a view of puffy clouds in the sky, people setting up for an on the beach wedding ceremony and little children running barefoot at the ocean’s shore. I was ready for a long walk on the beach.

I must explain a little more in detail why Duke picked this scenic spot for a long weekend getaway. For those of you who haven’t been to this particular beach; it is very picturesque with Haystack Rocks jutting out of the sand near the low tide mark and it is a very long flat beach with the shoreline covered by private homes and beautiful hotels. One of the reasons Duke picked this particular place was so I could have the perfect location to start training for a triathlon, a mini one that is, with a ¼ mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run.

If you recall from a previous email, I get severe shin splints when I run. For those of you who have never experienced shin splints consider yourself blessed. They are extremely painful and once you get them they keep you wake at night throbbing. Also as explained in the previous email, I was able to run on sandy beaches after walking as a warm up. So Duke planned this weekend as a celebration to start my training. So train I did.

We started with a swift walk on the beach with lots of activity surrounding us. Since it was a beautiful day everyone was out enjoying it. We walked for about an hour and then I ran a short distance a couple times until I was completely out of breath (out of shape!). After a short rest in our room we rode our mountain bikes into town to do some window shopping and to go out for dinner.

This was our first experience with riding our bikes on the beach and it was soooo much fun. You didn’t have to worry about traffic or staying on the trail. You were free to go anywhere you wanted. So I zigzagged my way down the beach on the hard packed sand. Then I did circles, around and around; making the circumference smaller and smaller until I could turn any tighter. I went fast and I went slow. I followed the ocean’s edge and I went through the streams. All while I had a big smile on my face! Duke loves it when the kid in me comes out and she was beaming.

Riding our bikes back along the beach in the dark after dinner while the waves pounded the shore in the distance and the stars twinkled in the sky was another great adventure. Once we reluctantly (I was having too much fun on my bike) arrived to our hotel from dinner I enjoyed a nice hot Jacuzzi bath. Heaven!

The next morning we woke up to clouds and a slight breeze. I however was feeling great and ready to go for our morning walk. After spending two hours walking and running we went back to the hotel and had the best scones in the continental breakfast. They were yummy!!! Cranberry and white chocolate. I didn’t know if this was a training weekend or an eating weekend since I couldn’t resist the scones or the cookies they had in a cookie jar set out for hotel guest, more yum!  But we did need to get some real food in our system so we headed into town on our mountain bike to have breakfast.

Keeping up with training, we took a long bike ride after breakfast while fighting a slight headwind. I was working pretty hard to pedal against the wind and looked forward to taking a nap back in the room. I must also mention that I know how to nap very well. Basically once my head hits the pillow I am out and sleeping soundly. This afternoon was no exception, I slept for two hours, and when I woke up I was afraid that I had slept the whole afternoon. Thankfully I hadn’t, it was only 3pm. I took a shower and Duke and I went into town, this time by vehicle since it looked like it might rain.

We walked around town a bit and saw some wonderful galleries. Cannon Beach has become quite an expensive destination resort town. The prices are high and the quality is too. Tonight Duke not only treated me to dinner but also to a wonderful small theatre play. It was a 3 actor comedy that was funny and very well done. I had a great a fulfilling day.

We woke up Sunday morning to a dramatic change in the weather. Not only had the wind picked up considerably but it was raining too. I was not the least bit discouraged. I was here to train and I had brought the clothing for this type of weather so with warm tights, smart wool socks and tennis shoes, Capilene, fleece and a rain coat on top, and gloves and a hat I was off to face the elements. I wanted to head into the wind straight off so it would be easier to walk back, so instantly the front of me was wet from waist to toe. The raincoat was doing a great job on my upper half. I walked with my head down, only seeing 10 feet in front of me so the rain wouldn’t sting my face. When I approached a stream heading down to the ocean I cautiously jumped over it not to get my shoes too wet. After the second jump I felt the cold water enter my shoe and from then on walked through the steams purposely not caring about the extra moisture in my shoes.

When it was time to turn around it seemed like a completely different day. With the wind and rain now at my back I was flying as I ran joyfully down the beach. My stride was long, my head high and my pace fast; at least it was until I was out of breath. I spent the rest of the morning running and walking as if I was unaware of the storm at my back. Needless to say the beach was mostly deserted this morning with only a few brave souls joining us. Returning once again to the warm haven of our hotel room, I enjoyed a hot Jacuzzi and breakfast in the tub!

It was sad to leave my first train site just after breakfast after such a great start. I must admit that I am a little sore, but not on my shins. I look forward to all my other training destinations that will help prepare me for my first Triathlon.

Thanks My Duke!

Sturgis, the world’s largest motorcycle rally

For those who have heard of this event, many images may pop into your head. I had many photographs I hoped to capture; the rough gnarly guys riding their hogs, the tattooed and pierced faces, the wild parties, the tricked-out motorcycles and of course the beautiful women dressed in black leather. I also hoped to listen to great bands and dance the night away while having a few drinks with my friends.

This trip to Sturgis presented itself because my childhood friend Linnea was visiting with her husband and 3 South African friends to spend 18 days on motorcycles traveling throughout Canada and the US. Since they planned on spending a few days in Sturgis I chose to join them.

What I found Sturgis to be didn’t live up to my expectations. I found that most guys were just a bunch of Harley lover’s using this event to spend the week together and possibly take on another persona for the week. I would guess that 90% of the motorcycles were Harley’s or custom bikes. Also 90% of the riders didn’t wear helmets; it is not the law in South Dakota. Many people spend the week riding throughout the country side on one if not all the curvy, smooth, Black Hill roads that lead to such places as Mt Rushmore, Devil’s Tower or the Badland’s. 

Everyone seems to spend at least a day cruisin’ through Sturgis looking at the latest and greatest bikes, eating fair type food, stoppin’ at the saloon to order a cold beer from a female bartender that is dressed in lacy undergarments, buy this year’s “Sturgis” t-shirt and some even add a tattoo to their collection.

This rally isn’t boring by any stretch of the imagination. I had a great conversation with a Harley riding gentleman who introduced himself to me as “Blood”. This was his 8^th rally and he was very willing to show me Sturgis and make sure I enjoyed myself. I kindly passed on his offer and through our conversation discovered that he worked for the state of Nebraska when he wasn’t “Blood” during his week in Sturgis. I also met 4 gentlemen, 3 from Kansas and 1 from Florida that used to party at “Full Throttle” but were “too old for that now” and enjoyed the friendship and riding around the Black Hills during their week at Sturgis.

Dave, the gentleman from Florida, was living part time in a 1971 converted Trailways bus. My friends from South Africa were fascinated by this concept and wanted a tour of the inside of this home on wheels. Dave was very accommodating showing us that the inside included such items as a washer and dryer and dishwasher. However he surprised us with a modification he made to one of the storage compartments in the belly of the bus. The modification allowed for his Harley to be stored there due to a hydraulic lift platform. (Please see photos for a better understanding.) It was fascinating to watch him drive his motorcycle into the bus!

My final thoughts are that even though I never saw the rough part of Sturgis, I didn’t dance to good music, and I never found my gnarly man to photograph; I still enjoyed myself and would like to go again to spend more time focused on my photography and enjoying new friendships. 

RAGBRAI

Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa

WHY? Why would you go on vacation to ride your bicycle during the hot humid heat of July in Iowa?

This question comes up a lot when I tell people I am going to Iowa. I hope this short story of a day during RAGBRAI explains my answer a bit. It isn’t a bicycle ride it is an experience of life, people and the heart of America.

I awake at 5:30 am a little sore from the previous days riding. I have ridden 78 miles on the first day and 100 on the second. Outside the camper I can already hear bicycles whizzing past on their way to the next Iowan town. I stretch a bit and put on my damp riding clothes since they don’t dry completely on the clothes line in the humidity.

By 6:30am I have eaten Kashi cereal and rice milk for breakfast, had 3T of Amino Fuel for muscle repair, had my 5 hour energy drink, put on sunscreen, cleaned my sunglasses, put today’s route on my bicycle; packed my cell phone, some cash for homemade pie, my camera and some protein energy bars. Duke has gotten our water bottles ready with Citomax energy drink, cleaned the bikes, oiled the chains and aired up the tires. I put on my shoes and helmet and we our off to find our place in the pack of 10,000 riders.

On this morning the sun is shining just above the horizon casting long shadows of all types and sizes of bicycles across the road. As we depart this small town I say, “Good morning.” at least 20 times to various people as they sit on their porches, coffee in hand, thanking us for coming and wishing us a safe journey. Only in Iowa I think with a big smile on my face.

At first the bicycles are packed in pretty close together as we take up two lanes of traffic. I pedal with the crowd so my legs can get warmed up and stretched out a bit. I take my camera out of the back of my riding jersey and take photographs of people riding and the countryside. It is quite tricky to pedal and shoot at the same time so I am grateful when 1 out of 10 looks good. The air is crisp and the fields have a slight fog rising from them. I feel invigorated by the energy of all the people around me. It is a wonderful morning.

About 15 miles into the ride, at the first town, many people stop for breakfast. Along the way a promise of eggs, sausage, pancakes, and coffee entice many riders to stop and stand in the long line. Duke and I get off our bike and walk through town, it is about 7:30am and 68 degrees, perfect riding weather. As you walk along Main Street of this one street town you are tempted with homemade cinnamon rolls, watermelon, cookies, bananas, breakfast burrito, smoothies, pizza, turkey legs, corn on the cob and many choices of energy drinks at various booths set up by some fundraising group. RAGBRAI is a traveling fundraiser for the state of Iowa with Boy Scouts, cheerleaders, Lodges, churches, and children with lemonade stands getting their share of the dollars being spent.

Being the serious riders that Duke and I are we usually wait for the second half of the ride before we start eating anything but our boring energy bars. However at the last town before the end of the day I usually stop for homemade pie. One of my favorite memories was when I was looking for pie. About 8 miles back a series of signs promised us homemade pie. Grandma’s Homemade Pie. So at the 8 mile mark I was actively looking for this treat. As I looked to my right I saw some people sitting on gorgeous lawn eating PIE and just as I got ready to turn into the driveway I saw this beautiful 4 year old girl with soft curls blowing in the wind holding a sign that said “Grandma’s Pie.” However what I loved most was her strong determined voice saying, “Grandma’s pie! BEST PIE EVERRRRR.” How could you not stop?! And yes the pie was great and the crust was light and flaky.

The crowd of bicycles begin to thin out after the second town. Many riders have stopped for breakfast or just to rest. However this is the time when Duke and I have the most fun. We begin to kick it into high gear pedaling at between 18 to 24 mph up and down the rolling hills. A challanging experience is to get into a pace line. They are best when the wind is at your face and all the riders in front of you break the wind and pull you along, usually at 20+mph. It is an awesome way to pass time and miles.

I know this story is getting long but I can’t leave out some of the details that make RAGBRAI so unique from anything else I have ever done.

After Jeremy, our “Sag Wagon” driver, gets to the destination town; he would get on his bike and ride against traffic to meet up with us. He was able to get in about 200 miles for the week this way; more bicycle riding then he had ever done before. When we do arrive in our destination town about 11:30 am Duke and I have pedaled about 70 miles. It is always a welcome site to find the camper and get off the bikes for the day. Right away we eat some protein based meal; pre-made cold chili or spaghetti sauces are the favorites, quick and easy. We then have more Amino Fuel, vitamins, fruit and lots of water. Next a shower and nap are always needed.

The perfect RAGBRAI day is when you get to spend the afternoon sitting at a picnic table in the grassy treed town square and watch various local dance studios perform, listen to a great band, eat some homemade pie and talk to the locals. Two gentleman farmers, Burdeen and Dale, were our favorites this year. They both were fascinated by the concept of riding a bicycle across Iowa. Both were in their 70’s and had lived in a nearby town their whole lives as corn and soybean growers. I will always remember their smiles and the unique Iowan way they welcomed you to their town. Dale was excited to spend the evening, until midnight, listening to the band playing rock and roll in the beer garden. Burdeen had his 15 year old grandson with him, and couldn’t imagine not having family living in the house. The following day we were going to be riding through their hometown about 20 miles into the ride. Both gentleman said they looked forward to waving at us as we past through. Burdeen said he would be in a gray pick-up truck and Dale would be in the park. As you can imagine I was skeptical that we would see each other again.

While Duke and I were in the park visiting, Jeremy needed to do some laundry. So he knocked on the door of an Iowan home and asked if he could use their hose to fill his bucket so he could wash his clothes. The lady of the house promptly took that bucket of clothes from Jeremy and proceeded to wash, dry and fold them for him instead. Jeremy was thrilled and amazed at the hospitality.

When it started to get dark, Duke and I took a walk through the town. Jeremy would walk with us and sometimes go do his own thing. It was very easy to be around him. What I appreciated most was that he was sure to get the camper to the destination on time; he never complained and showed appreciation for the opportunity to be there in many ways. On this particular night the band was great, so we stayed up to dance in the street to a few songs. I loved the evening.

The next morning the routine started all over again, getting up at 5:30am to ride to the next destination town. However this morning was a little different because we had two new friends to find, Burdeen and Dale. So after pedaling 20 miles, just as promised, Burdeen was parked on a side street in his gray truck with his grandson. They both got out of the vehicle and greeted us like long lost friends. Next we looked for Dale in the park. He was very easy to spot sitting in a lawn chair, “in the same shirt and hat he wore yesterday” so we could easily spot him. Once again we were greeted like long time friends.

So what is RAGBRAI? I believe it is a moment in time when everyone is friends – no matter where you come from and no matter what you do; Iowans open their yards, homes, and hearts to everyone who comes to visit. I am grateful to have been apart of the bicycle ride, the ride into the heart of America - Iowa.

The Pest side of Budapest

We really enjoyed Prague and all the history. Four full days walking around and looking at the city was enough. Any more time and we would have wanted to tour outside of the city.

For our last train ride from Prague to Budapest Duke chose to buy first class ticket, this way we could sit anywhere. So are you wondering where we sat? We entered the car that had a 1 on it and there was no compartments this time just a long hallway with seats on each side. We sat facing forward, always a good idea so I don’t get motion sick. When our tickets were collected this time nothing was said so… we must have sat in the correct spot. Finally!

We arrived in Budapest late in the afternoon after a 6 hour train ride through Slovakia. Once again I entered the address of our hotel into the GPS and we took off walking, luggage and shopping bags in tow. After following the arrow on the GPS zigzagging through neighborhood like streets for 20 minute I decided to double check exactly where we were heading to by zooming out to our destination. My legs were tired, my back was wet with sweat, my bags were getting increasingly heavier AND we were heading in the wrong direction. All the great things I had said about the GPS suddenly were forgotten and this new technology was worthless. A simple map would have worked so much better!!! Since no taxi’s or bus service was to be seen we continued to walk, in the correct direction. After an hour and a quick stop for a pastry we arrived at the Intercontinental exhausted.

As I mentioned in an earlier story there is actually two cities’ of Budapest, Buda and Pest.  Our hotel room had a wonderful view of the Danube River and Castle Hill in Pest. Since we were hungry and didn’t have to drag our luggage anymore, and only had two day to visit we decided to take a walk and look around. We found a square for walker’s only that had a yummy looking pastry similar to one we saw in Prague, and decided we would give into temptation this time. Since we still didn’t have any forints (Hungarian money) we needed to find a cash machine before we could buy this treat.  We found it easiest to get money from a cash machine in the countries we were visiting than bring traveler’s checks or exchange American dollars at a bank, regardless of where we were traveling in Europe. Yes you do need to pay an exchange fee at the cash machine but the banks also charge the fee and bank machines are available 24 hours a day and abundant!

We went back to the square where homemade goods, fresh pastries and café’s enticed us. The pastry was made of a doughy mixture then wrapped on a metal rolling pin like item. After the rolling pin was covered with 3 or 4, the dough was rolled into a mixture of sugar and spices then baked over open coals spinning around like a rotisserie chicken. It was so yummy with the golden sugary crust that we immediately went back for seconds. Glad we didn’t start eating these in Prague because we would have put on 5 extra pounds, lol.

After a quick dinner of fair like food in the square and looking at a few shops we went back to the room. Since it was now dark the glow of Castle Hill from across the river was gorgeous. I took a few photos and we once again went out to enjoy the evening light. Walking along the river was beautiful and peaceful in the moon light. We walked to the next bridge and back.

With only one full day to enjoy Budapest we chose immediately to limit our destinations to one’s that Erik Bodor had recommended. The Parliament, St Stephen’s Basilica and the farmer’s market, all on the Pest side and gratefully within walking distance.

The Parliament is an incredible building architecturally, built in 1904. Only guided tours with limited amount of tickets distributed per day are given. Thankfully we found out this information the night before and were promptly in line at 8:45am for the 9am tour in English.  The inside of the building was extravagant with lots of gold paint.  Copy and paste press ctrl and left click the following link for much more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Parliament

It was a short walk from the Parliament building to St Stephen’s Basilica. The outside of the building is gorgeous with many details in the stone work. Inside it has a large cupola that towers into the sky. Very impressive. Once again here is a link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Stephen%27s_Basilica

As we walked to the farmer’s market we had to pass through the square and have our new favorite pastry, yum. This market reminded me a little of Pike Place Market with all the local specialties being sold amongst local souvenirs and local crafts. The difference was the cured meats. I only wish I could have brought home a large leg of ham (prosciutto) to eat for the next year. There were many fruits and vegetables that I hadn’t seen before and definitely couldn’t pronounce (in Hungarian). I kept looking for a radish type of vegetable that we enjoyed so much at the Bodor Castle - stuffed with meat – oh I wish I could have it again! I took some photos but will never be sure if I saw it. Upstairs there were many handmade types of linen. Beautiful colors and well made.

After the market we stopped at an outdoor café along the walking only shopping district. I love enjoying a meal in this environment. As we sat there people watching, having the poor approach us selling their wares and eating I thought about how unique this experience was. I wondered why Seattle or many other cities didn’t offer this type of outdoor seating. (Yes I know it rains in Seattle a lot.) I then realized how everyone dresses differently in Europe than in the US. Everyone dresses for the outdoors, in a warm coat, scarf (always a scarf) and smart walking shoes. They are use to walking. Walking from their house to the train, the train to work, work to the market, etc. In the US we drive everywhere, they walk. It shows in their weigh too. Obesity is very minimal.

During our flights home we had a 6 hour layover in Copenhagen. We were excited to not only to get out and stretch our legs but to take this opportunity to sightsee a bit. So as soon as our flight landed we asked the information desk where we could store our carry-on luggage and which train to take to get to downtown. They spoke great English and in no time we were on the train heading to see the famous Mermaid. We walked around the park near where the mermaid was and I missed it. Walked right past it. So off to the shopping district we went on another train ride. We were very surprised to see how quiet this area was. Duke commented on how it wasn’t much of a shopping area. I agreed but thought we must be walking down the wrong street. After several blocks of nearly empty streets and mostly closed stores we finally found an open gelato store (last one). We ask why all the shop were closed they said because of the Easter Holiday. Is was Thursday??!! Yes Easter seems to be a 4 or 5 day holiday for them. I guess shopping must be done ahead of the season. This is much different than the US. So we got on the train again, collected our carryon baggage and sat in the waiting area in the airport for 4 hours. So much for touring Copenhagen!

Thanks again for reading about my trip. I will be traveling soon to Hawaii with my father, Aloha!