So please know this particular post will be long…because there is just so much to write about this past year; but I promise to be diligent in posting more frequently in 2009 and shorter journaling! LOL…those of you who know me best, know it’s not in my nature to keep things short and sweet!!
2008 was such an inspiring year for David and me; we traveled more this past year than any other time in our lives, apart or together and we are looking forward to 2009 being even more exciting!
In March David and I traveled to Italy for my second visit to this amazing country. We spent 3 weeks touring Southern Italy; the Amalfi Coast, Capri Sicily, the Greek ruins of Agrigento, and then headed north to Tuscany, wrapping up our trip with a week in Rome. I simply cannot get enough of this country and long to go back again and again.
In June we were on our motorcycles touring the western states for pretty much the entire month. We started off with our local motorcycle friends and riding club that I am the First Officer of; the Southern Cruisers Riding Club, Seattle/Eastside Chapter 368, for a larger motorcycle rally in
In June we were on our motorcycles touring the western states for pretty much the entire month. We started off with our local motorcycle friends and riding club that I am the First Officer of; the Southern Cruisers Riding Club, Seattle/Eastside Chapter 368, for a larger motorcycle rally in Baker City, OR. After the rally we split off to travel to Idaho Springs, CO where we met up with two other friends and business associates who are also motorcycle enthusiasts. We each traveled 1600 miles from the West and East Coasts to meet up at the Continental Divide! We spent 7 awesome days riding throughout the Rocky Mountains before heading back home to North Bend; all totaled was 5000 miles under our butts, with some of the best roads ever ridden and the riding season had just begun!! WooHoo!
In July I finally realized my dream of going to Hawaii; I've wanted to see
Hawaii since I was a little girl. David had been stationed over there when he was in the service, so it was an added bonus he was familiar with the layout of the island. We spent a week on Oahu, visiting Pearl Harbor, taking in the beauty of the North Shore and of course "The Pipeline" for the girl who grew up in So Cal on the beaches of Huntington, Laguna and Newport, and only dreamt of one day seeing the "big waves!" Well, hmmmm...it was July and little did I remember those "BIG" waves only crash during the wintertime! It was still pretty exciting! LOL
David actually jumped out of a perfectly good operating plane.
..no kidding! He skydived for the first time in his life above the beautiful North Shore; it was quite the lifetime experience for him!
In late August we did a long distance motorcycle trip with several of our close friends to Northern California and Crater Lake. It was a 5 day, 4 night spectacular ride that took in the massive Redwoods, the Northern California Coastline, beautiful Crater Lak
e and some of the most challenging twisty roads we’ve ever ridden. It was definitely the highlight of our riding season when it came to the combination of all the things we are passionate about riding and even more special sharing it with wonderful friends.
Mid December we had an absolutely spectacular winter weekend get-away with Michael, my son; Adria, my Daughter-in-law and my 3 grandchildren; Michaela (11), Dylan (7) and Adrian, the littlest spit-fire (20 months). We rented a condo and took them to Leavenworth for the annual Town Christmas Lighting and the
most beautiful winter wonderland of snow. The kids had a blast throwing snowballs and sledding down the slopes of the Kahler Glen Golf Course; it was a wonderful family get-together that I'll always cherish!
Christmas week blew in with power outages, a little garage flooding and the most snow I've experienced in the past 28 years I've lived in Washington State. Typically it is a tradition to have Christmas Eve at our home, but this year I had to tell our families it was just to hazardous to travel out to North Bend and they needed to stay home. However, thank goodness all was not lost...since we had also invited two of our good friends who also ride with us over for Christmas Eve and they live very close by, about 5-7 blocks away. They asked if
In July I finally realized my dream of going to Hawaii; I've wanted to see
Hawaii since I was a little girl. David had been stationed over there when he was in the service, so it was an added bonus he was familiar with the layout of the island. We spent a week on Oahu, visiting Pearl Harbor, taking in the beauty of the North Shore and of course "The Pipeline" for the girl who grew up in So Cal on the beaches of Huntington, Laguna and Newport, and only dreamt of one day seeing the "big waves!" Well, hmmmm...it was July and little did I remember those "BIG" waves only crash during the wintertime! It was still pretty exciting! LOLDavid actually jumped out of a perfectly good operating plane.
..no kidding! He skydived for the first time in his life above the beautiful North Shore; it was quite the lifetime experience for him!In late August we did a long distance motorcycle trip with several of our close friends to Northern California and Crater Lake. It was a 5 day, 4 night spectacular ride that took in the massive Redwoods, the Northern California Coastline, beautiful Crater Lak
e and some of the most challenging twisty roads we’ve ever ridden. It was definitely the highlight of our riding season when it came to the combination of all the things we are passionate about riding and even more special sharing it with wonderful friends.Mid December we had an absolutely spectacular winter weekend get-away with Michael, my son; Adria, my Daughter-in-law and my 3 grandchildren; Michaela (11), Dylan (7) and Adrian, the littlest spit-fire (20 months). We rented a condo and took them to Leavenworth for the annual Town Christmas Lighting and the
most beautiful winter wonderland of snow. The kids had a blast throwing snowballs and sledding down the slopes of the Kahler Glen Golf Course; it was a wonderful family get-together that I'll always cherish!Christmas week blew in with power outages, a little garage flooding and the most snow I've experienced in the past 28 years I've lived in Washington State. Typically it is a tradition to have Christmas Eve at our home, but this year I had to tell our families it was just to hazardous to travel out to North Bend and they needed to stay home. However, thank goodness all was not lost...since we had also invited two of our good friends who also ride with us over for Christmas Eve and they live very close by, about 5-7 blocks away. They asked if
they could bring over a neighbor, recently divorced and home alone and of course we said yes...so they put their snow boots on and towed a sled filled with goodies over to our place and we partied well into the night. We had a fabulous time!
I'm so excited to ring in the 2009 New Year. We will be having some very dear friends over New Years Eve for drinks & appetizers at our place and then we'll head out to a new place called Easy Joes for dinner in North Bend. We will then ring in the New Year at the new Snoqualmie Casino. On New Years Day we'll have the Open House we couldn't have with our families on Christmas Eve.
The snow is now melting and it is looking very promising for our New Year's Polar Bear Ride on Saturday January 3rd! I haven't missed one in the past 6 years and I certainly don't plan on missing this year's either!
We already have a lot of travel plans set for 2009. We will be traveling to Los Angeles on January 7th through the 14th to spend time networking with many of our friends and business associates, as well as taking in Universal Studios and Disneyland. We are extending our visit to also spend time with my family and I'm so looking forward to that.
In March 2009 we will be traveling to Acapulco for 10 days and then the Big Island of Hawaii in July. Our Riding schedule has us going on long distance rides pretty much the remainder of the summer and fall; so check out our blog site for updates and photos of our 2009 adventures!! You can view my photo website on the following url:
http://community.webshots.com/user/doubledee01I'm so excited to ring in the 2009 New Year. We will be having some very dear friends over New Years Eve for drinks & appetizers at our place and then we'll head out to a new place called Easy Joes for dinner in North Bend. We will then ring in the New Year at the new Snoqualmie Casino. On New Years Day we'll have the Open House we couldn't have with our families on Christmas Eve.
The snow is now melting and it is looking very promising for our New Year's Polar Bear Ride on Saturday January 3rd! I haven't missed one in the past 6 years and I certainly don't plan on missing this year's either!
We already have a lot of travel plans set for 2009. We will be traveling to Los Angeles on January 7th through the 14th to spend time networking with many of our friends and business associates, as well as taking in Universal Studios and Disneyland. We are extending our visit to also spend time with my family and I'm so looking forward to that.
In March 2009 we will be traveling to Acapulco for 10 days and then the Big Island of Hawaii in July. Our Riding schedule has us going on long distance rides pretty much the remainder of the summer and fall; so check out our blog site for updates and photos of our 2009 adventures!! You can view my photo website on the following url:
David and I count our blessings each and every day; we are grateful for one another and for all the family and friends we have in our lives. We wish YOU Health, Happiness and Prosperity in the New Year and I pray the New Year brings Peace and Love to those in strife throughout the world!
Dee Dee
