Harvest

The typical "Saturday" was lost the moment I started to work for NOLS. My time off was never on a routine schedule but rather days between marketing events or courses. Today I reclaimed my Saturday and it felt fantastic.

This morning I went on a 33-mile bike ride around the perimeter of Bainbridge Island. The weather was spectacular and the smells from the surrounding forest made me feel as though I was miles from another soul. My ride followed the route for a local race held every February, the Chilly Hilly. This race has kicked off cycling season in the Northwest for the past 40 years with 2,675 feet of climbing. I already have my sights set on this race and if it sounds like something you would enjoy, come on out! I'd lie if I said I wasn't brainstorming possible custom jersey designs and a team name today...

During my ride I passed countless blackberry patches bordering the road. And so, after finishing up and taking a quick shower, I grabbed a large bowl and set off to harvest. I'd never picked blackberries before and with a multitude of scratches on my legs, I definitely learned some things in the process. In all, I harvested a five quart bowl of delicious, sweet morsels. Most of those are in the process of being frozen while I made sure to keep a pint of fresh ones as an immediate reward for my labors.

Finally, I finished off a great day with a great dinner. A baked potato covered in broccoli, red and green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and of course, ranch dressing. Delicious!

As IslandWood approaches, so does my excitement in becoming a weekend warrior. How much can you actually cram into a two-day time period? We will see.

Riley