Anchorage Besh Cup Races

This past weekend, Besh Cup #1 and #2 were held in the Anchorage area. Saturday's race was a sprint race at Kincaid Park. Everyone has to do a qualifying 1K interval start race and depending on your age class and how you placed, you either move on to the next level or not.

This year was really cool as not only were Heather and Megan racing in the Besh Cups but Michael (jr) was as well in the J3 class. Here is Michael finishing his qualifying race. Michael did great and moved on to the next race. Overall, in his class, Michael placed 5th.

Here's Heather coming down a hill in her qualifying race. She qualified to move on a quarter final heat.

Megan at the start of her qualifying run. She looked so cold and was it ever. Air temperature was -2 but the wind was just awful! I don't really know what the windchill was but it was brutally cold.

Megan coming down the hill.

After the qualifying races, Steve and I took a break to do some errands in ANC and then ended up at the hockey rink as Matthew and boys were in town for a hockey tournament. We got to see the 2nd and 3rd periods of Riley's hockey game and actually got to see him score! Homer won 3 to 2. I thought I had taken some pictures but apparently not as none were to be found on my camera. (I think it was frozen from the morning races.)

We returned to Kincaid Park to watch Heather race in a quarterfinal heat. Heather waiting for the start.

and they are off......

Though Heather didn't qualify to move on to the semi-finals, I think she placed 20th overall.

Saturday night, Kristin & Gary, Matthew & Riley & Christopher, Steve & I, Heather & Megan & Dave all converged at Michael & Karyn's joining Rachel, Judy and family for steaks, potatoes, and some great Caesar salad. Aunt Kristin brought flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures though Pia took a few fuzzy pics with Michael's blackberry. It was really nice that Michael and Karyn were willing to host all of us. Much appreciated! As always, we had a lot of fun...well, at least I did. I think the girls also enjoyed getting to spend some time with relatives whom they haven't seen in since in a while.

On Sunday, most of us headed to Chugiak to watch the 2nd race. This was a classic interval start race. Michael raced for 5K while Heather and Megan's race was a 10K.

Michael at his start......even Santa was there making sure no one took off too early!

Megan going out.....

and then it's Heather's turn.......

For results and points, refer to http://www.crosscountryalaska.org/site/besh-cup-race-series

The Besh Cup races are a series of six races which is used to determine who is selected to the USSA Junior Olympic National Championships, and also this year the biennial Arctic Winter Games held in Grande Pairie, Alberta, Canada.

Heather summing up the weekend for all.........

Mom in Santa Rosa

This past week, I had a workgroup meeting in Santa Rosa, California. Yes, wine country; however, with working all day and wine tastings closing at 5, we didn't get to do much tasting at all. I didn't take any pictures but a colleague of mine took a few and sent these to me. The countryside was so beautiful with all of the various colors. Here's a huge pumpkin outside a winery with grapevines in the background.

We were lucky to arrange to met the wine maker of a pinot noir we had all enjoyed at dinner earlier in the week. He makes three different small lot (9 to 22 barrels) pinot noir's (one each from separate vineyards and then a blend from both.) We learned that pinot noir is one of the most challenging grapes to grow which is why he just makes pinot noir. Here is Ted (Elliot) of TR Elliot Wines giving us a small taste from one of his barrels. He gave us the opportunity to try two different wines; one was from the side of a hill while the other vineyard was at the top of a hill. His goal was to see if we could determine a difference in smell and taste. Even though the two vineyards are relatively close to one another, the climate and conditions can be so different. By the way, for only being barreled for two months so far, we thought both wines tasted quite good. (Michael if you are interested, check out the website http://www.elliottfamilycellars.com/mission.html.)

The group in the winery where Ted also makes, barrels and stores his wines.

Most of the group enjoying dinner at the Syrah Bistro, Santa Rosa. The food was wonderful as was the wine listing. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend this restaurant.

A Thanksgiving of Desserts

Steve, the girls and I had a nice Thanksgiving dinner by ourselves at home. Megan wanted the usual; turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, etc... I had everything covered and didn't realize until days later that I had pulled "an original Nanna" forgetting to bring out the cranberry sauce.

Later that night, we all went over to the Boyer's for dessert where Dave and some other friends had been invited for dinner. Turns out, we had enough dessert for everyone to have half a pie or cheesecake! I made two cheesecakes; triple chocolate as well as a pumpkin streusel. The line up....


Heather and Megan eyeing up the desserts. They also happened to the first ones to break into the fun.

The Boyers had a kick laughing at us in our "Puff" jackets.