Three adults and two kids left Beaverton last Friday morning for a trip that took us east through the Columbia River Gorge and then north into Washington. Lots of interesting scenery along the way.

Yakima itself is a nice little town but what struck us most was the number of closed shops and empty buildings.

It was COLD when we left Yakima and even colder when we arrived in Ellensburg – 25 degrees F! I was starting to get seriously worried because I never train in shorts in cold weather like that. It turned out it wasn’t much of a problem. I kept my extra layers on until the last minute and warmed up quickly on the course.

Approximately 530 runners had signed up for the race and it was a mass start with no timing chip. I was somewhere in the middle and a bit surprised at how crowded it felt. There wasn’t enough room to break free without elbowing people so I decided to take it easy and use the first mile as a nice warm-up, figuring I could make up for it later (which never happened).

Holland’s goal (and mine) it to get you to the starting line injury free and properly rested. Check. I felt great.

My time goal was to break 3:20 by pacing myself carefully for the first 20 miles and then crank it up at mile 20 (figuring I would have some juice left by then). Under no circumstances did I want to run a positive split.

As my GPS beeped off the first mile, I slowed down to a walk for ten seconds and sipped some Powerade from my FuelBelt. I continued this practice every mile for the first half of the race. Two of my bottles were pre-mixed with GU gel, and I took in the equivalent of one gel pack every four miles.

Because of the slower pace and cool weather, my fluid intake was a bit on the high side and I was forced to use the restroom at mile 11. I didn’t want to waste the time but had no desire to be uncomfortable for another fifteen miles. It was well worth it and I my bladder said “thank you.”

My plan had been to minimize the time loss going up and turn on the afterburners on the way down. When the road leveled out at the top I realized it wouldn’t turn out that way. I’m not sure why, but my quads were completely cramped up and it felt like someone drove nails into them for every step I took. This was a surprise but I’ve developed a theory: Going up a long hill you work your hamstrings and calves very hard and my thighs were probably idle for too long after having run 20+ miles and got all stiff.

After a mile of funny-looking downhill running the quads started to warm up again. At mile 25 I splashed some cold water in my face and cranked it up for a strong finish. Crossing the goal line was a great feeling and a validation of my training plan. The clock read 3:21:45 and I was 100% OK with that.

This has been an interesting trip and I don’t think I’ll plan anymore visits to the East Coast in the middle of winter. The weather is too unpredictable and it seems there are always problems. If not outright cancellations, then at least delays.

Last night (Tuesday), I got stuck in Harrisonburg, Virginia. I had an appointment in northern West Virginia this morning but the snow started to come down hard and we decided to play it by ear. It became a dilemma because I had a flight out of Dulles in the afternoon.

When I got to my hotel and called US Airways, I learned that my flight had been canceled (not sure why Expedia didn’t notify me). They offered a flight out of Richmond on Friday, but I had no desire (or enough clothes) to spend another two nights and it was becoming increasingly clear that I wasn’t going to make it into WV. So I got my flight re-booked from Charlotte to Portland, via Phoenix.

That meant a 300-mile drive this morning and fortunately I made it! It was not pretty getting out on the freeway and the first two hours were miserable. A bit of adventure in February. I’m glad to be west of the Rockies. Almost home!

Today’s trip was about as perfect as they come. I was very nervous yesterday, with the reports of airport closures all over the Northeast. Looks like the snowstorm stayed away from both Chicago and Charlotte. Both flights were on time and arrived early.

The second leg (from Chicago to Charlotte) was particularly enjoyable, since I managed to upgrade to first class. To make it even better, the guy across the aisle from me looked familiar. When I saw him read a book on running, there was little doubt. Unfortunately, a woman to my right was blocking us, so I never had an opportunity to introduce myself.

As we left the airplane, I had to chase him down. Sure enough, it was Joe Friel, the well-respected triathlon coach and author. I’ve been a big fan of his ever since I started racing, and have used his training methods to improve every year. I admit that I was a bit start struck. Cool moment!

Fortunately, Mike should be here soon to keep me company. But I think I’ll head down to the waiting soon to try a nap.

The flight from Portland is full and I was unable to get an isle or window seat, even though I checked in seven hours before the flight leaves. There’s something goofy about that.

I’ll try to get some sleep now, then take a shower and get ready for the next flight.

Then it’s a 7-hour flight to Tokyo and a 9-hour layover. Fortunately, Mike Thuresson will make the trip from Tokyo to Narita Airport and keep me company for a few hours. I look forward to seeing him again. It’s been a while and we have some catching up to do.

Finally, a 9-hour flight from Tokyo to Portland. The nice thing about that is that I have no more flights once I clear customs in Portland. Arriving at 8:30 Sunday morning could be a problem, since I will have been up for 40 hours… But I can’t wait to see Xan and the kids again. Two hours is a long time to be away from the family and I’m ready to come home.

This has been a great trip. Business-wise, things are slow, but I think it will pay off in the long run. Putting your face in front of current and potential customers is always a good thing, especially in times like these.

Although it’s been mostly about work, I’ve had some cool personal moments as well and made some new friends along the way. This was my first, but definitely not last trip to this part of the world.

I have some pictures to upload still and should get around to preparing them during one of my long layovers. Keep on the lookuout for an update within the next few days.

As I was escorted inside a smoke-filled room full of customs officers, I remembered Michael’s words to always smile and play stupid. The smiling part was hard but looking stupid came naturally. In the end, everything was sorted out. I had enough documentation (ALWAYS keep your old boarding passes until the trip is over) to slide through. Let me point out that all of the officers were cordial and not the least bit threatening.

In a few minutes I board my flight to Bangkok, which will be the last one before I fly home. Here’s a brief summary of the past few days. I have some more pictures to upload but this is it for now.

SUNDAY

Rudy and I had a late flight from Bali to Jakarta, so Michael arranged a late checkout from the hotel. We had signed up for surf lessons the day before. After some instructions and practice in the pool it was time to hit the ocean. It was difficult but fun. I managed to stand up on my first attempt! Fun stuff.

After a few hours in the sun, I found shelter in my room and then it was time to leave.

In Jakarta, we were picked up by Rudy’s family. His wife, Ika, and three beautiful children. His nephew was the driver. After checking me into the Novotel Hotel, they took me to Planet Hollywood for dinner.

Jakarta is an interesting place. Gigantic and chaotic. The disparity between rich and poor is evident everywhere.

MONDAY

Business appointments in Jakarta. Now I understand Rudy’s need for a private driver. Traffic is an absolute mess and driving between appointments very time consuming. With a driver, you can work in the back seat.

For lunch, Rudy took me to a restaurant that serves food that is traditional to his native area of west Sumatra. It was the first time I ate a meal with my hands, which doesn’t bother me a bit as long as you wash your hands thoroughly. The food, as always, was very good.

TUESDAY

More appointments. Before the second one, Rudy took me to his wife, Ika’s, school. She runs an English education program for young children. We also drove through a typical development of Indonesian residences. You could live like a king here on a Western salary, and apparently a few Westerners do.

The drive to the airport (I was leaving for Surabaya) was slow and I barely made it, but everything has worked out OK so far and I’m not stressing too much over it. It was a little over an hour by air. I was exhausted by the time I got to the hotel and after a shower and quick dinner I hit the sack.

TODAY (WEDNESDAY)

This morning started badly as the hotel screwed up my super-urgent express laundry order, which they were supposed to have ready by seven o’clock. At least they returned my bag of dirty clothes. I was also scrambling to find my belt. After a frantic search, I spotted it behind the massive office desk, which I was barely able to move. As I snatched the belt and was about to celebrate, I bashed the top of my head against a sharp square lamp cover. It is hard to hide a head wound when you’re completely bald.

Early appointments with APP’s Surabaya rep, Yenni, then quickly off to the airport for a flight back to Jakarta, where I’m now awaiting the Air Asia flight to Bangkok.

There you have it. It’s been another hectic day in Indonesia and now I’m looking forward to staying in one hotel for three nights before heading home. Hopefully the Novotel hotel in Bangkok can get some laundry done for me in a hurry because I’m running out of clean clothes.

Below is a summary of Thursday through Saturday, complete with pictures. I’ll probably make another picture upload tomorrow or Wednesday (have to get those surf pictures up, but it depends on the quality of my internet connection).

THURSDAY NIGHT

Thursday night at Michael’s house was something else. He has designed a beautiful house in Kuala Lumpur, complete with guest quarters so guests like me can have privacy. The house is amazing and well-suited for the climate. Since Michael is a lumber man, the house features woods from all over the world, which makes it very warm and inviting.

View photos at SmugMug

After welcome drinks, Michael and his wife, Doris, took me out for a good Chinese dinner and after a night cap it was time for a short night’s sleep before going to the airport early the next morning.

FRIDAY – BALI, DAY 1

I swam a few laps in Michael’s pool before his driver came to pick us up. The check-in at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) was quick and efficient (it’s very nice and modern).

Michael is a frequent flyer so I got to enjoy Malaysian Airlines’ lounge before takeoff.

The Airbus 330 to Bali was almost empty with plenty of room to stretch out. After completing the customs formalities we took a cab to the Hard Rock Hotel in Kuta. Traffic was insanely slow, with narrow streets and scooters and cars everywhere.

At the hotel we met up with APP’s Indonesia rep, Rudy, and the three of us went to see a potential new customer. There are many smaller furniture makers and craftsmen in Bali.

Then it was time to explore the hotel. I would recommend the the Hard Rock to anyone looking for a good time in Bali. It’s not a quiet resort but right in the hustle and bustle of Kuta. Their pool is amazing, with sand beaches, in-water bar, no chlorine, and just overall coolness. It’s very kid friendly and I saw lots of families. The staff is first class and as nice as can be. The rooms are big and clean. It made for two very good nights.

One of the attractions there is the main bar, which features a live cover band every night. Michael is good friends with the manager of the hotel, and we hung out with him and his crew. I got some insight into the workings of the hotel and the prompt attention of staff, which is always a nice thing.

The cover band was excellent and their repertoire impressive, with everything from Queen and Metallica, to a Grease performance. The crowd was friendly and just having a good time. None of the debauchery you see at other places.

Here are the pictures from Friday:

SATURDAY – BALI, DAY 2

Rudy and I had an appointment with another new prospective customer in the morning, while Michael went for a Harley ride with some old friends. After our appointment I had a decision to make: either go back to the hotel and the beach or let our driver take us north to see some of the island. I opted for the latter.

First up was a trip to one of the monkey forests. Let’s just say there were 100 monkeys to every tourist, which was A LOT. Our driver told us this was one of the forests with “friendly” monkeys. These animals are so used to tourist they steal glasses and cameras, but these were (supposedly) not that aggressive.

Parental Warning: One Australian couple thought it would be fun to take pictures with monkeys climbing on their son. By the time we walked by the boy was really agitated, as four or five monkeys were tearing away at him. Finally, one of the beasts bit him and drew blood. The not-so-bright mommy got angry at the monkey and asked the guide if that was dangerous. My thought was: get the kid to a hospital. They talk about the Ugly American. This was was a case of the Ugly Australian.

I hissed my way through the throng of monkeys and they never touched me.

At the end of the path there was an old temple. You had to wear a sarong to get in, so I let the gentle Indonesian man wrap one around my waist and did some walking around. It was pretty cool. In Europe you go into big cathedrals, in Bali you walk old temple grounds.

After that we were off to some rice fields. The local kids were doing their best to pawn off stuff on me and I caved in and bought some post cards from a little girl (she has a future in sales).

Our last stop was the top of a volcano, where we ate a delicious Indonesian buffet and enjoyed the view.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel. With the traffic, it took a couple of hours and Rudy and I had good conversations in the back. He’s a terrific guy and almost the same age as me. Our backgrounds are completely different but we’re in a similar situation in life and have much in common. I’ve made a very good friend, which is the part of my job I like the most.

Back at the hotel: I squeezed in a hard workout, then went to the pool for a beer with Michael and Rudy. We had dinner with Michael’s old neighbors from Kuala Lumpur, an Irish/Australian couple with two young kids. Finished the evening with a couple of hours of live cover music at the Hard Rock, where the band impressed me once again.

My first couple of days in Bali were outstanding but not a moment for rest.