VACATION!!!!!

Before we left for vacation this year, we had another check-up at the doctor. Amy is now through the first trimester so we figured it was now time to tell everyone that we are adding to our family. Camden is excited about the idea of getting a baby brother/sister!

We headed to the beach right at the end of the first trimester for a week of relaxation with my sister Laura at Surf City, NC on Topsail Island. (check out the link to the right - "Best Vacation Spot Ever"We also met up with Chris and his family who were staying on the island with some friends as well. I've known Chris all of my life and consider him to be another brother to me. Here he is with Peter:
Cam enjoyed playing with all the kids in Chris' house for vacation - they even got to do a real treasure hunt and found some pretty good booty!! Cam loved the beach and the water and took to it like he does everything - fearlessly!
"Let's go real, real far out dad!"

He loved to ride the waves and splash into them on anything he could find, but his favorite was...

the BOOGIE BOARD!!! (Or as he called it - "the boogie-man board")

He would surf all day if we let him - the only trouble we had was keeping him from going too deep or being carried too far down the beach!

"Surf's up mom! Stop taking pictures!!"

Mostly though, we just relaxed in the sun with friends and family that we miss a bunch being so far away. Check out the sexy legs of the preggo!! Soaking up the rays!

Camden also had to try his hand at surfing like the big kids. "Look at me mom! I'm standing up!!"

....Oops! Even for just a second. Those waves can be tricky!

Of course - if there is a ball around to be played with, Camden will find it

One of the best things about the beach on the east coast - besides the best sand, warm water, friendly people, quiet beaches, etc, etc, is the CRABS!!!!!!

We steamed 6 dozen (a bushel) for a big feast - here are Nathan, Chris and Bailey supervising Dutch and I steaming the crabs!

Crabs, Beer, Friends, Family, Beer, a Cool Humid Breeze, Catching Up, Beer is what a crab feast is all about!! (I might have had a bit of a headache the next morning after this picture)

We did get a little rain during the week but took the time to go check out the aquarium. In the main tank there was this one shark that really did seem to just follow Camden around - check it out, staring right back at Cam:

Laura quickly became his new best buddy and he would follow her around constantly "Aunt Laura, do you want to play with me?" How could she say no to that??? For those of you that may not know it, my sister is the "child whisperer" - kids LOVE her!

We even managed a night out roller skating! Cam was trying to stay on his west coast time zone while there, so it made for some fun late nights for him! Skating was hilarious and this place is like going back in time.

We all took turns giving our backs a work-out while trying to help Camden learn to skate - we could never get going fast enough for him though! Check out the blur going past Laura and Cam. That's Dutch! He is like the skating master and was whipping past everyone.

We had a great week and wish we could have stayed longer. Camden has already been asking when we can go back. He had such a great time with his cousins Phoebe, Peter and Brody. Luckily his new friend Peter has a "little brother" so Cam has backed off of the "I want a little sister" wish he had going on about our new one - just in case it's a boy!!

Bye from the beach

After a 15 hour day of travel from door to door on Saturday, we decided to take advantage of some great weather and head out for a hike in the Gorge.

Camden traveled great and was such a good boy. He hates to sit still but we managed to keep him entertained for the trip home. He was excited to go for a hike the next day though
We headed to Beacon Rock and hiked to the top. Camden did the whole hike, up and back down, all on his own - and it was pretty much straight up!

The views of the Gorge from this trail are just awesome!!And the view from the top, even more so. We ate a quick lunch at the top and headed back down.
We had a great week and we're now hitting the trails and bikes hard to try and work off a week of over-eating and drinking - but it was all well worth it!!!!

We miss our friends and family back east a bunch, but we also LOVE where we live.

Specialized Trail Crew

My first "real" bike I owned was a Specialized Stumpjumper that I still have - even though it is now retro-fitted for my wife and to pull the kid's Chariot!

Here she is on the 10 yr old Stumpjumper in St. George, UT - still going strong and feeling the single track love! I put about a million miles of single track under that bike and even managed a few races when I finally got up enough confidence. After a few years on it, I bought my first road bike, thinking it would just be to stay in shape during the winter months for mountain biking. It was a Specialized Allez - and it made me fall in love with the road! Screaming down a canyon road in excess of 50 mph was like nothing I had ever done!

As fun as the road can be, it will never replace the solitude, thrill, views, freedom, etc. as a long single track through the mountains.I now ride a Specialized Epic and could not be more happy!

Here she is in the Columbia River Gorge - Happy and on some of the country's best trails with the best views:

I got her in Park City, UT and rode her all over the state, including a few races like my long-time favorite; the 24 Hours of Moab.

Check her out in action in Moab, UT

Every trip we do in the west involves us taking our bikes to try out new trails. I've tried out the single track in AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, OR, WA, WY and UT.

Here is the typical scene at any of our campsites:We now live in the beautiful Northwest right in the middle of the Columbia River Gorge in Hood River, OR. The mountain biking here is EPIC to say the least. From Post Canyon, to Syncline, to endless miles of single track with Mt Hood Views!!

Some of the fun in Post Canyon: I've managed to find some of the race scene here as well - on trail and road. Oregon is the cycling center of the universe and it is great to be a part of a community that does so much to advocate cycling.

Check us out at Portland International Speedway tearing up the Short Track series: We picked Hood River as a place to settle down and raise our growing family. We have an avid cyclist 3 yr old and another on the way. Our little guy loves bikes and one of his first words was "BIKLE" - his version of bike and cycle mixed together.

Of course his first bike is a Specialized - training wheels have just come off!He has also gotten into the race scene already - Even got a podium finish in the Mt Hood Cycling Classic Kids Race!
In full racing action!!

We are a family of cyclists and love to share our adventures with our friends and family who are stretched out across the country. I feel I would be a great candidate for Specialized Trail Crew as I have been a long supporter of Specialized Mountain Bikes and cycling in general. I will continue to post here and on Twitter, Facebook about our family cycling adventures.

http://twitter.com/bikeryak

http://www.facebook.com/people/Eric-Moody/1836777562