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An art form unto itself By Nikki Luttmann, Interior Designer Cabinetry is often the first thing my clients and I choose when working on a new construction project or kitchen remodel. Why? Because the cabinetry sets the tone for the entire room—and often the rest of the house. Cabinetry is really an art form unto itself. Not only does it have to be functional, but it needs to be beautiful and durable as well. Yet, there are so many different types and styles it can be difficult to start. Cabinet boxes are the storage units themselves. These often come in set size—counter height and multiple widths, though they can be customized to include drawers, pullouts, doors and more. The key to selecting the correct sizes for your kitchen is to really take a look at the things you have to store and where you like to store them. Do you like to keep dishes overhead in upper units, or do you prefer a lower-unit dish drawer? The options are endless, but there are often only a few that are exactly right for how you live and cook. Working with a good salesperson can really help streamline this process. After functionality comes style. Do you like a more ornate door and drawer combo? Something with a little more detail works wonderfully in more traditional homes. I’m a fan of the Shaker style myself, but now there are usually options within the Shaker style, some with a beaded molding, some plain. Some with a slab drawer front versus a drawer with a border to match the door. Shaker works well with a variety of interiors—from modern to formal and everything in between, which is why it is a go-to for designers. Finally, there is the color to consider. While painted cabinetry is all the rage right now, people are often surprised to find that painted styles typically cost more than their stained wood counterparts. This is because painted surfaces are more labor-intensive to produce and leave no room for error—they must be smooth and blemish free. Typical woods for cabinetry include beech (often considered builder-grade for its affordability), alder, cherry, walnut and, of course, oak. These can all be stained a variety of colors and are offered in an array of styles. Beware, however, that not all woods are created equal. Walnut, for example, while pricey, is soft and may ding and dent more easily than other woods. If, like me, you are a brave soul, you can paint your existing cabinetry to give your kitchen and baths an updated look. I used a primer and natural milk-based paint, which covered well. Chalk paint is a popular option and covers well, also. However, keep in mind that as with any paint job, the finished product is only as good as the preparation. It pays to do a light sanding, use a cleaning agent and degreaser, such as TSP, and then always use a primer, which helps the paint adhere to the surface. And you will be doing multiple coats of paint, then adding a layer or two of sealant, so make sure you set aside plenty of time for this project!

Experience the Northwest flavors and entertainment this summer Compiled By Colin Anderson and Jillian Chandler Food & Drink Taste of Tacoma June 21 - 23, 2019, Tacoma, Washington Point Defiance Park will host the wildly popular event, now in its 34th season. More than 40 regional restaurants and food truck operators will give your taste buds a trip around the culinary world. Here you can choose your own adventure or pre-purchase ‘Taste It’ tickets, which include tickets for food tastings as well as five beer or wine tasters as well. The two 21+ beer gardens also include wine and craft cocktails from Heritage Distilling. Admission is free. Once inside you’ll find a kids carnival, chef competitions and more than 100 live music acts throughout the weekend. TasteofTacoma.com CRAVE! July 11 - 13, 2019, Spokane Valley, Washington Spokane continues to grow, and so does the food scene. CRAVE! brings together the top regional chefs from Eastern Washington and North Idaho for a three-day culinary experience. There are several “Top Chef” contestants and James Beard winners and nominees who will serve up a variety of samples. There is a different theme for each session; fire and smoke, seafood, and around the world, to name a few. Admission gets you unlimited samples of both food and drink from local brewers, distillers and vintners. The schedule includes cooking demonstrations from expert chefs, and you can vote on your favorite dishes. Tickets for single sessions and all weekend passes are available. CraveNW.com Seattle International Beer Fest July 12 - 14, 2019, Seattle, Washington Not only does this annual beer lovers mecca include the best of the city but also brings in some of the top international brands and some of the most crazy experimental brews you won’t find on any shelf. You won’t get to them all as there will be more than 200 taps pouring. Sours, fruit beers, double IPAs, barley wines and ‘wild’ ales can be found alongside more traditional styles in seven different tents spread out across the festival grounds at the Seattle Center Pavilion. Tastes are 4 ounces each and run anywhere from $1 to $7, with most in the $1 to $2 range. Food is also readily available inside the festival. SeattleBeerFest.com Taste of Coeur d’Alene/Art on the Green August 3 - 5, 2019, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho While technically two separate events, the proximity between them makes this an annual pilgrimage for many in the Inland Northwest. Close to 200 artists from all over the region set up booths featuring paintings, photography, metal sculpting and more on the lawns of North Idaho College. Just a beachside walk over to downtown’s City Park will bring revelers to the Taste of Coeur d’Alene, where they will find a wide range of food on-site, served up food-truck style. Local chefs serve up their favorites, and there is a beer garden featuring local brewers. The main strip of downtown is also closed for pedestrians where another 250 or so vendors are set up selling a wide range of crafts, gifts and, oh yes, food. ArtontheGreenCdA.com Arts & Entertainment Kirkland Summerfest July 26 - 28, 2019, Kirkland, Washington This three-day music and arts festival returns to the picturesque shores of Lake Washington for its eighth year offering the perfect environment for the artists, musicians and fans to enjoy an incredible summer weekend filled with music and art. During Summerfest, attendees will be treated to dozens of live performances, outdoor entertainment venues, delicious food, local beers and wines, street fair with more than 200 vendors, Create Zone, Rotary Duck Dash and KidZone. Though the event is free for those wandering the streets, there are festival passes that get you into the main stage events and KidZone passes available for purchase. This is Kirkland’s signature event of the year with more than 40,000 attendees. Don’t miss out! KirklandSummerFest.com Summer Meltdown August 1 - 4, 2019, Darrington, Washington Summer Meltdown offers a weekend “where the music meets the mountain.” People gather from all over the West to attend this four-day music, camping and adventure festival held at Darrington Bluegrass Park in Darrington, Washington. The annual festival prides itself as offering a “vibrant” community setting that welcomes all ages. From the live performances, dancing and kids zone to relaxing and socializing in the beer garden, this is a festival the whole family will enjoy. This year’s lineup includes Tipper, Umphrey’s McGee, Gramatik, Nahko and Medicine for the People, The Polish Ambassador, CloZee, G Jones, along with three dozen more acts. All general admission tickets include optional tent camping. Discounted weekend passes are available for youth ages 9 to 15, and kids 8 and younger are free. SummerMeltdownFest.com Festival at Sandpoint August 1 -11, 2019, Sandpoint, Idaho Enjoy eight nights of incredible entertainment featuring a variety of genres under the stars and overlooking the water in a breathtaking setting at War Memorial Field in Sandpoint, Idaho. Now in its 37th year, The Festival at Sandpoint has played host to incredible entertainers drawing people from all over the Pacific Northwest to enjoy the 4,000-seat capacity venue. Intimate in its setting, attendees can choose to bring in their own food and drink or enjoy some of the fabulous food and beverages provided on-site. This year’s lineup includes Nathaniel Ratecliff & The Night Sweats, Walk Off The Earth, Jackson Browne, Lake Street Dive, The Avett Brothers, and Kool & The Gang, as well as the Family Concert featuring The Festival Community Orchestra and Studio One Dancers and Grand Finale featuring the Spokane Symphony. FestivalAtSandpoint.com Watershed Music Festival August 2 - 4, 2019, George, Washington This country music festival is one you won't want to miss. Enjoy a weekend of camping and live musical performances by some of the top country artists around. Held at The Gorge Amphitheatre overlooking the Columbia River (just 10 miles northeast of Quincy), this year’s lineup features Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Brothers Osborne, Chris Young, Maren Morris, Midland, Kip Moore and many more. The Gorge Amphitheatre offers some of the most spectacular views in the world from any music venue and seats more than 20,000, including the lawn area. Country fans from all over the Pacific Northwest continue to flock to Watershed—the biggest three-day country and music festival in the Northwest—year after year. WatershedFest.com

How to plan a summer vacation on a tight budget By Marguerite Cleveland Summer is upon us, and it is time for that annual rite of passage—the summer vacation. It can be an expensive extravaganza or you can choose a more frugal option. Some of my best memories of family vacations are the ones that were the least expensive. With a little planning and creativity you can have a fun vacation that won’t break the bank. Staycation The staycation is the ultimate budget vacation, but you have to make some rules first to ensure it is a vacation. The rules are: Decide the length of the vacation, determine a budget, stick to it and lastly no work. This last one is tough and must be agreed upon by all parties. No family yard work, no house projects and no working from home. Plan activities for each day and visit local attractions. Maybe invest in a family membership that you can use all summer at a local aquarium, museum or pool. Turn your backyard into a summer playground with fun yard toys. It’s low tech, but running through a sprinkler never gets old. Rent an outdoor movie screen for summer movies under the stars and purchase movie candy from the dollar store. The key is to spend time together as a family and just have some fun. At the end of the week, invest in a night at a waterpark hotel. For a family of four the cost is about the same as a day at a waterpark. Many hotels will let you check in early to use the waterpark and stay later the next day after you check out to swim some more. Make sure to bring snacks to save money, as nothing builds an appetite like swimming. Summer Road Trip Road trips are one of the more economical ways to travel with a family versus the high cost of plane tickets to a destination. The first rule of thumb is to plan how far you want to drive. For a weekend trip plan no further than a three- to four-hour drive. If you are planning for a weeklong trip, venture out about a seven- to eight-hour drive. Consider more scenic routes and research fun stops along the way. Next decide if you want to go to multiple destinations or make a base at one location. The more relaxing route is to pick a location and then venture out from there. When traveling with family, a cabin or vacation rental can save you money. You may pay slightly more than a hotel room but you can cut costs by cooking some of your meals. For budget lodging check state parks or campgrounds for low-cost cabin rentals. Websites like AirBnB.com or VRBO also offer options for economic vacation rentals. Spend some time researching your options and look for any specials at your destination. Often resorts will offer a free night if you stay for a certain number of days. Plan to eat breakfast at your lodging, have your big meal at lunch at a restaurant where lunch prices are less than dinner, bring back leftovers and supplement with other foods for an easy dinner. Purchasing local favorites or specialties makes a fun meal. Plan easy cookouts. You can also cook and freeze meals to bring with you. This allows the cook in the family to vacation without spending lots of time in the kitchen. For the car pack a snack box and a cooler with cold drinks. During the summer heat, beverages can quickly add up in costs if purchasing on the road. For savings on lodging, some surprising places offer deals. Groupon is a go to for local deals, but did you know they offer travel deals as well? Rakuten.com (formerly Ebates.com) offers cashback on hotels and vacations. A quick search revealed offers from 3 to 10 percent cashback on hotel websites, and discount sites like Expedia and TripAdvisor. You can double dip by going through Rakuten to access Groupon. You will get cashback on your Groupon discounted purchase—a win all around. Also, when searching for lodging, check the pricing on different dates. For example, in big cities with lots of business travel, rates are often more expensive during the week, and they offer specials on the weekend whereas a resort area is more costly on weekends than on weekdays. Summer Cruise A cruise is a more expensive endeavor, but if you are willing to wait until the last minute there are deals to be had. VacationsToGo.com is one of the best websites for discount travel. Although prices may be the same on other sites, they often have onboard ship credits and other perks available only through VacationsToGo. The key to making a cruise a good deal is you must be able to drive to the port, and the ship needs to start and end at the same port. Last-minute airfare for a family of four defeats the cost savings of booking last minute. At the time this article was written, the site had many Alaska cruise deals out of Seattle and Vancouver for as much as 79 percent off. This deal offered a price of $749 (not including taxes) per person for an ocean-view cabin with a brochure price of $3,498—and also threw in a $175 per cabin onboard credit. The less expensive cabins sell first, so oftentimes last minute you can pick up a great deal on an ocean-view or balcony cabin. One offer was less than $400 (not including taxes) a person for a seven-day Alaskan cruise. Once you are on your cruise you can save additional money by taking the time to plan your trip. Take advantage of all the things your cruise includes. Plan your shore excursions so that you eat all your meals on the ship. Shore excursions in Alaska are pricey, but by researching the ports of call you can save money. Many Alaskan ports are walkable. You can spend your time in port seeing quite a bit on your feet. One thing to be aware of if you book an excursion through the cruise line: They will make sure you are back or will wait for you if it is delayed when the ship is due to depart. You do not have this guarantee when you book a shore excursion through another business. When shopping look for unusual options for souvenirs to reduce your costs. In Sitka, the Russian Orthodox Church had a wonderful gift shop with very good prices; many under $10. When on the ship, look for deals that can save you money. Drinks can be pricey, but one cruise line offered a pub crawl through all the areas on the ship that served mixed drinks for not much more than the cost of one drink. At each stop you received a cocktail or shot themed for that stop. Some ships will offer wine tastings for a set price. When planning a budget vacation, the Internet is your friend. Research, research, research. This is the key to finding great deals. Read forums on websites. Facebook has travel pages and groups for every interest. The website for your destination is also a wealth of information. Send away for free area guides. Do a web search for coupons for an attraction you want to visit. Use Groupon for the destination you are traveling to for discounts on food, activities and even spa treatments. If you are willing to put the work in beforehand, it will pay off by lowering the cost of your vacation.

Klara Glosova, Lead SAI Instructor Courtesy of Gage Academy of Art If you are interested in exploring your inner artist, Studio Arts Intensive (SAI) is a unique and innovative program combining a broad range of studio courses with professional development and activities offsite designed to introduce and connect the students with the local art community. Students of all ages have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive portfolio in drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking for admission into a university, one of Gage ateliers, or to bridge their pursuit in the visual arts into a full-time career. The program includes over 400 direct contact hours with 10 instructors in different mediums and courses of study, and includes approximately 200 hours working from the live model. You can apply online at GageAcademy.org/studioartsintensive. Behind every successful program there is a passionate instructor with the ability to connect students’ aspirations with the highest standards of art instruction. Meet Klara Glosova, lead SAI instructor. Klara’s list of accomplishments is stellar, including being a Betty Bowen Award finalist in 2017 and a recipient of 4Culture Project Grant in 2018. Q. Klara, your role in the Studio Arts Intensive is so unique for you carefully ‘curate’ the incredible roster of artists and curators, as well as visits to galleries, and exhibitions in local museums. You literally see the SAI students transformed through the program from passive makers to artists actively engaged in ‘why’ they are making. A. Many students go to an art school such as Gage because they want to build and hone their skills and technique … but the unique thing about this program is that from day one we start talking about developing their own ideas and interests. The question of ‘why’ they want to make the kind of art they want to make is less about finding a specific answer; it is more about developing the awareness that they should be asking that question themselves. It is about tuning into their own motivations and desires, following those leads and applying the tools they are learning to their unique voice and vision … You can see why SAI is an amazing opportunity. Q. How do you guide the students to become individual thinkers, making a body of work over a long period of time—not just classroom exercises that teach technique and skill? A. I start the year with a simple prompt and an assignment. From then on students are allowed to change one parameter (media, format, subject matter, etc.) each week according to their choice, but only one at the time. So even though they all start with the same assignment, by the end of the year students arrive at very different outcomes … As a group we do a lot of looking at the individual works and have engaged conversation about what is happening for each student—that way they can also learn from each other. The cohort dynamic is a very important part of this program. Q. How is Studio Arts Intensive unique within Gage learning community as well as other courses of studies available out there? A. In addition to working in the classroom, we go visit artist studios, meet curators and visit galleries and exhibitions. I usually schedule studio visits with artists who are working in very different ways. The variety drives home the point that each art practice is unique and equally valid. Q. We are currently enrolling for the 2020 Studio Arts Intensive class, which starts in September 2019. I know that you are particularly excited to talk about the new printmaking component. A. I think there are two reasons why printmaking is a great teaching tool: On one hand it forces students to think about the structure of the image—breaking it down to shapes, colors, layers, textures—and on the other hand it allows for a series of spontaneous decisions that can lead to unexpected results. I’m very excited that SAI students will get to learn using this versatile media thanks to our brand new press and printmaking studio. In my class students will learn several fundamental techniques, which they will then apply to their individual projects. Again, students are encouraged to follow their own intuition and ideas. I’m here to help facilitate the deep dive and eventually their manifestation. For additional information about Gage Academy of Art, visit GageAcademy.org, Facebook.com/GageAcademy, instagram @gageacademy, email info@gageacademy.org or call 206.323.4243.

Easy ways to keep your skin looking flawless By Pamela Dawne Bolado Travel can be great for the soul but tough on your skin—especially during the summer months when the sun is beaming and the water is cool (and highly chlorinated). Your skin has numerous reasons to act up from the bacteria you breathe on the airplane to fluctuations in climate, routine, sleep patterns and, not to forget, increased sun exposure. So how do you keep your skin happy while living that travel and beach life? The answer is more than just applying your sun protection. Improve your airplane hygiene! Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Cleanliness is so important, especially when dealing with recycled air on a plane. The first step is to wipe down the seat and armrests before you sit. People leave behind bacteria and oils on the seat, which is why sometimes people can develop body acne, especially where skin is exposed. You can also apply that rule to your phone! I love facial hydrating mists. If you have that ‘I don’t care’ attribute, like myself, wear a hydrating sheet mask on your overnight flight to combat dry cabin air! Drink lots of water! Staying hydrated is so important. If caffeine is a must, opt for green tea to give you a boost rather than getting the dehydrating effect of coffee. Healthy Hotel Habits! During the summer, many of us are prone to breakouts due to excessive sweating and sometimes using new products. Always travel with your own products. Hotel toiletries, even the most lavish, can give your skin trouble if you’ve never tested them out. If your favorite products don’t have travel sizes available, it’s a good idea to invest in mini travel bottles to fill them to go. Protect! Protect! Protect! Did I mention sun protection? Those UV rays are for real! And never underestimate them when it’s cloudy. Even if you rarely to never burn, you are at risk of skin cancer when you remain outside unprotected. Here are my favorite SPF options: • Cotz Prime & Protect SPF 40 • Coola SPF 30 • Elta SPF 30 • ZO Skin Health SPF 50 A minimum of SPF 30 should always be applied and re-applied! Make sure to apply a whole-body sunscreen before leaving for the day—and bring it with you. It’s important to reapply every few hours and more if you are swimming. Adjust Your Skin-care Routine Accordingly Knowing your skin type is key! The summer heat can be good for people with dry skin, especially if there’s humidity. For those with oily skin types, the heat can pose a challenge. I’ve spoken to many clients who skip the moisturizer because they’re worried it will make their skin more oily, however, dry and cracked skin makes it easier for bacteria to get in and cause acne—and that dryness is causing the skin to produce more oil. Keep your skin routine simple by starting with cleansing and ending with moisturizing. I highly recommend using a toner and serum. That’s when a visit to your MedSpa can help, by prescribing the best products for your individual skin needs. Here are a few suggestions for a summer skin routine: • Dry sensitive skin should use a creamy cleanser, and for those with oily skin I recommend using a water-based cleanser in the morning and then a foam cleanser in the evening. It’s always a good idea to gently exfoliate a few times a week to keep your skin glowing. • I suggest applying a toner after cleansing, which aids in ‘establishing’ the PH back to the skin. If you have oily skin, then you may want to use a serum before applying sun protection. For dry skin, use a light water-based moisturizer after toning and before SPF. • Always pack some aloe in case you end up getting a little more sun than you intended—a tried-and-true remedy for sunburn and wound healing. Bottom Line … Plan Ahead! Pack your carryon with your essentials, including your re-application sunscreen. I always keep one in my glove compartment! Even after the exhausting traveling days, always prioritize your night routine by washing and moisturizing your face and body before bed—and in the morning! With a simple routine, you can have an enjoyable vacation and still keep your skin glowing and healthy! This article was provided by Pamela Dawne Bolado, LME, LMS, Oncology Trained LME Instagram @pamelaskinspecialist / LePamier.com

Summer camp benefits youth for many reasons By Patty Hutchens It’s what childhood memories are made of. Summer camp for many is a time to try new activities, meet new friends and gain some independence from Mom and Dad. But the benefits extend far beyond that and can teach children values that will help guide them through life. One of the most important things to realize is that it is not easy for some children to make friends, and the bonding that occurs in a camp setting is far different than when one is in school or engaged in athletics. At overnight camp in particular, kids are living together and experiencing life without distractions. In this setting, they can really forge a bond unlike any other friendship. With counselors present to make sure all are included, it can put a parent’s mind at ease wondering if their child will fit in and be accepted. While it may be hard to send your child to an overnight camp, you may want to start out with a camp that isn’t so long, and I’m sure by the end they will be asking if they can stay longer next time. Technology in today’s world has exploded exponentially, making it harder than ever to become “unplugged.” Unfortunately, connecting one-on-one and in person has become less frequent. Taking a break from technology is something we all should do, but rarely act upon. Allowing your child to do so will allow him or her time to connect with others, learn from positive role models such as camp counselors and gain a greater appreciation of nature, outdoor activities and things that keep their mind and body engaged. And hopefully the break from technology will translate to less screen time away from camp as well. A child who has attended camp is likely to develop a sense of independence earlier than those who may not attend camp. The growth of a child can be amazing when the parent or parents are actually absent (but under other adult supervision). And it doesn’t stop there. Most people who have sent a child to college have remarked how much the young adult has “grown up” after only one semester away from home. With that independence also comes a sense of empowerment—something that will serve them well in life. Living together for a period of time at camp can also teach children the concept of teamwork. Whether it is working together on a project, helping one another solve challenges or simply turning to one another for advice, living and experiencing each day together can build a strong bond and give a child, who may not otherwise be on an athletic team, a sense of what it is like to be part of a team. Teaching a child how to be a team player will give them the tools they need to build good and long-lasting relationships throughout their lives. Trying new activities and finding things they enjoy is a great way to build a child’s self-confidence—something that will definitely benefit them as they go through life. It is natural for a child to feel more pressure with his or her parents watching, so camp is a great opportunity to explore various activities. A child’s first time doing anything, whether it is paddling a canoe, swimming or riding a horse, can be activities that may push them out of their comfort zone, but doing these things while being supported by camp counselors, in a safe environment, can do much to build their self-confidence. There are so many different kinds of camps that it is important to explore what one is right for your child. Do they want to learn more about a particular activity or sport? Investigate what camps are available that will help teach your child more about these skills or topics. For children with special needs or who may have special medical needs such as diabetes, going to a camp that caters to those needs can open a whole new world to them. It can help them realize that they are not alone in their world. Connecting with other kids who face the same daily challenges they do can provide a newfound confidence. And for those who have suffered a major loss in their lives, many hospice organizations provide a camp for kids who are grieving. Camp can be expensive, but there are ones available that provide scholarships or even payment on a sliding scale. Don’t let cost be a deterrent to providing lifelong memories for your child. While there are countless long-term benefits to sending your child to overnight camp, it can be tough on both kids and parents. Some ways to make the transition easier is to visit the camp prior to attending. Many offer open houses or will gladly provide a tour to families who are interested. It is also helpful to sign your children up to attend camp with a friend, sibling or other relative. It’s always nice to see a familiar face, especially if you are feeling a bit homesick. Lastly, go the old-fashioned route of sending letters to your child. In your correspondence, be sure to not include things that may make them feel homesick. Avoid details of the “fun” things going on at home or how much you miss them. Instead, make the letters encouraging and inquire about their activities. Whatever you decide, know that sending your child to camp is an opportunity to give them a life-long gift—a gift of memories, learning, developing new skills and connecting with others whom they may have never had the opportunity to meet if it wasn’t for that special summer at camp.

Travel a little further for an authentic experience By Marguerite Cleveland Photo Visit Mendocino There is a scene at the end of the movie “A Walk in the Clouds” when a horrific fire destroys a family’s vineyards. All is not lost with the discovery of an old root which the family will use to reestablish the vineyards. For this wine tour of Mendocino County, the focus is on some of the original families, the roots of the wine industry in the area. These are the fourth and fifth generations of Italian immigrants, many growing grapes for more than 100 years. With names like Brutocao, Graziano, Parducci, Barra and Testa, their wines reflect this heritage. Mendocino County is a climatically diverse region bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, redwood forests to the north and split by the Coastal Mountain Range. Within these extremes are warm valleys with lots of sun perfect for growing grapes. If you are a red wine lover, one of the best ways to experience Mendocino wine is with Coro Mendocino. This is the first wine in the United States to brand itself similar to a European appellation with their strict rules. Each wine passes through four blind tastings before it is declared worthy of the Coro Mendocino label. “Coro was established to show off our world-class grapes and the innovative people associated with them; generations of family farming that has since brought new farmers and ranchers to this great agricultural community we call Mendocino County,” says Hoss Milone, winemaker for Brutocao Cellars. “Zinfandel makes Coro unique. Cabernet is grown all over the world, but only California has Zin and only Mendocino County has a Zin blend that is Coro. Currently our 2015 vintage is for sale. Every summer is when we release. Our next release event for the 2016 Coro is on July 16, 2019, with 11 wineries offering tastings of their own individual Coros at the Mendocino Music Festival in the iconic Village of Mendocino on the coast. “The establishment of Coro started over 15 years ago when a group of Mendocino county winemakers got together to discuss a project that could define what Mendocino winemaking was all about. We started with Zinfandel, but the beauty of the project has been the Old-World varietals that are such an important part of each unique blend, and it showcases the diversity of the grapes grown in this county,” says Steve Brutocao, president and CEO of Brutocao Family Vineyards. For a very authentic stay, choose the Testa House as your home during your visit. This lovely craftsmen-style three-bedroom farmhouse was built in 1927 by the original Italian immigrants who farmed the land. This vintage home is filled with original features and old Testa family photos yet has all the modern conveniences for a comfortable stay. “Staying at our Testa House is truly something special. It is a place to get away and relax but still feel right at home. You wake up and have your coffee to the waterfront view and end the day with a glass of wine on the back porch overlooking the vineyard. At Testa you are surrounded by 106 years of history, beautiful vineyards, a working winery, old rustic barns and our Tasting Room, which is just steps from the house. There is truly nothing else like it," says Maria Martinson, a fourth-generation winemaker and owner of the Testa Ranch. Begin or end your wine tasting day at the Testa Tasting Room. At each stop of your tasting journey, be sure and try the Coro Mendocino; these red blends are a work of art with each winemaker showcasing their skills. It is interesting to taste each winemaker’s Coro Mendocino and to compare the differences. Not far from Testa are Barra of Mendocino and Parducci tasting rooms. If you prefer to picnic at the wineries, plan to swing by the Redwood Valley Market, a cute little local store with a deli. After your first round of tastings head into Ukiah to School Street, which has local boutiques and a bookstore. For lunch visit Schat's Bakery for fresh soups, sandwiches and salads or to pick up some treats for breakfast at the Testa House. The Bottle Shop is very popular with locals. This deli makes great sandwiches, and don’t forget to add the Mendo mustard. They have a variety of pasta salads and other grab-and-go items to pack a picnic. In the afternoon head to Hopland for some more wine tasting. Another fourth-generation run vineyard and winery is Brutocao Cellars. “Our long history of grape growing and winemaking goes back 75 years when my grandfather, Irv Bliss, first bought the property that is now fondly called the Bliss Ranch. Every bottle has family involvement, from my brother Len growing the grapes, to my brother David helping to make the wine, to myself and my nephews Ryan and Kevin marketing and selling the finished product. It all starts in the vineyard, and the ground is sacred to us. This is the same land that our grandpa fell in love with; that our mom helped pick grapes on; that our dad saw the vision and potential of and expanded our business; that my brothers and I have continued that passion and that our children will after us,” says Steve. Also in Hopland is the Graziano family of wines. This is another old Italian family with the fourth generation working in the company. Graziano has a very good Coro Mendocino and four separate labels for their wines. For dinner a must is The Broiler Steak House in Redwood Valley. It has been around since 1966 serving juicy steaks, seafood and other yummy dishes. This is where the locals go for a nice meal or family celebration. It’s just unpretentious and good. Another restaurant getting a lot of buzz is Patrona Restaurant and Lounge. Owned by wine chefs Bridget and Craig, the two are passionate about their community, and the menus are based on what is available from local purveyors. Their award-winning wine list is heavy on Mendocino County wines, which are all kept in a temperature-controlled wine room. There are so many unique activities available to see and do while in the area. Head up to Willits and catch The Skunk Train. The two-hour Wolf Train Turn will take you into the Redwood-rich Noyo River Canyon where you will see the giants Redwoods from the comfort of a train. Montgomery Woods State Park is another location to see the Redwoods while enjoying a nice hike. For a more relaxing experience visit the Vichy Hot Springs and buy a day use pass which includes the use of the famous "champagne" Vichy Mineral Baths, Olympic-size swimming pool (in season), Hot Pool and private 700 acres of walking and hiking trails. Picnic tables are available throughout the grounds for guests' enjoyment. There is a waterfall on-site, and it is spectacular this year due to all the recent rain. The Testa House is pretty centrally located. If you wish to go further afield, Willits is an interesting town to visit. From there you can head west to Fort Bragg for a nice day trip to the coast. To get to Mendocino County, fly into the San Francisco International Airport. It is a two-and-a-half hour scenic drive that takes you over the Golden Gate Bridge. It is about an hour further than Napa or Sonoma but well worth the drive. The Specifics: Visitor Information VisitMendocino.com Where to Stay TestaRanch.com The Wineries TestaRanch.com BrutocaoCellars.com BarraOfMendocino.com GrazianoFamilyOfWines.com Parducci.com Where to Eat BroilerSteaks.com PatronaRestaurant.com Schats.com Things to Do SkunkTrain.com VichySprings.com FortBragg.com RedwoodHikes.com/Montgomery/Montgomery.html

They are not all created equally By Nikki Luttmann, Interior Designer Let’s talk countertops. One of my favorite upgrades in any kitchen or bathroom often starts with countertops. Nowadays there are so many options out there you can choose almost any look, but all countertop surfaces are not created the same! Stone countertops are very popular. Stone ranges in all kinds of looks and colors, from super-simple Absolute Black, to classic Carrara Marble, to swirly-twirly Typhoon Bordeaux. As well, the surface of stone can be polished, honed or even leathered, creating options within options, which can be even more daunting when it comes to the selection process. However, I will say this: Often when it comes to natural stone, and granite in particular, my clients experience something akin to love at first sight—they’ll see a slab and just know that that is the rock they want in their house. Stone is quarried all over the world, but there are several talented fabricators and sales centers right here in Washington. Natural stone is dug out of the quarry, then split into manageable slabs, then sent to local distributors and then purchased by the fabricator, who cuts it to size, adds details like edging and specific cuts, and then it is installed. It is a tedious process that is all the more difficult because the fabricators are working with massive slabs that weigh thousands of pounds and can break easier than you might think! Quartz is fabricated roughly the same way as granite, but it is a man-made substance, not pure stone like granite. It’s called quartz because the manufacturers take quartz rough material, grind it down finely, and mix it with binders and pigments to get an end product. It can look wild with lots of variation, or subtle with little to no variation, and can go with a variety of interiors. Many people labor under the misinformation that quartz is more durable than granite, but often times, that is not the case as it can be more brittle and heat-sensitive. Because it is man-made, the material is only as good as its manufacturing process, and different manufacturers have different processes. A good fabricator or sales center can help you determine the right quartz brand for you, as they often have their favorites that they have good working history with. There is also tried-and-true laminate, which has come a long way since the glossy blue marbled look of 1985! The new laminate materials from Wilsonart and Formica are gorgeous—some of them look very close to natural stone, and others looking sleek and ready for an uber-modern interior. Edging has also improved. Gone are the days when wood or laminate tape was the only option for countertop edging. Integrated Corian edges look fantastic, and some places can do seamless rolled edges as well. In addition, there are new composites like Dekton, which works for both indoor and outdoor use and is very dense, and fun, environmentally friendly options like compressed paper, which comes in a variety of colors and looks like stone or even leather. I’ve done Terrazzo countertops, concrete countertops and even natural Linoleum countertops. All of them are different and all of them have pros and cons. Bearing that in mind, do some research and then ask questions of your sales person! They can be a wealth of information and can help you find the right product for your home.

How Tacoma’s Richard Kresser uses defeat as motivation By Anneli Fogt Photo by Richard Kresser Richard Kresser stood outside a café in Bend, Oregon, devastated. He cried as he spoke to his girlfriend over the phone. “The trip’s over,” he told her. His bicycle, and the 80 pounds of highly specialized gear that had been attached to it, was gone: stolen by a passerby in the less than 10 minutes he had been inside grabbing breakfast. It was early July of 2018 and Richard was nearly halfway through the Tour de Volcanoes—a human-powered, mostly self-supported challenge he dreamed up that would see him bike to and summit the 16 active volcanoes between Mount Lassen in California and Mount Baker in Washington. In total, he would cover 2,400 miles on his bike and gain 127,000 feet of elevation. On foot, the 16 summits would add up to 180 miles with nearly 80,000 feet of elevation gain. It was the most recent of the extreme adventures thought up by the Tacoma-based Army veteran and ultrarunner from Iowa who seeks out chances for failure and finds joy in overcoming it. His motto: “If you’re not scared, it’s not a big enough goal.” He had been planning Tour de Volcanoes for years and had already summited six volcanoes before he found himself at that cafe with only the clothes on his back, journal, phone and helmet. He was admitting defeat. It was uncharacteristic … and painful. “At that point, there’s anger and then there’s quickly acceptance,” Richard recalls of coming to the realization his bike was stolen. “Even if I got the bike, all the gear that I had for my very particular style of climbing would have taken so long and been so expensive to replace that it was that final sigh of … ‘I’ll just catch a flight and come home.’” But Richard found motivation in his impending defeat and, after saying goodbye to his girlfriend, found a convenience store with a surveillance camera nearby. The employees there had seen a bike in the alleyway. It was his, but more than half of the gear on it had been stolen. “Now I had my bike and it was that acceptance of ‘I do have to keep going, and now I have even more of a hurdle of how to replace the gear,’” he says. He took a day to regroup before picking up where he left off and riding 40 miles west to the Three Sisters. He summited all of them that day—36 hours after nearly scrapping the tour. Sixty miles north was Mount Jefferson: a technical climb that Richard, who was summiting all of these volcanoes solo, was going into blind on a day with questionable weather. “I hadn’t seen the route,” he says. “Not knowing what I was getting myself into was really concerning, but taking a weather day would severely delay me. That day was a gray area where winds were decently strong, but they were not terrible. I was thinking, ‘I could maybe do it, but it’s taking a lot of risk.’” Richard recognized that while he wanted the summit, things could go awry quickly. So he forced himself to take a rest day and wait for better weather. “That was such a moral conundrum,” he said. “Right after having taken 36 hours off for the bike being stolen, all I wanted to do was go, and having the reins pulled on me was so hard. That was the only day I took off.” He summited Jefferson the next day and encountered the steepest snow he’s ever climbed without a rope. Richard admits “it was pretty hairy,” but everything went well. After that, he knew the hardest parts were over. “Then it was just like, ‘OK, don’t mess up now. You know all the rest of them,” Richard recalls. Over the next 13 days, Richard biked to and climbed up Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak and Mount Baker without a hitch. Back at the trailhead after summiting Mount Baker on that last day, he stopped the clock on the Tour de Volcanoes 25 days, nine hours and 58 minutes after first setting off up the slopes of Mount Lassen more than 2,000 miles south. Success. The snowfield Richard was standing on continued upward in front of him at a 70-degree angle. It was 2am and the light from the full moon lit his path up to Mount Rainier’s summit. Looking down, he could see the headlights of cars making their way up the winding roads inside the national park. “It was that moment when I knew I needed more of this in my life,” Richard says. Born and raised in Iowa, the 21-year-old college student had never seen a mountain. Now, he was more than 1,700 miles from home on the side of one of the tallest in the contiguous United States. And he was elated. While Richard grew up in a family that spent time outdoors, most trips consisted of car camping and bike riding. “I knew nothing of adventure sports,” he says. So, when he picked up a magazine at the age of 11 and saw a person rock climbing on the cover, he was immediately intrigued. Seven years later, when it came time for him to go to college, he chose to study civil engineering at Iowa State University and joined Army ROTC with the hope that the military could help him get to the wild, natural spaces where he could climb. It did. During the summer between his junior and senior years, he and the rest of the cadets in his class were sent to Fort Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord) for a three-week camp where Richard saw mountains—and Mount Rainier—for the first time. “Just walking out on the drill grounds and seeing this massive mountain right there, it was amazing,” he recalls. “We never were allowed to leave the base, so I didn’t really get to experience it, but I was exposed to that.” He returned to the Iowa State campus that fall with a newfound desire to return West. And he wasn’t the only one. A few classmates he knew from being involved in the school’s outdoor recreation program sent an email later that semester asking who would be interested in a two-week road trip west the following summer to climb some of the Pacific Northwest volcanoes, including Rainier. Richard jumped at the chance. “We failed on every mountain in those two weeks except for Rainier,” Richard says. “I was a total [disaster], I had no idea what I was doing.” But he was hooked. “That trip, hands down, changed my life,” he said. He graduated in 2009 and was set to begin his four-year term of service with the U.S. Army in Fort Hood, Texas. In a stroke of luck, he switched with another soldier who wanted to go to Texas and Richard ended up back at Fort Lewis. “I moved out here and then just went down the rabbit hole,” he says. During his four years at Fort Lewis, the marathon runner started climbing and summited all the major mountains in the area. By the time he completed his military service in 2013, he was looking for a challenge that would truly test his physical prowess. He had completed 50-mile running races before and always felt at the end that he “had more in the tank,” he says. He decided to return to Iowa for the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI)—a weeklong, 420-mile ride from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River. But he wouldn’t be biking, he’d be running. “I wondered if I could run 400 miles in seven days in the Iowa heat,” he says. In July of 2013, he became the first person to run the RAGBRAI route and immediately began thinking up his next challenge. Back in Washington, while working ski patrol at Steven’s Pass, he concocted a plan for a brutal trip he coined Dick’s RASH. He would go up, down and around Rainier, Adams, St. Helens and Hood—230 miles with 71,000 feet of elevation gain—in seven days. Traditionally, a trip of that scale would take three times as long, and as he planned, Richard began to understand the magnitude of the undertaking. By his calculations, Rainier alone would take one day to summit and then two days to run around the 93-mile Wonderland Trail. “That’s half my time on one mountain. That was so intimidating,” he says. After two years of training, Richard took on the RASH in the summer of 2016. He started at Rainier where he summited and descended the glaciated 14,411-foot volcano in under 12 hours before heading straight for the Wonderland Trail where he went 43 hours with no real sleep, a sore throat and got caught in a surprise rainstorm 20 miles from the finish line. “Morally, I was done,” Richard recalls in a blog post for the Mountaineers about that last day on the Wonderland Trail. “How could I continue in weather like this, already with a sore throat? ‘Just keep moving,’ I told myself. ‘You never know what will happen.’ After many hours, I finally made it to the van. I was in horrible shape and sure I wouldn’t be able to finish, but I couldn’t come up with an excuse to quit. I could still walk, the sore throat was bad but I could still eat, and I had no idea if weather was going to be bad or good the rest of the week. Well, got to try at least, right?” He did more than try. Richard completed the ascent, descent and around-the-mountain run of Adams in just over 18.5 hours and Saint Helens in 14.5 hours. After five days, only Hood was left, but Richard was done—“wore down,” as he recalled in the blog post. “On the drive down I-5 to Hood, I cried. Just bawled,” Richard writes in the post. “About nothing, about everything. It was the first time in days I was stationary and didn’t have anything else to think about. All of the emotions from the previous three mountains flooded over me, all the positives and all the negatives. And to think I was only one mountain away from being done. So close ….” Richard’s 14-hour run around Hood was rough, but he kept moving forward and, after a three-hour nap, he set off for the summit with skis on his back—determined to make this descent fun. But the ascent was hard. Richard found it hard to move uphill. “All my reserves were spent,” he writes. “Slowly, but surely, I made progress up Hood. It kept getting closer and closer. I was crying again. It was so beautiful. I was at the summit.” In the parking lot after skiing what he calls “some of the happiest turns” of his life six hours after setting off for Hood’s summit and one week after beginning the RASH, there was no fanfare for Richard’s feat. “I was just walking back to my car after having just finished this big achievement. No one around me knew what I’d just did,” he said. But that’s just how he likes it. For Richard, these feats are not about gaining recognition or setting records. They’re about acknowledging the possibility of failure, using it as motivation, and overcoming. “It’s an internal feeling—that quiet satisfaction of being able to do something I set out to do—that’s why I do it,” he says. Professionally, Richard is a firefighter for the City of Everett, works for Steven’s Pass Ski Patrol in the winters and organizes Skimo—uphill ski touring— events in Washington state through the company he founded, Snow Goat Skimo.

Are they right for you? By Rhonda Savage, DDS, Uptown Dental Gig Harbor Fourteen years ago, Kevin came to my dental office worried about his front teeth. He wanted a nicer looking smile, but there were complications from orthodontic care he’d received when he was young. His front teeth had very short roots and cavities. Kevin was entering the working world and was worried about the appearance of his teeth. We talked about three options: implants, bridgework or splinting his upper front teeth together on the tongue side and placing veneers. With short roots, some dentist would feel that implants would be the best. It certainly was a good option, but in a paper I published in a scientific, peer-reviewed dental journal, I argued, “What if he keeps these teeth five years?” “Where will we be technologically with implants in the next five years?” “What if the teeth go 10 or 15 years?” Kevin came back after the 14 years. He’d had an accidental blow to his face and one of the veneers I’d placed came off. It was time to place implants. If you’re considering implants, technology and materials have improved and costs have come down due to competition in the implant market. Implants are a man-made root. They’re very strong, hassle free and state of the art. You do have to keep them clean because while they won’t get cavities, you can lose an implant due to gum disease. The Philips Sonicare brushes, the AirFloss, Butler soft picks and an antibiotic liquid called chlorhexidine are important tools to use with implant maintenance. You can also lose an implant due to excessive bite forces, which normally result from clenching or grinding. Most patients with implants should be wearing nighttime protection, such as a night guard or an oral sleep apnea appliance. With implants, the process can be quick if the implant can be placed the same day as tooth removal. But, that may not be the best treatment process, especially if there is any sign of infection. There’s a stepwise process if there’s any sign of infection: tooth removal, bone grafting, healing time, implant placement then creation of the restoration. Did you know you can have implants to support a denture and get rid of that loose lower denture? Implant-supported crown and bridgework or the “All on Four” technology is amazing! You may need bone grafting if the tooth has been missing for a while. Bone grafting for one tooth or many teeth provides a scaffold for your bone to grow around. I know what you’re thinking: “This sounds painful!” I understand how you feel but, for most patients, placement of an implant is less uncomfortable than the removal of a tooth. Implant dentistry is a big decision. It’s important to look at the training and credentials of the dentist and seek a second opinion if you have questions or concerns. You can look and feel better with implants as they help maintain the bone in your face. Without teeth or implants, you lose the bone in the lower third of your face. But the great news is, with today’s technology, you can look and feel younger, plus chew and eat healthier for the rest of your life!

Maximizing your kids’ summer schedule in a two-home family By Felicia Soleil, JD Summer is fast approaching. As a divorced or separated parent with kids, have you figured out your summer schedule yet? In a flexible co-parenting relationship, summertime offers up plenty of opportunities to maximize your non-work hours with your children and help them experience the freedom and fun that childhood summers should be. Often, the residential schedule (parenting plan) that you and your co-parent initially created revolves around developing a structured schedule to maximize success for your children during the school year. A good plan often minimizes transfers between households during the school week and has the kids settled down and prepared on Sunday nights before the new school week begins. They know when they will see each parent, whether for a dinner visit, overnight or to chaperone them to their practices and events that week. They know their homework will be completed and on time, and in which home their uniforms, instruments and sports gear are kept. However, the summer schedule can provide a welcome release from all this structure for everyone if both parents can be flexible and communicate with one another, and value creating a laid-back summer of childhood memories for their kids. I always recommend getting together in early May to start this planning so each parent can share in memorable vacations and hopefully enjoy extra time with their children where circumstances allow. Many families have a predictable time when they take vacation each year, and some parents are dependent on the policies of their employer and need to request time off early in the year for the summer. Ideally, parents will work together to accommodate employer-related vacation restrictions of the other party. If overlap of requested vacation is unavoidable, parents can alternate who gets first pick on vacation times each year. (For example, Mom gets first pick even-numbered years and Dad gets odd-numbered years.) Additionally, avoid back-to-back vacations. It is not a competition as to who will have the greater adventure, and exhausted kids don’t make for fun vacations. Kids need unstructured time at home with each parent as well. Swimming, fishing, bike-riding, camping in the backyard and just hanging out with friends without the demands of homework and early bedtimes can be enjoyed even more when children don’t have to worry about a tight parenting schedule. Can you and your co-parent agree on letting your “kids be kids” during this time? As long as both parents agree on any needed supervision for the children during work hours, such as day camps, extended families, fun teenage babysitters, etc., parents who mutually agree that summer break should be a special time for their kids can depart from a structured school schedule. With a little advance planning, you can enhance not only your children’s summer schedule but also your own. Felicia Soleil helps her clients in achieving a resolution that fosters both a compassionate ending to their union and a healthy new beginning for them and their families so they can focus on moving on, rather than simply moving out. Felicia can be reached at 253.853.6940. All consultations are strictly confidential.

Father’s Day is June 16! Treat Dad to an early gift at an Orchestral Recital Series of Tacoma concert at Schneeback Concert Hall, University of Puget Sound. How often in life does a music student of any age or virtuosity get to perform with live orchestral accompaniment? The Orchestral Recital Series of Tacoma (ORS) offers this rare opportunity in our region. Student soloists perform a concerto with strings, winds and brass. Playing as a soloist with a full orchestra is the ultimate musical thrill for both young and older students. Every spring for 27 years, ORS of Tacoma has given music students this opportunity to perform on a non-competitive basis. The organization assembles conductor, experienced student orchestra musicians, arranges performance venues, and coordinates rehearsals along with a dedicated group of volunteers. The annual series brings student musicians, music lovers and the local community together for a five-day festival to enjoy a variety of music for all ages. The 2019 June Orchestral Recital Series will take place in partnership with the University of Puget Sound at Schneebeck Concert Hall on the UPS campus, May June 1-5, 7:30 p.m. each night and a 2:30 matinee on Sunday, June 2. Seventy-six student soloists will take the stage over the five-day series. The concerts are open to the public and all are welcome. No ticket sales; suggested admission is $20 per person at the door. There is a special rate for groups and families. Won’t you join with others in our community and support this unique opportunity to transform lives through music? Dad will love it. (For more information visit our website at www.orstacoma.org or “like” us on our Facebook page “Orchestral Recital Series of Tacoma.”)

Voting Now Open For the first time in the history of the association, the Master Builders Association Pierce County (MBA Pierce) is opening the Remodeling Excellence (REX) Awards for public viewing and voting. The REX Awards program recognizes outstanding home remodeling projects throughout Pierce County. The award open for public voting is this year’s People’s Choice Award. People can browse all entries and cast their vote for their favorite project at www.rex-peoples-choice.com. Only one vote per user is counted. “The People’s Choice Award is a great opportunity for people to see what our members are capable of in terms of talent, quality of work, expertise and professionalism,” said Executive Officer Jeremiah Lafranca. This year there are a total of 33 entries showing before and after project transformations. Companies who submitted projects remain anonymous until winners are announced. “These projects meet a set list of high criteria and also showcase design trends,” said Lafranca. “We are thrilled to involve the public opinion this year and hope that they are inspired by each of these projects.” Master Builder members submit their remodeling projects to compete in various categories that include exterior, kitchen, bath, entire home remodels and more. People’s Choice Award is the only award chosen by vote. Category winners are selected by a judging panel of industry professionals. All Remodeling Excellence Award winners are announced at a gala event on May 21, 2019. For questions please contact MBA Pierce at 253-272-2112 or email info@mbapierce.com CONTACT: Sheryl Bushaw - 253.254.0082, sbushaw@mbapierce.com ____ Established in 1945, the Master Builders Association of Pierce County (MBA Pierce) is a trade association representing housing and the residential construction industry. MBA Pierce is the leading voice for the residential building industry, representing more than 650 builders, remodelers and industry professionals employing over 10,000 people in Pierce County.

Spark Real Estate Investment Association (REIA) is Washington state's largest real estate investment associations for real estate investors, offering education, networking and resources for the beginning to advanced investor. Since 1983, Spark REIA, formerly known as the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound (REAPS), has been providing real estate education with the objective to help their members with real estate investing as well as networking in order to build passive real estate income. Sparks REIA has been a volunteer run for most of its existence, with volunteers serving on their board, managing the day-to-day operations for their members while constantly striving to make Spark REIA the best professional association of its kind in the Northwestern United States. They are all active in real estate investing and the community. They offer several Membership Plans that provide you the flexibility to get the most out of your membership, each designed to cost their members absolutely nothing when used correctly. In fact, membership can actually make you money. Membership Plans include Single, Dual, Long-Distance, Guest and Business/Vendor memberships. All plans provide members full access to Spark REIA benefits including, but not limited to: membership to National Real Estate Investors Association; ability to volunteer and get more exposure for your business; network opportunities with knowledgeable speakers and other real estate professionals at the monthly meetings; one-on-one help from fellow members; free admission to more than 100 live events per year around Puget Sound; deeply discounted admission to seven or more live, full-day Saturday training events; ability to attend members-only events (most of which are free with membership); and discounts with—and access to—local, national and wholesale vendors. To find out more, sign up for membership or view all upcoming events, visit our website at https://www.reapsweb.com/ Serving Bellingham, Bellevue, Fife, Bremerton and Mountlake Terrace, Washington. 425-260-3121 info@reapsweb.com

Determined and resolute, trans-Pacific rower continues his quest By Dan Aznoff Photo Courtesy Jacob Hendrickson Off course and months behind schedule, Jacob Hendrickson continues to propel his custom-made row boat toward what he hopes will be a triumphant landfall in Australia. The former Air Force pilot began his marathon journey in July 2018 for what had been charted to be a 9,150-nautical mile journey from Neah Bay in the northwestern corner of Washington state to Perth on the west coast of Australia. He has admitted the schedule was an optimistic view of a daunting physical and mental challenge for one man to accomplish alone. Hendrickson has been tracked by a team on the mainland who have stood by in case the adventurer ran into forces of Mother Nature that threatened his survival. He also had an emergency beacon stowed in his protected cabin that connected to a satellite operated by the Federal Communication Commission. Early entries in his weekly blogs at JacobAdoram.com allowed anybody to keep up with his observations and growing doubts about the magnitude of the challenge he had taken on. His initial blogs allowed followers to share his sea-level observations and his musing about the journey he had undertaken. He has rowed his custom-built 28-foot Emerson with prevailing currents and often against unpredictable weather patterns that threw him hundreds of miles off course. As of mid-April, Hendrickson was meandering east of the Solomon Islands and true north of New Caledonia with a 10.7 mile-per-hour wind at his back. The aviator was forced to make a decision last December at the five-month point of his crossing that he later described as “not really a decision at all.” He had lowered his sea anchor due to a low-pressure system that was apparently passing north of the Hawaiian Islands. He waited and drifted before contemplating the safe choice of turning back toward Hawaii because he was running low on provisions. “Should I continue past Hawaii as planned? We already know it's not as planned; I'm a couple of months behind schedule. Should I continue past Hawaii even though I'm short on food? That's the real question. “We also know there is no question, I'll continue.” But that’s when Hendrickson also showed his first signs of doubt. “The wheels haven't fallen off yet, or the rudder, or the rudder drive that sounds like imminent death (I'm working on it). Pending catastrophe between here and Hawaii, I'll continue.” He welcomed a visitor to his solitary journey on Day No. 189 when a blue-footed Booby checked out the unusual craft before finally coming in for a social call. “The Booby is interested in Emerson,” Hendrickson wrote. “Between passes low in the troughs, he hesitates directly above the boat, eyes darting left and right. The tail feathers spread, the wings broaden, giving the Booby an extra few seconds of reconnaissance before slipping back into a trough. On the next pass, the Booby commits—it’s time for a landing. Emerson is 28-feet long, with plenty of flat surfaces. This Booby instead decides to land on the thin edge of the raised hardtop, about 3 feet from my face. “He ignores me entirely.” The solo sailor admitted having an extended conversation with the unusual sea bird, admitting to the Booby that he was rowing and not paddling like a bird on the surface of the water. The conversations with himself evolved into trite observations of his surroundings. “I don't have cup holders anywhere, with the exception of makeshift devices constructed with 550 parachute cord. It's just a thin rope, so the improvised cup holders only hold until about 35 degrees of roll. After which, I have a projectile coffee mug on my hands.” That was the same day that the native of Austin, Texas, faced the reality that he would no longer be able to update his Garmin map because the device had caught fire through what was an apparent short in the charging cable. “Well, it was more of a red, smoldering, smoking, rubber dripping situation,” he wrote. “Everything is under control, just no more text messages.” The fighter pilot spent as many hours as he could observing and supervising the construction of his custom-built rowboat at Schooner Boatworks in Portland, Oregon. Hendrickson flew A-10 Warthogs in Afghanistan while he saved up enough money and recruited sponsors to pay the hundreds of thousands of dollars he estimated would be needed for the solo crossing. The boat was the concept for the ocean-going rowboat, the last boat designed by the legendary boat designer Eric Sponberg before his retirement. Hendrickson’s boat was featured in an article on the famed designer authored for an issue of “Boat Builder” magazine. Sponberg was so proud of the craft he designed for the Air Force pilot, he included it on his personal website. For his safety, Hendrickson has worn a four-point harness to prevent him from being tossed overboard in rough seas. His 28-foot boat weighed only 22 pounds before being stocked with provisions for the voyage. The would-be captain was on hand to be part of the testing of the boat while under construction. The innovative design of the craft allowed it to right itself even if it was toppled over by high waves. “I sat in the boat with the four-point harness when the boat was flipped during a test run,” he recalled. “My head was under water for only a few moments before the boat righted itself and I was vertical again.” The safety precautions went beyond the design of the craft. Hendrickson said the row boat was equipped with the latest in electronics to guard him against any unforeseen situations. He described the high-tech safety measures his own Risk Management Plan. By the time Hendrickson made his decision to forge ahead on that fateful afternoon, imagination had become his best form of entertainment. That included many lengthy conversations with himself. Early entries in his blog were focused on the physical challenge, including descriptions of the aches that riddled his body. “Physically, I'm holding up well,” he wrote on December 5 of last year. “I'm not taking medications for any ailments, so I'd say that's excellent. I'm still working through various joint and muscle pains, but nothing worth complaining about.” By Day No. 230 on March 6 of this year he was much more philosophical. “I can't think of anything I know with certainty. Not even 1+1=2 works anymore, since apparently on the quantum scale 1+1 doesn't just mean 2. It seems we don't need absolute certainty to survive, since we are all here. The stories of our ancestors say we don't need certainty, we need something called faith. Faith isn't knowing either, it's something else. “As far as I can tell, nobody truly knows anything. It's obviously terribly unproductive to just declare nobody knows anything.” The images and impressions that he had held inside for so long as a cadet at the Air Force Academy and being ordered to deliver deadly weapons against unsuspecting enemies that were only specs in the sand when he flew sorties in Afghanistan had suddenly become vivid images that surrounded him on his small craft in the middle of the Pacific. “I know there are some things in life that improve my situation, and others that are detrimental, and sometimes I get it wrong,” he wrote in his blog on one especially dark night. “I know feelings influence my decisions in some manner even if I don't understand how or why. I know there are certain ways to act that are acceptable, and I know I've gotten that wrong too. ‘It's like a self-correcting sine wave, overshooting certainty, oscillating closer and closer to some semblance of knowledge, but never truly arriving. Maybe somewhere in that narrowing oscillation lies wisdom.” Hendrickson had hoped his experience as an aviator together with his working knowledge of navigation would allow him to take on the challenge many said was impossible. The currents and the winds at sea level, he said, present a different range of challenges than flying Mach 1.0 at 30,000 feet. “The currents can act like the wind, but that’s where the similarities end,” he explained. “For a journey of this length, I had to make considerations as to the types of freeze-dried foods I could take along, how much toothpaste to pack, how much butane I would need to boil water, what type of music would inspire me and, most importantly, when I need to deploy the sea anchor.” When he passed into the Southern Hemisphere, the Milky Way and other familiar constellations were no longer in their usual place in the night sky. Hendrickson began his journey with a full complement of electronic equipment to help guide him across the lonely stretches of ocean. But he continued to rely on his sextant and his compass to remain true to his desire to duplicate the efforts of sea captains who sailed the uncharted seas centuries ago. “I've determined I'm unable to visualize how the earth is oriented within our galaxy using casual observation. I keep looking at the band of Milky Way rotating above our heads, then imagine that we are also in that Milky Way, then imagine the earth spinning and orbiting within some arm of the Milky Way, but unsure where I am relative to the band of stars above,” he wrote. “Up, down, north, south, all that gets confused in my head, mainly because I'm not sure if there's a north for the galaxy?” Then his thoughts passed from philosophy to physics. “Is the location of where we think the Big Bang took place, the cosmic north? How have I not figured this out before?” And then beyond the Earth sciences. “The sound rushes back in. Awake again. The sensation of waking always fascinates me. Especially the sound. It's the conscious awareness that sound is again available for sensory input that is peculiar. It feels like a forgotten crescendo found an opening back into space and time.” He wrote that he was certain that he would run out of the pre-packaged, high-protein meals he had stored below deck. Hendrickson contemplated eating less but eventually utilized the fishing gear he had brought along to catch some fresh meat. Hendrickson was realistic about the degree of difficulty he had created for himself before he made his first pull on an oar. He was aware that his physical limitations or forces beyond his control could force him off course enough that he could miss his ultimate goal altogether. “Odds are that I very well may end up in Hawaii or California,” he confided with friends. “Wherever my journey ends, it will be a valuable learning experience for my life.” At his present rate and direction, Hendrickson could make landfall on the Solomon Islands or the tiny atoll of Vanuatu before he reaches his ultimate goal of Australia. Regardless of where he sets foot on dry land, the solo navigator told friends he is looking forward to sitting down at a table for a meal of food that is not dehydrated and not freeze-dried. Dan Aznoff is a freelance writer based in Mukilteo, Washington. He was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the toxic waste crisis in California and has received acclamation for his work in the areas of sustainable energy and the insurance industry. He is the author of three books that document colorful periods of history in Washington.