No Time Like the Present

The sun sank low in the western sky and set the Cascade Mountains pink afire across the sheen of a windless Puget Sound.  The three of us talked shit and traded sophomoric insults reminiscent of junior high school into the darkness of the winter night.   Darren steadied himself against the stone fireplace and raised the canteen of whisky high as we huddled around the ember glow of the fire;

No hay mejor tiempo que el presente!  rolled off his tongue quickly with a familiarity borne of a thousand inebriated toasts.  

My understanding of the English language is suspect, and I barely squeaked a C- out of High School Spanish; 

Ahhh...no entiendo...uno mas tiempo por favor amigo,  I managed as he passed the whiskey my way.   I tipped back a shot and let the burn settle in my belly; I always have spoken Spanish better a little drunk .

No hay mejor tiempo que el presente! Darren repeated quickly and translated,  There is no better time than the present!  

He went on,  

I learned the saying when I was living in Costa Rica several years ago.  It seemed like the national ethos of the country at the time, everywhere you go people would raise their glass and toast you with the phrase;  I guess it stuck with me.  Hanging out on an empty beach drinking around a fire reminds of that time.  

I handed the whiskey to Aaron, punched him in the shoulder and yelled to the cold night at the top of my lungs,

No hay mejor tiempo que el presente!

Into the darkness the banter and laughter continued until the whiskey ran dry and the fire faded cold,  calling us to the warmth our sleeping bags.  

It strikes me how quickly days turn to weeks, and the weeks into months; before we notice where the time has gone and what the hell we have done with it all, a new year is upon us.  A few good friends have checked in lately and inquired of the extended silence of the Front Door Adventures project.  I could bitch about how many soulless hours I have spent behind the keyboard the last three months typing mind-numbing expletives about what an extraordinary educator I am, or how it has drained my soul of creativity and inspiration; but nobody is here to listen to me bitch about my first world problems, no doubt you have a list of your own.  

Better though,  I could realize that going on a ride with a few buddy's and camping on an empty beach 10 miles from the city will make me much more productive than staring fruitlessly at a screen for another second.  I could be thankful for my bike, the health to pedal it, a clear December night and a perfect winter sunset.  I could get back to writing about the things that make me happiest and doing my best to live like the moment I am living is the only one I really have.  

Here is to the best of intentions for 2013.

No hay mejor tiempo que el presente!

Matt

An Erbeck, a Big Dummy and 737 headed for Renton.  Aaron rolling along the industrial Elliot Bay Trail.

Darren showing the Seattle Pedicab driver who is boss.

Perfect winter day in the Emerald City.   

The most advanced bicycle specific ergogenic aid available on market.  

The Contraption, Bainbridge Island, WA.  

Stewardship of the Fay Bainbridge Park was recently transferred from the State of Washington to the Bainbridge Island Metro Park and Recreation District.  A short ferry ride and less-than ten miles of riding on rural roads with friendly drivers make this the most excellent overnight bike escape from the city.  

Dinner......

and bullshit. 

I chatted up Kim and her husband when we arrived at the park and a half hour later she and her son Seth delivered us dry firewood.  Matches were offered but not necessary.

Not a bad place to wake up.

What an interesting concept.

The Strom's live here.

The Bloedel Reserve was created by Prentice Bodel as a place where people may find the refreshment and tranquility in the presence of natural beauty. 

We were ten minutes early for the ferry, and really, there is no time like the present.