Author: rachaelsmithrealestate

Poondigg- an awesome pair of dogs consisting of Harper (right), age 1.75  and Bob Digger (left), age 1.33. 

Baby Pics

Breed:  Airedale Terrier
 
Nicknames:   

• Harpoonya
• Princess Poonya

 I enjoy:  

• Stepping on people
• Drinking dirty water
• Groaning while I sleep
• Chasing small animals

 Named After:  Ben Harper

Favorite Outdoor Activity:  Camping

Thing I fear most:  The spray-bottle

Word that best describes me:  Curious

How/When I joined the pack:  On February 26th 2010 at the Big Bear Chamber Fantasy Auction.  I was bid on by a slightly drunk Matt Smith and Rachael Ghrist.  Once they won be I deuced on the floor for Matt to slip on…what a great first night.

 Breed: Bergamasco Sheepdog

 Nicknames:

• Dig-mo-dee
• Big Man
• Dude Man
• Lover Boy
• Bob-digger-odamis
• Digger

I enjoy:  

• Getting off my leash
• Being serious
• Sensual Kissing
• My Pack
• Cuddling with my pack

Named After:  Bob Marley…chosen because I’ll have dread locks

Favorite Outdoor Activity:  Trail Running

Things I fear most:  

• The spray-bottle
• Hangers
• Sudden Movements
• New People
• Large Dogs
• Skateboards
• Smoke
• Smoke Alarms
• Loud Noises
• People blowing on me

Word that best describes me:  Reserved

How/When I joined the pack:  I was wanted before I was even born.  Matt had taken a “What dog is right for you quiz?”  I came up, they found a breeder and the rest is history.   On April 3rd 2010 I was flown into Ontario, CA from Rhome, TX to meet my new mother Rachael and my uncle Brandon.  I was nervous at first so I weeed all over the airport  floor.  That night I snuggled with my new pack.
 
What I love most about my dogs:

3) When we come home Digg does laps -couch to couch, room to room.  We hold Harper back and cheer him on “Laps, Laps, Laps, Laps!”

4) They know the difference between workout clothes and work clothes.  When I have hiking clothes on there’s no tricking them- they know they’re going on a hike.  When I’m getting ready for work-they don’t bother me. What if I wanted to wear something sporty to work though??

 5) They’ve made a sound for a figure 8.  They’ve got a particular route in the backyard in the shape of a figure 8…When they’re real excited you can hear it because of the timing of Digg banging into the side of the house.

I’m so blessed to have these two wonderful, smart, protective and pack loving dogs. I’ll miss you next week!~

Rach

It all started about a week ago.  I would lay in bed at night and my hands were tensing up and moving by themselves.  My shoulders jumped in and started doing the same thing two nights later.  I immediately jumped to the conclusion that I had Parkinson’s disease.  I cried for a brief second and then moved on.  On Tuesday night I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst and probably 2nd Charley Horse I’ve ever had in my life.  Once I began talking to other people they began diagnosing me themselves.

I could have/be…

1)  Elderly and pregnant…No
2) Hormonally imbalanced…No
3) Dehydrated…Maybe
4) Low in Potassium and Calcium…Probably

Thus begins why I hate bananas, because now I have to eat them.

I can’t eat a whole banana plain because it’s been known to make me too full and burp them up.  So…I’ve started thinking of other ways I can squeeze in banana that may/may not work. 

Before I started this I had to go buy the smallest bananas I could so they would taste less  bananaey. 

Attempt 1:  Putting a Banana in my Strawberry Recoverite. 

Score:  4.  It still tasted too bananaey. Maybe next time I’ll go with half a ‘naner but kudos to the Chocolate  Soy Milk for diluting the banana flavor just a tad.

Attempt 2:  Frozen Banana with Peanut Butter and Raisins.

Score 5. Still bananaey but the peanut butter helps you not focus on what you’re actually doing (eating a banana). Sometimes if you trying to do it for pleasure and not pain carob chips work well as opposed to raisins.

Attempt 3: Home attempt at Flattened baked Banana with Chocolate Soy Milk.

 

Score 8.  Sort of like a pancake, its got a little chocolate flavor to it where you can’t really taste the ‘naner…but its just painful to have to make a banana look like fake barf just so I can choke it down to get Potassium.

Attempt 4: Odwalla Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Score:  9.  But I don’t believe that I really get that much potassium from it and I feel that the banana and its benefits gets ‘lost’ with all the other ingredients. 

Attempt 5:  Trader Joes Flattened Banana.

 

Score 10.  Winner by a landslide (or just a point).  It doesn’t have the leftover banana taste hours after you eat it.  The only ingredient is banana.  The problem with it  is that it requires a 2 hour drive to Trader Joes to stock up on them. – This makes it  not worth it.  (Unless I’m in the area).

So…I’m done…that was my journey on how I’ve  been trying to eat bananas.  I’ll leave you with this funny page that actually exists on Facebook.  It’s entitled ‘i HATE bananas‘. And I now know there are 3,106 other people that feel the same way about bananas.

Rach

1. Hobie SUP

Courtesy of Janet and Jim Dooley of North Shore Trading Company. They were so generous to let us test out their large fleet of water-crafts  and we finally decided on one.  The 11’5 DuraSUP is perfect for Matt and I being beginners and while we would have gone with the ATR series I just really didn’t trust myself not to break it =).

I plan on taking out on the lake bright and early in the morning for a journey to the Solar Observatory and back.

2.  Argon 18 Tri Bike

I’ve been putting in quite a few miles in on my bike and it’s paying off- It feels like its apart of me when I ride. I got this bike in Vegas from Nu Vision Cyclery.  In addition to the bike I’ve sweetened it with a speed/cadence sensor that I don’t know how to use.  My sister got me that rad water bottle that matches and helps with my aerodynamics. Also I just got a bike fit from Mike McKovich that helped me out of riding in bad positions.

3.  Anything Hammer

I heart so bad that I get no digestive problems from eating/drinking any of their products.  My favorite tend to be the Perpetuem Solids-It gives me the option of having a solid amongst all the liquids I’m taking in while training/competing (Heed, Perpetuem, Water, Fizz, HammerGel, Chicken Broth- If you’re out on the course long enough).  I’m also into their vitamins and just started on the Tissue Rejuvenator that seems to be helping my body deal with small aches and pains.

4.  Mizuno Wave Musha 3

Best racing shoes out there.  They’re lightweight (8 oz) and funky- just like I like a shoe to be.  I did my last Ironman in the blue pair…It nearly killed me when they were old/worn out and had to be tossed out.  They have the best cushioning and stability while being very breathable- I love a shoe that breathes.

5. Medal Collection

An inspiration every time you walk by them-I love that they hold a memory.  There are some favorites but I’d have to say the far right 2008 Derby Marathon takes the cake.  It was the race that started our lifestyle- and my very first running race ever.  Also the 2008 Louisville Ironman Medal is one that means a lot- my very first triathlon ever. Louisville Ironman results (here).  I  competed 2008, 2009 and will be doing the 2011  race.

6.  Zoot Padded Briefs

I’m trying to find a black one that’s like these but the ones I’ve found so far are ugly. I heart these because I can use them without changing throughout the entire race – swimming, biking and running.  They have just enough padding for the long painful bike ride. Plus….I love an excuse to run around in my skivvies.

7. Honorable mentions to FRS Energy Drink, Agility Guard, Salt Sticks, plain white bootie socks, 2XU Compression Recovery Sock/Sleeves, Saucony trail running shoes and the podium. 

September!

Once back from the Ironman and of course all caught up with work I’ll have roughly 10 days to: 1) get back in the mood to do long distance running and 2) train for the 18 mile trail run.

The Endure the Bear trail run is part of the Open Air Big Bear series I’m competing in – Conquer the Bear.

Since the beginning of the series there was a 10K Snowshoe Race (January), a 20+mile Mountain Bike Race (June) and a 12 mile Kayak race (July).  Overall in the standings I’m ranked 3rd, with the 2nd place just over 30 minutes ahead of me.

October!

Brings more fun, less competitive activities!  We’re climbing Mount Whitney and I’m hoping its not cold!  There will be 6 of us and the goal is to make it to the top!  Two years ago we were shut down due to a hail storm while sitting on the first ledge (photo) of the East Buttress.

Overall even though I’m worn out I’m very excited for the next 86 days- these should be some very very memorable times!

Rach

A year ago Matt and I were turned onto the Raw diet by his sister Sarah.  I’ve enjoyed it yet have moved on.  Recently we’ve added to this more extreme diet by omitting dairy, grains, sugar and flavor. All this being said here’s a small list of the things I miss most:

My most recent ‘Miss’ #5 are Triticale Berries. Not a berry at all, but an exotic,nutty tasting grain.

#4 ‘Miss’ Concord Grape Jelly- the very very unhealthy kind.

#3 ‘Miss’ heated Safeway Reduced Fat Peanut Butter on an English Muffin.

**I loved this peanut butter so much that I tried to fly it with me to Mexico…  it was confiscated for being a liquid…I argued it being a plasma for a good 4 minutes..

The knockoff brand has so much more sugar on them…they’re like breakfast and dessert.

 

I’m the type of person that likes to do things myself, even if its ridiculous.   Here are a few things I have on my to do list that may not be on a normal persons:

• Build my own outdoor couch
• Put a helicoil in my dirt bike so that the spark plug fits
• Make my own ironing board (I can’t find one that I really like- therefore I don’t iron my clothes)

Anywho, that’s so you get the idea of what I’m about to say.

I bleach my own hair.

There for a while I was thinking it was a good idea.  Total win/win situation I had set myself up for.  I get to do it myself, I learn something new.  So, the last time I visited my hairdresser I  secretly watched what she was using, order the shit online and had good outcomes- my hair was the color I wanted right?

I was unaware that there’s this special shampoo that is to be used to stop the reaction and wash the bleach out.   The last time I bleached my hair I didn’t get all of it out and in the morning…it was…um…fried to say the least.   I’m used to looking like I stuck my fingers in a socket, but this was a different story.

My hairdresser was out of town so I got a number of a gal Tammy that does hair in the Village at Studio 9. 
She reamed me the whole while she washed out my hair, put a 6 hour conditioner in and topped it off with a lunch lady hat I wasn’t to take off.

So, what else do you do for 6 hours while your hair is in a lunch lady hat?  Go on a long trail run.

I started the course of my upcoming 18 mile trail run and had plans to finish.  That was till it started raining (I kept wondering if bears and mountain lions come out more frequently in the rain?).  Once I got to the intersection of 2N10 and 1E01 I continued on 2N10, with conditioner dripping down my neck.  This conditioner in fact smelled soooo good that I thought it would attract bears and mountain lions.

 Regardless of what I had with me, mentally with my new smell and the rain I decided to turn back.  I made a bee line back to my car at the Village.  Overall it turned out okay, I saw none of the following (bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, dead bodies).  I did however see a lot of runners, mountain bikers, off roaders that gave me an odd look. I mean I did have a lunch lady hat on underneath a running cap and could feel conditioner running down my neck.  

*Side note: This isn’t a normal sight when you go on a trail run.

Highlight of the story. I got back to my car…looked in the mirror and the ‘conditioner’ appeared to be semen-ish looking and all over my face/neck and in my ears.  

Point of the story:  I learned my lesson.  I won’t be bleaching my hair myself for a long long time.

Rachael