What a Month!

In the last month we've seen two old friends from my high school, spent a week in Palm Springs, celebrated 3 anniversaries with one more this week, sold our truck, and checked off more projects off our list than I thought possible. That's a busy month!

I couldn't believe when I got the e-mail that my friend, Burkhart, and his family were visiting California on their vacation from Sardinia this year. We spent a lovely morning roaming the Getty and trying to catch up on 24 years of history. A few weeks later I got and e-mail from him saying we hadn't taken any pictures. Well we had a lot of ground to cover and were a bit busy. The other day, I got an e-mail from another friend, Angie, saying she was in SoCal for work. It turned out we were only 30 minutes apart. She moved around her schedule and we had a lovely afternoon touring the bay on our dinghy (Komen). It was particularly fun because Angie is also a live-a-board boater. We haven't seen each other in 23 years and I must say she looks amazing!

Scott and I celebrated 8 years together in July and decided to take a small trip to Palm Springs. As most of you know, I love Palm Springs! We spent 7 lovely nights soaking up the heat, eating, drinking and floating in the pool! Two of our friends were coming through and stopped to stay with us. That was a treat, as they'd never been there before. The day we returned was Linux's anniversary with us. We've had the pleasure of his company for over 7 years now. About a week after that we celebrated what I now call Cruising Day, the day we finally left Portland on our boat. Our final anniversary will be this week, when we spend the day doting over Pixel and her anniversary of coming to live with us. I haven't decided what special treat to give her yet, but I'm sure she devour it.

Selling the truck was a difficult one for Scott. He loves the Ramcharger, and with good reason. She's been a fantastic vehicle for us. We've logged over 60 thousand miles with her. We've traveled across country twice in her and down to Mexico and back, plus I can't count how many trips to California and the Oregon Coast. We're gonna miss her, but I'm sure she's going to a good home where she can roam in a field and munch on grass all day! Next month will be my turn to say goodbye to the Blue Flash, our Volvo station wagon. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a car more.

As for the projects, all I can say is WOW!!! The boat is in constant disarray, and the cats aren't happy about that, but it seems just about everyday or so we are crossing things off that rather looooooooong list we have. The two of us are very pleased and excited about it. We are also very nervous for our next adventure and spend a lot of time looking over cruising guides of Mexico and secreting plans together about what each of us want to see. It's all very crazy here aboard Reisender! But we are happy and well! Keep your fingers crossed for us that we can keep this pace up!

Cheers and fair winds my dear friends!

Spicy Cold Noodles

I haven't posted a recipe on here in quite sometime. It's way over due! Last night I made a seared steak with a Chinese mustard-soy dipping sauce and a side of spicy cold noodles. We rarely go back for seconds in our house hold (it's not that the food is bad, we are both watch our diet closely), last night we both went back for seconds. The spicy noodles were amazing! Guess what I'm having for lunch today?

OK here's the recipe and a couple of changes that can be made:

Ingredients:
1 pound Chinese egg noodles ( I used Soba, but if you are the typical person with a package of Top Ramen tucked away I'd imagine they would work in a pinch)
3 tblspns soy
2 tblspns rice vinegar
1 tblspn sesame oil
2 teaspns chile paste (I used Sambal Olek)
1/2 a cucumber peeled, seeded, and diced
4 radishes chopped
2 chopped scallons
a handful of chopped cilantro

Boil noodles for 2 to 3 minutes and drain, then plunge into ice cold water to stop the cooking. Do not over cook the noodles to mush. Whisk together soy, vinegar, sesame oil, and chile paste together in a bowl. Add noodles and all remaining ingredients except for 1/2 the cilantro. Chill well. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

The recipe can also be adapted by adding cold Chinese BBQ pork and bean sprouts. You can also make it spicier if you like by adding more chile paste.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary Crew of Reisender!

It was one year ago today that the fearless Reisender and crew left Portland, went under the I-5 and railroad bridge, then sailed off towards the beginning of our adventure. There is so much in a year and we've truly packed this one. Thinking about the past year and what we've accomplished makes we so proud of my home and our family aboard her. There have been times I've been scared, I've been nervous, I've cried. There have been times I've laughed, I've been awed, I've been thrilled. During all those times our little floating home is filled with love.

It's the beginning of our second year out, and while we aren't were we want to be (yet), we are where we should be. This next year will be full of more of the same emotions and love. We don't know exactly where we are going or when, but we are out there. I wish the same for you in whatever form you define "out there".

Cheers- and smoothing sailing my friends!

Where to Next?

Many friends have been asking this question. Well, we Mexico obviously, but when and exactly where we aren't sure. As many of you know, we aboard Reisender have trouble sticking to a schedule. "The plan" usually goes out the window (port) somewhere within a few days of making it. We do know that our first stop in Mexico will be Ensenada in Baja Norte. It's the first port we can check in and clear customs. It is also one of the most convenient as all 4 offices we need to check in are located in the same building as well as the Mexican version of Kinko's. Once checked in we will start watching the weather for opportunities to head further down the Baja coast. It will still be hurricane season and we can only go about 300 miles and still be out of the zone, but that's OK. "The Plan" is to just gunk down the coast (for my non-boating friends: gunking is the term for small day hops that lead from one anchorage to another in a relatively short time). There are many small anchorages to stop and explore along the way. Most are without internet and with watching the weather closely we'll need that. The first "major" all weather bay is Turtle Bay in English or Bahia San Bartolome in Spanish. It's not very big, about 3 miles across, but it has a small village, full, and internet. Friends who've stopped there before us all say they could have stayed a week. It's the perfect place to decompress from the fast passed lifestyle of the US and transition into the more sedate way most cruisers live. It's about 300 miles south of Ensenada at Longitude 114 53'W by Latitude 27 degrees 40 N.  I think I got that right.

It's weather watching time again, and once we have a clear trip we'll be gunking again down to Bahia Magdalena. It is again and excellent all weather anchorage. It can still get some of the weather from a hurricane, but mostly rain and wind. Mag Bay is about 260 miles from Turtle Bay with many small bays and coves in between. Then it's only 152 miles to Cabo San Lucas. Scott and I are still discussing weather we want to go in. You must realize that we will have just spent several weeks decompressing from the American pace, do we really want to jump right back in at Cabo? It's mostly a tourist area and we really aren't that interested in how the tourists live while on vacation. The reports of all night parties on the beach and music at any given time do not really sound appealing, but the next anchorage is only about 45 miles further on and if we aren't to tired that, as of now, will be our goal (see above about Reisender's crew and plans).

After Cabo, we are looking forward to La Paz. Everyone we've heard from on a boat says it is a cruiser's paradise. I hear it is convenient and they have most things we could need. The anchorage is good as long as the La Paz Waltz is allowed for (La Paz Waltz is when boats in the same anchorage swing in different directions due to current and wind. Sometimes the boats will gently "Kiss"). If we do have trouble there are a number of marina's and there is a lot within walking distance. It's a good location for us to recoup after our next 1000 miles or so.

From La Paz, we don't know exactly? We've got ideas, but there is an expression: a cruiser's plans are written in sand on the beach at low tide....

The on going list!

As usual with a boat, each project checked off the list seems to add two...or three...or four. Just ask anyone with a boat, especially if they are going cruising. Well, here on Reisender we seem to be narrowing the list down to the essentials. Currently, I'm ripping out the flex water tanks we put a few months ago and adding a rigid tank that will almost double our water capacity. Scott is finishing the lid to the ice box and the thermostat controls for both the freezer and fridge. We also want to put the head-liner in and mount the self steering wind vane. Finally, we hope to add a couple of much needed drawers for clothes and some storage and add and extra hanging locker. With the exception of a few little projects and selling the cars, that's it and we are ready to go. Then it's just waiting out the hurricane season going on in Mexico. I'd give you a date, but you'll just have to be in suspense.... much like us! We know when we'd like to go, but we don't really know what the Universe will allow us to actually do. Excited? YES! Nervous? Not right now. Well, this was a small post and not really any photo's to add, but just wanted to let you know we are still here and still getting ready.