Category Archives: Friends and Family

Seattle (and Puyallup)

September 12, 2011 by Jeff C | 1 Comment

We had a fun little reunion in Seattle. Greg Cook (a friend since second grade or so) was my college roomate all three years. My last year of college, another good friend, Dondi Cupp, lived with us in an apartment in Norman. Dondi’s (incessant) claim to fame is that he was the drum major of the Pride of Oklahoma back when Greg and I were in band at OU. In fairness, he may have been the best ever in that role, but I’d never acknowledge that in his presence. (And yes, that’s his real Mom-given name.)

Greg and Dondi hadn’t seen each other since Dondi moved to the Seattle area in 1992. I learned recently that Greg’s band, Ricochet (more on them elsewhere) was performing at the Puyallup Fair (which is quite a big event: www.thefair.com ), just outside Seattle. So Greg and I both converged on Seattle and spent a few days with Dondi and his family. Within minutes, we were all happily making off-color jokes and insulting each other, just like old times. Great to catch up. And of course we went to the Puyallop Fair and Rodeo.

Dondi’s the guy with no hair. He promptly gave Greg the new nickname “Blackbeard” (thus the weekend was full of pirate jokes) for reasons the pictures will make obvious. His old nickname was “Fatty,” so… That’s me in the ridiculously-large black Stetson — feel free to laugh (I did). The guy in the straw hat is Heath, Greg’s and my childhood Vian buddy who is the lead singer/guitarist for Ricochet. Heath didn’t join us for most of the festivities — he was travelling instead in an RV with the rodeo clown from the Puyallop Rodeo (I swear I am not making this up).

Seattle was the furthest I’d ever flown myself. Greg hopped in N3738R and flew back with me. Icky weather spoiled our plans for an aerial sightseeing tour of the Pacific Northwest, but the silver lining was that it diverted us to an impromptu landing and overnight stay in Reno.

Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race 2011

August 15, 2011 by Jeff C | Comments Off

First, you should know that less than a year ago, neither I nor any of my friends rode mountain bikes. And you should know that the Leadville 100 is perhaps the most “epic” mountain bike race in the U.S. Lance Armstrong won it a couple of years back. It’s a 100 miles, and it starts at 10,000 ft. elevation. And when I tried to ride just a portion of the course, there was a five-mile stretch during which I crashed (hard) three separate times (to say nothing of the thin-air climbs up bumpy trails).

There’s a lottery to get in, and Shane and Ned wound up getting “slots” in this year’s race; for better or worse (almost certainly better), I didn’t. They trained like crazy, especially Ned, who spent about six consecutive weekends in Colorado (ask him about the oxygen tent over his bed in Houston – no kidding). They both rocked it! At least I got to tag along, drive the chase car and take pictures.

Oh: And it all took place on my birthday. So I got a nice present from the gang — a Payday (candybar). Long story.

The Parkers in the Virgin Islands

July 31, 2011 by Jeff C | Comments Off

I got to spend ten days or so in the Virgin Islands with my sister’s family (Jana and Bill Parker, and their ‘kids’ Tyler, Caitlin (in pink dress) and Grace. We stayed on St. Thomas and then St. Johnr. In the middle, we took a sailboat trip to Jost Van Dyke (one of the British Virgin Islands, which gave the Parker clan a chance to get a real stamp in their newly-minted passports).

These few pictures surely don’t do the place justice, but since most of our activities were water-based and my camera isn’t waterproof, there weren’t many pictures except for a few on the sailboat trip and an impromptu photo shoot the final night’s trip to dinner. The stranger is Captain “Hollywood” Joe, who owned the sailboat.

Colorado Multisport Week

July 19, 2011 by Jeff C | Comments Off

Ned’s spending a couple of weeks in Colorado — mostly riding bikes and training for the Leadville race in August. I joined him for about five days. Day 1 we hiked Bear Mountain near Boulder (and saw a mother bear with 2 cubs at a distance of about 40-50 yards). Seeing a mother bear up that close sure is thought-provoking; it made me think: “I wonder if I can outrun Ned in an all-out short sprint?” Day 2 we rafted the Arkansas River near Royal Gorge. The rest of the days we mostly scouted and mountain-biked part of the course of the Leadville 100, and even did a kayak tour of Lake Dillon on the way back to the airport.

Royal Gorge is a suspension bridge about 1000 ft above the Colorado River. Ned was dubious as we approached — scoffing a bit that so much touristy enterprise had sprung up around something that, he said, “frankly doesn’t seem like it’s all that impressive.” Ha. About five minutes later, as we actually drove onto the bridge, he stopped the car dead in its tracks — voice nervously giddy and spewing expletives. Suffice it to say that he was impressed. This was the funniest moment of the trip.

Forgive some of the mediocre photography — this is mostly pocket camera stuff.

Oregon — JB and Joyce’s 50th Anniversary

June 30, 2011 by Jeff C | Comments Off

I love this story. In 1961, my dad was “pipelining” (i.e., working on a crew burying pipeline pipe) in Oregon. My then-teenaged mother hopped in a car with her soon-to-be mother-in-law (and sisters-in-law) and they all headed out for Oregon. In my mom’s suitcase was the wedding dress she had sewn herself. And the rest is history.

Anniversary parties aren’t exactly my Mom and Dad’s “style.” So instead, we (JB, Joyce, Jana and Jeff) went to Oregon on the week of their 50th anniversary. We visited the church where they got married, their first apartment (the white building with green doors and roof), and the beach where they spent their Fourth-of-July honeymoon. We even found the pipeline.

I also posted a few great old pictures from that period in 1961 — the pipeliners’ honeymoon. The pinup girl is my newlywed mom. A few of the pictures show my grandpa, Joe Cotner (in the overalls) and my great-uncle Bill, all pipeliners in that era.