Kulshan Quest – Go Outside and Play

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kulshan quest adventure race — Kulshan Quest competitors have 30 minutes to plot their course before the games begin. Photo credit: Recreation Northwest.

By Lauren Fritzen

What’s your version of recreation? If it includes forest trekking, mountain biking or paddling with friends, then you’re already in training for the Kulshan Quest Adventure Race, coming up on Saturday, July 25 in Bellingham.

Kulshan Quest – sponsored by Kulshan Brewing and offered by Recreation Northwest – is a breed apart from other multi-sport events. On race day, teams of up to four members will arrive at the starting point in Fairhaven with no advance knowledge of the course. They’ll be given a map with numerous checkpoints and will have 30 minutes to plot their route to the finish line. Then they’ll spend the next several hours together navigating the checkpoints via foot, bike and, for some, kayak.

Two Competitive Divisions

Two divisions make this race accessible for athletes of varying abilities. Recreational division competitors will be trekking (running, walking, hiking) and mountain biking for 4-6 hours. The expert division includes a kayak leg and teams have up to 12 hours to complete the course.

But this is not a relay race, and it’s not just about being first to the finish line. Leave your GPS at home, and brush up on your map-reading skills. Teammates will stay together for the entire race, plotting their way with a topographical map and a compass.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Race Director Brent Molsberry describes the strategy involved. “Based on the number of checkpoints, there’s a time limit. The more checkpoints you get, the more points. But for every minute that you go over the time limit, you lose points. So, you’re choosing your own adventure. A strong team may try to get every checkpoint. A team that’s just out for fun may decide to skip some of the far-flung checkpoints,” he explains.

Molsberry adds that compass navigation is not essential for the Kulshan Quest. “You should know how to find North, but since the race is local and most people know the area, there will be recognizable landmarks. More important is knowing how to read the map and keeping track of where you are,” he says.

You can expect a few surprises along the way too. Molsberry designs the course and likes to throw in some mental challenges to keep it fun.

Adventure Racing Takes Hold

Molsberry was introduced to adventure racing in 2004, when he joined a team competing in the Subaru Primal Quest, an expedition adventure race that took place in the Pacific Northwest that year. The team aspect of adventure racing was a big hook for Molsberry. “I’ve done some ultra-running races where you’re suffering through it alone. With a team, you can help each other along. When you’re down, someone else is bound to be up,” he says.

But while adventure racing is popular in other parts of the country, it’s just catching on here. Molsberry started his own adventure race in the San Juan Islands – the Island Quest – in 2008. He’s now partnering with Recreation Northwest – who also put on the Bellingham Traverse and Bellingham KIDS Traverse – to offer both the Island Quest and the Kulshan Quest.

Last year Molsberry and the Quest Adventure Race Team competed in the U.S. Adventure Racing Association’s (USARA) National Championship in Maryland, placing 6th in their division. To reach his ultimate goal of growing the adventure racing community here, the Kulshan Quest has been designated as a qualifier for the Nationals. “It would be fantastic to get teams in various divisions to go out and compete. We need to build the sport up out here so we could potentially host the Nationals. This is the perfect locale, from the mountains to the islands,” he enthuses.

Strategy, Stamina, & Camaraderie

To tap into the local race culture and advance the sport, Molsberry and Recreation Northwest’s executive director Todd Elsworth have formed the Quest Adventure Racing Club, with outings and clinics for newcomers. Elsworth himself is competing in the Kulshan Quest for the first time this year, and while his training regimen includes biking and paddling, he stresses the importance of strategy and teamwork too. “Practice your map-reading and route-finding skills,” he advises.

Cheryl Perry, who raced in last year’s inaugural Kulshan Quest, dittos Elsworth’s advice and offers some great tips for newbies in her blog post, “Account from a First-Time Adventure Racer.” She and teammate Sarah Hare were the final finishers, but they learned a lot along the way and hit every single checkpoint. “The best part was how friendly and supportive everyone was. We were late getting in and there were still lots of cheers to welcome us,” she says.

There’s still time to register. And training? It’s a great excuse to get outside and play with your friends in some of Whatcom’s wildest places. As Perry sums it up, “We live in such a beautiful place with a great community and I feel lucky that we have events like this right in our backyard!”

For more information and full registration details, go to www.kulshanquest.com.

Over Easy Takes Off, Serving Delicious Diner Fare in Bellingham’s Sunnyland Neighborhood

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Stacee Sledge

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By Stacee Sledge

over easy bellingham — Colleen and Jamie Bohnett moved from the Seattle area in 2014 to open Over Easy in Bellingham’s Sunnyland Square.

When Jamie and Colleen Bohnett decided to open their eatery Over Easy in Bellingham, it was as if a weight had been lifted.

“We were very close to signing a lease in Bothell,” says Jamie, who grew up immersed in the business, his father the co-founder of a Santa Barbara restaurant that expanded nationwide. “But Colleen didn’t have peace about it; she said, ‘Let’s keep looking.’ And the day before we were to sign the final lease, she found this location online.”

In Jamie’s mind, the couple would come and see the space so they could eliminate the option, and then move forward with the Bothell plan. Even though he was nervous about the location and lease terms, they’d already invested so much time and money into the possibility.

Instead, they both fell in love with the spot and started making plans to move to Bellingham and bring the first Over Easy outside of Arizona—famous for appearing on two popular Food Network shows—to Sunnyland Square. The diner is just two doors down from Trader Joe’s.

Over Easy Bellingham officially opened in late April, followed by a grand opening celebration in July. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the fete went to support Bellingham’s Lighthouse Mission.

The food was already a hit, even before it made its way to Bellingham. The first Over Easy opened in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008, and grew to enormous popularity after landing on the Food Network programs “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”

The original owners decided to expand outside of the four Over Easy eateries in Arizona and the Bohnetts, who own the Bellingham store, have been the first to open a new location.

Jamie and Colleen’s Over Easy is completely their own—and completely Bellingham.

Popular dishes include The Wolfpack, which sandwiches two eggs any style with bacon and cheese between layers of hash browns. And the chilaquiles, a mixture of tortilla chips, ranchero sauce, chicken, sour cream and cheddar, topped with eggs.

“Build-your-own burritos are popular, and our sandwiches are great,” says Jamie. “People just love the biscuits and homemade gravy—and the pumpkin French toast. I could go on and on.”

A young father cutting up pancakes sprinkled with Reese’s Pieces for his son tells me that he’s already a regular. I spy the chicken-fried steak piled high on a plate at his elbow, just waiting. “I love it,” he says of the dish. “I order it every time I come in.”

“It really feels good when people say, ‘I’m glad you’re here,’ and ‘It’s my favorite place,’” Jamie says with a smile, looking around at the diners happily eating and laughing with one another.

For the Bohnetts, the food is important, of course, but equally so is the atmosphere and the feeling folks get when they come to Over Easy.

“We really want people to have an experience,” Jamie says. “And I want there to be a difference with us. If they’re having a bad day, I want them to walk out feeling better than when they come in.”

The décor alone practically guarantees a sunny mood. The feel-good space is awash in vibrant yellow and blue walls, with sparkling silver 1950s kitchen chairs set up next to brilliant yellow booth seating. The tables are covered in a quintessential mid-century modern pattern.

Another important part of the Over Easy experience is enjoying local ingredients, when possible, and well-loved local products, such as ACME Ice Cream and beer from Kulshan and Aslan.

When asked about his Over Easy team, Jamie is quick to say the whole crew has been great, and then points out two employees in particular.

“Anita Maguire is our kitchen manager,” he says, nodding toward the kitchen, where Anita is hard at work, even though the diner has now closed for the day.

“I’m in the witness protection program!” she yells out with a smile, eliciting laughs.

“She’s great – a good team-builder and organizer,” Jamie says. “She really cares about her team.”

He also mentions front-of-house manager Austin VanGerena. “He’s great with our scheduling and as our lead server. He really keeps us going up front,” Jamie says.

It’s a bunch that has had to quickly figure out how to handle packed-to-the-gills weekend shifts, as more folks discover this gastronomical gem. If you want to try Over Easy for the first time but hope to avoid a possible wait, stop in any weekday morning or lunch hour.

“We have a lot of regulars already,” Jamie says, looking around the space with a smile. “We’re feeling really good about it. We’re on our way.”

More than anything, the Bohnetts want their business to serve the community. In fact, Jamie—who worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly three decades and received a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship in 2012—thought very seriously about ways to create Over Easy as a nonprofit organization.

That plan didn’t pan out, but their devotion to helping nonprofits in our community remains strong. The Bohnetts hope to open the eatery—which closes at 1:00 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00 p.m. on weekends—to nonprofits, hosting afternoon or evening events that will serve local ACME Ice Cream on waffles or French toast, teamed with Fidalgo Bay coffee.

“I’m used to putting on events and am very aware how nonprofits really need to build relationships with their constituencies,” says Jamie, who plans to dub the events friendraisers rather than fundraisers.

Any local nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about staging a “friend-raiser” at Over Easy, they can contact Jamie or Colleen at the eatery for more details.

Over Easy

www.eatatovereasy.com

2430 James Street in Bellingham

360-565-6585

Hours:

Monday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Barron Heating – Making the Uncomfortable Home Comfortable Again

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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barron heating — Barron Heating's Building Performance Division Manager, Thoren Rogers, discusses the results of a home performance test with a homeowner.

Cold spots in a home, room-to-room temperature differences, allergic reactions and more—the uncomfortable home can range from a small annoyance to a huge problem, and one that many people simply end up living with.

“They say, ‘This is just part of this house,’” says Thoren Rogers, Barron Heating Building Performance Division Manager. “They don’t know there are solutions that potentially aren’t even difficult.”

In fact, there are many things homeowners do regularly without realizing the problems they’re causing in their homes.

First, let’s get into a little bit of building science.

Your house has two barriers around it: air and thermal. The air barrier, in most homes, is the paint covering the outside; the thermal barrier is formed by insulation.

These barriers are key to energy efficiency and comfort—but leaks occur in every home, from ducts that aren’t sealed properly and around electrical sockets and can lights, to name just a few examples.

This can cause improper air pressurization in a home, creating uneven heating and cooling and/or poor air quality.

Consider an example of a cold-air complaint in a home during the winter, when the furnace is running.

“If this air barrier plane is not intact and causes, for instance, a lot of leakage in a room upstairs, downstairs will have a cold room,” says Rogers. “It’s drawing in this cold air, and being let out up top.”

Barron Heating can search for and seal those leaks, putting a stop to the cold spots and improving air quality.

Because every house is different, the problems and their solutions differ. But Barron’s team is highly trained in home performance and can pinpoint and eliminate trouble spots.

Barron’s Chris Baisch shares an anecdote about a recent customer’s experience.

“We had a woman contact us who had suffered from skin rashes for 15 years and had a concern about air quality and odor in her home,” he recounts. A home performance assessment showed that the home’s ducts had been leaking the equivalent of 450 5-gallon buckets of air every single minute.

Leaky ducts draw breathing air from the crawl space, attic, or other areas where the air quality is, well, not optimal.

“We went out and sealed her ducts using AeroSeal—an aerosol based duct sealant,” says Baisch. “And when we were done, the leakage was down to just 37 ‘buckets.’ That’s a monstrous improvement.”

Barron made this simple fix and three weeks later, her rash was completely gone.

“Now, that’s a one-off; each house is different your results may not be the same,” says Baisch. “But this is the logical first step when we come into a home with air quality problems.”

Barron wasn’t done yet. This same customer’s home also had a bit of odor from poor air quality, so they adjusted the home’s pressure by installing an energy efficient fan that always runs and pushes everything that had been coming into the home—outdoor allergens, wildfire smoke or particles from inside the walls and such—to the outside.

“We’re going to try one thing, because it’s our best measure based on what we see after inspecting at a home,” says Rogers. “We make a list of possible solutions to the unique problem and prioritize it, knowing it can sometimes be a process of building one measure on another to get to that final solution.”

“And if we’re wrong,” Baisch says, “we’ll go back and do the next thing on the list and if the previous measure doesn’t contribute to the ultimate goal – we credit that portion—because we are the pros and we have a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.”

Rogers interjects, smiling: “I’ve never found a problem we haven’t been able to fix.”

Schedule a no-obligation home assessment with a Barron Heating Home Performance Expert. Let them put their diagnostics tools and training to work to help you understand what’s happening in your home and what can be done to improve it.

Carrying Kids on Bikes: A Local Bicyclist Chimes In With Her Experiences

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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kids bike products — Trail-a-bikes or tag-a-longs are great ways to bike with kids starting around age three or four; they basically turn your bike into a tandem.

Submitted by Mary Anderson for Whatcom Smart Trips

Bicycling with small children is a lot of fun—but it can also seem a bit overwhelming if you’re just starting out.

How do you choose what type of equipment to use? Is a trailer better than a bike seat? How do you get your toddler to wear a helmet?

I have ten years of experience biking with children. My family has one car, two working parents, a 12-and-a-half-year-old in sixth grade and a two-and-a-half-year-old in daycare. We bike, drive, walk and bus to get where we need to go.

All of the gear I’m about to review we purchased and used. No one has sponsored me or given me free items.

I always recommend trying to find used gear. As with everything, do some research so you know what to look for. (Is that a bike shop trailer or a big box store trailer?) Many of these items retain their value, especially if they are kept indoors. Depending on where you live, these items often sell within a day or two of online posting. We set up an alert so we’d get an email as soon as someone posted the item we were looking for.

Bicycle Trailers

kids bike product — Bike trailers keep littles ones relatively protected from the elements and are also great for hauling extra things like groceries and diaper bags.

Bicycle trailers come in two sizes: single or double. They’re great if you want to haul extra things like diaper bags, groceries, blankets, stuffed animals, etc. They’re covered, so your little one is relatively protected from the elements. We have a Burley Double D’lite. It isn’t 100 percent rainproof, but does a good job of keeping my son dry on the ride home.

Approximate new price: $600

Pros: You can carry extra things; you can carry more than one child.

Cons: A bit pricey new; the double is wider than your bike; you can’t easily do a bike/bus combo; and your child is further away from you, so you can’t easily talk.

Stories: My son and I biked to church one sunny morning and when we arrived I noticed he was only wearing one shoe. He had disposed of his shoe somewhere on the bike ride. He reached his little hand under the cover and dropped his shoe – his favorite red shoes and the only pair of shoes he had that fit him. I explained, as best I could to a two-year-old, that throwing things out of the trailer was not safe and that he now had to go to church with just one shoe. We biked home the same route but didn’t find it. I’ve been keeping an eye out for that shoe for the past month, with no luck. I’ve always wondered how someone could lose just one shoe. Now I know.

Front-Mounted Seats

We bought an iBert when Charlie was about a year-and-a-half. He instantly loved it. He loved being in the front of the bike, waving to people and observing the world around him.

Approximate new price: $100

Pros: A great way for your child to see and interact with their surroundings; it’s fun for both passenger and driver; your rear rack is free to haul the diaper bag.

Cons: Not the best option when it’s raining; doesn’t work with all bicycle frames; only works up to about age two-and-a-half or three, depending on child’s height.

Stories: Charlie much prefers the iBert to the trailer, but unfortunately it doesn’t fit on my bike. He enjoys waving to and saying “hello” to people on the sidewalk while biking with Dad. The two of them have logged many miles together and Charlie gets really excited when Dad picks him up at daycare with the bike.

Rear-Mounted Seats

We had a rear-mounted bike seat when our daughter Izabelle was a toddler. It worked great for us because: 1) It was cheaper than a trailer, and 2) I could put my bike on the bus with her seat still attached. The seat we used was a ToPeak, and it had a special rack that went with it. That setup makes it easy to quickly take the seat off the rack. We bought two racks so we could each bike with Izzie.

Approximate new price: $170

Pros: Cheaper than a trailer; child is close to you, so you can easily talk.

Cons: You can’t use panniers; extra weight on rear rack takes getting used to.

Stories: I biked hundreds—if not thousands—of miles with my daughter using a rear-mounted bike seat. When she was around three or four, we would play “I Spy” on the bike or play the rhyming game. I would say one word and she would rhyme it with another, and so on. It was fun and we have a lot of great memories playing those games. She would also encourage me to bike up hills by singing me songs.

Trail-a-Bike

Trail-a-bikes or tag-a-longs are great ways to bike with kids starting around age three or four; they basically turn your bike into a tandem. Children are excited to be able to help you pedal and you’ll be surprised how much they do contribute (when they actually pedal). There a couple versions available now. The one you are likely most familiar with is where the kids are sitting upright. When we used the trail-a-bike, we bought an extra hitch so we could both use it on our bikes.

There is a newer version of trail-a-bikes made by WeeHoo, which is a recumbent. One of the benefits to the recumbent model is that younger kids can use it and if they’re tired they can sit back and relax.

Approximate new price: $250 – $400

Pros: Your child gets to help you pedal; can be used for kids who are too big for a trailer or rack seat, but not quite big enough for their own bike; great way for kids to experience bike commuting and learn rules of the road.

Cons: Child must be able to sit up and hold on (for non-recumbent model); long turning radius; can be wobbly.

Stories: We just found a WeeHoo on Craigslist after looking for about five months. We biked to the seller’s house to check it out. My husband attached it to his bike and took Charlie for a spin in front of the house. After he pulled back into the driveway Charlie, age two, began to cry, saying, “I want to keep riding, I want to pedal.” I think we’ll log many miles and many smiles on it.

Cargo Bikes

I bought an xtracycle four years ago primarily to solve the dilemma of having to bike to drop off or pick up my daughter, who was age eight at the time, for one side of a trip. For example, I’d bike her to school, but she’d take the bus home. I needed my bike to get to work, but she couldn’t bike home herself or take the bike on the bus. It was a great solution and a lot of fun. I ended up selling that bike a year ago; it was always a bit too big for me.

Other cargo bikes that many families use (I haven’t tried one) are bakfiets. These are the bikes that look like they have a box in between the handlebars and the front tire. Some models have the box in the rear. They are a great way to haul multiple kids and groceries or other supplies.

Approximate new price: $1,200+

Pros: You can carry multiple kids and extra things.

Cons: Expensive; heavy; a bit hard to bike up hills.

bikes kids products — The ToPeak rear-mounted seat is simple to remove, which means you can still easily put your bike on the bus.

Stories: My daughter’s summer camp had a home base a few blocks from my work. Once every two weeks they’d have a camp-out, which meant bringing a sleeping bag, pillow and all the other gear she’d need for an overnight trip. It also meant that I’d be biking her to camp, but she wouldn’t be biking home that night. We were able to get all her gear and her on the bike. Cargo bikes are a fun way to challenge you to do more by bike and less by car.

Try it!

One of the best ways to decide which piece of equipment is best for you and your child is to simply try it. Unfortunately, we found that most local bike shops didn’t have any of these items ready for test rides; you need to call ahead and the shop will often set one up for you. If that isn’t an option, hopefully you know a biking family who will let you try out their gear.

Biking with kids is a lot of fun and introduces the concept at an early age that the car isn’t the only transportation mode.

Seattle Seahawks Visit Bellingham During 12 Tour

By

WhatcomTalk Editor

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Submitted by The Lakeway Inn

For the third year in a row, in recognition of the tremendous Whatcom County-based fan following, Bellingham has been chosen as a stop on the annual 12 Tour of the Seattle Seahawks.

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism and the Best Western PLUS Lakeway Inn will collaboratively host a 12 Tour event at noon Saturday, July 11 at the Lakeway Inn, 701 Lakeway Drive. The event will feature fullback Will Tukuafu and defensive end Julius Warmsley of the Seahawks, plus Sea Gals, Blitz the mascot and a performance by the Blue Thunder band in celebration of the official raising of the 12 Flag.

“We have been honored to serve as the Hawks’ 12 Tour headquarters for past two years and look forward to raising the flag with enthusiastic fanfare this year as well,” said Larry MacDonald, General Manager of the Lakeway Inn.

Seahawks fans of all ages are encouraged to wear their blue for the free rally. Specialty fan food and beverages will be available at the Lakeway Inn before and after the rally.

Tukuafu was originally acquired as a free agent in October 2014 as a fullback but also saw some time at defensive lineman. He played at both positions during the Super Bowl. He played in nine regular-season games with two starts at fullback.

Warmsley was signed to the Seahawks practice squad in September 2014 after spending training camp with the Houston Texans.

Dirty Dan’s Spirit Lives on at the Community Boating Center

By

Lorraine Wilde

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row boat replica — Builder and historian, Ralph Thacker, stands with his donation to the Community Boating Center.

By Lorraine Wilde

A year ago this month, my husband hatched a romantic plan for our 15th wedding anniversary—gliding around Bellingham Bay in a 15-foot rowing dory, a rough replica of a boat owned by founder of Fairhaven, Dirty Dan Harris.

Handmade in Harris’ honor by 81-year-old, Ralph Thacker, the boat is now available for rent from the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven. Rowing around Fairhaven’s inland waters in this boat took me back to the 1850s where Dirty Dan earned his nickname, and made me curious about the history of the boat, Harris, and Fairhaven itself.

Thacker retired from an insurance and banking career in Connecticut in 1995 and relocated to Bellingham in 2001. His apartment on Fairhaven’s 11th Street overlooked the South Bay Trail system and Fairhaven’s waterfront. Having had a lifelong interest in boats and the water, Thacker became curious about the history of the waterfront outside his window. With meticulous research, Thacker discovered that most everything in sight had at one time been owned by Daniel Jefferson Harris (1833-1890), also known as Fairhaven’s founder, Dirty Dan Harris.

“There were stories about Dirty Dan, but most weren’t confirmed historically. My motivation wasn’t to change how people saw him necessarily, but simply broadened their view,” explains Thacker.

Born in 1833 on Long Island, NY, Harris got his taste for the water at the age of 15 when he joined an uncle on a whaling voyage. He took a second voyage, at age 18, as a harpooner, traveling to the Antarctic and twice to the Arctic. He found it difficult to stay out of trouble, scrapping with crewmates. Harris eventually came to Bellingham Bay in 1854 and by the mid-1870s, he owned almost 190 acres of land, now occupied by the Village of Fairhaven and its waterfront. He homesteaded, traded, and transported coal as his official occupation, but not without incident. “Harris’ dealings weren’t always legal, but he was a survivor. He was like everyone else capable of living here back then—industrious and creative,” notes Thacker.

In 1855, Harris was arrested for selling “spirituous liquor” to First Nations People and again the following year for inciting the Stikine Native Peoples of B.C. to attack the Lummis. In 1867 he was arrested for smuggling goods and liquor by boat from Victoria, B.C. into the U.S. in barrels labeled “Honolulu Sugar.” Although jailed many times, Harris was never sentenced to serve a prison term. Selling parcels to individuals and business through a plat filed in 1883, Harris’ later life focused on turning his land into the Town of Fairhaven.

Fascinated by what he found about Harris, Thacker began sharing his findings serially in booklets and on a website beginning in 2007. During his research, Thacker found the only confirmed photograph of Harris in the Whatcom Museum archives, marked 1884, of Harris standing in a rowboat on the shore below Thacker’s window. Inspired by the photo, Thacker began building a replica of sorts in 2009. “There were no plans or details of how the boat was made, only the photo,” explains Thacker. “I’d been a sailor and taken boat building courses for many years so I did my best. A retired boat builder named John Othmer wandered past my workshop one day and offered his help, so the boat has more quality craftsmanship than I could have done alone.”

With that help and a lot of perseverance, Thacker finished the boat in 2013. “The dory is made of several types of wood including teak for the rail, okoume plywood, and meranti for the frame,” notes Thacker. “Friends donated exotic pieces of sapele and padauk that made it in there too. It was made with modern tools and materials that Dan wouldn’t have had access to, so it’s probably a touch bigger, but that’s made it a better size for the Boating Center.”

“Thacker was one of the original founding members of the Community Boating Center,” explains Executive Director, Steve Walker. “After moving to a smaller living space, he could no longer store the boat so he donated it to us. It’s one of the largest and most popular boats we have.” Thacker’s creation, along with paddle boards, kayaks, and small sailboats, is available for rent to the public. It also serves ongoing educational classes and youth camps.

Fairhaven’s main thoroughfare, Harris Street, is named in honor of the colorful founder. His now infamous nickname, Dirty Dan Harris, noted as early as 1867, was, “Not because he was divisive in his dealings, but because of infrequent bathing and an untidy appearance,” clarifies Thacker. That moniker has graced a popular Fairhaven family restaurant for more than 40 years, The Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse, as well as the Dirty Dan Days Seafood Festival on the Fairhaven Green each April, recently completing its 13th year.

Thacker’s research of the past has influenced his vision for the future of the Fairhaven waterfront. He’s already shared his dream with Port officials for a multicultural international village, not unlike a tiny version of Disney’s Epcot Center, that would invite and educate both locals and visitors worldwide. “We can open people’s minds by sharing the food, art, and customs of Whatcom County’s Native Peoples, settlers like Dirty Dan, and the melting pot of nationalities that have colored our local history up through today.” Thacker welcomes correspondence on his vision, Dirty Dan, and boat building, too.

It will be hard for my hubby to top all that last year’s anniversary present brought me—rowing with the spirit of Dirty Dan, meeting Ralph Thacker, and dreaming of Fairhaven’s future—but I’m willing to let him try.

Community Boating Center

555 Harris Avenue

Bellingham, WA 98225

360-714-8891

www.boatingcenter.org

Got Dogs? Explore 7 Off-Leash Options in Bellingham

By

Lauren Fritzen

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Squalicum Creek Park is a popular destination due to its zip line, off-leash dog park and other attractions. This year, it will also play host to the Bellingham Kids Traverse.

All dogs in City Parks must be under control by means of being ON LEASH AT ALL TIMES (the responsible person must be in possession of one leash per dog at all times) unless in an area designated for dog exercise and training.

By Lauren Fritzen

A dog’s life is not what it used to be. Growing up in the country, our family dogs roamed freely and off-leash parks were unheard of. My current pups, Leah and Gretel, may not have the freedom of days-gone-by, but their pampered, urban existence is full of forest hikes, puppy play dates, and refreshing swims.

If you and your faithful companion are ready for a change from the neighborhood leash walk, here are some great local alternatives. Best of all, you don’t need to leave the city limits to keep your pooch exercised, socialized, and satisfied.

The new Squalicum Creek Dog Park is a popular place.

Squalicum Creek Park

The latest addition to the city’s off-leash lineup, Squalicum Creek Park opened in March 2015 and was an instant hit with dogs and their owners in west Bellingham. It’s fully fenced, with separate large and small dog areas (perfect for my mismatched pups), drinking water, and restrooms. The wood chip surface helps keep sogginess at bay on rainy days. The park’s popular new playground, ball fields and walking trails make it a great one-stop destination for a family outing.

Little Squalicum Park

Recently revamped Little Squalicum Park is Leah and Gretel’s favorite off-leash excursion. There’s a parking lot just off Marine Drive, with a trail that goes by the beach (the beach itself is designated on-leash only), and winds along Squalicum Creek. There’s plenty of acreage for romping, socializing, and exploring. The area is not fenced, but is well away from the road.

Sehome Hill Arboretum

Our go-to place for a quick trek in town, Sehome Hill Arboretum is perched above Western Washington University, and its secondary trails are wooded and off-leash. I get my exercise, and Leah and Gretel get lots of attention from dog-loving college students traversing the trails between class. And the views from the lookout tower are worth the stair climb.

Whatcom Falls Park

Leah and Gretel, off-leash afficionados, have fun exploring without constraints.

East of town near Lake Whatcom, most of Whatcom Falls Park is designated on-leash, but the Waterline Trail south of Whatcom Creek and west of the water treatment plant is off-leash. After a walk on the trails, dogs (and owners) can take a dip in Lake Whatcom at Bloedel Donovan Park between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Fairhaven Dog Park

This off-leash park is adjacent to the city’s sewage treatment plant, but the dogs don’t mind, and there’s a big field for running and playing. There are also benches, an umbrella-covered table, and usually a big jug of water for thirsty pups. You can walk the trail towards the bay for some nice views of the resident heron colony, but dogs must be leashed in this area.

Arroyo Park

South of Fairhaven off Chuckanut Drive, Arroyo Park is a beautiful, forested park with a network of trails that are all off-leash. There’s a creek to splash in, a hike to a beautiful waterfall, and the trails lead upward to the larger network of Chuckanut Mountain trails (these DNR trails are not off-leash). Great place for a day hike or mountain bike ride with your active pooch.

Lake Padden Park

It’s social time for small dogs and their humans at Lake Padden’s off-leash park.

Southeast of town, Lake Padden Park has a well-established off-leash dog park at the south end of the lake. There’s a separate small dog area with shaded seating and even a play pool for hot days. The large dog area is fenced on three sides, with access to a creek where dogs can cool off – and get muddy. Leah is very attracted to culverts, and apparently she’s not alone: they’ve built one into a little hill that the dogs can run through without danger of getting stuck. Restrooms, running water, picnic tables and benches round out this full-service dog park. There’s also a designated swimming area near the ball fields where pups can take a dip in the lake.

A gate at the south end of the dog park leads to the Lake Padden Trails, an off-leash trail system for those wanting more of an expedition. There’s decent signage to keep you from getting lost in this hilly, forested area frequented by hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The trail around the lake itself is on-leash only.

Don’t forget to bring poop bags with you, as they aren’t always provided at the dog parks, and definitely won’t be on the trails. For the full skinny, read up on the park department’s animal regulations.

The Grateful Dogs Off-Leash Association, a local organization devoted to protecting and enhancing off-leash areas, provides many of the amenities at our dog parks, including the new benches at Squalicum Creek Park.

There are more off-leash parks and trails to explore in greater Whatcom County, but these in-city options should keep you and your pup living the good-dog’s life for years to come.

Holly Street History Tours Offer Free Historic Tours of Downtown Bellingham

By

Stacee Sledge

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bellingham historic tour — Sara Holodnick is one of the founders of the Good Time Girls and The Bureau of Historical Investigation, which will lead the free Holly Street History Tour. Photo by Andrea Holodnick.

bellingham history tour — The Good Time Girls lead tour goers through the downtown city streets, telling colorful stories of our city’s past along the way. Photo by Andrea Holodnick.

Curious to know more about the early days of Bellingham and how downtown came to look the way it does today? Come find out by taking one of the free Holly Street History Tours offered Saturday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. this summer, beginning July 11 and running through September 26.

Tours will be offered by the Bureau of Historical Investigation (also known as the Good Time Girls), and are offered free of charge courtesy of a grant obtained by the City of Bellingham from the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

Suitable for all ages, the tours will meet on the sidewalk in front of the Chuckanut sandstone building at 311 E. Holly Street (northwest corner of N. State and E. Holly Streets), and will run about an hour.

The Holly Street History Tour uses one of Bellingham’s very first arterial streets as a guide to tell the story of our city’s past. Tour guides will stop along the way to tell stories of challenges and accomplishments, and will touch on what hasn’t really changed since Bellingham’s earliest days.

The tour covers topics of growth, social reform, the arts, women’s history, racial tensions, cooperation and environmental recovery, and is delivered with a sense of wonder and humor.

“It’s history, it’s information, it’s education,” says Sara Holodnick, one of the founders of the Bureau of Historical Investigation. “But it’s also entertainment and comedy and a little bit of performance.”

Baby Cakes – New Supergroup Makes Whatcom Proud

By

Lorraine Wilde

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baby cakes band — Baby Cakes is the sound of synergy. Photo by Kenneth Kearney.

By Lorraine Wilde

A new eight-member group of highly experienced and talented musicians from several other Whatcom County bands, Baby Cakes classic soul, R&B, and funk tunes are as engaging as their modern pop beats for both young and old. With a combined total of more than 70 years of performance experience, Baby Cakes has earned the label, Supergroup.

In early December last year, Chair Nine in Glacier, WA needed another band for their New Year’s Eve show. They called experienced drummer, Kevin Chryst, known widely as Kreestoe, who has performed in Whatcom County for the past 12 years. “They wanted a funk and soul cover band and gave me the freedom to pick the players and tunes. I reached out to talented friends in other local bands and we put together Baby Cakes in just a couple weeks,” explains Chryst, now Baby Cakes drummer and manager. Chryst’s friends just happened to be some of the most skilled and absorbing musicians in Whatcom County. “A lot of us have been here for quite some time and we’re pretty rooted in this music community.”

Whether he’s performing with rock/electro/funk band Acorn Project, crunk soul cats Vaughn Kreestoe, or the jazz/funk/soul group Sunkenfoal, Chryst’s drumming electrifies. His brown dreadlocks fly in step with the music, the joy of the work emanates from his face. That energy is balanced well by Baby Cakes’ keyboardist, Richard Keene’s, concentration during his performances. His cool comes from many years with more than ten local bands and musicians including classic rock/R&B band Joy Ride, David Bowie cover band, Scary Monster and the Supercreeps, and long-time Bellingham favorite, the Adrian Clarke Band.

Drummer Chryst, and Baby Cakes rhythm section, made up of bassist, Elkay Stabo, laid-back guitarist, Matt van den Heuvel, and stellar saxophonist, Dylan Hermansen also perform together locally as Sunkenfoal. They most recently appeared at the Rock N Rye’s First Anniversary Celebration.

Baby Cakes’ diminutive lead vocalist, Stephanie Walbon, holds her own with the raucous bunch of musicians. She solidified her spot with them on New Year’s Eve when the male lead vocalist failed to appear. “We were on the verge of a meltdown and Steph came on stage and asked what songs we knew,” begins Chryst. “Steph and Elkay knew Don’t Stop Believin’ and the rest of us just figured it out on the spot,” adds trumpet player Jeremiah Austin. “That was a defining moment for us,” finishes Chryst. “Steph saved the day and we played for two more hours. After that, we felt like we could do anything together.”

The mutual respect and camaraderie between band mates is evident. Trumpet player Austin is the group’s standup comedian. Owner of North Sound Studio and trumpet teacher by day, he brings levity and ridiculousness to their practices and makes their hard work fun. “He’s like the older brothers I grew up with,” notes Walbon. Stabo, who has also played locally under the name Lyman Lipke, released an alternative blues rock double disc album early last year with the Vonvettas that he recorded in Austin’s North Sound Studio. Austin’s intensity on stage meshes well with Baby Cakes’ solid trombonist, Mars Lindgren, and saxophonist, Hermansen.

Hermansen may get overshadowed by his band mates when it comes to chatting, but his intricate, tireless solos are a highlight of every performance. An accomplished musician before Baby Cakes, Hermansen has won several awards including his high school’s Louis Armstrong Award and a soloist award from the Reno International Jazz Festival. In addition to saxophone, Hermansen also teaches and plays flute and clarinet.

Having earned a degree in music from Western Washington University, guitarist, van den Heuvel, wows audiences with his exceptional skill. “Matty is also with Bellingham-based, Snug Harbor, who plays soul and funk originals around the Pacific Northwest,” notes Austin. Many of Snug Harbor’s members also make up part of the Michal Menert Big Band who recently played at Colorado’s Sonic Bloom Music Festival and Red Rocks Amphitheatre and San Francisco’s Fillmore Theatre.

Although the name Baby Cakes might remind some of an elementary school snack cake, it’s actually a euphemism. “When we play, we want you to remember a fond memory, some positive association. But there’s no indirect way to say it so…I’ll just say it,” smirks Chryst. “It’s another name for the posterior of a beautiful lady. We like to say that Cakes make the world go round.” The band’s playfulness and sense of humor are apparent as they explain. “All the members of Baby Cakes are fond of, or fans. We say, all Cakes are created equal,” chuckles Austin. “A lot of Cake fans here,” chimes Walbon.

“To choose our songs, we all bring our favorites to the group and decide together what we cover,” explains Austin. “I like Beyoncé’s Love on Top and told Steph about it. She’d never heard of it. Then she laughed when she heard it because it’s such a hard song.”

Walbon’s vocals for Baby Cakes are continually impressive, reaching incredible heights with steady power. “The first time we practiced it, I couldn’t get through it and my abs and back hurt the next day,” laughs Walbon. “But now she loves it,” notes Austin.

“I like songs people want to dance to,” adds Walbon.

“We’re also funk fans,” clarifies Keene. “Everyone has speckled in their own tastes,” finishes Chryst. “The original list included songs I’d grown up with, tunes on the radio driving around Seattle to garage sales with my dad. They’re deep and meaningful. The messages are positive, fun, spiritual, loving, endearing – just like Baby Cakes.”

As the band looks ahead they have a clear direction. “We have a nostalgic part of our set, but we’re working nowadays on adding current top 40 pop. We also have some writers in the band and a talented arranger so we’ll be working on some originals soon,” explains Chryst.

Baby Cakes is ready to begin touring outside Whatcom County as well. “We have a multi-generational crowd and have done several all-ages events, with kids and people our folk’s age,” describes Chryst. “Our crowd goes to bed before midnight,” jokes Austin. “But we also have something to offer the late crowd too,” finishes Chryst.

You can see Baby Cakes on a number of summer dates including July 16 as part of the Bellwether’s Blues, Brews & BBQ summer concert series and opening for Five Alarm Funk at Downtown Sounds on July 29.

Follow Baby Cakes on Facebook and Twitter (@babycakesband)

Whatcom Community College Program Enhancements Help Graduates Save Time and Money

By

WhatcomTalk Editor

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Whatcom Community College business administration — WCC business administration students in class.

Submitted by Whatcom Community College

WCC nursing students training. Photo courtesy of Whatcom Community College.

Whatcom Community College has announced significant program enhancements that will help graduates of its business administration and nursing programs save time and money as they work toward bachelor’s degrees in their respective fields.

“The program enhancements demonstrate Whatcom’s commitment to student success,” says WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown. “Thanks to strong partnerships with our peers in higher education, we’re opening new pathways that offer expanded opportunities for our graduates.”

First, a new articulation agreement with Trinity Western University (TWU) will create a seamless transition to the four-year school for Whatcom graduates with an associate in science degree in business administration. Students will be able to complete their bachelor’s degree at Trinity Western’s campuses in Bellingham or Langley, British Columbia. For working adults who want to stay in Bellingham, the ability to take face-to-face bachelor’s level classes locally is a welcome benefit.

Students who successfully complete WCC’s AS degree in business administration will have fulfilled the first two years toward TWU’s bachelor’s degree in leadership. Whatcom business administration graduates transferring to any other Trinity Western undergraduate program will enter with 60 semester hours of credits, which — depending upon the degree of choice — may satisfy the full first two years of the TWU degree. Priority consideration will be given to Whatcom graduates who meet all requirements and who submit the transfer application by the deadline.

WCC business administration students in class. Photo courtesy of Whatcom Community College.

The second enhancement is to Whatcom’s acclaimed nursing program. In June, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges approved Whatcom’s direct transfer degree program in nursing. The direct transfer agreement (DTA) is the result of a statewide effort by community colleges and universities to create uniform credit requirements among Washington’s two-year and four-year nursing programs. The direct transfer agreement or major-ready program streamlines the process for students who want to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) after completing an associate’s degree and successfully passing the licensing exam. Whatcom’s nursing program is among the first in the state to receive this recognition and will offer the degree starting this fall, pending approval by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

The direct transfer degree ensures credits earned at a two-year college align with university requirements, meaning students aren’t delayed in their final steps toward earning a BSN. As a result of the new DTA program, students will complete prerequisites as well as nursing core classes at Whatcom in three years. After graduating and successfully passing the licensing exam, a working RN will need just one year of classes to earn a bachelor’s in nursing. The DTA will be accepted by all signatories to the agreement in Washington state, which includes all public institutions and some private colleges.

Entrance to Whatcom Community College. Photo credit Stacee Sledge.

While registered nurses can begin work immediately after earning their associate’s degree and license, in recent years, industry expectation is that nurses will have a bachelor’s degree in the field. A 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report recommended that 80 percent of the nursing workforce be baccalaureate prepared because patient outcomes are improved when nurses have advanced degrees. Following the IOM report, Washington was among 10 states provided grant funding to develop this new model that will streamline advancement from associate’s degrees to bachelor’s degree for nursing graduates.

“The change saves time and money for nursing graduates because it simplifies the pathway to a BSN degree,” says Annette Flanders, WCC’s nursing program director. “Two-year nursing programs remain a critical part of nursing education because access to four-year programs is limited. The DTA helps students and patients because it ensures access to quality education and a sufficient workforce of well-trained and ready RNs.” Flanders was a leader in the statewide effort to establish the uniform credit requirements.

For more information regarding either program, please schedule an appointment with a WCC advisor, 360-383-3080, advise@whatcom.ctc.edu.

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