When I am not working I enjoy working.

What? 

I love to teach wilderness medicine on my days off which means I am teaching when I am not working. I teach wilderness medicine for Remote Medical International (RMI), a dynamic Seattle based company providing remote medical and rescue services anywhere in the world.  I am passionate about teaching wilderness medicine and love teaching for RMI.  Anybody who plays or works outdoors (or even indoors) should consider getting some training in wilderness first aid. (More on that to come).

This weekend I taught a Wilderness First Aid class at the Seattle Mountaineers in Magnuson Park.  Our hotel was located six hilly miles away from Magnuson Park which gave me the opportunity to pretend to be a Seattle-ite and bike commute to work. 

The perfect travel mug

Jay joined me for my commute even though it was butt early Saturday morning. After an obligatory fueling and feeding at the Starbucks conveniently located directly across from the hotel, we dropped down 110^th street down to the Burke Gilman trail which took us almost to the front door step of the classroom.  Having little time to enjoy my tea, I purchased the perfect hot drink cup that fits nicely in my water bottle cage.  Now I can take my tea on the road!  I almost bought a double walled stainless steel bike bottle from REI – but prefer the easy access to my tea which my new perfect stainless steel, double walled mug provides.  

 The commute was not long but the city streets parts of it were definitely hilly and other

Matthews Beach Park

sections, not so much. The Burke Gilman trail is a very well maintained 24 mile multi-use path that is mostly flat.  The trail follows the water’s edge from Kenmore around Pontiac bay through old Ballard and ending at North Beach/Blue ridge. Access is easy – as the trail crosses many city roads. There are several parks that have direct access from the BG trail.  If I lived and worked anywhere in the vicinity of the Burke Gilman trail I would bike/walk commute every day!

 Teaching a WFA is a rewarding and physically demanding day. I always feel invigorated after a full day of teaching and the bike commute home on a somewhat rare sunny day in Seattle was the perfect way to finish. Jay ended up riding up and down the Seattle hills four times on Saturday. He met me at the end of the day and we rode back to the hotel together. I decided that I wanted to extend our ride a bit (it was sooooo beautiful) and we ended up adding some serious hills to our already hilly ride!

The hill up ahead...the picture does not capture the 16% incline.

Seattle is a beautiful place to ride a bike- definitely bike commuter friendly.  My new tea mug worked fantastically as the tea was still hot upon arrival at Magnuson on Saturday morning. Sometimes it is the little details that makes us happy.

The Burke Gilman Trail