Kaleb Turns 2

Kaleb turns 2!!!

I know I am late putting this on, but life is a bit crazy and there are not enough hours in a day.

Erik Sears Clan Hits Portland

Erik, Jenn, Noah and Kaleb visited us yesterday along with Steve and Val. We were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the elephants at the Portland Zoo and even fed a little elephant! Connor and Noah got along famously, alternating between quiet scheming to full-speed, spider-smashing, maniacal, bon vivant boyhood! :-)

Below, Connor, Kaleb and Noah explore the Northwest waterways full of trout, salmon and sturgeon.  I'm confident the sturgeon was longer than Kaleb!

Here's an intrepid Connor petting the elephant. IT took apples and carrots out of his hand. WHen she dropped the food, she'd pick it up and then place it gently back in Connor's hand, then take it again. Connor was thrilled!

Later, the tired troops trekked back to my casa for some R&R and homemade blueberry ice cream. We had a fabulous time!

Love,

Clark

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Alex and Rachel! Rachel's defiant/ mischevious grin reminds me of "sweekets" - she'd tell me she had a secret, get clsoe to my ear and then snort little blasts of air out her nose!!

Rachel is now 14 and will be starting her fist year in high school at KW!

Happy Birthday!!! :-)

Love,
Dad

Noah and Kaleb in the Rain

Hello everyone

So it does rain in AZ just not very often, so when it does we all have to take advantage of it. Believe it or not this is the first time that Kaleb has played in the rain. Life for kids is so different here in AZ.

Clark and Lisa in Central Oregon

Earlier in the summer, Lisa and I took a trip to Sunriver, Oregon, located near the Cascade range and its numerous volcanoes - Mt Bachelor being the most visible in this shot. We had just finished our run along the Deschuttes River when we hiked the Newman Crater, thus the fabulous running gear! Years ago, probably 1973ish, Mom, Jeff, Mari and I visited this exact spot when we visited the Jacquith clan in  Corvallis one summer...

After a long run, we relaxed at the rented "cabin" in Sunriver below, rode bikes, hit the driving range and generally decompressed from the Helvetia. All this over the 4th of July weekend. It was from here that I posted the blog on the LA Times accepting my Neo Declaration for its blog :-)  

Being a runner, Lisa has been my muse and inspiration for, among a multitude of shared experiences, Helvetia Half Marathon and now the Portland Marathon! She has a lovely daughter, Emily, who is 12 and loves to bowl. Photos from our bowling extravaganza with Emily, Alex, Rachel and Connor can be found in my June post :-)

Love, Clark

First Half Marathon for Clarkbar

Ever the maven of sports style, my black gloves are meant to intimidate other runners to move out of the way. In my left hand, I clutch a combination of sugar, glue and plutonium for energy, known as Gu, a man-made element with an atomic weight of 01:56:00 - boo ya!

As you may have guessed, the race bib and hydration system (bright yellowish pods of delight) indicate a run, which in this case was the Helvetia Half Marathon, my very first! And, in case your chemistry is a little rusty, the atomic weight should not have colons, semi-colons or resemble lottery numbers. It is, in fact, my finishing time, beating my personal goal of 2 hours.

Next up is the Portland Marathon on October 5. I'm hearing rumors from cactus land that The Rock-n-Roll Marathon will see Bill doing the full marathon and Erik doing the half. Hmmmmm, some mossy-footed folks might want to join!  

Love, Clark

Clark in Munich

Ja, Ich bin Meunchener mit grossen Biersteinenmeinhands!

Another blog another city. I have a new deal going in Germany, which tends to make one very thirsty! 

For my marathon training, I hit the famous English Gardens...in Munich...Germany...um...yeah!

Tschuss und Gruss Gott,

Clark

Clark in Beijing

That's right, I've made the Olympic team for extreme paperclip construction, specializing in hamster bridges and fencing for free-range chickens...

Seriously, Intel sent me to help close a deal with a computer company and the government. While I did try duck tongue and other delicacies, my iron stomach gave way to Mao's revenge the last day! 

We didn't have time for sightseeing, except a quick trek to Tiannamen Square and the Forbidden CIty (above). Below, a very oriental=looking Starbucks. I'm pleased to say I didn't buy anything there!

Boston Visitors to San Francisco

Mari and Jazz visited me for a 4-day weekend. We discovered our respective attention spans at art museums are extremely compatible: tickets, in, view, bookstore, restroom, out, arrive at parked car in about 43 minutes. They walked from my house down to the Embarcadero, Fisherman's Wharf and back while I was at work. It wore Jazz out so much (flip-flops all the way), I think she was only able to stay up to about 2 or 3 am the following morning watching movies. Mari kept begging me to take them up and down hills in my all-wheel-drive car at full speed to recreate scenes from the movies, but I declined.