Hood to Coast 2007 - We made it!!!

Hood to Coast is a 197 mile relay race from Mt. Hood to Seaside, OR. Each team consists of 12 runners who run 3 legs ranging in distance from 3.5 miles to 7.5 miles. Our team took 27 hours to complete the relay, the winning team completed it in 17 hours.

Tim has done H2C seven times, Kathleen has done it four times, and this was my sixth time. We all agreed that this year was the best one.

Here are some photos of H2C 2007. Kathleen also took some photos, which she has posted to her blog.

A very nervous Kathleen and Resa getting ready to leave for H2C.
Ellis took this picture of us, that is way we are looking down. Brock and the girls dropped Kathleen off at our house on Friday morning.
This is a photo of our team, minus 3 runners. They met up with us later. From left to right; bottom row: Nancy, Scott, Kathleen, John, Resa - Back row: Tim T, Tim D, Carolyn.
Nancy, Scott and John flew out from Ohio. Nancy and Scott are married. Carolyn is Tim D's daughter. Tim D and John organized the event for our team, which is a lot of work!!
John, Tim D and Ken doing a little dance up at the mountain. Ken was our first runner. He started (at 3pm) at Timberline Lodge and ran down the mountain to Government Camp and handed off to Timmy T.
Katleen, Resa, Tim (and Ken in the back)

Ken at the starting line. The race officially starts at 7:30 am then every 15 minutes a group takes off. You are given your start time a few weeks before the race, our start time was 3pm. The last group to start is the elite runners. They start around 7pm and pass all the other teams and finish first. The race is limited to 1,000 teams (12,000 runners).
Ken is in there somewhere, this was right at the start.
Ken passing off to Tim.
Tim finishing up his fist leg and getting ready to pass off to Kathleen.
Tim passing off to K.
Tim was nice enough to get a picture of me coming out of the "Honey Bucket". This was right before my first leg, which was the hardest of my 3 legs, I was very nervous.
Kathleen passing off to Resa. After my first leg, I passed off to our Fearless leader Tim D.
Tim D passing off to his daughter, Carolyn.
Kathleen giving water to Carolyn.

After we (Van 1) completed our first set of legs, 1-6, we passed the baton to Van 2 in Sandy,OR. Van 2 runners ran from Sandy to Portland. While Van 2 was on the road, we went to Tim D's house for dinner, showers and a little shut eye. I think we slept for about 45 minutes before we were up and getting ready to head off to meet Van 2 for our second round of legs.


Ken getting ready to run his second leg. Ken's second leg started downtown Portland under the Hawthorne bridge and ended on Front street in the industrial area. Ken started his second leg around 12:30 am. We (Van 1) ended our second set of legs around 4:30 am.

After we passed off to Van 2, we drove to St. Helens High School for showers and pancakes. Then we drove to the next exchange point in Mist, OR. to wait for Van 2. As you can see from the photos below, the girls decided to get some shut eye in the van, and again, Tim was nice enough to take some photos.

Resa
Kathleen
Carolyn
Van 1 runners (Timmy T is taking the picture) at Mist waiting for Van 2.
After our 3rd set of legs, we passed off to Van 2 and headed off to Seaside to wait for them to finish. We were all very tired, hungry, and dirty. The battery in my camera was low so I was unable to get photos of our second and third legs.

We were projected to finish at 8pm, but we shaved an 1 1/2 hours off our time, and finished in Seaside at 6:30 pm.


Van 1 runners enjoying pizza and beer in Seaside while waiting for Van 2.
Kathleen, Tim and Resa
Our entire team at the beach enjoying a beer.

Another Hood to Coast completed, Yeah!! I had a lot of fun this year. It was great to have my sister and husband in the same Van to share in the H2C experience--teamwork, pride in completing your legs, sleep deprivation, getting to the exchange on time to meet the next runner, Honey Buckets, power bars, gummy bears...

Ellis is 7!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Ellis!!!!!

Ellis celebrated her b-day with several friends and family. Ellis decided to have a pool party on her special day. The forecast was touch and go all week but in the end the rain held off for Ellis. The kids spent an hour in the pool then it was off to eat pizza and cake and play in the park. After the pizza and cake, Ellis opened her gifts then all the kids took turns hitting the pinata.

Ellis, her friends and her cousins, Emma and Reed.
The B-Day cake (it is a pool) Kathleen baked the cake and Brock decorated it.
party bags
Ellis with her friend Maya
The kids enjoying the fun stuff in the party bags
Kiley and her friend running to join the party
Ellis
Kiley
Kiley having fun on the swing.
Ellis planning something with her friend
Ellis opening her gifts, with help from her friends
The Pinata
Ellis's cousin, Emma, gave her the orange headband and her other cousin Reed gave her the stuffed animal.
Ellis playing in the park with her friends

After the party, The Lowers and Auntie Resa went back to Ellis's house to open more gifts!!

Mom and Dad (K & Brock) gave Ellis an American Girl Doll, her name is Kaya
Grandma & Grandpa Gamboa gave Ellis Kaya's horse, Steps High
Auntie Resa and Uncle Tim gave her Kaya's dog, Tatlo

Enchanted Day

Yesterday, Kiley called and invited me to the Enchanted Forest (kids theme park), how could I refuse. Kiley, with help from her mother, picked me up this morning and we were off for an enchanted day. Brock and Ellis are off on a Father/Daughter camping trip this weekend so they were unable to join us.Kiley with her new sunglasses

Kiley on the enchanted train


Kiley and Mommy
Kiley and Auntie Resa in Western Town.
Mommy and Kiley waiting for the show to start. We watched the show for about 5 minutes, it was not very good and it scared Kiley (and Auntie Resa).
Mommy and Kiley going down The Lady in the Shoe Slide
Auntie Resa and Kiley on the slide

Family Beach Trip

Here are some photos from the second annual Gamboa Pacific City Family Reunion. I did not take that many photos but Dad took a ton and I am sure he will be posting them to his page soon.

Ellis and Liam
Clay and Zeba

Kathleen and Marie
K, Brock, Tonia, Bobby, Tim and Marie

Ellis
Kiley


Tim after a morning of surfing.

August Referrals

August Referrals arrived yesterday. Everyone with a LID before Nov 21, 2005 has been match with their child. The CCAA did 7 days worth of referrals in July.

Goodbye to Fly, our good boy

Fly Tyvand
September 1996-July 6, 2007

Fly was born at the Mike Fynmore Kennel in West Virginia in September 1996. He spent the first 3+ years of his life as a professional greyhound racer in Wheeling Downs, WV and Hollywood, FL. After finishing his racing career, he relocated to the beautiful Northwest and took up full-time residency with the Greyhound Pets of America, a local adoption agency.

Fly was adopted into the loving home of Resa Gamboa in January 2001, he was a Christmas gift from Resa's sister Kathleen. As a retired racer, his pet skills were limited at best. He preferred the sofa to his dog bed and anything his parents were eating to his dog food. He did not know where or when to go to the bathroom or how to negotiate the stairs. All he knew was that he loved being retired and he especially loved spending time with Resa. Whenever Resa would leave the house, Fly would cry at the top of his lungs until she returned. It took several months for Fly to overcome his separation anxiety. Fly was very happy when Tim moved in with Resa and became a permanent member of the family, even though that meant he no longer could sleep in the bed with Resa.

Fly had a calm, peaceful spirit, and loved everyone he met. He enjoyed sleeping, running around the backyard, spending time at the beach, eating human food, jumping up on the bed, visiting his friends at Mt. Scott Animal Clinic, and playing with his good buddies: Clay, Zeba, Shiloh, and Shadow.

Fly was diagnosed with bone cancer on June 13, 2007. The last few weeks of his life were spent sleeping next to his parents, lying outside in the sun, and eating a diet fit for a king. He requested a 10 oz. New York Strip Steak for his last meal.

In his short but rich life he gave his parents more love, joy and companionship than they could have ever hoped for. His parents will be eternally grateful for all the great memories he gave them during his life. Fly will be missed by all who knew him.

This was Fly's favorite place to hang out
A rare picture of Fly standing up

This was Fly in his last days, as you can see, we made him a nice bed to sleep on.
This was Fly doped up on drugs.
Enjoying the sun
This was Fly on his last day with us. He loved lying in the sun.