Heading to the original 'Couve

After just one day of R&R at home, we are back out on the road to put the wraps on our nearly 10,000 mile four-match trip. Per our normal Vancouver routine, we are on a Raz bus with our regular Northwest coach captain Vern, an older chap well north of 60 who occasionally drives by Braille, utilizing the turtle bumps on I-5 to guide him. It's not as big of a deal this time of day, but it can become rather nerve wracking on late night/early morning rides back home.

Yesterday was the Timbers' monthly day to utilize the Nike Employee Store, so the lads are all geared up with new duds, shoes and eyewear. It's hard to beat a 49% discount, especially for most of the young guys scraping by on nothing but their USL First Division contracts. Hurley (now owned by Nike) seems to be the most popular stuff among the squad. I grabbed a pair of "The Producer" shades, definitely an impulse buy. I guess they are the kind of sunglasses you wear if you're a Hollywood exec. If we had stopped in Tacoma, I would have picked up a mullet wig and could have been all set for Halloween.

We made a pit stop just south of Tukwilla so the boys could stretch their legs and Vern could have a smoke. I assume that we will plow through to the border from here.



A couple hours later... We made it past the border without incident. One time last year, Vern pulled away before being authorized to leave and set off sirens and flashing lights while customs agents chased the bus on foot. The border crossings are always interesting when traveling with the green card crew and Fadi, who's passport is from a country our president included in the Axis of Evil.

The team is scheduled to have a training session after we check in at the hotel, and then it's off to earls for some outstanding Canadian cuisine.