Brian O'Dell

Free Clamshell canopy project. So yeah, life gets in the way of execution sometimes. I have collected 70-80% of the material required to make a full size standard bed pickup clamshell canopy camper. Think pop top on a VW Westy. I have; 1. Regular standard bed canopy, pewter color missing 2 of the 3 front windows. 2. The roof to a similar sized/color canopy. 3. Mechanism to a VW pop top. 4. All the thermal insulation you could ever need. 5. Heatsource HS 2000 propane heater. (Make me an offer on the heater. If you follow through on the project I'll be uber reasonable. They go for 800 new on the web) All you'll need is some rubber seal for the exterior roof or lid. Make or buy a VW westy tent. Make a supporting frame so you can sleep on the roof of the whole canopy. And replace the missing windows, should be cheap of you use plexiglas. All or nothing deal except the heater if you don't want it. Can deliver anywhere in Sno, King Pierce, and maybe the OP if you ask nicely. I included the picture of the Tacoma for design reference only. Let me know if you're interested via PM. Cheers

Winning essay posted with author's permission. Blame formatting issues on being copy and pasted. My name is Niles and I am twenty-six years old. I call myself an avid outdoorsman since I love to run, ski, and climb and spend more than twenty hours per week doing it. I currently live in Wenatchee Washington, and get around using my Trek 1.2 road bike. I just returned from skiing in Colorado for the season and moved back home in April to work towards a degree in nursing. As a nursing student, my daily life is currently filled with learning muscles, tutoring math to pay the bills, and running local trails. I use the weekends as my escape and whether it’s running near Mount Si in North Bend, the Enchantments in Leavenworth, or skiing the Birthday Tour in the North Cascades I find that this is a crucial time to escape the city and switch gears and explore. Mountains, trails, and movement allow me to fuel a passion for competition. I spend summers training for trail marathons and spend every weekend in the mountains. Some of my objectives this year are to compete in eight trail marathons around the Pacific Northwest and Canada, and complete climbing objectives like Bonanza Peak, the Forbidden-Torment Traverse, the Ptarmigan Traverse, and setting a fast time up and down Mount Rainier. During the past two winters I moved to Colorado to learn to ski and compete in ski-mountaineering races such as the Grand Traverse. This fuel for competition serves as a healthy outlet for exploration and helps me set goals and stay fit. After spending the past two years in Colorado I decided to move back to my roots in Washington. Although I have degrees in science from Gonzaga, my Dad the nurse always encouraged me to go into nursing. “Nursing is flexible” he would say, or “I’ve never had trouble finding a job.” Well, I finally listened. Nursing would allow me the flexibility to work three to four days a week and spend time fueling my passions outdoors. At Wenatchee Valley College, I’m looking at finishing in two years and starting a career that will provide financial stability and opportunity. This brings me to my final point. I sold my car before leaving Colorado to pursue a career in nursing, and as a result, I don’t have the same opportunities I had before to visit the mountains. There are many benefits to getting around on a bicycle. You get some well-needed exercise. You get to look sharp wheeling around in white scrubs. You reduce your carbon footprint and overall impact on the roads. However, there are also cons. Skiing becomes easier when you don’t have to strap them on your bike and ride up the mountain, and riding takes more time and hence can be inefficient if your objective lies miles away. With a car, I would use it as a medium for exploration on the weekends. With a car I could drive down to Adams to ski on a Saturday, and drive up to Whistler this September to run a thirty-five mile trail race.

Last day for submissions!

No cruise control

Free 1993 Honda Civic VX Red Hatchback 5 speed manual 285k miles Carfax report provided Gets between 40-50 mpg, depends on how fast you drive ; ) Light body damage and clear coat gone on top Comes with winter and summer tires on rims and chains Thule roof rack and ski rack if you want it The car has a little bit of life left in it. Runs strong, timing belt, oil change, various other maintenance recently finished. But let’s be honest it’s 26 years old and has 285k on it. It’s due for retirement. I could just send it to the junk yard or sell it on Craigslist. Or I could give it to you. Somebody out there needs a high mpg semi-disposable car to complete their bucket list western state climbing trip. Want to ski every resort in Colorado? Thinking about fly fishing all summer in Montana? Want to drive to Alaska one way? Here’s your chance. Rules -500-1000 word essay on what you want to use the car for. Essays should focus on your trip, activity, sport, etc. and its importance in your life. -Whichever group you find the ad in will possibly post your essay. -You meet me at a DOL convenient for both of us and complete the transfer paperwork and registration on site. -Send a pic of you and the car on your trip to post on the site/page -No kids in the car! It was made before side impact pillars and side impact airbags. It’s safe, but not a daily driver with a baby in back safe. I thought about making it available to single individuals only but I’ll trust the judgment of parents who want to use the car for themselves. -Have fun Judges include former local print and radio journalists so the contest will be as fair as I can make it. Pm me your essay. Request entries by May 21st. Cheers