Pemco in the Northwest

Will Seattle have the chance to host the World Cup some day? It was the talk of the town at this week's Sounders FC match. Will I-5 traffic come to a standstill with so many football fans in the Northwest? Will the new light rail be completed in time? Where will our international guests stay? What if it rains? Do we have that many blue tarps?

There are a lot questions to address before that happens but one thing is for sure - Sounders FC fans are already World Cup worthy.

On Thursday, Sounders FC fans gave their full 90 right up to the World Cup break as our local lads took on D.C. United at Qwest Field. Safely anchored to our big green WALLY1 van, Danielle, Peter and I snapped souvenir photos as World Cup fervor swept "I Know I Am, I'm Sure I Am Sounders FC Fans" into Qwest Field for the last chance to cheer for the team until July 11. They made the most of it as the roaring blue and green roused spectacular back-to-back goals in the last minutes of the game.

Check out these photos of Sounders FC fans who came to see us before settling in for a month of flag-waving, DVR-programming, caffeine-drinking World Cup fun:

Meet four generations of the most dedicated Sounders fans around: great-grandmother, Patricia; grandmother, Dixie; daughter, Ryan; and her niece, Divinity. Not a match goes by without this spirited quadruplet in attendance and they have the photos to prove it!

Fanatical facial hair will always have a place at Sounders matches. Here's Don with a look that's been four years in the making.

Caffeine can be a Sounders FC fan's best friend!

Keep Old Glory looking its best and brightest for the World Cup by stopping by PEMCO's main Seattle office this Monday, June 14, for our Flag Day Ceremony and free flag exchange with the American Legion Post 1. Go USA!

It requires mental fortitude, physical stamina, group cohesion, and most importantly a clever team name.

For over 40 years the Ski to Sea relay has been sending "NW Male and Female Action Figures" scrambling 90 miles from the slopes of Mt. Baker to the Puget Sound. Through mud, snow, rivers and winding mountain roads, the scenic route showcases the diverse assembly of recreational activities in the Northwest. This past Sunday, Peter, Danielle and I drove the WALLY1 van to the village of Fairhaven on the edge of Bellingham Bay to celebrate the finish of the epic race at Marine Park

Throughout the afternoon, neoprene racers, doing their best to represent the accumulated exhaustion of their teammates, beached their kayaks and sprinted up the shore to ring the finish bell. We had a chance to meet a few of the ruddy-cheeked adventurers, like Anna and Brad, who stopped for a photo at our Northwest Profiles Photo Program. Anna roped Brad into paddling the kayak section for their team, The Hustle, just two days prior. "He was the only one with kayaking experience," Anna said. "Yeah, but I've only kayaked twice," Brad quipped.

With team names like Nooksackulous, Grub's Pain Brigade, and Solar Powered Chainsaw, the distinctive flair of the Northwest was on full display at Ski to Sea.

See for yourself in our favorite photos from the event:

Craig, from Tri-Cities, wants to start the Ski to Sea's first recumbent bike leg.

"There's just enough mud on the course to make you look good. It only takes a little," says Rob from team Nitro Paced.

Tom, Captain of team Grub's Pain Brigade, had this to say about group cohesion: "Just make sure you're not in the bathroom when the other guy shows up."

Anna, posing with Brad, braved a pack of 464 cross-country skiers in the crowded race start. Yikes, that's 928 ski poles!

Relentless recyclers lent their artistic vision to one-of-a-kind trophies made from recycled sports equipment. The trophies were given to the top finishers in each leg of the race.

Look for us next on June 4th as we join Stan McNaughton, President and CEO of PEMCO Insurance, at Relay for Life in Arlington.

Waterproof rain-booties? Check. Panniers and padded spandex? Check. Miles of heart-pumping cardio ahead? Check. Leave the lattes to the I-5 crowd; these commuters wakeup with a cup of Burke Gilman Trail!

Washington was just named the most bicycle-friendly state in the country, and on Friday the devoted community that made it possible hit the road for Bike to Work Day 2010. With commitment shining in their highlighter yellow vests, families, professionals and the mayor himself, pedaled through Seattle streets during the culminating event of Bike Month.

Peter and I met these wheeled enthusiasts at the Fremont Bike to Work Commute Station, where riders visiting the PEMCO booth were able to get their photograph on a cyclist emergency ID card. During their brief stop, commuters shared with us the joys and hazards of human powered travel. Les, a Ballard resident, shared with us a practical benefit of cycling. "It makes you more aware of things close by," he says, "It's even improved my defensive driving."

We even met an inspiring "NW Male Action Figure" from Sand Point named Bob. He has been pedaling 12-miles to work for 25 years, even after celebrating his 71st birthday. With a shrug he commented, "I used to run my morning commute to get in shape for marathons. Biking is easier on my joints these days."

Bob and his wife, Evette, truly enjoy their morning commute.

"Many feet make light work" is the motto of these mother-daughter duos.

There is an old adage that says, "Kindness begets kindness." Judging from the friendly faces we met on Bike to Work Day 2010, Washington's bicycle-friendly status is here to stay.

In a fight for Northwest food cart supremacy, it's the hungry crowd that wins. Brad and I were with the WALLY1 van in Seattle's SODO district Saturday for some mouthwatering cuisine at the 3rd Annual Mobile Chowdown. The culinary "showdown" pitted local Seattle favorites like Marination Mobile and Skillet Street Food against their Portland rivals in a battle for NW palettes. The sizzling aroma had us salivating alongside Belltown Regional Fare Uber-Foodies all afternoon.

Long lines were a breeze while mingling with folks like Ivan and Willis, a couple of Seattleites who jumped at the chance to visit all their favorite food spots in one place. Ivan remarked, "With all the exotic options around I feel a little guilty eating fries and a Skillet slider." But he added, "They're just really good fries!"

A more adventurous trio of Uber-Foodies were Stephen, Mackenzie and Stacy who were at the Chowdown celebrating Mackenzie's birthday with Kaluah pork sliders and Hawaiian-Korean kalbi tacos from West Seattle's Marination Mobile.  When queried about their interesting food combination, Stephen remarked, "Well, the other option was SPAM!"  We think you made the right choice, Stephen.

Our most tasteful photos of the day:

Ivan and Willis enjoy sliders and fries from Skillet Street Food

Kaluah pork sliders and Hawaiian-Korean kalbi tacos from Marination Mobile. Yum!

Birthday girl Mackenzie is hands-down the Belltown Uber-Foodie of the Year

Patrick and Annette with fries covered in poutine (brown gravy) and cheese curds from Portland's Spudnik the Potato Champion.

Matt with a giant slice of wood fired pizza from Veraci Pizza

Catch us this Wednesday as we head to Seattle Center for a special St. Patrick's Day Celebration hosted by the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle. We can't wait - green happens to be just our color!

Nothing gets those creative juices flowing like a little exercise and hundreds of free showings by renowned artists right here in the Seattle area. Yesterday, Peter and I were inspired to join fellow Art Gallery Crawlers for the First Thursday art walk in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood. Powered up on cheese plates and hors d'oeuvres, we pounded the pavement exploring every booth and gallery this thirty-year fixture in Seattle's art community has to offer.

We loved exploring the intimate workspaces of the 619 Yesler Art Building and hearing firsthand the inspirations and insights of the artists. Painting and sculpture weren't the only examples of stunning local talent on display. During our stroll we were treated to elegant tango demonstrations near Occidental Park and live performances at a former grunge hotspot, O.K. Hotel. Along the way we met Rachel, a Seattle Art Institute student and academic Art Gallery Crawler. "This is actually homework for me, but it's great getting to explore Seattle's rich art scene with my friends at the same time." We can see why they're so eager to come along, Rachel!

Here are a few of our favorite shots from the art walk:

    Nadira, Rachel and Danielle enjoy the evening of art

Little Ian finds out art can be interactive!

One of our favorite pieces of the night titled "Octofly"

Painter/Sculpter Mark Berry from Ellensburg poses next to some of his work

Art not your forte? Then be sure to check us out at the Sounders Community Shield match next Thursday at Qwest Field. See you there!

Power-walking, skating, paddling, or pushing, we love the unique ways Seattleites cruise the 3.5 mile loop that circles Green Lake. This Wednesday Peter, Brad and I came up with a workout of our own – one that we hope made Green Lake a little bit greener. Brooms in hand, we set out on a curling-inspired stroll to remove stray gravel and debris from the paved walking path circling the picturesque lake.


While we took turns sweeping away the crunchy hazards, we used the opportunity to gather more than 30 pounds of trash from the lakeside! Hopefully our handiwork prevented a few scraped knees and left the loop a little greener than we found it.

Take a look at some of our odd finds of the day:

Here in the Northwest, we like our minds clear even if the weather isn't. And what better way to lift the mental fog of the a.m. commute than with some early-morning coffee?

This Tuesday we thought Metro-bound Eastsiders deserved a little caffeine buzz to get a jump start on the morning ride. Brad, Peter and I were at the South Bellevue Park and Ride from 7-9 a.m. with fresh coffee and the WALLY1 Wi-Fi Hotspot on hand. The drizzly morning weather was no match for our wireless high-pressure system as commuters checked online schedules and prepared for the day.

Here are a few snapshots from the morning's coffee-filled commute:


Didn't get your free cup of coffee? No worries - Just keep an eye out for us on your way to work or follow us on Twitter at @PEMCO_NW for updates on when we'll be stopping by a transit hub near you!

Smiling, mud-speckled "NW Action Figures" were out in spades Saturday, pedaling their way through the Stinky Weather "Stinky Spoke" Poker Ride in Woodinville, WA. Peter and I were on the scene with the WALLY1 van and the NW Profiles Photo Program helping out with the fun, dealing cards and taking pictures of rosy-cheeked poker faces.

The weather was uncooperatively pleasant for the third annual event, which is intentionally scheduled to land on the crummiest day of the year. Light rain and sun seemed to be all Mother Nature could muster up for the "stinky" weather ride, which leads bikers between checkpoints where they gather playing cards in hopes of having a good enough hand at the end to win a prize.

Undeterred by the mild conditions, Shannon and Dave came out to ride, despite being one bike short. Fortunately, they won the auction to ride the popular "Stinky Pinky" beach cruiser. "We took turns. It was a lot of fun," Shannon said.

We snagged a few of the riders to share their favorite parts of the 16-mile race:





Wayne from Redmond couldn't help but look his best for the muddy ride. We asked him if he'd be wearing his trophy splatters to work on Monday. "No, I don't think so!" he said.

Brian and Jennifer brought their 21 month-old son, Connor, along for the ride:
Sue, Pam, Sherrie and Rhonda posed for a moment on the "Stinky Pinky" beach cruiser:


Mike, an enthusiastic Stinky Spoke participant, managed to take a whirl on the bike he's owned since he was six years old!

The Stinky Spoke winning hand was a straight flush, but we're willing to bet everyone went home feeling like a winner. Until next time, drop us a note about your favorite Stinky Spoke moment, and be sure to keep an eye out for WALLY1 and the Fiercely Northwest Wi-Fi Hotspot in your neighborhood!

Holiday revelers of all ages flocked to Lynnwood Tuesday night to enjoy the annual holiday "Lynnwood Lights" celebration filled with concerts, games and Christmas attractions at the Lynnwood Convention Center. From dangling mistletoe to festive carolers to delicious candy canes, Bradley and I enjoyed the sights and sounds of the season with WALLY1 and the PEMCO Prize Wheel.

Hundreds of families lined up for photos with the North Pole's biggest celebrity couple, Mr. and Mrs. Claus, while helpful herds of reindeer and elf volunteers guided families between the numerous holiday activities and performances filling the Convention Center.  In case you missed it, we've compiled a list of our Top Five Most Entertaining Attractions at the Lynnwood Lights:

1.Musical bell ringers from Meadowdale Middle School
2. Traditional Korean Drumming and Dancing
3. Nintendo Wii Skiing
4. Community Transit's never-out-of-character Oxy Gene "Clean Air Defender"
5. Lynnwood Community Orchestra

We even spotted a couple of Meadowdale High School elves treating passersby to a bit of caroling as they handed out programs outside the North Pole Room:


Even the Lynnwood Police came out for the festivities! They were on hand with police vehicle tours and Christmas lights of a different sort:


Magic was in the air with a special holiday performance by "Magic Rich":


The Lynnwood Lights celebration may be over, but the holiday season is just getting started! Come join us this Sunday in Touchdown City as the Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers. We can't wait to see all our favorite "Supercharged Seahawks Fans" filled with holiday Seahawk spirit. One thing's for sure -- it won't be a silent night!

Never mind the cold weather, on Thursday night Qwest Field was blazing hot with Sounders fever. Caity, Elise, and I braved the cold along with 35,807 fans to cheer on the Sounders as they took on the Houston Dynamos in the conference semifinals of the MLS playoffs.

Spooky night-shots were the name of the game at the PEMCO photo booth where "I know I am, I'm Sure I am" Sounders FC Fans lined up to get their souvenir photo snapped for what could be the Sounders last home game of the season.

The Freeman Family from Sammamish pulled their two lucky girls out of school early to snap a family photo before heading into the match:


This father-son-super-lucho-duo is looking fierce in their seasonally appropriate Sounders masks.


And there's no hiding the Sounders love in these heart shaped scarves.


It's been an awesome season and we're so glad to be surfing with the Sound Wave into the playoffs. When the Sounders are back at Qwest Field (which we're sure will be soon), we'll be in the North Lot before you can say "home field advantage." Until then you can find us next at the Seahawks vs. Lions game in Touchdown City on Nov. 8.

There's more to "Supercharged Seahawk Fans" than just polyester Mohawks, sweat-proof face paint and custom jersey monikers—there's a thing called unbridled enthusiasm, and boy did it show this Sunday at Quest Field.

Brad and I spent Sunday morning at Qwest Field's Touchdown City taking photos of die-hard Seahawks fans before the 'Hawks took on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Supercharged fans with larger-than-life personalities lined up to get their pictures snapped and enter PEMCO's "Supercharged Seahawks Fan" photo contest. Each week's contest winner has their extreme fandom displayed on the PEMCO Web site and on HawkVision at the following Seahawks home game.  

With all the crazy fan outfits that we see at the PEMCO booth on game day, it's sometimes easy to forget that behind the blue hockey masks and lime green hairdos are regular people. People like Wayne, who brought his 3-year-old grandson to his first Seahawks game, or couples like Jeff and DeDe, for whom the games are a weekly ritual. Trying to imagine these super-fans as their plain-clothed alter egos got us thinking about what other superheroes the Seahawks should recruit to join their team.  Check out these fans' creative answers:

PEMCO Brand Ambassadors (PBAs): If the Seahawks could recruit any superhero, who would it be and why?








Speaking of superheroes, the WALLY1 van and the PEMCO Brand Ambassadors will be working to save lives this Friday, Oct. 16 at the Children's Hospital Bike Helmet Fitting. You can do your part to support this great cause by voting for the best fan photo at www.werealotlikeyou.com. Every vote you cast means another dollar donated to Children's Hospital by PEMCO Insurance. See you there!

Did you know that you can purchase insurance for a chainsaw? It's not as far-fetched as it sounds after spending the weekend in Northwest timber country!

Woodcarving, forestry and monstrous saws were all part of the fun at the Old Mill Days in Port Gamble, WA where Peter, WALLY1 and I spent the weekend.  We had front row seats to all of the festival activities – from the famous Hot Saw competition where skilled chainsaw artists sculpted lifelike figures out of wood, to the lumberjack show where lumberjacks and "lumberjills" put their strength to the test in log rolling, springboard chopping and open axe throwing competitions.

The PEMCO prize wheel was set up next to the buzzing woodcarving arena where the crowd cheered on the "Cunning Rogues" and "Wolf Pack" carving teams as they brought plain logs to life. Right before our eyes, eagles, bears and even a deep-sea diver came alive as the woodcarvers sawed away at their cedar stumps. Their chainsaws, powered by souped up truck engines, can chew through 2-foot logs in less than one second!

Also present for the good-natured competition was the ever-jovial Mr. Steve Backus, your official PEMCO Northwest Profile #16 "Roadside Chainsaw Woodcarver" himself. Steve comes from a long line of woodcarvers and has been carving for more than 30 years. "It's what I love," he says.

We'd like to send a special thanks out to carver Martin Smith who did a great job sprucing up the PEMCO bears – with their new carve job, they look as new as the day we got them!

Here are our top five highlights from the event:

1.  Peppy, the Jack Russell Terrier, fetching whole log rounds and rolling them back to his
     master.
2.  A two-man chainsaw powered by a V-8 engine from a Buick!
3.  A woodcarving of a raccoon that almost crossed the road.
4.  Two woodsmen dueling to be the last one standing on a wildly floating, rolling log.
5.  The sleeping little boy whose Radio-flyer wagon was outfitted into a bed on wheels. 

See how many of these you can spot in our highlight video from the trip below:

It takes more than a little game-day drizzle to put out the fire of Sounders FC fans! This Saturday the Sounders took on Chivas USA, and as the rain poured down, the fans poured into Qwest Field to enjoy one of the last home games of the season.

While Brad and Peter brought WALLY1 to get a taste of the harvest in Wenatchee, Caity and I joined by a few other PEMCO friends, were busy at the PEMCO photo booth snapping pictures of all the fans who braved the gray clouds and drizzle to cheer on their Sounders.

Seattle fans, still buzzing from the Sounders' US Open Cup win, couldn't wait to show us how proud they are of their team. We loved seeing the creative tributes they brought by the booth for a PEMCO photo. 

These fans created a "Sounders Silverware" banner to commemorate the occasion:



Stephanie, a frequent visitor at the PEMCO booth, was so thrilled with the win she spent 10 hours making this papier-mâché and Styrofoam U.S. Open Cup tribute - that's dedication!


And on the topic of Sounders dedication, we met one family who arrived at Qwest Field after a 12-hour train ride from Boulder, MT. They got off the train and headed straight for the Sounders match, without so much as a stop for food or a change of clothes! 

This family's enthusiasm got us thinking: What's the longest distance you've traveled to see your Sounders play? What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get to a match?

Leave us a comment below or tell us in person on Sept. 28 at the Port Gamble Old Mill Days -- the next stop on our WALLY1 Northwest Roadtrip. We can't wait to hear from you!

Western Washington may be greener, but as Brad, Peter and I discovered this weekend, Eastern Washington is just as colorful!
 
We spent Labor Day Weekend at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds, home to the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days, which is the oldest fair in Washington.  Our days were filled with junior tractor pulls, mutton busting (a youngster's version of bull riding) and nightly roundups of buffalo, horses and long horn steers.

We started Saturday off with an incredibly warm welcome for WALLY1 (the PEMCO van) in the Frontier Days Parade. It was all smiles and wags as the PEMCO Northwest Profile #96 "Walla Walla Wine Wine Guy Guys" handed doggie treats to our parade-going K-9 friends. We were even serenaded by our fellow parade-goers, the band "Steppin' Country," who performed live music and line dancing from their moving stage.

After the parade it was off to the fair where folks tried their hand at the PEMCO Prize Wheel. Throughout the day a colorful stream of people visited our booth, including T.R. from Burbank, WA.  I complimented T.R. on his deer antler necktie (see picture below), but he quickly informed me that "Wild-rag" is the proper term on this side of the state!  


From the PEMCO booth we took in all the sights and sounds of the fair, including a pedal-powered junior tractor pull. These five-year-old contestants hauled loads up to 150 pounds!


The most exciting entertainment of the night came when Nevada Slim & Cimarron Sue took the stage next to WALLY1 and serenaded the crowd with their spirited twist on traditional western music:


We had a rockin' good time at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds this weekend, and we want to thank everyone who stopped by the PEMCO booth to say hello. We're fairly certain Walla Walla has always been WALLY1's favorite town in Washington, and after this weekend, it just might be ours too!