Enumclaw guide summits Mount Rainier 400 times

The Tacoma News Tribune ran a great article yesterday about Brent Okita.

Under clear, sedate skies, mountaineering guide Brent Okita ushered a party of five to the top of Mount Rainier on Thursday morning.

It was their first time reaching the summit. It was his 400th.

The 49-year-old from Enumclaw hit the peak about 6:30 a.m., becoming the third climber to summit Mount Rainier 400 times.

“I had a great group of climbers with me, great weather … all my dreams have come true,” said Okita, who has been a guide for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. since 1986. At first, he viewed the milestone as “just another number,” but the enthusiasm of co-workers, friends and strangers rubbed off on him.

Read the rest of the article on the Tacoma News Tribune site.

Kasey Kahne store closing

For those of you who don't know, I follow NASCAR for the simple reason of one driver, Kasey Kahne.

Brandon also follows him, but for different reasons. (He thinks Kasey is dreamy)

I on the other hand follow him because he is a local guy. He's from Enumclaw, Washington. I grew up in the neighbor town of Buckley.

Therefore, you have to root for the local guy.

Well, I saw in the Enumclaw-Bonney Lake Courier Herald that the Kasey Kahne store in Enumclaw will be closing.

And Kahne will be there tomorrow to thank the fans for the years of support. Now he's not retiring or anything like that, instead I have a serious feeling he'll be parting ways with the number 9 next season.

From the article:

Due to transitions with the race team, the store is closing at its current location. Decisions about the future will not be made until the 2011 race season. The store will close at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The online store will remain in business.

Now I've thought this for a few seasons. All of the turmoil and changes on Kahne's team over the years with new owners and now switching from Dodge to Ford. Kahne's current contract runs out at the end of this season, and I personally see Stewart-Haas Racing adding a third car next season and inviting Kahne to be the driver.

I guess only time will tell where Kahne ends up.

Local ties to NBA championship

More Northwest ties to winning. Brian Scalabrine, a graduate of Enumclaw High School was on the inactive roster of the NBA champion Boston Celtics.

See the article here.