Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Eighth Wonder of the World


It is weird how when I start on a project it always becomes a massive undertaking. Oftentimes it overwhelms all other aspects of my life. In the case of my most recent project, the bathtub replacement, this is more true than ever! Recently I have started to wonder if I am building the 8th Wonder of the World.

All I did was set out to replace my bathtub and re-tile the shower, at the beginning of November, and now I am wondering if I should take time off work (my real job) in order to finish my project. For certain the project is taking longer than it probably should. But for the most part this is just due to the fact that I don't know what the $&@! I am doing most of the time! It may also be due to the fact that I decided I had to tile the ceiling and the skylight above the tub. Why you might ask? . . .
Probably just plain stupidity! At the time I reasoned that water vapor will damage the drywall in the skylight (like it did previously). Now I think, who cares??

Anyway, due to my poor judgment I got to macgyver a couple of platforms to work above the tub and plan out a series of steps to complete the project. Here is the 2nd and more difficult platform below. I will have to remove the platform and tile at the platform connection point after the rest of the project is complete.

Fortunately, I think I am nearing the halfway done stage (2 walls have been tiled). I just hope that I don't make a mistake and have to re-do something. Things I have learned so far:

1. Don't try tiling on a totally crooked, out of plumb, wall.
2. Keep it simple. Don't tile ceilings, outside corners or the neighbor's dog.
3. Pay a buck more for Hardiboard instead of Wonderboard. The Wonderboard makes you wonder how much extra work you will need to do to fill and sand all the screw holes and damaged spots.
4. Don't worry so much about the small defects. They might just add character!

Here is the old tub:

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Someday I will get to run again!!

Yesterday I had quite an adventure on my road (or trail) to recovery. I went in for arthroscopic surgery on my right knee! Technically a part of the surgery might also have been considered a chondroplasty since some loose and folded cartilage was removed.

Now that it is done I think that I am glad that I did it. I was worried at first that the doctor wouldn't really find anything to repair and that I'd be stuck with a big bill and nothing to show for it. But now I am a little more confident that I will someday get to run over hills and dales enjoying some of my favorite long trail runs. I can't wait to get out and try my new bionic leg (not really bionic, but hopefully improved). Life without running is tough.

Since this was my first surgery and my most major medical procedure it was quite an experience. I highly recommend it, NOT! Well I have to admit it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, you know if I had been one of those rare 'died of surgical complications' cases. But it had its exciting moments like when I experienced what the nurse referred to as the Vasovagal response (Syncope). After checking wiki I see that I was just close to fainting but it was sure a strange sensation. I understand that it was just an automatic response which my body created to the panic of having the IV hooked up and knowing that I was going in for surgery. It may also have to do with what is commonly referred to as a flight or fight response. Of course I couldn't really flee the room so I ended up nearly fainting instead. This was a new one for me as it began as soon as she inserted the needle and told me that I would feel a sense of cold from the antibiotic. Instead I started feeling lightheaded, dizzy and I started sweating profusely. She attached the heart rate monitor and found that I had a HR of 30 bpm which even for me is really low! I am making a much bigger deal out of this than I should since it was just a near fainting episode, but it sure was a trip being that it was the first time.

I missed the other excitement of the day since I was anesthetized for the procedure but from what the nurse said afterwards, I can only imagine that there was a little excitement in the operating room. She said that I was a little rambunctious in my sleep and tried fighting my way off the operating table. That is just plain weird! I remember having some strange dream but I don't remember anything about it. I guess I am subconsciously not so fond of surgery! She also told me that under anesthesia I developed a irregular and/or slow heart rhythm and had to be given atropine (like adrenaline) in order to stabilize my heart. On a side note I just learned about the 'death rattle' on wikipedia. I'd never heard of this but it is very interesting! Anyway, at least according to the doctor the surgery went well and my knee injury may have been repaired. Now I just can't wait to take it for a test ride (run)!

I usually wouldn't open up like this on the internet (literally), but since I have got the pictures why not show them! Attached are some of the photos from inside my knee!! Personally I think it is a pretty good looking knee joint if I do say so myself. What did one knee joint say to the other knee joint? I don't really know but there has gotta be a funny answer to that one.

Super-thanks also have to go out to my friends Ana, Keith and Eli who were nice enough to care for me after the surgery. Just wish I could have had a celebratory beer!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

>218 Miles of Pure Beauty


So I am back from the JMT and I'm not quite sure where to begin. The trip was incredibly fun and challenging and the places I went were very very special. I don't really think I can convey how insanely beautiful and wild the JMT was and I definitely can't explain how that place changed me so I will just mention a few things here and post some of my favorite photos.

I hiked the entire trail North to South including a side trip to Half-Dome and the hike down from Mt. Whitney in less than 10 days. I planned for 12 days so I actually skipped my last re-supply because I really didn't want to hike out to pick it up. A hike out would have interrupted my hiking rhythm which was extremely satisfying. Everyday I woke up at the true crack of dawn or just before, ate a little bit of food and started walking. Nearly the entire day was spent walking. Just walking, thinking and checking out every single view from the trail. The trail rises from something like 4000 foot elevation in Yosemite to 14,496 foot Mt. Whitney and between the two ends it crosses 10 passes. So everyday I would get to see a good amount of the flora and fauna from the lower elevations, the valleys, to the upper and most austere elevations, the passes. There was extreme beauty and pristine wildness in both places and everywhere in between. The valleys seemed to be overflowing with life; huge meadows with absolutely clear streams divided by seemingly endless forests which showed no signs of man-made management. In most places the forests consisted of several different tree species with a wide variety of undergrowth. Although I never saw a bear I did see many deer, including some very large racks and one trickster (coyote). The forests would thin and become more gnarled as I climbed throughout the day, until I entered what was often a moonscape like area full of high alpine lakes surrounded by miles of granitic peaks.

Except for two afternoons when thunderstorms shook the nearby peaks I had absolutely beautiful clear blue skies throughout my trip. I am guessing the temperature ranged from the 30's at night to the high 80's in the hot and dry sections of the trail with a couple of nights on the high passes where the temps fell below freezing.

Caught this trickster checking out a camping area near Red Cone (click for large view).
I think one of my favorite places during the entire trip was crossing Muir Pass on day 6. The climb to the pass was not steep but it just seemed to flow on for miles, starting in the absolutely stunning McClure Meadows, winding around several sapphire lakes and a moonscape of boulders to end at the Muir Pass shelter, located directly on top of the pass. The Muir shelter, which is a circular stone building with a weather-beaten but sturdy wood door seemed to fit so seamlessly and perfectly into it's place, I almost wished that I could have been stranded there in a storm. It's purpose is to provide emergency shelter to high-country hikers and to commemorate Mr. Muir, but that place seemed more like a temple than any other place I have ever been. Many people had written small notes and left them inside the shelter, in front of the lone window. I tried to read one of them but was overcome with sadness and couldn't continue. I quickly realized that a lot of pain was left with those notes. So I didn't even try to read the rest. What better place to leave your pain then at a temple. I think I left some of mine, because that night I slept better than ever. But I didn't write anything down.

I didn't set out to hike the trail faster than planned it just happened due to circumstances. On day 3 I realized that I only had two more dinners so I needed to get from mile 58 to 108 in two days in order to pick-up another re-supply. Then near the end of the trip I realized that I had some extra food and if I just found a bit more I could stay on the trail without having to go into town for food. So I asked for and found some food at a ranger station and received some more from an overloaded hiker.

I was extremely surprised at how lonesome the trail was in September. Except for at the two ends of the hike as well as near Muir Pass and in the Rae Lakes Basin, I rarely saw anyone and that was nice. The solitude I found in Tully's Hole and on top of Mather Pass really made the trip seem like an adventure.

I met and hiked with a guy named Forest near the end of the trip. Forest had hiked all the way from Donner Pass, over 400 miles, and ended on the same day I did at Mt. Whitney. He also happens to be from Leavenworth, WA and is a pretty quick lightweight hiker! Hopefully we will meet up again sometime for a hike in the Cascades.

The trip home from the trail was relatively uneventful except for the fact that I received a great hitch from a guy named Ed from Santa Barbara. The trip to get to the trail was awesome since I got to visit my friend Lora in Lafayette. Thanks for all your help Lora. Without it I may never have made it to Yosemite!

I learned quite a few things on the trail, a couple of them being:

I have learned to be realistic when thinking about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. This means that I am not so convinced that the PCT is for me. It would be really HARD!

I want to do some more long hikes in extremely wild and rad places. I'm just not sure where yet!

I think that if every high schooler in the nation did a hike like the JMT, in 10 years we would have a country full of conservationists and true patriots. If you don't know anything about the land in which you live and the true freedom you may enjoy (if you so choose) your not likely to defend it or conserve it.

I am glad to be back and hoping that I will be able to start running again soon!?!

I did small videos for each day of the trip. I can't put all of them up here. So here is the final one, done on top of Mt. Whitney:

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Emptying My Mind


Almost everything has been packed, shipped, photocopied, and readied for my trip to hike the John Muir Trail, which begins on Saturday. And just now I am starting to wonder if I have mentally prepared myself adequately. I know it is just a hike. I am not going to the moon, hiking the length or breadth of a country, or exploring unknown or completely unpopulated country. But I have a feeling that my mind and my conceptions are likely going to be changed drastically by this experience. It will be a physical, mental and possibly spiritual challenge. Just as I was pondering this in the last week I came upon my horoscope which seemed extremely prescient:

While I was out in the California wilderness doing a vision quest, I came upon a painting in a cave that I immediately sensed was an oracle for the current state of your life. In the painting, there was a hunter who had dropped his bow and arrow on the ground. He appeared to be dancing inside a circle of eagles. The birds were also at ground level and had their wings spread, as if dancing with the hunter. I encourage you to come up with your own interpretations of this oracle, but here's how I see it: You need to commune with wilderness in a way you never before imagined. The best way to proceed is to empty your mind of all the thoughts about what you can get out of the experience, and instead cultivate the free-wheeling, no-expectations attitude that comes when you're dancing uninhibitedly.

Now I am not a big believer in astrology or vision quests and I only read the horoscope on the rare occasion that I browse through The Stranger and come to the last page with the horoscopes. That being said I've gotta wonder if this 'advisor' might just be on to something. Either way, the advice seems sound. So I have begun trying to empty my mind of expectations and prepare myself to live in the moment.

This non-planning might actually be the hardest part of the journey. I have spent countless hours already planning out every detail of this trip, including dehydrating foods, mixing and making freezer-bag meals, creating miniature maps, emailing trail forums, buying gear, getting permits, sending food packages and on and on. Can I do an 11-12 day 220 mile hike in the California wilderness without constantly rationing my energy, strength, time and food. Can I free my mind from constant worrying about whether or not me knee will hold-up, obsessing about getting from point A to point B, cooking dinner #1 or #2, hiking for 3 or 4 hours between breaks, etc. When I step onto the trail, will I be able to free myself from the future and enjoy my present. I sincerely hope so because in fact, this is a major reason why I will set out on this journey. One word seems to encompass my primary goal: Freedom.

So I will try. I will empty my mind, put my feet on the trail, and start walking. Life doesn't get much better than that.

By the way; That free-thinker at the top of the page, is John Muir.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Props to CC100 Runners


On saturday afternoon I finished up all my errands and chores early and was a little bored so I decided to try and watch a bit of the Cascade Crest 100 mile race. I was hoping that if I timed it right I might be able to see some of my friends in the race. The trouble was that I wasn't totally sure of the course directions and I also wasn't sure how fast most people would be running. So I made an educated guess and decided to hike the Twin Lakes trail to the PCT then continue south to see who I would run into. The other smaller problem was that it was raining off and on and daylight was fading fast.

I hiked up a truly steep and overgrown trail a couple or three miles to get to the PCT just aways south of Olallie Meadows. Then I hiked to Yakima Pass/Twilight Lake before stopping to eat dinner and wait for the runners. About 20 minutes later the first place runner came running by and sarcastically commented on the stellar conditions (wet , dark and slightly windy). Twenty cold minutes later the 2nd place runner ran by and appeared somewhat surprised to see a fan so far out on the course! I stuck around for awhile longer watching the first 8 to 10 runners pass, including the first place woman, but it was getting dark and nasty so I started back. I ended up seeing a couple more runners before leaving the PCT but didn't get a chance to see most of the pack. The only person I saw who I knew by name was Ralph Pooler, who recognized me and said hi. There is Ralph (below) with his head down.

I hiked out in a truly miserable cold rain just as it became pitch black under the forest canopy. It was obvious to me that with approximately 60 miles of cold and wet running to go, all the runners were going to have a rough night. Based upon the results some people appear to have had amazing races, despite the rainy weather. Congrats to Arthur, Alison, Shawn, Van, Wendy, Eric, Glenn and everyone else!

On Sunday I went kayaking and saw this sunken upside-boat. I wish I knew more about the boat and why it sunk. But I don't. Someone probably just neglected to take care of the boat and left it tied to the mooring buoy when it should have been repaired. Just thought it was cool to see the bottom of a boat sticking up out of the water!

Monday, August 20, 2007

Bluegrass + Friends = Friendgrass


Lately I have been a little bit obsessed with my planning for my upcoming vacation and worrying about my knee injury. Unfortunately this has even carried over to my blog, where my posts have been truly self-obsessed. I was recently reminded of this by a couple of friends, Cindy and Chris (C & C), who felt left out of my post on the 2nd White River training run. Ok, so here is my addendum to that post: I ran into a couple of friends pushing their bikes up the road to Suntop during the run, Chris and Cindy. They appeared to be tiring of the hill already and were wondering how much farther it was to the top. I told them it was probably two to three miles (and then comes all the downhill) and that they had a lot of riding ahead of them (or bike pushing!), being that it was already around 2 pm. They asked how far I had run and I guessed that it was somewhere over 20 miles and that I was looking forward to a soak in the river, at the bottom of the hill. I left wondering, how can they be so relaxed about their recreation? Starting out after noon?? Slackers!

Last week I got to hang with some friends and see some great music. Here is a synopsis:

Wednesday: Went to an Old Crow Medicine Show concert at the Woodland Park Zoo with Ana, Chris and Cindy. I had a great time although I am regretting the fact that I didn't dance nearly as much as I should have! Thanks to Ana and Cindy we ate a delicious picnic dinner on the grass right before the show began. Ana thought Ketch Secor was making up his accent. I wondered why peaches have fuzz. We had tons of fun!

Friday: Went to Ana and Keith's for dinner with Chris, Cindy, Brielle and Beezer. The two young'ns are Eli (Ana/Keith) and Mabel (B&B). This was the first time I had met Mabel. She sure seemed feisty for a 5 week old. The burgers were great and the company was fantastic. It is too bad I don't own a teleporter so that I can visit B,B and Mabel in W2 every weekend.

I have a new camera so I am going to test putting a video of the OCMS show here (if I can ever get it to work):

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Gear Test


In anticipation of my upcoming John Muir Trail hike I took off last weekend (8/4 & 8/5) and tested out the ol'body and gear for the trip. I left early Saturday morning thinking I would hike deep into the Cascades on a trail originating near Leavenworth; a trail I had never been to before and one which was likely overgrown. But when I got to Leavenworth I stopped by the ranger station and found that they were just about to start the Enchantment lakes lottery drawing. So of course I couldn't resist entering. Lo and behold I was the first one drawn and was awarded a coveted permit to camp in the Enchantments. So I changed plans.

I took the Colchuk Lake / Aasgard Pass route and was strolling into the upper Enchantment Lakes basin just before noon! I can't believe how much easier this route is than hiking all the way up the Snow creek valley, like I usually do. Before I had walked even a 1/4 mile down into the basin I spotted 10 mountain goats, several of them kids. They were not all together but came in groups of 1 or 2. I've seen many goats in the Enchantments before. But there were so many at one time that I was starting to wonder if they were looping around behind me and walking by again! It was a blue sky near perfect day to wander through that wonderland of granite, sapphire lakes and twisted gnarly Larch trees. I was in heaven!

I stopped at the first lake with fish, about halfway down the basin, and started waving the ol' wand. I caught two fish on my own hand-tied Elk Hair Caddis fly within 5 minutes. Even though I broke the tip off of my fly rod on the hike in, I was still in heaven! The fish were small like usual but they fought like true cutts and were exciting to see thriving in the cold clear lakes.

I wandered over to one of my favorite lakes, Crystal Lake, hoping that I could do some fishing here and camp at one of my favorite spots. Unfortunately a large group was already there so I decided to head for the hills and a bit of seclusion. I hiked up over Prusik pass and wandered down to secluded Shield Lake.

I have explored this area before and have been wanting to camp here for a long time. Fortunately, most of the Enchantment hikers are too lazy to climb over Prusik Pass so Shield lake and the lakes below it almost never get visitors. For me, walking down into this basin is like walking into a forgotten land, a near-perfect wilderness, the garden of Eden. The trail becomes ever more overgrown, to the point where in the meadows, the trail is barely recognizable. The entire valley seems to be alive with the songs of birds, the constant thrum of bugs and the pitter-patter of fish riseing on the lake. During my stay at Shield lake I was startled on more than one occasion by a large splash on the lake. I would quickly look out over the lake to see an Osprey rising from the lake with a fish.

I wandered down to the lake and took up my spot on a point of land near the outlet stream. The outlet stream is more like a canal since it soon enters another lake further down valley. Because of the large amount of water which comes directly off the melting snows of the surrounding ridges, the valley was extremely lush this year. After catching a fish or two I camped at Shield Lake and had the entire valley and lake to myself. I was in heaven!

The stars were out that night but I setup my Tarptent since I needed to test it out and I need the practice setting it up. This time I was able to set it up well and actually got the feeling that it will work for my upcoming trip. Until I woke in the morning and noticed that the bottom part of my sleeping bag had been soaked by condensation on the inside of the low end of the tent. Because the tent is so low at the foot end of the tent my bag rubs on the ceiling thereby picking up condensation. I am not sure how I will deal with this on my trip, but I am not too worried.

On Sunday I did a bit of fishing in the morning then ambled back up out of the valley just in time to see a couple of rangers dropping into the valley. When they checked my permit I am certain that they were surprised to find that I was legal. I have to admit that I have considered visiting Shield Lake to stealth camp on many occasions. They said they usually don't patrol this valley but that they would head down valley and work cross-country to the Snow Creek drainage. They indicated that they had never tried it before. I told them how I had tried the same thing before and never found the correct route.

After leaving the rangers I stopped by Inspiration Lake and did some fishing before heading toward the car. On the way out of the Enchantments I ran (not literally) up Little Annapurna and caught some awe-inspiring views. Little Annapurna mountain really isn't nearly as grand as it's name sounds (named after the Himalayan peak) but it does have a cool summit. On it's summit a few large heavily weathered rocks project out over a couple thousand foot chasm on the south side. I like to go out and sit on the rocks where I can get the feeling that I am suspended in the air; my own little magic carpet ride. Usually after a few minutes I start to get characteristically paranoid that there will be an earthquake! If there was any sort of earthquake I am certain that I would be taking a fast trip to the bottom of the valley. The rocks on top look like they are ready to topple over at any time!

My knee injury was ever present on the hike out but it didn't slow me down and it seems to be slightly less painful/sore. All in all it was an awesome trip and it made me even more excited to take a long walk on the John Muir Trail next month!

Thursday, July 26, 2007

A Return to Sanity


With far more fretting, whining and worrying than I thought I was capable of, I have finally made a decision to NOT run the White River 50 mile this year.

For me at least, when I plan on doing something it starts to take on a life of its own and sometimes it is hard to put on the brakes. Momentum, energy and spirit build-up and seem to propel me along on a course I am nearly helpless to change. I find it interesting that Newton's first law seems to apply:

"An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external and unbalanced force. An object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external and unbalanced force."

See I am a nerd. Or at least a geek! Today's physics tangent is thanks to my often-forgotten and relatively under utilized degree in physics.

Although I won't be at the race to watch or volunteer, because it will suck to watch a race I should be running, I am hoping that all my ultra-friends will have fun and do well. Good luck TC, Alison, Bruce, Shawn, Brian, Arthur, Mike, Van, Nick, Michael, Glenn and many more!!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Crazy Person Talking


Before you read this just remember to say "That is a crazy person talking." In fact the only reason I am posting this is because I am amazed, in a sort of detached way, at my own irrationality. The crazy thing is that as of today, 7/20,I am still planning on running the White River 50 mile next weekend, even though my knee swelled up to the size of a small grapefruit last weekend!

Prior to last weekend's White River training runs I had been struggling with some pain/soreness in my right knee. I figure it might be tendinitis or something similar as a result of that twisting injury I had in February (I won't bore you with details). Of course the injury has likely changed from one bad thing to another and my professional diagnosis changes everyday! Anyway, I ran 18 miles on the road last Saturday and then the 23 mile trail run on Sunday. Even before the trail run my knee was swollen and there was a bit of soreness for the first several miles of the trail run. But I was able to complete the run and take a dip in the icy White River. I was hopeing that the river would miraculously heal the problem. No luck there. On Monday my knee was sore and swollen. Gradually the swelling has gone down thanks to my friends Mr. Nsaid and Mr. Ice but it is still a little sore 4.5 days later even though I haven't run at all! I may not even run a step up until the race since running isn't going to help for this injury (Craziness!!) Everything about this injury is screaming at me don't run.

That said, I am unwilling to cancel my plans to run the White River race. To be perfectly honest, I just don't want to miss out (there it is FOMO, again) on an awesome race, like I did for all my races last summer. I am starting to think that in order to run ultras I may just need to run with some injuries and hope for the best, because I am just to damn stubborn to quit. I figure I'll quit when the winter rains come and it is light outside for only 6 hours a day. So that is it! Enough of the bellyaching . . .or kneeaching!

It is gonna be awesome to see my running friends again and the views at Corral Pass and Suntop. There will be beer at the finish to dull the pain and swell the ego. It is going to be Legendary!

P.S.: I am not really sure why I was scowling in that photo? I can only guess it was because I was nearing the top of Suntop and tired of the uphill grind! (Thanks to Glen for the photo)

Friday, July 06, 2007

Idealists Unite


Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet and hike with Andrew Skurka who is currently attempting to complete the first ever "Great Western Loop". The loop is one of his own creation and it basically encircles the entire western portion of the contiguous U.S. He started at Grandview Point at the Grand Canyon, headed west to the Sierras, and headed north on the PCT until getting here to Washington. Soon he will head east on the Pacific Northwest Trail until meeting the Continental Divide Trail. He will go south on the CDT until reaching the Arizona Grand Enchantment trail and complete the loop at the Grand Canyon. You can check it out here: Andrew Skurka: Enlightened Outdoor Adventurer

Meeting Andy was no easy feat since he hikes 35 to 40 miles a day and can only occasionally make a phone call from one of his mail pick-ups. About 4 days before we met he called me from Cascade Locks. He had just arrived at the border between Oregon and Washington at the Columbia river and was set to leave on the following day. I believe the next section of the PCT from Cascade Locks to White Pass is approximately 140 miles. So I understood that he would be at White Pass on Saturday evening which would give him 4.5 days of hiking. We talked about meeting possibly the following week on the 4th of July, further north around Snoqualmie or Stevens Passes. But then I got thinking about my schedule and decided I should just try and catch him at White Pass. So I took off early on Saturday morning (June 30) thinking that I could hike south from White Pass, meet him and then hike back, north, to White Pass with him. When I arrived at White Pass at 8 AM I was pleasantly surprised to see a lone individual sorting food in an asphalt parking lot in front of a lonely service station. Andy had arrived that morning and already was preparing to hike another 35 miles north that day!

So we took off hiking and talking. I hiked for 5.5 hours with Andy and I don't think there was more than a minute or two without one of us talking. Usually I don't like to talk nearly so much when hiking but I figured that Andy was probably in dire need of some stimulating conversation. We talked thru-hiking logistics, multiple use and wise use of public lands, nutrition, forest and park fees, ultrarunning, general politics, global warming and Andy's lightweight lifestyle. I have to say I was impressed with Andy's idealism especially with regard to global warming and his idea to live on his own terms.

I hope I am not putting words in his mouth, but Andy seemed to be somewhat pissed off about how many people seem to be just waiting for life to begin. He told me that people are always coming up to him and telling him how much they would love to do what he is doing. And he just has to wonder 'So why aren't you doing it?' I have to agree that in this day and age many people are just taking up time and space, without ever resolving to do what they most want to do. But, I am not nearly as idealistic as Andy. I tried to explain that although it doesn't always seem like it, we all have basic needs like food, water and shelter. At a minimum these needs will control whether or not we take a 9 to 5 job just to pay the bills or set off to conquer a long trail, invent a new product, cure aids or help the homeless. The way I see it too many people get their needs and their wants mixed up. If you only have to satisfy your own basic needs then it can be very possible to chuck the 9 to 5 grind. Andy has already risked a lot by going out on the trail right after college, but it is starting to pay off, in the sense that he may be the only person who will be hiking for the next several months and getting paid for it. He works for and is sponsored by Golite. Idealism can be easy (or easier) when you have a steady income.

I know that personally for me, there are many goals that I have which have nothing at all to do with making a living or having a career. But that doesn't mean that I am going to leave a 9 to 5 job and devote 100% of my time to that one goal. I am trying to find ways to mix both work drudgery with my real passions. For instance, I will be hiking the John Muir Trail (220 miles) this September, but I won't be giving up my job to do it. I guess my young idealistic self has given way to an older and more realistic person.

It was a breath of fresh air to hear the views of an idealist, such as Andy. And I am glad I got to take a hike with someone who will likely change the world for the better. I am certain it takes some serious idealism to hike over 6,800 miles! Andy - Good luck and happy trails!

Friday, June 29, 2007

The Dreaded Track

I am not sure why I do it, but I have forced myself, on occassion, to run to the track and do a little bit of so-called interval training. Yesterday happened to be one of those days. I usually plan these workouts early in the week so that I will have at least partly fresh legs. So this week I decided I would try the intervals again on Thursday after work. So the funny thing is all day yesterday I dreaded going to the track. I don't think it is just the pain of running hard that scares the wits out of me. It is that damn watch. Somewhere in the back of my mind I know that as I age I am losing speed and the track is where it will become glaringly obvious. An additional second on each lap portends the inevitable decline. Sometimes I think, I'd rather not know that I am becoming slower. It is not that I was fast in the first place, but at least for me, losing something I once had is so terribly bittersweet.

Anyway, I couldn't quite come up with a good enough excuse to miss the workout yesterday. So I jogged over to the track and decided to stick to the planned minimum workout 3 x 1600 meters with 3 minutes rest in between. I know this workout is not really the correct one for my training goals, but it has become the standby, at least until I feel like I am in shape.

The first 1600 was terrible. With each lap I was slowing down and by the end I came in at 6:04, feeling like I was totally spent. I know that just a couple weeks ago I did the same workout and was able to do all my intervals under 6:01 with the first one being at 6:01. Why is it that the first one is always the hardest and the slowest? I reminded myself that usually this is the case, the second is usually a little smoother and easier. So the second went by at 5:58 and that was with the headphones on. Then I did the third in 5:56 knowing full well that I would not do a fourth. On occassion I have done 4 and am certain that I need to be doing 5, but the mind was not ready to push that hard.

I ran home feeling like I had accomplished something but a little worried that two weeks ago I finished with a 5:51. There go those seconds. Oh well, I am betting a few seconds aren't going to make much difference in my next 50 mile race!

Friday, June 15, 2007

"No Respect. I don't get no respect!"

Usually I don't like to speak using double negatives. Note that the title, taken from Rodney Dangerfield, does not make any sense unless he is trying to say he actually gets respect! But in this case it is truly appropriate for my story.

So yesterday I was biking home from work like usual, riding the same route I ride on average 3 or 4 times a week, when a car pulls up in the right turn lane on my right side, at a stoplight. After a few seconds I realize that the older woman in the car is trying to get my attention. She rolled down her window, then gave a thumbs up and stated matter-of-factly 'I really admire what you do.' I was blown away and a little confused at first, I guess because I didn't realize what she meant by what I do (I do alot of things). I have to assume that she meant she admired my bike commuting. I gave a thumbs up back and took off as the light turned green. As I rode away my irrepressible ego started inflating to ginormous dimensions which definately helped me get up the next 1/2 mile long hill! Then nearing the top of the long steady grind, I was just biking along in my little bike lane when I noticed a piece of garbage wing by right in front of me. It was no coincidence that I was riding by three teenagers with asses hanging out of their pants and hair covering their ears when the flying projectile just missed me and my bike. In this case I instinctively knew that one of those little $*!ts had purposefully tried to hit me with a plastic piece of garbage. In fact, as I passed them at about 15 mph I recognized a little smirk starting to grow on one of their faces. Without even a second thought or a look back I dropped my right arm and gave them an upside down one-fingered salute. By now my ego had deflated but I rode home confident that I had had the last word, so to speak, and happy that I hadn't been hit by the missile.

I find the most interesting aspect of this story to be the fact that I was absolutely confused and didn't know what to say when I got some respect. But when I was disrespected I didn't even have to think in order to respond, in kind. Maybe I have been riding on the roads too much, or living in the city for too long!!

Monday, June 11, 2007

Turn Me Over - I'm Overdone

Today I woke up feeling every single day of my 34 years and then some. It is unusual for me to still feel tired when I wake up, even if I get up really early. So I'm starting to think I may have done a little too much running last weekend! But it was well worth it because I had fun!!

I started out by running about 16 or 17 miles on the roads, circling Mercer Island on Saturday morning. Then I quickly downed some food and went on a short 5 mile hike with a Mountaineers group. On Sunday I met some Seattle Running Club folks at Tiger Mtn and ran one Fat Ass loop. When we were done with that I re-loaded my water bottle and went out for some more by myself. I think I ended up with somewhere over 29 trail miles on Sunday.

I admit, I was not so sure that heading back up into the hills after the first loop was such a great idea. But then I saw a bear as I ran up the gravel road. This was the first bear I have ever seen on Tiger Mtn. and it made my day. I kinda felt sorry for the bear though because he/she was just trying to cross the gravel access road. The problem was that the regular weekend hordes of Tiger Mtn. hikers (and me, of course) were tramping up the road due to the current parking lot construction. The bear saw me and the large groups right behind me and headed back into the bushes, never making it across the road. Now Yogi was stuck between the busy I-90 freeway and the busy hiking road. I wonder how he/she came from the direction of the freeway in the first place. Maybe there is a wildlife underpass?

I'm sure the bear found a way to get where he/she wanted to go eventually, but it got me wondering . . . why do so many people go to the High Point exit for Tiger Mtn. every weekend? And why do they all just tramp up and down the most uninspiring and boring trail on the entire mountain (the trail to W. Tiger 3) when there is so much more beauty and nature in this 13,000 acre park? I know that part of the answer is that the High Point exit is the most convenient and easy access to the mountain and that W. Tiger 3 promises a peak experience and decent uphill training. It just seems so unfortunate that virtually all park visitors are so concentrated due in large part to the configuration of the trails and trailheads. What would happen if there were trailhead access points (with parking) in other places like downtown Issaquah, Issaquah-Hobart Rd, and further east on I-90? I know that there already are a couple of other access points but the parking sucks at these places and there are no facilities.

I don't have any real answers to the crowded conditions . . . but it might help if the following occurred:

1. People started hiking/running further into the park and gave up on going straight up W. Tiger 3. Go for an adventure! It looks like they are currently re-grading W. Tiger 3 into a highway. Sounds like it will soon be even less appealing than it is now!

2. People drove a little further to USFS trailheads. It wouldn't hurt if the USFS gave up on the mismanaged and unconstitional fee program so people can afford to take a walk in THEIR national forests.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

One Corner of Fun - Part V


Ok, I am finally going to try and finish my travelogue for the 2007 spring trip.

On April 26 I started down the Kane Gulch trail with a plan to thru-hike Kane Gulch and Grand Gulch from the Kane Gulch Ranger Station to Bullett Canyon then hike up and out Bullett Canyon. I figured I could probably hitch a ride back to the Kane Gulch Ranger station and if not I could run the road! Since I only had two days to do the trip I hiked quickly but took time to explore as many ruins as I could. And boy did I see alot of ruins! In fact, there were so many ruins in the first 15 or 16 mile day of hiking that I'm sure I missed a few of them.

The first ruin I saw and one of the most prominent was Junction Ruin which was where Kane Gulch met Grand Gulch. The Junction Ruin is a true cliff dwelling which means you better be spiderman if you want to take a close look. I wasn't about to risk life and limb to climb up to this ruin, but I had a great time imagining what life might have been like for those who perched high on the canyon wall. It was probably a good idea to have a full cup of coffee before taking a stroll to the canyon floor every morning!

Further down canyon many of the ruins were much more accessible. At the prominent ruins the BLM had left information about each of the ruins in ammo boxes. Signs of ancient life were everywhere, from scattered potsherds to pictographs and smoke stained rocks.

It was easy to see why so many people have lived in Grand Gulch for so long. The bottom of the canyon was full of life. In some places the trail was in danger of being overtaken by waist high grass. And in several sections of canyon a constant caterpillar rain pelted the trail hiker. Unfortunately for the shimmering cottonwoods, the caterpillars had invaded and were just crawling out of their nests when I walked through. The caterpillars were a nuisance and made it a little difficult to find non-creepy crawling campsites but at the same time it was amazing to see such an awakening. The plentiful caterpillars had drawn the attention of birds and bats of all sizes and shapes. When I wasn't scraping caterpillars off my head and pack I was enjoying listening to all sorts of bird songs.

When I arrived at the junction of Bullett Canyon I found where all the people were hiding. It seems that this area is a popular camping area, especially for obnoxious boy scout troups and travelling college classrooms. Even without all the people, the best campsites where limited, unless one was fond of sleeping with caterpillars. So I quickly beat it down Grand Gulch and found some camping seclusion, both from the people and the multi-legged crawlers.

My final night sleeping out in the canyons had to be one of the best of my life as the sky was completely clear, stars spinning above, bats swooping low and toads were making love. I had a little piece of red rock on which to view it all. I slept like a baby.

On Friday the 27th I wandered up Bullett Canyon stopping to visit the ruins and soaking in the best weather of the entire trip. I spent alot of time at Perfect Kiva ruin. As its name suggests this ruin was in very good shape and had an intact kiva which you could descend into on a ladder, installed by the BLM (see top photo). It was a little spooky inside of the kiva but it was easy to see how the ancient indians may have enjoyed relaxing in this cool area during the midday heat, kind of like an air-conditioned dive bar. Maybe they drank a few cervezas and played some cards!?! The interior walls were covered with a glassy substance which the ruin's literature explained was petrified rat urine! Even more appropriate for a dive bar!

I finally left the ruins and canyons behind and took to hiking the road back to the trailhead. After about a 1/2 hour of hiking the road and only seeing 2 cars, I was finally picked up by some tin-can tourists on a road tour. Two of them looked like they may have been around when the ruins were occupied and their driver explained that they did not speak English. Speaking in broken English their driver explained that he was driving the old folks around, seeing the sights from behind the glass of their air-conditioned SUV. The driver explained it is the only way that they can see this country since they are so old and frail. I felt sorry for them, but thankfully accepted their hospitality and got a ride back to my starting point. Here is my revised Bob Dylan lyrics: 'Let me die in my footsteps, before being carted around in a cool leather-lined box on wheels'.

The final part of my trip was basically just alot of work driving back to WA state. I understand that scenic driving is the number one outdoor pastime for Americans and many people could write an entire travelogue about my 1400 mile drive home, But in my opinion it truly pales in comparison to taking off on your own two feet. So I won't even attempt to write about the drive, except to say that I stopped in to seem B & B in Walla Walla and had a great time playing horseshoes!