Gonna try to speed type this one. Twelve hikers. FR144 road conditions from Española very good. Saw evidence of wood debris in places across road that indicated a fallen tree had been cut up and removed. No snow on the road. On walk to Tschicoma, encountered some remnant snow drifts in the woods but followed in other's footsteps and didn't sink in or slip. On final steep uphill on Tschicoma I was amazed that I wasn't huffing and puffing but felt very strong. I wonder if the iron pills are helping but I also doubled the amount of B12 and added one more folic acid tablet a week. Whatever the case, I was pleased. I had been in the last group in the woods because it's tricky getting around and over the snowbanks and fallen, twisted, tangled heaps of trees but once we broke out in the open, I decided to go for some elevated heart rate and my heart cooperated!! The Asics Gel Nimbus, while not the ideal shoe for off trail hiking as it's a road running shoe, worked perfectly since they're brand new and the tread isn't at all worn down. Funny thing is that those shoes killed my feet on the Bayo Canyon/Fireline walk (didn't use the Hapad Comf Orthotic insoles) and on an evening walk downtown (did use the insoles and did use them today too). My foot felt 100% normal today and even the heel spur didn't pain me.
We all went to the south side of Tschicoma to look at the views but no one wanted to eat there because it was windy although there was a spot that was out of the wind and warmer yet had views. They all ate in the trees on the hillside beneath the trails leading east from the top of Tschicoma. I took one look at the official lunch spot and decided that I'd be happier eating on the side that has the views of Polvadera and Pedernal. I wanted to be visible so I'd see when they started down. The wind didn't bother me but eating without views would have.
On the long drive home (we went back via FR99 to Youngsville), the guys I rode with got into discussing politics. They seemed mostly to be staunch Republicans. At one point they said they dreaded having the Democrats get into office and spending like crazy and running up deficits. I piped up that when Clinton left office, there was no deficit. They countered that he didn't have the expenses of a war. I think I made my point well. Later, Jim that his dog would make a better VP candidate than Hillary but I kept my mouth shut and didn't laugh at the comment. I mostly tried to stay out of it and when they mentioned disappointment about Heather Wilson's loss to Steve Pearce I didn't tell them how much I hoped Udall would win.
Last night I only got 6 hours of sleep again - 12:30-6:30am. Before the alarm rang, I was dreaming of living in a condo and I was so happy because I didn't have a yard, it was newer, and I had less house maintenance to do. But, I felt sad that we had to leave our neighbors whose girls our daughter played with as she grew up.
Also, I had this thought about last night's dendro meeting. I am so lucky that I have gotten to know more about the Valles Caldera from the people I've been around on the VCNP rim trail project. I can tell that the dendro people mostly haven't gotten to be around the caldera as much as I have. I feel very privileged and grateful.