Tired - went to bed around midnight got up at 6:30am. In middle of night was having stomach pains so curled up in fetal ball until they went away.
Drove in on west FR144 about 7.7 miles in from NM126 and started walking south along rim of Valle San Antonio/San Antonio Canyon for about 3.52 miles. Returned to Dorothy's Honda CRV via road. Total hike was 4.96 - let's call it five. Saw some people sitting in lawn chairs at edge of San Antonio Canyon, just taking in the view like they were at the beach. People were camping along and near FR144 yet we never felt like we were in a crowd like the Bandelier experience yesterday. We got almost to where we would have been on the canyon rim directly across from the San Antonio Hot Springs but I couldn't see the actual hot springs with my binocs. We made a cairn where we turned around and Dorothy waypointed it and that's where we'll pick up 3 weeks from now. The cairn is about 5.6 miles in from NM26.
The next two weeks will be north rim explores where we meet Ed down at the WR Y. Dorothy says that she may have some future assignments for explores volunteers can do while carrying a copy of her permission letter.
Oh, Dorothy's close focusing binocs are Celestron Rangers from Eagle Optics. She said they cost $300 when she bought them a few years back but now a lot more brands are available because close focusing binoculars became so popular. Hers are such excellent quality that she can focus on a piece of grass in her hand.
I had so many ideas of hikes I'd like to do in the Jemez but tomorrow I'll have to spend some time in the morning calling roofers and then go out in the afternoon for something close by.
Dorothy and I went up to look at the flower on the in the woods off Camp May Road and she took a photo and a specimen for the PEEC herbarium.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Don't Go to Bandelier on a Holiday Weekend!!
Today we went to Bandelier to hike up the Frijolito and down the Long Trail. I had suggested that we go to Cañada Bonita and thought about suggesting Apache Springs but spouse really, really wanted to go to Bandelier. It didn't even enter my mind to protest that it would be too crowded because of Memorial Day weekend!! We got to the entrance gate around noon and there wasn't a long line yet. Spouse asked if there was a wait for parking and the ranger said the parking lot was full so we went to Juniper Campground to hike the Frey Trail down into the canyon rather than wait in line to park.
When we got to the bottom, spouse had an emergency bathroom run so we walked to the stone bathroom in the picnic area. The hike down hadn't been hugely crowded ,although we saw more people than usual on the trail, but the canyon bottom was overflowing with cars and people. Rangers were stationed in the picnic area and backcountry parking directing cars to empty spots as they opened up. I walked to the backcountry lot while spouse used the bathroom and asked a ranger about the best time to go to Bandelier on a weekend and he said before lunch and they open at 8am.
I need to get up early for our weekend hikes - 7am at least. An earlier start will work out better when it's thunderstorm season! I slept in until 9am this morning because I didn't go to bed until after midnight. I didn't get back from my evening constitutional until around 9:30pm and then had to put my week's worth of supplements in containers and try to make the Solumbra mask fit better by sewing on velcro extender tabs because it fits too tightly otherwise. Then, of course, I had to do my stretching regimen.
Anyway, after spouse's bathroom stop - turned out the stone one was flooded so he had to go to the Visitor Center bathroom - and his streamside snack, we started back up the Frey Trail. I saw a skinny guy with a T shirt and cowboy hat coming down fast and when he was passing me, he stopped short and stood on the trail laughing at my mask. I asked him if he often stood on the trail and laughed at people. It almost sounded like he started speaking French but then he spoke English and said he was laughing because I looked like an alien. This made me mad so I asked him if he had looked in a mirror lately. He said he looked good compared to me!! As he finally started on his way, still laughing like the jackass he is, I called out to his departing back that he looked asinine. Don't know if he heard me since it was windy at that point. When I told spouse about the incident, I kiddingly said I should have told him he looked like the Brokeback Cowboy and insulted his manhood!! He was wearing one of those ridiculous, skinny cowboy hats that has the brim curled up on the sides. He didn't see it but he looked ridiculous too. He was the only one that insulted me to my face. I don't worry about the ones who may look quizzically but politely pass on by. It's OK if they laugh behind my back but the ones who stop and laugh in my face are irritating. I also commented to spouse as we continued up that I guess in France it's OK to pick on women and old ladies!! : )
After the hike we went to the library and Smith's. I needed some frozen green veggies and we bought red grapes, strawberries, mushrooms, corn, and a watermelon as well. Spouse bought himself a bottle of wine and a bottle of port as well as picked up his prescription for hydrochlorthiazide. His pvcs were still present on this hike but maybe were milder because he only drank tea not coffee for breakfast. He went out to see the 4pm Indiana Jones show. I liked the original but had no desire to see the plethora of special effects in the new one.
Yesterday was only an ordinary Santa Fe shopping trip with stops at Walmart, the Mall, where spouse ordered reading glasses from Pearle Vision and ate lunch, and Vitamin Cottage.
When we got to the bottom, spouse had an emergency bathroom run so we walked to the stone bathroom in the picnic area. The hike down hadn't been hugely crowded ,although we saw more people than usual on the trail, but the canyon bottom was overflowing with cars and people. Rangers were stationed in the picnic area and backcountry parking directing cars to empty spots as they opened up. I walked to the backcountry lot while spouse used the bathroom and asked a ranger about the best time to go to Bandelier on a weekend and he said before lunch and they open at 8am.
I need to get up early for our weekend hikes - 7am at least. An earlier start will work out better when it's thunderstorm season! I slept in until 9am this morning because I didn't go to bed until after midnight. I didn't get back from my evening constitutional until around 9:30pm and then had to put my week's worth of supplements in containers and try to make the Solumbra mask fit better by sewing on velcro extender tabs because it fits too tightly otherwise. Then, of course, I had to do my stretching regimen.
Anyway, after spouse's bathroom stop - turned out the stone one was flooded so he had to go to the Visitor Center bathroom - and his streamside snack, we started back up the Frey Trail. I saw a skinny guy with a T shirt and cowboy hat coming down fast and when he was passing me, he stopped short and stood on the trail laughing at my mask. I asked him if he often stood on the trail and laughed at people. It almost sounded like he started speaking French but then he spoke English and said he was laughing because I looked like an alien. This made me mad so I asked him if he had looked in a mirror lately. He said he looked good compared to me!! As he finally started on his way, still laughing like the jackass he is, I called out to his departing back that he looked asinine. Don't know if he heard me since it was windy at that point. When I told spouse about the incident, I kiddingly said I should have told him he looked like the Brokeback Cowboy and insulted his manhood!! He was wearing one of those ridiculous, skinny cowboy hats that has the brim curled up on the sides. He didn't see it but he looked ridiculous too. He was the only one that insulted me to my face. I don't worry about the ones who may look quizzically but politely pass on by. It's OK if they laugh behind my back but the ones who stop and laugh in my face are irritating. I also commented to spouse as we continued up that I guess in France it's OK to pick on women and old ladies!! : )
After the hike we went to the library and Smith's. I needed some frozen green veggies and we bought red grapes, strawberries, mushrooms, corn, and a watermelon as well. Spouse bought himself a bottle of wine and a bottle of port as well as picked up his prescription for hydrochlorthiazide. His pvcs were still present on this hike but maybe were milder because he only drank tea not coffee for breakfast. He went out to see the 4pm Indiana Jones show. I liked the original but had no desire to see the plethora of special effects in the new one.
Yesterday was only an ordinary Santa Fe shopping trip with stops at Walmart, the Mall, where spouse ordered reading glasses from Pearle Vision and ate lunch, and Vitamin Cottage.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Frey Trail Outing
Mary, the leader of the White Rock Senior Center hiking group, called me just before 8:30am this morning to ask if it was raining here. She said someone had told her it was raining hard on Barranca Mesa. I told her it was just drizzling here. She decided the group would just walk in White Rock so I went to the Betty Ehart Senior Center to hook up with the hiking group that starts at 9:05am. There were 7 people. Bill was in such a hurry to back out that he started pulling back while George, a man in his 80's, was trying to get into the car. There was a young man along and it seemed that Mary, the Betty Ehart Senior Center hiking leader, was giving him a tour of the area. I didn't know they planned to drive through White Rock to Bandelier to show the area to him. I waited about 10 minutes for them to arrive.
Because of the sightseeing aspect of it, the group was even slower than usual. Art and I went ahead on the Frey Trail, looking back often to see how far back the group but they were so far back that we continued on without them. At the second paved road, Art turned around to catch up with the group and I went to the Frey Trailhead at Juniper Campground. The group was so slow that they were still walking in the ruins area when I got back down. I'm sure they went to where the Frey Trail levels out up above which was all the further the leader said they would go and then turned around but they must have just made it back down when I got down. I waved hello but had to make an emergency run to some bushes below the Long Trail and then caught up with them again so I could ask one of the old time hikers, Bill, another man in his 80's, about the Reflector Trail.
He kidded at first and said "It's classified!" Then he told me it was built in 1980 and mentioned that David Ramsey thought it would be a good idea. He said it might have been called the Perimeter Trail and that the reflectors are so high most likely because there was deep snow on the ground when they were placed on the trees. He said the impetus for the trail was when some skiers ended up in the Valle de los Posos and couldn't come back out. As brought out during the rim trail talk at PEEC, the idea was that a sweep of the Reflector Trail could be done if skiers were missing to see if any tracks crossed it and that would help to narrow the search.
I saw loads of blooming Apache Plume, a puccoon, a couple of Indian Paintbrush, the tiny fleabane like on the WR Rim Trail hike, a blue penstemon, and a goodly amount of wallflowers. It was a little windy going up the Frey - my umbrella kept turning inside out because I need to reattach a rib with thread. I'll do that this afternoon. It was on and off drizzling, cool, and looked like an early fall with the far off mountains dappled with mist.
I did early voting today after the hike. When I got home, I started two loads of laundry - still have to fold them, made hummous, and edamame. Lunch was breakfast's leftover strawberry smoothie along with some hummous and the edamame. I usually don't eat lunch so this will mean a late supper. I really should begin calling roofers this afternoon but may put if off until Monday. I want to do my resistance work today. Sometimes that's a pain in the butt to have that hanging over my head but I think my body would fall apart if I didn't do some weights at least twice a week. BTW, my sciatica seems to have mostly disappeared. I think that the iliotibial band stretches really helped. I do the lying one as well as the standing ones. I learned the lying one from Jolie Bookspan's Fitness Fixer blog: Lie on your back, spread your legs into a wide V with your legs at 10pm and 2pm, then cross one leg over the other and hold, and repeat on the other side.
Because of the sightseeing aspect of it, the group was even slower than usual. Art and I went ahead on the Frey Trail, looking back often to see how far back the group but they were so far back that we continued on without them. At the second paved road, Art turned around to catch up with the group and I went to the Frey Trailhead at Juniper Campground. The group was so slow that they were still walking in the ruins area when I got back down. I'm sure they went to where the Frey Trail levels out up above which was all the further the leader said they would go and then turned around but they must have just made it back down when I got down. I waved hello but had to make an emergency run to some bushes below the Long Trail and then caught up with them again so I could ask one of the old time hikers, Bill, another man in his 80's, about the Reflector Trail.
He kidded at first and said "It's classified!" Then he told me it was built in 1980 and mentioned that David Ramsey thought it would be a good idea. He said it might have been called the Perimeter Trail and that the reflectors are so high most likely because there was deep snow on the ground when they were placed on the trees. He said the impetus for the trail was when some skiers ended up in the Valle de los Posos and couldn't come back out. As brought out during the rim trail talk at PEEC, the idea was that a sweep of the Reflector Trail could be done if skiers were missing to see if any tracks crossed it and that would help to narrow the search.
I saw loads of blooming Apache Plume, a puccoon, a couple of Indian Paintbrush, the tiny fleabane like on the WR Rim Trail hike, a blue penstemon, and a goodly amount of wallflowers. It was a little windy going up the Frey - my umbrella kept turning inside out because I need to reattach a rib with thread. I'll do that this afternoon. It was on and off drizzling, cool, and looked like an early fall with the far off mountains dappled with mist.
I did early voting today after the hike. When I got home, I started two loads of laundry - still have to fold them, made hummous, and edamame. Lunch was breakfast's leftover strawberry smoothie along with some hummous and the edamame. I usually don't eat lunch so this will mean a late supper. I really should begin calling roofers this afternoon but may put if off until Monday. I want to do my resistance work today. Sometimes that's a pain in the butt to have that hanging over my head but I think my body would fall apart if I didn't do some weights at least twice a week. BTW, my sciatica seems to have mostly disappeared. I think that the iliotibial band stretches really helped. I do the lying one as well as the standing ones. I learned the lying one from Jolie Bookspan's Fitness Fixer blog: Lie on your back, spread your legs into a wide V with your legs at 10pm and 2pm, then cross one leg over the other and hold, and repeat on the other side.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Excitement
No, not this, but I keep forgetting to say that on an x-ray, a heel spur looks like a barb on a fish hook - fun!
The excitement is that the issue of change of station for spouse has arisen again. There was an email sent out about a change of station in D.C. to work in the DOE office in the ICF program. Spouse is interested in it. He's happy that he could do it as a lab employee and continue to accrue retirement benefits. This is the same position that was being shopped around earlier but it would have required him quitting his present position. Apparently they couldn't find anybody and devised this scheme. He'll be working directly for a man who was his former group leader at the lab. It's not a done deal as the offer is being made to all in ICF. I will visit him if he gets it but I still don't plan to move to D.C. I'll have to figure out what I'll do to spend my time profitably here while he's gone.
Just yesterday, the deadline came and passed to apply for the half time position teaching physics at UNM-LA and he decided not to do that because he's not really sure if he wants to teach and also because it pays very little but you have to work a relatively large number of hours.
The excitement is that the issue of change of station for spouse has arisen again. There was an email sent out about a change of station in D.C. to work in the DOE office in the ICF program. Spouse is interested in it. He's happy that he could do it as a lab employee and continue to accrue retirement benefits. This is the same position that was being shopped around earlier but it would have required him quitting his present position. Apparently they couldn't find anybody and devised this scheme. He'll be working directly for a man who was his former group leader at the lab. It's not a done deal as the offer is being made to all in ICF. I will visit him if he gets it but I still don't plan to move to D.C. I'll have to figure out what I'll do to spend my time profitably here while he's gone.
Just yesterday, the deadline came and passed to apply for the half time position teaching physics at UNM-LA and he decided not to do that because he's not really sure if he wants to teach and also because it pays very little but you have to work a relatively large number of hours.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
More That I Forgot About Today
At the end of my Perimeter Trail walk, I walked the steep, dirt road up to the Knife-edge trailhead just to see what was up. I'd like to do a reenactment of the Knife-edge trek one day. I'd also like to explore the old roads off the Perimeter Trail again. A tree, small enough possibly to move, fell over the last few yards of the Knife-edge access road.
The 1 1/2 hour this morning included stretches as well as resistance work. I watched the Today show while I worked out.
Another crummy thing about the New Balance 908's is that my right knee did some complaining but my knees behaved perfectly with the Tevas. It's true that this knee yammering happened as I was going down the steep downhill from the Knife-edge trailhead.
Today I went to Metzgers to look at extension ladders thinking that if perhaps I could buy a longer, more solid extension ladder, I could get on the roof. Well, forget about it - they cost over $200. A sales clerk at Metzgers gave me the name of Joe Hurtado when I asked about roofers to repair a small leak but I couldn't find his license on the Construction Industries Division website for NM.
The 1 1/2 hour this morning included stretches as well as resistance work. I watched the Today show while I worked out.
Another crummy thing about the New Balance 908's is that my right knee did some complaining but my knees behaved perfectly with the Tevas. It's true that this knee yammering happened as I was going down the steep downhill from the Knife-edge trailhead.
Today I went to Metzgers to look at extension ladders thinking that if perhaps I could buy a longer, more solid extension ladder, I could get on the roof. Well, forget about it - they cost over $200. A sales clerk at Metzgers gave me the name of Joe Hurtado when I asked about roofers to repair a small leak but I couldn't find his license on the Construction Industries Division website for NM.
Perimeter Trail Walk
Here's an excerpt from an email yesterday to my sister:
Grandson and daughter were over here tonight for supper. Daughter took home some for son in law since he works until 8:30pm. We had lamb kebabs, roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, canned sweet potatoes, and salad. Grandson had an adventure this afternoon. Daughter had sent the Y after school program an email saying that grandson wouldn't go to the program on Friday, the last day of school. There was a mix up because they sent him straight home after school on the bus today when he was supposed to stay at the after school program. The neighbors told him his Mom was at work so he walked there, less than 1/2 mile, and pops in saying "Hi, Mom!", scaring daughter half to death because she thought he was safely ensconced in Y camp! She brought him over here and he quietly watched TV while I worked on getting the dinner ready. He told us that he waited until 4 cars passed to cross the street. Daughter's going to show him how he can cross at the light in the future.
I forgot to mention that Sunday night I went to bed around 1am and my bladder woke me up at 7:30am. Last night I went to bed past 12:30am and my bladder/alarm clock woke me at 8am.
I am so tempted to hike with the LL group tomorrow just for some company but driving an hour each way doesn't sound like what I really want to do. I wonder if there's a hiking group on Wednesday that hikes locally?
I walked part of the south portion of the Perimeter Trail today, starting at Pajarito Canyon/Nail Trail Trailhead. The only person I saw was a bicyclist. I started around 1:45pm. There were still orange pin flags and some plastic flagging up to mark the return route of the 50 mile Jemez Mountain Trail Run. I walked over to FR181 and turned around.
The south portion of the Perimeter Trail is really lovely in the part west and uphill of Valle Canyon. The sides of the hill going out of Valle Canyon had lots of valerian, red columbine, fresh green moss, white violets, and white flowered wild strawberry. Then when you top out, you walk through a forest of tall, widely spaced ponderosa pines and masses of yellow golden pea - really beautiful! I got back to my car just before 4pm.
Now for some foot bitching: I tried out the New Balance 908 today and it wasn't good. I experimented with not using the Hapad Comf Orthotic insoles and my right heel slid around a lot and caused some pain plus, there isn't enough room for my right big toe (the one that's trying hard to become a bunion). I really missed the freedom for my toes of the Tevas and how the ankle strap on the Tevas keeps my ankle in place. My foot felt perfect after yesterday's walk in the Tevas. Problem is that I'm afraid of killing myself in the Tevas because if the open toes catch on a branch, I'm dead. I put the Tevas on when I got back to the car and they felt so indescribably, deliciously comfortable and soothing to my feet!
During my walk, big, dark bottomed clouds rolled on by overhead, with mostly sunshine and some wind that helped to cool me.
The bank clock said 85 degrees and it's 80 degrees in the house. Ah, to have the luxury of retreating to higher, cooler climes!! : )
Oh, I did 1 1/2 hours of upper and lower body resistance work this morning before breakfast. My left buttock is sore even though I'm stretching it with a lot of different stretches. It mostly behaved on the walk today.
Grandson and daughter were over here tonight for supper. Daughter took home some for son in law since he works until 8:30pm. We had lamb kebabs, roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, canned sweet potatoes, and salad. Grandson had an adventure this afternoon. Daughter had sent the Y after school program an email saying that grandson wouldn't go to the program on Friday, the last day of school. There was a mix up because they sent him straight home after school on the bus today when he was supposed to stay at the after school program. The neighbors told him his Mom was at work so he walked there, less than 1/2 mile, and pops in saying "Hi, Mom!", scaring daughter half to death because she thought he was safely ensconced in Y camp! She brought him over here and he quietly watched TV while I worked on getting the dinner ready. He told us that he waited until 4 cars passed to cross the street. Daughter's going to show him how he can cross at the light in the future.
I forgot to mention that Sunday night I went to bed around 1am and my bladder woke me up at 7:30am. Last night I went to bed past 12:30am and my bladder/alarm clock woke me at 8am.
I am so tempted to hike with the LL group tomorrow just for some company but driving an hour each way doesn't sound like what I really want to do. I wonder if there's a hiking group on Wednesday that hikes locally?
I walked part of the south portion of the Perimeter Trail today, starting at Pajarito Canyon/Nail Trail Trailhead. The only person I saw was a bicyclist. I started around 1:45pm. There were still orange pin flags and some plastic flagging up to mark the return route of the 50 mile Jemez Mountain Trail Run. I walked over to FR181 and turned around.
The south portion of the Perimeter Trail is really lovely in the part west and uphill of Valle Canyon. The sides of the hill going out of Valle Canyon had lots of valerian, red columbine, fresh green moss, white violets, and white flowered wild strawberry. Then when you top out, you walk through a forest of tall, widely spaced ponderosa pines and masses of yellow golden pea - really beautiful! I got back to my car just before 4pm.
Now for some foot bitching: I tried out the New Balance 908 today and it wasn't good. I experimented with not using the Hapad Comf Orthotic insoles and my right heel slid around a lot and caused some pain plus, there isn't enough room for my right big toe (the one that's trying hard to become a bunion). I really missed the freedom for my toes of the Tevas and how the ankle strap on the Tevas keeps my ankle in place. My foot felt perfect after yesterday's walk in the Tevas. Problem is that I'm afraid of killing myself in the Tevas because if the open toes catch on a branch, I'm dead. I put the Tevas on when I got back to the car and they felt so indescribably, deliciously comfortable and soothing to my feet!
During my walk, big, dark bottomed clouds rolled on by overhead, with mostly sunshine and some wind that helped to cool me.
The bank clock said 85 degrees and it's 80 degrees in the house. Ah, to have the luxury of retreating to higher, cooler climes!! : )
Oh, I did 1 1/2 hours of upper and lower body resistance work this morning before breakfast. My left buttock is sore even though I'm stretching it with a lot of different stretches. It mostly behaved on the walk today.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Too Hot in Here
It's 77 degrees inside. I'd better open things up. I got to FR181 today at noon - early start because Daughter and grandson are coming over for supper tonight and I have to do some food prep. I wore Teva sandals on FR181 to see if that helped or hurt my feet. It seemed OK. I guess the real issue is will it hurt the heel spur. I feel pain in my right heel if there isn't enough cushioning in the shoe's heel area. So far it seems OK. If this works and actually helps my feet, I'd have to buy a pair of Teva or Chaco sandals that have better tread. These ones could be slippery. I'm desperate to help my feet. The Teva sandals felt good because they were so light and they let my feet have freedom.
Also, when my left leg started to hurt while walking, I stopped and did an iliotibial band stretch. That may have helped so I'll keep doing it.
I was surprised not to see anyone on the road. I did see a bicyclist in the distance who probably came from the Perimeter Trail. An RV trailer was parked near American Springs but no vehicle was there. There's no shade on the road so it was a bit hot. The bank clock said 82 degrees if you can believe that!
Menu tonight is corn on the cob, salad, canned sweet potatoes, lamb kebabs, vegetable kebabs. I can eat some of it at least.
Also, when my left leg started to hurt while walking, I stopped and did an iliotibial band stretch. That may have helped so I'll keep doing it.
I was surprised not to see anyone on the road. I did see a bicyclist in the distance who probably came from the Perimeter Trail. An RV trailer was parked near American Springs but no vehicle was there. There's no shade on the road so it was a bit hot. The bank clock said 82 degrees if you can believe that!
Menu tonight is corn on the cob, salad, canned sweet potatoes, lamb kebabs, vegetable kebabs. I can eat some of it at least.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Frustating Weekend
Excerpt from email yesterday to my brother:
Our roof has a small leak - a cup of water the last rainstorm - around the furnace vent pipe. I was going to go on the roof today and look at it to determine what's the problem but I couldn't talk myself into it. I'll have to have roofers come out to give an estimate. Maybe if I study how they get on the roof, I could talk myself into it. I just had no idea about how to do the last part of stepping around the side of the 3' projection of the ladder over the roof edge. I have gotten on the roof before but that was long ago!
The extension ladder is a 16' one and to have 3' of the ladder above the roof, the ladder had to be fully extended and that didn't feel right. I wonder if I could have had less ladder above the roof and would have felt more comfortable. Spouse was going to steady the ladder. Now I have to research roofers with Better Business Bureau and ask hikers who they'd recommend and see who's willing to come out to look at it. I'm disheartened but maybe I'll get some one good and trustworthy who will fix it for once and for all. This problem was "fixed" after the new roof was installed but I wonder was it really.
Let small bird out of woodstove Saturday. It perched atop our photo frames singing until it finally could navigate out the open front door.
Spouse installed our digital converter boxes this weekend. Now there is a total of 5 remotes for the livingroom TV. Next year I won't be able to record shows off the big TV as it's too complex to have the signal hooked up to the VCR as well as the dvd player, the converter box, and the satellite receiver but I will be able to record off the little TV in spouse's bedroom. The TV in the bedroom now has a really good picture like it's on the cable or something.
All spouse's dithering with the digital converter box has made me want to get rid of all electronic devices. It's made me wish a lot for a simpler life.
Today we hiked the Coyote Call Trail. Spouse waited for me at Scooter Pass while I went out to the Alamo Boundary TH and back. I went up to several of the ponds to try to spot the peepers who were singing away but no luck. I could smell the wintergreenish smell from the much chewed upon downed aspen as I walked over it. The sun was bringing the smell out strongly. I would like to go up Misty Meadow to Rabbit Ridge and back down the RR Road to the Coyote Call TH, starting at Alamo Bdy TH. That whole area is so inviting. There are going to be a slew of irises when they finally start blooming. There were no vehicles parked at AB TH but 3 parked at CC TH. We only saw one couple on the Coyote Call Trail. Promising clouds were floating over Scooter Peak but they were stingy with their moisture.
Spouse was having premature ventricular contractions, probably from the coffee he drinks, and wasn't very talkative. He had to stop a lot going up the first hill to the upper Coyote Call trail loop. My right foot was hurting at the end but the left hip felt fine.
Oh, I have a heel spur but I don't think that's what's causing the instep pain. I had heel spur symptoms years ago but when the symptoms go away, the heel spur doesn't - your foot just gets used to it. I have some mild degenerative changes in the area of pain. I'm unsure what I'll do next but not happy that the pain won't just go away and stop harassing me!!
Our roof has a small leak - a cup of water the last rainstorm - around the furnace vent pipe. I was going to go on the roof today and look at it to determine what's the problem but I couldn't talk myself into it. I'll have to have roofers come out to give an estimate. Maybe if I study how they get on the roof, I could talk myself into it. I just had no idea about how to do the last part of stepping around the side of the 3' projection of the ladder over the roof edge. I have gotten on the roof before but that was long ago!
The extension ladder is a 16' one and to have 3' of the ladder above the roof, the ladder had to be fully extended and that didn't feel right. I wonder if I could have had less ladder above the roof and would have felt more comfortable. Spouse was going to steady the ladder. Now I have to research roofers with Better Business Bureau and ask hikers who they'd recommend and see who's willing to come out to look at it. I'm disheartened but maybe I'll get some one good and trustworthy who will fix it for once and for all. This problem was "fixed" after the new roof was installed but I wonder was it really.
Let small bird out of woodstove Saturday. It perched atop our photo frames singing until it finally could navigate out the open front door.
Spouse installed our digital converter boxes this weekend. Now there is a total of 5 remotes for the livingroom TV. Next year I won't be able to record shows off the big TV as it's too complex to have the signal hooked up to the VCR as well as the dvd player, the converter box, and the satellite receiver but I will be able to record off the little TV in spouse's bedroom. The TV in the bedroom now has a really good picture like it's on the cable or something.
All spouse's dithering with the digital converter box has made me want to get rid of all electronic devices. It's made me wish a lot for a simpler life.
Today we hiked the Coyote Call Trail. Spouse waited for me at Scooter Pass while I went out to the Alamo Boundary TH and back. I went up to several of the ponds to try to spot the peepers who were singing away but no luck. I could smell the wintergreenish smell from the much chewed upon downed aspen as I walked over it. The sun was bringing the smell out strongly. I would like to go up Misty Meadow to Rabbit Ridge and back down the RR Road to the Coyote Call TH, starting at Alamo Bdy TH. That whole area is so inviting. There are going to be a slew of irises when they finally start blooming. There were no vehicles parked at AB TH but 3 parked at CC TH. We only saw one couple on the Coyote Call Trail. Promising clouds were floating over Scooter Peak but they were stingy with their moisture.
Spouse was having premature ventricular contractions, probably from the coffee he drinks, and wasn't very talkative. He had to stop a lot going up the first hill to the upper Coyote Call trail loop. My right foot was hurting at the end but the left hip felt fine.
Oh, I have a heel spur but I don't think that's what's causing the instep pain. I had heel spur symptoms years ago but when the symptoms go away, the heel spur doesn't - your foot just gets used to it. I have some mild degenerative changes in the area of pain. I'm unsure what I'll do next but not happy that the pain won't just go away and stop harassing me!!
Friday, May 16, 2008
FR181 Walk
I woke up at 8:15am, getting almost 4 hours more sleep than the night before! Before eating, I did over an hour of resistance work, both upper and lower body, foot and balance work, stretches and kegels. I cooked a gruel/dessert from cooked teff and raisins soaked in orange juice, with spices like cinnamon, adding a little almond butter. It's delicious - especially with some peanut butter! I made a kitchen sink smoothie for breakfast/lunch.
I didn't head out to MPL and BESC until after 1pm. I had a disk with my foot x-rays on it and the disk wouldn't work on our Mac so I took it to BESC's computer room where I was able to view my right foot and ankle x-rays. I didn't know how to interpret them - MANNM will mail me the report next week - but thought that my foot bones looked beautiful - slender and graceful.
I found spouse a bunch of Monitoring Times in the library lobby from 2006, 2007, and even through April of 2008! I also found him 2 Physics textbooks in case he teaches at UNM-LA. Earlier this week, I found two more Calculus books which I'm saving for now.
I didn't start walking on FR181 until after 2:45pm. I could see the snow covered backside of Pajarito Mountain and thought of all the people who would be up there playing in the snow and how happy they would be!
My walk was very good. I tried out a new pair of exercise shoes that I had in the closet - not trail running shoes or hiking shoes but ordinary New Balance road running shoes. My left leg mostly behaved but I did notice that I seemed to be weak going up slight hills. I don't know whether to attribute that to being hungry or to perhaps having some kind of deficiency. At any rate, I think I may experiment and take some iron pills. At least now I can blame the flautus on the iron pills! I'm also going to experiment by adding 3 more Vitamin D capsules a week. I read in the People's Pharmacy email newsletter that a lady was having lots of joint pains and they disappeared when she began taking Vitamin D, 1600 IU a day. I'll try taking 10,000 IU's a week and see what happens.
Oh, last night I tried to watch the Storm Over Everest show but it apparently didn't tape as there was just black and white static for 2 hours. Oh well!! Maybe another time.
I took a slight detour off FR181 going out to the overlook from Red Tail Hawk Point or whatever it's called. I always forget and take the first distinct left turn after Water Canyon but that road quickly dead ends in a quagmire of fallen dead trees. I have to try to remember next time to take the second distinct left turn. The deadfall is easier to get around on that road.
Anyhow, the view at the end is spectacular. You don't want to slip because it's a long way down. You're looking down into where Water Canyon diverges into Vault Canyon. I could hear the water racing out of Vault Canyon. I also walked to where I could see the Vault Canyon Overlook platform. It is so worthwhile to take the detour to the Water Canyon Overlook. I'd like to go there for a picnic one day but none of my family would want to fight the deadfall for the payoff at the end. I ended up walking 5.11 miles per my GPS. I saw a vehicle parked at the Water Canyon dip. I took a few photos of clematis on the way home. I saw lots of red columbine and valerian growing on the hill above Water Canyon before you get into the dip. Lots of elk and deer tracks crossed the road. I didn't get done until 5pm and when I came back home, spouse had just gotten home. It's so pretty in the mountains in the late afternoon.
I didn't head out to MPL and BESC until after 1pm. I had a disk with my foot x-rays on it and the disk wouldn't work on our Mac so I took it to BESC's computer room where I was able to view my right foot and ankle x-rays. I didn't know how to interpret them - MANNM will mail me the report next week - but thought that my foot bones looked beautiful - slender and graceful.
I found spouse a bunch of Monitoring Times in the library lobby from 2006, 2007, and even through April of 2008! I also found him 2 Physics textbooks in case he teaches at UNM-LA. Earlier this week, I found two more Calculus books which I'm saving for now.
I didn't start walking on FR181 until after 2:45pm. I could see the snow covered backside of Pajarito Mountain and thought of all the people who would be up there playing in the snow and how happy they would be!
My walk was very good. I tried out a new pair of exercise shoes that I had in the closet - not trail running shoes or hiking shoes but ordinary New Balance road running shoes. My left leg mostly behaved but I did notice that I seemed to be weak going up slight hills. I don't know whether to attribute that to being hungry or to perhaps having some kind of deficiency. At any rate, I think I may experiment and take some iron pills. At least now I can blame the flautus on the iron pills! I'm also going to experiment by adding 3 more Vitamin D capsules a week. I read in the People's Pharmacy email newsletter that a lady was having lots of joint pains and they disappeared when she began taking Vitamin D, 1600 IU a day. I'll try taking 10,000 IU's a week and see what happens.
Oh, last night I tried to watch the Storm Over Everest show but it apparently didn't tape as there was just black and white static for 2 hours. Oh well!! Maybe another time.
I took a slight detour off FR181 going out to the overlook from Red Tail Hawk Point or whatever it's called. I always forget and take the first distinct left turn after Water Canyon but that road quickly dead ends in a quagmire of fallen dead trees. I have to try to remember next time to take the second distinct left turn. The deadfall is easier to get around on that road.
Anyhow, the view at the end is spectacular. You don't want to slip because it's a long way down. You're looking down into where Water Canyon diverges into Vault Canyon. I could hear the water racing out of Vault Canyon. I also walked to where I could see the Vault Canyon Overlook platform. It is so worthwhile to take the detour to the Water Canyon Overlook. I'd like to go there for a picnic one day but none of my family would want to fight the deadfall for the payoff at the end. I ended up walking 5.11 miles per my GPS. I saw a vehicle parked at the Water Canyon dip. I took a few photos of clematis on the way home. I saw lots of red columbine and valerian growing on the hill above Water Canyon before you get into the dip. Lots of elk and deer tracks crossed the road. I didn't get done until 5pm and when I came back home, spouse had just gotten home. It's so pretty in the mountains in the late afternoon.
Park and Ride to Albuquerque
I was dreading all week having to get up at 4:30am to catch the 6:35am Park and Ride bus to Albuquerque to meet spouse. I also doubted how I was going to catch the correct ABQ RIDE buses over to REI. ABQ RIDE, though, has a neat system where you email them where you're starting from and where you want to wind up and they email the exact buses to take. I printed out the schedules and carried them with me. Knowing the exact times of the bus routes was extremely helpful.
It was drizzling and the mountains were shrouded in clouds when I got to the bus stop at 20th and Central. A handful of people got off the bus and only I got on. We picked up a couple more people over at the lab and headed to Santa Fe. The driver made a quick stop at the Totavi gas station for coffee. After 3 stops in Santa Fe, the bus ended up having almost 20 passengers going to Albuquerque. I read magazines the whole time and used the bathroom once. It was a very enjoyable way to get to Albuquerque, especially since the bus wasn't completely full.
When we arrived at the Alvarado Transportation Center in downtown Albuquerque, I was at first flummoxed at not knowing where to stand to wait for bus #10, the 4th Street route, but I eventually figured out, by consulting the posted route map and my printed out schedules, that each bus route pulls up to a stop posted with a letter of the alphabet.
Bus route #10 took off from the Alvarado around 9:30am (the Park and Ride arrived around 9:10am, which gave me time to use the bathroom in the Alvarado). I was worried about making the 10:02am connection for the #157 route, Montaño Road, but the driver dropped me off near 4th and Montaño about 9:50am. The deal was that if I missed the 10:02am bus, another wouldn't be along for 47 minutes and standing in the rain holding an umbrella and a big shopping bag just didn't seem to be the ticket! It's only 1.9 miles to REI per Mapquest from the corner of 4th St. and Montaño but the rain and the big golf umbrella complicated things.
REI wasn't too productive a stop as I couldn't find some things (out of stock) and the shoes that I was trying to exchange for were road running shoes instead of the trail running shoes that I wanted. Turns out that Asics makes the GT 2130 in both trail and road running versions. I didn't make it clear when paid for the shoes over the phone that I wanted the trail running version. I tried on a stack of shoes but none of them were quite right. I'm ordering some Brooks in a larger size than the ones they had in the store and we'll see how that works. REI must think I have some kind of strange shoe fetish where I like to order shoes and immediately return them! I ended up buying six pairs of the black polyester gloves I wear for $8.83 each - they're usually $12. Spouse bought yet another shirt. He says a lot of his are tight. Well, I'm not surprised! : )
After REI, we went to Whole Foods. I bought some broccoli, cantaloupes, baby carrots, tomatoes on the vine, bananas and avocados. I love to buy and eat lots of colorful produce! Lunch was yellowtail avocado sushi which I ate on the car ride home.
We both were surprised that the Jemez had gotten snow Wednesday night. The mountains looked very pretty. I did my 4 miles on the La Mesa Trail and walking to the library. I saw a beautiful pink sunset. My left leg got stiff and the sciatica or whatever it is acted up.
It was drizzling and the mountains were shrouded in clouds when I got to the bus stop at 20th and Central. A handful of people got off the bus and only I got on. We picked up a couple more people over at the lab and headed to Santa Fe. The driver made a quick stop at the Totavi gas station for coffee. After 3 stops in Santa Fe, the bus ended up having almost 20 passengers going to Albuquerque. I read magazines the whole time and used the bathroom once. It was a very enjoyable way to get to Albuquerque, especially since the bus wasn't completely full.
When we arrived at the Alvarado Transportation Center in downtown Albuquerque, I was at first flummoxed at not knowing where to stand to wait for bus #10, the 4th Street route, but I eventually figured out, by consulting the posted route map and my printed out schedules, that each bus route pulls up to a stop posted with a letter of the alphabet.
Bus route #10 took off from the Alvarado around 9:30am (the Park and Ride arrived around 9:10am, which gave me time to use the bathroom in the Alvarado). I was worried about making the 10:02am connection for the #157 route, Montaño Road, but the driver dropped me off near 4th and Montaño about 9:50am. The deal was that if I missed the 10:02am bus, another wouldn't be along for 47 minutes and standing in the rain holding an umbrella and a big shopping bag just didn't seem to be the ticket! It's only 1.9 miles to REI per Mapquest from the corner of 4th St. and Montaño but the rain and the big golf umbrella complicated things.
REI wasn't too productive a stop as I couldn't find some things (out of stock) and the shoes that I was trying to exchange for were road running shoes instead of the trail running shoes that I wanted. Turns out that Asics makes the GT 2130 in both trail and road running versions. I didn't make it clear when paid for the shoes over the phone that I wanted the trail running version. I tried on a stack of shoes but none of them were quite right. I'm ordering some Brooks in a larger size than the ones they had in the store and we'll see how that works. REI must think I have some kind of strange shoe fetish where I like to order shoes and immediately return them! I ended up buying six pairs of the black polyester gloves I wear for $8.83 each - they're usually $12. Spouse bought yet another shirt. He says a lot of his are tight. Well, I'm not surprised! : )
After REI, we went to Whole Foods. I bought some broccoli, cantaloupes, baby carrots, tomatoes on the vine, bananas and avocados. I love to buy and eat lots of colorful produce! Lunch was yellowtail avocado sushi which I ate on the car ride home.
We both were surprised that the Jemez had gotten snow Wednesday night. The mountains looked very pretty. I did my 4 miles on the La Mesa Trail and walking to the library. I saw a beautiful pink sunset. My left leg got stiff and the sciatica or whatever it is acted up.
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