Dave and Faye didn't show up. I realized too late that they don't have a computer at home and wouldn't receive Dorothy's emails regarding today's explore. Dorothy will call them to apologize.
We went in a very short distance on FR376 South and turned left on an unmarked road that led to an area where people camp above La Cueva where we parked. Actually, two other cars were there when we got back a little after 3pm. One drove out before we did and the other looked like it was staying. We also saw some campers near the intersection of FR604 and FR376 on our way back.
After lunch above Wildcat Canyon, we headed back, planning to go back the way we came which included going up and over a tall hill but a thunderstorm intervened. Instead, we walked down FR604 to FR376 and eventually cut over to where Dorothy's car was parked. The rain was coming heavy for a while but Dorothy and I both broke out our golf umbrellas and were happy. Happy also were we that the thunder and lightning were not directly overhead and we were off the rim. But, I've gotten way ahead of myself.
The rim above La Cueva is beautiful with views of La Cueva, San Antonio Mountain, Redondo, Redondo Border, etc., and all the way to Los Griegos, Pelado, and Las Conchas. We saw several trees along the rim that had been split by lightning so I highly doubt the SFNF is going to make an official trail right along the edge. The view down to the tent rocks was stupendous and I wonder how the forest service managed to let that beautiful natural wonder become private property. There's a big house right at the base of the tent rocks. After we got off the rim and intersected FR604, we walked up a hill from the road and found a fence signed Posted No Trespassing Keep Out. Then we came to a fence corner and another fence continued at a diagonal to the posted one but maybe the private property didn't even though there was one more posted sign on the diagonal fence.
We encountered several more fences and gates and they were all in excellent condition and hard to crack. One gate, we had to take apart at the opposite end because the part with the wire latch was so wedged into the gate post because they used barbed rather than barbless wire for the latch. Another fence, I had to untwist wire so we could pull the two strands apart to get under it. A vexing day for fences but I will come armed with the red pliers next time!
I was looking at the topo map this evening and I really don't see how Dorothy will scale the cliffs down to Battleship Rock but we will have a good time exploring.
Sunday, spouse and I went to the Hotrock Rim Trail because he wanted to hike there. It was cool and overcast but later turned sunny but not as warm as it can be. We walked to Pajarito Canyon and on the way back, took the side trip on the bench beneath the rim trail. That's a lovely area. I think it would be interesting to get into WR Canyon via that bench trail.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Mish Mosh of a Day and Blog
I started off the day feeling somewhat lonely and depressed but managed to dissipate the entire day. My bladder woke me at 7am when I wanted to sleep in. Then, after breakfast, I started feeling sorry for myself and wished that I had set my alarm for 6am to go with the BESC hiking group just to have some company! Here's how I managed:
Went to talk to John across the street to ask if Olivas Tree Service told him one price and then charged another higher one when the job was finished as that's how Western Trees always did to me. Nope - Olivas stuck to the price he had quoted John. Olivas will prune our ash, mugo pines, and cherry tree on this coming Thursday morning. He did a good job on John and Ginny's humongous willow tree.
I spoke to Joe at the LAC Building Permit office. He suggested that I get several more opinions before I replace the roof based on what LA Roofing told me. He also said that it's possible that since asphalt shingles are self-sealing that they may seal around the staple tops. He mentioned names of three local roofers - George Roofing (George Vigil), Richard's Roofing (Richard Martinez), and David Espinoza Roofing. He said that David Espinoza hand nails all the roofs instead of using staples. I called Espinoza, not even mentioning the staples and asked him to come out to look at the furnace vent pipe leak. He sounded a bit impatient but said he'll come next Tuesday at 10am. He only has a BB rating with BBB of NM. Perhaps I should check again what ABC Roofing Specialist's rating is. Richard's Roofing had an AA, I think. I want a condo!!
Then I went to MPL and trolled the free stuff in the lobby and looked in the bookstore. I was hoping the interlibrary book called something like the Good Foot book would be in but it wasn't. Then I went to WR to the MPL branch there and trolled the freebie box there and afterwards went to the Jemez House Thrift Shop where I bought for one whole buck some exercise videos that I'll preview tonight on fast forward while I kegel. Then, since it seemed cooler and somewhat overcast, I decided to walk the Hotrock Rim Trail, still feeling sorry for myself. I think I need to reserve an old pair of shoes just special for walking that lava trail. Instead, I used a mostly brand new pair of Merrell's from REI. BTW, REI in SF now won't open until the end of September.
Then home and waded through email on the computer, made some phone calls. Daughter called to ask if she could bring grandson over while she jogged so I made the pizza (easy - pizza shell, canned spag sauce, bags of shredded cheese) for grandson and spouse. After supper, spouse took grandson to Baskin Robbins. I cooked up bunch of beet tops that daughter had given me. She bought a lot of red beets to make borscht for a dinner she's going to tonight. While I was trying to get my supper underway, I heard trapped bird sounds from the woodstove. The poor thing was scratching and practically squeaking and whimpering to get out so I closed up everything and opened the front door. Man, that little birdie flew out to that beautiful light and freedom as soon as I opened the woodstove door and then sat on my car for a moment, collecting itself.
OK, after all that humaneness to the bird, well it does not apply to the squirrels that are burrowing under our back porch slab!! John told me that Go Die Gopher has styrychnine in it and he's used it for gophers but found a dead squirrel instead. I didn't need to think twice and went to Metzger's this morning to buy some. When I opened the back patio door, there was a squirrel that popped into a hole under our back porch. After supper, I left him a little treat. I hope I don't burn in Hades for killing squirrels but I already have dead gophers on my conscience so what's another squirrel? I tore out the sunflowers in the rocks to cut off the food supply so as not to attract them. God bless the soul of that poor defenseless squirrel but I like them much better in the forest. I'm afraid that when their family gets to big for under the porch slab, they'll move into the crawl space. The awful thing is that grandson loves squirrels!!
Aren't you sorry you asked about my day??? : )
Went to talk to John across the street to ask if Olivas Tree Service told him one price and then charged another higher one when the job was finished as that's how Western Trees always did to me. Nope - Olivas stuck to the price he had quoted John. Olivas will prune our ash, mugo pines, and cherry tree on this coming Thursday morning. He did a good job on John and Ginny's humongous willow tree.
I spoke to Joe at the LAC Building Permit office. He suggested that I get several more opinions before I replace the roof based on what LA Roofing told me. He also said that it's possible that since asphalt shingles are self-sealing that they may seal around the staple tops. He mentioned names of three local roofers - George Roofing (George Vigil), Richard's Roofing (Richard Martinez), and David Espinoza Roofing. He said that David Espinoza hand nails all the roofs instead of using staples. I called Espinoza, not even mentioning the staples and asked him to come out to look at the furnace vent pipe leak. He sounded a bit impatient but said he'll come next Tuesday at 10am. He only has a BB rating with BBB of NM. Perhaps I should check again what ABC Roofing Specialist's rating is. Richard's Roofing had an AA, I think. I want a condo!!
Then I went to MPL and trolled the free stuff in the lobby and looked in the bookstore. I was hoping the interlibrary book called something like the Good Foot book would be in but it wasn't. Then I went to WR to the MPL branch there and trolled the freebie box there and afterwards went to the Jemez House Thrift Shop where I bought for one whole buck some exercise videos that I'll preview tonight on fast forward while I kegel. Then, since it seemed cooler and somewhat overcast, I decided to walk the Hotrock Rim Trail, still feeling sorry for myself. I think I need to reserve an old pair of shoes just special for walking that lava trail. Instead, I used a mostly brand new pair of Merrell's from REI. BTW, REI in SF now won't open until the end of September.
Then home and waded through email on the computer, made some phone calls. Daughter called to ask if she could bring grandson over while she jogged so I made the pizza (easy - pizza shell, canned spag sauce, bags of shredded cheese) for grandson and spouse. After supper, spouse took grandson to Baskin Robbins. I cooked up bunch of beet tops that daughter had given me. She bought a lot of red beets to make borscht for a dinner she's going to tonight. While I was trying to get my supper underway, I heard trapped bird sounds from the woodstove. The poor thing was scratching and practically squeaking and whimpering to get out so I closed up everything and opened the front door. Man, that little birdie flew out to that beautiful light and freedom as soon as I opened the woodstove door and then sat on my car for a moment, collecting itself.
OK, after all that humaneness to the bird, well it does not apply to the squirrels that are burrowing under our back porch slab!! John told me that Go Die Gopher has styrychnine in it and he's used it for gophers but found a dead squirrel instead. I didn't need to think twice and went to Metzger's this morning to buy some. When I opened the back patio door, there was a squirrel that popped into a hole under our back porch. After supper, I left him a little treat. I hope I don't burn in Hades for killing squirrels but I already have dead gophers on my conscience so what's another squirrel? I tore out the sunflowers in the rocks to cut off the food supply so as not to attract them. God bless the soul of that poor defenseless squirrel but I like them much better in the forest. I'm afraid that when their family gets to big for under the porch slab, they'll move into the crawl space. The awful thing is that grandson loves squirrels!!
Aren't you sorry you asked about my day??? : )
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Las Conchas Peak
The Las Conchas Peak hike went well Monday. David wasn't impressed with the route up. All along he had wanted to go up from Peralta Road up a pass. I must admit that watching everyone pick their way up the rocky south side of Las Conchas and burying themselves in the shrubs to do it, made me realize that David was right but I wasn't familiar with any other way.
Everyone seemed to like the views from on top but the caldera views were probably somewhat disappointing to Dorothy. I had forgotten how blocked toward Redondo the top of Las Conchas is. The best views of Redondo were from the next peak to the south - Hermit Thrush Peak.
After lunch, David wanted to go down a different way and no one protested! He went down from the northeast corner of the mountain and it was a very good way down - not too steep. He built some small rock cairns as we went down and we built another brush cairn when we intersected the Peralta-Paliza Trail.
When we got back to the Peralta-Paliza Trail, Dorothy suggested that we shortcut the trail by going downhill to another section of the trail and we all agreed. However, Dorothy wasn't paying complete attention because we kept asking her to identify this and that flower so we ended up going down to Peralta Road. Basically, I think that Faye and David both wanted to go down the shortest way and they would head off and we all mindlessly followed. I marked where we came out on the road with a stone cairn. I'd like to try to go to Las Conchas again from that point and going up the way we came down on this past Monday. I think that David and Faye are excellent mountaineers.
Annette walked back with me to my car parked at the bottom of Peralta Road. We walked out through Corral Canyon but cut up the hill, before NM4, to go east along an old road that went alongside the private property. The road intersected the Peralta Road fairly close to my car and we walked back on the road.
Today I mailed off the Roadrunner Sports shoes for a refund. I also mailed 3" of our toaster oven plug to get a new one under warranty as it had began working only intermittently. It was only 7 months old and a Black and Decker model.
I walked in the woods alongside Camp May Road for the first time in a long time. It was in surprisingly good condition as far as trash. I had decided anyway that I'd be ignoring trash except on a yearly basis. Someone knocked down a few of the rock cairns in the area near Paint Ball Road. I had forgotten how hard it is to pull myself up Guardrail Hill! I'm out of practice!!
Tomorrow I hike with the WI. They'll go to the East Fork Area but the one further west with the pit toilets, I think. Annette emailed me where they are going but if I want to get on the email list, I have to ask Ginny Bell.
Everyone seemed to like the views from on top but the caldera views were probably somewhat disappointing to Dorothy. I had forgotten how blocked toward Redondo the top of Las Conchas is. The best views of Redondo were from the next peak to the south - Hermit Thrush Peak.
After lunch, David wanted to go down a different way and no one protested! He went down from the northeast corner of the mountain and it was a very good way down - not too steep. He built some small rock cairns as we went down and we built another brush cairn when we intersected the Peralta-Paliza Trail.
When we got back to the Peralta-Paliza Trail, Dorothy suggested that we shortcut the trail by going downhill to another section of the trail and we all agreed. However, Dorothy wasn't paying complete attention because we kept asking her to identify this and that flower so we ended up going down to Peralta Road. Basically, I think that Faye and David both wanted to go down the shortest way and they would head off and we all mindlessly followed. I marked where we came out on the road with a stone cairn. I'd like to try to go to Las Conchas again from that point and going up the way we came down on this past Monday. I think that David and Faye are excellent mountaineers.
Annette walked back with me to my car parked at the bottom of Peralta Road. We walked out through Corral Canyon but cut up the hill, before NM4, to go east along an old road that went alongside the private property. The road intersected the Peralta Road fairly close to my car and we walked back on the road.
Today I mailed off the Roadrunner Sports shoes for a refund. I also mailed 3" of our toaster oven plug to get a new one under warranty as it had began working only intermittently. It was only 7 months old and a Black and Decker model.
I walked in the woods alongside Camp May Road for the first time in a long time. It was in surprisingly good condition as far as trash. I had decided anyway that I'd be ignoring trash except on a yearly basis. Someone knocked down a few of the rock cairns in the area near Paint Ball Road. I had forgotten how hard it is to pull myself up Guardrail Hill! I'm out of practice!!
Tomorrow I hike with the WI. They'll go to the East Fork Area but the one further west with the pit toilets, I think. Annette emailed me where they are going but if I want to get on the email list, I have to ask Ginny Bell.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
July 4th Daze
Recap:
Thursday - Went to Santa Fe. Spouse went to Pearle Vision to have reading glasses remade a second time. Shopped Vitamin Cottage. Made return at Borders and bought new Rodney Yee dvd - A.M. Yoga for Your Week. Was only $10. Did one segment so far and it's good. Has 5 twenty minute segments.
Friday - Got up 6am to go to BESC hiking group which leaves at 8:05am but no one was there. Probably they took July 4th off. We went to Apache Springs and hiked to edge of Frijoles Canyon and back. Saw couple hiking with dog but it was a nice dog. Maybe they were the Utah SUV and didn't want to leave dog in car. Saw a family with child younger than grandson and also a couple. It was good to get an early start. Can't for the life of me remember what else I did later in.
Saturday - Blender had broken. After 2 days of using food processor as blender - not good as it doesn't result in smooth, drinkable breakfast-lunch smoothies but instead makes chunky, chewable smoothies - we went to SF again to buy a new blender. Bought a GE 800 watt blender at Walmart - $67. Two year warranty is hilarious as it sounds like it excludes coverage of everything that could possibly go wrong with it. I'll give it a 3 month trial (time period you can return stuff to Walmart). I'd like a VitaMix but $549 is a bit steep!! Ate lunch at Red Lobster - lunch portion trout, broccoli, asparagus, salad - so delicious (I'm starving as I'm writing this!!).
Sunday - Got late start to Jemez - around 11am. Went to Corral Canyon. Spouse walked 1 mile in and then sat down to eat his lunch while I continued on for my 4 miles RT. Went up Calzada Trail to T intersection and out a little on Peralta-Paliza Trail. Saw 2 groups of cows - a little unnerving. On way back, it rained a little and thundered a little but I made it back alive. I caught up on the computer and will eat my kale-wild rice dish now. I have to get up at 5:30am tomorrow to pick up spouse at RPM and take him to work. His car is acting up. We replaced the windshield wipers on my car today. Actually, the lady at Auto Zone replaced them with ones I purchased there. They were pretty ragged at the end of the drive home from the Jemez in the rain!
Update on 4 shoes ordered from Roadrunner Sports: None of them really helped my feet. I'm going to mail back all four using their label that will charge $9.49 to my credit card for the return postage and insure the package. It's worth it to get the shoes out of my life. I'm currently trying out some Brooks shoes from REI.
Thursday - Went to Santa Fe. Spouse went to Pearle Vision to have reading glasses remade a second time. Shopped Vitamin Cottage. Made return at Borders and bought new Rodney Yee dvd - A.M. Yoga for Your Week. Was only $10. Did one segment so far and it's good. Has 5 twenty minute segments.
Friday - Got up 6am to go to BESC hiking group which leaves at 8:05am but no one was there. Probably they took July 4th off. We went to Apache Springs and hiked to edge of Frijoles Canyon and back. Saw couple hiking with dog but it was a nice dog. Maybe they were the Utah SUV and didn't want to leave dog in car. Saw a family with child younger than grandson and also a couple. It was good to get an early start. Can't for the life of me remember what else I did later in.
Saturday - Blender had broken. After 2 days of using food processor as blender - not good as it doesn't result in smooth, drinkable breakfast-lunch smoothies but instead makes chunky, chewable smoothies - we went to SF again to buy a new blender. Bought a GE 800 watt blender at Walmart - $67. Two year warranty is hilarious as it sounds like it excludes coverage of everything that could possibly go wrong with it. I'll give it a 3 month trial (time period you can return stuff to Walmart). I'd like a VitaMix but $549 is a bit steep!! Ate lunch at Red Lobster - lunch portion trout, broccoli, asparagus, salad - so delicious (I'm starving as I'm writing this!!).
Sunday - Got late start to Jemez - around 11am. Went to Corral Canyon. Spouse walked 1 mile in and then sat down to eat his lunch while I continued on for my 4 miles RT. Went up Calzada Trail to T intersection and out a little on Peralta-Paliza Trail. Saw 2 groups of cows - a little unnerving. On way back, it rained a little and thundered a little but I made it back alive. I caught up on the computer and will eat my kale-wild rice dish now. I have to get up at 5:30am tomorrow to pick up spouse at RPM and take him to work. His car is acting up. We replaced the windshield wipers on my car today. Actually, the lady at Auto Zone replaced them with ones I purchased there. They were pretty ragged at the end of the drive home from the Jemez in the rain!
Update on 4 shoes ordered from Roadrunner Sports: None of them really helped my feet. I'm going to mail back all four using their label that will charge $9.49 to my credit card for the return postage and insure the package. It's worth it to get the shoes out of my life. I'm currently trying out some Brooks shoes from REI.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Daily Life
Daughter's dropping grandson off soon because she wants to exercise early. She has to pack this evening for CO trip.
Heard from McPartlon Roofing. Estimate was for $500 to renew caulking on furnace exhaust vent pipe and reseal flashing - no parts, just sealant, caulk, and labor and no warranty since it's not a McPartlon roof system. I declined, of course! Called LA Roofing but he was at bank and said call back and leave message. Haven't heard from him either. LP Roofing never called back either. The furnace room was bone dry after yesterday's storm which makes me think I shouldn't even bother. Problem will probably recur when roof gets loaded with snow and ice this winter as that may wedge under the flashing and make it lift up.
Been seeing neighbor Irma some evenings. She's so sweet. I see her walking with her tiny dog, Chippie. Both her and the dog are so tiny! How could I ever had been mad at her over the stupid lights, especially since she cared enough to put up a porch overhang which somewhat diminished the problem?
Need to read my Science Daily newsletters and the calorie restriction newsletter which I've been letting pile up and also need to read the New York Times health headlines as there's a lot of them that have accumulated and also need to look up some stuff about heel spurs (it can be so painful at times but hip problem may be getting better) and about blenders (mine may be dying - I would love a VitaMix!!).
Getting very hungry!!
Heard from McPartlon Roofing. Estimate was for $500 to renew caulking on furnace exhaust vent pipe and reseal flashing - no parts, just sealant, caulk, and labor and no warranty since it's not a McPartlon roof system. I declined, of course! Called LA Roofing but he was at bank and said call back and leave message. Haven't heard from him either. LP Roofing never called back either. The furnace room was bone dry after yesterday's storm which makes me think I shouldn't even bother. Problem will probably recur when roof gets loaded with snow and ice this winter as that may wedge under the flashing and make it lift up.
Been seeing neighbor Irma some evenings. She's so sweet. I see her walking with her tiny dog, Chippie. Both her and the dog are so tiny! How could I ever had been mad at her over the stupid lights, especially since she cared enough to put up a porch overhang which somewhat diminished the problem?
Need to read my Science Daily newsletters and the calorie restriction newsletter which I've been letting pile up and also need to read the New York Times health headlines as there's a lot of them that have accumulated and also need to look up some stuff about heel spurs (it can be so painful at times but hip problem may be getting better) and about blenders (mine may be dying - I would love a VitaMix!!).
Getting very hungry!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Starry Nights and Hurried Days
May have to go soon to pick up spouse at Reel Deal. He's there with grandson watching Wall-E. Before that, we went with grandson to Ponderosa Campground and walked out to the Indiana Jones Booby Trap Hideout Knoll.Grandson and spouse had a picnic while I walked out past Witch's Broom Tree and back for my 4 miles. They got back to the car just 10 minutes before I got back. Grandson remodeled and moved the Indiana Jones Booby Trap Hideout.
I saw a dried up elk or deer skin off but near the main Escobas Mesa Trail. The only bone around was a foreleg bone. Seemed strange.
The new Kelty backpack is lovely but it hits my hip just like my old one does and after a while it made my left shoulder ache. I need to try to adjust it. I really like all the extra room it has but that means that anything I carry falls to the bottom and it's not comfortable on my hip.
Friday night the skies cleared just enough for me to see this celestial line-up in the southern skies: Jupiter, Sagittarius (Tea-kettle), Cat Eyes, and Scorpio. What a beautiful sight they all were. Stargazer says a real light show is coming up for July 4th which will include Mars, Saturn, Regulus (I'm unsure on that but it's whatever one is in Leo the Lion), and the crescent moon!
Saw Lee today at the library. She was out with her boyfriend - George? He's such a gentleman. I saw him walk around to let her in the car. I guess that could get tired to me after a while. She's not hiking because she's been having some nosebleeds.
Yesterday was Santa Fe and there wasn't much leftover time.
I saw a dried up elk or deer skin off but near the main Escobas Mesa Trail. The only bone around was a foreleg bone. Seemed strange.
The new Kelty backpack is lovely but it hits my hip just like my old one does and after a while it made my left shoulder ache. I need to try to adjust it. I really like all the extra room it has but that means that anything I carry falls to the bottom and it's not comfortable on my hip.
Friday night the skies cleared just enough for me to see this celestial line-up in the southern skies: Jupiter, Sagittarius (Tea-kettle), Cat Eyes, and Scorpio. What a beautiful sight they all were. Stargazer says a real light show is coming up for July 4th which will include Mars, Saturn, Regulus (I'm unsure on that but it's whatever one is in Leo the Lion), and the crescent moon!
Saw Lee today at the library. She was out with her boyfriend - George? He's such a gentleman. I saw him walk around to let her in the car. I guess that could get tired to me after a while. She's not hiking because she's been having some nosebleeds.
Yesterday was Santa Fe and there wasn't much leftover time.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tidbits of Minutiae Written at Breakneck Speed
While waiting for Wednesday's hike to begin, I mentioned that ticks seemed non-existent this year. Faye piped up that when she came in from gardening last week she discovered one of the tiny deer ticks on her. David came up to Emily before the hike to ask about if pliers and wire were needed to cut and repair the fence and said he had some; but Emily, wise girl that she is, figured that any fence could be handily scaled. Leon had started ahead of the group because he's very slow and he waited at the fence for us. His arms are like thin sticks. There were 22 paying customers and 24 people total. Two were planning to turn around ( and did well before the Big Ditch) to drive two more cars up to the Valle Grande trailhead to shuttle hikers back down. One of the paying customers also turned around. There was a couple - maybe the Quinns - that had lived in White Rock but now are living in Hong Kong and will be in the area until sometime in August. We started hiking sometime after 9am and got back to the Valle Grande trailhead a little before 4pm. Leon ran out of water a near the bottom of the Valle Grande trailhead and someone shared with him. On the way up to the cars, Renate begged for some plain water because all she had left was water that she had mixed with some evil sports drink that she said made her sick to her stomach. I gave my email address to Annette to hopefully be put on the list of people that receive info on where the WI go each week. Ginny sends the emails out but she seemed unenthused about adding another email. The group tended to shelter in the shade of conifers while they were traversing the inner sanctum of the Valle Grande. There's a lot of Jacob's Ladder growing in Valle Canyon. In the caldera, we could see elk in the distance to the west. Annette has done some trespassing up into Valle Canyon. Also once she and some others walked up to Cerro Grande from along the fence line beginning in Valle Canyon. Leon commented wistfully that he had forgotten how beautiful Valle Canyon was. That's all the minutiae I can think of right now.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Why Can't I Be As Strong As a Chimpanzee??
Don't know if a mentioned that (the preface "Dear Diary" is implied and assumed but it could as easily be "Dear Daughter"!) when I walk in the evening, I like to stop at East Park and do pullups on the bar over the entrance to what used to be the tennis court. Since I've been reading Next of Kin by Roger Fouts, about the American Sign Language (ASL) communicating chimpanzee Washoe and her family of humans and other chimps, I've been wondering why I can't be as strong as a chimpanzee. Toward partially achieving this, I'm trying to learn to hang one-armed from the bar or the nearby children's jungle gym as I think that would strengthen my arms. Not very successful yet as I can only put weight on one arm if both feet are on the ground but maybe if I keep trying I'll build up enough strength to do it.
This evening I tried to apply what I read on the Internet about Chi Walking which is to lean slightly forward and let gravity help with the forward motion. Also, you're not supposed to land on your heels and push off on your toes but rather you land in a mid-foot strike. I'd need to take a workshop to really learn how to do it but the concepts I've read so far on the Chi Running (includes Chi Walking) website are very interesting.
This evening I tried to apply what I read on the Internet about Chi Walking which is to lean slightly forward and let gravity help with the forward motion. Also, you're not supposed to land on your heels and push off on your toes but rather you land in a mid-foot strike. I'd need to take a workshop to really learn how to do it but the concepts I've read so far on the Chi Running (includes Chi Walking) website are very interesting.
Much Time Spent on Computer Today
fHere I am - all alone. I'm glad no perverts are reading this!! : ) I'm not sure that I'd be cut out for the single life. I need company even if it's only someone snoring on the couch while the TV is blaring. Guess I'm a social chimpanzee!! Yeah, did you realize that all this blather is really being authored by a talking chimp!!
Daughter was going to go camping but they couldn't find any campground in the Jemez that wasn't all filled up. Son in law wanted them to camp at a non-designated spot but daughter hadn't brought along any toilet paper so they came back home after much frustrating hunting for a spot. Grandson was disappointed so son in law was setting up a small tent in grandson's bedroom. That's sweet!!
Today I fruitlessly trolled the internet on such topics as chi running (Google Danny Dryer Blog) and an article"How to Keep Your Feet Happy" that I heard on NPR the other day. One page led to another and another.
Oh, yes, I spent way too much time waiting for pages to load on REI's newly revamped website. I finally called REI and after I whined (gave helpful input) regarding the slowness of their website, I ordered some of the Nalgene BPA free water bottles in slate blue. The store in Albuquerque sold them in Koolaid Red but I'm happier to get blue ones so I can pretend I'm drinking melted blue popsicles - remember those? The whole point of making an order was that DealCatcher.com sent me a link to a deal at REI where if I order anything Kelty I get free shipping on my whole order. It took probably more than an hour waiting for pages to load in Firefox while I read health articles in Safari before I finally decided on a Kelty day pack and the Nalgene bottles. I need a new backpack because my old one leaks - I have to line it with a plastic trash bag - and it also litters my Nalgene water bottles all over the forest. I will never, ever wash my new water bottles in the dishwasher as I lazily did with my milky white, number 2 plastic Nalgene bottles. I read that even the safe plastic ones can leach if they are washed in the dishwasher or get too nicked up.
Since everyone knows that REI stands for Return Every Item, I know that if the backpack arrives and is unsatisfactory, I'll be no worse off than I was but maybe, just maybe, it might be just right for me. I ordered it in chile green and black. The other choices were all black and electric blue and black. I thought that perhaps the green will blend in better when I trespass in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Thinking about it now, I bet I should have ordered the all black. The green didn't look electric on the website but it may turn out to be very bright. I also think it's prettier and very few of my hikes are trespassing anyway. Can't wait until REI opens up August 15 in Santa Fe! It's much better to pick out a backpack in person and returns will be so much easier than driving to Albuquerque.
BTW, I heard some thunder today but no rain happened. Would have been a perfect day to go to Las Conchas. At least I know I'll go one day when Dorothy and I go.
Will go out to walk my four miles and listen to Prairie Home Companion now.
Daughter was going to go camping but they couldn't find any campground in the Jemez that wasn't all filled up. Son in law wanted them to camp at a non-designated spot but daughter hadn't brought along any toilet paper so they came back home after much frustrating hunting for a spot. Grandson was disappointed so son in law was setting up a small tent in grandson's bedroom. That's sweet!!
Today I fruitlessly trolled the internet on such topics as chi running (Google Danny Dryer Blog) and an article"How to Keep Your Feet Happy" that I heard on NPR the other day. One page led to another and another.
Oh, yes, I spent way too much time waiting for pages to load on REI's newly revamped website. I finally called REI and after I whined (gave helpful input) regarding the slowness of their website, I ordered some of the Nalgene BPA free water bottles in slate blue. The store in Albuquerque sold them in Koolaid Red but I'm happier to get blue ones so I can pretend I'm drinking melted blue popsicles - remember those? The whole point of making an order was that DealCatcher.com sent me a link to a deal at REI where if I order anything Kelty I get free shipping on my whole order. It took probably more than an hour waiting for pages to load in Firefox while I read health articles in Safari before I finally decided on a Kelty day pack and the Nalgene bottles. I need a new backpack because my old one leaks - I have to line it with a plastic trash bag - and it also litters my Nalgene water bottles all over the forest. I will never, ever wash my new water bottles in the dishwasher as I lazily did with my milky white, number 2 plastic Nalgene bottles. I read that even the safe plastic ones can leach if they are washed in the dishwasher or get too nicked up.
Since everyone knows that REI stands for Return Every Item, I know that if the backpack arrives and is unsatisfactory, I'll be no worse off than I was but maybe, just maybe, it might be just right for me. I ordered it in chile green and black. The other choices were all black and electric blue and black. I thought that perhaps the green will blend in better when I trespass in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Thinking about it now, I bet I should have ordered the all black. The green didn't look electric on the website but it may turn out to be very bright. I also think it's prettier and very few of my hikes are trespassing anyway. Can't wait until REI opens up August 15 in Santa Fe! It's much better to pick out a backpack in person and returns will be so much easier than driving to Albuquerque.
BTW, I heard some thunder today but no rain happened. Would have been a perfect day to go to Las Conchas. At least I know I'll go one day when Dorothy and I go.
Will go out to walk my four miles and listen to Prairie Home Companion now.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Glad I Went on Hike
We started downhill from the Sandoval-Los Alamos County Line in Bandelier National Monument toward the Apache Springs Trail. There were 9 people. Total walked was a little over 7 miles. First part of hike was in woods and it wasn't too hot. Lunch was in the trees at American Springs. You could call it a Springs Hike because we saw Apache Springs and American Springs although Robin and I were the only ones who bothered to take a gander at American Springs. The pink and rose colored NM locusts were blooming heavily along the Apache Springs Trail and FR181/American Springs Road - now is their time!! Some of us commented on the haze to the east and our leaders said their water glass was "sweating" this morning. Was it haze or moisture to the east or was the poor visibility due to a wildfire somewhere in Colorado?
Jim says there was a sawmill in the meadow east of American Springs. That's the same area that I explored one year. Even though there wasn't any shade along FR181/American Springs Road, I really wasn't too hot. Around the trail/old road going up toward Tick Meadow, I saw bear tracks and showed them to the group. They enjoyed studying them. We got back in the trees on the Perimeter Trail.
Going along the Perimeter Trail, Jim wanted to show the group an overlook of S Site above the twin water tanks. He took us to an area that looked familiar and it may have been near the FR181 Shortcut Trail. Later, he saw another overlook right before we go down into Valle Canyon and said he had meant to take us to that one.
I had never noticed how the fireline/firebreak coming over from FR181/American Springs Road/FR2997 intersects the Perimeter Trail right before you go down to the ledge that's above Valle Canyon. Anyway, Don and Chuck had went way ahead as usual. Our leaders hadn't made it down to the overlook but continued on the Perimeter Trail toward Valle Canyon and the rest of us were trucking along behind Jim when he decided to take the fireline/firebreak, bypassing the cairned Perimeter Trail. I had at first assumed that perhaps he knew a different way down to the last ledge before the Perimeter Trail dropped into Valle Canyon; but very quickly he thought better of his course of action and bushwhacked downhill to get back on the Perimeter Trail. My left leg was mildly protesting so I said I'd go back to the trail intersection but I stupidly neglected to tell Rich, Robin, and Norm that the trail intersection I was going back to was the Perimeter Trail which would take us back to Valle Canyon. No one followed me or Jim because I think they had lost all confidence in Jim as a leader and never had any in me, plus they weren't familiar with the Perimeter Trail. Rich, Robin, and Norm all continued on the fireline/firebreak trail. When I saw that Jim had gone back up the hill to look for the three, I backtracked on the Perimeter Trail back up to the fireline/firebreak and whoo-ed loudly for the disappeared hikers. When they showed up a short time later they said they didn't hear me but at least it gave my vocal cords some exercise. They showed up just as Jim was going to wait there for them while I was going to go back to tell the group the news.
Two bikers overtook the group in Valle Canyon and all we could hear behind us was their tires on the rocks and gravel but the bikers gave no verbal warning. I didn't know what in the world that noise was! The 4 wheel driver we saw on FR181 was very considerate and slowed down so as not to create too much dust. I think that the bikers assumed that the noise their tires made were sufficient warning. I wonder who has put in small wooden elevation signs in Valle Canyon? When we all got back to Jim's truck at the Valle Canyon trailhead, which he fortunately had left unlocked so hikers could help themselves to soda, I took the two drivers up to their car and called it a good day and a good hike.
Picked up spouse's prescs afterwards. Have to put new registration tag on my car this evening and write some bills to put out in tomorrow's mail. Starving - will have another big salad this evening - can hardly wait to eat!!
Jim says there was a sawmill in the meadow east of American Springs. That's the same area that I explored one year. Even though there wasn't any shade along FR181/American Springs Road, I really wasn't too hot. Around the trail/old road going up toward Tick Meadow, I saw bear tracks and showed them to the group. They enjoyed studying them. We got back in the trees on the Perimeter Trail.
Going along the Perimeter Trail, Jim wanted to show the group an overlook of S Site above the twin water tanks. He took us to an area that looked familiar and it may have been near the FR181 Shortcut Trail. Later, he saw another overlook right before we go down into Valle Canyon and said he had meant to take us to that one.
I had never noticed how the fireline/firebreak coming over from FR181/American Springs Road/FR2997 intersects the Perimeter Trail right before you go down to the ledge that's above Valle Canyon. Anyway, Don and Chuck had went way ahead as usual. Our leaders hadn't made it down to the overlook but continued on the Perimeter Trail toward Valle Canyon and the rest of us were trucking along behind Jim when he decided to take the fireline/firebreak, bypassing the cairned Perimeter Trail. I had at first assumed that perhaps he knew a different way down to the last ledge before the Perimeter Trail dropped into Valle Canyon; but very quickly he thought better of his course of action and bushwhacked downhill to get back on the Perimeter Trail. My left leg was mildly protesting so I said I'd go back to the trail intersection but I stupidly neglected to tell Rich, Robin, and Norm that the trail intersection I was going back to was the Perimeter Trail which would take us back to Valle Canyon. No one followed me or Jim because I think they had lost all confidence in Jim as a leader and never had any in me, plus they weren't familiar with the Perimeter Trail. Rich, Robin, and Norm all continued on the fireline/firebreak trail. When I saw that Jim had gone back up the hill to look for the three, I backtracked on the Perimeter Trail back up to the fireline/firebreak and whoo-ed loudly for the disappeared hikers. When they showed up a short time later they said they didn't hear me but at least it gave my vocal cords some exercise. They showed up just as Jim was going to wait there for them while I was going to go back to tell the group the news.
Two bikers overtook the group in Valle Canyon and all we could hear behind us was their tires on the rocks and gravel but the bikers gave no verbal warning. I didn't know what in the world that noise was! The 4 wheel driver we saw on FR181 was very considerate and slowed down so as not to create too much dust. I think that the bikers assumed that the noise their tires made were sufficient warning. I wonder who has put in small wooden elevation signs in Valle Canyon? When we all got back to Jim's truck at the Valle Canyon trailhead, which he fortunately had left unlocked so hikers could help themselves to soda, I took the two drivers up to their car and called it a good day and a good hike.
Picked up spouse's prescs afterwards. Have to put new registration tag on my car this evening and write some bills to put out in tomorrow's mail. Starving - will have another big salad this evening - can hardly wait to eat!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)