Last night, walked Mesa Trail wearing my 10 pound weight vest. Met Irma walking her dog Baby. She joined me for some back and forths on the Mesa Trail at dusk, carrying Baby. It turns out that she has a leg affliction, unknown why, which causes her foot to drag after about two miles. She wears an over-the-counter knee brace and ankle brace which helps but I could see that it was beginning to drag. Wish I could help her.
Today, did intervals on Perimeter Trail starting at Mitchell Trail and going past Quemazon Community and back. Was fun. I'm happy to do intervals even if I never jog faster than I walk and even if I never can jog continuously again. It does oomph up my exercise.
Saw golden banner, Oregon grape, Wooten's Senecio, perky Sue, clematis, mountain parsley. Hills above trail are greening up with gambel oak and NM locust.
Took spouse to Film Festival where he rented DVD, Tell No One, recommended by his brother.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Need New Knees
Got a late start after too much time on computer and various downtown-chores. Did Kwage (North) Mesa Trail out to end which overlooks the confluence of Bayo and Pueblo Canyons, approximately 4 miles RT. Tried intervals - warmed up for 10 minutes and than did a clumsy jog for 30 seconds every 5 minutes. We'll see if my knees try to lock on my next hike. I wish I could still jog. I always loved it, how it made me feel afterwards - energized.
Gambel oaks are finally leafing out. Their yellow-green leaves contrast with the dark greens of the piñons and junipers. Saw fringed puccoon - tubular flower with five, fused yellow petals and skinny, soft green leaves. Don't know the right plant lingo to describe the leaves.
Saw a horseback rider on the way out. The horse snorted when it went by which always startles me.
On way back, nice wind except it was blowing away all the clouds and bringing in high pressure. Good weather, though, if you have a roofing job going on!
When almost back to the dressage area at Brewer's Arena, saw a man, didn't get his name, who was also doing intervals. He looked about as bad as me but at least he has the excuse that he had both knees replaced eight years ago. We talked briefly as we walked back and I told him about a hiker I know who will one day get minimally invasive knee surgery. He said it's major surgery no matter what. I mentioned spouse's appendectomy that's coming up. He said his daughter had her appendix removed this January. It had first attacked her three and a half years ago and then attacked really bad this January. Spouse is doing the right thing to get it removed because, although it may go through quiescent phases, it's really never going away until it's removed.
Did knee strengthening exercises when I got home. Doing laundry now.
Gambel oaks are finally leafing out. Their yellow-green leaves contrast with the dark greens of the piñons and junipers. Saw fringed puccoon - tubular flower with five, fused yellow petals and skinny, soft green leaves. Don't know the right plant lingo to describe the leaves.
Saw a horseback rider on the way out. The horse snorted when it went by which always startles me.
On way back, nice wind except it was blowing away all the clouds and bringing in high pressure. Good weather, though, if you have a roofing job going on!
When almost back to the dressage area at Brewer's Arena, saw a man, didn't get his name, who was also doing intervals. He looked about as bad as me but at least he has the excuse that he had both knees replaced eight years ago. We talked briefly as we walked back and I told him about a hiker I know who will one day get minimally invasive knee surgery. He said it's major surgery no matter what. I mentioned spouse's appendectomy that's coming up. He said his daughter had her appendix removed this January. It had first attacked her three and a half years ago and then attacked really bad this January. Spouse is doing the right thing to get it removed because, although it may go through quiescent phases, it's really never going away until it's removed.
Did knee strengthening exercises when I got home. Doing laundry now.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Valle Canyon and Los Alamos County Big Tree Project
Day began at 9am and didn't end until 5:15pm. Valle Canyon was beautiful but looking for and helping to measure trees is very slow business. We looked for various trees on Roy's list that Dorothy carried. Admired butterflies and spring flowers along the way. Marvelled that there are still some snow patches along the north-facing slope.
I didn't even feel hungry at lunch and just sat by the stream, thankful that it blocked out all sound.
We went all the way to the Valles Caldera National Preserve boundary and then continued up the south-facing steep slope of Valle Canyon to find two more giant trees - a Ponderosa and Douglas Fir. To find those last trees, we traveled through the burned area, brushing past locust bushes, stepping over downed logs and going through golden bunch grass meadows. Lots of elk poop but no signs of sheds. Saw iris foilage popping out. Cheered by many yellow-gold dandelions. Beautiful views over toward eastern ridge of Cerro Grande complex.
Weather was perfect. Saw 3 joggers and one dog. What a lovely canyon it is and I had much time to reflect on past trips there.
I didn't even feel hungry at lunch and just sat by the stream, thankful that it blocked out all sound.
We went all the way to the Valles Caldera National Preserve boundary and then continued up the south-facing steep slope of Valle Canyon to find two more giant trees - a Ponderosa and Douglas Fir. To find those last trees, we traveled through the burned area, brushing past locust bushes, stepping over downed logs and going through golden bunch grass meadows. Lots of elk poop but no signs of sheds. Saw iris foilage popping out. Cheered by many yellow-gold dandelions. Beautiful views over toward eastern ridge of Cerro Grande complex.
Weather was perfect. Saw 3 joggers and one dog. What a lovely canyon it is and I had much time to reflect on past trips there.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
LL Gang Goes to Burnt Mesa Eagle Traps
There were 16 of us. I took 11 waypoints but when I got home, I realized I could save lots of time by just importing the HANNM gpx cache into TOPO! and, voila, there was the map with virtually no work on my part! We went cross country, taking a ridge to the two Eagle Traps and then went back to the Burnt Mesa Trail and out to the very end for lunch. Eagle Traps would be a destination themselves some day.
On the way back, one of the leaders wanted to get to the road quicker so I went with her and we waited for her husband to pick us up. It was harder than anticipated because we had to cross a canyon and go up a cliff but, following a game trail, we did all right. It did cut off 3/4 mile (our mileage was 7.11 and rest of gang's mileage was right around 8) but we lost any time gained in our negotiating the canyon and cliff. People back at the trailhead were getting worried. We both stayed upright, though, and that counts for something! ; D
Grandson came over tonight. Spouse trying to teach him Scrabble.
Dorothy hike in Valle Canyon to look for big trees.
May have to take car into Santa Fe. I'll evaluate tomorrow if I am still hearing new noise.
Made CD of family records that I'll take into FHC next week to see it it works on a PC. I have a Mac. I'm anguishing a bit over fact that I carelessly left names of living persons in notes of non-living; I did remove all names of living and their own notes in the actual individual records but one could easily put two and two together from the notes, for instance, for my father which mention my name. Will it really matter, though, in 100 years! Also, I don't remember but maybe I maligned someone in the notes. Hopefully those people won't be doing genealogy research. No one ever said that I was perfect!
Went to Los Alamos Reservoir yesterday. It's in pretty awful shape. I wonder when it will be rehabilitated? The water from Los Alamos creek goes through a pipe underneath the dam's spillway. It looks like at one time it was supposed to go through a pipe all along one side of the reservoir but the pipe is broken and leaks so much now. Water is pooling in the reservoir bed and spring peepers were singing. Pretty sound but not a pretty sight. The place is so devastated. A reminder of better days was the stonework that shored up the trail that used to go around the reservoir.
In contrast, the Devaney Trail is better than it was. I remember it as a thoroughly awful and steep trail that went straight up the north-facing side of Los Alamos Canyon but it's been re-routed and goes up more gradually. Also, in the area of the Research Park's parking lot, gabion baskets have fixed the washouts that were occurring.
On the way back, one of the leaders wanted to get to the road quicker so I went with her and we waited for her husband to pick us up. It was harder than anticipated because we had to cross a canyon and go up a cliff but, following a game trail, we did all right. It did cut off 3/4 mile (our mileage was 7.11 and rest of gang's mileage was right around 8) but we lost any time gained in our negotiating the canyon and cliff. People back at the trailhead were getting worried. We both stayed upright, though, and that counts for something! ; D
Grandson came over tonight. Spouse trying to teach him Scrabble.
Dorothy hike in Valle Canyon to look for big trees.
May have to take car into Santa Fe. I'll evaluate tomorrow if I am still hearing new noise.
Made CD of family records that I'll take into FHC next week to see it it works on a PC. I have a Mac. I'm anguishing a bit over fact that I carelessly left names of living persons in notes of non-living; I did remove all names of living and their own notes in the actual individual records but one could easily put two and two together from the notes, for instance, for my father which mention my name. Will it really matter, though, in 100 years! Also, I don't remember but maybe I maligned someone in the notes. Hopefully those people won't be doing genealogy research. No one ever said that I was perfect!
Went to Los Alamos Reservoir yesterday. It's in pretty awful shape. I wonder when it will be rehabilitated? The water from Los Alamos creek goes through a pipe underneath the dam's spillway. It looks like at one time it was supposed to go through a pipe all along one side of the reservoir but the pipe is broken and leaks so much now. Water is pooling in the reservoir bed and spring peepers were singing. Pretty sound but not a pretty sight. The place is so devastated. A reminder of better days was the stonework that shored up the trail that used to go around the reservoir.
In contrast, the Devaney Trail is better than it was. I remember it as a thoroughly awful and steep trail that went straight up the north-facing side of Los Alamos Canyon but it's been re-routed and goes up more gradually. Also, in the area of the Research Park's parking lot, gabion baskets have fixed the washouts that were occurring.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Lethal Cocoa Nibs
Those little babies - my pusher is Natural Grocers in Santa Fe - are addictive. I ground them up last night with a trail mix I buy from Natural Grocers - also addictive - that has goji berries, golden raisins, cocoa nibs, mulberries and cashews and also threw in vanilla extract and almond butter. I forget the name of the goji berry trail mix at Natural Grocers but it tastes delicious (it's the one that doesn't have the apricot pits in it).
I attribute cocoa nibs to why I couldn't fall asleep last night until almost 1am but don't know what got into me to wake up at 7am. Guess I thought I'd get an early start on the day but here I am, surfing in cyberspace instead of getting out there to finish my genealogy project at the Family History Center.
I plotted out on my calendar the Wednesdays that I hope to hike with the LL group but that depends on what the WI group has going on.
Here's a couple of hikes the WI extracurricular group may want to do: The car shuttle one that starts at Ponderosa Group Campground and wends it way along the Frijoles Canyon Rim, over to Burnt Mesa (with a possible side-trip into Frijoles Canyon down Al's Run). The Knife-Edge, which starts at the Pajarito Canyon TH and goes up a ridge to Pajarito Mountain, then down PM, to FR2998 to Nail Trail and back to start. Or, if they are really feeling frisky, try to go back down via the toasted Pajarito Canyon Trail from on top of PM.
Have to drive spouse's car today. I asked him to drive mine to check out the new noise since our replacement of the driver's side CV front axle boot last Friday. I have an appointment in SF Friday to check the noise out. It only happens when the wheels are moving, seems unrelated to the engine or brakes and sounds like something rattling somewhere in the car but I checked out all obvious possibilities and the noise doesn't stop. It's absent in the morning and present in the afternoon - weird.
Went to hawthornes in Frijoles Canyon yesterday (near Upper Crossing) but I have totally missed their blossoming. They are leafing out now. I'd like to go back one day to find them in fruit as well as see when they are fully leafed out. Saw Golden Banner to west of Trail to Upper Crossing. It seems to like moist drainages.
I attribute cocoa nibs to why I couldn't fall asleep last night until almost 1am but don't know what got into me to wake up at 7am. Guess I thought I'd get an early start on the day but here I am, surfing in cyberspace instead of getting out there to finish my genealogy project at the Family History Center.
I plotted out on my calendar the Wednesdays that I hope to hike with the LL group but that depends on what the WI group has going on.
Here's a couple of hikes the WI extracurricular group may want to do: The car shuttle one that starts at Ponderosa Group Campground and wends it way along the Frijoles Canyon Rim, over to Burnt Mesa (with a possible side-trip into Frijoles Canyon down Al's Run). The Knife-Edge, which starts at the Pajarito Canyon TH and goes up a ridge to Pajarito Mountain, then down PM, to FR2998 to Nail Trail and back to start. Or, if they are really feeling frisky, try to go back down via the toasted Pajarito Canyon Trail from on top of PM.
Have to drive spouse's car today. I asked him to drive mine to check out the new noise since our replacement of the driver's side CV front axle boot last Friday. I have an appointment in SF Friday to check the noise out. It only happens when the wheels are moving, seems unrelated to the engine or brakes and sounds like something rattling somewhere in the car but I checked out all obvious possibilities and the noise doesn't stop. It's absent in the morning and present in the afternoon - weird.
Went to hawthornes in Frijoles Canyon yesterday (near Upper Crossing) but I have totally missed their blossoming. They are leafing out now. I'd like to go back one day to find them in fruit as well as see when they are fully leafed out. Saw Golden Banner to west of Trail to Upper Crossing. It seems to like moist drainages.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Pig Sty
Bought Bissell vacuum - $47 wonder - at Walmart Sunday. Put it together yesterday. It was laughably simple to put together - I like that. Vacuumed big livingroom today. Dust cup holds 2 quarts. It was completely full. I'll vacuum the rest of the house, maybe a room or two a day, this week. Vacuum seems really powerful - almost pushes itself - scary. Was a Consumers Digest Best Buy. Good price and plenty of positive reviews on Walmart.com.
Been going to bed around midnight but then can't go to sleep until 1:30 or 2am and then don't wake up until 9-10am. I suspect it's the Vitamin D. Why are they telling us how wonderful it is but then they don't tell us that some of us will find it impossible to take the amounts that they are recommending because of side effects/sensitivity? I'm going to try taking it before I go to bed tonight and see if that helps. I'm taking 1,200 IU a day. Once had Vitamin D tested and it was something like 21 ng/ml. That's at the low end of normal according to some and deficient according to other sources. I plan to get it tested again.
Sewed my old cloth library book bag. Didn't even notice that the handles were hanging on by strings.
Went to Family History Center in White Rock to export files from my genealogy file that don't include living people. Got there at 1:30pm and before I knew it, it was 3pm, closing time. I'll have to go back on Thursday to check if the files turned out like I want them to. I put the flash drive in our Macintosh and the files I made appear as unreadable because they are all made for a PC. Going there reminded me of when I used to spend hours there researching. Four other equally obsessed people were there.
Walked down canyon in Los Alamos Canyon, parking at the ice skating rink. Past the Omega Reactor, there is now a sign forbidding entry if you don't have permission. The creek was running. Would be interesting to go to Los Alamos Reservoir to see if it's filling with water. This may be a better plan than going to DOE Land as the weather has gotten very warm and junipers and piñons don't provide needed shade.
Been going to bed around midnight but then can't go to sleep until 1:30 or 2am and then don't wake up until 9-10am. I suspect it's the Vitamin D. Why are they telling us how wonderful it is but then they don't tell us that some of us will find it impossible to take the amounts that they are recommending because of side effects/sensitivity? I'm going to try taking it before I go to bed tonight and see if that helps. I'm taking 1,200 IU a day. Once had Vitamin D tested and it was something like 21 ng/ml. That's at the low end of normal according to some and deficient according to other sources. I plan to get it tested again.
Sewed my old cloth library book bag. Didn't even notice that the handles were hanging on by strings.
Went to Family History Center in White Rock to export files from my genealogy file that don't include living people. Got there at 1:30pm and before I knew it, it was 3pm, closing time. I'll have to go back on Thursday to check if the files turned out like I want them to. I put the flash drive in our Macintosh and the files I made appear as unreadable because they are all made for a PC. Going there reminded me of when I used to spend hours there researching. Four other equally obsessed people were there.
Walked down canyon in Los Alamos Canyon, parking at the ice skating rink. Past the Omega Reactor, there is now a sign forbidding entry if you don't have permission. The creek was running. Would be interesting to go to Los Alamos Reservoir to see if it's filling with water. This may be a better plan than going to DOE Land as the weather has gotten very warm and junipers and piñons don't provide needed shade.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Slept Until 11am
But that doesn't mean I'm well rested. The crew got in from their Disneyland trip at 12:30am. I went to bed around 1am but didn't fall asleep right away.
Did load of laundry and cooked vat of short grain brown rice before leaving at 1pm to pick up Dorothy for walk down Lujan Road and up Bayo Road (translation: down Bayo Canyon Trail below stables and then across Bayo Canyon and up Bayo Bench Trail). We did our usual 1 mile an hour.
I thought Dorothy had said she'd be interviewed on KRSN today but she insists it was always next Monday so I didn't miss it after all.
Dorothy asked if I'd go on Thursday with her in search of big trees of Los Alamos County. I agreed but wish to go back to a once a week schedule next week. We're going on the Apache Springs Trail down into Frijoles Canyon where Chick Keller saw a big tree right at the bottom of the trail. That trail is very skiddy. I'll enjoy going up better than going down.
On top of everything else going on this week, spouse has invited ex-son-in-law and his new wife, along with grandson, over for the first night of Passover on Wednesday. He's handling it all and I'll help to clean up.
Daughter got promoted to administrative assistant her first day on the job which means $2 more an hour. They gave her a test, she passed and got the promotion. She's happy because it will mean less direct contact with patients (maybe none).
Grandson has recess detention all week. He and another kid were acting up during a fire drill. Daughter says she shouldn't have sent him to school today. I knew it would be a hard transition from Disneyland to Realityland! : )
My "present" from Disney was two shirts - a Grumpy (advertising Grumpy beer on the back) and a Mickey Mouse. Problem is that I said I only wanted a white character shirt and one is brown and the other is hot pink. I only wear short-sleeved shirts on summer evenings when I walk outside at night and I only wear white so I'm visible. Spouse can have the extra large brown one and daughter the large hot pink one.
Did load of laundry and cooked vat of short grain brown rice before leaving at 1pm to pick up Dorothy for walk down Lujan Road and up Bayo Road (translation: down Bayo Canyon Trail below stables and then across Bayo Canyon and up Bayo Bench Trail). We did our usual 1 mile an hour.
I thought Dorothy had said she'd be interviewed on KRSN today but she insists it was always next Monday so I didn't miss it after all.
Dorothy asked if I'd go on Thursday with her in search of big trees of Los Alamos County. I agreed but wish to go back to a once a week schedule next week. We're going on the Apache Springs Trail down into Frijoles Canyon where Chick Keller saw a big tree right at the bottom of the trail. That trail is very skiddy. I'll enjoy going up better than going down.
On top of everything else going on this week, spouse has invited ex-son-in-law and his new wife, along with grandson, over for the first night of Passover on Wednesday. He's handling it all and I'll help to clean up.
Daughter got promoted to administrative assistant her first day on the job which means $2 more an hour. They gave her a test, she passed and got the promotion. She's happy because it will mean less direct contact with patients (maybe none).
Grandson has recess detention all week. He and another kid were acting up during a fire drill. Daughter says she shouldn't have sent him to school today. I knew it would be a hard transition from Disneyland to Realityland! : )
My "present" from Disney was two shirts - a Grumpy (advertising Grumpy beer on the back) and a Mickey Mouse. Problem is that I said I only wanted a white character shirt and one is brown and the other is hot pink. I only wear short-sleeved shirts on summer evenings when I walk outside at night and I only wear white so I'm visible. Spouse can have the extra large brown one and daughter the large hot pink one.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Spring Snow
I walked on ski hill bypass road. Ponderosas flocked with snow were pretty. What a difference, though, from yesterday's sunny weather, blue skies, cranes burbling overhead and birds singing in trees!
WRSC hike was cancelled. I woke at 7am, looked outside, saw snow and slept in until 10am. Mary called spouse to say hike was cancelled.
Book found in library lobby non-return shelves: Shackleton's The Heart of the Antarctic: Furthest South Expedition 1907-1909.
Still wondering why hot water heater is sometimes releasing water from overflow valve on back porch.
I like The Source by Woodson Merrell. It helps to have healthy eating habits reinforced.
WRSC hike was cancelled. I woke at 7am, looked outside, saw snow and slept in until 10am. Mary called spouse to say hike was cancelled.
Book found in library lobby non-return shelves: Shackleton's The Heart of the Antarctic: Furthest South Expedition 1907-1909.
Still wondering why hot water heater is sometimes releasing water from overflow valve on back porch.
I like The Source by Woodson Merrell. It helps to have healthy eating habits reinforced.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Book: A Mountain Year
I ended up appreciating Chris Czajkowski's book A Mountain Year: Nature Diary of a Wilderness Dweller. The book is a meditation on nature that draws you into the beauty and calmness of her world. She leaves out most of the gritty day to day details involved in the upkeep and running of her business - renting out cabins to summer tourists at her home, Nuk Tessli, in British Columbia. Behind the scenes of diary entries of her thoughtful observations on nature and with beautiful watercolors and drawings, a lot of hard work must be involved but she doesn't complain but instead distills the essence of the beauty around her into her journal.
I will be sad to end the book and leave her world. I admire that she lives there alone most of the year. She goes into the outer world for book tours and other chores such as resupply but mostly she resides at Nuk Tessli and says that she needs the solitude. She does have two dogs for company and keeps in contact with the outer world via email when her Internet connection is working. Though they are not "next door", there are neighbors in the area to help her if she needs it. Wwoofers, from the organization World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, come from around the world to live at Nuk Tessli in the summer and help her with brushing out trails and other upkeep of the grounds. She must realize that she is blessed to live her life her way.
I will be sad to end the book and leave her world. I admire that she lives there alone most of the year. She goes into the outer world for book tours and other chores such as resupply but mostly she resides at Nuk Tessli and says that she needs the solitude. She does have two dogs for company and keeps in contact with the outer world via email when her Internet connection is working. Though they are not "next door", there are neighbors in the area to help her if she needs it. Wwoofers, from the organization World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, come from around the world to live at Nuk Tessli in the summer and help her with brushing out trails and other upkeep of the grounds. She must realize that she is blessed to live her life her way.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Old Chili Line Near Ojo Caliente
The LL group hiked on the old Chili Line abandoned roadbed on BLM land just past Ojo Caliente. Mary Ann and her Colorado friend, Eloise, requested a hike that would put them about an hour closer to Colorado.
The hike started out past dumping grounds - a bad habit that northern New Mexicans have. When I asked her, Eloise said that kind of dumping doesn't happen in Colorado. She lives near Denver and she met Mary Ann, who lives in Golden, on the Colorado Mountain Club hikes.
The group of 14 people stopped for lunch after two miles and then headed back to the cars for a four mile RT hike. After six hours of sleep last night (got to bed at 12:30am), I didn't offer to drive as it sounded far and I was afraid I'd fall asleep. The country was pretty but not as pretty as the Pojoaque Badlands because it was more of a flat, open area. We did start up a ridge for a lunch spot but didn't go all the way up. At lunch, we had a view of the northern Jemez Mountains and could clearly see Pedernal's outline in the distance.
It's cold today, especially in the house, but it was fine down in the valley. If it's above 32 degrees in White Rock, our leaders wear shorts but they didn't today. One man said it was 18 degrees in White Rock!
When Mary Ann and Eloise took off for Colorado after the hike, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye because I had to visit a bush right before we got to the cars. For some dumb reason, I didn't realize that the blue SUV taking off was them and I didn't wave goodbye because I realized it too late.
The hike started out past dumping grounds - a bad habit that northern New Mexicans have. When I asked her, Eloise said that kind of dumping doesn't happen in Colorado. She lives near Denver and she met Mary Ann, who lives in Golden, on the Colorado Mountain Club hikes.
The group of 14 people stopped for lunch after two miles and then headed back to the cars for a four mile RT hike. After six hours of sleep last night (got to bed at 12:30am), I didn't offer to drive as it sounded far and I was afraid I'd fall asleep. The country was pretty but not as pretty as the Pojoaque Badlands because it was more of a flat, open area. We did start up a ridge for a lunch spot but didn't go all the way up. At lunch, we had a view of the northern Jemez Mountains and could clearly see Pedernal's outline in the distance.
It's cold today, especially in the house, but it was fine down in the valley. If it's above 32 degrees in White Rock, our leaders wear shorts but they didn't today. One man said it was 18 degrees in White Rock!
When Mary Ann and Eloise took off for Colorado after the hike, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye because I had to visit a bush right before we got to the cars. For some dumb reason, I didn't realize that the blue SUV taking off was them and I didn't wave goodbye because I realized it too late.
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