Monday, October 11, 2010
Tried to Walk Apache Springs Trail Yesterday
Yesterday, spouse and I drove up the escarpment into the Jemez to the Apache Springs Trail to hike and enjoy Fall colors. When we got to the trailhead, a fire truck was blocking the parking lot entrance and more two police cars were blocking the entrance across the street to the FR181/American Springs Road and more emergency vehicles were over there. As we drove by, spouse asked the fireman directing traffic what was going on but the only answer was there was a situation they were handling. We turned around at the parking lot for the old Girl Scout camp and drove down to Ponderosa Campground and walked the Upper Crossing Trail. Spouse went as far as Frijoles Canyon while I walked down into the canyon. I saw two hikers coming up as I was going down. I turned around after crossing the Rito de los Frijoles' bridge but one day, I'd like to continue on the Upper Crossing Trail to the mesa top above. That would be a lot of good elevated heart rate!
Quiet Columbus Day
Grandson is here on this Columbus Day. His Mom and step-Dad have to work and the Activity Center is closed so we're watching him. He walked with us on the Canyon Rim Trail, giving everyone the Vulcan salute, from Dr. Spock on Star Trek, that means "live long and prosper". I hope that everyone he gave it to knew it was a peaceful gesture and not some other kind of hand salute!
Looking west from the Canyon Rim Trail at Pajarito Canyon and Pajarito Mountain, the aspen colors are really popping!
Spouse took Grandson to McD's for lunch and then they enjoyed watching the DVD of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Looking west from the Canyon Rim Trail at Pajarito Canyon and Pajarito Mountain, the aspen colors are really popping!
Spouse took Grandson to McD's for lunch and then they enjoyed watching the DVD of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
I'm Really in Aspen Heaven Today
The aspens in the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area are finally turning golden! I walked from the ski area to Pipeline Road on The Cañada Bonita Trail today. Husband was not feeling tip top so he stayed home. I took lots of photos of golden aspens!
From the far edge of the Cañada Bonita meadow, I saw that the backside of the unnamed mountain north of Pajarito Mountain is gilded with golden aspens but the potential is there for lots more color before the aspens finally drop their leaves.
On way back, right where the Nordic XC ski trails intersect the old forest road (which is the official Cañada Bonita Trail), I noticed that someone has roughly cleared a trail that contours above and parallel to the main trail and comes out at the Mother Lift.
When I got back to my car, a lot of Asian families were walking in the parking lot, taking pictures of each other and enjoying the beauty of the Fall colors.
From the far edge of the Cañada Bonita meadow, I saw that the backside of the unnamed mountain north of Pajarito Mountain is gilded with golden aspens but the potential is there for lots more color before the aspens finally drop their leaves.
On way back, right where the Nordic XC ski trails intersect the old forest road (which is the official Cañada Bonita Trail), I noticed that someone has roughly cleared a trail that contours above and parallel to the main trail and comes out at the Mother Lift.
When I got back to my car, a lot of Asian families were walking in the parking lot, taking pictures of each other and enjoying the beauty of the Fall colors.
Friday, October 8, 2010
In Aspen Heaven Today
When I woke up, husband opined that maybe WRSC hike on Aspen Vista Trail (aka Tesuque Peak Road 150) would be canceled. He said it had rained and thundered early that morning. With my fan on (used for its noise-canceling effect - I'm way too light a sleeper!), I heard nothing. As the morning wore on, sunlight and blue skies prevailed so we drove over to the Santa Fe Ski Area to meet the group at the trailhead.
The aspen leaves were still beautiful but I could see patches up high where the leaves had dropped already.
The group walked up to a major viewpoint that overlooks southern Santa Fe. They turned around here while I walked further up to the last crossing of the road by Tesuque Creek, for about 4 1/2 miles roundtrip. After that, it's spruce and fir and the aspens disappear.
Spouse waited for me and then I drove us to Red Lobster for lunch. Mine was grilled trout (lunch portion), broccoli, baked potato and their garden salad. I have a system for ordering - please bring out lots of lemon wedges and raw onions and cruets of oil and vinegar. I ask that the salad, broccoli and baked potato be served plain and a minimum of salt and oil be used on the fish. I use the lemon wedges for the fish and broccoli, the vinegar and oil and onions for the salad and potato. I tend to save a few bites of fish for the very end (all the while with spouse hungrily eying it!) and that's dessert!! It's a delicious lunch fit for a pesco-vegan like me!!
Afterward, bought lots of dried fruit and nuts at Vitamin Cottage to use for hiking lunches and as sweet treats!!
Yesterday: In morning, walked Mesa Trail and downtown to library for 4 miles. In afternoon, spouse drove us to Santa Fe for his dermatologist appointment - everything was fine. Then, on to Walmart and Trader Joe's. Had ahi tuna from TJ's for supper last night and we'll have trout from TJ's tomorrow night. I love fish!!
The aspen leaves were still beautiful but I could see patches up high where the leaves had dropped already.
The group walked up to a major viewpoint that overlooks southern Santa Fe. They turned around here while I walked further up to the last crossing of the road by Tesuque Creek, for about 4 1/2 miles roundtrip. After that, it's spruce and fir and the aspens disappear.
Spouse waited for me and then I drove us to Red Lobster for lunch. Mine was grilled trout (lunch portion), broccoli, baked potato and their garden salad. I have a system for ordering - please bring out lots of lemon wedges and raw onions and cruets of oil and vinegar. I ask that the salad, broccoli and baked potato be served plain and a minimum of salt and oil be used on the fish. I use the lemon wedges for the fish and broccoli, the vinegar and oil and onions for the salad and potato. I tend to save a few bites of fish for the very end (all the while with spouse hungrily eying it!) and that's dessert!! It's a delicious lunch fit for a pesco-vegan like me!!
Afterward, bought lots of dried fruit and nuts at Vitamin Cottage to use for hiking lunches and as sweet treats!!
Yesterday: In morning, walked Mesa Trail and downtown to library for 4 miles. In afternoon, spouse drove us to Santa Fe for his dermatologist appointment - everything was fine. Then, on to Walmart and Trader Joe's. Had ahi tuna from TJ's for supper last night and we'll have trout from TJ's tomorrow night. I love fish!!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Route Last Two Days and White Rock Today
Monday, I chopped down some NM locusts sprouts. Really, I have to stop - this is getting anal. NM locusts are going to grow no matter what - I'll never defeat that thorny nemesis.
I went back Tuesday to chop down what I thought was one invasive thistle plant (bull thistle, perhaps) in the middle of the Route. When I looked closer, there is a whole patch of them growing near the Route. This is beyond my scope of work. I chopped off the ones actually growing on the Route but left the others to the tender mercies of the forest service which hopefully has a forest-wide invasive plant eradication plan.
I keep hoping the aspens along the Route change color before they reach their expiration date and the leaves drop.
Tuesday, I started at the Ocean, near the thistle patch, instead of further down. To rack up my daily 4 miles, I tacked on FR2998 to where it intersects the Nail Trail. Aspen colors are beginning to develop along that forest road but slowly.
Today, I skipped the LL hike (actually, I skipped all group hikes so far this week) because I had a late afternoon doctor appointment. The doctor came up with a diagnosis for my calf swelling of last week - Baker's cyst - but I'm not buying it. I had no cyst on the back of my knee that preceded the calf swelling, no sensation of water running down my leg and absolutely no knee pain! In reading the symptoms on MayoClinic.org, I can somewhat understand his diagnosis but I don't think it accurately describes what happened to me.
I dropped off a donation at the Jemez House Thrift Shop and then for my 4 miles, walked from the White Rock library to the Potrillo Canyon trailhead and back, along NM4.
I made a vat of tabooley. It tastes good but I'll be eating it through Sunday. I can't freeze it so it's eat it from lunch and supper until it's gone.
I went back Tuesday to chop down what I thought was one invasive thistle plant (bull thistle, perhaps) in the middle of the Route. When I looked closer, there is a whole patch of them growing near the Route. This is beyond my scope of work. I chopped off the ones actually growing on the Route but left the others to the tender mercies of the forest service which hopefully has a forest-wide invasive plant eradication plan.
I keep hoping the aspens along the Route change color before they reach their expiration date and the leaves drop.
Tuesday, I started at the Ocean, near the thistle patch, instead of further down. To rack up my daily 4 miles, I tacked on FR2998 to where it intersects the Nail Trail. Aspen colors are beginning to develop along that forest road but slowly.
Today, I skipped the LL hike (actually, I skipped all group hikes so far this week) because I had a late afternoon doctor appointment. The doctor came up with a diagnosis for my calf swelling of last week - Baker's cyst - but I'm not buying it. I had no cyst on the back of my knee that preceded the calf swelling, no sensation of water running down my leg and absolutely no knee pain! In reading the symptoms on MayoClinic.org, I can somewhat understand his diagnosis but I don't think it accurately describes what happened to me.
I dropped off a donation at the Jemez House Thrift Shop and then for my 4 miles, walked from the White Rock library to the Potrillo Canyon trailhead and back, along NM4.
I made a vat of tabooley. It tastes good but I'll be eating it through Sunday. I can't freeze it so it's eat it from lunch and supper until it's gone.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Rogue Trail and Rice Pudding
Finally took spouse on the Rogue Trail today. We were going to hike up Pajarito Canyon to see some aspen colors and then down the Nail Trail to close the loop but at the trailhead, it appeared that the state highway workers were getting ready to re=stripe the newly resurfaced NM501. We were afraid they'd overspray our car so we left to walk behind the Walkup Center swimming pool.
I told spouse that I thought the Rogue Trail, out and back from the Walkup Center, would only be 3 miles roundtrip. The idea of a shorter hike appealed to him. The Rogue Trail, built by a retired scientist, is an unsanctioned but well- built trail the width of a sidewalk that runs above the south side of Pueblo Canyon. In places, if you fell, you'd have a long slide down into the canyon. One hiker described it as vertigo-inducing.
Spouse doesn't like heights and, to boot, a thunderstorm was building and he doesn't like lightning so he was very game to go along with me. We turned around where the trail narrows to a single-track - that part scares even me! It was lightly raining by then and unclear how bad the storm would be.
It may have been almost 4 miles round-trip by going back to the Walkup Center but instead, because of the rain, we short-cutted the hike by going up the old, dirt road (from the site of the former Peggy Sue Bridge) to the Jewish Center and walked Canyon Road back to our car. I told spouse we would make that hike number one million in our rotation and thanked him for doing it with me. For a long time, I've wanted him to see it.
This morning, I made another How it all Vegan inspired recipe - rice pudding but I didn't use soy milk and in addition to the vanilla extract and cinnamon, added cardamom and nutmeg. The "milk" I used was the vanilla almond-date "milk" that I made yesterday.
The rice pudding is so delicious that I have to restrain myself from gobbling it all up! I'm amazed how sweet it tastes even though it's only sweetened with 4 medjool dates, the sweet spices and vanilla extract.
I let spouse taste the pudding but he said it was too chewy. He doesn't like brown rice but, really, it was the raisins that were chewy. They softened more as the pudding cooled. Brown rice is not as fibrous as he thinks it is!
I told spouse that I thought the Rogue Trail, out and back from the Walkup Center, would only be 3 miles roundtrip. The idea of a shorter hike appealed to him. The Rogue Trail, built by a retired scientist, is an unsanctioned but well- built trail the width of a sidewalk that runs above the south side of Pueblo Canyon. In places, if you fell, you'd have a long slide down into the canyon. One hiker described it as vertigo-inducing.
Spouse doesn't like heights and, to boot, a thunderstorm was building and he doesn't like lightning so he was very game to go along with me. We turned around where the trail narrows to a single-track - that part scares even me! It was lightly raining by then and unclear how bad the storm would be.
It may have been almost 4 miles round-trip by going back to the Walkup Center but instead, because of the rain, we short-cutted the hike by going up the old, dirt road (from the site of the former Peggy Sue Bridge) to the Jewish Center and walked Canyon Road back to our car. I told spouse we would make that hike number one million in our rotation and thanked him for doing it with me. For a long time, I've wanted him to see it.
This morning, I made another How it all Vegan inspired recipe - rice pudding but I didn't use soy milk and in addition to the vanilla extract and cinnamon, added cardamom and nutmeg. The "milk" I used was the vanilla almond-date "milk" that I made yesterday.
The rice pudding is so delicious that I have to restrain myself from gobbling it all up! I'm amazed how sweet it tastes even though it's only sweetened with 4 medjool dates, the sweet spices and vanilla extract.
I let spouse taste the pudding but he said it was too chewy. He doesn't like brown rice but, really, it was the raisins that were chewy. They softened more as the pudding cooled. Brown rice is not as fibrous as he thinks it is!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Route Today and Rio en Medio Friday
Raining now with the gods bowling in the heavens (remember being told by your parents that God was bowling in heaven when it thundered?) If this so-called La Niña keeps up, I may have to build an ark! It's predicted to be cool and rainy the next few days.
Family went to Salman Ranch - bought back raspberries, raspberry jam and raspberry vinegar - yum!!
I walked on Route. Saw one aspen along the path that had turned golden. Others look in good condition but it's been so warm that they haven't turned yet. Felt so good to walk on the Route but I must admit that I was sluggish. Could never have done Aspen Vista Ridge Trail on Wednesday feeling like I did today. On the way down, heard paintballers shooting each other in the woods.
This morning made edamame hummous - 2 cups edamame, 4 T sesame paste (tahini), juice of two limes, 4 cloves garlic, dried parsley, cumin powder - whip it up in food processor. Such a lovely green color but I think chickpea hummous is better. If I made it again, I would halve the lime juice and garlic. I had half of the recipe this morning on jasmine brown rice.
Also made vanilla almond-date "milk" - 2 cups water, 1/2 cup whole, natural almonds, 4 pitted medjool dates, 1 t pure vanilla extract - grind almonds in blender, add rest of ingredients and whip it up - thick and luscious! I added an apple and frozen raspberries to a cup of the "milk" and it made the prettiest smoothie! This recipe was inspired by a recipe in the cookbook How it all Vegan except I used twice as much dates and added the vanilla extract.
WRSC hiking group walked part of Rio en Medio Trail yesterday, starting from En Medio village and going to the first waterfall for a little over 4 miles roundtrip and 700' elevation gain. Only 3 of us went to the waterfall - now I know who the tough ones are in the group! Many stream crossings but no one fell in - shucks!
Family went to Salman Ranch - bought back raspberries, raspberry jam and raspberry vinegar - yum!!
I walked on Route. Saw one aspen along the path that had turned golden. Others look in good condition but it's been so warm that they haven't turned yet. Felt so good to walk on the Route but I must admit that I was sluggish. Could never have done Aspen Vista Ridge Trail on Wednesday feeling like I did today. On the way down, heard paintballers shooting each other in the woods.
This morning made edamame hummous - 2 cups edamame, 4 T sesame paste (tahini), juice of two limes, 4 cloves garlic, dried parsley, cumin powder - whip it up in food processor. Such a lovely green color but I think chickpea hummous is better. If I made it again, I would halve the lime juice and garlic. I had half of the recipe this morning on jasmine brown rice.
Also made vanilla almond-date "milk" - 2 cups water, 1/2 cup whole, natural almonds, 4 pitted medjool dates, 1 t pure vanilla extract - grind almonds in blender, add rest of ingredients and whip it up - thick and luscious! I added an apple and frozen raspberries to a cup of the "milk" and it made the prettiest smoothie! This recipe was inspired by a recipe in the cookbook How it all Vegan except I used twice as much dates and added the vanilla extract.
WRSC hiking group walked part of Rio en Medio Trail yesterday, starting from En Medio village and going to the first waterfall for a little over 4 miles roundtrip and 700' elevation gain. Only 3 of us went to the waterfall - now I know who the tough ones are in the group! Many stream crossings but no one fell in - shucks!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Roof Reassurance
Spouse today called one of the premier contractors in town to ask questions about our roof worries. I'm writing this as a summary of the conversation so that if either of us ever worries about this issue again, we can look back at this post for reassurance!
Contractor said: It possible that the sheet of wood decking stopped short of the ridge and another piece was used up to the ridge, thus creating a seam. It's also possible the gap in the roof deck was there all along. It wouldn't be unusual for the roof decking on a half century old house to separate along the seams due to expansion and contraction. If we checked other old houses in the neighborhood, we may find similar situations. It's not necessary to caulk the gap. If it gets worse, he would nail a plank to the underside of the roof deck from inside the attic to cover it. The ridge vent shouldn't affect the structural integrity of the roof. The ridge vent won't make the house cooler but is only intended to prevent build up of moisture in the attic space.
The contractor once taught a building trades class in the local high school and our roofer was one of his students. Our roofer has done 3 roofs for houses the contractor has built.
Despite this recommendation, I have to say that our roofer doesn't have the best customer service interface. It wasn't necessary to say things to us like "the roofer destroyed our house", "blame it on the painter". It wasn't funny and put a pall on what was otherwise a considerate act, coming out to inspect the decking. To his credit, the head of his roofing crew has good customer service skills at least. I'd truly rather not ever again see the owner himself.
The roofer also told us at his recent visit that if the gap gets wider, we should call a contractor as it would not be his area of expertise. This is probably true but perhaps the roofer should have first ascertained, before he cut the ridge vent the full length of our roof, that the roof over the remodeled carport is probably not built to the same strength and specifications as that over the rest of the house. We didn't do the remodeling but I can see that the roof in the main part of the house has impressive cross supports but the peaked roof over the carport's original flat roof only has a center support.
In the meantime, I won't hold my breath waiting for the roof to fall!
Contractor said: It possible that the sheet of wood decking stopped short of the ridge and another piece was used up to the ridge, thus creating a seam. It's also possible the gap in the roof deck was there all along. It wouldn't be unusual for the roof decking on a half century old house to separate along the seams due to expansion and contraction. If we checked other old houses in the neighborhood, we may find similar situations. It's not necessary to caulk the gap. If it gets worse, he would nail a plank to the underside of the roof deck from inside the attic to cover it. The ridge vent shouldn't affect the structural integrity of the roof. The ridge vent won't make the house cooler but is only intended to prevent build up of moisture in the attic space.
The contractor once taught a building trades class in the local high school and our roofer was one of his students. Our roofer has done 3 roofs for houses the contractor has built.
Despite this recommendation, I have to say that our roofer doesn't have the best customer service interface. It wasn't necessary to say things to us like "the roofer destroyed our house", "blame it on the painter". It wasn't funny and put a pall on what was otherwise a considerate act, coming out to inspect the decking. To his credit, the head of his roofing crew has good customer service skills at least. I'd truly rather not ever again see the owner himself.
The roofer also told us at his recent visit that if the gap gets wider, we should call a contractor as it would not be his area of expertise. This is probably true but perhaps the roofer should have first ascertained, before he cut the ridge vent the full length of our roof, that the roof over the remodeled carport is probably not built to the same strength and specifications as that over the rest of the house. We didn't do the remodeling but I can see that the roof in the main part of the house has impressive cross supports but the peaked roof over the carport's original flat roof only has a center support.
In the meantime, I won't hold my breath waiting for the roof to fall!
Marvelous 84 Year Old
On yesterday's WI hike up the Aspen Vista Ridge Trail, I fell in beside the marvelously fit 84 year old hiker. She's the one who told me I wasn't at the top of Tesuque Peak.
On our steep slog up Tesuque Peak, she mentioned that she no longer drives due to macular degeneration. She was driven to the trailhead in her car by another hiker.
I told her about my 3 Santa Fe area winter hikes that I'd like to complete one day. They are winter hikes because they are mostly flat and shadeless - the Spur Trail from Santa Fe Community College to the Rail Trail, Arroyo de los Chamisos Trail from Yucca Street to the Rail Trail and the rest of the Rail Trail from El Dorado to Lamy. I asked if she wanted to do any of those hikes one day and then I could take her to Vitamin Cottage afterward to shop. She has her own philosophy of hiking, though, and kindly suggested that I find someone else for those flat hikes. She doesn't hike everyday but swims also. When she does hike, she wants it to count. I have my peculiarity of insisting on 4 miles a day. Hers is to do at least 1,200' elevation gain.
Eventually, I wanted to go up faster to get to the top and then back down to my waiting husband so I said goodbye and asked her in parting to let me know this winter when she again does the hike to the Rio Grande down the Falls Trail in Bandelier. This is the one where she saw the Rio Grande magically transformed by rafts of snow.
On our steep slog up Tesuque Peak, she mentioned that she no longer drives due to macular degeneration. She was driven to the trailhead in her car by another hiker.
I told her about my 3 Santa Fe area winter hikes that I'd like to complete one day. They are winter hikes because they are mostly flat and shadeless - the Spur Trail from Santa Fe Community College to the Rail Trail, Arroyo de los Chamisos Trail from Yucca Street to the Rail Trail and the rest of the Rail Trail from El Dorado to Lamy. I asked if she wanted to do any of those hikes one day and then I could take her to Vitamin Cottage afterward to shop. She has her own philosophy of hiking, though, and kindly suggested that I find someone else for those flat hikes. She doesn't hike everyday but swims also. When she does hike, she wants it to count. I have my peculiarity of insisting on 4 miles a day. Hers is to do at least 1,200' elevation gain.
Eventually, I wanted to go up faster to get to the top and then back down to my waiting husband so I said goodbye and asked her in parting to let me know this winter when she again does the hike to the Rio Grande down the Falls Trail in Bandelier. This is the one where she saw the Rio Grande magically transformed by rafts of snow.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Aspen Vista Ridge Trail
Wednesday Irregulars met at Aspen Vista parking lot on ski hill road in Santa Fe. Some walked up Aspen Vista Trail (aka Tesuque Peak Road), some took the lift up and some took a trail up that I've never taken before which I'll call Aspen Vista Ridge Trail.
Husband took off work today and he went up the ridge trail to the lift, took the lift down and then walked downhill to the car.
I was ahead of him. When I got to the lift, even though I've been up Tesuque Peak several times, I thought I was on top and was ready to go back down until another hiker explained to me that "on top" was way up there! So, I walked to the top from the lift. It was steep but not impossible. Had great views from the back of Tesuque Peak into the Santa Fe Lake basin and of Penitente and Deception Peaks and Santa Fe Baldy. Saw two grouse. Beautiful Fall colors. Great elevated heart rate!
A hiker who had been up Cerro Rubio recently told me that the aspens leaves are just turning brown. The Jemez Mountains may have a disappointing aspencade this season but in the Sangres, colors are busting out in Technicolor!
Husband took off work today and he went up the ridge trail to the lift, took the lift down and then walked downhill to the car.
I was ahead of him. When I got to the lift, even though I've been up Tesuque Peak several times, I thought I was on top and was ready to go back down until another hiker explained to me that "on top" was way up there! So, I walked to the top from the lift. It was steep but not impossible. Had great views from the back of Tesuque Peak into the Santa Fe Lake basin and of Penitente and Deception Peaks and Santa Fe Baldy. Saw two grouse. Beautiful Fall colors. Great elevated heart rate!
A hiker who had been up Cerro Rubio recently told me that the aspens leaves are just turning brown. The Jemez Mountains may have a disappointing aspencade this season but in the Sangres, colors are busting out in Technicolor!
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