Walking up Camp May Road today, I noticed by the side of the road that someone had decorated a small ponderosa with tinsel and 3 Christmas balls which are each embossed with a word. From top to bottom, the first Christmas ball has Joy, the second, Believe and the third, Peace. The optimism of the words brought a smile to my face. How sweet of someone to decorate that tree for passersby to see! One end of the tinsel garland had fallen to the ground so I re-wrapped it around the tree.
The sky conditions were stunningly beautiful on my walk. I could see dark clouds to the north-northwest and some of the overcast blew overhead which created gusty winds but when I ended the walk around 3 pm, golden sunshine and blue skies prevailed.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Semi-Strange Encounters
In Smith's on Sunday, a man recognized me based on my hat. I didn't know him but he had seen me on FR181 and remembered the color and make of the car I used to own.
It was only today that I remembered having met him once, maybe one Christmas Day after I finished my walk on FR181. I had asked him then if he knew why the two police vehicles had driven in on the road. He said they were going to pick up a hypothermic hiker.
Then, on Monday, outside the library, I saw a man walking toward me who seemed to be looking at me so I said hello. He said he remembered running into me on Cerro Toledo 10-15 years ago. That couldn't be correct because I was never on Cerro Toledo in that time-frame. I asked if he meant Cerro Grande and he said yes, he meant that. The puzzle is, though, that Cerro Grande has only been open to the public since 2005. This seems to be a case of mistaken identity. I had no recognition of him.
It was only today that I remembered having met him once, maybe one Christmas Day after I finished my walk on FR181. I had asked him then if he knew why the two police vehicles had driven in on the road. He said they were going to pick up a hypothermic hiker.
Then, on Monday, outside the library, I saw a man walking toward me who seemed to be looking at me so I said hello. He said he remembered running into me on Cerro Toledo 10-15 years ago. That couldn't be correct because I was never on Cerro Toledo in that time-frame. I asked if he meant Cerro Grande and he said yes, he meant that. The puzzle is, though, that Cerro Grande has only been open to the public since 2005. This seems to be a case of mistaken identity. I had no recognition of him.
Foot Woes Update
I haven't made any more attempts at barefoot walking even though the barefoot experiment on FR181 didn't harm me.
I saw a podiatrist in Albuquerque. He ordered weight-bearing plain x-rays of my feet and an MRI. He made an adjustment on my right orthotic to better support my posterior tibial tendon. So far, the adjustment is comfortable enough. I'll see him again in January.
I'm going to return my Atlas snowshoes. My foot is not strong enough to break trail in snowshoes so I may as well just use my faithful, old MSR's and confine myself to already-broken snowshoe trails.
I'm trying to strengthen my feet with toe squinches (from running book by Jeff Galloway), calf raises from 3 different angles and circular rotations on the wobbleboard.
I saw a podiatrist in Albuquerque. He ordered weight-bearing plain x-rays of my feet and an MRI. He made an adjustment on my right orthotic to better support my posterior tibial tendon. So far, the adjustment is comfortable enough. I'll see him again in January.
I'm going to return my Atlas snowshoes. My foot is not strong enough to break trail in snowshoes so I may as well just use my faithful, old MSR's and confine myself to already-broken snowshoe trails.
I'm trying to strengthen my feet with toe squinches (from running book by Jeff Galloway), calf raises from 3 different angles and circular rotations on the wobbleboard.
Camp May Road Yesterday and FR181 Today
As I walked up the first two miles of Camp May Road yesterday, I was surprised at how little snow had fallen or remained (because maybe some of it melted - its already melted off our roof). I haven't been walking much uphill in an attempt to baby my right foot so it was good to do the uphill on Camp May Road.
Today, not daring to walk uphill two days in a row, I walked on FR181. There was more snow up there but vehicles have driven in so the walking was easy - not too muddy or too snowy. I saw no one and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Blue skies and sunshine were overhead when I started although I could see gray clouds hanging above Pajarito Mountain. By the end of my walk, the overcast had come my way.
Today, not daring to walk uphill two days in a row, I walked on FR181. There was more snow up there but vehicles have driven in so the walking was easy - not too muddy or too snowy. I saw no one and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Blue skies and sunshine were overhead when I started although I could see gray clouds hanging above Pajarito Mountain. By the end of my walk, the overcast had come my way.
Saw Part of Lunar Eclipse Last Night
I wasn't planning on seeing the lunar eclipse last night but when I went out to check its progress and saw it was already half devoured by the earth's shadow, I was hooked enough that I went out again at 12:30 am, past my bedtime. By that time, only a crescent moon remained, surrounded by stars brightly shining. The constellation Orion was visible near the moon. Husband had gone to bed around 11 pm but I was tempted to wake him up so he could see the eerie wonder of the lunar eclipse - I should have. Daughter woke her 9 year old son up to see it - good for her!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Human Footprints Seen on FR181
The human footprints were mine. My footprints looked surprisingly narrow compared to when I look down at my bare feet and they look so spread out. The inspiration for the footprints was because I bought a used book called Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler.
Altogether, I tried barefoot walking for short distances 3 different times on FR181/American Springs Road. I carried my shoes while doing that. FR181 has a lot of small pebbles that painfully drill into my feet unless I'm careful. On the smoother stretches, walking barefoot felt good. Admittedly, I was taking only careful, tiny mincing steps - hardly a normal gait.
In 2008, I tried the Nike Free shoes and they probably led to the stress reaction in my right heel. This is most likely because I pounded my heel hard on rocky trails on my walks and the Nike Free shoes gave it little protection in comparison to the shoes I was used to wearing. Now, in reading Sandler's book, I realize that it's better to land on the forefoot first to take pressure off the heel when barefoot walking or even when wearing minimalist shoes.
One obstacle I see in colder weather is that even though my feet didn't feel cold while I was barefoot on the dirt road, the cold must have seeped up into my body because it took a long while to warm up after walking.
All in all, I'd probably feel safer (and warmer) with some kind of minimal shoes (and socks in the winter!) I'm afraid of stepping on sharp things, man made or natural. From my brief experience today, though, I can see that barefoot walking is best done in a truly unshod state (as opposed to barefoot mimetics utilizing minimalist footwear) because anything on the bottom of the foot means you can't feel the ground as well and this interferes with the natural movement.
Anyway, unfortunately, I have too much feet pathology to seriously make a regular diet of barefoot walking - chronic posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, flat feet and a heel spur (that flared into a stress reaction and painful plantar fasciitis in 2008) - but perhaps I could try stints here and there to strengthen my feet.
Altogether, I tried barefoot walking for short distances 3 different times on FR181/American Springs Road. I carried my shoes while doing that. FR181 has a lot of small pebbles that painfully drill into my feet unless I'm careful. On the smoother stretches, walking barefoot felt good. Admittedly, I was taking only careful, tiny mincing steps - hardly a normal gait.
In 2008, I tried the Nike Free shoes and they probably led to the stress reaction in my right heel. This is most likely because I pounded my heel hard on rocky trails on my walks and the Nike Free shoes gave it little protection in comparison to the shoes I was used to wearing. Now, in reading Sandler's book, I realize that it's better to land on the forefoot first to take pressure off the heel when barefoot walking or even when wearing minimalist shoes.
One obstacle I see in colder weather is that even though my feet didn't feel cold while I was barefoot on the dirt road, the cold must have seeped up into my body because it took a long while to warm up after walking.
All in all, I'd probably feel safer (and warmer) with some kind of minimal shoes (and socks in the winter!) I'm afraid of stepping on sharp things, man made or natural. From my brief experience today, though, I can see that barefoot walking is best done in a truly unshod state (as opposed to barefoot mimetics utilizing minimalist footwear) because anything on the bottom of the foot means you can't feel the ground as well and this interferes with the natural movement.
Anyway, unfortunately, I have too much feet pathology to seriously make a regular diet of barefoot walking - chronic posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, flat feet and a heel spur (that flared into a stress reaction and painful plantar fasciitis in 2008) - but perhaps I could try stints here and there to strengthen my feet.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Quiet Sunday
I was looking through our Facebook friends and can't figure out how I became friends with one person. She seems to be a friend to my brother, sister, cousin and niece. Who is she?
It's really beautiful here. Cool but no snow. I can basically hike everywhere but I may as well give up any idea of snowshoeing for the meantime at least.
Today, spouse and I hiked to the Los Alamos Reservoir. Very nice except for the one stretch of ice that we got around by walking at the road edge. Reservoir doesn't have any water in it. I can't wait until the county rehabilitates that area. It's looked so sad since the 2000 fire.
Our across-the-street neighbor has her Christmas lights on. I leave the kitchen blinds open late to enjoy the beauty.
Grandson still believes in Santa but daughter says he's wise enough not to publicize that to his school mates!
Spouse and I spruced up our yard today. We piled leaves and brush in the garden area. Spouse re-nailed some fence slats.
Crescent moon overhead with Jupiter hovering in attendance nearby.
It's really beautiful here. Cool but no snow. I can basically hike everywhere but I may as well give up any idea of snowshoeing for the meantime at least.
Today, spouse and I hiked to the Los Alamos Reservoir. Very nice except for the one stretch of ice that we got around by walking at the road edge. Reservoir doesn't have any water in it. I can't wait until the county rehabilitates that area. It's looked so sad since the 2000 fire.
Our across-the-street neighbor has her Christmas lights on. I leave the kitchen blinds open late to enjoy the beauty.
Grandson still believes in Santa but daughter says he's wise enough not to publicize that to his school mates!
Spouse and I spruced up our yard today. We piled leaves and brush in the garden area. Spouse re-nailed some fence slats.
Crescent moon overhead with Jupiter hovering in attendance nearby.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
MIssing Woman Not Missing
I called the unaccounted for hiker this morning. Unknown to everyone, she had joined up with the husband and wife who hike with their big German Shepherd and they all had gone down from Broken Mesa an entirely different way than the rest of us.
When the last, slower half of the group got down from Broken Mesa, none of us knew that the unaccounted for hiker was actually safe and sound with the faster, first half of the hiking group.
Really, with a group that big, there should be better accounting of where everyone is. They try - they carry cell phones and walkie talkies to stay in contact. The unaccounted for hiker said when her cell phone rang yesterday and she picked it up, the connection dropped. Oh, well. How do I keep track of everyone but not make myself obnoxious about it? Maybe I should just let them worry about it.
When the last, slower half of the group got down from Broken Mesa, none of us knew that the unaccounted for hiker was actually safe and sound with the faster, first half of the hiking group.
Really, with a group that big, there should be better accounting of where everyone is. They try - they carry cell phones and walkie talkies to stay in contact. The unaccounted for hiker said when her cell phone rang yesterday and she picked it up, the connection dropped. Oh, well. How do I keep track of everyone but not make myself obnoxious about it? Maybe I should just let them worry about it.
Feeling Like Rip Van Winkle
La Niña is making me feel like I'm Rip Van Winkle and I've slept through the winter and now it's spring. The weather in Los Alamos is that dry and sunny that I feel like spring has sprung!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Pshaw
I want to comment on the WI group's birthday celebrations. First of all, a fellow hiker told me today that the birthdays are only celebrated if they fall on Wednesday which is the day the group hikes. She said that her birthday would next fall on Wednesday 11 years from now. I have to wonder if the Wednesday business is true because they seem to be always celebrating someone's birthday.
At the birthday celebrations, they have cake and drink champagne, neither of which I do. No presents are exchanged. My informant told me that at first she didn't go to the birthday celebrations either but then she "grew fond" of the hikers in the group. (Either that or drinking champagne in the afternoon after a hike gives an irresistibly addictive, bubbly high!)
Anyway, for the meantime, I'll continue boycotting the birthday parties. I did, though, wish the birthday man and woman a Happy Birthday!
The hike was almost 5 miles today. I felt great on it but am tired now.
My right foot is no better and no worse. I see a podiatrist in Albuquerque on Tuesday.
I left a message for the hiker we left behind but I haven't heard back from her yet.
At the birthday celebrations, they have cake and drink champagne, neither of which I do. No presents are exchanged. My informant told me that at first she didn't go to the birthday celebrations either but then she "grew fond" of the hikers in the group. (Either that or drinking champagne in the afternoon after a hike gives an irresistibly addictive, bubbly high!)
Anyway, for the meantime, I'll continue boycotting the birthday parties. I did, though, wish the birthday man and woman a Happy Birthday!
The hike was almost 5 miles today. I felt great on it but am tired now.
My right foot is no better and no worse. I see a podiatrist in Albuquerque on Tuesday.
I left a message for the hiker we left behind but I haven't heard back from her yet.
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