A bit hot, I'd say. I have a huge box fan, on high, blowing at me from about 8' away. Makes it bearable.
I think that the round, red rash on top of my right shoulder is from where there was a hole in my Cabela cotton canvas shirt right over the rash. I sometimes get rashes from sun exposure. I've now switched to one of my new Cabela shirts. The old one went into the rag box in the closet. I may scavenge the buttons one day.
The Nike Vomero's seem to hurt my heel spur. I'll try them a bit more. Need to decide on all 4 shoes from the Roadrunner Sports order by end of July.
Made progress on credit reports. Need to call some credit card companies on Tuesday to check on some of the alleged open accounts that we have no record of. Appears to be no fraud but just perhaps closed accounts that are not indicated as such.
Need to buy a cabin in Salida but first need to find out if change of station will happen. Would like to move into a smaller, newer house (condo or townhouse) in Los Alamos and have a cabin in Salida as well. Dreams!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Cañada Bonita Meadow
Spouse and I walked to Cañada Bonita Meadow today from Pajarito Ski Area. Pretty day with blue clouds, lots of green trees and vegetation and some white clouds coming in.
Starving - have to eat supper.
Starving - have to eat supper.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Lower Water Canyon
A few thoughts about the way I feel about Colleen, the VCNP dendroglyph project coordinator. I've read that people often feel repelled by their shadow. I wonder if part of how I feel about her is that I see myself in her. Here's some ways I can think of that we're alike - controlling, honest to a fault, high strung, eager to please and to have others like us. I dropped off the VCNP Visitor Map to her this morning and invited her to go on a hike instead of cleaning up her desk but she wasn't really ready to do that.
When I looked up and saw the Jemez all swathed in white mist and the winds were hellishly blowing and snow and rain were swirling around downtown, I gave up my plans to go up to FR181 and went down to White Rock instead. I was the only one hiking in on the lower Water Canyon trail. I went just past the saddle between Water and Potrillo Canyons and then turned around. The funny thing about my decision to go down to the milder climes of White Rock is that I could look over at the Jemez and the clouds had lifted above the mountains. I bet it would have been fine on FR181. I wish that I could have shown someone the ruby-peach colored domestic irises that I saw growing in Water Canyon today. They were on the right side of the trail, going out, where you first start to see a small arroyo on your right.
I was testing the Nike Free shoes today. One thing I notice is that I really slap my feet down hard. Jolie Bookspan, The Fitness Fixer, says that you don't notice how heavy footed you are in cushioned shoes. I think that's true. The Nike Frees are like walking in bedroom slippers and I really notice that I'm pounding my heels into the ground. I read about the Bones for Life program in Bookspan's blog and it's related to Feldenkrais so I got a few books on Feldenkrais from the library to try to learn more.
One comment about my extraordinary aerobic conditioning in going up the final pitch on Tschicoma yesterday, I didn't see any evidence of that on today's walk. That makes me wonder if the CoQ 10 that I took Tuesday morning was what made going up Tschicoma so effortless? I was only planning to take it once a week but maybe I should try twice a week. I hate to get hooked on taking it but maybe I'm low in it and that's why it had such a dramatic effect. I wonder also if the extra vitamin D had anything to do with yesterday's performance or with how my foot pain seems mostly gone?
When I looked up and saw the Jemez all swathed in white mist and the winds were hellishly blowing and snow and rain were swirling around downtown, I gave up my plans to go up to FR181 and went down to White Rock instead. I was the only one hiking in on the lower Water Canyon trail. I went just past the saddle between Water and Potrillo Canyons and then turned around. The funny thing about my decision to go down to the milder climes of White Rock is that I could look over at the Jemez and the clouds had lifted above the mountains. I bet it would have been fine on FR181. I wish that I could have shown someone the ruby-peach colored domestic irises that I saw growing in Water Canyon today. They were on the right side of the trail, going out, where you first start to see a small arroyo on your right.
I was testing the Nike Free shoes today. One thing I notice is that I really slap my feet down hard. Jolie Bookspan, The Fitness Fixer, says that you don't notice how heavy footed you are in cushioned shoes. I think that's true. The Nike Frees are like walking in bedroom slippers and I really notice that I'm pounding my heels into the ground. I read about the Bones for Life program in Bookspan's blog and it's related to Feldenkrais so I got a few books on Feldenkrais from the library to try to learn more.
One comment about my extraordinary aerobic conditioning in going up the final pitch on Tschicoma yesterday, I didn't see any evidence of that on today's walk. That makes me wonder if the CoQ 10 that I took Tuesday morning was what made going up Tschicoma so effortless? I was only planning to take it once a week but maybe I should try twice a week. I hate to get hooked on taking it but maybe I'm low in it and that's why it had such a dramatic effect. I wonder also if the extra vitamin D had anything to do with yesterday's performance or with how my foot pain seems mostly gone?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
FR144 Was So Beautiful
In trying to speed blog, I forgot totally to mention how utterly beautiful the country was today that we traveled through. I'm getting tired and still need to stretch but I want to say a few words. Along FR144, it's mostly at 10,ooo' and above and you really get the feeling of being in a high altitude alpine setting. It's cooler up there for one thing. Other than lots of dandelions I didn't notice a whole lot of other flowers because it's still early. The dandelions are stunted at that altitude - the flowers and leaves are smaller and give the plant the delicacy and the beauty of a true wildflower and not just a domestic, hated weed. The effect of a meadow carpeted with emerald green grass and speckled by short, yellow dandelions is a happy one. The spruce and fir forest is quite captivating even when just seen while driving along the road. Everywhere there are meadows that invite you to stop and explore their secrets. Aspen are plentiful and the place puts on a magical, golden extravaganza in the fall.
From both sides of Tschicoma there are beautiful views - the Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera toward the south and west and the Nacimientos, Pedernal, Polvadera and Ghost Ranch country toward the west and north. For that matter, the views from all along FR144 are spectacular as well. It's really a Rocky Mountain high experience but without driving up to Colorado!
From both sides of Tschicoma there are beautiful views - the Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera toward the south and west and the Nacimientos, Pedernal, Polvadera and Ghost Ranch country toward the west and north. For that matter, the views from all along FR144 are spectacular as well. It's really a Rocky Mountain high experience but without driving up to Colorado!
Daughter Dropped By Tonight
I forgot to mention that daughter called and asked if I'd watch grandson for a half hour while she exercised. I wasn't wanting to go out so I invited her to bring him over here. She brought over the Speed Racer DVD that he was watching and he was content to watch that and look at some kid's magazines I had found in the non-return box of Mesa Public Library's lobby. His face had been painted today at Y camp but it was mostly smeared off. He took home the Boy's Life which he really likes. I went throught the pile of books that I had found for him and determined that most of them are not easy readers so I'll dump them back in the library lobby tomorrow. The Clarks sandals that I gave her fit. They were hardly ever used and too tight on me. I'm happy that they fit her.
Norm's talk at Livermore went well yesterday. He comes home tomorrow, is home a week, and then goes back east to use up a free airplane ticket. He'll see a Yankees baseball game with his brother Andy. He may know more next week about the change of station.
Norm's talk at Livermore went well yesterday. He comes home tomorrow, is home a week, and then goes back east to use up a free airplane ticket. He'll see a Yankees baseball game with his brother Andy. He may know more next week about the change of station.
Tschicoma Trip
Gonna try to speed type this one. Twelve hikers. FR144 road conditions from Española very good. Saw evidence of wood debris in places across road that indicated a fallen tree had been cut up and removed. No snow on the road. On walk to Tschicoma, encountered some remnant snow drifts in the woods but followed in other's footsteps and didn't sink in or slip. On final steep uphill on Tschicoma I was amazed that I wasn't huffing and puffing but felt very strong. I wonder if the iron pills are helping but I also doubled the amount of B12 and added one more folic acid tablet a week. Whatever the case, I was pleased. I had been in the last group in the woods because it's tricky getting around and over the snowbanks and fallen, twisted, tangled heaps of trees but once we broke out in the open, I decided to go for some elevated heart rate and my heart cooperated!! The Asics Gel Nimbus, while not the ideal shoe for off trail hiking as it's a road running shoe, worked perfectly since they're brand new and the tread isn't at all worn down. Funny thing is that those shoes killed my feet on the Bayo Canyon/Fireline walk (didn't use the Hapad Comf Orthotic insoles) and on an evening walk downtown (did use the insoles and did use them today too). My foot felt 100% normal today and even the heel spur didn't pain me.
We all went to the south side of Tschicoma to look at the views but no one wanted to eat there because it was windy although there was a spot that was out of the wind and warmer yet had views. They all ate in the trees on the hillside beneath the trails leading east from the top of Tschicoma. I took one look at the official lunch spot and decided that I'd be happier eating on the side that has the views of Polvadera and Pedernal. I wanted to be visible so I'd see when they started down. The wind didn't bother me but eating without views would have.
On the long drive home (we went back via FR99 to Youngsville), the guys I rode with got into discussing politics. They seemed mostly to be staunch Republicans. At one point they said they dreaded having the Democrats get into office and spending like crazy and running up deficits. I piped up that when Clinton left office, there was no deficit. They countered that he didn't have the expenses of a war. I think I made my point well. Later, Jim that his dog would make a better VP candidate than Hillary but I kept my mouth shut and didn't laugh at the comment. I mostly tried to stay out of it and when they mentioned disappointment about Heather Wilson's loss to Steve Pearce I didn't tell them how much I hoped Udall would win.
Last night I only got 6 hours of sleep again - 12:30-6:30am. Before the alarm rang, I was dreaming of living in a condo and I was so happy because I didn't have a yard, it was newer, and I had less house maintenance to do. But, I felt sad that we had to leave our neighbors whose girls our daughter played with as she grew up.
Also, I had this thought about last night's dendro meeting. I am so lucky that I have gotten to know more about the Valles Caldera from the people I've been around on the VCNP rim trail project. I can tell that the dendro people mostly haven't gotten to be around the caldera as much as I have. I feel very privileged and grateful.
We all went to the south side of Tschicoma to look at the views but no one wanted to eat there because it was windy although there was a spot that was out of the wind and warmer yet had views. They all ate in the trees on the hillside beneath the trails leading east from the top of Tschicoma. I took one look at the official lunch spot and decided that I'd be happier eating on the side that has the views of Polvadera and Pedernal. I wanted to be visible so I'd see when they started down. The wind didn't bother me but eating without views would have.
On the long drive home (we went back via FR99 to Youngsville), the guys I rode with got into discussing politics. They seemed mostly to be staunch Republicans. At one point they said they dreaded having the Democrats get into office and spending like crazy and running up deficits. I piped up that when Clinton left office, there was no deficit. They countered that he didn't have the expenses of a war. I think I made my point well. Later, Jim that his dog would make a better VP candidate than Hillary but I kept my mouth shut and didn't laugh at the comment. I mostly tried to stay out of it and when they mentioned disappointment about Heather Wilson's loss to Steve Pearce I didn't tell them how much I hoped Udall would win.
Last night I only got 6 hours of sleep again - 12:30-6:30am. Before the alarm rang, I was dreaming of living in a condo and I was so happy because I didn't have a yard, it was newer, and I had less house maintenance to do. But, I felt sad that we had to leave our neighbors whose girls our daughter played with as she grew up.
Also, I had this thought about last night's dendro meeting. I am so lucky that I have gotten to know more about the Valles Caldera from the people I've been around on the VCNP rim trail project. I can tell that the dendro people mostly haven't gotten to be around the caldera as much as I have. I feel very privileged and grateful.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Savor the Shade
Went this afternoon up FR181 from West Jemez Road to intersection at meadow. There's now a fuelwood cutting area in that section called Valles 2. I passed a "roped" off area (using plain wire at chest level marked with red flags) on the west side of the road before FR2997 that has "Caution, Do Not Enter" signs posted - just a small area but have no idea why it's posted.
Pink flowers of NM locust were abundant. Such a pretty shrub but hard to walk through without bleeding a lot.
I did savor the wind and small spots of shade over the trail.
On yesterday's explore, I ate a violet flower and part of a violet leaf. The plant tastes good but I don't want to tear up violet patches to snack on them as they look much prettier growing on the ground. I also ate a dandelion flower because I heard they're edible. Ed, VCNP hiking buddy, says his mother loves to eat dandelion greens. He was hoping to gather some but the high altitude dandelions are very stingy with their greens. I told him that Whole Foods sells them and they are delicious in smoothies. I would like to find some dandelion blossoms that are unsprayed and use them in smoothies as they must be full of lutein and zeaxanthin. They tasted fine but I think they'd be best ground up in smoothies. NM locust flowers are edible also but I doubt they have as much carotenoids as the brightly colored dandelion flowers so I left all the locust flowers on the shrubs.
I am concluding that this was a very good year for people who hate ticks. I haven't seen a one so far. Nasty critters!!
Thankfully the dendroglyph meeting tonight was over before 8:30pm. I was getting dizzy from all the forms Colleen was handing out!! She is very sincere and sweet but I will reserve my opinion if I'm suited for this volunteer project until I've actually done it several times. I suspect that Archie, another of the team members, is a smoker as he went outside briefly and then came back inside. He grew up in the San Antonio cabin so he could be interesting to talk to.
Pink flowers of NM locust were abundant. Such a pretty shrub but hard to walk through without bleeding a lot.
I did savor the wind and small spots of shade over the trail.
On yesterday's explore, I ate a violet flower and part of a violet leaf. The plant tastes good but I don't want to tear up violet patches to snack on them as they look much prettier growing on the ground. I also ate a dandelion flower because I heard they're edible. Ed, VCNP hiking buddy, says his mother loves to eat dandelion greens. He was hoping to gather some but the high altitude dandelions are very stingy with their greens. I told him that Whole Foods sells them and they are delicious in smoothies. I would like to find some dandelion blossoms that are unsprayed and use them in smoothies as they must be full of lutein and zeaxanthin. They tasted fine but I think they'd be best ground up in smoothies. NM locust flowers are edible also but I doubt they have as much carotenoids as the brightly colored dandelion flowers so I left all the locust flowers on the shrubs.
I am concluding that this was a very good year for people who hate ticks. I haven't seen a one so far. Nasty critters!!
Thankfully the dendroglyph meeting tonight was over before 8:30pm. I was getting dizzy from all the forms Colleen was handing out!! She is very sincere and sweet but I will reserve my opinion if I'm suited for this volunteer project until I've actually done it several times. I suspect that Archie, another of the team members, is a smoker as he went outside briefly and then came back inside. He grew up in the San Antonio cabin so he could be interesting to talk to.
Hi Daughter,
I made my journal blog public if you'd like to get really bored:
Don't share it with anyone. I just wanted you to know the web address. For now, I'm much more consistent at keeping an online journal than I ever was at the composition book journals although you will find that there is a lot of those to read too (in a box in my bedroom closet)!
: )
Love,
Mom
I made my journal blog public if you'd like to get really bored:
Don't share it with anyone. I just wanted you to know the web address. For now, I'm much more consistent at keeping an online journal than I ever was at the composition book journals although you will find that there is a lot of those to read too (in a box in my bedroom closet)!
: )
Love,
Mom
I Need an Early to Rise Hiking Partner
OK, so it would help if I were early to rise too. I went to bed at 1:30am last night trying to catch up after being gone on the north rim all day and woke up naturally at 8am.
Anyhow...here's a few more hikes and explores I'd like to do one day. Other people want to travel the world but I'll be happy getting to know some local terrain.
Water Canyon Mesa loop and explores of all trails between Pajarito Acres and Water Canyon
Pajarito Mountain to explore top of destroyed Pajarito Canyon Trail
Knife-edge to Pajarito Mountain
Cerro Grande's meadows beneath it's eastern arm
I called a few roofers this morning. Los Alamos Roofing could have come out today but I didn't want to be tied down so I said that Thursday would be good. LP roofing, the one who reroofed the house 13 years ago, will call me about looking at the problem. They tried to fix the leak after it was reroofed but weren't successful. I called Tower.com and they emailed me a label to return the defective yoga DVD. I called Don's Windows and Doors and they'll call back about the cost for a service call to replace one of our double pane windows that has moisture inside and that's still under warranty. OK, so I drop off the DVD at the post office, after I package it up, drop in at the library, and drop off at daughter's workplace some Envirokidz peanut butter bars I bought for grandson, and then finally I get to do my daily 4 miles and test the Asics Gel Nimbus some more. The New Balance 908's are OK but even with the Hapad Comf Orthotic, my heel spur hurts afterwards.
I have to email daughter that this is now an open blog and she's free to read it and get bored to death!! : )
Even though I'm tired I'm happy to be alive. The dendroglyph project meeting should be interesting this evening but, if I'm lucky, I may get to play hooky from the first session next Tuesday as Dorothy may get me invited on a field trip to see the Leese cabin on the VCNP!!
Anyhow...here's a few more hikes and explores I'd like to do one day. Other people want to travel the world but I'll be happy getting to know some local terrain.
Water Canyon Mesa loop and explores of all trails between Pajarito Acres and Water Canyon
Pajarito Mountain to explore top of destroyed Pajarito Canyon Trail
Knife-edge to Pajarito Mountain
Cerro Grande's meadows beneath it's eastern arm
I called a few roofers this morning. Los Alamos Roofing could have come out today but I didn't want to be tied down so I said that Thursday would be good. LP roofing, the one who reroofed the house 13 years ago, will call me about looking at the problem. They tried to fix the leak after it was reroofed but weren't successful. I called Tower.com and they emailed me a label to return the defective yoga DVD. I called Don's Windows and Doors and they'll call back about the cost for a service call to replace one of our double pane windows that has moisture inside and that's still under warranty. OK, so I drop off the DVD at the post office, after I package it up, drop in at the library, and drop off at daughter's workplace some Envirokidz peanut butter bars I bought for grandson, and then finally I get to do my daily 4 miles and test the Asics Gel Nimbus some more. The New Balance 908's are OK but even with the Hapad Comf Orthotic, my heel spur hurts afterwards.
I have to email daughter that this is now an open blog and she's free to read it and get bored to death!! : )
Even though I'm tired I'm happy to be alive. The dendroglyph project meeting should be interesting this evening but, if I'm lucky, I may get to play hooky from the first session next Tuesday as Dorothy may get me invited on a field trip to see the Leese cabin on the VCNP!!
Monday, June 2, 2008
North Rim Explore
Not sure how much I'll write tonight as it's late. Got up at 6:30am after only 6 hours of sleep. Was having horrible dreams of plumbing backups - had to pee. Felt like death warmed over but tea and cocoa powder revived me except was falling asleep on car ride home. Three of us went. One VCNP hiking partner drove around the northwest corner. We didn't get started back until around 4:30pm and I got back to the house around 7pm and didn't get on the computer until maybe 10pm. Still have to do stretches and put away dishes.
Tomorrow I will just do my 4 miles as expeditiously as possible because then Wednesday I want to go to the LL hike which will be on the north rim again - Tschicoma. And there is the dendroglyph meeting at 7pm tomorrow.
A few words about today's explore and the emphasis is on few as I can see I won't be going to bed before 1am at this rate.
Dorothy gave us a copy of the permission letter to the Valles Caldera National Preserve but it clearly states on it that there will be only two more trips on the north rim and that includes today's and next Monday's trips; yet, she wants us to find a road on the VCNP that goes from the Garita View over to the Hilton Gate - something like a straight shot superhighway if I understood her correctly. We're supposed to contact her ahead of time about any trips.
Promised few words about explore. What can I say - it was beautiful, much cooler than in the hot lowlands. We achieved Dorothy's objective of finding the row of cliffs she saw from the west rim and we ate lunch there, enjoying splendid views into Valle San Antonio. It was windy at our perch but a pleasant not an icy wind.
We saw some magenta colored Fairy Slippers - really pretty. I may have heard the Hermit Thrush's song. One of us spotted a tent located on the VCNP with big containers of water stored nearby.
We go next week to check out a milepost above the Rito de los Indios drainage. We waded through the upper reaches of the Rio Cebolla. I wasn't wearing Gore-Tex so my socks got a little damp and I discovered at lunch that to save a few ounces I had taken out my spare socks. I have put them back in. I bought a pair of Gore-Tex Merrells at REI but right now I have my hands full with trying to figure out which of the Roadrunner shoes work for my feet.
On the way home, everyone appreciated the snacks that I brought along. Next week I should bring drinks in a cooler as well as snacks.
Tomorrow I will just do my 4 miles as expeditiously as possible because then Wednesday I want to go to the LL hike which will be on the north rim again - Tschicoma. And there is the dendroglyph meeting at 7pm tomorrow.
A few words about today's explore and the emphasis is on few as I can see I won't be going to bed before 1am at this rate.
Dorothy gave us a copy of the permission letter to the Valles Caldera National Preserve but it clearly states on it that there will be only two more trips on the north rim and that includes today's and next Monday's trips; yet, she wants us to find a road on the VCNP that goes from the Garita View over to the Hilton Gate - something like a straight shot superhighway if I understood her correctly. We're supposed to contact her ahead of time about any trips.
Promised few words about explore. What can I say - it was beautiful, much cooler than in the hot lowlands. We achieved Dorothy's objective of finding the row of cliffs she saw from the west rim and we ate lunch there, enjoying splendid views into Valle San Antonio. It was windy at our perch but a pleasant not an icy wind.
We saw some magenta colored Fairy Slippers - really pretty. I may have heard the Hermit Thrush's song. One of us spotted a tent located on the VCNP with big containers of water stored nearby.
We go next week to check out a milepost above the Rito de los Indios drainage. We waded through the upper reaches of the Rio Cebolla. I wasn't wearing Gore-Tex so my socks got a little damp and I discovered at lunch that to save a few ounces I had taken out my spare socks. I have put them back in. I bought a pair of Gore-Tex Merrells at REI but right now I have my hands full with trying to figure out which of the Roadrunner shoes work for my feet.
On the way home, everyone appreciated the snacks that I brought along. Next week I should bring drinks in a cooler as well as snacks.
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