hoolyhumpkin

After-Vacation Hikes

2008-12-13T09:20:00.003-06:00

After a 2 week vacation with my daughter in early November, which included hiking on 11 of the days, I'm officially recuperating. I still need sleep, I'm still not interested in TM, and I'm still paying for the vacation.

Not completely true, as I have been out to TM twice for 2.5 mile hikes. Eddie loved the return to nature, but my heart wasn't in it. Maybe during the winter break...

I was hoping I had it resolved, but I still can't post pics here.

Meandering Mountaintop

2008-10-26T21:05:00.002-05:00

We arrived before 2 and headed straight up. Once on top we wandered all over the connecting trails on the top. Eddie led, and Ann let him choose the direction each time. We finally hooked up with the ridge trail and went north to the turtle head boulder.

We watered Ed, ate some grapes, and Ann climbed the turtle head. She found a lone harvestman and played with it for a while, then found a large leaf-footed or stink bug. She saw it squirt some stank, as she called it, out its back end, then it kept going along on the boulder top. Do bugs pee, separate from their poop? I don't know. She thought it was stank and I told her to bend down and smell it, but she was in a precarious position and couldn't. I think she just didn't want to.

While at the boulders we looked around for a good hiding spot for a geocache, but couldn't find one suitable. The best place, a large crevice/opening at the base in the back of one of the boulders, was guarded by poison oak. No thank you. We also looked for a good hollow while meandering the top, but only one I found, on a fallen, rotting tree trunk, she nixed because she said nobody would want to reach into there looking for it.

We have both registered as users, and she has logged at least 10 finds so far. I don't have any, but haven't tried yet.

Total hike: 3.4 + miles, 2 hrs. I forgot to start the thing until we were part-way up the craggy top, and I stopped the timer when I knew we were stopping, and sometimes forgot to restart it. So these aren't official numbers. We planned to go about 5 miles but my foot was hurting, and my big toes. Now that I'm wearing heel cups I may need 1/2 size larger shoe. I'll go in Thursday before we leave and maybe buy another pair.

Turtle Hike

2008-10-25T21:46:00.003-05:00

Ann and I arrived around 1, parked low and went east. We took the Lo Chi and had a wonderful hike. We saw a box turtle on the trail, her first, my fifth, and we admired her for a while. It has been kind of chilly for them to be out. Mine have been getting deeper and deeper in their overwinter hibernating holes, only coming out when it is warm enough. When we stopped to look at her she closed up tight and we wanted to make sure she was unharmed, so we decided to return on the same route to see if she had left the spot where we put her. I marked her spot on my Garmin, the first time I have done that.

So we hiked as far north as possible, even going down to the tracks and continuing north for a while. We finally headed back, and I pulled up her location, and we were just walking along and talking when my Garmin set off its alarm. We had arrived at the turtle spot. She wasn't there and we looked all around. That was good news. I love my Garmin.

Ann saw a couple of tiny young lizards, we saw some grasshoppers, including one like last week with the very loud click-clicks and bright yellow wings, a couple of nice butterflies, and a katydid. What we didn't see were fields of Pennsylvania leatherwings, like we did in Oct. of last year. We went through the same field area and there was nothing of note.

When we were returning to the turtle spot, we were happily going along and chatting when Ann suddenly shushed me. Off to the east, in a small clearing between us and the tracks, was a young man doing kung fu moves. There is a term for practicing moves by yourself but I can't remember what it is called. No, it wasn't Tai Chi, it was definitely Kung Fu. I wish I'd had my camera. He had to walk a long ways to get there, and I'm guessing he does it for solitude. Hope we during ruin his moment.

Eddie led the entire hike, as usual. I was extra tired toward the end, so instead of heading up to the craggy top and continuing we looped around the blue/yellow near the lot.

Total hike was 2.74 miles, 1hr 30 min. We gave Ed water twice and sat and snacked on apples.

Opossum Hike

2008-10-19T21:25:00.002-05:00

This afternoon Eddie and I arrived about 4 ish. The lot was full, we got the last spot, and there were cars parked around the edge. We took the craggy trail straight to the top. I didn't have any hike in mind other than meandering around the mountaintop. Today we came across more hikers/strollers than bikers, and lots of dogs.

While we were going north on the ridge trail we met a couple and the man was carrying their dog. It was smallish, maybe 20-25 lbs, but certainly not a little lap dog. I said, "Awww, did somebody poop out?" and they mumbled yes, he wore out. I thought it a bit strange that a dog that big was being carried, and he was being carried high, with his head/face tucked on the man's shoulder nestled in his neck. The man's hand was on the back of the dog's head, the way a baby is carried.

Just a few minutes later Eddie spied something off the trail so I stopped and looked. Eddie was on full alert, and I finally saw it: a possum! But something was wrong. It was standing there like a taxidermied exhibit. I stood there. It stood there, not twitching a muscle. It was really weird. Then I noticed something was wrong - it had severe head and facial injuries which looked to be very fresh. It looked like some skin had been pulled off and the blood was very red and wet. It finally trembled a little, turned, and slowly and painfully walked away. It looked to be in shock. I know its injuries are so severe that it will die.

And I wonder if that couple's dog, who did not have a leash on him, had run off the trail and wrestled with it. Maybe the dog was also injured, which makes sense the way it was being carried.

I noted on my Garmin where I was and I'll go back next weekend and see if I notice an odor. As long it's going to die anyway, which makes me sad because of its injuries, I might as well try to get another skull for my little collection.

And OF COURSE I didn't have my camera. Just like I didn't have it when I saw the raccoon, the baby lizards, the 2 eastern velvet ants, 3 of the box turtles... I'm thinking of buying a small camera to carry with me on all hikes for occassions like these... ... Nah, I don't want to spend the money.

I wore my Montrails with the pro heel cups, and had taken a preventive naproxen before leaving. My plantar fascia was a bit tender but certainly under control. I started feeling rubbing on my left instep, though. I now have a peely blistery area there, but not too bad. A bandaid should be enough. I was wearing regular socks because all my balegas were in the wash when I left. All 5 pair in the washer at once. I think they make a difference. These regular socks felt awful. I guess I'm going to have to go buy even more special socks.

Let's see, I have now purchased... 20 pair! And now daughter B wants a pair for Christmas, too. No one could have ever convinced me that any sock could be so special.

Total hike: 2.86 miles, 1 hr, 21 min. I did end up meandering around the top, and it's fun to see my trail on my Garmin Training Center map. Did I ever mention how much I love my Garmin?

Leisurely Photo Hike

2008-10-18T19:47:00.004-05:00

I met a friend at noon and we took the blue to the upper, then headed north on the tadpole. Our goal: butterfly photos. She currently has a painful knee, so when we arrived at the first steep grade drop we decided to turn around and head west. We got a few pics along the tadpole.

We crossed just north of the upper and noticed a huge wasp nest in a dead tree. Stopped for some shots then continued on to the gate and headed north. There were a few butterflies along that trail, then we took the 3rd left. We stopped to look at the 3rd of the 3 lakes, and went on to Rock City where we lounged on the resting wall for quite a while. We saw a large butterfly that I believe to be a red spotted purple admiral, but it eluded us. Of course.

I showed her the circular big boulder area and the crazy scary bike ramps on the west. I couldn't believe it, because people have been adding on to them! We would love to see some riders there.

We looped around, headed towards the gate, then back down to the lower. Total hike: 3.9 miles, 3 hrs 42 min. We took a lot of time standing and composing, focusing, and waiting for a good shot. I didn't turn the timer off during any of our stops, so my Garmin says we averaged 1.1 mph. Heee.

I got a few shots of new things: true katydid, american field cricket, reakirts blue, another blue-like cutie that I can't ID, and a big brown, oily, yellow-winged grasshopper. We also got some time with a common buckeye, pearl crescent, and red-banded hairstreak, as well as various other things.

Some pics from this hike are in an album on Hooly's Facebook.

This was my first hike/walk since the plantar fasciitis episode. I took preventive 800 mg ibuprofen and it still was noticeably sore. At about 3 hrs I had to take 600 mg more. In the parking lot I started favoring my right foot. I wore my Asics and my new Tuli's pro heel cups. We leave for vacation in less than 2 weeks and I'm thinking of getting a corticosteroid shot in that heel. After months of planning it would be frustrating and disappointing to not get to do all of our hikes because of my stupid heel.

Even though I hated my CrocsRx Relief for the first few days, they really feel good now. In fact, I've had them on since I got home, I've played outside with the dogs a few times, and my foot is feeling pretty good. Maybe the Crocs are OK.

5+ Miles

2008-10-12T21:11:00.003-05:00

This hike was from Sunday, Oct. 5th, the day following my last post. We got there before 10, had Ed with us, and went up the craggy top. That has been my favorite way to the top since the first time I took it, and now it's A's favorite, too. We continued north until just before the spider, then hooked a sharp left U-turn and headed south on the trail system just east of the tadpole.

There were no other people through this part and it was wonderful. The paths are rocky (ie: 'technical') and we had to really keep our eyes on the ground. We continued to what would be the 1st pond on the right (from the upper), watched a baby slider on a log and in the water, then crossed the upper to the west side.

A little after the gate, at about the 3-mile point, I noticed the bottom of my foot was sore with each step. That would be my right foot, the same one that had some achilles trouble 3 weeks back. It wasn't bad, certainly didn't make me limp or anything, so I thought nothing of it. A few minutes later, with one innocent step, the pain was sharp and excruciating. I had to stop and wait, hobble a little until the sharpness waned, then decided to continue. I favored that foot for the remaining hike.

We took the 3rd left and made the big loop that goes by Rock City. We (and by 'we' I mean "I", rested on a boulder, watered Eddie, and chatted all about A2's Christmas gift. When we got up to continue I had to start the hobbling all over again, but made it to the end without becoming a spectacle.

Total hike was 5.25 miles and 2 hr, 16 min. The time is just for the hiking part. I paused the timer during my foot episode and each time we stopped to water Eddie.

My foot hurt the rest of the day and on Monday morning I couldn't walk to the bathroom. I crawled to get some Ibuprofen, then crawled back to bed for 30 minutes while it took effect. I knew then what was wrong. 20 years ago I had a huge heel spur and plantar fasciitis on my left foot and ended up having surgery, which I swore I would never do again. Back then I had some intermittent problems with my right foot, had a couple of corticosteroid injections, wore Tuli's heel cups, and got over it. It happened again about 6 or 7 years ago.

I ordered a couple more pair of Tuli's, one of those little rocking calf-stretching thingies (because I love them) and a pair of those repulsive Crocs, the RX line 'Relief' for, among other things, plantar fasciitis. I wanted those to wear when I first get up, while getting ready for work or just hanging around the house.

I got the CrocsRx yesterday and hate them. Well, today they aren't that bad, and I've worn them all day, but my good shoes with heel cups are significantly better.

So... I haven't been walking or hiking for a full week. And we just had a spectacular weekend. Phooey. At least I don't have a heel spur. But I did find some migrating monarchs and got a bunch of good pics.

Nothing Special Hike

2008-10-04T17:13:00.003-05:00

A and I planned to hike this morning at 8:30. I knew it wouldn't happen that way, so I didn't even bother to set the alarm. She called about 9, said she just woke up from a dream where she called me and I was already out hiking "because we were supposed to leave at 8:30." In fact, I was still in bed!

We got out there maybe around 10:15 and went up to the craggy top. It was the first time she had taken that route and she liked it. We continued north and rested for a while at the turtle-head rock. I wore my waist pack instead of the backpack, and it was at the rock that I realized I didn't have any water for Ed. We looked for a little dip in one of the boulders but found nothing suitable. I felt bad, but at least it was cool. While resting and chatting we decided to hook around at the spider and return via the tadpole. It has a couple of viscious uphill parts in the full open sun. But it was cloudy and breezy this morning so we decided to do it.

When we got to the spider we veered off to the left, and just before we hooked to the tadpole we realized the sun was out. Looking at the sky we predicted it would stay out, as most of the clouds had blown by. We weren't having that, so we turned around and returned on the lower yellow, the Ho Chi.

Other than a few harvestmen, we saw nothing remarkable. Only one butterfly at the end. For once I was satisfied that I had not taken my camera with me. As a bonus, we met 3 bikers while heading to the turtle-head rock, 2 young guys and a really old guy. It was the same old guy I say on the west side in the spring (or sometime.) He's got to be in his 70s, and A and I marveled at him.

Total hike was 3.64 miles, 1 hr 35 min. We had lots of stopping for bikers and joggers. We also met more hikers than usual. And since they are really just meandering around out of curiosity near the trailhead, I can't even call them hikers. More like strollers.

This afternoon we went to the shoe store and my friend's daughter fitted A with some cool trail shoes. She plans on wearing them around the house for the rest of the day to make sure they are right, then wear them on our hike tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm aiming for 5 miles.

Phooey on the Garmin

2008-09-21T21:23:00.002-05:00

Long story short: after charging the Garmin I got one 19-minute walk out of it, and on the next walk the battery was low and it quit.

Full story: On 9-15 I took a TM hike and the Garmin ran out of juice about 3 minutes into it. I hooked it up to charge, then looked through the book to see how long to charge it. When I opened the box the book said to charge for 3 hrs for the initial charge. Does that mean I charge it 3 hrs each time? No where did it specify, so I charged it for 3 hrs.

Tonight I decided to take the heinous hill hood route, and the Garmin went out about 1/2 way through. Now I'm thinking that the Garmin was shipped already charged, and through sitting on a shelf it lost a bit. That's why the book said the initial charge should be 3 hrs. Maybe a full charge should be longer. So tonight I'll charge it overnight. The book doesn't say, but that's what I'm doing.

All weekend I've felt tired and blah-y. Don't know why. I intentionally have laid off the walking/hiking/elliptical because of the achilles soreness on my right foot. I read that once you have a definite achilles problem you're likely to always have it. I'll attribute it to my Garmin, which was causing me to walk faster and faster. I'm competitive that way. So now I laid off and tonight I took the walk leisurely. No soreness.

On a funny (sad) note, I decided I'd wear my well-worn MBTs tonight. I haven't worn them since I got my new shoes from Rachael. I put my left on and stood on it and took a few steps. There was just too much turning in of my ankle (over pronation) to my liking, so I changed into my Asics. It's amazing, but my foot does not pronate as much with it. Yes, I know, that's the WHOLE idea.

Losing My Freedom

2008-09-15T21:21:00.002-05:00

All day today I couldn't wait to get out to TM. I made good time and Ed and I were parked and starting about 5:30. The Garmin was really slow locating satellites, and it finally said *low battery*, then found some satellites and off we went.

I set the Garmin to do the 5-mile (aka 3.82 mile) loop, but taking my favorite craggy shortcut straight up to the top. I wanted to use my virtual partner. At 1 min, 27 sec Eddie stopped to poop. He is very polite and steps off the trail, then I get a stick and fling it into the depths of the woods. I used to take plastic bags, pick it up, tie it to my backpack, etc. But soon realized every other dog poops out there, and most of them right smack dab ON THE TRAIL. So I consider myself and Eddie polite and considerate.

Anyway, the next time I looked at my Garmin was about 1/2 way up the crag, and it was off! By *low battery* , it apparently means *battery will last about 5 more minutes*. I was so disappointed, and it really took the steam out of my step. My mind began regrouping, and I decided I would still take the same route because I knew its exact length and I could still record it in my Training Center on the computer. Then I thought I would meander along the top of the mountain, since I couldn't watch my Garmin. Then I decided to go to the north end of the ridge and hitch a left loop, returning on the dreaded tadpole. In other words, without my Garmin I feel free to go where ever I want without a solid plan. With my Garmin I'm wanting to compete with myself or the "marked" trail. I'm sure as I get more experience with it I'll get back to going anywhere I want, but for now I feel like I'm locked in and losing my hiking freedom.

I was still trying to decide which route to take when my achilles tendon began bothering me. I can't remember if I mentioned it, but yesterday while wearing my Vasques my right tendon began to hurt. That had never happened before. Then last night I took a hood walk in my shoes and there was no soreness. Today, somehow, I accidently put those same shoes (semi-trail) on again instead of my real trail shoes.

So my sore tendon made my decision for me. Part way, maybe 1/2 way along the ridge, I turned left into the mountain top and meandered my way back on the lovely, largely level, non-technical tangle of trails. Very soon the soreness waned and I finished in fine form. But I'm skipping the hood walk tonight, and probably for the next couple of days.

The only thing I would have bothered taken a pic of was a little fat toady. He probably was a taddie in the spring or early summer.

Total hike, about 50 min, and about 2 miles. All estimated, unfortunately. My Garmin is charging right now.

Technical Trail

2008-09-14T21:47:00.002-05:00

I parked low and began about 3:30. I didn't take Eddie because I expected the trails to be too muddy and I don't have a cover on my back seat right now. The few muddy spots were small and navigable except for one. That one was such a mess that I had to take off my boots after returning to my car.

There were lots of cars in the lot so I decided not to take the full yellow. Instead I went a little west, then followed the trail just to the east of the Tadpole all the way north and looped around on the ridge trail. I had forgotten how technical that particular trail is. Hey, if cyclists can call it technical then so can a hiker!

Shortly past the turtle-head boulder I took a left down to the tarantula trail. It also has substantial technical areas. In fact, toward the south there was an area where the trail had collapsed in a muddy slide. Thankfully that area is so rocky that folks kept the trail going. I was glad I had my Leki with me, as it enabled me to work my way down, through, and around the area. The last time I was there was in March '08 with L, and it wasn't like that then.

I briefly spoke with a man and his young son who asked if they were on the right trail. I saw a 3 or 4 other groups of hikers, heard a couple more, but not once had to stop or step off the trail to let anyone pass. It was WONDERFUL.

Things I could have taken photos of if I'd taken my camera, which I almost did:
1) a cute baby ring-necked snake. It was about 5 - 51/2 inches long and stopped and posed for me! I didn't pick it up because I was afraid of snake ass, and I didn't have a squirt bottle or sweat rag with me to clean up.
2) another eastern velvet ant; boy that's disappointing!
3) a red-spotted purple admiral. I could have taken several good shots of it, and I don't have a pic of one yet. The only other red-spotted I've seen on TM was last year, and it was dead.
4) the area where the tarantula trail had collapsed - but it will be there next time!

Today as I was getting ready to leave for the hike, I realized how many choices I have:
1) hydration backpack, or double-bottle waistpack, or carry water
2) Leki or not
3) Eddie or not
4) hiking boots 1, hiking boots 2, or my new trail shoes
5) camera or not (and then I have to choose which lens)
6) Garmin or not. OK, that's not really a choice. I love using it!
7) sweat rag or not - I would always choose to take it, but sometimes I forget

For this hike I chose no camera, hiking boots 2 (best for mud), Leki (because of mud and thank goodness I had it), no Eddie (because of mud), and waistpack. I feel all dorked out with the Leki, waistpack, and boots, but then I feel the same way with the backpack.

Total hike was 3.51 miles, 1 hr, 43 min, with an average speed of 2.1 mph. The slowness was due to the 'technical' nature.

And because today's hike was so slow, I just took an evening hike in the hood: 1.61 mi, 29 min, 18.18 ave pace. My ave pace goal is 15, which is 4 mph. I would like to reach that by '09.

Temps have been coolish here. Tonight it's about 60. I got a little warm while on TM this afternoon, but made it without a sweat rag and w/o using my t-shirt as a sweat rag. If I'd remember to take one, though, I would have used it.

Raining All Day

2008-09-13T22:15:00.004-05:00

The rain continued today, sometimes pretty forceful. I went to the Fitness Center and did lower body weights, then 10 min on the tread climber and 10 on the elliptical. I had planned on doing 30 min of combined cardio. Well, phooey!

Afterwards I went to my newly-discovered shoe/sock store to get a pair of those fabulous socks for my girl cousins, and you know what? I am obviously too stupid to live. I bought 7 pair, 3 of them black (only one pair was for a man.) When I told A that I was going to mail a pair to everyone she said nobody would want black, not even the man, and black would be stupid and wrong. Those weren't her exact words, but she clearly conveyed her contempt. Sigh. Tomorrow I'll take the black ones back and exchange for white.

And I guess that makes me stupid because I have 2 pair of the black ones and I love them! But then, I had to stop wearing my Doc Marten sandals a few years ago because I found out I wasn't supposed to wear them with white socks. Or any socks. I happen to like wearing socks with my sandals. Whoever makes up all these fashion rules needs to retire. And leave the country. And never speak or write again.

Hood Loop Again

2008-09-11T21:02:00.003-05:00

It's been rainy now for a couple of days, and thanks to Ike it will rain for 3 more. I'm glad that's all we'll see of him. This evening it wasn't quite precipitating, but the atmosphere is so heavy with moisture I had rivulets running across my skin. If there could be one huge, dense cobby web heavy with dew, I was walking through it - nothing actually coming down yet I was colliding with water drops.

My intention was to take the 1.05 loop twice. I was going to try tapping the lap button on first return to my porch then heading out again. I don't know how that will work while racing myself. I was hoofing it (for me) and beating my 2nd time by 100ft at the .64 mark, but my lower back was getting tight (and I had taken a couple of preventive ibuprofen - just not early enough) so I relaxed my pace slightly. I stopped after one loop and beat my 1st time, but I didn't even notice if/how much I beat my 2nd time. I was scrolling through the different pages and trying to figure out new stuff that I forgot about that until just now. Since it's all turned off and put away I'll just be content to know that I sweated, stiffened, fogged my glasses and felt good.

I'm having thoughts of beginning to *jog* here and there. I've done it on TM a few times and really enjoyed it. I'm not ready to yet, but I'm thinking I may end up building to that. Maybe that will start to develop when we get back from our vacation.

I Beat My Virtual Partner

2008-09-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

Last night I used my new Garmin to take the same 1.05 mile route I established on... Sunday, maybe? These last few days have run together and I've forgotten to mention some noteworthy things on the blog.

Anyway, I set my Garmin to do the same course and I walked with my virtual partner. Eddie and I were ahead the entire route, and ended up beating her by 271 feet. I didn't feel like we kept up any racey kind of pace, just normal walking. Uhh, as I recall I do believe I stopped under just about every streetlight on the night I set the course. I had to! I wanted to see what was going on with the Garmin! It has a backlight, which I used a few times last night, but I don't want to use up the battery sooner than need be. Last night I didn't spend so much time under the lights, and that probably explains why I beat it. Unfortunately I'm very competitive, so I will keep trying to beat my new times.

It's been drizzly all afternoon and evening, and even now, so I don't want to go out. Yes, I'm a big cheap baby. But not too cheap, because I did go to the fitness center and did upper body weights and 25 minutes of elliptical. The WHOLE time I was on the ellip I was thinking about how much fun and almost effortless TM seems compared to the fitness center. And because I stay out there hiking for at least 1 1/2 hrs usually, even better for me.

I'm hoping to walk the hood tomorrow night, maybe even 2 laps!

5 mi = 3.82 mi

2008-09-09T20:06:00.002-05:00

I sneaked out of work a whole 16 minutes early today to get a jump-start at TM. Ed and I arrived, parked low, and began just after 5. This evening we took the full, no short-cut version of the 5-mile loop. Twasn't. But now I remember why I like the short-cut so much: the uphill agony doesn't last as long. It's more severe, but it's more important that it doesn't last as long.

Yesterday the forecast called for today's temps to be 10 degrees cooler, but the first hour was really hot and sweaty. Camera-wise, the only remarkable thing today was 2 harvestmen tangoing. Or maybe one killed the other and was carrying it as a trophy. Or maybe the mate died and the one was carrying it back for proper respects. Or maybe they were mating and one was in control and only looked to be carrying the other one. Anyway, their funny bodies and tangle of legs would have made a nice photo.

I just began hiking again last Friday, and I've noticed the harvestmen (aka daddy longlegs when I was a kid) are scampering all across the trails everywhere. Also the cicadas are out full-force, and I find a good number dead on their backs in the trail. Since I like to NOT think about people while hiking, I've spent some time thinking about the dead cicadas, and I've come up with some possible explanations:

1) they are so plentiful right now that as they die naturally they fall all over the place, therefore some on the trails
2) birds are nabbing them, struggling, then dropping them, but by that time the cicada is injured and thus dies
3) some kind of insect-prey, like a tachinid fly, is laying eggs on them so the larvae can worm their way inside then eat the guts until the cicada dies
4) little woodsy gnomes are shooting them with teeny arrows, they fall, then the gnomes eat off the face and feast on the insides

Today I was making a point to keep up my pace and make good time, so next time I take this route I could use my new virtual partner for competition. Stopping to give Eddie water is normal; Eddie pooping is normal; stepping off and waiting at the side of the trail for others to pass me is normal. But today, at 2.67 miles, a bicyclist stopped, inquired about Eddie's breed, then began a conversation that lasted between 20-25 minutes. I KNEW I should have stopped the timer, but I thought it would just be a couple of sentences then off we go.

The man has been riding there for 24 years and was full of information about different areas, different trails, annual trends, etc. I learned quite a bit so I wasn't frustrated with losing so much time. I'll just have to set my pace next time. After standing still for so long my muscles cooled down and I had to rev up again. It wasn't so bad. It was all shady, a little cool, and a tad breezy. Completely and perfectly lovely. I practically sauntered back.

Total hike, with stops, was 2 hrs, 4 minutes. Oh, it's dark now. I think I'll take out trash, get my tomorrow's lunch ready, then put on my Garmin and take the 1.05 neighborhood loop!

3rd Consecutive Loop

2008-09-07T21:11:00.002-05:00

I charged and tried out my new Garmin last night with 2 loops around the block. Today while writing my hiking notes I decided to go back out to TM and take the same craggy loop I took Fri and Sat. So with Ed, no pole, backpack and Garmin I set out.

It took me a bit to get the Garmin started right, and I can't even remember how far up the trailhead I was before it was all set. Not too far, though. I went straight to the top then joined the 5 mile loop. I came across only 3 or 4 bikers but LOTS of hikers and joggers with dogs. We must have met 12 or so dogs on the trail - some on lead, others not. Grrrr.

At about the same place as yesterday, somehow I spied another baby lizard. It wiggled off to the side faster than the one yesterday, but it hasn't yet honed it's hiding skills. It's teeny back legs and tail were sticking out from beneath the small piece of debris. I rustled it and it wiggled on a little further and stopped. Like yesterday I easily picked it up and held it in my palm. But unlike yesterday, today I feared I killed it. It was completely flopped on its back and didn't even move a toe. I touched and prodded it with my finger, blew on it, scrunched my palm together, and nothing.

I turned it onto its stomach and it was completely limp. I didn't know how I could have hurt it. I stood with it a while and could barely see its teeny tiny eyes. They were open. It was limp in my hand, let me move it about, and its eyes were open. I marveled at the tiniest, cutest toes I have ever seen, then put my palm by the ground and tickled its tail. It moved! I gave it a little nudge and it scurried off. I have had/held/played with lizards quite a bit but I'd never had one play 'possum on me before. Hognosed snake, yes, but lizard? Not until today. Of course I was relieved.

Even stopping with the lizard, stopping twice for Eddie to drink (which requires removal of backpack, getting out his bowl and water bottle, etc.) and waiting for him to poop, pee, pee, pee, poop, pee, pee, pee, pee, pee, pee, and stepping off trail for others to pass, I still beat my Friday time by 1 minute!

The Garmin said my official distance was 3.41 miles and time was 1 hr, 34 min. Next time I'll make sure I get it set correctly in the parking lot, I'll take the long, regular route the whole way and see how long it is.

The Garmin is really cool. At home I looked at the map of the route and other stuff from the hike. I read more in the manual, and got so excited that tonight I took a neighborhood walk with it (and Eddie, too.) My walk was 1.05 miles from my porch back to my porch. 21 minutes, so about 3 mi/hr, which right now is what my goal is. So far my lower back is holding up just fine. Maybe my new shoes make a difference. I'm also concentrating on keeping my stride just a wee bit shorter than I'd naturally go.

So now I've walked on concrete in the hood several times with no resultant spasms. I will gradually increase my distance as I prepare for our vacation.

Hydration backpack - $60
Leki - $75
New trail shoes - $90
New socks - $10 (they are soooo worth it!)
Garmin - $200
Partaking in one of life's best pleasures - you know the drill!

Saturday - No Camera... Again!

2008-09-07T16:11:00.002-05:00

I didn't take Ed, didn't take my pole, and didn't wear my backpack. Instead I wore my new double-bottle waist pack. It's OK. During the first 30 minutes I thought it might be putting extra strain on my lower back/hip, but later I didn't even notice it. Of course, the longer I went the less weight I carried because of drinking the water!

I took the exact route as Friday evening. Again there were no pipevines at the top of the craggy trail, but I did see an eastern tiger swallowtail - the yellow and black kind. If I'd had my camera I would have stood around and waited for a landing. We are still having a bit cooler weather than usual because of Gustav (I guess) and I saw several other butterflies out. Bonus, though, as I saw a velvet ant again. It wasn't quite as large as the one I saw earlier in the summer by the upper, but my whole life = 0, and in one summer I see 2! No camera, though.

I reached the loop turn in 40 minutes. On my way back I spied an itsy bitsy new hatchling lizard, probably a skink, on the trail. It stayed in one spot and I gently picked it up and held it in my palm for a few seconds. It was soooo cute. I've never before seen a new lizard. The body was about 3/4 inch long. I set it down off to the side and it slowly sashayed away. No camera!

Total hike was 1 hr, 32 minutes... 3 minutes quicker than Friday.

Today is Sunday, I got my birthday/Christmas gift yesterday from my mom. It's a Garmin distance watch. More about it later, but now I'm getting ready to take the same hike with my new Garmin!

Friday After Work Hike

2008-09-07T15:33:00.003-05:00

I'm behind in noting my hikes: today is Sunday. Friday was completely lovely. I had an early morning meeting at a location near TM, and drove by it on my way back to my regular workplace. I wanted to stop and hike so badly I hurt. By afternoon it was a bit warmer but still nice enough to take an evening hike. I hurried home, got ready, got Eddie ready and we were there at 5:32. We parked low and took the regular 5-mile.

I went straight to the top, using my favorite way, then joined up with the ridge trail. The place where the pipevine swallowtails were having fun in the springtime was empty, but on ahead for a long stretch the blue damselflies were plentiful and busy.

The prehistoric turtle head is always a wonderful sight, and as I passed it I had to turn around and admire it again. It was 43 minutes at the turn of the loop and the skyline was clear and pretty. The return was pleasant, and I took the normal way back to the trailhead (as opposed to my shortcut like I did on the way up.)

In the low part, on the last bit of trail going east before turning south, I was suprised by a raccoon that was walking across the trail just a few yards ahead of me. Likewise, it was surprised by us and took a leap onto the trunk of the nearest tree. The tree had a pretty small diameter and the raccoon was clumsily trying to get higher. Ed and I got a good, long, clear look at it for quite a while, but dang, I didn't have my camera! After about a minute I knew we needed to go on. The tree was so skinny the raccoon really didn't want to go up much higher, so one of us had to act. I wondered if raccoons ever attacked by jumping down on something out of a tree. I've never heard of that, but I was sure thinking it and became a little wary about walking right under it when it wasn't even up very high. I could have reached up with my hiking pole and touched it.

Eddie and I went under it and after several yards turned around to watch it. It apparently wasn't coming down until we were long gone, so we headed on to the car.

Total hike was 1hr, 35 min. I got picked up a salad and something for my mom and went to her house. Ed and I didn't get home until after 10.

Lazy Machine Hogs

2008-09-03T21:24:00.003-05:00

Several weeks ago when it became too hot to hike, I started using the fitness center more regularly. As like any place else in our society, most people are courteous and respectful. Then we have those few...

I'm certainly not an expert, but everything I've read about weight lifting says if you are going to do more than one set of an exercise you should wait between 30-60 seconds between. I've NEVER seen it recommended that you wait longer than a minute. Evidently everyone hasn't read the books, especially the man who was hogging the leg press this evening.

I began with a 5-minute warm-up on the elliptical before doing my lower body weights. I prefer to start with the leg press because it works the most muscles (so I believe but I could be wrong - and yes, I know squats are best but I feel awkward and fearful of my back so I don't do them. Yet.) So while I was on the elliptical I peered under the obstructions and noticed a man on the leg press. He was just sitting. I stayed on the elliptical an extra minute, hoping he would finish. Still sitting. I continued one more minute, but he still sat there.

Not a big deal, I began with the ad/abductors, which is right next to the leg press so I could jump up and move over as soon as he finished. Well, I did 6 sets of 12 reps on THAT machine and he was still sitting. I did notice him regain consciousness twice and do a few quick leg thrusts, but mostly he was sitting all scrunched up with his feet remaining on the plate.

I moved to the quad machine. During my first set the Press Hog got up and left, but before I could untrap myself another man briskly walked over and began using it. He had been waiting, too. I looked to see where the press hog had gone and he was slowly ambling toward the lobby, sweet as his assy legs could carry him. Ass.

It didn't bother me that another person hopped on the press, because he got down to business then moved on. I know it doesn't really hurt me any but I enjoy doing the weights in a certain order. It feels right. Narcissistic, dis-courteous asses are repugnant. When I was a child I created a cure for those kind of people, and some day I may write about it. Since my method is science fiction it could never work, but it didn't stop me from dreaming...

Walking on Concrete

2008-09-02T21:42:00.003-05:00

Last night I up and decided to take a neighborhood walk with my new hybrids (trail+running on pavement shoes). Because I have bad history with concrete I walked only 3 blocks worth and felt OK. This morning I felt the dreaded twinge-ing in my lower back that signals trouble. I took 800 mg ibuprofen and went on to work.

While I felt sharp twinges off and on throughout the day it was certainly not unbearable, nor did it worsen. This evening I decided to try my new herbal tincture that is touted as an anti-spasmotic. Hmmm, after about an hour I didn't feel any pains. I played some baseball, cautiously, with Eddie, took care of the turtles... felt OK.

At 9pm I suddenly felt like living dangerously and took Eddie on another concrete walk. This time about the equivalent of 5 blocks, faster than last night and concentrating on short strides. I feel great, and because we're getting ready to have some Gustav rains it was almost cool and blustery. I loved it, and my new shoes, the Asics, are AMAZING!

Instructions on the tincture say I can take some more dropperfuls, so I'll do that and go to bed. And I think I'll take it to work tomorrow - just in case. Gaaahg! I hope it doesn't make me shat, but if it does, that's just more steps on my pedometer as I run to the bathroom! My count for today is 6455. Dang, that makes me feel lazy.

New Shoes

2008-08-31T22:30:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I set out to buy a new pair of trail shoes. Our hiking vacation is coming up in 2 months and I wanted an alternative to my boots. We'll be taking at least 2 long hikes (for us) and wanted to carry shoes in my backpack in case I needed to change while on the trail.

After listening, looking, measuring, and evaluating with a treadmill and video, my friend's daughter, who works there, brought out about 7-9 boxes of trail shoes in my size, some women's and some men's. Because my feet are so big I can wear either, and in some cases only men's. She was very patient as I tried them all on, and there were 2 pair that definitely felt better than the rest. I walked around the store. I stood. I walked some more. I rocked. I stood. I couldn't decide. I bought both.

Yesterday and today I wore one pair, lighter weight trail and running shoes for the moderate pronator, to the fitness center and they are wonderful. My feet didn't scooch back while on the elliptical like my regular shoes do. I love them.

Today A and I went out to TM, parked high and went west, cut across east of the 3 lakes then on to the large frog pond. Out and back, it didn't take long, and my sturdier trail shoes performed great. I believe they handled the rocks and roots better than either of my boots! I haven't been hiking since July 14, so I can't be sure, but that's what I think.

By the end of the short hike I was feeling pressure along the part of my foot that would be the arch if I had one. There is a light red mark there on the inside of each foot. That has happened before with good-supporting shoes, but I think I'll ask to see if that's normal for flat-footed folks. I plan to begin walking more as the weather cools so I want sturdy but flexible shoes.

I've decided to join a little walking workshop class. This week I'll attend an information meeting, then next week the 'class' begins. The goal is to prepare for a 5K walk in mid-November, occuring at the end of our 2-week vacation. Because of the timing I don't know if I'll make that walk, but I'm confident I can handle 5K since I've often hiked 5-8 miles.

My worry is walking on pavement or asphalt. For some reason that tightens my back which can then lead to unbearable, work-missing back spasms. I'm hoping I'll learn to correct my pavement gait to avoid that. But just in case I'll take preventive ibuprofen before walking the 'hoods.

I still can't post pics here, as my computer is still problematic.

Great VAC Day!

2008-07-14T17:27:00.002-05:00

I took a day of vacation today, and set my alarm last night for 5 am, intending to get up at 5:30 and out to TM by 6:30. Before falling asleep I reset my alarm for 7 am, then kept enduring 9-minute snoozes until 8:30. I need to learn to stick with my plan. I thought it would work because on Saturday I did get up at 5:15 am, picked up a friend at 6:10, and started picking thornless blackberries at 6:33 am. We went to Toomey's blackberry farm and it was wonderful. Together we picked about 23 lbs in just under an hour.

Anyway, early didn't work for me today, but I did set a personal best by arriving at TM just before 10. I parked high and headed up the tadpole. I had planned on a photography hike, and nothing else. There wasn't much activity on the tadpole (the one blackberry I found was tart) so I headed back to cross the top to the snake and turtle meadows.

There wasn't much happening in those parts, either. I felt like I took about 20 pics, but I actually had 83, plus the ones I deleted as I took them. At home, after discarding, I ended up with 27, but nothing exciting. Total unexciting hike was 1 1/2 hrs, because I stuck to my plan.

I wanted to post a hiking pics here, but I still can't upload photos, and I know it's my computer because I have other troubles, too. My favorite pic of the day was an older, larger assasin bug nymph, kin to the ones I saw on July 4th (which of course I couldn't post here, but they are on Hooly's Facebook album.)

Holiday Hike

2008-07-04T22:08:00.003-05:00

I'm glad I live where I could choose what I would do today, and I'm glad I live where I could wear what I wore.

I thought I wouldn't hike today, then suddenly decided to, and got a late start for a hot day. I arrived at 10:30, parked low and headed to the top using my new favorite route. Dragonflies, butterflies, and more were in the meadow at the top (now called the turtle meadow) and the next one to the west, now called the snake meadow.

I am pleased with many of my pics from today, but for some reason I can't post them here. For the past 3 days I haven't been able to post pics here, and I don't know if it's the site (probably not) or my computer (probably).

I had not planned to hunt the berries, as I wore shorts and had my camera. But I couldn't stop myself once I reached the tadpole. I headed north, snapping shots here and there and enjoying what was still a nice morning. Then I got to the berries past the 2nd lake on the left. Someone has been going there.

Last year there were no signs of anyone else picking the berries during their season. On Monday evening A and I took a quick jaunt from the upper to check on their status, and ended up picking about 5 cups so she could bake a pie. I had been ill for over a week and that was the first evening I felt good, and I couldn't wait to get out there. Anyway, I noticed trampled trails among the canes, and it wasn't from an animal. Today I found them in different cane areas, too.

So I ended up picking berries as best I could, given my apparel. I was surprised I ended up with 4 C, so now I can bake another pie.

After picking for a while I had to head back south along the tadpole, trudging uphill in full sun, and now it was past noon. I had to stop and break out the emergency gatorade, and I took my last 2 sips of water about 3 minutes from the parking lot. I believe that's only the 2nd time I've used all my water on a hike... and of course I didn't stick to my plan.

Instead of going home and changing for our family luncheon, I drove straight to my mom's, got a cold wet rag, situated the fan and recuperated. She had a great lunch for us and we were all there. Then I promptly had several bouts of diarrhea - I don't if it was related to my recent illness, the heat, or something I ate. Oh well.

Total hike was 2 hrs 25 min, and I will not do that again in July heat. My plan was to stroll and shoot about 1 1/2 hrs. I will also stick to my plan in the future. I'm sure I'll be going out either in the morning or Sunday morning.

I'll post some of the pics on Hooly's facebook album.

Morning Hike

2008-06-15T22:56:00.055-05:00

I decided this morning to check on the blackberries. Eddie was very upset when he saw me get my boots and backpack out then didn't get out his car harness. Poor Eddles.

I arrived at 10:20, parked low and went directly to the tadpole. I took the tadpole north, stopping just before the final trek to the 1st pond on the left. The blackberries are so red I could see them from quite a distance. A few canes were by the trail, and about 4-5 berries were black, juicy and sweet.

I took 109 pics, and wasn't quite finished when my CF card filled up. Total hike was 1 hr, 40 min. I didn't go far, so obviously I spent a lot of time standing around waiting for the wind to die down, a bug to get in a better position, a butterfly to land, etc. I saw a few things I'd never seen, or at least noticed, before today.

Those black ones are now gone!

Hmm. I've never seen one like this before. It's a tarantula, but small, maybe the size of a half-dollar, legs and all. I saw 2 of them.

I've never seen this before, either. My guide says it's a cuckoo wasp - they don't have stingers

The wind gusts kept bending its wings forward, but it kept clutching onto its stick.

This is my 1st pic of an American Lady

I call this the valentine bug because of the heart shape on its back, but it's really a delta flower scarab, so named because of the delta shape on its back!

This is my 1st red admiral at TM

A nicely laid clutch of eggs. I've never seen this before

This bird almost waddled while dragging its tail and wing tips. I thought it was injured, but it did finally fly off a pretty good distance. Cranky tells me it's an indigo bunting. I had never seen one before.

Rule Follower

2008-06-11T21:03:00.003-05:00

I've always been a rule follower and I am sick of that. I can go to sleep at night but otherwise I get nothing for it.

Sunday my mom's car locked up on her. She barely got it into a parking lot, then it wouldn't start. Had to be towed home (it being Sunday) then on Monday towed to her station. Then towed again from there to an engine specialty shop. Her car won't be ready until mid-next week. No problem.

We have an extra car right now and I told her she could use it as long as necessary, and that we'd be right over. The car wouldn't start. I could tell it was the battery, so I got out the jumper cables but before rigging it up wanted to review the sequence. I couldn't find my cheat sheet anywhere, but the book that came with the car was in the glove compartment and it had 2 1/2 pages on jumping. Yea!

I was puzzled when I read that after a,b,c... the last thing I do is clamp the black onto the battery strap (the strap that goes over the battery to keep it in place.) I've jumped before and distinctly remember clamping the black on to something metal in the engine, away from moving parts. I read it 3 times, and following those instructions it said DO NOT CLAMP THE CABLE ONTO ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR, ONLY THE STRAP. Well OK then.

I hooked it all up and turned the key... uhhhhn uhhhhnn uhhhhhnnnnn. It was the same as when I first tried to start the car. I unhooked, re-read, rehooked, and nothing. So I got Daughter B to help. A 3rd time and still nothing. I wondered about the strap, but being a rule follower I obeyed the rules and didn't try to clamp it on to anything else.

Tuesday I called Pep Boys, where I believed the battery was purchased. Their computers were down all day and they had no way to look it up. I decided the problem must be the old crackledy up jumper cables, and stopped by the Hell Hole (Walmart Supercenter) on my way home from work to buy newer, longer, stronger jumper cables. All they had were thin short cheap little things. But I noticed next to the cables were some battery-jumping charging contraptions.

After standing there and reading over both boxes several times I decided to buy one, took it home, read the rules, plugged in the adapter to charge the contraption so I could charge the car battery. By 9:30pm the contraption was fully charged, but I had to wait 30 minutes (because I follow the rules) after charging to use it. So at 10 pm I took a deep breath and took it to the garage.

The instructions for the contraption said the black clamp would go on a non-moving metal part of the car. Huh. Just what I originally thought. I got a screwdriver and tapped and scraped on the battery strap. It's hard plastic, NOT METAL. No wonder the jumpers didn't work. I decided to keep and use the contraption anyway and hooked it up, the green light came on immediately, I started the car, turned off the contraption and unhooked it. I went for a 30 minute drive to charge the battery a bit more. The drive included a stop at McDonald's drive-thru for a cone and food for my daughter.

Today after work the car started just fine, so I took it to my mom's, we went out to eat and she dropped me off at home.

I'm mad at myself because I allowed my rule-following gene to over-ride my common sense gene, costing me $42 and a trip to the hellhole, plus an extra day of mild angst.

On a good note, all the walking in the hellhole parking lot and self-contained city really upped the step count on the pedometer, and I reached 6,000 yesterday. Today I shot for 7,000 and made it. Right now I'm wearing 7015 steps on my waist! I've drastically upped my steps at work by going out one door, going around the building and in a different door to get to the bathroom or another office, then back out again to get back to my office (when time allows.) This will work until it gets too hot. Or rains. Or I don't have time.

I love my pedometer! I'm pleased with my contraption! Need a boost, anyone?

Photoshop Envy

2008-06-09T20:59:00.004-05:00

Over 2 years ago I took a Photoshop class and purchased Photoshop CS2. And I actually read the pages and pages of licensing agreement jargon as I was installing the CS2 program on my computer. I understood it to say I could install it on other computers I owned. For college use my mom and I had recently given both daughters laptops. They were purchased and registered in my name.

After installing PS on my computer I moved next to daughter B's computer. All went well. Then I began on daughter A's. It wouldn't load. I called Adobe and found out I was allowed to have it on only 2 computers, even if I owned more and they were in my house. So daughter B, who had taken a photography course at a tech center, really did deserve to have it. Wait...

Shortly after arriving at OU for her 1st semester she did something to her computer and had to have help from their tech support to fix it. The 'fixing it' wiped off PS. That was
over 1 1/2 years ago. This past weekend she took photos at a friend's wedding and assumed she could use PS on my computer in order to work the pics. But yesterday something happened to my computer and I've temporarily lost all my programs and files.

She found the original disks and tried loading them on her computer, and it worked. I guess the program recognized her computer as an 'approved' one. So all this time she has been without, and it was so easy to fix. So this evening, as she's working with the photos, I mentioned that I was thinking about getting Photoshop Elements for daughter A.

B stopped working and glared at me. "What is that?" she demanded. "Is it the same as this one?" "No..." I replied, and before I could continue she started spinning and twirling about A getting better and newer stuff than she had. After she settled down I had the chance to explain that she had the full-blown CS2 creative suite, while elements was just part of what the real photoshop could do - just a cheaper, lesser version. Well, OK then.

I guess the rivalry never ends. By the way, I selected their laptops since I was buying them, and I wisely got identical ones. You know what she said then? Guess...

"I always have to get the same thing as A gets! Hmph!"

I don't know why I haven't given up, and I don't know why I'm not in jail.