Flood stage at Gooseberry

Heavy rainfall on May 24, brought theGooseberry Riverup to flood levels the morning of May 25th. I was only able to spend about 2 hours photographing the river this morning, but could have easily spent 2 or 3 more hours. It was amazing!

More Unfinished Business: Alpine Diversions (5.8), but not Insuhlation (5.9)

(Photo: Just over the big roof on pitch two of Alpine Diversions (5.8).)



As I've worked my way through a bunch of 5.9 routes at the Gunks this past year, a certain route has been hanging out there in the background, taunting me. It is a two-star route that is supposed to be really good. It also happens to be the route on which I broke my ankle in : Insuhlation (5.9).



A part of me has really wanted to go back and climb it-- to slay the demon, as it were. To put it behind me. And to find out what I think of the route, two years later. Who knows, maybe if I climbed it now I'd find it to be no big deal.



But another part of me wants nothing to do with Insuhlation. I worry that I'd become a shivering wreck if I led it again; that I'd be so in fear of a repeat injury that it would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. And a repeat injury on Insuhlation would be absolutely ridiculous. I can't let that happen. I'd never forgive myself.



Perhaps the thing that makes me most wary of Insuhlation is that I don't really know why I fell off of it when I did. I am also unsure of whether I could have done anything to better protect myself. I recall a little roof, and a (wet) keyhole-like hold that I tried to use briefly while reaching for a chalked-up, bigger hold above that I thought would be a jug. I remember grabbing this jug and finding it to be not so juggy. I had a green Alien below the little roof and I was looking around for more pro (but finding none) when I went flying.



Did my hand slip off? Did my foot? Was there better pro available than what I had? I'd feel better about going for it again if I had answers to these questions.



I had a brilliant idea about halfway through the season. It suddenly occurred to me that I should have one of my partners lead the route, and then I could follow it. It is such an obvious idea, I don't know why I never thought of it before. I could, for example, send my reliable guinea pig Adrian (who seems always willing to lead anything) up there and then as a second I could suss out whether I thought I could safely lead it at a later date.



But then Adrian led the route with another partner before I had a chance to suggest it to him. It didn't seem right to try to make him go right back to do it again. Adrian's impressions seemed to be that the last bits of the route were totally straightforward, and well-protected too. Hearing this only deepened the mystery for me.



As the year came to a close and the climbing season extended into an unseasonably warm December, I came up with another idea. I decided to lead the route right next to Insuhlation, a 5.8 called Alpine Diversions. Dick Williams gives the route a single star and calls it "surprisingly good." It seemed worth checking out in its own right. And it goes very close to Insuhlation. The second-pitch crux roof is only a few feet to the right of the Insuhlation crux, or so I believed. I thought I could lead Alpine Diversions and get a good look at the exact place where I fell. I might even get some ideas for some placements I missed. Maybe it would help me decide whether to lead it again, and if I felt good on Alpine Diversions I could do Insuhlation immediately thereafter.



So on December 4 when I climbed with Liz I suggested we try Alpine Diversions. Liz was game to try it.



I thought both pitches were just okay. Each pitch has one interesting crux moment and not too much else to offer.



On pitch one the interesting moment comes right off the ground. The pitch follows a thin, steep vertical crack running a few feet to the left of a little gully. One hold, a sidepull, is easy to reach. A jug sits above. If you are tall enough to reach the jug from the ground, you will probably find the opening moves to be a breeze. If, however, you are short like me, you will have to boulder up to the jug. And this boulder problem is a puzzler. I don't want to spell it all out but I will tell you to look around to either side of the crack. I found another crucial hold off to the left which made all the difference for me. This hold allowed me to get on the wall and reach up to the jug. And once I had the jug, I threw in a piece and made another step up to find that the pitch was essentially over.



Dick Williams suggests in his description that you continue directly over a blocky overhang and then up to the belay ledge past the big pine in "the steepest way." What this all means (I realize in retrospect) is that the route is contrived. After the opening boulder move, there are ways to force yourself to continue making 5th class moves. But in order to do so you have to deliberately avoid easier climbing just a step to the left or right. I didn't really see the point. It just seemed silly not to scamper up the stair-like blocks past the tree to the belay ledge.



On pitch two, the main attraction is a rather large overhang. Nice moves up a corner take you directly underneath it. Then an easy move left might deceive you into thinking you've already escaped the crux. But no. You still have to move right and pull the roof. It is a big reach. I really enjoyed this crux move. And there's great pro at the lip of the overhang.



After the roof, you again have the option to force yourself to keep climbing. You can move left and up to another roof, this one smaller and dirtier (and from the looks of it easier) than the first. On the other hand, if you just continue straight up you are basically done. Some easy low angle moves will take you to the belay tree. I chose the easy way, again not seeing much point in contriving a harder path to the finish.



When I reached the top I realized that I had forgotten to look at Insuhlation! The roof on Alpine Diversions had captured my full attention. Once above the roof, I probably could have glanced over at the exact spot where it all went wrong two years ago. But as obsessed as I am, as much as Insuhlation haunts me, I still didn't think to do it.



I had already decided I didn't have the stomach for doing Insuhlation, anyway. But still I was bummed to have missed out on the chance to look over the route up close.



On rappel I attempted to scope it out. To my surprise, I couldn't spot the line at all. Maybe I was too far to the left, but I had no luck in finding it. I thought I'd immediately see the roof, the keyhole, the jug. But I saw nothing I recognized. It was baffling.



I'm pretty sure that if I ever get back to climbing Insuhlation the whole experience will seem new to me. I want to go try it. But I don't want to approach it in an unhealthy state of mind. I don't want to climb it to prove anything. I don't want to climb it all stiff and scared. I think the whole accident thing is still too much in my head, even two years later. Better to wait.

Trail running with nature in the Laurel Highlands

Here we are it's already August. Hopefully this blog post won't be my longest...

I've run some miles and enjoyed hikers' smiles...

The highlight of my week was a venomous treat!

Here's it is with fangs that are hollow. After this photo my post will follow...

Another "local" trail lover from the Laurel Highlands

Since my last post I've put in a few days. The running I've done has been training efforts to get ready for a 5K coming up next weekend and anattempt at completing a LHHT double (140 miles) this fall or at the latest next spring. I've been doing a little speed conditioning for the Laurel Hill 5k (my only "race" this year) as well as some quality trail time with my son (now that he's home for a couple of days). Training for both efforts doesn't seem to be meshing well. My trail legs can barely turn over the necessary amount to produce even a 6:45/mi. 5k. I'd like to do well in my one and only race this year, although I highly doubt I will. The cool thing is that it's a mellow road race (through the woods). The proceeds help support the park which in turn indirectly helps the LHHT.




RECENT TRAINING:




8/2/13 Mt. Pleasant Coal and Coke Trail

Basic tempo run on a local rail trail that seems to be growing in popularity. It's not the most scenic, but does contain nice habitat which usually provides me with some good birding while running. 10k in 44:40




8/4/13 Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT)SOBO

It was Saturday night and the weather for Sunday was predicted to be amazing. Mid 70°'s with a 10% chance of rain. It would be perfect day for a long run. I was feeling the "after burn" in my quads from that tempo run on Friday, but couldn't resist these prime conditions. Laura mentioned that Sunday would be a rest/non running day for her and I kindly asked if she would mind supporting me for a long point to point run. She said she'd be happy to help and we set off to prepping and planning.

Laura writing the itineraryand helping me pack

Trail Love - typical drop can containing a couple hours or more of fueling

My last long run was northbound, commonly calledNOBOin trail lingo. Last week I ran from Ohiopyle to Hickory Flats Road (38 miles), stopping due to bruising on the ball of my left foot. This time we would switch it up. Laura would drop me off in Seward at the northern terminus of the LHHT and I would run in a southbound direction or SOBO. We've found running the trail in this direction makes it easier to crew one another. We usually put drops of food and water at Rt. 271 (highway not parking lot) on the way up and another at Rt. 30 while the crew person is on the way home to kill about 6 hours. This prevents having to meet the runner until over half way at (39miles) Rt. 31 parking lot. The distance from the main trail to the parking area is very short and favorable to meet crew and resupply. From there we take it as it goes. I'll get into that shortly.




The alarm went off at 4:15AM. We were basically packed and ready to hit the road. I pressed some kick ass coffee for the road while Laura made PB&J's for the drop cans and out the door we went. We placed the Rt. 271 resupply and headed to the trail head in Seward. On the drive over we were treated to star filled skies and a crescent moon just as the forecast predicted. We were there by 5:45AM. Just enough time for a 6:00 start. I quickly got ready and received a loving send-off at 6:00 sharp.

Putting on my headlamp for the start

A few minutes to start

Its GO time, out like a bullet slug ;)

I was definitely feeling the tightness in my legs for the first couple miles. My tempo workout wasn't the best prelude to a long or possible thru-run. I wasn't feeling optomisitc or fast out of the gate and figured I'd at least get in a 50k training run on a beautiful day. I ran/hiked a couple sub 12's up the intial climb. I stopped at the power line crossing to snap this quick photo.

The power line crossing out of Seward on the LHHT

Shortly after my photo, the brief glimpses of sky through the canopy in the Northwest looked ominous. Where was my sunshine filled happy morning? 10% chance of rain? By the gravel road at mile 6 it was bucketing rain. What's worse than the gravel road section of the LHHT? Running it in a cold, hard, rain... For two hours it rained. Thankfully mother nature provided plenty of wet weather training last month and I was well prepared for the soaking I received. Here's the radar image that Laura texted me not long before the rain started. The only storm around and it was on track with me!

Laura's image and text. "Sorry, hope you stay dry"

Looking up at the Ridge from the West near Rt. 30, photo L. Hahn

Thankfully I ran out of rain somewhere between Rt. 271 and Rt. 30. Both resupplies went well. Both stops combined cost me about 7min. I ate PB &J's from drops while I ran. Each drop can contained a handful of M&M's, a PB&J sandwich in foil (I find the foil acts as a "plate" while eating and running), gels, and Elete rehydration tablets.

Rt. 30 drop in place thanks to Laura

When eating solid foods while running I try to adopt the same practices as when eating a gel on the run. Small bites over a mile or two, sipping water to help wash it down. I was making good time and right on track with my estimations despite resupply stops and 1 call to nature. Hydration was going great. I was urinating regularly and clearly. I was averaging one handheld (21oz.) of Gatorade per hour supplemented by plain water and Elete Tablytes, and a gel (GU,Cliff, etc.) both at about 1tab and gel per hour).

I still smile every time I cross the NEW turnpike bridge.

During the 15 miles from Rt. 30 to 31 I started to bonk from dehydration and not enough calories. I realized and started the process of hydrating and fueling. I was well on my way to better pulling into Rt. 31 trail head to meet Laura for the first time of the day. I was still on schedule, but noticed a slight pain on the top of my foot. I believe this was due to an overtightned shoe lace while sliding around in the rain. Aware but not overly concerned, I loosened my lace areas affecting the sore spot to minimize the pressure and further issues. My break at 31 with Laura wasmuchlonger than my 4 minutes at the Rt. 271 and 3 minutes at Rt. 30 drop. I basically stopped and had a picnic. I just want to point out that this is why training runs are so much cooler than high dollar races! No crowds, no pressure, just pure fun and running for the love of it.

Mid run picnic anyone?

Laura ready anxiously waiting to run with me

It was delicious. I ate a ham and chese sandwich, baked potato, a few pretzels, anddrank some chocolate milk and coffee. This was no ordinary aid break. We're talking an hour or so ;) After our picnic, Laura joined me in running about 3 miles before saying goodbye and turning back towards 31. Her next stop would be Rt. 653 trail head. We met there and I picked up a refill on supplies and my headlamp ate some more and hung out longer than normal.

Rt. 653 trail head, a happy trail runner

By this point I was far off my schedule for the time of day, but still on pace as far as speed of travel goes. My foot was getting worse, but It still didn't seem enough to stop and I was enjoying the run. My legs were hanging tough and were feeling great. I took off from Rt.653 trail head and was running smooth. The sun was setting near Cranberry Glade and the lake was like glass. I decided to stop for a photo and to put on my headlamp.

Cranberry Glade at sunset

The rest of the run to Maple Summit Road crossing went well and I met Laura sitting in the dark. By this time the bruising had become enough to call my training run done. I love running in the dark and Maple Summit Road to Ohiopyle SOBO might be my favorite section of the entire trail. A bit of a bummer, but not worth the risk of ruining my training. I need to remember I've only been back running for a short period of time. The run went well and I had the best conditions and support for a 60 mile trainer.

The End

Distance: 60 miles

Run Time (without picnic): 12:36

Pace: 12:36/mi.

Elevation gain 5,000', loss 3,800'










8/6/13Laurel Summit State Park,Wolf Rocks trail loop

Went for a 4.5 mile run with Laura. My instep was still sore from my 60 miler, but the day was beautiful and I couldn't pass up a run with my Sweetie. I laced and tied my shoes very loose for this easy run. A fun run out to the overlook and back on the loop. Lots of mountain bikes out enjoying the weather as well.




Distance: 4.5 miles

Duration:50:55

Pace 11:19/mi.

Elevation - not much






8/7/13 Iwent for a 5.5 mile hike with my son Skyler and we were fortunate enough to see these beauties along the way.

Yellow Phase Timer Rattlesnake

Black Phase Timber Rattlesnake

Someone is seriously excited to see some Rattlers
especially the one behind him... Can you find it?

8/9/13LHHT Route 31 NOBO with Granola the trail dog

I set off yesterday to get in a couple hours running on the trail. I decided it would be a good day to take our trail dog "Granola". He was excited to go and we drove to Rt. 31 trail head. The skies were dismal, but we set off at a decent 9:00/mile pace and only made it out about 2 miles before the rains hit. Once again I found myself plodding along through a downpour, this time with my dog in tow. The trail quickly turned into a stream and in many low areas the water/mud was so deep Granola would bottom in swamp water up to this torso. We kept going a few more miles until enough was enough. We turned around about 3.5 miles out and continued our efforts back to the car. Granola was getting a little tired on the way back, so we slowed pace a little, but still made good time considering trail conditions. He assured me he had a blast once back at the car. We toweled off and made our way home to dry out!






Distance: 8 miles

Duration: 1:10

Pace: 8:45/mi

Help... I've about drowned in a river that didn't exist an hour ago!

The road to 31 trail head after the storm was ending...

8/10/13LHHT Route 653 NOBO

Spent another glorious day our hiking with my son Skyler. We decided to hike north from 653 trail head out to Middlefork overlook. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed a nice relaxing walk out to the overlook, hung out a few minutes and hiked back to the car. Awesome hike with one of my favorite hiking partners.




Distance: 5.4 miles

Duration: 1:35:53

Pace: 17:33/mi.

Littleman at Middlefork over look

You need a chauffeur in Dubai

Especially during the summer months!



I arrived in Dubai in the middle of the night and the weather was a very warm 36C -- Yes, this is the temperature at midnight. I was already worried what the temperature will be like during the day. Obviously in the soaring 40's!



The record I think that I experienced was 45C, and I can tell you, Dubai in the summer months is like hell. It is a sweltering infierno and insanely humid. Water in the form of fog hangs in the air. It is futile to capture a clear sykline of Dubai because of this. Moreover, it is impossible to stand or walk outside for 5 minutes. Not even for 2 minutes! Walking under a covered walkway will make you sweat buckets. You need a chauffeur to bring you around otherwise you will melt!











Above picture is my chauffeur from my hotel. He's got a brand new Lexus, some parts of the car are still covered in plastic even. I have also used the normal taxi service from the streets but I have used him (the hotel chauffeur) twice.



If you do not have a car or cannot drive, you need to be driven around in Dubai. There is the metro available as well but I am not familiar with it and its impossibly hot outside to be walking to and fro the metro. Like I said, I almost melted! lol



Here are a few more pictures during my take off:









I flew with Emirates on an A380 (spacious and high tech)... and the picture above is the entrance to the first class cabins. Unfortunately I am flying coach which is not bad either because the seats were spacious enough. There are advantages when you are small hehe. Now I promised the Dutchman that I will take pictures of the A380, and this is so far the best that I can get. Much to the chagrin of many passengers including me, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport did not open the blinds at the gate area. There was no way we could take a good picture of the plane, but fortunately I managed to catch this shot before boarding in the tube's from its small window.



Flight Amsterdam to Dubai is approximately 6 hours 45 +- minutes.



The picture below is just before 1 o'clock in the morning when I arrived in Dubai enroute to my hotel. As you can see, Dubai is very much alive, but the question remains: Where are all these people going to after midnight? A Ramadan thing?







Interestingly at the Dubai Airport they have 'Pink Taxis' with a female driver specially available for the ladies. I do not mind riding a taxi with a male driver, but at the airport they automatically gave me a pink taxi with a lady driver. The taxis are coloured pink obviously and the lady drivers are dressed as well in pink. Cute, although pink is not a favourite colour of mine.



Different country, different religion, different rules. Fine with me.



On other news, I am in Singapore right now and my sleeping pattern is a total wreck =(

Happy Halloween

One wonderful thing about being in the park, is that we can celebrate the "kid" holidays even though we have no kids left in our house. Since I work at the park, I have no choice but to be there when the park is celebrating. Which is fine by me.

















Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween wherever you are!

Owl

A big hoot owl and to the side is a bird.

The Drop Frame Bicycle - The 'Queen of Safeties' Returns

[image via Atomic Antiques]

Browsing through my favourite vintage bicycle posters, I've always noticed something unusual about the ones of the Boston-basedOverman Wheel Co.: The lady's bicycle appeared to have only a single curved tube - rather than a down tube and a top tube, like the vintage loop frames we are accustomed to seeing. Could this be artistic license for the sake of making the graphics simpler, or did bicycles like this really exist? Several times I had tried to investigate, until finally I found what I was looking for:

[image via the Smithsonian Institution]

The Overman Wheel Co. "Victoria" - a "drop frame woman's safety bicycle," according to the Smithsonian. It had 28" wheels, rod-like brakes, what appears to be some sort of suspension contraption on the fork, an enormous saddle, high handlebars, and a chainguard. Finally, confirmation that the bicycle hinted at in the posters was a real model. And for a machine that was manufactured in 1889, the Victoria looks awfully familiar...



[image via Bikes for the Rest of Us]

And you thought this design was funky and new, eh? Bicycles in this style have been popping up in Europe with increasing frequency over the past 5 years, and have recently made their way to the US as well: A single, oversized curved tube connecting the head tube and the seat tube - sometimes with reinforcements and sometimes without, combined with a suspension fork, suspension seat post, plush saddle and high handlebars.



[image via Tom Coghlan]

The reasoning behind the single curved tube design, is that it allows for extra low step-over height, making the bicycle especially accessible for those who wear long, loose clothing, as well as for those who have balancing problems when mounting even the standard step-through frames. And the funny thing is, that while everyone agrees that the low step-over is beneficial, many also complain about how "ugly and modern" it is. I wonder how many are aware that the "drop frame" design is in fact 120 years old!



[image via The Daily Postcard]



As I've mentioned here earlier, I think that any design that makes the bicycle more accessible to those who would otherwise be intimidated by it, is a good design. With its super-low step-over, the drop frame is inviting and safe-looking - no wonder the original was described as "the queen of safeties". Having ridden a few modern versions of these bikes in Austria a couple of years ago, I found them easy to deal with. But I wish there was a way to make them look and feel a little nicer. The suspension fork on the modern bikes is probably there because the aluminum frame makes them painful to ride over bumps. But the suspension has the side-effect of creating a "bouncy" feeling that does not give the cyclist optimal control of the bicycle. I wonder how the original Overman bicycles were made: Were the frames lugged? Was the ride comfortable? I suppose we will never truly know how these compared to today's bikes.

I think the modern reincarnation of the drop frame is a great idea in principle, if only it could be made more elegant. What do you think of the vintage and modern versions? - could you benefit from the low step-over, or do you find the regular step-through designs sufficient?

Happy Birthday to the former Boy Boy

When Austin was little, Nathan called him "my boy". That somehow then changed into "the boy". Usually that name was used in this sentence: Guess what the boy did now! At some point Austin decided he wanted more and started to call himself the boy boy. So the boy boy it was.



Seventeen years ago, this boy boy came into our family and I can think of very few things that have altered the family quite like it. To say he made things more interesting is an understatement. It has been an honor and joy to have him in our lives. Today as I shared with him what his birth and life with us has meant to me personally, I had to also admit that he is no longer our boy boy. He is almost a man now. A young man at the very least. And we most likely have very little time left with him sharing a home with us. So I'm savoring the time left.



We squeezed in a birthday lunch at the Chinese Buffet because he had to work tonight. We bought him a red velvet cake that we then promptly ate 1/4 of. And I promised him a trip where he can cash in his birthday gift money and do something he wants to. It was not the big party I would have loved to have thrown for him but we still celebrated how special the day was. It was good.



Happy Birthday, Austin. There is a part of me that will always see the little boy in you. And the other part of me sees the wonderful young man you are also.

Nene Way 8 - Barnwell to Wansford

With Marta. Weather fine, not sunny but warm. 14.44 miles, including short detour to Fotheringhay Church and shop in Nassington.





We started from Barnwell Country Park, crossed the old road opposite Oundle Mill and followed the Nene Way, which is pretty well marked, along past the marina, and locks, through some wide meadows, and over a footbridge into Ashton. The first part of the walk overlaps with this walk from Thursday, Aug 18,







Through the village and after a while we turned left at the 'Entrance Lodge' to follow the road which turned into a track, past a Rifle Range, past Tansor Lodge on an old Roman road and into Warmington. Coffee break (from a flask), part way along here.

When we reached Warmington village we turned right, then left coming out at the church, which is a big one.











































and on to Eaglethorpe with its 17th century limestone dovecote







After this we made our way under the A605, through a decorated underpass







and over the fields to Fotheringhay. We climbed up the castle mound

Two boats below Fotheringhay Castle mound

The pub does a good lunch, then we wandered around the church - there's an impressive historical exhibition in there, and it's much lighter than many churches.










The prospect of another six miles was a little concerning, but we've done over 12 recently. We left Fotheringhay on the Apethorpe road. The turning to the right is just before the speed limit sign, but easily missed. A track leads to Walcot Lodge, where we turned right again. About two thirds of a mile later, we were almost tempted to keep following the wider track which veers to the left, instead of going straight ahead. There is a Nene Way sign, but it's not immediately obvious. There's a short turn to the left, then right a little later, but once all this has been negotiated, the route leads down towards Nassington. We needed something to drink, so detoured to the local shop.

Back to the route proper, and onward to Yarwell Mill, with its boats and caravan site. These millstones are on the road leading out of the Mill.







We should have taken a path across a field at this point. Instead we continued to the road, and turned right towards Yarwell. Not much difference in the distance. From here it's about a mile across fields - lots of horses grazing,



and Wansford Bridge soon comes into view.










































Phew, Wansford Bridge - that's the Northants Nene Way done and dusted.