Monday, July 4, 2011
Independence Day. I woke from a restful sleep in my cousin’s back yard at 6 a.m. We’d tried to spend the evening around a fire, but the mosquitoes…worse than I’d ever experienced…chased us inside where we swapped stories of our childhoods growing up together until well past 1 a.m. I was in charge of breakfast…I specialize in French Toast when I come north…and whipped up a large batch. I’d pretty much tossed Paleo out for the trip and had 6 pieces…enough to sustain my on the 8-hour trip home. We said our ‘goodbye’s’ after another couple of hours of shooting the bull. I reminded Donnie I’d be back in the Adirondacks in September and that he needed to be ready to climb a peak…without the ATV.
I drove home in discomfort…still sore from Saturday’s effort. I’m glad I didn’t push myself to climb yesterday…I think I did what I had to do and I’ll know in a couple of days just how bad the knee is. I’m starting to worry about putting pounds back on…missing my second day in a row and eating poorly…but maybe Saturday was enough to keep it steady.
And speaking of that…I think it’s safe to say that anyone who would endeavor to do that hike…many do…would be in good shape. There’s no fancy, painful training required really. Very little of the Adirondack peaks require technical climbing skills…just solid conditioning. I know this and will continue to try and get folks I train and encourage to use a trip like this to help them in achieving their fitness goals. I know the camping aspect isn’t for everyone, but there are so many ways to enjoy these mountains without sleeping on the ground, bathing in a clear mountain stream or doing your business in a privy…all pluses in my book.
I made it home around 6 p.m. and just in time for a dinner of chicken goulash. I was whipped but managed to stay on my feet to do the dishes. Jason had brought the movie ‘Independence Day’ to watch instead of going to the fireworks at Willoughby South. I’d seen it before but forgotten how corny it was. Ah well…it was restful, at least. Three days off in a row now and I’m feeling like a slug. Tomorrow…the Survival Workout.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Eliminating childhood obesity with the help of a mountain...
Sunday, July 3, 2011
‘Off’ was having little impact on the mosquitoes in the north country. I had doused myself before laying on my sleeping bag in my Uncle’s back yard, but I could actually hear them laughing as they buzzed my ears and lighted on my face. I gave up and pitched the tent. I prefer to view the stars without the interference of the bug screen, but what could I do?
I had been moving slowly towards the end of the previous day…stiff with the effort of an all-day hike, but it paled in comparison to how I was moving as I got up Sunday morning. Though I could not detect any visible swelling, my knee was quite sore. My calves and hamstrings felt like I’d done the Iron Man triathlon, so it was hard to distinguish the source of the pain. It was pretty much everywhere…and would have killed a normal human being (Holly loves it when I say that).
The most lasting impression I had from the hike the previous day was not about the beauty of the views or the difficulty of the hike…though both were off the chart. Instead, it was an experience I’d had on the summit of Nippletop with two father/son teams that arrived there shortly after me. I was seated; eating an apple with my back to them as they approached, but I could hear the bubbling excitement as they approached the opening to the panoramic views of the range beyond. “Oh…my…gosh” one of the boys exclaimed as he climbed the rock next to me. His father, with a stern reprimand, admonished him to “stay 5 feet from the edge. I don’t want to have to explain to your mom about any accidents.” Good idea. The drop was over 200 feet to the rocks below and survival rates for such plunges were low. We introduced ourselves and talked hiking for some time. This was the first trip to a peak for these two youngsters – ages 9 and 10 – and they were awed by the sights, but not by the effort to get there. “Dad…why do you guys walk so slow climbing up here?” I told him to ask that question again in forty years…it would have more meaning then.
I’m constantly reading about childhood obesity in America, but I’m guessing these young boys will never experience that phenomenon…nor will their dads…or their kids when it gets to that. They’re in love with the mountains and will likely stay that way throughout their lives as people tend to do. I applaud their parents for introducing them to an activity they can do their entire lives that will keep them in shape and always be fun…the key to adherence. Not that it needed confirmation…but I know getting people out and doing things that are good for them in the woods…things that resemble exercise but are really just fun…will continue to be my mission. It works.
‘Off’ was having little impact on the mosquitoes in the north country. I had doused myself before laying on my sleeping bag in my Uncle’s back yard, but I could actually hear them laughing as they buzzed my ears and lighted on my face. I gave up and pitched the tent. I prefer to view the stars without the interference of the bug screen, but what could I do?
I had been moving slowly towards the end of the previous day…stiff with the effort of an all-day hike, but it paled in comparison to how I was moving as I got up Sunday morning. Though I could not detect any visible swelling, my knee was quite sore. My calves and hamstrings felt like I’d done the Iron Man triathlon, so it was hard to distinguish the source of the pain. It was pretty much everywhere…and would have killed a normal human being (Holly loves it when I say that).
The most lasting impression I had from the hike the previous day was not about the beauty of the views or the difficulty of the hike…though both were off the chart. Instead, it was an experience I’d had on the summit of Nippletop with two father/son teams that arrived there shortly after me. I was seated; eating an apple with my back to them as they approached, but I could hear the bubbling excitement as they approached the opening to the panoramic views of the range beyond. “Oh…my…gosh” one of the boys exclaimed as he climbed the rock next to me. His father, with a stern reprimand, admonished him to “stay 5 feet from the edge. I don’t want to have to explain to your mom about any accidents.” Good idea. The drop was over 200 feet to the rocks below and survival rates for such plunges were low. We introduced ourselves and talked hiking for some time. This was the first trip to a peak for these two youngsters – ages 9 and 10 – and they were awed by the sights, but not by the effort to get there. “Dad…why do you guys walk so slow climbing up here?” I told him to ask that question again in forty years…it would have more meaning then.
I’m constantly reading about childhood obesity in America, but I’m guessing these young boys will never experience that phenomenon…nor will their dads…or their kids when it gets to that. They’re in love with the mountains and will likely stay that way throughout their lives as people tend to do. I applaud their parents for introducing them to an activity they can do their entire lives that will keep them in shape and always be fun…the key to adherence. Not that it needed confirmation…but I know getting people out and doing things that are good for them in the woods…things that resemble exercise but are really just fun…will continue to be my mission. It works.
Knee verses Mountains...
I tend to forget just how early the sun rises as you travel east. The sky was showing signs of a new day dawning a little after 4 a.m. and by 5, it was daylight. I was up by 6 a.m., preparing my pack and having my Kashi cereal for breakfast. I’m never hungry in the morning when I’m camping, but knew that I’d be using over 4,000 calories on the hike and needed to put some in before burning them up. I packed some food…an apple, banana, and three kashi bars, put in a Nalgene filled with my Crystal Lite, rain gear, first aid stuff, maps, guide book and camera and was ready for the trail. The pack probably weighed around 20 pounds, which is not that much…except when you’re going to have it on your back for nine hours over 15 miles of trails which climb and descend some 5,000 feet.
Parking for the trailhead is on the fringe of the property owned by the Ausable Club, which has made arrangements with the state of New York to allow hikers access through the property via their roadways to the actual trailhead and hiking trails just beyond. The Club has been in existence since 1886, when it purchased 25,000 acres of pristine mountain wilderness surrounding what at the time was a private hotel catering to the wealthy vacationers up from New York City. It offers its members a 9-hole golf course, tennis, swimming and all the amenities normally associated with an upscale, private country club…but with magnificent views of the surround high peaks of the Adirondacks as a back drop. I passed quickly through at 6:45 a.m., but stopped to take some pictures of this magnificent place and the views of the mountains just beyond.
The trail I was taking rose quickly as it headed for Bear Mt. at around 2,500 feet. I would be going over Bear, dropping back down into a col and rising up and over the 4,000 foot Dial Mt. before descending in and out of a couple more cols before reaching the summit of Nippletop Mt. at a little over 4,600 feet.
The first hour of hiking was a continuous, steep ascent and left me sweating profusely and struggling to keep moving. I was beginning to wonder about the wisdom of this undertaking…I had done almost no training with a pack or climbing because of the knee…as I went. My thighs were beginning to tremble and I was wondering just how bad my condition was when I realized I was overtaking a younger hiker who appeared to be in good shape. We stopped and spoke for a few minutes, but he allowed me to go ahead. “You’re moving a lot faster than me,” he said as I started again. And I was as he quickly fell out of sight. I caught and passed another and then a couple of 20-year olds who were in excellent shape. I wasn’t trying to out-distance any of them, but I’d made up my mind that I would just keep moving.
I’d been in my training zone for over two hours when I crested Dial Mt., but the views were limited from the peak, so I kept moving. I didn’t stop again until I reached Nippletop…four hours after leaving the trailhead and 7.5 miles of the most rigorous climbing I’ve ever done. I collapsed on an open rock face with a magnificent 360 degree view of the peaks of the Adirondacks and even the Green Mountains of Vermont can be seen in the distance. I was exhausted and quickly got into my food to try and replenish the lost calories and fluids. I was joined by other hikers after about 15 minutes of serenity, but its still great to have fellow-hikers sharing a peak and stories of other climbs.
I headed down after 45 minutes. I managed to fall three times on the descent without hurting myself too badly, but on two occasions, the knee twisted under me more than it wanted to and the pain was pretty severe. It took almost four hours to reach the car and I was spent when I finally arrived. The salt from 9 hours on the trail was caked on my skin, but with a clear stream running by and towel in hand, I remedied that situation.
I stumbled on an aching knee as I emerged from the water and knew that I would not be climbing the next day. I’d gotten up and down on a very difficult day, but how I recovered would be the true barometer of what would happen in the near future. Bearing that in mind, I drove north to Potsdam to visit with my Aunt and Uncle, Cousin Donnie and my 105-year old grandmother. I did stop in Tupper Lake at a McDonald’s where I had the best tasting smoothie I’ve ever had.
Hike duration: 8 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 4,000.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Travel day...
Friday, July 1, 2011
I had packed all my gear in the car the night before and left from work and headed straight to the Adirondacks. Though I miss some of the beauty of the drive through the mountains, this plan allows me to be at the trailhead first thing in the morning, thus not losing any hiking time.
I arrived in Keene Valley late, but with enough time to visit Noonmark Café and have the lasagna dinner…with garlic bread. I’d decided ahead that Paleo would be a struggle on the trip, but I’d still monitor the calories and keep the junk out. After dinner, I drove to the public parking lot in the town, designed for hikers, pulled to the back and put my car right next to the grass so I could throw my bag on the ground and sleep without anyone knowing I was there. Since I was the only car in the lot, this really didn’t matter much. After spraying on some ‘Off’ to keep the mosquito’s at bay, I laid down and began to enjoy a sky twinkling with more stars than I can ever see back in Highland Heights. Clear, star-filled skies are one of the highlights of these trips and I work to stay awake for a period to enjoy them. Tomorrow would be an extremely strenuous hiking day and I needed my rest, so I took the glasses off and promptly passed out.
I had packed all my gear in the car the night before and left from work and headed straight to the Adirondacks. Though I miss some of the beauty of the drive through the mountains, this plan allows me to be at the trailhead first thing in the morning, thus not losing any hiking time.
I arrived in Keene Valley late, but with enough time to visit Noonmark Café and have the lasagna dinner…with garlic bread. I’d decided ahead that Paleo would be a struggle on the trip, but I’d still monitor the calories and keep the junk out. After dinner, I drove to the public parking lot in the town, designed for hikers, pulled to the back and put my car right next to the grass so I could throw my bag on the ground and sleep without anyone knowing I was there. Since I was the only car in the lot, this really didn’t matter much. After spraying on some ‘Off’ to keep the mosquito’s at bay, I laid down and began to enjoy a sky twinkling with more stars than I can ever see back in Highland Heights. Clear, star-filled skies are one of the highlights of these trips and I work to stay awake for a period to enjoy them. Tomorrow would be an extremely strenuous hiking day and I needed my rest, so I took the glasses off and promptly passed out.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Okay...I'm going...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Holly and I talked Adirondacks and I’ve decided to go. I’ll arrive there late Friday night, fall out of my car and sleep at the trailhead so I can get an early start on an all-day trek up Mts. Dial and Nippletop. It’s a rough, long trail but an excellent test for a torn meniscus.
I did the Survival Workout with added vigor, knowing it was all I would be doing until I began the climb on Saturday. I like to give the muscles some rest before a difficult climb and as much as I would have liked to ride a couple of hours, held off. We had ribs for dinner which I washed down with a smoothie. Holly baked me a pan of chicken thighs for the trip so I could try to stay Paleo throughout the weekend. I’m very anxious about the trip and testing the knee. Climbing in the Adirondacks is very important to me and I want to be able to handle the trip this September with John, Heidi, and Savannah. I figure if I need the surgery, I’ll know soon and I can get it done and be mended for September’s trip. It will be a couple of days before I do another posting. By the way, Kim has made it across Indiana, having ridden 738 miles in just ten days. Her last two days were 96 and 88…tough doubles when you’re bike is loaded with traveling gear. She’ll be crossing into Illinois tomorrow.
Survival Workout duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 600
Holly and I talked Adirondacks and I’ve decided to go. I’ll arrive there late Friday night, fall out of my car and sleep at the trailhead so I can get an early start on an all-day trek up Mts. Dial and Nippletop. It’s a rough, long trail but an excellent test for a torn meniscus.
I did the Survival Workout with added vigor, knowing it was all I would be doing until I began the climb on Saturday. I like to give the muscles some rest before a difficult climb and as much as I would have liked to ride a couple of hours, held off. We had ribs for dinner which I washed down with a smoothie. Holly baked me a pan of chicken thighs for the trip so I could try to stay Paleo throughout the weekend. I’m very anxious about the trip and testing the knee. Climbing in the Adirondacks is very important to me and I want to be able to handle the trip this September with John, Heidi, and Savannah. I figure if I need the surgery, I’ll know soon and I can get it done and be mended for September’s trip. It will be a couple of days before I do another posting. By the way, Kim has made it across Indiana, having ridden 738 miles in just ten days. Her last two days were 96 and 88…tough doubles when you’re bike is loaded with traveling gear. She’ll be crossing into Illinois tomorrow.
Survival Workout duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 600
Great pork chops...
Wednesday, June 29, 2001
I was meeting Val at what was quickly becoming my favorite place to eat out…Texas Roadhouse. I really, really like pork chops and they’ve got these plump, juicy ones that I could eat every night. I kind of like the pail of peanuts on the table for an appetizer, as well. Though they aren’t Paleo, I had my share while waiting for the chops and discussing diets, exercise and what we’re each doing about it. When her meal arrived, I pointed out the Paleo verses the non-Paleo items in both our meals. She had the sweet potato…which I love and gave up. I mentioned the article in the PD about potatoes and wondered why she hadn’t read my blog the following day for the enlightening information. She had no good answer.
I made it home around 8 p.m. and realized that, with dark coming after 9, I could probably manage a quick ride. I had been planning a trip to the track and some bleacher work, but the ride was more appealing. I quickly changed, filled the water bottles and pedaled out the driveway. I pushed hard for over an hour with an average speed close to 21mph…nothing special for a cyclist but good for me. I typically ride closer to 18mph, so it took considerable effort and concentration to maintain this pace. It’s easy to lose focus on the bike and find yourself riding casually instead of working out, though casual riding is better than no riding. Still…when you want a good bike workout, you need to pay attention to your effort for the entire ride.
I beat the dark by a little and was exhausted at the finish. I still haven’t made up my mind on the trip to the Adirondacks…I’m still pushing the knee to see what it can do. I really don’t want to be half way up a peak and find that the knee doesn’t hold. I’m thinking about a trail that will probably have other hikers on it, but they are typically few and far between. I need to be able to get myself back or just not go. I’ll figure it out tomorrow…
Bike workout: 73 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 1100.
I was meeting Val at what was quickly becoming my favorite place to eat out…Texas Roadhouse. I really, really like pork chops and they’ve got these plump, juicy ones that I could eat every night. I kind of like the pail of peanuts on the table for an appetizer, as well. Though they aren’t Paleo, I had my share while waiting for the chops and discussing diets, exercise and what we’re each doing about it. When her meal arrived, I pointed out the Paleo verses the non-Paleo items in both our meals. She had the sweet potato…which I love and gave up. I mentioned the article in the PD about potatoes and wondered why she hadn’t read my blog the following day for the enlightening information. She had no good answer.
I made it home around 8 p.m. and realized that, with dark coming after 9, I could probably manage a quick ride. I had been planning a trip to the track and some bleacher work, but the ride was more appealing. I quickly changed, filled the water bottles and pedaled out the driveway. I pushed hard for over an hour with an average speed close to 21mph…nothing special for a cyclist but good for me. I typically ride closer to 18mph, so it took considerable effort and concentration to maintain this pace. It’s easy to lose focus on the bike and find yourself riding casually instead of working out, though casual riding is better than no riding. Still…when you want a good bike workout, you need to pay attention to your effort for the entire ride.
I beat the dark by a little and was exhausted at the finish. I still haven’t made up my mind on the trip to the Adirondacks…I’m still pushing the knee to see what it can do. I really don’t want to be half way up a peak and find that the knee doesn’t hold. I’m thinking about a trail that will probably have other hikers on it, but they are typically few and far between. I need to be able to get myself back or just not go. I’ll figure it out tomorrow…
Bike workout: 73 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 1100.
Maybe a trip to the mountains?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
There was a holiday weekend coming and my brain was whirring. I’ve gone to the Adirondacks on the weekend of the 4th in the past and found it to be rather quiet…much to my surprise. I was now thinking I should make a dash up there and test the knee on a very tough trail that went over two of the 4,000 foot peaks during a 15-mile loop hike. Nilesh had suggested I test the knee in this fashion to determine if climbing had an impact and I wanted to know. If I could do the loop without serious pain, maybe I wouldn’t need the surgery. If it did hurt…get it done and over with. Anyway…
I did the Survival Workout without the running at the end. I didn’t want to risk a trip to the Adirondacks this weekend with some short, meaningless sprints that could enflame the knee. I did push the workout hard and found a low-hanging branch where I was able to perform some pull-ups…something I’ve wanted to add to the program but knew would be fruitless if I didn’t lose weight.
I returned home with dark around the corner, but enough time left for an hour ride…so I went. I like to get back out the day after a bad ride and I was still thinking I needed to do as much as possible to prepare myself for a 15-mile, 10-hour hike this Saturday. Actually, there is little that prepares you for ascending and descending 5,000 of rough, rocky terrain other than doing something like it. I could have hit the bleachers with a pack, but I was still thinking “don’t hurt it or you won’t go.” I deal with the discomfort on the trail. It’s only a day and I’m tough…right?
I returned from the ride just as headlights were being turned on by drivers. It’s the worst time of the day for riding…visibility for drivers is poor…so I was glad to be finishing. I do feel quite confident in my conditioning for a trip to the Adirondacks. Now to see if Holly minds my going…
Survival Workout duration: 60 minutes. Bike workout: 70 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 600 for survival workout. 1000 biking.
There was a holiday weekend coming and my brain was whirring. I’ve gone to the Adirondacks on the weekend of the 4th in the past and found it to be rather quiet…much to my surprise. I was now thinking I should make a dash up there and test the knee on a very tough trail that went over two of the 4,000 foot peaks during a 15-mile loop hike. Nilesh had suggested I test the knee in this fashion to determine if climbing had an impact and I wanted to know. If I could do the loop without serious pain, maybe I wouldn’t need the surgery. If it did hurt…get it done and over with. Anyway…
I did the Survival Workout without the running at the end. I didn’t want to risk a trip to the Adirondacks this weekend with some short, meaningless sprints that could enflame the knee. I did push the workout hard and found a low-hanging branch where I was able to perform some pull-ups…something I’ve wanted to add to the program but knew would be fruitless if I didn’t lose weight.
I returned home with dark around the corner, but enough time left for an hour ride…so I went. I like to get back out the day after a bad ride and I was still thinking I needed to do as much as possible to prepare myself for a 15-mile, 10-hour hike this Saturday. Actually, there is little that prepares you for ascending and descending 5,000 of rough, rocky terrain other than doing something like it. I could have hit the bleachers with a pack, but I was still thinking “don’t hurt it or you won’t go.” I deal with the discomfort on the trail. It’s only a day and I’m tough…right?
I returned from the ride just as headlights were being turned on by drivers. It’s the worst time of the day for riding…visibility for drivers is poor…so I was glad to be finishing. I do feel quite confident in my conditioning for a trip to the Adirondacks. Now to see if Holly minds my going…
Survival Workout duration: 60 minutes. Bike workout: 70 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 600 for survival workout. 1000 biking.
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