Sitting out in the hot tub this afternoon, the fog finally burning off to reveal a brief hour of sunshine, I announced to Matt that it would be hard to leave our house when we finally decided to move. It has taken several hiking and backpacking trips to get me to warm up to living in a place without winter. With the recent summertime pattern (no rain and lots of fog) that began a few days ago, Matt told me that his coworkers have been warning him of how cloudy and dark and depressing it all is. "You're gonna hate it, it's soooooooo terrible". Matt has begun to believe it will be miserable. I gently reassured him that he could handle it. After all, it would be cloudy and 65F rather than completely dark 21 hrs of the day and 40 below. Surely the summertime weather here would be tolerable. We could run without freezing toes. We could drive inland. It will be light outside. It will be warm. "It's not going to be that bad honey..especially since we both like coffee." As I convinced him that we'd be just fine, I heard my voice convincing myself that I've not only stopped hating California, but actually thinking it was nice.
Until tonight. I'd been following this blog since last year's WM100 when a Fairbanks friend, Julie, mentioned it on her own blog. Tears streamed down my face as Jill described the town and landscape with such loving admiration; the scrubby Black Spruce blanketed in snow. Her mention of the racers, some of whom I know and have raced with personally, caused something to snap inside of me. It's not a maybe for me anymore... I will be returning. Matt's next job transfer has to be Fairbanks. It took us leaving to finally realize how special a place it is. At Matt's going away party, I casually mentioned to John L. and Ed that we'd see them both in a few years. They laughed, disbelievingly. To my Fairbanks followers, I love you and miss you!!! :(
Here's my post from a few months ago with out plan : here
and here
It has been a recurring theme in my blog ever since we left...something that never leaves my mind entirely. The sting disappears, but it is still there, with a big scab covering the wound. *sigh*
Until then, will we squeeze every ounce of adventure out of Northern California? HECK YES. Run ourselves ragged with multi-marathon years, then North we go!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
My Day (and my 20 miler)
Occasionally, someone will ask me what I do everyday if I don't work. Since this varies a lot each day, I'm not able to come up with a concrete answer. I am, however, able to detail what I did today while the hubby is off changing the world. I am changing our world at home, one dust bunny and dirty hand print at a time.
8:00am
Up with the rain (?).
My back was really stiff when I got up, so I decided on a soak and a stretch. There's something therapeutic about starting my day off with a soak in the pouring rain.
8:30 am
Breakfast and an overview of my day.
It may seem sort of silly to keep a planner around to schedule myself, but it is what works for me. I love lists and planning and keeping things neatly organized. After years of agenda books and daily planners, I find it hard to function without one. Also, I really like crossing things off the list when I finish. With a job like mine, it's easy to push things off because there's always tomorrow. I believe that it takes more focus to have a life without clear deadlines than it is to have one with them. This list makes me accountable for my laziness as well as accomplishments.
9:30 am
Grout cleanup, Aisle EVERYWHERE.
Yeah, I know, didn't we do the grout last week? Instead of doing all the kitchen counters in one day (and leaving nothing for food preparation, dishes, etc), we did the dirty work in two parts. The grout dust is ridiculously messy and leaves my entire kitchen coated in a sandy film. Acetone is to clean up accidents, so I just used my nail polish remover.
10:45 am.
Rug Time!
The other day, Matt and I finally got new mattresses for ourselves. That finally gave us something to put into our guest bedroom : a bed! Never before have we had guest accommodations other than a lumpy old futon. My focus this week has been decorating it. I'm crocheting a rug in this photo while I watch some Gilmore Girls on DVD.
1pm.
Lunch!
This is a pasty (pass-tea). I basically grew up on these things. Brought over from Cornwall, England by miners coming to my native Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan, it was the perfect compact little lunch that the miners could take to work each day. There are many variations of pasties, but the "Traditional" ones are meat, potato, rutabaga, onion, and carrot. The one in my photo is a veggie one with cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and cheddar cheese inside. As a teenager, I learned to make these with my church group. Each year, the ladies of the church got together to bake these delicious things and sell them to the parishioner before Lent. Every Friday in grade school, we had pasties for lunch.
2pm
Floors
This is my least favorite job so I usually do it last to get it out of the way. Every floor in my house is tile or wood, so it ALL has to be swept. And like the kitchen counter, the grout doesn't match the tile in height so I have to sweep the grout separately. Within a day or two, the kitty manages lose a few more hair clumps and I'm back to the beginning. I have to do this nearly everyday to keep it clean. BOO! I have only one rug to vacuum (the one in this photo). Good thing too, since my vacuum has started making a really bad noise. I spent nearly an hour removing screws and parts to find the problem. I think it's the filter. Must buy a new one before the vacuum becomes obsolete and I can't find a replacement. GUBHHHH
3:30 pm
Piano
Unfortunately, my piano skills peaked my freshman year of college. And it's all my arm's fault. I like to believe that I could be good again if I was just patient and worked hard at it, so I continue to practice, hiding the accomplishments of my former self on the shelf where I can't see them. I get music books from the library to keep things fun as I try to retrain my left hand to cooperate. One major accomplishment I have had recently is that I can stretch my fingers to play an octave. Along with crochet, I find that challenging my left hand with music is the best way to keep it from becoming arthritic (which I think may be happening in my left thumb already) and seizing up altogether.
4:00pm
Writing this blog!!
4:30pm
Honey comes home and we're going on a 10-mile run in the rain.
-----
Now, as promised, the details of my 20 mile run. After a few weeks of being really disappointed with myself, I decided that I'd let Matt take the reins and become my coach. He pulled me out for a grueling tempo run at 8:00/mi on Monday, and by Wednesday, he had me suiting up for a 20 miler. The rain was expected to be really bad, but when we got to the trail, it was surprisingly dry. What replaced it was even worse : 25mph headwind (gusts to 40mph). Just like the 20 miler two weeks prior, we were running just ahead of the front. As we neared the turn around after running 10 miles straight into the wind, I lost my ambition. I stopped, sucked down a gel and growled. Really. RAWR. My game face, growling at the wind. Matt laughed and joined in. And you know what? It helped, my pace quickened, and soon after, we were heading in the other direction. My pacing was ooodles better than it was before. If it weren't for the wind, I would have done fantastically. Matt told me that he read somewhere that running into a really strong wind requires 15% more effort. To make myself feel better about the 9:30/mi average we kept, Matt told me that it was more akin to running 23 miles in that time, at an average 8:15/mi pace. Whether that is true or not, it sure was more work and I was surprisingly pleased that I could run that fast with how windy it was.
Out for another 10 today to round out our first 40 mi week. (This was to be the second, but we nixed some miles last time around to recover from the half marathon.)
8:00am
Up with the rain (?).
My back was really stiff when I got up, so I decided on a soak and a stretch. There's something therapeutic about starting my day off with a soak in the pouring rain.
8:30 am
Breakfast and an overview of my day.
It may seem sort of silly to keep a planner around to schedule myself, but it is what works for me. I love lists and planning and keeping things neatly organized. After years of agenda books and daily planners, I find it hard to function without one. Also, I really like crossing things off the list when I finish. With a job like mine, it's easy to push things off because there's always tomorrow. I believe that it takes more focus to have a life without clear deadlines than it is to have one with them. This list makes me accountable for my laziness as well as accomplishments.
9:30 am
Grout cleanup, Aisle EVERYWHERE.
Yeah, I know, didn't we do the grout last week? Instead of doing all the kitchen counters in one day (and leaving nothing for food preparation, dishes, etc), we did the dirty work in two parts. The grout dust is ridiculously messy and leaves my entire kitchen coated in a sandy film. Acetone is to clean up accidents, so I just used my nail polish remover.
10:45 am.
Rug Time!
The other day, Matt and I finally got new mattresses for ourselves. That finally gave us something to put into our guest bedroom : a bed! Never before have we had guest accommodations other than a lumpy old futon. My focus this week has been decorating it. I'm crocheting a rug in this photo while I watch some Gilmore Girls on DVD.
1pm.
Lunch!
This is a pasty (pass-tea). I basically grew up on these things. Brought over from Cornwall, England by miners coming to my native Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan, it was the perfect compact little lunch that the miners could take to work each day. There are many variations of pasties, but the "Traditional" ones are meat, potato, rutabaga, onion, and carrot. The one in my photo is a veggie one with cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and cheddar cheese inside. As a teenager, I learned to make these with my church group. Each year, the ladies of the church got together to bake these delicious things and sell them to the parishioner before Lent. Every Friday in grade school, we had pasties for lunch.
2pm
Floors
This is my least favorite job so I usually do it last to get it out of the way. Every floor in my house is tile or wood, so it ALL has to be swept. And like the kitchen counter, the grout doesn't match the tile in height so I have to sweep the grout separately. Within a day or two, the kitty manages lose a few more hair clumps and I'm back to the beginning. I have to do this nearly everyday to keep it clean. BOO! I have only one rug to vacuum (the one in this photo). Good thing too, since my vacuum has started making a really bad noise. I spent nearly an hour removing screws and parts to find the problem. I think it's the filter. Must buy a new one before the vacuum becomes obsolete and I can't find a replacement. GUBHHHH
3:30 pm
Piano
Unfortunately, my piano skills peaked my freshman year of college. And it's all my arm's fault. I like to believe that I could be good again if I was just patient and worked hard at it, so I continue to practice, hiding the accomplishments of my former self on the shelf where I can't see them. I get music books from the library to keep things fun as I try to retrain my left hand to cooperate. One major accomplishment I have had recently is that I can stretch my fingers to play an octave. Along with crochet, I find that challenging my left hand with music is the best way to keep it from becoming arthritic (which I think may be happening in my left thumb already) and seizing up altogether.
4:00pm
Writing this blog!!
4:30pm
Honey comes home and we're going on a 10-mile run in the rain.
-----
Now, as promised, the details of my 20 mile run. After a few weeks of being really disappointed with myself, I decided that I'd let Matt take the reins and become my coach. He pulled me out for a grueling tempo run at 8:00/mi on Monday, and by Wednesday, he had me suiting up for a 20 miler. The rain was expected to be really bad, but when we got to the trail, it was surprisingly dry. What replaced it was even worse : 25mph headwind (gusts to 40mph). Just like the 20 miler two weeks prior, we were running just ahead of the front. As we neared the turn around after running 10 miles straight into the wind, I lost my ambition. I stopped, sucked down a gel and growled. Really. RAWR. My game face, growling at the wind. Matt laughed and joined in. And you know what? It helped, my pace quickened, and soon after, we were heading in the other direction. My pacing was ooodles better than it was before. If it weren't for the wind, I would have done fantastically. Matt told me that he read somewhere that running into a really strong wind requires 15% more effort. To make myself feel better about the 9:30/mi average we kept, Matt told me that it was more akin to running 23 miles in that time, at an average 8:15/mi pace. Whether that is true or not, it sure was more work and I was surprisingly pleased that I could run that fast with how windy it was.
Out for another 10 today to round out our first 40 mi week. (This was to be the second, but we nixed some miles last time around to recover from the half marathon.)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Trinidad Head State Beach
Monday evening, I did a tempo run. It was hard, uncomfortable, and left my legs feeling beat up. That night we watched the weather forecast on TV. Major rain heading our way (again! it is winter after all!), with short periods of sunshine. Tuesday was to be that sunshine day. The day I should have done my long run. But as I sat watching with my sore legs, I couldn't help but feel a regret. I couldn't do a long run after a tempo. It would have to wait.
Sunshine Tuesday wasn't to be wasted. Matt and I decided to head to Trinidad Head State Park and Beach. Sunshine is the only thing that lures me to the beach. Otherwise, it tangles my hair and is too cold and windy to enjoy. Gotta be sunny.
Trinidad, a sleepy little town perched upon the cliffs, is about half an hour drive from my house. This time of year, it is merely dozens of brightly colored summer homes, just waiting for their affluent city owners to return. For a Tuesday, the beach was surprisingly crowded. Students from the nearby university, skipping their lectures for some hiking and lunch in the sunshine; retired couples walking hand-in-hand between the rocky pillars; an aging hippie artist, absorbed into his sketch pad; and us, a shift worker and his wife out to enjoy the sun on his "weekend".
This is what California is supposed to look like, I thought to myself. Ever since I was a child, the only thing I knew of California was what I saw in movies.
Expansive beaches, sunshine, golden sand, and bikinis. (This is what my friends back in the Midwest think, too. I've even been asked if I have an orange tree in my yard.) While some parts of California are like this, this area is more akin to the Oregon coast : fog, rain, and summertime temperatures that rarely break 70F. No bikinis here.
As we hiked higher above the beach on Trinidad Head, it hit me. Even though Eureka isn't "typical" California, the Redwood Coast holds her own magnificent beauty. Mostly raw and shaped only by nature, she is under-appreciated. Some days, it feels like she is all mine, even though thousands of people live just a few miles away. The deserted trail circled around, climbing higher and higher. Panoramic views of the ocean emerged from our fern encased trail. The blue water sparkled like sapphires, much the way it looks in photos of the Caribbean. The gray ocean had transformed herself to a tropical paradise, if only for one day.
We rounded the final corner and were facing town again. The illusion of solitary paradise evaporated into the humid air. We weren't alone. A family of five passed us on the trail and waved as they went by. Our descent back to the beach brought more and more people. Urban hiking isn't so bad. We had lunch at a hilltop park, overlooking the harbor, rays of sunshine soaking into my skin.
The beautiful day wasn't wasted. It was one of those much-needed mental recharge days. I tend to forget that running isn't the only thing that makes me happy. In fact, it seems to be the opposite. Whether it's hiking, gardening, or just enjoying a cup of coffee as the rain drums on my roof; it's occasionally taking advantage of these other activities that makes my running happy. And it seems to be making a difference.
Since abandoning the "more and faster is better" training philosophy, my pace has centered itself, I've enjoyed every run, and I have reached a happy balance again. I am still continuing my running plan as written, but I am slowing down my long runs to about 30 seconds slower than race pace, and doing tempos at 30 seconds faster, and you know what? I love running again. And I'm not cutting miles because of fatigue.
Sunshine Tuesday wasn't to be wasted. Matt and I decided to head to Trinidad Head State Park and Beach. Sunshine is the only thing that lures me to the beach. Otherwise, it tangles my hair and is too cold and windy to enjoy. Gotta be sunny.
Trinidad, a sleepy little town perched upon the cliffs, is about half an hour drive from my house. This time of year, it is merely dozens of brightly colored summer homes, just waiting for their affluent city owners to return. For a Tuesday, the beach was surprisingly crowded. Students from the nearby university, skipping their lectures for some hiking and lunch in the sunshine; retired couples walking hand-in-hand between the rocky pillars; an aging hippie artist, absorbed into his sketch pad; and us, a shift worker and his wife out to enjoy the sun on his "weekend".
This is what California is supposed to look like, I thought to myself. Ever since I was a child, the only thing I knew of California was what I saw in movies.
Expansive beaches, sunshine, golden sand, and bikinis. (This is what my friends back in the Midwest think, too. I've even been asked if I have an orange tree in my yard.) While some parts of California are like this, this area is more akin to the Oregon coast : fog, rain, and summertime temperatures that rarely break 70F. No bikinis here.
As we hiked higher above the beach on Trinidad Head, it hit me. Even though Eureka isn't "typical" California, the Redwood Coast holds her own magnificent beauty. Mostly raw and shaped only by nature, she is under-appreciated. Some days, it feels like she is all mine, even though thousands of people live just a few miles away. The deserted trail circled around, climbing higher and higher. Panoramic views of the ocean emerged from our fern encased trail. The blue water sparkled like sapphires, much the way it looks in photos of the Caribbean. The gray ocean had transformed herself to a tropical paradise, if only for one day.
We rounded the final corner and were facing town again. The illusion of solitary paradise evaporated into the humid air. We weren't alone. A family of five passed us on the trail and waved as they went by. Our descent back to the beach brought more and more people. Urban hiking isn't so bad. We had lunch at a hilltop park, overlooking the harbor, rays of sunshine soaking into my skin.
The beautiful day wasn't wasted. It was one of those much-needed mental recharge days. I tend to forget that running isn't the only thing that makes me happy. In fact, it seems to be the opposite. Whether it's hiking, gardening, or just enjoying a cup of coffee as the rain drums on my roof; it's occasionally taking advantage of these other activities that makes my running happy. And it seems to be making a difference.
Since abandoning the "more and faster is better" training philosophy, my pace has centered itself, I've enjoyed every run, and I have reached a happy balance again. I am still continuing my running plan as written, but I am slowing down my long runs to about 30 seconds slower than race pace, and doing tempos at 30 seconds faster, and you know what? I love running again. And I'm not cutting miles because of fatigue.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Three Things
1. Some days I have zero motivation to keep on training for Green Bay. I read blogs from people I have never met and draw inspiration. One of my favorite bloggers just finished her first EVER race and I'm so proud of her, because I remembered what it felt like to finish my first race, and am totally stoked she enjoyed it so much that I could feel the excitement through the computer screen.
Others inspire me by their grand adventures, whom I'd never be able to keep up with if I were out with them.
Then there are the blogs I follow which are weight loss specific and they focus on counting calories. That got me thinking about my own intake. I used to keep a food journal, not counting calories at all, just writing things down. I quit doing that two years ago and have had no weight change since. So just out of curiosity, I tracked my intake for the past two days. One column for what I thought I was taking in, and then the other for the true amount I found online for those foods. My guesses were within 100 cal. for the total day. And I consume between 2,000 - 2,200 calories (the day after a long run I usually come closer to 2,500) a day. This is enough to keep running about 35-40 miles a week and not feel hungry. I don't know how dieters can keep to 1,200 cal. a day, even if they don't keep up the mileage I do. I also don't know how people can count calories everyday and not go batty. Counting calories seems like a bizarre form of punishment. Instead of being fixated on not eating, it changes the fixation towards reaching a certain number. In my experience, to have a healthy relationship with food, it's essential to NOT be obsessed about it. No counting for me, thanks. What do you do to keep your weight under control?
2. In an ideal world, I want to produce almost all of my own food or at least know where it all comes from.
The first three darlings from my very own garden :
Today, my lunch has come closer than most other meals, so I thought I'd share it with you :
- Homemade Celery Herb Bread.
- Loleta Sharp Cheddar Cheese. (produced 10 miles away)
- Mustard!! (I've become a mustard whore lately--I put it on everything!!)
- Lettuce
- Turkey
- Humboldt Creamery Skim Milk (produced 5 miles away)
- Radishes! The first crops from MY garden!
I just need to get my chicken coop up so I can get some meaties to replace the store-bought turkey.
3. The previous owners of my house were lazy. They did all kinds of improvements in the house themselves, but they did a half-assed job. Every time Matt and I turn around, there's something else that looks crappy. (about half of the wiring in the garage goes to nowhere. it's just a tangled mess of wires that are connected to things and then ones that aren't. and they didn't put any of the doorhandles on correctly.) Our most recent gripe is the kitchen counter. They filled the grout only halfway to the top of the tile and didn't smooth it out or seal it. Food got stuck and never came out. Matt has never done grout work before, but his job looks AMAZING.
Now it's time to relax before my tempo run. Move over, Zoey.....
Others inspire me by their grand adventures, whom I'd never be able to keep up with if I were out with them.
Then there are the blogs I follow which are weight loss specific and they focus on counting calories. That got me thinking about my own intake. I used to keep a food journal, not counting calories at all, just writing things down. I quit doing that two years ago and have had no weight change since. So just out of curiosity, I tracked my intake for the past two days. One column for what I thought I was taking in, and then the other for the true amount I found online for those foods. My guesses were within 100 cal. for the total day. And I consume between 2,000 - 2,200 calories (the day after a long run I usually come closer to 2,500) a day. This is enough to keep running about 35-40 miles a week and not feel hungry. I don't know how dieters can keep to 1,200 cal. a day, even if they don't keep up the mileage I do. I also don't know how people can count calories everyday and not go batty. Counting calories seems like a bizarre form of punishment. Instead of being fixated on not eating, it changes the fixation towards reaching a certain number. In my experience, to have a healthy relationship with food, it's essential to NOT be obsessed about it. No counting for me, thanks. What do you do to keep your weight under control?
2. In an ideal world, I want to produce almost all of my own food or at least know where it all comes from.
The first three darlings from my very own garden :
Today, my lunch has come closer than most other meals, so I thought I'd share it with you :
- Homemade Celery Herb Bread.
- Loleta Sharp Cheddar Cheese. (produced 10 miles away)
- Mustard!! (I've become a mustard whore lately--I put it on everything!!)
- Lettuce
- Turkey
- Humboldt Creamery Skim Milk (produced 5 miles away)
- Radishes! The first crops from MY garden!
I just need to get my chicken coop up so I can get some meaties to replace the store-bought turkey.
3. The previous owners of my house were lazy. They did all kinds of improvements in the house themselves, but they did a half-assed job. Every time Matt and I turn around, there's something else that looks crappy. (about half of the wiring in the garage goes to nowhere. it's just a tangled mess of wires that are connected to things and then ones that aren't. and they didn't put any of the doorhandles on correctly.) Our most recent gripe is the kitchen counter. They filled the grout only halfway to the top of the tile and didn't smooth it out or seal it. Food got stuck and never came out. Matt has never done grout work before, but his job looks AMAZING.
Now it's time to relax before my tempo run. Move over, Zoey.....
Friday, March 18, 2011
Canyon Creek, part 2
"Do you hear that?", Matt asked. I groggily fumbled around to pull the ear plugs from my ears, "What?". "It's snowing outside. Really hard," he repeated. Matt grabbed the tent wall and shook. Snow cascaded down the sides of the rain fly, blocking our entry with small snowbanks. He shook it again. Sub-freezing snow blew away from door and he undid the zipper. Matt pulled on his boots and gaiters and crawled out. Snow was still frozen to my boots, despite being just outside my sleeping bag. If it's that cold in here, I didn't want to outside. "You've gotta see this!" Matt called from outside. The trampled snow around our camp was completely gone. All evidence of us being outside the previous night had been erased and covered in four new inches of snow. I poked my head out, still reluctant to see what it felt like out there. Giant fluffy snowflakes descended from the heavens. The falling snow was so thick that it appeared as a fog rather than snow.
Our three-season tent is surprisingly warm under all that snow.
Matt and I have a system of how to break camp that we've developed after years of packing and unpacking our tent. He handles food and the stove, I pack up everything in the tent. By the time I had packed up our sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and extra layers, I had warmed up enough to venture outside. Our tent was buried into the snow. The only thing protecting our backpacks (under the rain fly and nestled in our pack covers) from the snow was the thin, waterproof rain fly. It would have been a very soggy day of backpacking with melted snow on it. Finally dressed in every layer I had brought along, I fumbled with my boots. Since my feet got cold so easily last night, I decided to take chances of having sweaty feet rather than frozen ones again. I wedged a new set of chemical warmers into my boots along with my feet. Coziness..mmmm. :)
The snow was at about an inch an hour. Matt sifted through the snow looking for his CamelBak. It was already buried in fresh powder and impossible to see the clear plastic through the snow. I returned to the tent to load our packs under the shelter of the tent. I stuffed our clothing bags and sleeping bags into my bivy sack. After an especially soggy backpacking trip where I spent the night in a damp sleeping bag, I have learned that just a pack cover isn't enough sometimes, so I use the bivy as a liner for the inside of my pack. Nothing was wet this time, so HORRAY!!! :) Matt delivered my breakfast right to the tent. I know it is a big bear-country "no no" to eat in the tent, but I figured the bears were sleeping, so I took my chances. I've never eaten Mountain House meals before, but I decided to give the scrambled eggs a try. Not bad for freeze dried food, but I don't think I'll eat it again. EWW! I can find much tastier foods to eat on the trip. The Hubby had oatmeal. I don't like oatmeal (something about it looking like chewed up food), but I would have preferred that to my eggs.
Loading up in the blizzard. Notice two things in this photo :
1. whiteout behind Matt.
2. completely melted patch under our tent. proof the
sleeping pads weren't warm enough.
Winter Wonderland.
As Matt and I huddled in the tent, inhaling our breakfasts, we pondered what to do next. Since the forecast he had created was spot on so far, he informed me of his forecast of 8-20 inches of new snow over the next 24 hours at our current elevation. The current white out conditions convinced us that the rest of his forecast be correct as well. My thoughts instantly focused on our car. The ten miles back to the highway on a rural road. Our Focus. Although we still have our Alaska snow tires on, the ground clearance on our car would allow us to drive through six inches of snow, at best. Our trip was planned to include two nights and about 15 miles of hiking, but we decided to lessen our chance of being stranded and headed for the car. Packing up the tent while heavy snow fell was a challenge. We were glad to have pack covers to shield our open backpacks from the deluge of snow.
I love my pack cover...and Matt does too.
Lotsa snow!!
Finally packed up and dressed head to toe in rain gear, we trudged through the deep snow. Not ten minutes later, we were sweating and stopped to removed layers. It was also time for a Snickers break. When I got dressed, I was sure to put the candy bar in an inside pocket. I bit into it and chocolate caramel goodness flooded my taste buds, no frozen disappointment at all! :)
I had a few close calls at stream crossings when I had to boulder jump from one snowy rock to the next. It was so slippery that I debated whether it would be best to trudge right through the ankle deep water instead of trying to jump rocks. After a couple close calls, that is exactly what I did. My Goretex boots held well through the rushing water. I didn't feel a drop (yes, I had tested my boots before). As we lost elevation, we lost the snow-pack. Eventually, we were hiking in a dusting of snow.
Moss covered in snow.
View from above Canyon Creek.
The waterfall looked especially beautiful in the low light.
When we returned to the car, four new inches of snow coated her. It appeared to be melting. Must be above freezing now, I thought. For a moment, I reconsidered abandoning our trip. After a few miles in the toasty car, I knew I had made the right decision. When we returned home, we checked the weather radar and forecast (top priority for my weather nerd) and a Winter Weather Advisory stared back at us. The forecast of 8-20 inches at 2,500ft had increased to 10-24 inches and snow levels lowering to 1,500 ft. We breathed a sigh of relief, we had made the right choice. Spending Thursday night in the tent on a mountaintop and Friday night at the 2,600 ft trail head, next to our stranded car would have been no fun. Instead, we spent Thursday night at our home on the coast, soaking in the hot tub. Friday, today, we are redoing the kitchen countertops.
I reveled in the idea of getting a snow fix, then returning to the warm (by comparison) temperatures at home. Maybe Californians are onto something here....
Our three-season tent is surprisingly warm under all that snow.Matt and I have a system of how to break camp that we've developed after years of packing and unpacking our tent. He handles food and the stove, I pack up everything in the tent. By the time I had packed up our sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and extra layers, I had warmed up enough to venture outside. Our tent was buried into the snow. The only thing protecting our backpacks (under the rain fly and nestled in our pack covers) from the snow was the thin, waterproof rain fly. It would have been a very soggy day of backpacking with melted snow on it. Finally dressed in every layer I had brought along, I fumbled with my boots. Since my feet got cold so easily last night, I decided to take chances of having sweaty feet rather than frozen ones again. I wedged a new set of chemical warmers into my boots along with my feet. Coziness..mmmm. :)
The snow was at about an inch an hour. Matt sifted through the snow looking for his CamelBak. It was already buried in fresh powder and impossible to see the clear plastic through the snow. I returned to the tent to load our packs under the shelter of the tent. I stuffed our clothing bags and sleeping bags into my bivy sack. After an especially soggy backpacking trip where I spent the night in a damp sleeping bag, I have learned that just a pack cover isn't enough sometimes, so I use the bivy as a liner for the inside of my pack. Nothing was wet this time, so HORRAY!!! :) Matt delivered my breakfast right to the tent. I know it is a big bear-country "no no" to eat in the tent, but I figured the bears were sleeping, so I took my chances. I've never eaten Mountain House meals before, but I decided to give the scrambled eggs a try. Not bad for freeze dried food, but I don't think I'll eat it again. EWW! I can find much tastier foods to eat on the trip. The Hubby had oatmeal. I don't like oatmeal (something about it looking like chewed up food), but I would have preferred that to my eggs.
Loading up in the blizzard. Notice two things in this photo :1. whiteout behind Matt.
2. completely melted patch under our tent. proof the
sleeping pads weren't warm enough.
Winter Wonderland.As Matt and I huddled in the tent, inhaling our breakfasts, we pondered what to do next. Since the forecast he had created was spot on so far, he informed me of his forecast of 8-20 inches of new snow over the next 24 hours at our current elevation. The current white out conditions convinced us that the rest of his forecast be correct as well. My thoughts instantly focused on our car. The ten miles back to the highway on a rural road. Our Focus. Although we still have our Alaska snow tires on, the ground clearance on our car would allow us to drive through six inches of snow, at best. Our trip was planned to include two nights and about 15 miles of hiking, but we decided to lessen our chance of being stranded and headed for the car. Packing up the tent while heavy snow fell was a challenge. We were glad to have pack covers to shield our open backpacks from the deluge of snow.
I love my pack cover...and Matt does too.
Lotsa snow!!Finally packed up and dressed head to toe in rain gear, we trudged through the deep snow. Not ten minutes later, we were sweating and stopped to removed layers. It was also time for a Snickers break. When I got dressed, I was sure to put the candy bar in an inside pocket. I bit into it and chocolate caramel goodness flooded my taste buds, no frozen disappointment at all! :)
I had a few close calls at stream crossings when I had to boulder jump from one snowy rock to the next. It was so slippery that I debated whether it would be best to trudge right through the ankle deep water instead of trying to jump rocks. After a couple close calls, that is exactly what I did. My Goretex boots held well through the rushing water. I didn't feel a drop (yes, I had tested my boots before). As we lost elevation, we lost the snow-pack. Eventually, we were hiking in a dusting of snow.
Moss covered in snow.
View from above Canyon Creek.
The waterfall looked especially beautiful in the low light.I reveled in the idea of getting a snow fix, then returning to the warm (by comparison) temperatures at home. Maybe Californians are onto something here....
Canyon Creek part 1
The wind whipped my hair into a sandy brown cyclone around my face as I sprinted out of the grocery store with a bag of kitty litter. I thought to myself, "hopefully I will only use this in the litter box." One errand later, Hubby and I were on our way.
Highway 299 had an uncomfortable amount of rock and mud slides, resulting in entire lanes of traffic being blocked or washed down the hillside, on our drive to the Canyon Creek Trail. As we drove the 10 miles from the highway to the trail, it was apparent that if the forecast went on as predicted, we stood a good chance of being stranded out at the car for a few days until the plow came to clear the road. One perk of having a meteorologist husband is that we knew the risk of snow. On his week-long string of midnight forecast shifts, he was intimately familiar with the three forecast model predictions and his analysis of the terrain. I always feel more comfortable in hazardous weather when I know what to expect and can pack accordingly.
Rain started to fall the moment we stepped out of the car. I changed my shoes inside, dreading the thought of leaving the cozy car for the rain. At the 2,600 ft trail start, Matt reassured me saying that snow levels were at about 2,500 ft, so we wouldn't be hiking in rain for long. (Snow level is where snow is currently falling but may not be sticking to the ground.)
Just one mile up the trail, we hit our first patch of snow. It was odd to see the Redwoods dusted with white snowy powder. A metaphor for the joining of my two lives: my old snowy one in Alaska and my new one in mossy Redwood California.
As we climbed through the forest, the rain turned to hail. Pea to marble sized. Luckily, we were in the trees, or it would have hurt a lot. The hail storm was short-lived and it turned to snow. One inch deep, two inches, three. When we reached our first rocky stream crossing, the forest had disappeared along with the snow. The sun came out, illuminating the glittery snow crystals. "Oh winter, how I've missed you!" I shouted to Matt up ahead, breaking trail in the now-10"-deep-snow. We continued on the rocky hillside, spotting foreboding avalanche paths across the valley. We hurried across the slide paths on our own side. Melted snow runoff flooded our trail and created a snow-free path, with one foot deep snow on either side. Trees were blanketed with heavy snow and I breathed a happy sigh as I took it all in. I couldn't believe how much I missed snow!
The runoff quickly disappeared and we were back to post-holing through now-15" of the white stuff. As dark was approaching, we kept lookout for a good campsite. We found one at the edge of a forest, overlooking a creek and providing a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.
Our estimate was that we made it four miles, climbed to 3,500 feet, in about four hours. Not bad, considering we had that much snow and 40 lb packs on. We set up camp in the snow. As we set up the tent, Matt and I remembered our various winter trips in Alaska. We knew that below 20F, sleeping pads were no longer optional; dressing in layers is better than having a warm jacket; wet clothes dry overnight if stuffed into the sleeping bag. All of these lessons were learned the hard way, as most life lesson usually are. We glanced at the small thermometer key chain on Matt's backpack, 25F. No chance of bottoming out our thermometer on this trip! Our thermometer goes to -20F, and we have bottomed it out on two trips to BLM Cabins before. (Oh the winter trip stories we have! It's a shame I didn't keep a blog through that time: Ski bindings freezing up through overflow ponds; seriously worrying about frostbite because cabin stoves don't warm up very fast at -30F, especially lit by fingers so cold that they barely function; that Snickers bars have to be stored inside pockets to prevent broken teeth, etc)
For all the stories we have, we have not gone winter backpacking where we sleep in the snow. We have either packed out to a cabin in the woods or car-camped in our tent. With cabin trips, it's easy to dry out wet clothes and warm up. With car camping, it's easy to bring redundant amounts of extra clothes and blankets. After all, we could just put them into the car if we didn't need them. Backpacking, a whole different story. There's a fine line between over-packing and having to carry extra unused gear and under-packing. It is most important that one rides this line in the winter. Matt and I were, unfortunately, on the under-packing side of the line this time.
As the sun fell, the temperature did, too. The clear sky revealed a full moon. The moon cast an eerie glow upon snow capped mountains. We retreated to the tent about 9pm. I prepared for a chilly night by donning every layer of clothing I had brought. I could always shed them in the night if I got too warm. Matt and I were both on his midnight work schedule and weren't really tired. It was too cold to be outside of the sleeping bags and play cards or read, so we decided to try to sleep.
By 1am, my toes were painfully cold. Matt and I debated what to do. He went outside to our bear barrel to get the chemical warmers. I usually bring them along on trips, but have never had to use them. I was happy to find that being over-prepared in that area finally proved useful. Once my feet thawed, I realized how cold sleeping on the ground was. I rolled onto my side, my back, and my stomach, providing just enough relief from the cold ground to help stay warm. It felt like sleeping on an ice pack. This was not going to work. Again, Matt (my hero!!) headed out of the tent for help. He fired up our stove (we bought a Jet Boil for this trip because we usually summer backpack with non-cook foods). Minutes later, he returned with an aluminum water bottle filled with piping hot water. It was too hot for me to hold, so I wrapped it in my fleece jacket and set it next to me in my 15F down sleeping bag, Down Cave. Within half an hour, I was comfortable again. Comfortable enough to remove my heavy gloves and wrap my hands around the bottle. I created an extra barrier between me and the ground with my gloves. Somehow it was enough to keep me from feeling cold. I fell asleep hugging my new best friend, the water bottle.
Highway 299 had an uncomfortable amount of rock and mud slides, resulting in entire lanes of traffic being blocked or washed down the hillside, on our drive to the Canyon Creek Trail. As we drove the 10 miles from the highway to the trail, it was apparent that if the forecast went on as predicted, we stood a good chance of being stranded out at the car for a few days until the plow came to clear the road. One perk of having a meteorologist husband is that we knew the risk of snow. On his week-long string of midnight forecast shifts, he was intimately familiar with the three forecast model predictions and his analysis of the terrain. I always feel more comfortable in hazardous weather when I know what to expect and can pack accordingly.
Rain started to fall the moment we stepped out of the car. I changed my shoes inside, dreading the thought of leaving the cozy car for the rain. At the 2,600 ft trail start, Matt reassured me saying that snow levels were at about 2,500 ft, so we wouldn't be hiking in rain for long. (Snow level is where snow is currently falling but may not be sticking to the ground.)
Just one mile up the trail, we hit our first patch of snow. It was odd to see the Redwoods dusted with white snowy powder. A metaphor for the joining of my two lives: my old snowy one in Alaska and my new one in mossy Redwood California.
As we climbed through the forest, the rain turned to hail. Pea to marble sized. Luckily, we were in the trees, or it would have hurt a lot. The hail storm was short-lived and it turned to snow. One inch deep, two inches, three. When we reached our first rocky stream crossing, the forest had disappeared along with the snow. The sun came out, illuminating the glittery snow crystals. "Oh winter, how I've missed you!" I shouted to Matt up ahead, breaking trail in the now-10"-deep-snow. We continued on the rocky hillside, spotting foreboding avalanche paths across the valley. We hurried across the slide paths on our own side. Melted snow runoff flooded our trail and created a snow-free path, with one foot deep snow on either side. Trees were blanketed with heavy snow and I breathed a happy sigh as I took it all in. I couldn't believe how much I missed snow!
The runoff quickly disappeared and we were back to post-holing through now-15" of the white stuff. As dark was approaching, we kept lookout for a good campsite. We found one at the edge of a forest, overlooking a creek and providing a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.
Our estimate was that we made it four miles, climbed to 3,500 feet, in about four hours. Not bad, considering we had that much snow and 40 lb packs on. We set up camp in the snow. As we set up the tent, Matt and I remembered our various winter trips in Alaska. We knew that below 20F, sleeping pads were no longer optional; dressing in layers is better than having a warm jacket; wet clothes dry overnight if stuffed into the sleeping bag. All of these lessons were learned the hard way, as most life lesson usually are. We glanced at the small thermometer key chain on Matt's backpack, 25F. No chance of bottoming out our thermometer on this trip! Our thermometer goes to -20F, and we have bottomed it out on two trips to BLM Cabins before. (Oh the winter trip stories we have! It's a shame I didn't keep a blog through that time: Ski bindings freezing up through overflow ponds; seriously worrying about frostbite because cabin stoves don't warm up very fast at -30F, especially lit by fingers so cold that they barely function; that Snickers bars have to be stored inside pockets to prevent broken teeth, etc)
For all the stories we have, we have not gone winter backpacking where we sleep in the snow. We have either packed out to a cabin in the woods or car-camped in our tent. With cabin trips, it's easy to dry out wet clothes and warm up. With car camping, it's easy to bring redundant amounts of extra clothes and blankets. After all, we could just put them into the car if we didn't need them. Backpacking, a whole different story. There's a fine line between over-packing and having to carry extra unused gear and under-packing. It is most important that one rides this line in the winter. Matt and I were, unfortunately, on the under-packing side of the line this time.
As the sun fell, the temperature did, too. The clear sky revealed a full moon. The moon cast an eerie glow upon snow capped mountains. We retreated to the tent about 9pm. I prepared for a chilly night by donning every layer of clothing I had brought. I could always shed them in the night if I got too warm. Matt and I were both on his midnight work schedule and weren't really tired. It was too cold to be outside of the sleeping bags and play cards or read, so we decided to try to sleep.
By 1am, my toes were painfully cold. Matt and I debated what to do. He went outside to our bear barrel to get the chemical warmers. I usually bring them along on trips, but have never had to use them. I was happy to find that being over-prepared in that area finally proved useful. Once my feet thawed, I realized how cold sleeping on the ground was. I rolled onto my side, my back, and my stomach, providing just enough relief from the cold ground to help stay warm. It felt like sleeping on an ice pack. This was not going to work. Again, Matt (my hero!!) headed out of the tent for help. He fired up our stove (we bought a Jet Boil for this trip because we usually summer backpack with non-cook foods). Minutes later, he returned with an aluminum water bottle filled with piping hot water. It was too hot for me to hold, so I wrapped it in my fleece jacket and set it next to me in my 15F down sleeping bag, Down Cave. Within half an hour, I was comfortable again. Comfortable enough to remove my heavy gloves and wrap my hands around the bottle. I created an extra barrier between me and the ground with my gloves. Somehow it was enough to keep me from feeling cold. I fell asleep hugging my new best friend, the water bottle.
Muddy Trails
"I wish I was running in the snow", I remarked to Matt as we slogged through the muddy uphill on the Headwaters Trail. Each step into the slippery earth resulted in sliding halfway back to where my foot had just been. It was messy and only my second run in the new trail running shoes. What other way does one break in trail shoes than by getting them completely dirty? I'd like to say that this 11 mile run was actually a run, but with the deep mud, it was more like a scrambling, slip and slide up the trail. There were few spots of firm trail until we reached the top at mile 5.5.
Clean shoes!
Running through the Giants.
Trillium. These guys were everywhere.
We decided to do the entire trail since we never had done it before. Before the trail returns down to the start, it makes a mile loop through old growth Redwoods. The trees were breathtakingly beautiful. Giant Redwoods, feet in diameter, were covered in bright green moss. Their majestic grandeur forced me to think of how insignificant I am in this world. I can do significant things, sure, but my life is a small piece of the Human Race puzzle. So often, we feel like we are master over nature and can control all things. Recent events (tsunamis, earthquakes, etc) are reminders that we are not dominant. I like that about the outdoors, always there to help put life into perspective.
Giant Stump.
Washed out section of the dry part of the trail.
The trail back home was a muddy slippery mess. I had to go slowly in some spots to avoid sliding down on my butt through the mud. It was fun. The thing I like about the Headwaters trail is that once I'm at the top and about exhausted, the return trip is nice and easy that I return to the trail head with a renewed energy, almost like I could go and run it again.
We forgot to take a photo at the muddiest part of the trail. This was
after three miles of stomping a lot of it off.
Clean shoes!
Running through the Giants.
Trillium. These guys were everywhere.We decided to do the entire trail since we never had done it before. Before the trail returns down to the start, it makes a mile loop through old growth Redwoods. The trees were breathtakingly beautiful. Giant Redwoods, feet in diameter, were covered in bright green moss. Their majestic grandeur forced me to think of how insignificant I am in this world. I can do significant things, sure, but my life is a small piece of the Human Race puzzle. So often, we feel like we are master over nature and can control all things. Recent events (tsunamis, earthquakes, etc) are reminders that we are not dominant. I like that about the outdoors, always there to help put life into perspective.
Giant Stump.
Washed out section of the dry part of the trail.The trail back home was a muddy slippery mess. I had to go slowly in some spots to avoid sliding down on my butt through the mud. It was fun. The thing I like about the Headwaters trail is that once I'm at the top and about exhausted, the return trip is nice and easy that I return to the trail head with a renewed energy, almost like I could go and run it again.
We forgot to take a photo at the muddiest part of the trail. This wasafter three miles of stomping a lot of it off.
Monday, March 14, 2011
New Rules
Yesterday, I awoke to sunshine. I remember thinking how wrong Hubby was on his forecast. There's no rain. By 11am, I was sick of looking at the sunshine and not doing anything about it. Matt was obviously still asleep, since he worked until 8am. I tiptoed into the bedroom and sat on the bed next to my Dragon Breath husband. "I think I'm going to try and beat the rain, it's sunny right now...want to come?" A grumpy voice from beneath the covers replied, "No, it's gonna rain all day. And it's really windy. Let's go at 4pm when I get up." I retreated from the darkened bedroom and got dressed for my run. Moments later, a bleary-eyed Matt joined me. "You said it was sunny. Look at that." Dark clouds had come out of nowhere and a light rain began. "But I'd rather run with you in the rain than by myself, let's go." Matt ate a quick breakfast, dressed and we headed out.
The rain turned to sprinkles and then disappeared. The wind, however, did not. We tried to make the run as easy as possible, by running in zig-zags and not going in the same direction for too long. We ran through Sequoia Park and the redwood trees, to reappear in a treeless residential neighborhood again. We discussed our training plan as we trotted along.
Our route according to Garmy.
Discussing training plans with someone who has had only three hours of sleep is pretty useless. Matt wanted to scrap all training plans and take up a different sport entirely. "I want to just take six weeks off and not run at all," he demanded after our first mile. Terrified that all our training thus far would be wasted if we did that, I offered several different solutions. He wasn't accepting any of them. I changed the subject, but he ran along silently, not replying to anything I said. He was either still thinking about our training or he was falling asleep. Either one, it was best not to talk to him.
About mile four and a slight downhill on a completely deserted side street, he perked up. "This past week has been really hard on us. Let's just make sure we do our long runs 5-7 days apart". He was thinking about how we did a 20 miler just four days after racing a half marathon and it resulting in disaster and lots of walking. "Sounds good", I agreed, glad that his mood had changed. We decided to make some rules for ourselves and see how things go.
Nearing our car at mile six, and straight into a headwind, I was glad that I had gone out to run. Matt's runner's high had kicked in and he was finally chatty. When we got home, we wrote down our list of rules, stretched, and showered. Then the rain started. Water sprayed onto our windows as if someone were outside with a garden hose. The rain continued in varying degrees of intensity until darkness returned that night. We didn't run in the rain at all.
Rules until Green Bay :
1. Strength train twice a week. We both are really bad at this. Since running takes up so much time already, who wants to do extra workouts!? I will Shred with Anna and Matt will do circuits.
2. Stretch Everyday. We will roll each other's legs with The Stick. Loose muscles are key to keeping both of our injuries at bay.
3. Long runs must be done in the Ariels (Karen). I was too quick to go back to my more comfortable and lightweight shoes when my knee felt better. The 20 mile run definitely would have been less painful in my Ariels.
4. Ice injuries. After the shower, ice the knee. Hopefully we stick to that. We both run too often for an injury to go away on it's own. Ice will help the swelling go away faster so it can heal.
5. Get eight hours of sleep (Matt). Shift work is killer on his sleep schedule. He gets plenty of sleep when he works days, but when he works mids, he often sacrifices his zzzzz's for hangout time, and doesn't notice it until he's really cranky.
6. Long run must be 5-7 days after the previous one. Completely uncomfortable 20-milers on tired legs are no fun at all. Let's not repeat that again.
7. Trail run once a week (dry trail permitting). Our nearest trail run is often inaccessible in the winter because flood waters rising above the only road out there. Need trails for sanity. We discovered that last summer we were able to keep up with high mileage because there were pretty things to look at. It was like hiking, but faster. We're starting to miss hiking. Trail running is the perfect solution. Once a week so we don't get sick of the trail or sacrifice our road training.
The rain turned to sprinkles and then disappeared. The wind, however, did not. We tried to make the run as easy as possible, by running in zig-zags and not going in the same direction for too long. We ran through Sequoia Park and the redwood trees, to reappear in a treeless residential neighborhood again. We discussed our training plan as we trotted along.
Our route according to Garmy.Discussing training plans with someone who has had only three hours of sleep is pretty useless. Matt wanted to scrap all training plans and take up a different sport entirely. "I want to just take six weeks off and not run at all," he demanded after our first mile. Terrified that all our training thus far would be wasted if we did that, I offered several different solutions. He wasn't accepting any of them. I changed the subject, but he ran along silently, not replying to anything I said. He was either still thinking about our training or he was falling asleep. Either one, it was best not to talk to him.
About mile four and a slight downhill on a completely deserted side street, he perked up. "This past week has been really hard on us. Let's just make sure we do our long runs 5-7 days apart". He was thinking about how we did a 20 miler just four days after racing a half marathon and it resulting in disaster and lots of walking. "Sounds good", I agreed, glad that his mood had changed. We decided to make some rules for ourselves and see how things go.
Nearing our car at mile six, and straight into a headwind, I was glad that I had gone out to run. Matt's runner's high had kicked in and he was finally chatty. When we got home, we wrote down our list of rules, stretched, and showered. Then the rain started. Water sprayed onto our windows as if someone were outside with a garden hose. The rain continued in varying degrees of intensity until darkness returned that night. We didn't run in the rain at all.
------
We needed rules because of my recurring IT band problems and his knee is starting to bother him. Running felt more like a chore and less like a voluntary activity. What would bring back the fun?Rules until Green Bay :
1. Strength train twice a week. We both are really bad at this. Since running takes up so much time already, who wants to do extra workouts!? I will Shred with Anna and Matt will do circuits.
2. Stretch Everyday. We will roll each other's legs with The Stick. Loose muscles are key to keeping both of our injuries at bay.
3. Long runs must be done in the Ariels (Karen). I was too quick to go back to my more comfortable and lightweight shoes when my knee felt better. The 20 mile run definitely would have been less painful in my Ariels.
4. Ice injuries. After the shower, ice the knee. Hopefully we stick to that. We both run too often for an injury to go away on it's own. Ice will help the swelling go away faster so it can heal.
5. Get eight hours of sleep (Matt). Shift work is killer on his sleep schedule. He gets plenty of sleep when he works days, but when he works mids, he often sacrifices his zzzzz's for hangout time, and doesn't notice it until he's really cranky.
6. Long run must be 5-7 days after the previous one. Completely uncomfortable 20-milers on tired legs are no fun at all. Let's not repeat that again.
7. Trail run once a week (dry trail permitting). Our nearest trail run is often inaccessible in the winter because flood waters rising above the only road out there. Need trails for sanity. We discovered that last summer we were able to keep up with high mileage because there were pretty things to look at. It was like hiking, but faster. We're starting to miss hiking. Trail running is the perfect solution. Once a week so we don't get sick of the trail or sacrifice our road training.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Prepared
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
1020 AM PST FRI MAR 11 2011
CAZ001-002-120030-
REDWOOD COAST-MENDOCINO COAST-
1020 AM PST FRI MAR 11 2011
...A TSUNAMI WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR DEL NORTE...HUMBOLDT
AND MENDOCINO COUNTIES COASTAL AREAS...
EARTHQUAKE DATA...
PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE 8.9.
LOCATION 38.2 NORTH 142.5 EAST.
NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN.
TIME 2146 PST MAR 10 2011.
A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED AND HAS CAUSE DAMAGED ALONG THE DEL NORTE
COUNTY AND DAMAGE ALONG THE HUMBOLDT AND MENDOCINO COASTS IS
STILL EXPECTED. PERSONS AT THE COAST SHOULD BE ALERT TO
INSTRUCTIONS FROM LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS.
DAMAGING WAVES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ACROSS HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
DAMAGING WAVES HAVE ARRIVED AT CRESCENT CITY HARBOR WHERE ALL
DOCKS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. WAVES HAVE BROKEN OVER THE SPIT AT
STONE LAGOON. A 3 FOOT WAVE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN HUMBOLDT BAY. A
2-4 FOOT FLOOD WAVE WAS REPORTED MOVING UP THE MAD RIVER AT 8:45
AM PST. DAMAGING WAVES WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY
GAUGE LOCATION TIME AMPLITUDE
CRESCENT CITY CA 844 AM 8.1FT
NORTH SPIT HUMBOLDT 830 AM 3.1FT
ARENA COVE 917 AM 5.3FT
REMEMBER...DONT BE FOOLED...TSUNAMI WAVES CAN SEEM STOP FOR LONG
PERIODS AND THEN BEGIN AGAIN. WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL ALL CLEAR TO
RETURN TO THREATENED AREAS.
IN DEL NORTE COUNTY...PEOPLE ARE ORDERED TO EVACUATE TO ABOVE 9TH
STREET. SHELTER LOCATIONS INCLUDE SMITH RIVER ELEMENTARY...DEL NORTE
HIGH SCHOOL AND YUROK TRIBAL OFFICE IN KLAMATH.
IN HUMBOLDT AND MENDOCINO COUNTIES...PEOPLE ARE ADVISED TO STAY
OFF BEACHES...NOT TRAVEL BY WATERCRAFT AND EVACUATE LOW LYING
COASTAL AREAS IMMEDIATELY UNTIL ADVISED THAT IT IS SAFE TO RETURN.
PEOPLE SHOULD STAY CLEAR OF LOW LYING AREAS ALONG COASTAL RIVERS AS
TSUNAMI WAVES CAN TRAVEL UP FROM THE MOUTH OF COASTAL RIVERS.
BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT
TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS OF THIS EVENT. IF AVAILABLE...
REFER TO THE INTERNET SITE HTTP://TSUNAMI.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION.
DUE TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TSUNAMI WAVE
ACTIVITY...LISTENERS ARE URGED TO TUNE TO LOCAL EMERGENCY ALERT
SYSTEM MEDIA FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ISSUED BY LOCAL DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS AUTHORITIES. THEY WILL PROVIDE DETAILS ON THE
EVACUATION OF LOW-LYING AREAS...IF NECESSARY...AND WHEN IT IS SAFE
TO RETURN AFTER THE TSUNAMI HAS PASSED.
---
Our community has a pretty thorough plan for dealing with tsunamis. At about 5am, we received a "Reverse 911" call notifying us of the danger. Sirens went off shortly after. I awoke at 8am after a poor night's sleep. I was probably awakened by both of these warnings, rolled over, and went back to sleep. My home is about 200 ft above the water, so even the strongest tsunami will not hit here. Schools are closed, businesses are closed, and the Red Cross has opened a shelter at the fairgrounds for people living in evacuated areas. In Eureka, when someone dies by tsunami, it is usually because they are out on the beach watching the waves come in.
FYI :I am no expert, so this is how I understand things to work. If I'm wrong, please set me straight. :)
So up on my hilltop, there is no immediate danger. However, when a huge earthquake happens somewhere, pressure is released. The pressure shifts to somewhere else. The New Zealand earthquake a few weeks ago, now Japan. The biggest danger is that all this activity will set the Cascadia Fault loose (the one which Eureka is perched directly upon and runs from San Francisco to north of Vancouver). Last year, Eureka had a 6.5 earthquake just one week following the one in Haiti.
Last week, I finally completed my Disaster Kit. Here's a photo of part of it :
I'm supposed to change out all the food every year or so. You have
no idea how anxious I am to eat those Oreos ....next February.
I store it in my garage next to the camping gear. The idea is that I can grab all the camping stuff (including water filter, can opener, and gas stove), the food, and cat cage, all in one spot. I have an emergency kit in my car (blame that on 26 years of living in cold winter: a bag of warm hats and gloves, a blanket, water, and a box of granola bars--in the winter, it includes a bag of kitty litter and a shovel). So I'm set...as much as I can be.
The kit includes : food, water, first aid, a deck of cards, flashlights, and stuff for the kitty. We also have at least a one-month supply of canned, frozen, and refrigerated foods in our house.
Can you think of anything else I should have?
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
1020 AM PST FRI MAR 11 2011
CAZ001-002-120030-
REDWOOD COAST-MENDOCINO COAST-
1020 AM PST FRI MAR 11 2011
...A TSUNAMI WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR DEL NORTE...HUMBOLDT
AND MENDOCINO COUNTIES COASTAL AREAS...
EARTHQUAKE DATA...
PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE 8.9.
LOCATION 38.2 NORTH 142.5 EAST.
NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN.
TIME 2146 PST MAR 10 2011.
A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED AND HAS CAUSE DAMAGED ALONG THE DEL NORTE
COUNTY AND DAMAGE ALONG THE HUMBOLDT AND MENDOCINO COASTS IS
STILL EXPECTED. PERSONS AT THE COAST SHOULD BE ALERT TO
INSTRUCTIONS FROM LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS.
DAMAGING WAVES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ACROSS HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
DAMAGING WAVES HAVE ARRIVED AT CRESCENT CITY HARBOR WHERE ALL
DOCKS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. WAVES HAVE BROKEN OVER THE SPIT AT
STONE LAGOON. A 3 FOOT WAVE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN HUMBOLDT BAY. A
2-4 FOOT FLOOD WAVE WAS REPORTED MOVING UP THE MAD RIVER AT 8:45
AM PST. DAMAGING WAVES WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY
GAUGE LOCATION TIME AMPLITUDE
CRESCENT CITY CA 844 AM 8.1FT
NORTH SPIT HUMBOLDT 830 AM 3.1FT
ARENA COVE 917 AM 5.3FT
REMEMBER...DONT BE FOOLED...TSUNAMI WAVES CAN SEEM STOP FOR LONG
PERIODS AND THEN BEGIN AGAIN. WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL ALL CLEAR TO
RETURN TO THREATENED AREAS.
IN DEL NORTE COUNTY...PEOPLE ARE ORDERED TO EVACUATE TO ABOVE 9TH
STREET. SHELTER LOCATIONS INCLUDE SMITH RIVER ELEMENTARY...DEL NORTE
HIGH SCHOOL AND YUROK TRIBAL OFFICE IN KLAMATH.
IN HUMBOLDT AND MENDOCINO COUNTIES...PEOPLE ARE ADVISED TO STAY
OFF BEACHES...NOT TRAVEL BY WATERCRAFT AND EVACUATE LOW LYING
COASTAL AREAS IMMEDIATELY UNTIL ADVISED THAT IT IS SAFE TO RETURN.
PEOPLE SHOULD STAY CLEAR OF LOW LYING AREAS ALONG COASTAL RIVERS AS
TSUNAMI WAVES CAN TRAVEL UP FROM THE MOUTH OF COASTAL RIVERS.
BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT
TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS OF THIS EVENT. IF AVAILABLE...
REFER TO THE INTERNET SITE HTTP://TSUNAMI.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION.
DUE TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TSUNAMI WAVE
ACTIVITY...LISTENERS ARE URGED TO TUNE TO LOCAL EMERGENCY ALERT
SYSTEM MEDIA FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ISSUED BY LOCAL DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS AUTHORITIES. THEY WILL PROVIDE DETAILS ON THE
EVACUATION OF LOW-LYING AREAS...IF NECESSARY...AND WHEN IT IS SAFE
TO RETURN AFTER THE TSUNAMI HAS PASSED.
---
Our community has a pretty thorough plan for dealing with tsunamis. At about 5am, we received a "Reverse 911" call notifying us of the danger. Sirens went off shortly after. I awoke at 8am after a poor night's sleep. I was probably awakened by both of these warnings, rolled over, and went back to sleep. My home is about 200 ft above the water, so even the strongest tsunami will not hit here. Schools are closed, businesses are closed, and the Red Cross has opened a shelter at the fairgrounds for people living in evacuated areas. In Eureka, when someone dies by tsunami, it is usually because they are out on the beach watching the waves come in.
FYI :I am no expert, so this is how I understand things to work. If I'm wrong, please set me straight. :)
So up on my hilltop, there is no immediate danger. However, when a huge earthquake happens somewhere, pressure is released. The pressure shifts to somewhere else. The New Zealand earthquake a few weeks ago, now Japan. The biggest danger is that all this activity will set the Cascadia Fault loose (the one which Eureka is perched directly upon and runs from San Francisco to north of Vancouver). Last year, Eureka had a 6.5 earthquake just one week following the one in Haiti.
Last week, I finally completed my Disaster Kit. Here's a photo of part of it :
I'm supposed to change out all the food every year or so. You haveno idea how anxious I am to eat those Oreos ....next February.
I store it in my garage next to the camping gear. The idea is that I can grab all the camping stuff (including water filter, can opener, and gas stove), the food, and cat cage, all in one spot. I have an emergency kit in my car (blame that on 26 years of living in cold winter: a bag of warm hats and gloves, a blanket, water, and a box of granola bars--in the winter, it includes a bag of kitty litter and a shovel). So I'm set...as much as I can be.
The kit includes : food, water, first aid, a deck of cards, flashlights, and stuff for the kitty. We also have at least a one-month supply of canned, frozen, and refrigerated foods in our house.
Can you think of anything else I should have?
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Terrible Twenty
Four days after racing the half marathon, I tried my long run, the first 20-miler since the really icy and cold one in Michigan. And it sucked. A lot.
(Reason it was so close to the half was that the forecast was to be nicest and Matt starts overnights tomorrow and is really cranky when he doesn't get enough sleep. Drag him out during overnights and the dragon will come out of him.)
Reasons it sucked :
1. The route I used was a 10-miler out and back. 10 miles into the wind and 10 with it.
2. I went out too fast for how badly the wind was blowing. return trip = no energy.
3. The warmest day since .... umm... since I moved here. Salt formed around my headband and slipped into my eyes. I had lots of my usual "hot weather" chafing spots. Also, I had to pee and decided, since the road was busy, I'd pull my shorts and undies aside and not put them around my knees, in case a car snuck up on me. This resulted in lots of salty pee on my shorts. I got fabulous chafing spots where the wet shorts rubbed between my legs. Lesson learned. (sometimes I can do suuuper idiotic things)
4. Sore IT band forced me to stop and stretch every mile for the first five. Then the aching mysteriously disappeared.
Matt was ready to leave me when I continued to whine about this and that going wrong. But it was the worst run I had in quite some time, so whine I did. We ended up going 19.5 miles at an average 9:45/mi pace.
And I'm done with 20's for two weeks. THANK GOODNESS. *whew* I've got three more 20+ scheduled before the race, so I can redeem myself later.
(Reason it was so close to the half was that the forecast was to be nicest and Matt starts overnights tomorrow and is really cranky when he doesn't get enough sleep. Drag him out during overnights and the dragon will come out of him.)
Reasons it sucked :
1. The route I used was a 10-miler out and back. 10 miles into the wind and 10 with it.
2. I went out too fast for how badly the wind was blowing. return trip = no energy.
3. The warmest day since .... umm... since I moved here. Salt formed around my headband and slipped into my eyes. I had lots of my usual "hot weather" chafing spots. Also, I had to pee and decided, since the road was busy, I'd pull my shorts and undies aside and not put them around my knees, in case a car snuck up on me. This resulted in lots of salty pee on my shorts. I got fabulous chafing spots where the wet shorts rubbed between my legs. Lesson learned. (sometimes I can do suuuper idiotic things)
4. Sore IT band forced me to stop and stretch every mile for the first five. Then the aching mysteriously disappeared.
Matt was ready to leave me when I continued to whine about this and that going wrong. But it was the worst run I had in quite some time, so whine I did. We ended up going 19.5 miles at an average 9:45/mi pace.
And I'm done with 20's for two weeks. THANK GOODNESS. *whew* I've got three more 20+ scheduled before the race, so I can redeem myself later.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Bidwell Classic Half Marathon
The day started at about midnight. I had the most terrible time sleeping. Mother Nature had decided to give my monthly gift the day before the race. And the cramps are so bad that I hardly sleep. Oh Joy. So it took about an hour after the alarm went off for me to feel awake. I didn’t want to race, but I felt better after breakfast.
The weather was beautiful, sunny and 55F in the morning..warming up to 65 by the finish—this was my warmest run since August. My racing strategy was to run the first couple miles slower and then pick it up from there. With the mass congestion of people, it was nearly impossible for me to run too fast anyways. The first two miles felt really slow. I tried to keep Garmy under a 8:30/mi, but she kept getting lost in the trees, so my first miles were slow. I’d have to rely on the mile splits instead. I was running near a group of women, they were talking about their training and never having averaged under a 10:00/mi. They were excited to be running so quickly. I glanced at my watch, an 8:00. It was my goal to run even splits. I hoped that they’d stay to pace me, but I knew they wouldn’t. Somewhere around mile four, I finally found my groove and averaged around an 8:10/mi. One third of the way done. The course was in a traffic-free park and made two loops.
Near mile 5, I was beginning to worry that I was going too fast. I was starting to get thirsty. At least my girly cramps had finally gone away. Just before my first water stop, I spotted what looked like a Dairy Queen. Was it a mirage? Either way, I considered scrapping the racing idea for a blizzard. Maybe on the second loop, I convinced myself. After the first water stop, my right knee (the IT trouble knee) tightened up and I had to limp a few hundred yards to get it moving again. This was the only problem my knee had, restarting after a water stop. Maybe it didn’t like the flavor of the gatorade. It’s amazing what running on level roads does for my knee.
I was still averaging the 8:10/mi as I started passing people. Miles seven, eight, nine…..I began counting the people I passed. 15, in just those few miles. Mile 10, I glanced down at my watch and calculated my finish time. If I kept pushing at the 8:05, I would maybe beat my brother’s PR. I had made it this far and still felt good, I needed to push a little more and really beat it by a good margin. It was surprising that I had enough energy to run faster than I was already going. I was really starting to consider a walk break. The DQ came up on my left. Then the last water station at mile 12.5 I bargained with myself. It took every fiber of brain power to run past the water station, rather than stop and walk while I drank, but I did it. I promised myself a Blizzard if I skipped it. I passed ten more people between the last water station and the finish line. This never happens!!! I’m usually the one being passed because I go out too quickly. What the heck? I ran the last 5K about 10 seconds slower than my current 5K PR pace. When the finish line finally came into sight, I hit the gas. HARD. About ten feet from the timing mats, overwhelming exhaustion bubbled up inside me and I felt dizzy. As I staggered toward the volunteer removing my chip, I hit the stop on my watch. 1:46.40, an average of 8:08/mi. ((How come I can run 13 miles at that, but can’t run five under an 8:00/mi? Maybe I should warm up for my tempo runs?))
I couldn’t wait to tell Chris. He’s really competitive and has always prided himself on being a faster runner than I was. However, these days, he likes to lift weights and runs the occasional 5K. When we run together, he always complains about how slow I am and asks why can’t I run faster. Now I have some proof that I’m faster than him at something…for now. I bet he’ll run half this year, to reclaim his title. Haha.
It took awhile to find Matt at the end of the race. When he finished, he walked back to the car for the camera and got lost looking for it. I saw him while getting food at the aid tent. When he saw me, a look of disappointment appeared on his face. He apologized for missing my finish. Several times. I never get to see him finish, so I told him it was okay. Those ladies that were pacing me at the beginning? Finished in about 2:15. Ouch. They definitely crashed somewhere after I left them. I remembered back to my first several half marys..that used to be me. Until just a year ago. Pacing is HARD. I’ve got pacing down for half marathons, it seems. But pacing for marathons? Still working on that. Crash and burn with miles to go isn’t how I like to race, but that’s how my marathons go…..maybe someday they will iron themselves out like the half.
Matt finished in 1:31, besting his PR by six minutes, and running at a 6:59/mi pace. He added tempo runs into his training lately, and he thought that made a huge difference. We finished early enough to see the award ceremony (this usually doesn’t happen). Awards went to top 3 in each age group. The 3rd place in Matt’s group ran a 6:58/mi pace. This guy was less than 20 seconds ahead of him. Matt placed fourth. If he had run this race just two months later, after his 30th birthday, he would have outright won his age group.
After a shower, Matt and I headed out to Dairy Queen for our Blizzard. I had no problem convincing him to get ice cream. Haha. (We’re a bad influence on each other when it comes to ice cream and chocolate.)
We split a Mint Oreo Blizzard.
Those pink trees across the street? That's where the run was. Those beautiful flowers
are from Tulip Trees. And it was pretty. Made my allergies nuts though.
Then I went to claim my prize. What I forgot to mention earlier, is that I got a “Golden Ticket” in the race packet. Matt and I joked that we got the prize because our last name is just one letter different from the race’s name. I claimed my prize and got a $100 gift certificate to a local spa. Since Chico is four hours away, I didn’t think I’d return to go to the spa. So we bought $100 worth of really expensive skin care products. We came away with : body scrub, coconut massage lotion, antioxident serum, and a bunch of candles.
Expensive spa products, new PRs, and a beautiful race morning. Not too shabby for the $40 entry fee.
The Math :
Ranks :
5/48 Age Group
23/261 Women
110/557 Overall
1:46.30 8:08/mi pace (chip pace)
My splits :
What would I do without you Garmy???
The weather was beautiful, sunny and 55F in the morning..warming up to 65 by the finish—this was my warmest run since August. My racing strategy was to run the first couple miles slower and then pick it up from there. With the mass congestion of people, it was nearly impossible for me to run too fast anyways. The first two miles felt really slow. I tried to keep Garmy under a 8:30/mi, but she kept getting lost in the trees, so my first miles were slow. I’d have to rely on the mile splits instead. I was running near a group of women, they were talking about their training and never having averaged under a 10:00/mi. They were excited to be running so quickly. I glanced at my watch, an 8:00. It was my goal to run even splits. I hoped that they’d stay to pace me, but I knew they wouldn’t. Somewhere around mile four, I finally found my groove and averaged around an 8:10/mi. One third of the way done. The course was in a traffic-free park and made two loops.
Near mile 5, I was beginning to worry that I was going too fast. I was starting to get thirsty. At least my girly cramps had finally gone away. Just before my first water stop, I spotted what looked like a Dairy Queen. Was it a mirage? Either way, I considered scrapping the racing idea for a blizzard. Maybe on the second loop, I convinced myself. After the first water stop, my right knee (the IT trouble knee) tightened up and I had to limp a few hundred yards to get it moving again. This was the only problem my knee had, restarting after a water stop. Maybe it didn’t like the flavor of the gatorade. It’s amazing what running on level roads does for my knee.
I was still averaging the 8:10/mi as I started passing people. Miles seven, eight, nine…..I began counting the people I passed. 15, in just those few miles. Mile 10, I glanced down at my watch and calculated my finish time. If I kept pushing at the 8:05, I would maybe beat my brother’s PR. I had made it this far and still felt good, I needed to push a little more and really beat it by a good margin. It was surprising that I had enough energy to run faster than I was already going. I was really starting to consider a walk break. The DQ came up on my left. Then the last water station at mile 12.5 I bargained with myself. It took every fiber of brain power to run past the water station, rather than stop and walk while I drank, but I did it. I promised myself a Blizzard if I skipped it. I passed ten more people between the last water station and the finish line. This never happens!!! I’m usually the one being passed because I go out too quickly. What the heck? I ran the last 5K about 10 seconds slower than my current 5K PR pace. When the finish line finally came into sight, I hit the gas. HARD. About ten feet from the timing mats, overwhelming exhaustion bubbled up inside me and I felt dizzy. As I staggered toward the volunteer removing my chip, I hit the stop on my watch. 1:46.40, an average of 8:08/mi. ((How come I can run 13 miles at that, but can’t run five under an 8:00/mi? Maybe I should warm up for my tempo runs?))
I couldn’t wait to tell Chris. He’s really competitive and has always prided himself on being a faster runner than I was. However, these days, he likes to lift weights and runs the occasional 5K. When we run together, he always complains about how slow I am and asks why can’t I run faster. Now I have some proof that I’m faster than him at something…for now. I bet he’ll run half this year, to reclaim his title. Haha.
It took awhile to find Matt at the end of the race. When he finished, he walked back to the car for the camera and got lost looking for it. I saw him while getting food at the aid tent. When he saw me, a look of disappointment appeared on his face. He apologized for missing my finish. Several times. I never get to see him finish, so I told him it was okay. Those ladies that were pacing me at the beginning? Finished in about 2:15. Ouch. They definitely crashed somewhere after I left them. I remembered back to my first several half marys..that used to be me. Until just a year ago. Pacing is HARD. I’ve got pacing down for half marathons, it seems. But pacing for marathons? Still working on that. Crash and burn with miles to go isn’t how I like to race, but that’s how my marathons go…..maybe someday they will iron themselves out like the half.
Matt finished in 1:31, besting his PR by six minutes, and running at a 6:59/mi pace. He added tempo runs into his training lately, and he thought that made a huge difference. We finished early enough to see the award ceremony (this usually doesn’t happen). Awards went to top 3 in each age group. The 3rd place in Matt’s group ran a 6:58/mi pace. This guy was less than 20 seconds ahead of him. Matt placed fourth. If he had run this race just two months later, after his 30th birthday, he would have outright won his age group.
After a shower, Matt and I headed out to Dairy Queen for our Blizzard. I had no problem convincing him to get ice cream. Haha. (We’re a bad influence on each other when it comes to ice cream and chocolate.)
We split a Mint Oreo Blizzard.
Those pink trees across the street? That's where the run was. Those beautiful flowersare from Tulip Trees. And it was pretty. Made my allergies nuts though.
Then I went to claim my prize. What I forgot to mention earlier, is that I got a “Golden Ticket” in the race packet. Matt and I joked that we got the prize because our last name is just one letter different from the race’s name. I claimed my prize and got a $100 gift certificate to a local spa. Since Chico is four hours away, I didn’t think I’d return to go to the spa. So we bought $100 worth of really expensive skin care products. We came away with : body scrub, coconut massage lotion, antioxident serum, and a bunch of candles.
Expensive spa products, new PRs, and a beautiful race morning. Not too shabby for the $40 entry fee.
The Math :
Ranks :
5/48 Age Group
23/261 Women
110/557 Overall
1:46.30 8:08/mi pace (chip pace)
My splits :
What would I do without you Garmy???
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