4 years

Apparently, it's been 4 years, give or take, since I posted last.

Does anybody really blog anymore?

Nebo

From the summit of Mt. Nebo looking west to north.

Bugger of a climb from Wolf Pass up to the peak. I don't know if it was nerves and anxiety resulting from my nose dive up on Timp three weeks earlier (which, looking back, was really nothing much), or just that I felt way more exposed. Or both. But that section up at the top was no bueno--especially coming down. I may never summit Mt. Nebo again--and I'm OK with that. At least right now.

Delano Peak

Delano Peak

Delano Peak is the highest point in the Tushar Mountain range located in South-Central Utah. I decided that I was going to claim both Delano and Holly on my trip down to Beaver this past weekend.

While I managed to get Delano in, I'll get Mt. Holly taken care of next time. There is a fairly discernible path that goes from Delano over to Holly and shouldn't take a long time. Mt. Holly is actually the one I've wanted to get to for as long as I can remember.

Me at Delano Peak

The hike up to Delano, short though it may be--roughly two miles from where the trail leaves the road--is pretty steep.  I was stopping every 15 to 20 yards just so I could catch my breath. It's not a "popular" hike either. I saw only one other person up on the mountain that day, and she came by a different route than I did. I took what I believe is the "advertised" route that begins north of Big John Flat on FR123 (about 5 miles of dirt road just off the main Beaver Canyon road). I took the same path coming back down until about the 2/3 mark and then I cut cross country making a straight line for my car.

I have to say that, despite a lack of any real adventure or mishap, I had  good time. I saw some mountain goats up on top--some fairly close, however I wasn't quick enough to snap a picture before they high-tailed it down the mountain. I don't think these goats are as familiar or comfortable with human folk as the goats up on Timpanogos are.

Mt. Holly

Just after leaving my car, while still on the dirt road, I happened to glance down the hillside to my left and caught sight of two runners following a trail heading in the opposite direction. Got me to wondering how popular the trail running thing was in the area. There was, on Friday afternoon as I drove by Puffer Lake, a fairly large group of what I think were runners. At least they were dressed for running. However, none of them had hydration packs or hand-helds that I could see, so if they were up there to run, it was either a short distance or well supported.

Anyways, I made it to the top, Delano Peak, in just over an hour. Cell service was great at the highest point in Beaver and Paiute Counties. I sent off a couple of pictures to the kids and called one of those kids that complain that I never pick up when she calls. I also got a text from my sister saying that my mother was getting worried about me. Forty-seven years old and my mother still worries about me.

And this has got to be the most uninteresting and uninspired thing I've ever written. Seriously. As I sit here typing I have more interest in going outside to look at the weather than I do in staying here and forcing more boring dribble out of my small and pathetic mind. And so, I think I'll do just that. It's thundering out there--that's got to be a good thing!

Squaw Peak for the 4th?

So, I'd been thinking for a while that it would be cool to be on Squaw Peak for the fireworks on the 4th of July. And so, I did just that.

When I got up to the top, there were 3 others. By the time I took these pictures of the coolest sunset, there were maybe 15 of us up there.

By the time it was dark, there were close to 50. And I must say that Squaw Peak with 50 people on it is rather crowded! But I, by virtue of arriving early, had a great seat--even if it's sitting on a rock, which I was.

What did I gain--or come away with--from this experience? I would much rather hang out with young children than college students and grown adults--any day.

Counter tops, back splashes, wood floor, tile, electric wiring, and sheet rock

I failed to include air conditioning. My sprinklers work, but my yard is chock full of rocks. Walnuts abound. Drippy kitchen faucet. Crawl space, rusty old pipes, creaky floors, and painted-over door hinges. Nasty carpet, tiny bathroom, cottage cheese ceiling. These are a few of my favorite things. And brown paper packages.

Stuff I need to do

Tear down the plasterboard walls and ceilings, rewire, refinish the floors, and insulate the crawl space.

Get back into school, survive the winter.

Get into really good running shape before May.

A part-time job would be nice—or a primary job that pays enough would be even better (see the get back into school thing).

Move on, be secure, feel happy, smile more.

Pray more, be more sincere, retain more.

Love my kids unconditionally.

Forgive. 

Forgive some more. 

Hike up Timp

Never before have I taken a picture that's gotten such favorable comments.

Who do you submit stuff like this to?

0.0

That's a sticker I saw today on Facebook. 

It's for the anti-runner. 

The person who is proud of his loathing of running. 

I can appreciate the sentiment. I haven't run a bit in two weeks.

And I can feel it in my gut.

I've become apathetic. And not just about running. Generally.

The strongest emotion I'm capable of feeling right now is that of missing my kids.

What emotion is that exactly?

I make things popular

Case in point: running. 

Used to be that not many people ran. Fewer ran marathons. True, running was gaining in popularity before I started way back when, in the previous century, like 1997 I think. 

But it wasn't nearly has hip and cool as it is now--since I started doing it.

And it's kind of odd, too, in that I'm not particularly good or fast. I'm exceptionally average.

Still.

I don't know exactly what it is. Social media maybe? Folks hear about my running exploits via facebook and want to be more like me, possibly. Who knows?

Regardless, it's become somewhat of an item of concern. Particularly with respect to trail running.

I don't want it to become popular. I want it to be enjoyed by a few rather than the masses because I'll enjoy it more by sharing it, and the trails, with less people.

So, in the end, I cannot recommend that anybody begin trail running. It's no fun. In fact, don't run at all. Except for maybe on a treadmill--cause that's real run.

Peace and love...

Hoarder

It's a well documented fact that I have too many pairs of running shoes.

What I also have far too many of: running/race shirts. 

Three storage bins and a dresser drawer stuffed full of 'em.

What am I to do?