The big steep fire-trail from nowhere to nowhere
20 April 2005If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
I took this photo yesterday in the Catoction Mountains right by Camp DavidHave you ever seen a more inviting cardio hike path? I intend on hitting this impressive gradient inside of two weeks. This fire trail is 10-miles from the Mountain Compound. I am stiff and heavy coming off the winter hibernation and I have certain oil-and-lube the Tin Man procedures that I employ to ramp up the cardio. But there is a lag time between implementation and benefit; I need another week to do this hike justice. I intend to walk up this side, down the other side and back again. In addition to the hike, I am seriously considering totting clubbells or kettlebells up to the crest in a backpack. I need another week of intense walking, with a weighted pack, around the circumference of the local farm. Once I crest this particular fire trail Ill snap a picture or two; catch my breath and keep going right on down the other side.
Descending is much easier and heading downhill provides an active rest period between the intense cardio efforts required to power uphill. Walking down the other side allows you to recuperate fully after the lung-searing uphill effort and prior to the final hill. By walking down the other side you force yourself to walk back up to the crest once again. This gives you two lung-bursting hill climb reps for your exercise log. When you top out a second time, why not take a light and precise implement workout? My idea is to pack some clubbells or kettlebells into a backpack. You get a great workout just toting them up and down the hills.
After all the thigh-burn of the two near-vertical power climbs, taking a light weighted implement workout would feel positively therapeutic. The walk down the face of mountainside afterward is another active rest period and allows you to settle down after the session. HmmmI think next time Ill bring along the coffee and my one-flame camp stove burner. Note to self: Easy Gilligan or youll end up packing more superfluous crap than Hemingway going on safari in The Green Hills of Africa.
Anyone out there fish? Trout season is upon us and few things are tastier or better for you then freshly caught trout cooked that same day. Preferably prepared in expert style. One thing Ive learned is its easy to cook trout incorrectly. Great care must be taken if fillets or whole trout are grilled; its so easy to dry out fish, two minutes of inattention at the wrong time and succulent morphs into sucks. This is a mini-waterfall I was checking for trout signI sat down and took in the moist vaporous smell; created when whitewater comes crashing down into the calm clear cold pool that lay at the bottom of the tumble. The sound was intense and the moisture condensed and moved in mistsrolling along barely visible in moist ethereal waves…I did some stretchingseemed appropriate.first sitting down on my haunches, ass-on-heelsrelaxing totally, completely, sinking; focusing hard on the visual of the whitewater, breathing deep and rhythmically. The head clears naturally when confronted with nature alone and having it all to ones self is exhilarating. Hamstring stretches were followed by pushup stretches between two rocks, then sitting stretches, lunge stretches and laybacks.
After sweaty exertions on the trails around this stream this little streamside stretch was restorative and revitalizing. Pavel would have been proud. It was time to move onto other thingsI intend to make lake kayaking my newest cardio mode. I am purchasing an ultra light shell, a double-bladed oar and one monster freaking life jacket. I want one rated up to 400-pounds. I know I am going to capsize at some point and I want that to be a minor laughable incident. Should be great to hit 200 power strokes in a particular direction, turn and whirlwind your way back towards the fishing dock, over and over, ad infinitum. Sounds like a great time. It is damned hard to find good cardio arm exercise; lots of leg modes but few arm-biased aerobic modes.
After I get tired of paddling I figure I can do some shore fishing with my ultra-lite spin rodscientists proved years ago that fishing was the perfect post-exercise activity for the Purposeful Primitive. Besides, might get lucky and snag one a beautiful mountain lake trout. The trout in the lake are elusive but tasty. No catch-and-release policy with Mr. Marty, catch and eat policy.
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