28 miles
1:38
Headed out after work on the road bike for a quick trip up SuperFlag.
Felt better than I have, especially the foot and was eager to see how it felt in climbing mode. Much to my surprise, it felt very good, almost imperceptable. My limiting factor tonight was simple lack of fitness or specific training. Made it to the turn in 17 from the bridge, then 32:56 to the top. Far from impressive, but a little better than I anticipated, so I was happy with that. 1:03 from the house to the top, then 35 back.
Oh, this blog is back to it's original name, UpHill Adventures it is from now on!
Sierra
Sierra
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, 8/15/09 Leadville 100
My sister Darcie flew out from Virginia to visit with me, motivated by the opportunity to see Lance race again in the Leadville 100, as she is a huge fan, stemming back from her childhood when she would come to my races and swoon over Lance. She was not disappointed, as she got to see him up close 7 times, before, during and after the race.
Getting around the course to view the race was a breeze, since Kevin knew the course well as he had been to the LT100 before to participate, crew and spectate numerous times. Although there were large crowds, it never felt crowded and we never got stuck in traffic nor were we ever slowed down.
The highlight for me was watching Lance ascend the long and steep centerpiece climb called "Powerline". We were getting updates that he was leading by a large margin and anticipation of his arrival was great amongst the crowd. I watched from about half way up the climb and the crowd was going nuts as he rounded the corner, followed by a dirtbike (camera crew) and a large group of crazed spectators following close behind and along side.
As he passed, I was snapping a bunch of pictures and before I knew it, broken foot be damned, I was now part of the scrum running up the hill, camera in hand high above my head taking pictures in rapid fire mode. Before I knew it, most of the fans had peeled off and it was just me running behind. I tryed to pass on the right to get some better shots, but this happened just as the gradient was relenting and he was starting to crank up the tempo. Being careful of my foot, I backed off, content with over 100 pictures in just a few minutes. After watching the race, I am half tempted to get back into biking shape next year and give it a go.... food for thought.
My sister Darcie in a crazed dash for Lance.
Another highlight of the day was meeting and hanging out with the one and only Anton Krupicka before the race, then running into him again later in the day on Powerline. Though not surprised, I was impressed by what a likable, down to earth person he is. Hopefully we get to do some running together when I am back on my feet.
More pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_08_15_Leadville/
Getting around the course to view the race was a breeze, since Kevin knew the course well as he had been to the LT100 before to participate, crew and spectate numerous times. Although there were large crowds, it never felt crowded and we never got stuck in traffic nor were we ever slowed down.
The highlight for me was watching Lance ascend the long and steep centerpiece climb called "Powerline". We were getting updates that he was leading by a large margin and anticipation of his arrival was great amongst the crowd. I watched from about half way up the climb and the crowd was going nuts as he rounded the corner, followed by a dirtbike (camera crew) and a large group of crazed spectators following close behind and along side.
As he passed, I was snapping a bunch of pictures and before I knew it, broken foot be damned, I was now part of the scrum running up the hill, camera in hand high above my head taking pictures in rapid fire mode. Before I knew it, most of the fans had peeled off and it was just me running behind. I tryed to pass on the right to get some better shots, but this happened just as the gradient was relenting and he was starting to crank up the tempo. Being careful of my foot, I backed off, content with over 100 pictures in just a few minutes. After watching the race, I am half tempted to get back into biking shape next year and give it a go.... food for thought.
My sister Darcie in a crazed dash for Lance.
Another highlight of the day was meeting and hanging out with the one and only Anton Krupicka before the race, then running into him again later in the day on Powerline. Though not surprised, I was impressed by what a likable, down to earth person he is. Hopefully we get to do some running together when I am back on my feet.
More pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_08_15_Leadville/
Friday 8/14/09 Lake Isabel
~5 miles/400 vertical
First time out on a trail in a while. Allison and I took my sister Darcie up to Brainard, then hiked up to Lake Isabel. I used some light hikers with a carbon shim in my left shoe and went super slow and easy. I used poles for support which helped tremendously to keep the weight off of my bad foot. It was great to get up high, take in the wildflowers and soak in the mountain air. My sister had never really been on such a hike and was very impressed, hopefully it inspired her to come out more often and hike with us.
Pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_08_14_Isabel/
First time out on a trail in a while. Allison and I took my sister Darcie up to Brainard, then hiked up to Lake Isabel. I used some light hikers with a carbon shim in my left shoe and went super slow and easy. I used poles for support which helped tremendously to keep the weight off of my bad foot. It was great to get up high, take in the wildflowers and soak in the mountain air. My sister had never really been on such a hike and was very impressed, hopefully it inspired her to come out more often and hike with us.
Pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_08_14_Isabel/
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday-Thursday, 8/11/09-8/13/09
Tues- Commute to work on road bike. 30 miles.
Weds- Commute to work on road bike. 30 miles.
Thurs- 22 miles to S. Mesa TH and back with Allison in the morning. Perfect.
I am stoked to be getting out on the bike and am feeling increasingly fit, but still a bit off, as I am not really able to comfortably crank it up out of the saddle or mash big gears yet (although my typical style is to spin and not mash anyways). I am noticing improvement every day though as I walk around the house, even momentarily forgetting that I am recovering from a broken bone and I am a bit more comfortable on the bike with each passing day. I think my biggest hindrance at this point is my atrophied left leg, especially my calf, but it is coming back quicker than I expected.
As much as I try to convince myself and others that it is no biggie to be missing Pikes this year, it becomes more of a big deal as the day draws near. Reading all the chitter chat and prognosticating online and seeing the countdown timer clicking away is really bumming me out and I wish I could be toeing the line in good form, ready to give it my all. I guess I have to be patient for another year.
I wish all my friends the best of luck up on the mountain though and am excited for them, especially George, nobody deserves it more than you my friend, run a good one for me!
Weds- Commute to work on road bike. 30 miles.
Thurs- 22 miles to S. Mesa TH and back with Allison in the morning. Perfect.
I am stoked to be getting out on the bike and am feeling increasingly fit, but still a bit off, as I am not really able to comfortably crank it up out of the saddle or mash big gears yet (although my typical style is to spin and not mash anyways). I am noticing improvement every day though as I walk around the house, even momentarily forgetting that I am recovering from a broken bone and I am a bit more comfortable on the bike with each passing day. I think my biggest hindrance at this point is my atrophied left leg, especially my calf, but it is coming back quicker than I expected.
As much as I try to convince myself and others that it is no biggie to be missing Pikes this year, it becomes more of a big deal as the day draws near. Reading all the chitter chat and prognosticating online and seeing the countdown timer clicking away is really bumming me out and I wish I could be toeing the line in good form, ready to give it my all. I guess I have to be patient for another year.
I wish all my friends the best of luck up on the mountain though and am excited for them, especially George, nobody deserves it more than you my friend, run a good one for me!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, 8/10/2009
Went to see Jeremy for my 1 month follow up x-ray. He said that my break looks to be healing right on track and said that I could ride the road bike if I am careful to not have any mishaps (i.e. something to cause me to have to come down on my foot hard). I'm not at all worried about that scenario however, as the inherent nature of cycling is risky enough as it is and many worse things could happen. Best to not dwell on the potential downsides, just ride safe a possible, wear a helmet etc....
I am out of the big Aircast boot and now wearing a much more comfortable rocker shoe with a nice stiff sole for the next two weeks. It looks very "rehab" and silly, with the two velcro straps, but is a huge upgrade over the hot and unwieldy Aircast.
After August 24th, I will try hiking with a stiff hiking boot and see how that goes, but that is subject to delay depending on how I feel. Jeremy says I should be fully healed after 8 weeks and can most likely start running, but since I am not training for anything, I may just delay that a bit and be content with hiking/biking as to take no chances.
Evening road ride:
22 miles
I am out of the big Aircast boot and now wearing a much more comfortable rocker shoe with a nice stiff sole for the next two weeks. It looks very "rehab" and silly, with the two velcro straps, but is a huge upgrade over the hot and unwieldy Aircast.
After August 24th, I will try hiking with a stiff hiking boot and see how that goes, but that is subject to delay depending on how I feel. Jeremy says I should be fully healed after 8 weeks and can most likely start running, but since I am not training for anything, I may just delay that a bit and be content with hiking/biking as to take no chances.
Evening road ride:
22 miles
Monday, August 10, 2009
Saturday, 8/08/09 Road Ride
Today I was on my own, so I rode the same route as the previous day, but added a few miles and pushed a bit harder just for kicks. I felt OK considering my lack of fitness and recovering foot, but I just resolved to spin and made it a point not to push any big gears. Took it super easy on the small hills, just sit and spin, no standing and powering over anything.
41 miles
1:51 (1:48 without traffic lights)
Ave. 22.7 mph
41 miles
1:51 (1:48 without traffic lights)
Ave. 22.7 mph
Friday, 8/7/09 Road Ride
The Beist was in town for the 5430 Tri, so he joined Allison and I for a 38 mile ride up to Hygiene and back. We took it pretty easy, easy enough to spot a un-used Co2 cartridge that I added to my flat changing arsenal and a nice pair of sunglasses in the middle of the road. Score!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, 8/06/09 Road Ride
Bolstered by my ride yesterday, Allison and I got out for a 40 miler on the road bikes. Headed up to Hygiene and looped back through Boulder. My foot felt even better and I wanted to go faster, but maintained my resolve to take it easy for the first week at least and not be pushing things. My left leg is smaller from atrophy, especially my calf muscle, so I need to equal that out before I start trying hammer. I'm so stoked to be getting back out!
Wednesday, 8/05/09 Road Ride
Got out for my first road ride in a month and first real exercise since I broke my foot. I took it pretty easy and was able to spin without putting pressure on my broken/healing bone. I ended up getting ~20 miles in a bit over an hour, no speed records, but it did wonders to bolster my outlook and spirits. My foot was no worse for the wear.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Alaska
Wednesday, July 22nd 2009
Travel Denver to Anchorage
After dropping Sierra off at our friends’ house, we headed to DIA, parking in the Pikes Peak lot of all places and caught the shuttle to the Alaska Air desk. The line was not long, but for some reason the line was moving extremely slow. I kept patiently waiting, using my crutch for support, but eventually just went and sat down until it was our turn.
I took advantage of the complimentary wheel chair ride to the gate which was a bit of a trip, as I have never been in one before. This was actually a sweet way to get through security, as there is a separate handicapped line with no wait. Although we had plenty of time before our flight, I was feeling good about bypassing the unusually long line so quickly and not having to crutch my way through. The good feelings were short lived though, I was directed to a glass enclosure where I had to wait, balancing without my crutch. Eventually, a smug TSA guy came along and escorted me over to a seat, where he went about his job of being a smug @-hole. Nothing against fat, dumpy, picked on as a kid TSA guys wearing coke bottle glasses, but this guy was worthy of a Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm episode.
He took great pleasure of making snide remarks and flexing his great TSA Homeland Security muscle. I was outwardly annoyed by him, but at the same time amused, as I of course had nothing to worry about. It was tempting to smart off back to him, but any wise guy comments post 9-11 could clear a whole airport, so I just sucked it up. Just got me thinking about what a sad life he must have and that this is his ONLY place in the world where he has any feeling of worth. Even with this setback, it was still quicker and easier than waiting in line and we were soon on our way.
Our flight was on time, leaving around 9pm, where we headed non-stop to Anchorage. My foot quickly became swollen and started throbbing, so I took a vicoden and some ibuprofen, which unfortunately did not do much.
Thursday, July 23rd
We arrived in Anchorage around 1am local time feeling a bit whacked out from not sleeping (3am MST). Our baggage arrived without incident and we caught a cab to the RV park where Allison’s parents were awaiting our arrival (sleeping of course). After several hours of sleep (thanks to the eye mask, as it gets light a bit after 4am), we ate breakfast and headed South along the Turnagain Arm toward Seward. The Turnagain Arm is a long and narrow bay off of the Cook Inlet and has one of the largest tides in the world (~40 ft. or so). The unique topography of the inlet/sea floor and the large tides create a boar tide that comes roaring through the bay. You can literally see the several foot high walls of water stretching across the bay, marching in quick succession, one after the other, quickly covering the exposed mud flats. For some reason, every time I visit Alaska, I am continually fascinated by this phenomena.
I had been to Seward twice in the past and it was rainy both times and this trip was no exception. We found an awesome RV park at the far end of town that accommodated 10 or so RV’s and was literally right on Resurrection Bay with amazing views of the bay, and ironically Mt. Marathon. Our camp spot was a 10 minute hobble from the Sea Life Center, so we headed over there for something to do. Neat place with lots of local sea life in tanks/enclosures.
I’ll have to admit that I actually did not mind the rain in Seward. You just expect it and prepare for it. It also helped that I had a broken foot and helped minimize my urges to get out and hike up peaks. The sound of the steady rain on the metal roof of the camper is very lulling and relaxing and makes for excellent sleeping.
Friday, July 24th
Today was the much anticipated 10 hour glacier cruise to the Northwestern Glacier. We took a similar cruise to the nearby Holgate glacier in 2004, but this trip would cover some new area that we heard was very dramatic. There was some question as to whether or not the boat would actually make it to the glacier because of the choppy seas that would toss around the 70ft. SS Chugach. The swells in Resurrection Bay were not too bad, but once we got to the mouth of the bay, we were on the edge of the Gulf of Alaska which has some of the stormiest seas on earth, things got a little fun. The seas were 4-8 feet, which does not sound like much, but it made for some good rocking and rolling. I actually really enjoy it, but others on the boat were quite nauseous and several people were tossed about. It was interesting trying to get around the boat on a bum foot, but I managed pretty well.
The choppy sections were short lived though, as the majority of the route navigated relatively sheltered bays, inlets and passages. We saw several Humpback Whales, Dahl Porpoise, Sea Otters, Sea Lions, Seals, Puffins etc….
One of the highlights was a short side trip into a narrow bay ringed by sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high, where there were numerous waterfalls cascading from unknown heights and the captain of the ship nudged the front of the boat within feet of the rock wall and cascades.
Since it had been so rainy, it had spurred an increase in glacial activity and filled the bay with icebergs. We maneuvered through the ice, pushing aside small bergs that would clunk loudly under the hull, but eventually the ice got too dense and we could get no closer than ~1 mile.
Saturday, July 25th
We took our time getting out of Seward and then enjoyed the scenic drive North to Palmer on our way to Denali. On the way, we passed many cyclists heading in the opposite direction. I felt pity for them, as it was cool, windy, raining hard at times and the road was quite barren and lonely. Most of them were solo riders and they all had the same miserable look etched on their face.
We eventually stopped by the Exit Glacier for lunch and did some walking around while Allison’s parents napped in the camper. My ability to walk was getting a bit better, but it was still tedious to get around. My urge to explore always gets the best of me though and we started working our way through a game trail through the dense alders in hopes of getting closer view of an awesome hanging glacier. The whole way, I thought of Timothy Treadwell stories of the Grizzly Maze and we made enough noise as to not surprise anything that could eat us. Eventually, the writing was on the wall that attempting this with a broken foot was a bad idea, so we headed back.
Sunday, July 26th
After an excellent Alaska style breakfast in Palmer with plenty of grease and fat, we drove onward to Denali. Of course the Alaska Range was socked in with clouds, even though the weather overhead was warming and clearing, but either way, it was a quite scenic drive. Upon arriving at the park, we checked in at the campground office and proceeded West to the Teklanika Campground at mile 29 of the restricted access, bus only road (one time travel permitted by those accessing the campground). That evening, we explored a bit along the river and attended a ranger talk about Barbara Washburn, the first woman to climb Denali, and wife of Bradford Washburn, the late famous climber/photographer/cartographer.
Monday, July 27th
We had tickets for the bus out to Wonder Lake at mile 86 of the 90 mile dirt road, which worked out great, as we picked it up at the campground at mile 29, saving us over an hour of bus riding on both ends of the trip. This is truly N. America’s version of going on a safari. You can’t go a mile without seeing Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Moose, Dall Sheep, Caribou etc… Over the course of our two bus rides on the one (and only) road through the park, we counted 21 Grizzlys, 1 Wolf, 2 Moose and countless others of the aforementioned animals.
Our bus driver was very informative, but not overly yappy and not over zealous with corny humor, which was a refreshing relief. We made nice long stops for the bears (my favorite by far) and shorter stops for the grazers which worked out well. Once we made it to Eielson visitor center at mile 66, the prime viewing spot for Denali, it was unfortunately very obscured by clouds, offering occasional glimpses to ~15,000 feet. I have seen it from here on a bluebird day on a previous trip and knew what we were missing out on.
I also spied a nice trail switch backing up the hillside for ~1,200 vertical or so to a high ridge. We only had a half hour here, but Allison and I took off up the trail to see how far we could get. After 10 minutes and not gaining much distance or elevation, I decided that I should turn back and not risk hurting my foot or missing the bus, but Allison headed up a little further. Hmm…. Something to do the next day I thought.
We proceeded the final 20 miles or so to Wonder Lake, where we could catch smoke and cloud obscured glimpses of Denali’s 18,000 vertical foot Wickersham Wall. On a clear day, this would be a STUNNING stretch of road and would make an awesome bike ride. Hopefully next time.
Tuesday, July 28th
Back on the bus to the Eielson visitor center at mile 66 in hopes of better views of Denali. Between wildlife viewing stops, we had one fleeting view of the N. summit at 19,400 feet, but as quick as we realized what we were seeing, it was gone for the day. The highlight of this bus ride was seeing a wolf trotting down the road straight toward us, then casually passed our stopped bus on the side I was sitting, so I was able to snap a few good pictures. He was a skinny little guy, but it was awesome to see a wolf in the wild.
From Eielson, we headed back up the trail we surveyed the previous day. It was a bit steep, but smooth enough that I could shuffle up it with a bit of difficulty and minimal discomfort of my broken bone. I eventually perfected an awkward hobble/shuffle and set my sights on gaining the ridge crest, which for a long time seemed to be an unlikely goal. Without really trying too hard, I ended up passing just about everyone I saw ahead of me, even those with a seemingly insurmountable head start. I made it to the ridge in a surprising 35 minutes, even though I stopped a few times and got hung up for a while behind a ranger led interpretive tour. Everyone I passed seemed a little shocked and made a comment of sorts about me hiking up so high with a broken foot.
I spent a long time on the highest bump on the ridge, which seemed much like a summit, enjoying the warm and calm conditions. Though Denali was obscured, the views from here were astounding. There was a higher summit about a mile away, but it had some ups/down and looked like it would be tough to negotiate with all the talus and I opted not to push my luck, so I just called it good. The trip down was tricky, but Allison spotted me and I managed to descend safely without incident, getting down 2 minutes slower than my ascent.
To top off the day, we attended another ranger led talk in the campground about moose and learned some interesting moose facts, such as, moose can dive as deep as 30 feet underwater if need be!
Wednesday, July 29th
Our 3 night stay at the Teklanika campground was up, so we travelled 13 miles East, back toward the park entrance to the Savage River Campground. After claiming a nice spot, we headed to the main village at the park entrance to dump black/grey water, refill with fresh water and check out the main visitor center. While there, we learned of a demonstration of the dog sled teams that they use in winter to travel throughout the park. I feared that it would be corny and touristy, but it was actually quite fun to go and pat the dogs and watch them pull a sled with wheels around a dirt track. I was impressed with how excited the dogs became as they were harnessed and attached to the sled, reaching a feverish pitch and then taking off like they were shot out of a cannon with surprising speed. I can only imagine that dog sledding would be one of the coolest things to do for an outdoor enthusiast and dog lover.
Thursday, July 30th
Drove to Talkeetna, where we spent a good part of the afternoon investigating flights around Denali, but were reluctant to commit, as the skies seemed pretty cloudy. The highlight was eating at a restaurant called the “West Rib Café and Pub”. I have seen pictures and read reports of famished climbers replenishing calories here after big climbs, indulging in giant burgers, fries and beers. I had to see what all the fuss was about and was not let down. Sitting on the outdoor patio was very pleasant and the burgers and fries were awesome. I can’t comment on the beer, as I don’t drink beer, but Allison seemed to like it.
Friday, July 31st
After a peaceful night sleep in a free “camp spot” on the backside of an abandoned building next to the airport, we awoke to clearing skies overhead and eagerly decided to commit to a sightseeing flight. We headed over to K2 Air and made arrangements for their flight that goes around Denali, passing Hunter, Foraker, Huntington, Moose’s Tooth and passes through the Ruth Gorge.
As soon as we got up above the trees, we could see what should be the Alaska Range, but was a wall of clouds instead. We still headed in that direction with great hopes, but the ceiling was about 8,000 feet and we “just” ended up flying through the Ruth Gorge (9,000 feet deep) and into the Sheldon Amphitheater. As we were looping around, I could see a small clearing toward Denali and could tell that there was abundant blue sky on the other side, but we had killed too much time flying around the Sheldon Amphitheater and “Little Switzerland”. Although I went into it knowing full well I should not get my hopes up, I couldn’t help but to get excited about the prospects of such a flight. Although we flew past some awesome scenery, it was still a bit of a let down to have to turn around so soon. We got a small discount because of the amended flight, but it was still expensive.
That afternoon, we took our time getting back to Anchorage, where we caught our 10:55pm flight back to Denver. Ironically, the most complete view we got of the Alaska Range was as soon as we took off from Anchorage, as the highest peaks were soaring above the clouds, with the midnight sun creating a magical backdrop. This was my 5th trip to Alaska and it never disappoints. I can’t wait to go again!
Pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_07_23_Alaska/
Travel Denver to Anchorage
After dropping Sierra off at our friends’ house, we headed to DIA, parking in the Pikes Peak lot of all places and caught the shuttle to the Alaska Air desk. The line was not long, but for some reason the line was moving extremely slow. I kept patiently waiting, using my crutch for support, but eventually just went and sat down until it was our turn.
I took advantage of the complimentary wheel chair ride to the gate which was a bit of a trip, as I have never been in one before. This was actually a sweet way to get through security, as there is a separate handicapped line with no wait. Although we had plenty of time before our flight, I was feeling good about bypassing the unusually long line so quickly and not having to crutch my way through. The good feelings were short lived though, I was directed to a glass enclosure where I had to wait, balancing without my crutch. Eventually, a smug TSA guy came along and escorted me over to a seat, where he went about his job of being a smug @-hole. Nothing against fat, dumpy, picked on as a kid TSA guys wearing coke bottle glasses, but this guy was worthy of a Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm episode.
He took great pleasure of making snide remarks and flexing his great TSA Homeland Security muscle. I was outwardly annoyed by him, but at the same time amused, as I of course had nothing to worry about. It was tempting to smart off back to him, but any wise guy comments post 9-11 could clear a whole airport, so I just sucked it up. Just got me thinking about what a sad life he must have and that this is his ONLY place in the world where he has any feeling of worth. Even with this setback, it was still quicker and easier than waiting in line and we were soon on our way.
Our flight was on time, leaving around 9pm, where we headed non-stop to Anchorage. My foot quickly became swollen and started throbbing, so I took a vicoden and some ibuprofen, which unfortunately did not do much.
Thursday, July 23rd
We arrived in Anchorage around 1am local time feeling a bit whacked out from not sleeping (3am MST). Our baggage arrived without incident and we caught a cab to the RV park where Allison’s parents were awaiting our arrival (sleeping of course). After several hours of sleep (thanks to the eye mask, as it gets light a bit after 4am), we ate breakfast and headed South along the Turnagain Arm toward Seward. The Turnagain Arm is a long and narrow bay off of the Cook Inlet and has one of the largest tides in the world (~40 ft. or so). The unique topography of the inlet/sea floor and the large tides create a boar tide that comes roaring through the bay. You can literally see the several foot high walls of water stretching across the bay, marching in quick succession, one after the other, quickly covering the exposed mud flats. For some reason, every time I visit Alaska, I am continually fascinated by this phenomena.
I had been to Seward twice in the past and it was rainy both times and this trip was no exception. We found an awesome RV park at the far end of town that accommodated 10 or so RV’s and was literally right on Resurrection Bay with amazing views of the bay, and ironically Mt. Marathon. Our camp spot was a 10 minute hobble from the Sea Life Center, so we headed over there for something to do. Neat place with lots of local sea life in tanks/enclosures.
I’ll have to admit that I actually did not mind the rain in Seward. You just expect it and prepare for it. It also helped that I had a broken foot and helped minimize my urges to get out and hike up peaks. The sound of the steady rain on the metal roof of the camper is very lulling and relaxing and makes for excellent sleeping.
Friday, July 24th
Today was the much anticipated 10 hour glacier cruise to the Northwestern Glacier. We took a similar cruise to the nearby Holgate glacier in 2004, but this trip would cover some new area that we heard was very dramatic. There was some question as to whether or not the boat would actually make it to the glacier because of the choppy seas that would toss around the 70ft. SS Chugach. The swells in Resurrection Bay were not too bad, but once we got to the mouth of the bay, we were on the edge of the Gulf of Alaska which has some of the stormiest seas on earth, things got a little fun. The seas were 4-8 feet, which does not sound like much, but it made for some good rocking and rolling. I actually really enjoy it, but others on the boat were quite nauseous and several people were tossed about. It was interesting trying to get around the boat on a bum foot, but I managed pretty well.
The choppy sections were short lived though, as the majority of the route navigated relatively sheltered bays, inlets and passages. We saw several Humpback Whales, Dahl Porpoise, Sea Otters, Sea Lions, Seals, Puffins etc….
One of the highlights was a short side trip into a narrow bay ringed by sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high, where there were numerous waterfalls cascading from unknown heights and the captain of the ship nudged the front of the boat within feet of the rock wall and cascades.
Since it had been so rainy, it had spurred an increase in glacial activity and filled the bay with icebergs. We maneuvered through the ice, pushing aside small bergs that would clunk loudly under the hull, but eventually the ice got too dense and we could get no closer than ~1 mile.
Saturday, July 25th
We took our time getting out of Seward and then enjoyed the scenic drive North to Palmer on our way to Denali. On the way, we passed many cyclists heading in the opposite direction. I felt pity for them, as it was cool, windy, raining hard at times and the road was quite barren and lonely. Most of them were solo riders and they all had the same miserable look etched on their face.
We eventually stopped by the Exit Glacier for lunch and did some walking around while Allison’s parents napped in the camper. My ability to walk was getting a bit better, but it was still tedious to get around. My urge to explore always gets the best of me though and we started working our way through a game trail through the dense alders in hopes of getting closer view of an awesome hanging glacier. The whole way, I thought of Timothy Treadwell stories of the Grizzly Maze and we made enough noise as to not surprise anything that could eat us. Eventually, the writing was on the wall that attempting this with a broken foot was a bad idea, so we headed back.
Sunday, July 26th
After an excellent Alaska style breakfast in Palmer with plenty of grease and fat, we drove onward to Denali. Of course the Alaska Range was socked in with clouds, even though the weather overhead was warming and clearing, but either way, it was a quite scenic drive. Upon arriving at the park, we checked in at the campground office and proceeded West to the Teklanika Campground at mile 29 of the restricted access, bus only road (one time travel permitted by those accessing the campground). That evening, we explored a bit along the river and attended a ranger talk about Barbara Washburn, the first woman to climb Denali, and wife of Bradford Washburn, the late famous climber/photographer/cartographer.
Monday, July 27th
We had tickets for the bus out to Wonder Lake at mile 86 of the 90 mile dirt road, which worked out great, as we picked it up at the campground at mile 29, saving us over an hour of bus riding on both ends of the trip. This is truly N. America’s version of going on a safari. You can’t go a mile without seeing Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Moose, Dall Sheep, Caribou etc… Over the course of our two bus rides on the one (and only) road through the park, we counted 21 Grizzlys, 1 Wolf, 2 Moose and countless others of the aforementioned animals.
Our bus driver was very informative, but not overly yappy and not over zealous with corny humor, which was a refreshing relief. We made nice long stops for the bears (my favorite by far) and shorter stops for the grazers which worked out well. Once we made it to Eielson visitor center at mile 66, the prime viewing spot for Denali, it was unfortunately very obscured by clouds, offering occasional glimpses to ~15,000 feet. I have seen it from here on a bluebird day on a previous trip and knew what we were missing out on.
I also spied a nice trail switch backing up the hillside for ~1,200 vertical or so to a high ridge. We only had a half hour here, but Allison and I took off up the trail to see how far we could get. After 10 minutes and not gaining much distance or elevation, I decided that I should turn back and not risk hurting my foot or missing the bus, but Allison headed up a little further. Hmm…. Something to do the next day I thought.
We proceeded the final 20 miles or so to Wonder Lake, where we could catch smoke and cloud obscured glimpses of Denali’s 18,000 vertical foot Wickersham Wall. On a clear day, this would be a STUNNING stretch of road and would make an awesome bike ride. Hopefully next time.
Tuesday, July 28th
Back on the bus to the Eielson visitor center at mile 66 in hopes of better views of Denali. Between wildlife viewing stops, we had one fleeting view of the N. summit at 19,400 feet, but as quick as we realized what we were seeing, it was gone for the day. The highlight of this bus ride was seeing a wolf trotting down the road straight toward us, then casually passed our stopped bus on the side I was sitting, so I was able to snap a few good pictures. He was a skinny little guy, but it was awesome to see a wolf in the wild.
From Eielson, we headed back up the trail we surveyed the previous day. It was a bit steep, but smooth enough that I could shuffle up it with a bit of difficulty and minimal discomfort of my broken bone. I eventually perfected an awkward hobble/shuffle and set my sights on gaining the ridge crest, which for a long time seemed to be an unlikely goal. Without really trying too hard, I ended up passing just about everyone I saw ahead of me, even those with a seemingly insurmountable head start. I made it to the ridge in a surprising 35 minutes, even though I stopped a few times and got hung up for a while behind a ranger led interpretive tour. Everyone I passed seemed a little shocked and made a comment of sorts about me hiking up so high with a broken foot.
I spent a long time on the highest bump on the ridge, which seemed much like a summit, enjoying the warm and calm conditions. Though Denali was obscured, the views from here were astounding. There was a higher summit about a mile away, but it had some ups/down and looked like it would be tough to negotiate with all the talus and I opted not to push my luck, so I just called it good. The trip down was tricky, but Allison spotted me and I managed to descend safely without incident, getting down 2 minutes slower than my ascent.
To top off the day, we attended another ranger led talk in the campground about moose and learned some interesting moose facts, such as, moose can dive as deep as 30 feet underwater if need be!
Wednesday, July 29th
Our 3 night stay at the Teklanika campground was up, so we travelled 13 miles East, back toward the park entrance to the Savage River Campground. After claiming a nice spot, we headed to the main village at the park entrance to dump black/grey water, refill with fresh water and check out the main visitor center. While there, we learned of a demonstration of the dog sled teams that they use in winter to travel throughout the park. I feared that it would be corny and touristy, but it was actually quite fun to go and pat the dogs and watch them pull a sled with wheels around a dirt track. I was impressed with how excited the dogs became as they were harnessed and attached to the sled, reaching a feverish pitch and then taking off like they were shot out of a cannon with surprising speed. I can only imagine that dog sledding would be one of the coolest things to do for an outdoor enthusiast and dog lover.
Thursday, July 30th
Drove to Talkeetna, where we spent a good part of the afternoon investigating flights around Denali, but were reluctant to commit, as the skies seemed pretty cloudy. The highlight was eating at a restaurant called the “West Rib Café and Pub”. I have seen pictures and read reports of famished climbers replenishing calories here after big climbs, indulging in giant burgers, fries and beers. I had to see what all the fuss was about and was not let down. Sitting on the outdoor patio was very pleasant and the burgers and fries were awesome. I can’t comment on the beer, as I don’t drink beer, but Allison seemed to like it.
Friday, July 31st
After a peaceful night sleep in a free “camp spot” on the backside of an abandoned building next to the airport, we awoke to clearing skies overhead and eagerly decided to commit to a sightseeing flight. We headed over to K2 Air and made arrangements for their flight that goes around Denali, passing Hunter, Foraker, Huntington, Moose’s Tooth and passes through the Ruth Gorge.
As soon as we got up above the trees, we could see what should be the Alaska Range, but was a wall of clouds instead. We still headed in that direction with great hopes, but the ceiling was about 8,000 feet and we “just” ended up flying through the Ruth Gorge (9,000 feet deep) and into the Sheldon Amphitheater. As we were looping around, I could see a small clearing toward Denali and could tell that there was abundant blue sky on the other side, but we had killed too much time flying around the Sheldon Amphitheater and “Little Switzerland”. Although I went into it knowing full well I should not get my hopes up, I couldn’t help but to get excited about the prospects of such a flight. Although we flew past some awesome scenery, it was still a bit of a let down to have to turn around so soon. We got a small discount because of the amended flight, but it was still expensive.
That afternoon, we took our time getting back to Anchorage, where we caught our 10:55pm flight back to Denver. Ironically, the most complete view we got of the Alaska Range was as soon as we took off from Anchorage, as the highest peaks were soaring above the clouds, with the midnight sun creating a magical backdrop. This was my 5th trip to Alaska and it never disappoints. I can’t wait to go again!
Pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_07_23_Alaska/
Friday, July 17, 2009
7/17/09 Racing Old Ladies
Recovery is coming along, I am feeling less pain every day, but every now and then I get some unsolicited throbbing to remind me that my bone is still broken, just in case I am tempted to forget. Days at work are actually better than being at home from a mental standpoint, as I have to be there anyways. Having a few days off now is a real test of mental fortitude, as seeing Allison and Sierra leave early in the morning to go climb Bierstadt was tough, as is driving and looking at the mountains on a bluebird day. Once live coverage of Le Tour ends each morning, I am brimming with energy and itching to get outside and play.
Yesterday I ran a few errands in Boulder, one being a trip to the DMV to renew my registration. As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an 80ish year old woman getting out of her car and preparing to go inside. For some reason, habit and instinct I guess, I knew I had to beat her across the lot and into the building so I could get my number before her. I scrambled to get the crutches out of the back of my Element and quickly set off across the lot in hot pursuit. She had a pretty good gap, but I was able to close it down by the time we reached the curb before the front door. She had the advantage here, but I quickly recovered and made it to the door with a good 30+ foot advantage. I tagged the handi door opener and cruised across the lobby in with a strong sense of satisfaction, although not quite like beating Dave up Bear Peak ;).
I grabbed ticket #144 and waited my turn. Once I was up, I soon realized that they do not accept credit cards...... cash or check only. WTF! Are they serious? In this day and age? I normally carry around one check in my wallet, for stupid times like these, but today I was SOL. I bit my tongue, as it was not the clerk's fault and gimped my way to my bank, which fortunately was just down the street.
As I returned, I noticed the old lady was leaving, new sticker in hand. Guess she had the last laugh afterall. Once I finished my errands, I stopped by Boulder Creek and sat with my feet in the water for about an hour enjoying the summer day. It was a bit of torture, watching all the bikes and runners cruise by, but I will be back at it before I know it.
Yesterday I ran a few errands in Boulder, one being a trip to the DMV to renew my registration. As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an 80ish year old woman getting out of her car and preparing to go inside. For some reason, habit and instinct I guess, I knew I had to beat her across the lot and into the building so I could get my number before her. I scrambled to get the crutches out of the back of my Element and quickly set off across the lot in hot pursuit. She had a pretty good gap, but I was able to close it down by the time we reached the curb before the front door. She had the advantage here, but I quickly recovered and made it to the door with a good 30+ foot advantage. I tagged the handi door opener and cruised across the lobby in with a strong sense of satisfaction, although not quite like beating Dave up Bear Peak ;).
I grabbed ticket #144 and waited my turn. Once I was up, I soon realized that they do not accept credit cards...... cash or check only. WTF! Are they serious? In this day and age? I normally carry around one check in my wallet, for stupid times like these, but today I was SOL. I bit my tongue, as it was not the clerk's fault and gimped my way to my bank, which fortunately was just down the street.
As I returned, I noticed the old lady was leaving, new sticker in hand. Guess she had the last laugh afterall. Once I finished my errands, I stopped by Boulder Creek and sat with my feet in the water for about an hour enjoying the summer day. It was a bit of torture, watching all the bikes and runners cruise by, but I will be back at it before I know it.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, 7/13/09 Broken Foot!
Well, went to see Jeremy today, had my foot x-rayed again and it is officially broken. The ligaments are also a bit stretched/torn which explains the swelling. Rather than lament about the obvious negatives of having this happen in July, I am thankful that the bone is only broken 75% of the way across and not fully through, which sounds like it would be a real mess to fix.
As it stands now, I have to wear a stiff plastic removable boot for 1 full month, all the time, while using crutches as to put no weight on it. I was also forbidden to ride my bike and thus no Mt. Evans bike race on Saturday (I was thinking of signing up). After the month is up, then it was suggested that I take it fairly easy for another month or so, which means biking for me at that point.
Also on the plus side, I am thankful that it is not cold and snowy, which would be a real pain to hobble crutch around. I also get a pass from walking the dog before/after work, can probably escape houshold chores and there will certainly be no lawn mowing. As an additional bonus, the Tour continues for 2 more weeks and I have the VS. channel and a swell DVR player.
My upcoming 10 day trip to Alaska will have to be experienced like most Americans, from a comfortable seat, no runs up Mt. Marathon, Mt. Healy, Pioneer Peak......
As it stands now, I have to wear a stiff plastic removable boot for 1 full month, all the time, while using crutches as to put no weight on it. I was also forbidden to ride my bike and thus no Mt. Evans bike race on Saturday (I was thinking of signing up). After the month is up, then it was suggested that I take it fairly easy for another month or so, which means biking for me at that point.
Also on the plus side, I am thankful that it is not cold and snowy, which would be a real pain to hobble crutch around. I also get a pass from walking the dog before/after work, can probably escape houshold chores and there will certainly be no lawn mowing. As an additional bonus, the Tour continues for 2 more weeks and I have the VS. channel and a swell DVR player.
My upcoming 10 day trip to Alaska will have to be experienced like most Americans, from a comfortable seat, no runs up Mt. Marathon, Mt. Healy, Pioneer Peak......
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saturday, 7/11/09 Grays Peak Attempt
After 2 months of discomfort and minor pain in my foot, I really did myself in yesterday on an easy hike of all things.
It all started at the very end of April, where a new pair of shoes were feeling a bit unsupportive and made the outside edge of my feet feel a bit sore and fatigued. I ran in them for two weeks, hoping I would “break them in”, but the writing was on the wall and I decided to give up on them to be on the safe side.
Within days, my right foot felt completely normal, but I had some lingering discomfort in my left foot, though only when I stepped on a pointy rock running downhill, otherwise I never even remembered that it was there. For insurance though, I took it pretty easy on the downhill runs and wore the most supportive, cushy comfortable shoes I had. The issue remained the same all of May and the first half of June, never getting better, never getting worse, until I ran the Brook Loop TT.
The downhill section of the loop is fairly rocky and technical. Normally, this descent would be no big deal, but for some reason, my left foot really started flare up, not just the occasional step, but every step. At the finish, it was clear that I had a problem and I decided to take some time off from running and heal. Over the next two weeks, I hiked some (easy) and biked a lot, but each time I tested my foot out with an easy run, it was clear that I had made no progress.
Feeling a bit anxious about the Pikes countdown timer, I decided to not mess around and go see sports injury guru Jeremy Rodgers who helped me with my knee two years ago. He took an x-ray and found nothing, determined that whatever it is that is bugging me was minor, prescribed some exercises, an night boot etc…. and I was beginning to make progress. I ran Green Mountain almost daily and though not cleared up, I felt better and better each day, so much better that I decided to run Quandary on Thursday.
Minutes into the Quandary run, I felt the pain in my left foot, more than I had in the past running uphill which slowed me a good bit, not wanting to really push off hard on the left side. The descent was somewhat painful, some steps especially painful, yet I still ran trying to catch my friend Nate. Although I was running to catch him, I was really favoring my injured foot and thought I was going a somewhat conservative speed.
I was pretty discouraged by the end of the run, having regressed to an all time low (regarding this injury). I could see my Pikes aspirations going down the drain, assuming that my foot would be giving me enough discomfort that I would not be able to train properly. I was still planning on running it, but had lowered my expectations to just getting the finishing shirt/jacket or whatever it is they will give away at the top this year.
Coincidentally, I had my final “follow up” appt. with Jeremy the next day. I woke up with my foot feeling sore, but slightly better than the previous day. When I went in, he gave me the carbon fiber insole for my shoe that I had been eagerly awaiting that was on order. I put that in my shoe and in an instant, I was feeling almost no discomfort when I put pressure on my foot. Amazing! (or so I thought).
I debated what to do on Saturday and strongly considered riding my bike, preferably up Mt. Evans, which in my gut I knew would be the best thing to do. Sierra’s extra playful demeanor indicated that she had energy to burn and I felt bad that she had not been for any hikes in a while. Taking pity on her, I decided to join my friends Nate and Dan for a trip up Grays and Torreys.
Though probably not the best idea, I felt confident that I could at least hike easy and just enjoy the day, get in some altitude and enjoy the company of good friends. I felt great for the first hour, truly amazed at how that plate was protecting my foot. At an altitude of a little over 13k, just prior to the Grays/Torreys junction, I stepped on a rock about the size of a tennis ball. Had I stepped on it with my good foot, it would have passed without notice, but I inadvertently stepped on it with my suspect foot, where it rolled (I think it only rolled like it did because it was already somewhat weakened) in such a way that something in my foot really let go.
The pain was unbearable and it about put me to the ground. I sat on a rock and encouraged Nate and Dan to continue and I would head back and wait. I started down the rocky trail and it was immediately evident that this was going to be the toughest ~3 miles of my life. I grabbed the boulders on the side of the trail for support, but progress was agonizingly slow. I could see that soon the trail would level a bit and there would be no boulders to assist me and I was stressing about what I would do. I tried walking backwards, but it was still very painful and very awkward. A few backward steps and I would certainly fall.
I was contemplating just sitting there to wait for Nate and Dan to return and have them help me, or crawl. Just as I was contemplating this, a woman caught up to me, having turned around due to the altitude (she is from sea level) and offered to let me use her hiking pole. I told her that I would be really slow, but she insisted that it was no big deal, as her friends were up the mountain as well and she was in no hurry.
The pole helped keep me upright and balanced, but did little to alleviate the pain in my foot. Sierra was getting a bit impatient and a bit confused over my situation and was getting too far ahead and distracted, so my new friend offered to walk her on leash, which helped me to focus on my task at hand.
The peak was incredibly crowded, even more so than last July when I deemed it the most crowded I had ever seen it. Almost everyone on the way up asked if I was OK, if I needed help, needed asprin, needed to borrow their poles etc…... I was not OK, but did not really know how to answer. It was quite sobering and embarrassing to be hobbling along, so feeble and immobile when normally I bound up and down these peaks with speed and confidence, feeling as though I can conquer the world.
It took me 2.5 hours to get back to the summer trailhead, where Nate and Dan returned 10 minutes after. Luckily Nate drove us up in his Jeep and we did not have to walk all the way to Bakerville. Even the jostling ride down hurt and I continued to have shooting pains through my foot and continue to do so as I write this.
Walking around the house is very difficult, driving my car is very painful because of the clutch. I am going to pick up some crutches soon, Kevin is loaning me a boot that I can wear to keep my foot from flexing and I hope to see a podiatrist tomorrow. Right now my foot is swollen and painful. Any thoughts of running Pikes Peak are completely down the tubes. Though I am very bummed out about it, I am strangely relieved about it at the same time (not to be guessing/stressing over not training well). It is amazing how quickly priorities shift from wanting to run up a mountain, to just wanting to walk around the house, work, supermarket, walk the dog etc….
I can’t recall ever hurting this bad, maybe breaking my leg when I was 6, but that was a long time ago. This one will certainly take some time to recover from, whatever the podiatrist diagnoses it as. Once the swelling goes down, I hope to be able to at least ride my bike within the next week if it does not hurt.
It all started at the very end of April, where a new pair of shoes were feeling a bit unsupportive and made the outside edge of my feet feel a bit sore and fatigued. I ran in them for two weeks, hoping I would “break them in”, but the writing was on the wall and I decided to give up on them to be on the safe side.
Within days, my right foot felt completely normal, but I had some lingering discomfort in my left foot, though only when I stepped on a pointy rock running downhill, otherwise I never even remembered that it was there. For insurance though, I took it pretty easy on the downhill runs and wore the most supportive, cushy comfortable shoes I had. The issue remained the same all of May and the first half of June, never getting better, never getting worse, until I ran the Brook Loop TT.
The downhill section of the loop is fairly rocky and technical. Normally, this descent would be no big deal, but for some reason, my left foot really started flare up, not just the occasional step, but every step. At the finish, it was clear that I had a problem and I decided to take some time off from running and heal. Over the next two weeks, I hiked some (easy) and biked a lot, but each time I tested my foot out with an easy run, it was clear that I had made no progress.
Feeling a bit anxious about the Pikes countdown timer, I decided to not mess around and go see sports injury guru Jeremy Rodgers who helped me with my knee two years ago. He took an x-ray and found nothing, determined that whatever it is that is bugging me was minor, prescribed some exercises, an night boot etc…. and I was beginning to make progress. I ran Green Mountain almost daily and though not cleared up, I felt better and better each day, so much better that I decided to run Quandary on Thursday.
Minutes into the Quandary run, I felt the pain in my left foot, more than I had in the past running uphill which slowed me a good bit, not wanting to really push off hard on the left side. The descent was somewhat painful, some steps especially painful, yet I still ran trying to catch my friend Nate. Although I was running to catch him, I was really favoring my injured foot and thought I was going a somewhat conservative speed.
I was pretty discouraged by the end of the run, having regressed to an all time low (regarding this injury). I could see my Pikes aspirations going down the drain, assuming that my foot would be giving me enough discomfort that I would not be able to train properly. I was still planning on running it, but had lowered my expectations to just getting the finishing shirt/jacket or whatever it is they will give away at the top this year.
Coincidentally, I had my final “follow up” appt. with Jeremy the next day. I woke up with my foot feeling sore, but slightly better than the previous day. When I went in, he gave me the carbon fiber insole for my shoe that I had been eagerly awaiting that was on order. I put that in my shoe and in an instant, I was feeling almost no discomfort when I put pressure on my foot. Amazing! (or so I thought).
I debated what to do on Saturday and strongly considered riding my bike, preferably up Mt. Evans, which in my gut I knew would be the best thing to do. Sierra’s extra playful demeanor indicated that she had energy to burn and I felt bad that she had not been for any hikes in a while. Taking pity on her, I decided to join my friends Nate and Dan for a trip up Grays and Torreys.
Though probably not the best idea, I felt confident that I could at least hike easy and just enjoy the day, get in some altitude and enjoy the company of good friends. I felt great for the first hour, truly amazed at how that plate was protecting my foot. At an altitude of a little over 13k, just prior to the Grays/Torreys junction, I stepped on a rock about the size of a tennis ball. Had I stepped on it with my good foot, it would have passed without notice, but I inadvertently stepped on it with my suspect foot, where it rolled (I think it only rolled like it did because it was already somewhat weakened) in such a way that something in my foot really let go.
The pain was unbearable and it about put me to the ground. I sat on a rock and encouraged Nate and Dan to continue and I would head back and wait. I started down the rocky trail and it was immediately evident that this was going to be the toughest ~3 miles of my life. I grabbed the boulders on the side of the trail for support, but progress was agonizingly slow. I could see that soon the trail would level a bit and there would be no boulders to assist me and I was stressing about what I would do. I tried walking backwards, but it was still very painful and very awkward. A few backward steps and I would certainly fall.
I was contemplating just sitting there to wait for Nate and Dan to return and have them help me, or crawl. Just as I was contemplating this, a woman caught up to me, having turned around due to the altitude (she is from sea level) and offered to let me use her hiking pole. I told her that I would be really slow, but she insisted that it was no big deal, as her friends were up the mountain as well and she was in no hurry.
The pole helped keep me upright and balanced, but did little to alleviate the pain in my foot. Sierra was getting a bit impatient and a bit confused over my situation and was getting too far ahead and distracted, so my new friend offered to walk her on leash, which helped me to focus on my task at hand.
The peak was incredibly crowded, even more so than last July when I deemed it the most crowded I had ever seen it. Almost everyone on the way up asked if I was OK, if I needed help, needed asprin, needed to borrow their poles etc…... I was not OK, but did not really know how to answer. It was quite sobering and embarrassing to be hobbling along, so feeble and immobile when normally I bound up and down these peaks with speed and confidence, feeling as though I can conquer the world.
It took me 2.5 hours to get back to the summer trailhead, where Nate and Dan returned 10 minutes after. Luckily Nate drove us up in his Jeep and we did not have to walk all the way to Bakerville. Even the jostling ride down hurt and I continued to have shooting pains through my foot and continue to do so as I write this.
Walking around the house is very difficult, driving my car is very painful because of the clutch. I am going to pick up some crutches soon, Kevin is loaning me a boot that I can wear to keep my foot from flexing and I hope to see a podiatrist tomorrow. Right now my foot is swollen and painful. Any thoughts of running Pikes Peak are completely down the tubes. Though I am very bummed out about it, I am strangely relieved about it at the same time (not to be guessing/stressing over not training well). It is amazing how quickly priorities shift from wanting to run up a mountain, to just wanting to walk around the house, work, supermarket, walk the dog etc….
I can’t recall ever hurting this bad, maybe breaking my leg when I was 6, but that was a long time ago. This one will certainly take some time to recover from, whatever the podiatrist diagnoses it as. Once the swelling goes down, I hope to be able to at least ride my bike within the next week if it does not hurt.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
7/09/09 Quandary Peak
Quandary Peak
East Ridge from Monte Christo TH
7/09/09
5.4 miles/3,370 vertical
Jeff Valliere, Nate Bahrenburg
After nursing a minor foot injury the last few weeks and being crazy busy with all kinds of random things, it was high time to go run a 14er. My foot was feeling better and since Allison, her friend Stef and Nate’s wife Gina wanted to go to Breckenridge for the day, Nate and I decided to make a quick trip up Quandary.
This was Nate’s second fourteener (he joined me for Princeton as his first back in 1997), so after a long hiatus, I was not sure what to expect. Nate runs some to stay fit, so I knew he would be strong.
I started up the trail with Nate as a bit of a warm up, as my plan was to give him a head start and catch him along the way. I went back to the car, ate/drank a bit and got ready. I took my time, sure that I would catch Nate before the top.
I started my watch at exactly 9:11am, 30 minutes after Nate began. I felt OK, but my foot was acting up, where the pain increased little by little as I went along. I was also feeling a little run down and dopey, from only getting 3.5 hours of sleep the previous night. I typically get 8+ hours, but for some unknown reason have been sleeping like crap lately.
I was hoping to break an hour, but was really not sure how close I would come, as I was really starting to favor my left foot. Aside from the foot and the lack of sleep, my fitness generally felt good. I was surprised at where the trail was routed after tree-line, as I have not been up here in the summer since 1995.
The trail was in great shape, but as it got rockier higher up, I was being really careful as to where and how I placed my left foot. I was starting to pass people and goats, but still no Nate…. Did he hide behind a bush and is now watching me chase a ghost?
As I neared what I thought to be the top, I was sure I was going to break an hour, but I naively had forgotten that last spot where you realize you have another 100+ vertical, that today was covered in snow. It was here I spotted Nate on his descent, where he informed me that he made it up in 1:25!!
He asked how I was doing and I huffed out “crappy!”. I tagged the top in 1:02:56, and sucked down one of my two 7oz bottles of Heed. Everyone on top was well dressed and looked at me like I was nuts in running shorts, t-shirt and not much else, though it was a very pleasant day.
My sub goal was to run the round trip in 1:45 or better, but as soon as I started down, I was sure this would be unlikely. My main goal was to quickly catch Nate and hike down with him, but he was making surprisingly quick work of the descent. The rocks and talus were just killing my foot with each awkward step and several steps were just sending severe bolts of pain, nearly causing me to fall down. I gingerly hobbled down the rocks, always trying to strategically place the gimpy foot.
I was so bummed by this, as I have been seeing my PT for two weeks and felt I was making good progress, now it was worse than it had ever been. I hopped along for what seemed like forever and never did catch Nate, just the occasional glimpse of him ahead.
I finally reached the trailhead in a total time of 1:42:01 and was a bit surprised by this. I should have been stoked, but was more upset over the fact that although I had been running Green Mountain almost daily with minimal pain, I was now seeing Pikes Peak ambitions slip away.
I soaked my throbbing foot in the ice cold creek for a short while, talking to Nate about his hike/run. Not that I am that surprised, but I was very impressed that he did the round trip in 2:10, after not getting up a 14er in 12 years, wearing hiking shoes and carrying a clunky fanny pack. I am suspicious that he might be doing some stealth training and not telling me.
Not sure what I am going to do about this foot thing, besides continue with my treatment regimen and ride my bike to stay fit. Things do not seem all that hopeful at this point and am starting to think I have some sort of Pikes Peak curse.
Splits:
Treeline: 14:50
False summit: 41ish
Summit: 1:02:56
Finish: 1:42:01
East Ridge from Monte Christo TH
7/09/09
5.4 miles/3,370 vertical
Jeff Valliere, Nate Bahrenburg
After nursing a minor foot injury the last few weeks and being crazy busy with all kinds of random things, it was high time to go run a 14er. My foot was feeling better and since Allison, her friend Stef and Nate’s wife Gina wanted to go to Breckenridge for the day, Nate and I decided to make a quick trip up Quandary.
This was Nate’s second fourteener (he joined me for Princeton as his first back in 1997), so after a long hiatus, I was not sure what to expect. Nate runs some to stay fit, so I knew he would be strong.
I started up the trail with Nate as a bit of a warm up, as my plan was to give him a head start and catch him along the way. I went back to the car, ate/drank a bit and got ready. I took my time, sure that I would catch Nate before the top.
I started my watch at exactly 9:11am, 30 minutes after Nate began. I felt OK, but my foot was acting up, where the pain increased little by little as I went along. I was also feeling a little run down and dopey, from only getting 3.5 hours of sleep the previous night. I typically get 8+ hours, but for some unknown reason have been sleeping like crap lately.
I was hoping to break an hour, but was really not sure how close I would come, as I was really starting to favor my left foot. Aside from the foot and the lack of sleep, my fitness generally felt good. I was surprised at where the trail was routed after tree-line, as I have not been up here in the summer since 1995.
The trail was in great shape, but as it got rockier higher up, I was being really careful as to where and how I placed my left foot. I was starting to pass people and goats, but still no Nate…. Did he hide behind a bush and is now watching me chase a ghost?
As I neared what I thought to be the top, I was sure I was going to break an hour, but I naively had forgotten that last spot where you realize you have another 100+ vertical, that today was covered in snow. It was here I spotted Nate on his descent, where he informed me that he made it up in 1:25!!
He asked how I was doing and I huffed out “crappy!”. I tagged the top in 1:02:56, and sucked down one of my two 7oz bottles of Heed. Everyone on top was well dressed and looked at me like I was nuts in running shorts, t-shirt and not much else, though it was a very pleasant day.
My sub goal was to run the round trip in 1:45 or better, but as soon as I started down, I was sure this would be unlikely. My main goal was to quickly catch Nate and hike down with him, but he was making surprisingly quick work of the descent. The rocks and talus were just killing my foot with each awkward step and several steps were just sending severe bolts of pain, nearly causing me to fall down. I gingerly hobbled down the rocks, always trying to strategically place the gimpy foot.
I was so bummed by this, as I have been seeing my PT for two weeks and felt I was making good progress, now it was worse than it had ever been. I hopped along for what seemed like forever and never did catch Nate, just the occasional glimpse of him ahead.
I finally reached the trailhead in a total time of 1:42:01 and was a bit surprised by this. I should have been stoked, but was more upset over the fact that although I had been running Green Mountain almost daily with minimal pain, I was now seeing Pikes Peak ambitions slip away.
I soaked my throbbing foot in the ice cold creek for a short while, talking to Nate about his hike/run. Not that I am that surprised, but I was very impressed that he did the round trip in 2:10, after not getting up a 14er in 12 years, wearing hiking shoes and carrying a clunky fanny pack. I am suspicious that he might be doing some stealth training and not telling me.
Not sure what I am going to do about this foot thing, besides continue with my treatment regimen and ride my bike to stay fit. Things do not seem all that hopeful at this point and am starting to think I have some sort of Pikes Peak curse.
Splits:
Treeline: 14:50
False summit: 41ish
Summit: 1:02:56
Finish: 1:42:01
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