Rocky Mountain High

The webcam fetish continues. About all the traveling I can do these days! This webcam, which is located at the Alpine Visitor's Center on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, interests me on several levels. First, it always pretty. Beyond that, somehow or other the camera is set to click every morning just as the sun hits that notch in the mountains. Not sure how they do that, but it's cool. Different every morning, of course. Then they leave that sunrise photo up for several hours so more people are able to see it.

I visited the top of Trail Ridge back in 1983 during my 2-month Colorado bike ride. I'd been in Estes Park for a week, acclimating to the terrain and altitude before setting out on my first day of actual travel, which would take me up Trail Ridge past this spot, and it's a long, long road with lots of elevation gain. Lots! From Estes Park at 7552', to its highest point at 12,183'. The visitor's center, where this camera is, is at 11,796'. You do the math. It is the highest continuous motorway in the country. But, when the time came I had a serious feeling that I just was not yet ready to face this challenge. My legs were  used to climbing the Mayacama and eastern mountain ranges in the Napa Valley, and a week just wasn't enough to give me confidence that I could do this much climbing on my first day. So -- I took the bus up there, and felt no shame or guilt about doing so.

My bike up at the top of Trail Ridge, but looking in a different direction from the above camera. From here, it was an easy coast down the other side to a campground about 4 miles down the mountain. I had planned to go all the way down, but pulled in to check out the small campground and fell in love, set up camp and then with the bike unloaded traveled on down the hill to Grand Lake about 10 miles away to buy some groceries, since I hadn't wanted to carry that weight up the mountain (this was before chickening out!). Then, a lovely ride back up the mountain to my camp. I remember how light and lively the bike felt, freed from its 50 pounds of camping gear. I stayed up there a few days, did some hiking, before continuing on with the trip.

After this, I climbed several other major passes without benefit of motorized assistance, the highest of these being Independence Pass. This was my last major one, climbing up from Aspen at around 8000'. I didn't do it in one day, either, as this is a long, steep, narrow road filled with RVs and little or no shoulder for bikes on the downhill side -- which is way downhill in a canyon. I stopped for a couple of nights at another campground about 4 miles, I think it was, from the top. Did some more hiking. Rested the legs. I remember a tavern a few miles down the other side where I stopped for a big burger and fries, and beer. This was my usual reward after a pass, if such a thing could be easily found.

Enough reminiscing. Nowadays my cycling is mostly level, my hiking limited to more minor elevation gains and distances. This morning I had so little energy I came down the mountain next door as slowly as I'd gone up it, and that doesn't generally happen. The joys of old age. I'm just grateful that I can still go up that mountain (generally a bit faster, too) and that it's there for me to enjoy. Quiet this morning, early, in the forest. Only real sound was rushing water, as the streams are really flowing right now with all the rain we've had. Trees mossy and green, lots of big ferns on the forest floor. Really a treasure to have in my backyard.

How sweet it is!

A cold front has swept down from the north and brought an end to our sizzling heat!  A temporary end, to be sure, but more welcome than I can even describe.  When I left work yesterday just before 3pm the temp on my car dash was under 80 for the first time in months.  The afternoon and evening got progressively cooler, all doors and windows flew open once I arrived home, no fans necessary through the night.

After a decent night's sleep, with the temp hovering around 70 this morning, I headed out early on my bike -- around town, this time, rather than on the Silver Comet.  It was wonderful!  Trails are great -- and the SC is one of the better ones I've seen -- but at heart I'm a road cyclist.  I love the feel of the open highway where I can fly on long straightaways, ridding my body of pent up energy and frustrations and stress and..... whatever needs to go.  Until now, I've been a bit squeamish around here, with the good old boys driving monster pickups and maybe even the little old ladies driving big sleds.  But it was early on a Saturday morning, and I knew traffic would be light on the streets I chose.  Actually, for the most part I was on residential streets right in town, but the first part skirted the edge of town.  All in all about 45 minutes, and it felt wonderful!

Freshly hand cultivated (have I ever mentioned how much I love the feel of dirt between my fingers?), plenty of compost and a bit of cottonseed meal, and it's headed towards being ready for fall planting. After the marigolds die and after I figure out where to put the other ornamentals.

Back home, after a little protein in my body, I headed out to the garden.  The sky was still grey, the temp cool.  Lovely.  I dug 4 or 5 or maybe more buckets of almost-finished compost out of my oldest pile and spread it here and there in the veggie beds, the blueberries and the dogwood.  There's plenty more in that big bin left for fall bed amendments and planting.

These guys are far too old and woody for my old teeth to enjoy eating, but after some cooking, I'm thinking they'll be pretty good as soup.  Wonder what would happen if I also put eggplant in the soup, since I have so much of that?

In the process, I opted to finally pull all the carrots out, but I left the green tops and flowers across the bare bed to keep cats out and to keep the birds happy.  I love that my garden always has birds popping in and out of the beds, getting seeds and/or bugs.  This morning, for the first time, I saw a pair of goldfinches fly from the wildflower bed after they noticed my presence on the back porch.  Lovely!

I've also noticed the presence of a surprising number of dead June Bugs on the cedar around the beds.  Enough, in fact, that I'm beginning to wonder if the nematodes got them.  June Bugs come from grubs in the soil.  Nematodes will attack the grubs with great relish.  I would have thought that it would be the grub that would die, but is it possible that the process was slow enough to allow the bugs to emerge, then die?  I don't know, but it's a thought.

All those carrots -- too big to eat comfortably -- are going into soup, since the day is cool enough for a little cooking.  Yum.

All this, and it's only 10 am.  What will the rest of this day bring?  I'm not sure -- but I think a shower would be in order at the top of the list.  And there are always errands to run.  This cool spell is supposed to last for a couple of more days -- we can only hope the weatherguessers are right on this one.

Success!

I am nothing if not stubborn and determined, and there was no way I was not going to find this today!  Unfortunately, there is no milepost here, but my guess from the last one posted is about 61.75, which means it's almost exactly 10 miles from the point I enter the Trail at 51.75.  And I have to say that either the mile post signs along the trail are wrong, or the trail map is wrong, because the last sign post is here:

and while you can't read the fine print, this sign post reads 61.25 and once you pass the curve, you can see the arched state line sign in the distance.  The sign to the right is this one:

and while there isn't a mile point listed here, the trail map says the Esom Hill Trail head is at 60.07 miles.  Minor point, really, but something's wrong somewhere.  Is it 60.07, or 61.75?  I'm guessing the latter, because I know the maps of both trails are old and not overly accurate in places.  Maybe this is o ne of those places.  The good news is that there's a porta-potty here, in case I ever need one.  On hot days like this, all liquids find their way out just fine through the skin.

But, back to the Chief Ladiga and Gateway Park, which is really very nice.

The pavement has matching welcome signs.

and Trail signs....

And the park itself has a nice shelter, concrete benches, picnic tables and a good bike rack.

There's a road crossing not to far in the distance here, but I'd had enough exploration for one day.  I sat gratefully in the shade for about 10 minutes, with my Clif Bar and water, before heading home.  And by the way -- my sense that the the trail is all uphill from Cedartown is correct:  according to the trail map, elevation at the Martin Trailhead (which is after I get on the trail and a couple of uphill climbs later) is 808 and at Esom Hill, 910.  Not significant, but noticeable both ways.  I sure get home faster and easier than I get there, despite being tired.  And really, I'm not at all tired and am, in fact, fairly energized after about an hour of rest.  Safe to say at least 22 miles, probably 23-24 as I'm sure it's more than a mile from home to where I get on the Trail. Total of about 2.5 hours, including the rest stop.  Saw lots of other cyclists out today, which is really unusual and rather nice.

When I got home, I noticed this fella on a parsley stalk in my garden, along with a few relatives.  This is one of those times when I really love the internet:  with this photo I was able to identify this guy as a Black Swallowtail butterfly in-the-making.  This is one of my favorite butterflies, large and beautiful, so these guys are welcome to all the parsley they can eat.

On to the rest of my day, whatever it may bring. 

My Busy Day

My goodness, what a busy day!

We had a gully-washer of a rainstorm last night.  Here, it's pouring from a corner of my 6" gutters, and before it was over water covered an area from a couple of feet onto my lawn, across the sidewalk and curb and almost met the water on the opposite curb.  Fortunately, it drains quickly once the rain stops, but I did notice a high waterline on the lawn this morning.

I started this day out with a nice, long ride on the Silver Comet Trail.  Hadn't meant to go so far, but was determined to ride for at least 30 minutes before turning back.  Then, I noticed mile markers along the trail (don't know why I never noticed them before, but I didn't).  These are different from signs at road crossings and access roads, which always show mileage to the tenth of a mile.  I'd noticed one at 52 not too far from where I get on the trail, then saw more.  At the 30 minute stage I'd just seen another -- not sure which -- and thought I'd keep riding on to the next one, then the next one, and the next.  I saw 57, thought I'd try for 58 but apparently there isn't a sign for 58 and by the time I reached the next sign it was something like 58.75, so I thought what the heck, let's try for 59.  Then, I reached Shiloh Road and a little frisson moved all over me.  I knew where I was -- the little burg of Esom Hill which is my mom's ancestral home for many generations, and where generations of ancestors are buried at Shiloh Baptist Church.  That was mile 59.1, or something like that.  OK. The entire SC Trail is only supposed to be 60 miles, and I couldn't get that close without trying for the end even though I didn't have my camera with me and would really like a photo of the state line and the Chief Ladiga trail sign.  At the next road crossing the Trail continued, but the sign marker said 60.07.  I thought maybe my memory was wrong so I turned around to head home, where I checked the map and found that the state line is maybe 1/4 mile further on.  That's OK -- a goal for another day.

I also found, not for the first time, that the Trail headed west is a very slight uphill grade for most of its length, although it looks flat.  My legs were feeling the exercise before I turned back (can you say, jelly?) but once I turned around, I was immediately going faster with less effort, and I didn't rest or even get off the bike.  So, at least 16 miles on the trail, probably 18-19 total including the distance from home to the trail head, and I still had lots of energy afterward and I did it all at my old average cycling speed of 10mph.  Not fast, never was, but it's consistent. Never mind that I used to manage that average even when riding the Rockies and Sierras, not just a flat little trail. Next time, I'll take the camera, some water, and maybe a snack, and see how far into Alabama I can get.  It's a good thing I had lots of energy left,  because I had lots more planned for this day, such as....

Making some goat's milk yogurt.  I have some of the Redwood Hill brand left to use as a starter, and can't imagine that the process is any different with goat's milk than it is with cow's milk.  It takes several hours to set, so I won't know for awhile.

Yummy tomatoes, after the boiling water bath, before peeling.

Making some tomato sauce for the freezer.  I wasn't going to do it, but last night it was cool in the house after the rainstorm, so I took advantage of that to boil some water to loosen the skin on the tomatoes.  Anyway -- what is the point in planting San Marzano tomatoes, which are supposedly the finest sauce tomato in the universe -- if I'm not going to make sauce at least once?

A nice mess of fresh herbs from the garden -- basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley.

After easy peel removal they hit the food  processor to reach a nice rough consistency (I was taught years ago when I cooked at Mama Nina's Italian Restaurant in Yountville, CA that you need chunks of tomatoes in the sauce, not just smooth tomato sauce), they hit a pan already sizzling with chopped onions and garlic in olive oil.  A bunch of chopped fresh herbs hit the sauce along with a little pepper and some kosher salt, then I moved the pan to the simmer burner which I now love!  At its lowest setting it is perfect for all-day cooking of tomato sauce without burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Gotta love that!  And even though it's still cooking, the house smells utterly wonderful when I come in from the outside, and it tastes great, too.  I just may have to find a way to use part of it for dinner tonight, rather than putting all of it into the freezer.

I didn't leave it on the chair long -- put it flat on the grass so it's easier to keep the lumps of down loosened up.  This thing is actually white -- I've had it for so long and never washed it that I guess I thought it was supposed to be off-white.  Giggles.  What can I say?

I also decided to wash my king-size down comforter (the new washer has a 'comforter' setting and is something that could not happen in even the largest center-agitator washer).  Worked like a charm and it's now drying out in the sun on the grass.  Hard part is getting the lumps of down broken up and loose again.

Where are you, little hummers????

And...I've had my back porch buzzed by a hummingbird a couple of times this week -- once when I was standing out there and it hovered eyeball-to-eyeball for awhile as if to say "OK dude, where's the food". So today I bought a cheap feeder, made some nectar and hung it up.  It'll probably take them a day or so to find it.

Gosh -- aside from running errands around town, I think that's about it, but the day is young.  I got my vitamin order from  Swanson's last night and immediately took three of the new whole food multi-vitamins with dinner.  I've always scoffed at people who take some supplement and say it's worked miracles right away -- it just doesn't seem possible to me, and I've certainly never had it happen to me personally -- but last night I had lots of energy, attacked the other window in this room so I can paint it when I paint the other, worked on the tomatoes, and the energy this morning and day has continued.  What else could it be?  The stuff is called 'Alive' by Nature's Way, and if this continues I'll sure be taking more of it. The customer reviews are great and it's just filled with good stuff.

Kinda hard to see now, but give it a few days.

The buckwheat is coming up this morning, and it happened literally overnight.  I've been covering the area at night, uncovering early in the morning.  Not a sign of it last night around 8pm when I covered it, but it was up and already yellow from lack of sun when I uncovered it early this morning.  Wonderful!  If it follows the pattern from the other bed, it'll keep coming up for several days before all is sprouted.  Life is good.

The Silver Comet Trail -- Part Deux

I knew there was a training camp here for wheelchair athletes, because there are signs at the city limits, but that's all I know about it.  No clue where it is.  Today out riding on the Silver Comet Trail, these guys passed me in a flash.  I'm amazed that this photo worked -- I had to stop and use the zoom and they were moving fast. Sometimes, I actually like this camera.

I was stopped to take a photo when I first heard them behind me and looked around. All I saw was one bike that looked like it was towing a bike trailer, but I definitely heard a human voice.  Great, I thought.  Here I am out in the boonies and some local looney carrying all his possessions in a trailer, talking to himself and probably high on something, comes along.  I guess I spent too much time in Eugene, because that situation is far less likely here. At any rate, I started pedaling not sure what was coming behind me but aware that it was making a strange noise, then these two friendly fellows flew past, said 'good morning' and clattered away.  The noise came from the wheelchair.  I admit to being rather stunned and surprised and awestruck.  The two were so close together and so perfectly aligned I thought at first that the bike was towing the wheelchair, but later I saw that wasn't the case -- merely setting the pace.  They turned off on a county road just past here and I continued on the trail and wouldn't you know, we met up at the same intersection on our return trips?  Once more, they pulled away from me quickly enough and disappeared.  Really cool!

As you can see, it's an extremely beautiful day here, finally.  Things are greening up a bit, but barely.  I think a few warm, sunny days will take care of that, however, as the trees are bursting with buds.  I had thoughts of going east on the Trail, to see what that was like, but in the end I just wanted to ride as hard as I could for as long as I could, so I opted to go west once again, but further.

This is where I turned around today -- Milepost 58.73, just a couple of miles from the Alabama state line and the Chief Ladiga Trail.  That's 6.91 miles from the Cedartown RR station, where I began, giving me a total of 13.82 trail miles for the day plus another mile or so to/from home.  Not bad for an old lady who hasn't ridden for a year or more.  Took me exactly two hours, which is on the slow side even for me, but hey, refer to the previous sentence!  I'll get there. Anyway, I do tend to stop often to take photos, if briefly.

This is what most of the trail is like -- quiet and peaceful, traversing a variety of woods and wetlands and rural homes and farms.  I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am for having this trail in my backyard (literally -- it's right across the RR tracks, although there's no access that way).  It's a gift.  Granted, in Eugene I had lots of good bike trails, too, and for a year I lived right on the river bike trail that offered an 18-mile loop plus access to other places, but that trail tends to be really crowded and far from a place for serious cycling.  Too many dogs and kids and strollers and pedestrians, unless you are out in the early morning or in cold weather.  I was grateful to have it -- but this one is SO much more!  And it's less than 5 minutes from home.  How wonderful is that!

Lovely day, lovely countryside.

Is it a turtle or a terrapin?  His buddy was less amused at being disturbed and plopped into the water.

Same wetlands, more turtles.  I was trying for some birds I saw, but they were far too shy.  This is full zoom.  I would call them wood ducks, but I'm no expert.  Lovely, graceful swimmers with beautiful tufted black and white heads.

These little blue flowers are everywhere right now -- thick carpets of them alongside the highways between here and Rome, and even out in my neighbor's back yard.  I'm not sure what they are.  Bluets?  Lovely, whatever they are.

I hatched a plan while I was out.  I know now that I can easily make the Alabama state line and the end of the Silver Comet.  One day this summer I'm going to plan an overnight trip to Jacksonville, Alabama, which lies at mile 26.8 on the Chief Ladiga Trail.   That's a total of almost 35 miles one way, which is granted a bit on the long side, but I've done longer days in recent years and I can do it again.  Jacksonville is the home of one of my writing idols, Rick Bragg, and while I don't expect to encounter him I'd like to see the town and area.  I'm sure there are motels and restaurants and it would be a fun overnight excursion.  It'll  be a great incentive to get out there and ride, as if I needed any!

Ahhhhhhhh... Bliss!!

When you come right down to it, this is a large part of what this move was all about, and yes, as of this moment it's worth every minute and every mile and every dollar.  Once the frost cleared this morning I headed out on the Silver Comet Trail, westbound.  A bit nippy at first, but of course that didn't last plus I had on good thermal clothes and a windbreaker.  The sun, as you can see, was shining brightly and not a cloud spoiled the blue sky.  From here, the trail crossed under the bridge then ramped around in a circle upwards to the left and crossed over it.

 

Not far from where the trail leaves Main Street, it leaves the designated path and follows city streets for a short distance.  The route is well-marked, but I missed a turn that would have taken me to this and eventually backtracked to find it.  This bridge crosses a canal of some kind that goes through some really pretty park area.

Just past the bridge the trail curves and goes through the outskirts of an industrial area for a bit before reaching the big bridge in the first photo.  I'm really looking forward to seeing all this once spring takes hold and all is green.

I wish you could have heard the noise here -- it was a large wetland on both sides of the trail and the frogs were having a croaking field day.  Unbelievably loud.  Other than frogs, most of the sound I heard on the trip was birdsong, and birds were everywhere. 

The trail as it travels beyond the wetland and frogs, through farmlands and rural residential areas.  I think this is about where I turned around, my exploration finished for the day, about 3.1 miles from town.  That gives me a total of 6.2 trail miles for the day, plus getting to/from the trail and some extra while I was lost.  It wasn't a long ride, but it was enough for today.

I haven't ridden my bike for about a year now, and that's way too long.  My cycling muscles were rusty, particularly when I needed to go up a hill or over an overpass.  I thought it best to not push too far this first time.  All in all, I was out for about a hour, which included stopping at the railroad station (which is now a visitor center for the Trail) and getting a couple of trail maps.

Wonderful way to start the day.  I'm a happy camper right now!