North Rim Descent to Roaring Springs

Descent to Roaring Springs at EveryTrail

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Cannell Plunge

On June 22, 2009, friend Greg and I mountain-biked the Cannell Plunge from Sherman Pass in Kern County to Kernville. This is a 26-mile descent from over 9,000 feet for experienced mountain bikers. I hadn't touched my bike in a year, but fortunately had many many hours on my feet in ultrathon training.

At the end of the day, I wasn't tired from the physical exertion except for the relentless assault upon my arms and shoulders from the braking and turning required in the last, very sandy, descent.

Upper Kern River to Rincon Pass

This 12 mile run started at the intersection of state highway 99 and the Kern River near Kernville, California, in the lower Sierras just east of the divide. This area of the Sierras is dry and hot in late June. I ascended the Kern River along an extremely rocky trail which made it difficult to run. The trail then leaves the river gorge and ascends up to the Rincon trail. This connecting trail was little-used. It connected with the Rincon trail and in the early morning I was uncertain about the Rincon trail's location and direction in the early morning. It took me several minutes to locate the compass on my Garmin and then I was off and running south.

The Rincon trail disappeared into a riverbed. A trail marker tree had been washed down and it took me several minutes to find the trail again. Finally, I ascended to the pass and then descended.

This was a moderately-difficult run, in part due to the difficult footwork among the sharp rocks in the first 5 miles. There was no way that the first 8 miles of my run would be passable for horses.

Cindy Graduates

Fourth daughter Cynthia graduated tonight from Hart High. Off to the University of Utah.

Albany, NY

I just returned from several days in Albany, NY. Still recovering from my marathon on Memorial Day, I still have some of the soreness from the run. However, I was able to get out a few times.

This run below was a 10-miler, north along the Hudson River and then south along Broadway through the villages of Watervliet, Menands and then Albany.

This is the prettiest time in Albany. Green everywhere. The view along the Hudson was quite wonderful, although the river was smelly at times. The polluted Hudson is worse than normal these days whilst a billion-dollar dredging for PCBs at a G.E. plant upstream is underway.

Henry Hudson sailed up the Hudson in 1609; this year is the 400th anniversary of his discovery voyage. He was looking for a northwest passage. (I frankly can't understand how he would think to find that sailing up a freshwater river, but what do I know. And, he didn't.)
Albany, NY at EveryTrail

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Los Angeles Marathon -- 4:00:54

May 25, 2009: OK; not the greatest time. Placed 100th in my division at a 60% grade. As an excuse, I am recovering from pretty painful but not all that drastic surgery in March which caused me not to be all that interested in training.

There were close to 20,000 runners. The weather was overcast and around 70 degrees. We started at 7:20. Characteristically we couldn't hear the national anthem, even though we had no problem hearing Mayor Antonio Villarigosa and some of the promos.

I ran with several members of my stake; 11 from one ward alone. I have gone running with them in the past. I think I beat all of them; not quite sure. One sister from my stake, a few years younger than me, placed 20th in her division. One fellow, 10 years old than me, placed 24th.

I'll have pix.

Klamath Falls, OR

This was a great run in the morning of May 15, 2009. It was 27 degrees to start in the morning, and I was dressed for summer weather. It warmed up after about an hour.