29JAN2022

 Another 1+15 at 3.5mph for 4.2 miles or so on the treadmill. 12.5# pack and 2x3# hand weights. 

Today's diversion was the Marianas Turkey Shoot and the Battle of the Philippine Sea in WWII. Odd to hear names and see places that I have actually been, and feel in some small way what the pilots who flew over those waters felt. The History Channel made it seem heroic, and decisive - I know from experience that there were a lot of soiled flight suits and 'decisions' made much later than they should have been; but the facts remain. Now here we are, 80 year later, still affected by the 'success' of our nation in that war. Arrogant, self-centered know-it-all's. We won because of a confluence of circumstances that allowed us tom mobilize, finally, resources in our one country that it would have taken a fully united Europe to muster. 

Then I watched a bit of a May transit of the Wainwright C-to-C in MISERABLE weather. Laughing all the way through rain and WIND and snow. 

Kelli did exercises today, for 30 minutes of stretching and strengthening. She's doing a great job of preparing and is excited not only for the Cotswold Way but anything else that catches her fancy. Maybe even a Camino? 

I also semi-casually mentioned that I had been considering flying the Brompton down to MIA to bike MIA-EYW over 3 days, but that the big snow storm this weekend has caused so many cancellations there'd be little chance of making it non-rev. She said, in all earnestness: "You know I would fully support an endeavor like that." So there you go. I have a by-your-leave, the method, the means and pretty much the time to do a mini-epic. If not this week, maybe the next or the one after. Winter in the Keys is a lovely thing. 

28 JAN 2022 PAO

 Journals. Diaries. Logbooks. Blogs Vlogs and YouTube channels. My oh my, but there are lots of ways to track a trip. This may not be the latest and greatest - nor latest OR greatest - but it's already in play so, here we go. 

Training today was treadmill at 3.5mph for 1+15, no incline, 12.5# pack and 3# hand weights (6# total for 18.5# total additional weight). Distance was 4.21 miles.

Entertainment was watching all 3 parts of We Walked Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk in 10 days; a cute Scottish couple walk from St Bees to Robinshood Bay. Each part was 25 minutes, so just about perfect. 

I swapped the insoles on my Merrell Moab 2 Waterproof Mid walking boots from factory to Dr Scholls yesterday and immediately felt cramped. After yesterday's walk of same length and speed my right foot hurt on top and my left thigh just above the knee and to the inside of the leg felt bruised and very sensitive - tingling unpleasantly at the slightest touch. So today I swapped back to factory insoles, noted the increased room in the toe box, and while the thigh is still bruised sore it is not electrified and the while process feels much better. This is the same leg that I think wound up with sciatic injury after the 100 Mile Wilderness walk in Maine last year, so I want to have a care with it. 

Thought that since the Lake District to the west side of Great Britain is the prettiest and hilliest half of the walk, that if one were to just go and do the C-to-C, or with minimal training, one could walk oneself into shape a bit walking East to West (counter flow) with 6 days of 'boring' moor walking. Settling pack, getting into 8 + hour days of walking, like that. 

I wonder if son John, when he finishes his degree next year, would be interested in spending a couple or three weeks in England with his old man. 

Did I just call myself old?

Let's see, where was I?

I'm sure there's a good metaphor about trying to blog your life that mirrors how there are periods of great intensity and then blank spaces and then another period of intensity. Maybe the train of life going from station to station (event to event) and the time between, just listening to the wheels on the tracks and the scenery rushing by. 

Can I really be turning 66 next month? Oy. 

Well, I'm not intending to catch you up (who are 'you', anyway?) but you should know that this last year I was invited to hike across the Grand Canyon and the 100 Mile Wilderness and up/down Mt Katahdin. I did both and survived - no, enjoyed  both. So much so that I'm planning another hike this coming summer. Covid willing. 

Tour du Mont Blanc. 170km around, 10km up/down. From Les Houches France to Italy to Switzerland and back to Les Houches. 

I'm in the planning/reservations phase just now. Here's what I have so far: from  non-rev from Philadelphia to Dublin on/about June25th to a hostel downtown until 29JUN when I fly revenue from DUB thru London Heathrow to Geneva and then bus to Camonix/Les Houches and a hotel until the 1st of July. 

I'm following  the traditional route CCW (Anti-clockwise) from Les Houches - taking 11 days, most of which I'll be camping and some in refuges. 

Finishing on the 11th I'll get back to the same hotel as before for one night, and on 12JUL unwind by bus to GVA, British Airways GVA thru LHR to DUB, to a different hostel for a night or two, and then start trying to get back DUB to PHL non-rev. 

The big block at the beginning in DUB is not only because I love DUB, but as my ticket on BA is the stake in the sand and the flight on AA is at the whim of passenger loads, I want to give myself several tries to get going. If it looks really rough I may even go earlier! 

So I'm training already, doing 1+15 on the treadmill (it IS January in the NE right now) wearing 10# pack and carrying 3# in each hand watching TMB YouTube videos. I'll up my game with mountain specific strength and stretching exercises while I pick up a few more goodies, light weight goodies, for my pack. 

Wish me luck!