RainierFTW

Rainier At Last

2010-08-19T14:05:00.001-07:00

So the big day came - and went. A week later, it is still hard to believe the journey is over.

17 climbers, who together raised over $47,965 for Big City Mountaineers charity, began climbing the mountain on Aug 12. 16 of those climbers made it to Camp Muir, at 10,030 ft on Aug 13th. 10 of those reached Columbia Crest Crater on Aug 14th. 6 of that group continued on to Columbia Crest, the very top of Mt. Rainier at 14,410 ft.

All of us safely made it down, with memories not soon to be forgotton, the biggest accomplishment of all.

I was very lucky to have made the entire journey, despite the pain, exhaustion, and fear.

Without the support of my friends, co-workers, the memory of the good souls I have lost this year, I would not have been able to even reach halfway up.

It was the experience of a lifetime, and I hope that our funding will do the same for the children heading out to the Great Outdoors with Big City Mountaineers.

I would have been lost without experiencing our wild lands. As Thoreau stated: "In wildness is the preservation of the world.."

click here for more pictures of our journey

2010-06-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

The last two months have been a rollercoaster, and it has been hard to stay focused on preparing for my upcoming Rainier trip. Working three jobs has left little time for anything else, and it has definitely taken its toll.

In addition, my full-time position at the Forest Service ends in October and my cowbird job ends beginning of July, so I have been desperately looking for work, as my part-time position working as a Outdoor Excursions leader for the university will not be enough to support me.

I have hope that something will work out. I spent a great deal of time these last six months doing volunteer work, and perhaps it will pay-off in the career growth sense as much as it did with my spiritual growth.

Since I've been so stressed and pre-occupied, I have really slacked in both fundraising and work-out efforts. I am determined to become focused again, and remind myself of why I am doing this climb, and how much good focusing on preparing has done for me these past six months - both physically and spiritually.

I did start reserving one day a week to hike after work with some friends who will be climbing with me in August. Every Tuesday or Thursday, we meet up after work and hike in the local hills. I also did two climbs out of town, one in the Sierras in the snow, the other, a desert peak outside of Ridgecrest. It's not much for two months, and I aim to change that in the next few weeks.

I've also noticed I've slacked off on spending time with friends and family - my support group. I've been so wrapped up with job stuff, I've been rather anti-social. Definitely another thing to work on.

I arranged a luncheon in honor of Nicole at work, which turned out really well. It was great to see so many people want to help out with bringing in food, clean up the garden, and supporting me on my climb. I also had a chance to reconnect with friends and family of Nicole, and though it brought on some tears, it was truly wonderful to reminisce and talk. Nicole was definitely worth remembering, and I can only hope and work hard so that I could have the same remembered of me one day. She did so much in her life, and I know that I can only achieve that much through careful organization and dedicated work.

So the next few weeks, I'm going to make a better effort to re-align and carry out my priorities. I only have a little over a month to get into the best shape I can for the climb - and three months at work to make myself a valuable employee. I'm also going to make more of an effort to reconnect with everyone who has helped me so much in this past year.

So, the weekdays will be focused on work and brief work-out sessions (even if only one evening a week). Now that my weekend job is ending, I will spend that time with those most important to me (perhaps concurrently doing more exercise).

Spring update!

2010-05-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

What a last few months! Fortunately, things have begun to wind down - enough for me to post an update. Here is what I've been up to since my last post:

Feb 19-20, I led an Outdoor Excursions trip to Big Bear. It was an overnight snowboarding trip, with a very energetic group. The weekend was spent playing games, eating massive amounts of food, and watching the Olympics. Oh yes, and a little time was squeezed in for some actual snowboarding. One of the participants offered to donate to my fundraiser if I gave her a private snowboarding lesson, which worked out wonderfully. I was able to get her to snowboard down an intermediate level run on one edge without falling within an hour. She was so thrilled, she continued to practice for the next few weeks to sharpen her skills. I wish I thought of selling lessons to raise money for the charity earlier!!

Feb 22, I volunteered in Big Bear adaptive ski program again, working with a fantastic older gentleman named Brian who had cerebral palsy. He was not wheelchair bound, and was actually a decent skier on his own. I did have to accompany him to help keep his path clear. He had to ski slowly, and he couldn't easily watch for other skiers as he maneuvered down the hill. He also had difficulty speaking, but as with Molly, he understood dialogue just fine. He spoke very slowly with slurred speech, but if I paid close attention, I found he was very articulate and told some great stories and jokes. It was nice to take things slow, focusing on making good turns and enjoying the fantastic scenery (it had snowed several inches that morning).

Feb 23, I promised to meet up with the participants from my Big Bear snowboarding trip at Hanger 18, to introduce them to the gym. I gave them a brief lesson on bouldering and top-rope climbing. I didn't get to climb much, but spent quite a bit of energy belaying and instructing. My voice was actually hoarse by the end of the evening! The group had such a blast, several signed up for memberships that night. Hanger 18, you owe me!!

The rest of the week I mostly relaxed, but did spend my one weekly evening at Mt. High, practicing telemark skiing.

Feb 27, I went to Orange County to be trained in Cactus Wren surveys, only to find I would not be able to fit the survey work into my schedule. The commute to the sites were just too long, and I was booked with work and OE trips for the next few weeks.

Feb 28 was spent at Mt. Baldy ski area with some friends. With tons of fresh snow, and a full day on the mountain, I got a rigorous workout.

The following week of March 1- March 4, I spent another evening at Mt High, and an evening at Hanger 18. My right knee was starting to bother me quite a bit, so I only did a few easy climbs at Hanger 18, just one or two V0 boulder problems and a couple of 5.9 and under roped climbs.

I had hoped that with getting into better shape, my right knee would work itself out over time. Unfortunately, it had only gotten worse. Something told me it was more than regular aches and pains, so I scheduled an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. In the meantime, I tried not to worry about it, and just be careful in upcoming activities.

March 5-7 I went up to Mammoth ski area, spending two full days snowboarding. Fortunately, snowboarding put little stress on the affected part of the knee. It only hurt if I let my board hang on my right foot on the lifts - so I made sure to always support it with my left foot. The snow conditions were amazing, and I spent the days with two excellent snowboarders - giving me the opportunity to really push my limits and snowboard my hardest. We went through thick pine groves, took jumps off powder banks, ventured onto ungroomed and steep black diamond terrain, and went really, really, really fast on the flats. I felt terribly guilty not practicing any telemark skiing that weekend, but it was a blast spending a few days at something I actually was DECENT at!

The following week, March 9-11, I spent in Santa Barbara for work, once again, collecting soil samples. Once more, it was loads of heavy lifting and hiking on steep terrain. With all the physical activities in the past two weeks, I didn't do my regular bike/run after work, just resting at the hotel and heading to bed early. Gotta let the body recover!

The next weekend, March 12-15, was spent on my annual reunion trip with my old college housemates in Tahoe. Two days were spent driving, two were spent having a grand old time in Tahoe. I telemarked the whole weekend, as I had just recently purchased plastic telemark boots. They helped improved my skiing by leaps and bounds - and I finally could link my turns on intermediate runs! My quads screamed every night, and I took falls on every run, but the sudden burst of improvement made me push myself to ski on the harder, longer runs. Fortunately, we only spent half-days at the ski resort, the rest of the time was spent catching up, playing cards, and sledding. It was a rather relaxing weekend, at least mentally!

The following week, March 16-19, I once again practiced tele-ing in the evening at Mt. High, and then spent the rest of the week in Santa Barbara again for work. What a relief that I only had one day of plans that following weekend!

Saturday, March 20th, I met up with my supervisor from Outdoor Excursions, her friends, and some of the other OE leaders, at Snow Valley ski area for Telefest - a gathering of mostly tele-skiers, one snowboarder, and a few randonee skiers. It was a blast. I was very self-conscious how I would look telemark skiing in front of so many other tele-ers, but my practice has paid off. For the most part, I was just as good as the rest of the group, and could keep up with them! It was a grand feeling, knowing all the work (and countless falls!) had finally paid off.

March 21 - 26 was a week of rest. I had x-rays and an MRI done on my knee, as well as follow-up appointments. My doctor was convinced it was a torn meniscus from the location of the pain, but the MRI didn't show any evidence of one. I was somewhat relieved, as it meant no surgery. However, I was referred to physical therapy two weeks from then. Fortunately, it looked like there was no more field work required for the next few weeks, and my weekends were going to be a little quieter.

March 27-30, I travelled to the Bay Area to visit my parents. I went on my first recreational hike of the year on Sunday in Sunol, visiting a lovely area called "Little Yosemite". Spring has finally sprung, and I spent a large amount of time taking pictures of the green hills and all the wildflowers in full bloom.

Midweek was spent in the office, home, and visiting a friend who had come to Riverside for the week.

Friday April 2nd, I spent half a day in Big Bear, for what was probably my last visit to the snow this season. Mt High had already closed its evening operations, so no more weekly tele sessions. It was sad to say goodbye, after getting into the routine of beating myself up on the slopes. Especially since I had finally gotten to the point where I spent more time actually tele skiing than falling! But, I'm glad I had so many opportunities to go, and go cheaply. The largest cost for me doing the sport was the purchase of the plastic boots (but were completely worth it!!). I had lucked out in having friends split cost of gas, procure heavily discounted or free lift tickets through my volunteer work at the adaptive ski program and work for Outdoor Excursions, and snagging cheap skis and bindings.

April 3-4 was spent with friends for Easter, where I promptly made up for all the calories lost in the last three weeks.

The following week April 5-9 was mostly office work and catching up with errands, with two days of light hiking for field work Thursday and Friday. My knee had started to ache again, so I did not climb or run that week, and had to use hiking poles for the field work. I also interviewed for, and successfully nabbed, another part-time job. For the next few months, I will be spending 4 to 8 hours a week monitoring and maintaining cowbird traps along the Santa Ana river in Colton and San Bernardino. It is relatively easy work - more driving than hiking.

April 10, after spending a few hours doing cowbird work, I did another recreational hike in Oak Glen, but took it slow. It was still a decent work-out, as much of the trail had been covered by fallen limbs and trees from the heavy snowfall that year. A large part of the hike was spent maneuvering around the debris, and sometimes climbing or scrambling over.

April 11 was spent with cowbird work, and ride around Lake Perris on a new mount, JD. Jabar, the horse I rode in the Mojave, is currently training for and participating in a whole slew of endurance rides with his owner, so we switched so she could work with him. It was difficult for me, as JD is a much larger, leaner horse, with a unique gait that makes him easily cover a lot of ground. Unfortunately, this gait completely baffled me. It can be best describes a a half-trot, half-canter. A "tranter" if you will. Basically, one end trots, and the other canters. I was all over the place trying to find the rhythm to ride it out - my poor right knee was in agony by the end of the ride!

So, the next few days was rest, ice, and ibuprofen once again. April 14 I did some light climbing for an hour at Hanger 18 - two roped climbs under 5.9. April 15 I jogged for 2-3 miles, which didn't hurt my knee too badly. I've noticed that as long as I don't move it laterally, actively engaging my inner thigh muscle, and focus most of the impact on the hip joint, it hurts much less.

The next weekend, April 16-19, I traveled to Red Rock, NV, for a friends birthday. Two days were spent climbing some incredible trad routes. I only cleaned, and most of the routes were 5.8 and under, but a great experience nonetheless. Saturday was spent in the Lotta Balls and Romper Room area, and Sunday was spent on Cat in the Hat, one of the most famous climbs in Red Rock.

We had fantastic luck in having the Cat in the Hat route all to ourselves, despite arriving late in the morning (around 9am). The two other groups on the climb had gotten into an argument and bailed, and I guess other people didn't attempt the climb because of its reputation for being crowded on weekends and the forecasted hot weather. We got neither - no crowds, and it was sunny but breezy. Just awesome.

The route was a great introduction to climbing multi-pitch with a team larger than two (we had a group of four), being on very exposed walls, and gaining a lot of elevation in one day. I actually got quite nervous on the highly exposed parts, having to talk myself through and paying close attention to my hand and foot holds. Fortunately, the climb is only rated 5.6. None of us took any falls, and one of the guys leading put in plenty of redundant protection, boosting my confidence.

The climbing this weekend also reminded me how it is to hike with a truly heavy pack long distances. I will certainly have to do a lot more of that the closer my Rainier climb is. I may do quite a bit of hiking for work - but mostly short distances with a heavy pack, or long distances with a light pack.

The following week, April 19-23, I mostly worked in the office. On Tuesday I did my annual Work Capacity Test, which is a requirement for US Forest Service employees who may have to work on wildland fires. One can choose from three levels - light, moderate, and arduous. I am required to pass the light, but I chose to try the moderate, since I have successfully passed that level for the previous 2 years (The moderate test is a 2-mile hike with 25 lb pack within 30 minutes). It wasn't easy, but I was able to finish in time.

I had my first physical therapy appointment on April 21st, and not a moment too soon. I had completely forgotten, but a few months earlier, I had signed up to do a 10K mud run with a friend on April 24th in Irvine. Fortunately, my physical therapist said I did not have to bail on it, as long as I limited getting down on my knees, doing a lot of uphill and downhill (as it turned out, the course was mostly flat), and making sure to put my heel down first as I run (I tend to run just on the front of my feet).

The mud run was ok, but I definitely was not in shape for a 10K. I duct taped my knee brace on to ensure it wouldn't come off on the mud pits, and thank goodness, because I needed all the support I could get. I was dying most of the run. My knee ached and my lungs were screaming most of the way. Fortunately, my friend I ran with stayed with me the whole time, inspiring me to finish the race. It definitely made me realize I will have to be dedicated to practicing my physical therapy exercises if I want this knee issue to finally get better - it's just not going to heal on its own.

The rest of the weekend was spent doing cowbird work, and packing for another week doing field work in Santa Barbara again.

April 26-30 was spent doing 10-12 hour days doing vegetation surveys. Brutal mentally, but not so much physically as we only had to hike out to our research sites with light packs. I was so tired I slacked on my physical therapy exercises in the evening - only doing about a half hour of exercises all week.

May 1-2 I spent the weekend working and on a horse camping trip at Lake Perris. I rode JD again on Saturday, and with a little more success. Granted, I had him straight out run or walk, skipping the "tranter" gait all together. On Sunday I gave him a break, and tried out a new horse. Smalli, a tiny arabian mare, is a young newbie to the ranch. We took it nice and easy together, which was just fine with me. We walked most of the time, and I got off and guided her through steeper areas. Even though JD did easier gaits the previous day, my knee was still being troublesome. I've decided I will have to get off the horse more frequently to stretch it out, which is not always ideal, but one has to do what one has to do.

The following week of May 3-7 was spent in Santa Barbara doing veg work again, and this time I was a little more pro-active with my exercises. I also brought my road bike along and was able to fit in two light rides after work (about 5 miles each).

This last weekend, I rode Smalli and another horse Fox. I rode mostly at slow walk, with very brief trotting sessions. I dismounted twice to walk with the horse, which significantly helped with the knee pain. In addition, I bought a large bottle of glucosamine pills, which my physical therapist says may not help right away, but may in the long run. At this point, I'm doing every little thing that can help!

Sunday I went on a hike to the C, and decided I will have to routinely start hiking the steep routes in the Box Springs in the following months. Once my knee starts to noticeably improve, I will start hiking with a heavy pack.

For the next few weeks, I plan to keep doing physical activities after work that my physical therapist approves of (climbing and running on flat surfaces are ok), and do my PT exercises daily.

Hopefully, this knee issue will improve soon. If not, surgery may be an option if no improvement is seen in a month. Fortunately, if surgery is necessary, my doctor says I will be able to fully recover in another month (just in time for the mid-August climb).

I have a feeling that with all the adjustments my physical therapist has suggested, I should have little problem and won't have to resort to surgery. It will just take time. I'm not as young as I used to be, and I certainly haven't been taking care of my knees like I really should have these last few years with all the crazy physical activities I've been doing. It really was only a matter of time things were going to start hurting - now I have to be patient, a little more careful, and more diligent about my form, amount, and style of exercise. I may play like I'm younger, but my body is only getting older!

From left, Paolo, my awesome telemark partner-in-crime, me, Serena, and her husband James (both of which will be climbing Rainier with me for Summit for Someone) at TeleFest at Snow Valley

So busy!

2010-02-18T11:14:00.001-08:00

A LOT has been going on since I last updated. This winter, by far, is my most booked by far. It's been good though. I don't have time for it all, but I sure as hell have been trying to fit it all in.

The week of Jan 11-15 was filled with field work and a few riding sessions.

The long weekend of Jan 15-17, I travelled to SF and Tahoe. For the most part, it was a lovely weekend. Walked around the city, spent two days in the mountains. Only cons of the trip - my "new" snowboarding boots gave me terrible blisters and heavy storms hit the area, so we only got two half-days in on the slopes.

The week of Jan 18-22 was a little more field work. I began a new routine of spending one evening climbing at the gym, and one evening practicing tele skiing, every week. Dedicating myself to just two evenings of heavy physical stuff seemed a lot easier than committing to light physical work every day of the week. So far, I've been sticking with the routine pretty well.

Jan 23 was supposed to be the next 30-mile endurance ride I could compete in. As usual, it was cancelled due to poor weather. The nice thing is, there have been so many cancellations and postponements, I've been starting to expect something to come up each time! *sigh*

So, I spent Saturday resting (and maybe a little moping). Sunday, I was invited to go for a laid-back 16-mile ride with a group near the Santa Rosa Plateau. It turned out to be a great training ride for both me and the horse. Jabar, who is getting fitter by the ride, was busting at the seams that day. He was particularly excited because we were with the large group of new people and unfamiliar horses. It was a challenge to keep him slow and steady! But, it was great to get a feel for how a horse typically will act in a race atmosphere - and learn what needs to be done to keep him calm and under control.

The week of Jan 25-28, I went climbing for two nights, and didn't go skiing. I've noticed I've gotten rather lazy with my climbing routine. The last few times, I have been just doing slow, easy roped routes, and not really working on my stamina anymore. Since I've noticed this, I've been forcing myself to at least do a few bouldering routes (with calculated descents along the same problems), before I do the "fun easy stuff" on the ropes.

The weekend of Jan 29-31, I headed up to Big Bear Lake for training to re-certify my Wilderness First Responder. The training was a blast! I also got a few hours of snowboarding in on Friday night, and two hours of practicing tele Saturday night. It was great to be back in both a classroom atmosphere, AND in the snowy mountains!

The week of Feb 1-4 I didn't get to build a sweat at work. I had only one day of field work, and an easy one at that.

I did stick to going one night climbing, one night tele. I'm slowly, put surely, developing my strength and balance telemarking. However, it is slow going. My "coach", a friend who has been teaching me, says it's because of my old equipment. I picked up all my tele gear second-hand. The boots I picked up are over 20 years old, and all leather. A far cry from the more advanced and secure plastic tele boots of today. I'm desperately trying to track down an inexpensive pair, but no luck so far. Tele gear is pricey! I simply can't afford to pay 200 or over for a pair of ski boots, especially with trying to raise money for the fundraiser.

On Feb 5, I worked at the adaptive ski program. I was rather anxious about my first experience leading the bi-ski, and the challenge of providing a fun and safe atmosphere for a participant who not only may be physically disabled, but cognitively as well.

I ended up being assigned to a 14 year old girl named Molly. She had severe cerebral palsy, and a speech and language disorder from the condition. It was very difficult to communicate with her at first. After about an hour, I observed she understood me very well, she just had difficulty responding. "Yes" and "No" were easier responses for her, paired with head nodding or shaking when she couldn't form the words sometimes. As long as I faced her when I directed any questions, made eye contact, spoke clearly, and asked simple, yes/no questions, we were able to communicate quite well.

I also found I could tell her stories. Though she couldn't verbally reply to them, she seemed to understand most of them by physically responding.

For example, when it began to snow on us on the chairlift, I noticed it bothered her a lot. She would shake her head and moan, trying to lift her hands to block her face. She wasn't able to lift her hands due to her disability, and when I held my hands over her head, some flakes still managed to land. To distract her for the few minutes we would be on the lift, I told her how much I used to enjoy catching snowflakes with my tongue. I proceeded to stick my tongue out, catching flakes with it. A few seconds later, she mimicked me, smiling and laughing when a few landed on her tongue. It felt like a small miracle, finding that bridge to communicate.

I was successful with controlling the bi-ski, albeit slowly. My partner (who helps me lift the bi-ski with the participant in it onto the lift), has been volunteering for over a decade and could lead the bi-ski on some faster, more exciting runs. We found that Molly loved to go fast, but she also enjoyed the runs I led as I would keep up a constant flow of jokes and commentary as I carefully and gradually maneuvered on the hill.

The experience of working with Molly was challenging, both physically and mentally (at first), but in a good way. I can't wait to do another day of volunteering with the program.

The next day, I headed up to the mountains again, to practice more tele-ing on the fresh snow that had fallen - and was still falling.

Unfortunately, the storm turned to rain in the elevations under 7000 ft. Most of the resorts were at that elevation, so we formulated a new plan. Since I had driven all the way to Big Bear Lake already, we decided to find a fire road to ski on that was at a higher elevation. The highest one we could find (at over 8,000 ft) winded up to Onyx peak, a few miles from the lake.

When we drove to the base of the fire road, which began from a turnout on highway 38, it was snowing there. Cheered, we strapped on our tele gear, and went skiing up to the peak. It was gorgeous - no one else was on the trail, and everything was blanketed in white, and it snowed gently the whole way.

It was a cold day, but the uphill climb kept me warm enough to shed most my layers. I felt like I was on a nordi-track the whole way to the top! The exercise was great though. After only a few minutes of lunch at the peak, I was freezing and ready to get moving again.

After eating, we had a blast coasting all the way back down to the car. I didn't bother to practice my tele turns. I just don't have the muscle and balance yet to do that in deep, fresh snow. But the experience inspired me to practice even more this season at the resort. I am determined to master proper tele-turns, so I can finally skip the crowded ski areas and head into the beautiful backcountry.

Sunday I led an Outdoor Excursions trip to the Mountain High resort. It was a gorgeous blue-bird day on the mountain, with loads of fresh snow from the last two days of storms.

I was feeling rather exhausted from the last two days of skiing, so I went snowboarding instead of skiing while the participants had lessons from the resort. It was the best day on the slopes this winter season so far. The conditions were perfect and the crowds minimal (probably due to it being Superbowl Sunday). I pushed myself to make as many runs as possible by the end of the day, despite my exhaustion.

The moment I got back from the trip I was ready for bed - at only 7pm! But, I pushed myself to spend the evening with friends. I didn't hit the hay until midnight. By that point, I was running on fumes and feeling rather sick.

Big surprise, the following Monday I woke up with an awful head-ache, pain all-over, and a little delirious. My exhausted body succumbed to a full-blown flu. To make things worse, I got word that evening that there is an endurance race the following Sunday. This one was a 50-miler, but the weather looked good, and the horses looked good. Everything - but me - seemed like a go for this one!!

So, for the entire week of Feb 8-Feb 11, I slept, went through boxes of tissues, drank gallons of chicken soup, tea, water with lemon juice, and willed myself to get better.

Wednesday morning the fever was gone. By Thursday evening, my only symptom left was coughing. That evening, I left the house for the first time all week, and took the horse for a short ride to see how I felt.

I was definitely a little weak, but I felt with two more days to rest, I should be ok. My knees were bothering me a little - especially my right knee - so I bought two knee braces for them.

On Friday I felt even better. I went back to work for the day, and packed for the ride that evening. Saturday we drove with the horses towards the Eastern Mojave Preserve where the ride would be. Everything was looking like a go!! I was feeling loads better, the horses looked good, their owner felt good, and blue skies were predicted for the whole weekend.

Saturday night, I went to bed at 8pm. I woke up Sunday...with no cough!! I felt great, rested, and ready to go.

At 7am, we took off, and the ride began.

I have never ridden in such beautiful country. The horse did fantastic, despite a few stumbles and a brush with a cholla bush. He successfully passed the vet checks at the start and at middle (mile 25) of the race.

I got smacked a few times by Joshua Trees (after all, we were riding through the largest Joshua Tree forest in the world), but it wasn't as bad as it sounds. We also got lost twice, losing about 30 minutes time.

By mile 35, I was starting to feel a little queasy. I have never ridden more than 25 miles at a time, and never that length at such a fast pace. I was going to start with a 25 or 30 mile race, but we had had to cancel on the only short distance rides offered at the beginning of the year. It was going to be a 50-miler or nothing - and I was determined to stick it out.

By mile 40, I was definitely tired. My calves and knees were on fire. Everytime we trotted, the rider does the equivalent of squats as the horse jogs. You never really get a chance to rest in the saddle during that time. And we trotted everytime the footing was good for the horse - which was a lot!!

The horse, on the other hand, seemed to get his second wind as the miles flew by. He pretty much took over as I started to fade. It was awesome.

As we came in sight of the camp, his ears and head went up in interest. As we began to catch up to a couple riding in front of us, it took all of me to hold him back from breaking into a full-speed gallop. (I never thought horses actually LIKED to race until I met these horses!!) It was really great to feel his energy and strength. I had worried so much that he wasn't going to make it through. The last 50 mile endurance ride he was in he ended up being pulled from due to lameness. He took months to recover.

When I slid off to walk him to the final vet check, he wouldn't stop prancing. I held my breath as the vet checked his heart rate. The maximum heart rate is 60 bpm when the horse gets vet-checked. I continuously monitored his heart rate, and it was still between 61-64 bpm as we neared the vet. Probably due to his prancing, silly horse! After she listened to his heart, she asked me to lead him in a walk and trot, while she looked for any lameness issues. Then, with a casual nod, she passed us.

We had successfully finished my first 50 mile endurance race.

My legs ached like I had run for most of those miles, and a week later, I'm still downing ibuprofen. But it was worth it. We had not only finished successfully, but we also didn't come in last. In fact, out of 54 that started, we finished in the 30's. We might have come in the middle of the pack if we didn't get lost, and if I let him run during the last mile. But I'm glad we took it nice and easy. My goal was to finish with a healthy horse, and we achieved that by being cautious. I am more than happy!!

In short, I'm hooked. I can't wait for the next endurance ride. One day, I would love to do the infamous Tevas Cup - 100 miles in one day, from Tahoe to Auburn.

Feb 16-18, I relaxed. Monday through Wednesday, I took the horses on short walks to loosen their muscles after the race. They look like they are recovering well. Yesterday, they tore around the arena when someone's engine backfired. They sure didn't LOOK like they were tired and achy from going 50 miles this weekend!!

Wednesday night, I felt like I had recovered enough to practice some more tele-ing. I only did 3 hours, but I had a small breakthrough. For some of the turns, I was able to finally kneel down low enough to bend both knees (a proper tele stance when turning). At the end of the night, my quads were on fire. But I felt like I actually did some REAL work with this sport - no pain, no gain!!

I still need to work on balance and strength, but that will only come with more and more practice. But I'm totally inspired with the small improvements I've been able to make. It also feels really good becoming stronger, and noticing my stamina is better all around.

Keep this up, I think I'm going to be quite ready, at least physically, to climb Rainier.

For the next few weeks through Feb and March, I will be doing more volunteer work, keep up with climbing and tele, and two more overnight trips for Outdoor Excursions. I also will be training to do some bird surveys in the last weeks of March.

And of course, work will provide a few helpings of some tough hikes with heavy packs in the field. Hopefully, when life settles down a little bit (hopefully by April), I can finally start focusing on organizing some fundraisers.

For now, I'm having a blast building my strength and spirit.

overdue update

2010-01-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a few weeks since I updated, and a lot has happened since then.

I started running again, going 3-6 miles each time Dec. 10 and Dec. 11.

Unfortunately, due to bad weather, we did not participate in the endurance race Dec. 12-13. On the bright side, I was able to make the annual tamale-making party at a friends house that Saturday, and had a grand time.

The following Sunday I spent teaching a friend how to ski. It was such a rewarding experience, I decided to attend training to teach and help those that are cognitively, visually, and physically disabled to be able to ski at Big Bear Mountain ski area. This type of skiing is known as "Adaptive Skiing", and more information can be found here: http://www.usarc.org/

I trained specifically to help participants ski in what is called a "bi-ski". This device is made up of a bucket seat mounted on two skis. Depending on the disability, it is used with or without outriggers (crutches mounted on skis). The training was Jan 7-10, and was a blast. Fantastic learning experience, AND a great work-out - much of my time was spent pushing and lifting the bi-ski with a participant seated inside.

I rode a little the week of Dec 14-18, to keep the horse loose, and then travelled the following week to Santa Barbara for work. The work in SB was intense - a lot of hiking, shoveling, and carrying heavy loads on steep terrain and buffeted by crazy weather. The mornings were frigid, the afternoons roasting, and often we were hit with winds that were strong enough to knock us down if we were off-balance. To top it off, the days were looong - 9 to 10 hours each.

I normally do some physical activity after work while travelling, whether it be running or biking, but this time, I hit the hotel bar each night, soaked my aches and pains from the day in the hot-tub, and hit the hay early.

Right after SB, I spent the next two weeks with family in Northern California for the holidays. I was hit pretty hard by the tough week in Santa Barbara, and spent a large amount of time in bed or eating delicious Polish food. It was wonderful to rest. I was supposed to return to work after one week, but due to weather, I missed my flight back to Southern California. So another week was spent lounging and hanging out with the fam.

I returned to work on Jan 4, travelling to Santa Maria to do some easy field work there for two days. Due to the mild nature of the work, I worked out after each day in the field. I quickly found that two weeks of doing nothing except eating and sleeping took a toll. I could barely run 3 miles at once, and afterwords, I was practically limping from soreness. Fortunately, the adaptive ski training at the end of the week got me loose and energetic again.

In addition, I rode the horse for 20 miles on Saturday, one of the longest rides I've done yet. I also signed up for a race on Jan 23, a 30-mile ride near Ridgecrest. Should be a blast, if the weather stays good and the horse and rider stay healthy!!

This upcoming long weekend I will be travelling again, back up north, to snowboard in Tahoe. The next weekend will be the ride, and weekend after that will be spend re certifying my Wilderness First Responder training. During the week, will be catching up with work, riding, and hopefully a little running and climbing at the gym too.

February is looking just as booked. During the week is more of the same as for January. Almost all the weekends are filled too - for work for my part-time job at Outdoor Excursions, except for Presidents weekend. I think I might just sleep all that weekend!!

Even March is starting fill up. Trainings for work, and OE trip to lead, and lots and lots of volunteer hours to fulfill.

I hope to do two fundraiser BBQs soon, one at home and one at work. With this crazy schedule for the next two months, I will have to do some juggling to squeeze it in. I am a little closer to my goal of $4000 after the generous donations from friends and family during the holidays, but there is still a ways to go.

PS. My new years resolutions, somewhat related to improving my overall fitness:

First: To quit, or at least reduce, my Diet Coke intake and drink tea instead for my mid-day caffeine fix.

Second: To reduce eating "mystery" meat. That is, meat I don't know how it was raised. I can eat meat, I just want to be sure it was raised humanely and not pumped with unnecessary supplements. What can I say? My vegetarian housemates are a pretty strong influence!!

And the days keep flying by..

2009-12-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

I had two more donations from very supportive, sweet friends in the last few days. Thanks Brianna and Timothy!

Since I last wrote, I have been riding ALOT. Last Thursday and Friday I did about an hour each day on the trails, and on Saturday, went for just over four hours doing trail, arena, and then trail work again. By the end, my legs were near numb and both me and the horse were covered with sweat. He slowed significantly that day, and when I rode the following day with his owner, she noticed that he was slightly swollen in his right cannon (the part of the leg between the hock and the knee).

I was afraid it may have been from pushing him too hard, but his owner assured me that it was probably an old injury flaring up and he should be in good enough shape that nothing I threw his way shouldn't be too difficult. We wrapped his legs, and decided it would be best not to have him ridden for the following week.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that he will get better by the end of this week, and the weather holds. If not, there will be other endurance rides next year.

I went to a party this weekend, and there is now no denying I'm not as in good shape as I was last year. I could barely fit in my dress (which was loose on me last year), and comparing pictures from last year's party to this year - I have very obviously lost the tone in my arms.

Truth is, last year I did a lot more running, and a lot more climbing. I hated running, and only did it to not be a complete embaressment at the mud runs I was so fond of doing that year. I climbed a lot more because I had membership at a gym much closer to me. I quit going to that gym after it became far too crowded, and joined a gym on the other side of town.

The climbing I can't really bump up, especially with riding so often and the cost of gas, but running I should easily slip into my schedule. I just need the motivation! So, I started running with a friend of mine, and we will try to do it at least twice a week.

I jogged with my friend for around 3 miles yesteray. It was suprising that I could even go that far in all these months of not doing ANY running, but I think the cold air helped. It was absolutely wonderful running in it, and I nearly forgot the pain in my creaky joints. This might not be too bad!

If this weekends race doesn't work out, I'm going to go play in all that wonderful snow that has piled on our local mountains in these last few days.

Return from the island life..

2009-12-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky to spend my last week and a half in such scenic places!

Sunday I attended the San Diego mud run, but as a cheerleader and photographer, rather than a participant. I just couldn't spend the cash on the run, and I don't think I was in proper enough running shape to really be able to enjoy the 10K. It was a blast to watch, and I think I did a good job at cheering my friend and her friend on the run.

Monday and Tuesday I travelled to about an hour north of Mono Lake, and worked in the Eastern Sierras. Our work site was at about 6000 ft. Minimal work had to be done, as it turned out. We did two short uphill hikes to winterize snow gages, and then about a half mile stroll through the area to get some overall pictures. The fall foliage has come and gone, and snow is already present at 5000 ft and above. It was fantastic to work in REAL fall/early winter weather. Can't wait till it hits SoCal!

Wednesday through the following Wednesday, I spent on Santa Barbara Island, in Channel Islands National Park. It was a rollercoaster week - filled with some heavy-duty work, and heavy-duty relaxation. During work hours, I hefted 48lb + packs several times uphill, for about a quarter mile. My legs have never felt such a burn, not felt so solid after a week! I got a proper arm work-out too, planting, augering planting holes, and several hours of sea-kayaking in white-cap conditions. I even braved two swims in the now-frigid water. I also did some hiking, traversing the whole island, and exploring the canyons and cliff-sides. In the "off" time, I read, slept in, and drank lots of tea and beer. It was a wonderful mix.

For the next few days, I will focus on getting as much riding done as possible. I will try to ride for an hour at sun-up, and an hour around sun-down, for the next few days. The endurance ride in only a little over a week away!!

ps. I decided I'm not going to sell the kayak. It proved its worth on SBI, and I hate to let it go now. Oh well!

More work ahead!

2009-11-20T11:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesday I did not get a chance to get a work-out in because of a meeting, but it was a rest-day well spent, catching up with old friends after the meeting.

Thursday I rode again, this time doing an hour ride rather than half hour. I incorporated hill and flat work, keeping the heart rate up for both me and the horse. I often forget to regulate my breathing and hold my breath at a faster pace, so I focused on taking deep, calm breaths during trot and cantering work. We did a few trotting laps, and in future rides, I'll push for longer sustained trots. For now, I need to develop a balanced seat and stronger legs, because asking a horse to jog longer than he wants to, well, it's just asking for a buck or two.

I talked with a fellow rider afterwards, and we agreed that I need to also incorporate more variety to curb disobedience. Next time I ride, which will probably be Friday and this weekend, I will do trail, arena, and then return to the trail. This weekend's ride will be a longer ride as well.

I think my balance is improving, the more I ride. Once my balance and strength improves, I'll get to ask a lot more from the horse - I can't wait! He's a good worker, but he'll only work as hard as his rider.

After riding, I spent two hours at the climbing gym. I mostly belayed, but I did have an opportunity to do three top-rope climbs - a 5.9, 5.10a, and a 5.11b. I also did a few bouldering problems. My leg strength is getting a lot better, but my upper body will need some work.

I will have to probably start running sooner or later. It's the fastest way to build whole-body strength and endurance, as well as lose unnecessary pounds. I do hate running though, it's so dull! I'm still debating on the 10K mud run this weekend. I've decided I'll do it if there are still spots available the day of. If not, oh well. $55 saved!

Doing some hikes need to be on my itinerary as well - not many this time of year, but definitely one or two. I am very excited about this winter season. I am determined to improve on telemark skiing - and it is an EXCELLENT work-out. I purchased an ancient telemark set-up - straight skis and leather boots, but we'll see how it pans out. If it is an utter failure, I'll invest in a better equipment.

As for fundraising, I have informed family and friends that this years, no gifts for Christmas or birthday - just donations. I also will be selling re-usable bags in the near future, and probably going door to door with fliers. I am also pooling together outdoor gear that I haven't used or have extras off - brand-new ski boots that were too small, extra ski helmet, extra rain jackets, chalk bag, and the kayak and it's accessories. When I have enough stuff, I'll do a little "used gear" sale of my own.

Plans for the days ahead - Monday and Tuesday I will probably go up north for work, to a site in the Eastern Sierras. Once again, lots of hill-work, with hiking, lugging heavy equipment, will be expected. Snow will be likely as as well. All the better!

Wednesday I will leave for the Channel Islands, where I will spend a week doing more volunteer work. I will be there until the following Wednesday. Again, lots of hiking and lugging heavy stuff expected! As well as snorkeling, swimming, and kayaking (hopefully!).

Uping the ante..

2009-11-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

Since the Santa Barbara work took a lot out of me, I spent the weekend after mostly relaxing, catching up on laundry, and catching up on some paperwork. I rode for a few hours, so I got SOME movement in for the weekend. :)

The following week, it was difficult to get out. I spent most of Monday cooking after work. I made golabki, a Polish dish of cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, ground meat, and dill, topped with a tomato gravy sauce. Typically this dish is made with ground pork, but since my housemate Ron recently got an elk hunting in Colorado, I made it with ground elk. I may just be the first person to use elk meat in golabki! They turned out quite excellent. I made a huge potful, using a large cabbage head, 8 cups of rice, and about 3 pounds of ground elk. All was polished off by the end of the week!!

Tuesday was another "off" day, but Wednesday I had a very intense work out. I had an hour-long riding lesson, followed by a trail ride. Like most horses, the horse I ride doesn't particularly like arena work, so the lesson took a lot out of me. By the end, my leg muscles were screaming, I was coated in sweat, and my heart was pounding. Who says the horse does all the work with horseback riding??

Unfortunately, I didn't stretch or warm-up before-hand, and I think I pulled a muscle in my leg. When I got off the horse after the trail ride, I nearly collapsed from the pain in my right leg. I diligently iced and carefully hobbled around for the next two days, and fortunately, by Friday evening, I was better. I went on a short half-hour ride on Friday (this time stretching before-hand!) and then top rope climbing for two hours at the gym with some friends. I mostly belayed, but I did get chance to do a 5.9, a 5.10a, and a 5.11a (which had mostly 5.9 moves, so don't really think it was rated correctly). I was very careful with not over-extending my hurt leg, despite it feeling better.

During the weekend I spent time with the fam in the Bay Area, comparatively getting in some weight-lifting, jogging, and hiking in from the experience.

Monday I went riding again, focusing more on position for myself and heart rate up for the horse by doing a hilly trail. In December, I plan to take part in my first endurance ride, which will consist of 25 miles. There will be two major things to improve on before the ride: my position and balance, and the horse's fitness. Fortunately, every time I ride, I typically get a full body work-out for myself, from preparing the horse, being a pro-active rider, and cleaning the horse and tack after.

I also plan to incorporate some more exercises at home designed for building core muscles, as well as calf strength, which will collectively increase by riding and climbing strength.

I probably won't be able to ride or climb until Friday, as I have evening meetings all during the middle of the week.

In addition, there is a 10K mud run I may partake in this weekend. I am hesitant only because it is rather expensive, and I'm trying to save as much possible for this fundraiser. I've decided if spots are still available the day-of, I'll participate. If not, I'll act as photographer for the group of friends that will be running it.

Back from Santa Barbara...

2009-11-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

Spent the weekend preparing for work in SB for the week, carrying out errands, and squeezed in a two hour climbing session. On a typical day at the gym, I tend to jump on difficult climbs right off the bat, and rest long periods of time in between. It's more fun and challenging, but this results in minimal development of endurance. This time around, I went after more reps on easy climbs then a handful of difficult.

I did push ups, traversed, and stretched to warm up, and then did as many V0 - V2 problems as possible. I tried to plan my moves for every problem before jumping on, and focused on making the most efficient moves possible. I also typically mantle or jump off from the top, but I forced myself to carefully down climb the same route, all the way to the bottom. I quickly exhausted myself, not even coming near to doing all the easy problems in the gym. I stopped when I sensed my hands developing hot spots, precursors to oozing blisters. I couldn't afford hurting my hands before an entire week of building fences!

The week in Santa Barbara was beyond expectations in opportunities for exercise. Ten hour days of constant hiking, lifting, lugging 45lb loads, digging, hiking, balancing on steep slopes, and then some more hiking. Incredible work-out, and all while on the job! As it was, I was too exhausted and hurting at the end of the day to do much biking or swimming.

This weekend will probably be one of mostly rest. I will definitely squeeze at least one session of climbing at the gym, maybe something outdoors as well.

getting back into shape..

2009-10-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to begin working out on a more regular and rigorous basis, and I think this last weekend was a good start. I spent two days helping replant natives on Scorpion Rock, a small island just off of Santa Cruz Island. Almost a week later, and I'm still sore!

I haven't gotten a chance to hit the gym this week, but it's just as well. I developed pretty bad blisters on my palms from the work this weekend. Climbing wouldn't be the best thing to do until they heal. I did get a nice long hike in at high elevation up by Idyllwild on Wednesday, checking up on a few of our research sites up there.

Next week I will be heading up to Santa Barbara for work. I will be building silt-catching fences for an erosion control study, which should be good for "weight-training". Whenever I travel for work, I usually swim a few laps in the hotel pool, followed by a night on the town with the rest of the work crew. This time, I plan to bring my road bike and try to do a few miles around the neighborhood after swimming. And instead of driving to dinner - I'll just bike.

on fundraising and gardens..

2009-10-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

It's funny how climbing a heavily glaciated 14,000 ft peak doesn't daunt me as much as fundraising. I've climbed a few mountains (though not as big as Rainier), but I've never been part of fundraising event before. Last night, I actually dreamed of what I could do to fundraise. I was that anxious! My list of ideas so far:

- Instead of Christmas and birthday presents, I'm going to ask for donations.
- See about setting up a booth at the local farmers market. Perhaps sell reusable bags?
- Maybe get back into pastels, make a few pieces of the mountain and similar themes, and sell them. Perhaps at the local artwalk..
- fundraising potluck/BBQs.
-I think I may just raffle or sell my kayak and all its accessories. I very rarely use it anyways living in the desert!
- Make posters/flyers for friends and family to display at their workplace.
- Put donation cup at the local climbing gym, lunch room at work.

To say the least, I'm nervous.

I guess I have to remember that things take time to grow.. kind of like our garden at work.

A few months ago, there was just a round patch of dirt and weeds outside my office. And then my co-worker James decided to change that. He decided to just take out the weeds and put down some mulch and boulders, which was a big enough project for one person. As he worked, someone saw him sweating and began to help out. In the following months, I found a cheap bench online, and my supervisor Marcia bought it and brought it in. A lot of us were hurting from the loss of our co-worker Nicole, and working on the garden became a outlet for many of us. A few people planted plants. Another brought a birdfeeder. A birdbath was added. And after a while, many helping and generous hands later, we have a beautiful, lush garden. It's hard to believe there was anything else there before.

With the help of others and some commitment, projects that seem to hard or too big for one person are possible. Even snowball, like the garden. Yes, that sounds cliche, but it's funny how often we can get humbled to a standstill by large projects.

I'm glad that I just have to step outside of my office and look at the garden to see what big, beautiful things can be achieved - and remember, it all began with one person.

If anyone is curious to see the garden for themselves, and how it's grown (unfortunately, we don't have a "before" picture of it when it was just a dirt/weed-patch):

photo gallery of Nicole's Garden

RainierFTW

2009-10-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

About this blog's name:

RAINIER: Mount Rainier is an active stratovolcano (also known as a composite volcano) in Pierce County, Washington, located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle. It towers over the Cascade Range as the most prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and Cascade Volcanic Arc at 14,411 feet (4,392 m). Also the mountain I will be climbing for Summit for Someone.

FTW: abbreviation for: “For The Win”
Adverb (Internet slang): Of something which completes a process in a successful manner or is of the speaker's personal preference.

“He lines up the shot..and he makes it-FOR THE WIN!"

First Post! and backstory..

2009-10-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I had the opportunity to go to Washington state and visit Rainier National Park with my dad. On one of the trails that lead to one of the approaches to the peak, not too far from the snow level, we were stopped by a sign that declared one must carry a permit to continue on.

Fearless and confident as only a nine-year old could be, I was sure I could have kept on going – right to the top. It just looked like a big mound of snow, after all. After I asked him if we could get one of those permits that day, my dad assured me, smiling: it’s not as easy as it looks. As I regretfully headed back down the trail with my dad, I promised myself I would do it one day. All I needed was one of those silly permits..

In the years to follow, I continued to explore and climb other mountains with my father, on my own, and with friends. I quickly learned that one needed more than just a permit to climb a mountain like Mt. Rainier. A successful summit, more often than not, required one to be in excellent shape, have the right gear, and be a good teammate.

I have been so blessed in my life to have had the many opportunities to experience the beauty of the wilderness. I am so happy to now be a part of fundraising campaign that will help youth that otherwise would not have such opportunities, to go out and explore like I did. There were several peaks to choose from for this benefit, but I thought Rainier would be most fitting.

In addition, I will be dedicating my climb to my friend and co-worker, Nicole Llerena (5/28/87-7/16/09). I had the opportunity to take Nicole on her first backpacking trip, and I’ll never forget her enthusiasm and energy, despite rain, extreme heat, and heavy packs. I am so happy to continue helping others experience the joy of the outdoors through this next adventure.