Teeter/Totter & Dog

Did a little ride with Gretchen yesterday in the cold wind of Marsh Creek. At 10:00am it was still cold enough for the ground to be frozen solid.

It didn't take long to realize I over dressed. The wind tights and balaclava were a bit much. I never wear wind tights (they have a neoprene like material on the fronts covering your thighs, knees and shins) on mountain bike rides.

It took a while, but I finally regulated (unzipped a bunch of shit) and felt pretty comfortable. The weather never phased Gretchen. She was standing in and drinking from the creeks like it was spring.

Feeling better and even a bit spunky I decided to try the giant teeter/totter "they" built on the bonus loop side of Marsh Creek.

Though a little on the narrow side, it's a huge teeter/totter, which in my mind made it easier to ride. I circled around and started up. At the half-way point I felt the tell/tale teeter as my weight started to bring the end I was riding up down toward the ground. Three quarters of the way across/up, it stopped and sort of balanced. What the hell? I slowed a little, balanced and looked back over my shoulder.

Gretchen was standing on the other end!

She had followed me up the teeter/totter, but now was up in the air with me balancing. I knew if I pedaled a little further my weight would bring it down, but she she jumped off instead. Crash! Down to the ground I went and rode away.

Overall a decent ride. She came home and slept, which is good.

- b

Shedding

The skin on the fingertips I damaged is now peeling.

It's peeling worse on the finger hurt the most.

I'm like my own science project.

- b

Eagles Game

Went to an Eagles game yesterday.

I have various friends with various season tickets, but it's not often I can actually make a game when invited.

Yesterday the stars aligned just right and it was a go.

Pretty fun too. Exciting down to the last few seconds.

- b

Merry Christmas Stuff

The presents started with an e-gift.

Though not without the "Fine Print" of course.

From the e-gift we went to the awesome re-gift.

We had actually gotten these sun shades for my sister and her husband last year. When it was determined they couldn't use them, they re-gifted them back to us. No joke. These are perfect!

Now it's off to NJ for Merry Christmas Family.

- b

Bloody Noses

Though you couldn't see in the picture, I got a bloody nose last night while skiing. It wasn't the first of this dry wintry season, but I was determined to make it the last.

This morning I headed to the Dr.to get my nose cauterized. Jen thought I was nuts putting myself through the pain and discomfort so close to the holidays.

The Dr. had it all ready - nitrogen sticks and everything. She looked up my nose, but couldn't see anything. The bleeder was too far into my sinuses. I'd need an ENT Dr. to take care of it, so she sent me on my way.

Shortly after I got home, it started to bleed again.

It bled for about 45 minutes. Of course the ENT Dr. is off today, so all I can do is lay around and relax.

That sucks.

There are things I want to do.

I guess for now I'll practice some measures in moisture management - saline up the nose, cream around the nostrils,etc.

Yay.

- b

Night XC Ski

A couple of us have XC skis. We don't get to use them much, but when it does snow they are the preferred mode of Wednesday night activity.

Hell, it doesn't even have to be Wednesday. It's just fun to get out and ski - even if it was only my second time ever and I end up with way more snow up the back of my jacket then I should.

The dogs had a good time too, but when isn't it a good time running free through the snowy fields and woods?

- b

Two Choices

It was 10:45pm Friday night in the tent in the Adirondacks.

For nearly three hours I had been freaking out about the cold.

Stress can manifest itself in many different ways. For me it becomes little anxiety attacks over cold. I'll get them at home where it's nice and cozy. For a brief moment, my mind will wildly wonder off worrying about cold - worrying about not being able to get warm, unable to heat the house and fall victim to hypothermia and die.

It's crazy I know.

At home I'm able to squelch the fears with logic and the comfort of my furnace in a few moments.

In a tent in the Adirondacks it's a little different.

There's always a natural anxiousness associated with sleeping outside in sub-zero temperatures. After a couple of minutes in your toasty sleeping bag, these thoughts subside and you drift off to a near comfy sleep for the night.

Stress induced anxiety is different.

I knew right from the parking lot it would be a problem. I could feel a knot in my chest waiting to explode. As we hiked in, setup camp and went about the evening tasks, the knot was controlled. It was still there, but controlled.

Once in the tent and sealed up in my bag, the knot exploded.

I didn't want to be there. Period. End of story.

I wanted to pack up and hike back out. At least then I knew I'd be warm. Lying in my bag waiting to get cold was too much.

Jeff, experienced with high levels of stress himself, tried to talk me down.

For three hours he talked about all kinds of things to help get my mind off what it didn't want to do.

We practiced breathing techniques.

I tried counting or anything other then thinking about getting cold. I never made it past 7 before the cold thoughts would creep in and force me to start over again.

He offered to stay up all night talking me away from leaving. He wasn't about to hike out. He simply couldn't haul everything we'd just hauled in back out in twelve hours time.

At 10:45 Jeff had just about given up and gave me two choices.

We could get through the night, hike up Gothics tomorrow, then hike out.

Or

We could pack up and hike out now.

Something clicked. I started thinking about the options. I really wanted to climb Gothics in the snow. I love this shit.

I was quiet for a while, so Jeff asked "What do you think?"

I said, "I'm thinking about it." and finally fell asleep.

I woke up at different points throughout the night, but felt no anxiety about the cold and went about normal middle of the night habits (e.g. wipe the frost off my nose, etc.).

The following morning I woke with the knot in my chest gone. I was rested and ready to fulfill the weekend plans - like climbing Gothics.

Saturday night was stellar. I had no issues crawling into my bag at 7pm and sleeping till 7am the next morning.

It's obvious I have some work to do. This stress is no good. Manifesting itself in ways that keeps me from enjoying the things I love and do to relieve stress is not acceptable.

1, 1,000 - 2, 1,0000 - 3, 1,000 - 4, 1,000...

- b

Not Frostbite

Went to the Dr. finally.

What I did to my fingers on Mt. Washington is not frostbite.

It's most likely superficial nerve damage.

Can take up to a year to heal.

Whatever feeling I have or don't have in a years time will be permanent.

Frostbite is typically more vascular. Results in blisters or lesions - similar to a blood blister. You would see damage under the skin.

- b

Perfect Weather

While the "blizzard of 2009" dumped inches and inches of snow along the mid-atlantic to northeast coast, Jeff and I have perfect weather in the Adirondack High Peaks.

It was clear and cold for us all weekend. There wasn't a lick of wind/breeze except for above 4,000ft or until the day we left.

Our high temperature for the weekend was somewhere between 12° and 15° F, while our lowest low was around -4° F (or -20° C).

- b

Ironies of Life

I put things in places so they won't get lost, then I can never find them again.

- b

Time to Pack

I really wish this stuff would just pack itself. At least I got it piled (major part of the process) a few weeks ago before our ADK trip was postponed.

First thing I had to do was some boot maintenance. The sole had started to peel away a little.

Though I'm not sure Krazy glue can hold up to the rigors of hauling 60lbs in single digit temperatures on my back for five miles, the boots are usually strapped into something to help keep them together should the glue fail.

I am excited to use some new stuff.

Jen got me this cool stuff sack that doubles as a pack. Here I have my winter sleeping bag (-20° F rating - big and puffy) stuffed into it. Next I squish it down with the compression straps (forgot to take that picture), so it packs nicely into my big backpack. Once at our campsite and the sleeping bag is out of it, I can use the pack as a day/summit pack instead of hauling around my big backpack. Should be cool.

Still not really finished the packing.

I sort of gave up when the pack was full and I still had two large piles of stuff to go on or in the pack. I figured I'd throw it all in the car and deal with it in the parking lot up there in the Adirondacks, cause you know how easy that will be with snow and wind whipping around me.

- b

Pregnant Cro-Magnon

Jen roasted a pork shoulder.

It's awesome.

She was making fun of me because I can't seem to get any piece I cut off of it to my plate. It all goes directly to my belly.

- b

Should I be Afraid

Came in this morning and found this drawing on one of my co-workers whiteboard.

Honestly I find it pretty funny. Too bad these numskulls can't channel that kind of creativity into their work.

- b

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

My fingers are getting better. I think if I have any permanent damage it will be the ring and middle finger of my right hand. Four days later they feel like the tips are huge callouses, which probably means dead skin.

Reviewing the trip, I have some good ideas what the cause was.

It certainly wasn't that I didn't have the right gloves. Here you see I'm showing Jen my awesome new down mittens I was wearing at the top.

The injury probably occurred when I wasn't wearing the mittens like this.

Yeah. Holding that little metal clad camera in just my glove liner is probably one of the reasons my fingers feel funny. Not to mention the GPS I was using to get waypoints. I should have known I was screwed when the waypoint at the Lionshead rock didn't come out accurately (I'm assuming) because of the cold.

Also notice the little triangle of skin on the left side of my face under my goggles?

When we got back down to the lean-to to take off our crampons, the guide pointed out a small triangle of frostnip on my face. Now I see the source. My balaclava doesn't fit my face tight enough for such conditions, thus exposing some of it to the elements. My nose was fine, since I had warmth breath rising up from my mouth and over my nose, but that little triangle under my eye was "left out in the cold".

The fix for frostnip is easy enough. You simply hold your hand over the area a few minutes for it to warm back up. No damage done.

I've already ordered a new balaclava that should fit and cover more. Now if I could just get a heated camera or one that works easily with down mittens.

- b

Separate Bedrooms

Went to use this title and discovered I've used it before here.

Anyway, now it's pregnancy - not that it's like the flu or anything, but sleeping in separate beds makes it a little easier on both of us.

Each night I start out in our bed, but usually end up moving to the other bedroom somewhere half-way through.

I amazed each night I manage to turn off the alarm in our bedroom and set it in the spare bedroom, so it doesn't go off in the wrong place. Though last two mornings I've been waking slightly before the alarm, so no real need for it.

Maybe that's the coffee I have automatically brewing ten minutes before my alarm. Yeah no big deal. Coffee makers have been doing that for years, but I've really fallen in love with my quiet simple mornings before I have to get ready for work.

I've found by the time I get home from work, I'm too wound up to relax much at night before bed. I just sit around and do nothing with very little comprehension.

In the mornings, after a full nights rest, I can think, enjoy and relax a bit before the day has to get too busy.

I know these mornings won't last. Soon enough there will be a baby to tend to, but maybe I'll do that tending more peaceably in this morning time.

Speaking of babies, we had our second baby class last night.

The instructor is awful. She can't teach anything in a linear fashion. I have no idea where she's going from one concept to the next, which makes her ability to answer questions almost impossible.

Though she is entertaining. Last night she drew this.

She was trying to show us where they can inject sterile water into a birthing mothers behind for pain relief. They have no idea why it works, but it does. Why she couldn't just turn around and show us instead of drawing someones pimply ass I have no idea, but it was entertaining.

Now if someone could just explain to me, in a linear fashion, what part of sex induces birth, I can feel like I got something out of last nights class besides a laugh.

- b

Realtors Have it Easy

Went to drop a large sum of money off to the realtor yesterday.

Was told someone would be there at 8:30am.

I waited ten minutes. Nobody showed. I was late for my 9am meeting.

Though humorous to some degree, I didn't find the irony of the sign very comforting.

- b

Far Below

This is us headed back down in the lower elevations.

You can see the snow on the trees. The mountain had received nearly three ft. of snow in the last three days. That's a lot of snow through which to break trail.

A single inch of snow can drift to a foot. Imagine what 36" of snow can drift to?

A couple of times we found ourselves in drifts up to our waste - above treeline with 40mph winds bearing down on us.

To say the mountain didn't want us there would be an understatement.

- b

Finger Ailment

I don't have frostbite or even frostnip (at least I don't think so).

My ring and middle finger on my left hand, pinky, ring, middle and thumb on my right hand all feel like I smashed them.

They're all kind of tingly and sensitive to water temperatures. If I tap the tips too hard they kind of hurt. There is no visible damage or change to them on the surface.

Our guide said it was a type of vascular damage caused by the excessive opening, closing and rerouting of blood through the capillaries as my body quickly heated, cooled and reheated.

I've searched and searched on the internet, but can't find a name or diagnosis.

I don't think it's permanent, but I'll probably call my Dr. tomorrow to just answer the question what is it?

- b

Mt. Washington Tease

Here's a tease.

I'm too tired and my fingers still hurt too much to type too much.

It was a pretty intense trip. Buddy and Craig did very well considering their lack of experience.

We made it a lot farther then I expected considering the conditions.

This shot was taken at the point we decided to turn around. We were at roughly 5,200ft. at 1pm. It took us nearly five hours to get there (that's 3 miles and 3,000 vertical ft.). Average successful summit trip on a good day takes 5 hours. The temp was 5°F. There were wind gusts upwards of 50mph. There was 1,000ft of elevation left in a little under a mile to make the summit. Considering it took us an hour to make 1,000ft of elevation gain in a mile at the bottom in much better conditions, we decided to turn back. If we had continued to the summit, we would have been lucky to make it back to treeline before dark. The steepest part of the trail was just below treeline.

It was too much snow and too much wind to move any faster.

- b

Fingers still tingle.

Made it a couple hundred feet over 5,OOO

2 hours later my fingers still tingle.

Didn't make the summit, but went further then expected.

We're down off the mt.

WTH is frozen fog?

Why are all the kids wearing pajamas?

Play at Home Version

I'm headed to New Hampshire today to climb Mt. Washington tomorrow.

Looking at the forecast, I doubt we'll make it to the summit.

If you'd like to play along during tomorrows adventure, here's some links to help give you an idea of what we're experiencing.

Current Summit Weather refresh this one for up to date measurements.

Auto Road Vertical Profile refresh periodically for updates. This gives you an idea of the temps at various elevations. The previous one does the same, but this one gives you context with the mountain profile.

This is a screen capture I took of the Auto Road Vertical Profile this morning. The red line is the route we'll be taking to the summit. It's meant to give you an idea of where we'll be in relation to the road and the mountain profile.

We'll hit the trail somewhere between 8 and 9am. The trip usually takes five hours to get to the summit and 3 hours to get back down. That would put us on the summit anywhere between 12 and 2 to help you coordinate your observations of the summit weather conditions.

With negative single digit highs and 75mph+ winds, I doubt we'll see the summit.

- b

Awful Snowride

Couple of inches of snow should make for a great snow ride right?

Wrong.

The trails and ground still aren't frozen.

It was a mess - almost work, but a run for Gretchen is always a good idea. Right Gretchen?

Even if it means me riding through a low hanging pricker bush limb and ripping my nostril.

It's worth seeing Gretchen all doughnutted-up after the ride.



- b

More Baby Loot

I highly recommend waiting to have kids.

Wait like four to eight years after all your friends. By that time, they're more then happy to give away all their stuff to just get it out of their houses.

- b

The Amazing Wii

On my course to becoming more fat and lazy, I discovered two great things about the Wii.

Wii Internet
And four person play. Sure we were playing tennis and that has some exercise, but when there's another player backing you up it's a lot less work.



- b

Anticipation

I hope a week from tomorrow I'll be crunching in my crampons along the top of Mt. Washington.

- b

Registered R Us

Took us a little over two hours before we were completely overwhelmed and gave up on this run.

Which means we'll have to go back or continue online.

- b

Deflated

A product manager just told us the last six months of work for our product was probably a waste.

- b

Is it Lame?

To be totally exhausted after a ten hour day?

A day that involved a twenty minute lunch at my desk, a one hour meeting, a five and a half hour meeting, and a brief discussion with another manger about some resource's abysmal performance.

I hardly have energy for anything.

I'm barely able to make dinner, though I'm happy it involves kielbasa cause you can eat that from the package as you cut and cook it.

My Dad turns 70 today.

Not to be too selfish, but I GD hope I make that.

- b