Links Ya'll

I finally figured out how to put links up on my site. So, go use 'em! Tarik is a buddy of mine from K-town who is now living in Los Alamos. His blog has been getting updated pretty regularly. It was about cats, then about bikes in China, and even some about cats and bikes in China. Who knows what will be next. Hopefully a bit about him finishing up his PhD work in material Science. FYI, he gave a shout-out in his dissertation to the hours between midnight and 5am, without said hours none of the writing would have been finished. I too would like to give a shout-out to those hours, without which I would never get to see Tarik again. I'm a little scared what caffeine withdrawal might look like, but CONGRATULATIONS to Tarik, way to go on one hell of an accomplishment.

Also check out Hugh MacEachran. Hugh, lives down in Loveland. He and I ride together and he is kind enough to invovle me in social events as well. Without said events I might never leave the house. He and his whole family have been great about making me feel welcome out here. We got to ride together yesterday as the snow and cold slipped away again. Winter and spring are fighting it out right now for supremacy on the front range. GO SPRING! Hugh owns a healthclub with his brother Ainslie. Good guys, fun times, all that jazzz.

Books, Ya'll!

This very evening I went to the library to pick up a book. I do love the library, what's not to love? I was checking out a book by Elizabeth Gilbert called The Last American Man. I knew that I had a fine, when do I not? But, the very pleasant librarian informed me that I did not have to pay up until my debt is over $5. This may be the best credit that I can get anywhere; all the same, I'll take it. I'll try and remember to post a small write up when I finish the book.

I found out about Gilbert via an NPR story on her upcoming book. I can't say for sure what got me interested other than I found her intriguing and everything I found after that only piqued that curiosity. That led me to her last book, The Last American Man, about a guy who lives off the land in the woods of North Carolina. Now, I like the woods, I really like North Carolina, we'll see if it all makes a good read about some guy who dropped out, kinda, and is apparently still "out there." Like I say, I'll let you know how it goes.

Do as I say, Not as I do!

Come on people. How long are we going to let this go on?!? Next person in court up on muder charges could just pull out a speach by the Bush administration and they would be sure to get off. Well, maybe. About 34% of the jury would agree with the defense according to recent approval ratings.

"Look here, Judge, That guy I shot, he was doing things he shouldn't have been and wasn't getting along with his neighbor. That's progress, right Judge?"

It is easy to make the situation in the Middle East very very complicated. I say, simplify things. Let's get out! Let's figure out the best way to keep from killing people. Our own laws are against it, Bush's God is against it. Next election, I want to vote for the guy who promises to kill the least amount of people.

Eye for an eye and the world is made of blind men.

West White Pine Mountain

The cold and snow has finally abated here on the front range. It appears as though spring is more of the beast that it has always been touted to be. Usually spring just means the possibility of more rain mixed with some sun and warmth. Here the sun and warmth are more of a staple, so spring turns cold, windy and snowy, the way the season was described in gradeschool.

I had caught a terrbile case of cabin fever through the course of last week. I needed a break anyways, and so I got one. Today I celbrated the return of my sanity and the sun. I'm not surprised that those two are going hand in hand these days.

The mountains have been looming over me as of late. It had been awhile since I had spent anytime in them, so today's hike was long overdue. I snuck my truck up a sloppy dirt road about as far as they would let me go. Beyond that point the road was closed and is not maintained during the winter. Once parked, I hiked a closed fire road up to the saddle between West and East White Pine Peak. The map showed a lookout tower. I figured I had done enough looking within lately, so it was time for a lookout.

The hike was comfortable and mostly uneventful. The sun and wind were on my back for the hike up and both had almost completely hidden for my return. The raod was completely snowed over, a little slick on the steeper pitches and drifted over in spots. With the wind to my back, the forest was mine. Without the sound of my footsteps, there was an incredible stillness that I have not found in a long long time. Occasionally there was the sound of a bird calling to me or a tree letting loose its load of snow and allowing it to flop to the floor below.

The saddle was easily reached. The trip up to the peak of West White Pine was a bit steeper and covered with more snow. I like taking fire roads for these winter hikes. They offer a very easy path to follow and tend to have fewer hidden rocks and roots. This road took me all the way to the peak, but I assure you that it would take a pretty capable truck and driver to bring an auto to the summit.

Like I said, I was headed to a lookout tower. The thing is, it is gone. The foundation still remains with a shed, outhouse and a few other pieces of the building. Turns out they hooked this sucker up to a helicopter and then planted it in a park back in Fort Collins right down the street from my house. Then they up and moved it again to a remote campus for CSU. More on this later.

West White Pine Mountain sits at 10,305 feet. It is not nearly the tallest peak in the county, you'd have to go to Longs for that honor. The views were great all the same. I saw a couple of springs to keep in mind for later in the year and there were a couple of choice campsites should I need to get away for a bit.

















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