Final Entry

 You may have noticed the expiration date has come and gone on this journal. This unsuccessful experiment was supposed to end Sept. 13, 2006 when the Corp of Discovery tasted whiskey for the first time since July 4, 1805. After further review I came across an entry where they met traders going up the Missouri River Sept. 6 with whiskey and that was really their first taste in more than 14 months. But either way this particular journal will end today Sept 23, 2006 on the 200th anniversary of the successful completion of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

Today's Highlight in History: Two hundred years ago, on Sept. 23, 1806, the Lewis and Clark expedition returned to St. Louis more than two years after setting out for the Pacific Northwest.

To commemorate it in his journal Capt. William Clark wrote: "We rose early.. Descended to the Mississippi and down that river to St. Louis, at which place we arrived about 12 o'clock. We suffered the party to fire off their pieces as a salute to the town. We were met by all the village and received a hearty welcome from its inhabitants."

Capt. Meriwether Lewis had stopped writing journal entries over a month ago when he was shot in the ass by one of the enlisted men in a hunting accident. He recovered and was walking again but never wrote another journal entry.

It was fun writing all of these journal entries and sharing them with my friends and family and if I can think of a new topic, mission or goal I may begin another journal in a new direction soon. This journal was read by more people than I'll ever know. When Uncle Wally died Neo Tech followers found it, someone I'd never met went to see my acupuncturist after reading an entry and if you do a google search for local newscaster Nina Radetich you'll find one of my entries.

So that's it for this blog, but as Lewis & Clark said many times in their journals, "We proceeded on...."

 

Sunset Run, Yoga after Dark

Returning to Red Rock Canyon for the first time since Don was here last month, I witnessed first hand the damage of last week's "Scenic Fire." For some reason they have to name wilderness fires and this one, within the scenic loop, was thus named. The fire, caused by lightning just like the one in July 2005, was made worse by high winds, low humidity and invasive grass. Now signs warn hikers not to stray off the path because  kicking up hidden embers might rekindle the fire.

The main purpose of today's visit was a 6 pm yoga class in a secluded spot near Sandstone Quarry. I arrived early enough to get a 45-minute jog in around the perimeter of the recent blaze that closed the loop and Visitor Center for several days. It was sad to see all the blackened tree and plant stumps but it's still a small portion of the recreation area.

Yoga didn't begin until the sun had disappeared over Bridger Mountain. It was a good size group of more than 20 that hiked in the twilight to our sacred spot behind Sandstone Quarry. It was a seamless transition from daylight to starlight as the sky slowly turned to midnight blue and the diamonds in the sky came out one by one.

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."
--Frederick Koenig
 

Perfect Sunrise

The last time I saw a sunrise this good I was on Miami Beach, staying at the World Famous Fountainbleu in 2003. While I've seen a lot of sunrises lately they've all been imperfect. Either I get there a few minutes late and the sun's already risen (as opposed to Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises) or the sunrises are blocked by buildings or trees. But on this Labor Day morning I made an extra effort to be on the mountain at Sunset Park well before sunrise. Setting out at 5:55 a.m. I summited the mountain at 6:09 and the sunset wasn't due until 6:15. I had a few minutes to enjoy a 180-degree panoramic view of all the mountains that surround the Las Vegas valley from north to south. As an orange-yellow-red-cream colored (take your pick) sky hovered above the eastern hemisphere I couldn't help but think that the multiple mountain ranges I saw looked like one-dimentional cardboad cutouts from some giant Hollywood western set.

 When the sun finally began to emerge, one minute late due to mountain blockage, it looked like liquid gold pouring between the peaks in the distant mountains behind Lake Mead. It took four full minutes for the full sphere to clear the peaks and light up the day.

That is when I pondered that the sun is 5 billion years old and only has 5 billion years to go until it burns itself out. Our giver and sustainer of life is half-way to extinction. While this is no problem for athiests, for those who believe in reincarnation and multiple lifetimes this may cause some concern. Have no fear. Get ready this is deep. The universe has gone through many beginnings and endings according to Hindu philosophy. So don't sweat it when the sun burns out. The cycle will repeat.

Now that I've delivered my cosmic message for the day I can relax and watch this week's Game of the Year: Florida State @ Miami. I'm on the verge of registering for this year's Las Vegas Marathon Dec. 10. Prizes include a trip to Tahiti and a stay and Mandalay Bay. Not for winning. Just for signing up. Wish me luck. See you in this universe or the next...

Clambering up Cold Mountain path, The Cold Mountain trail goes on and on: The long gorge choked with scree and boulders, The rushing creek, the dew-soaked grass. The mossy rocks are slippery, though there’s been     no rain. The pine sings, though there’s no wind. Who can leap the world’s ties And sit with me among the clouds? HAN-SHAN

Running Into The Sun

Up very early Saturday, my run began at 5:22 a.m. under a star-lit sky. The streets were free of traffic as I headed first south and then east. The sky slowly lightened over the eastern mountains and the clouds reflected a multitude of color until the sun rose at 6:16. Having paused to take in the breath-taking sunrise I turned around on Warm Springs above the big hill looking down on the valley and Sunset Station and headed west and uphill back home. The return trip of the 11-mile run had the sun at my back and the sun lit up the western mountains of Red Rock for an equally scenic view on the return trip.

I was a little achy at work but I didn't care because it was my Friday and I'm off Sunday-Monday over the Labor Day Holiday weekend. No major problems at work as the major focus was watching college football games.

Haven was good last night with no more surprises. I got enough supplies for the weekend so with any luck I may not have to leave the house till I work again on Tuesday. I'll run from the house and do yoga at home. And of course there's plenty of fresh veggies to keep me alive. My bp was 129/80 a little higher than I'd like but still acceptable, blood sugar was 87 incredibly low for a diabetic and pH was near 7.0 when I'd like a 7.4. With all the numbers so good I may have a beer or a glass of wine or two (transition) but when this weekend's over it's back on the straight and true healthy athletic path.

 

What's Wrong With Haven?

For the 2nd straight night Haven has left me a present. Not one I'm thankful for. He's pooped right where I normally sit on the couch. Once was accident. Twice is a statement. But I don't know what. All I can figure is he's mad Daisy's been sleeping at the foot of my bed lately. If it happens again tonight I'm going to have to take some drastic measures that may cost me my membership in both PETA and the ASPCA.

I'm hooked on tofu. It only takes 5 minutes to cook it up and today I had chunks in my salad for lunch. What a delicious protein punch!

The numbers continue to be excellent. Tonight I steered away from the Friday night Barley's routine (beer & betting) but still swayed from my perfect diet with a Venti drip with soymilk from Starbucks. It was my first caffeine of any kind since Monday. But it went well John Steinbeck's East of Eden, the greatest novel of the 20th Century, which I'm reading for I think at least the 6th time. Some people have comfort foods, I have comfort books. What guilty pleasures Starbucks & Steinbeck. It doesn't get any better on a Friday night in Las Vegas. Now if I can just get that terrorist cat straightened out...

Cooking Tofu

It tasted a little like eggs, a little like fish and a little like chicken. One thing's for sure it was packed with protein. For the first time I cooked tofu. That bland, misunderstood food that takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked with. I fried it up in a pan with olive oil and a spicy soy dog and it was delicious.

The proof is in the numbers: pH, blood sugar and pressure all continue to be excellent on this new alkaline diet that's 80 percent fresh vegetables. I'm going to give it a few more days but I'm on the verge of throwing away all my medications. I've gone from 3 scripts down to 1 and the last one may be going soon. That tofu was really filling too.

Of course the day wasn't complete without a sunrise run around the lake at Sunset Park. Today I had the irony of helping my former employer the Las Vegas Hilton  come back from a system failure. First they called to say some terminals were down and the others were running slow. Then, more panicked, they called to say they were all down and they couldn't write any tickets. As I was dialing into their system to see what the problem was my former boss called in a major fit wanting to know who was working on his problem besides me to bring his book back to business. It's funny how the tables had turned. But with a little help with my new friends at CBS we had the Hilton back up and running again in less time than it takes to say "Sayonara Sucker."

"Begin at once to live." --SENECA

Transition

Baby steps. I'm slowly moving toward my green goal one step at a time. Mornings are good. I've replaced coffee with wheat grass and feel much better. I've craved caffeine but realize it's an addictive drug and prevents your body from naturally waking up. That was step 1.

 Step 2 was cutting out the sugar including fruit. Now that I look back that was a big part of the problem. But I love peaches and had a dozen from Susan's Fruit-of-the-Month birthday gift. When those are gone I'll be more on track.

Step 3 no more beer or wine. Well I went to Terribles Pool Party tonight where all that stuff is free and was proud to have a plate with just celery, cauliflower, carrots, pepperchinis and olives. No fruit. No cheese. Just a small but modest desert or two and only a glass of white and half a glass of red. Transition. Even though I'm comped to the next 8 weeks of pool parties I don't think I'll attend anymore.

How can my blood sugar be high when I'm not taking in any sugar? Exactly! I'll just keep testing on the test strips and looking for the dark green result of optimum health. Between checking my blood sugar, blood pressure and pH levels I'm more dialed into my body than any lab specimen.

The trouble is that you think you have time. JACK KORNFIELD

 

Good start, familiar slide

Well today was supposed to be the first day of the new me on the pH Miracle and it was off to a good start. Salad for breakfast. Low blood sugar reading. Sunrise yoga. Lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. That's where it started to unravel. The salad was alkaline and pure but one little muffin led to another and the disaster was on. I was reading the book at ST and it talked about a transition. If it had said do it this way, the right way, and avoid sugar and all the evil acid-producing items I would have followed it. But it said it was ok to have a "transition period" that's where I went wrong. One too many muffins led to ....well I don't need to go into all the details here but tomorrow is another day, a working day, my Monday. So I'm going try to get back on the right track. But I do suffer from some demons. It's in my blood. Heredity. If I'm strong I can get on the right sugar-free path. And by sugar free I mean no baked goods, no wine, no beer, no cheese. If someday I can put the same devotion to those goals that I have to going meatless the last 4 1/2 years I'll succeed in disabling my diabetes. It's a work in progress. Today was a good start, tomorrow I hope to follow through to a good finish. And that would mean not using the comps I have to Terribles pool party. Alas, the dilemma I face between fun and health. I think in the long run I'll win but it's a constant struggle.

Now back to Buffalo 66 the Independent movie about a devout Buffalo Bills fan who is too stuck on the Bills to realize her son just got out of prison. I'll battle on like the Bills and someday win this fight but it's not going to be easy. Namaste (may the spirit in me salute the spirit in you).

  

The pH Miracle -- Alkalize or Die!

OK, here we go again. After a couple of false starts I'm back on track to a natural cure for diabetes. The pH Miracle. The key? Your health depends on the pH balance of its blood, striking the optimum 80/20 balance between the alkaline and acidic content in the body by eating certain foods. I was already on the right path but now coffee will be replaced with wheat grass. Salads and green vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's the price anyone has to pay to be free of health ailments and prescription drugs.

It's not for everyone but as my acupuncturist said you can't help those that won't help themselves. But if you want to lower cholesterol, lose weight, end indigestion, get off of insulin this is a proven effective program. Eating the right kind of food is the single most important thing you can do for you and your health. And you don't have to go totally Vegan like me, you can even eat turkey! The worst offenders are dairy products followed by animal protein, white flour, processed foods, chocolate, coffee and alcoholic beverages. Have I lost everyone yet?

And now for that never-ending question: Where do you get your protein? Have you ever heard of anyone dying from a protein deficiency? Americans eat way too much animal protein. That's why more than 50 percent have high cholesterol levels. But did you know there is plant-based protein? It's true. Wheat grass juice is 25 percent protein. Vegetables carry all the amino acids (the building blocks of protein). Not every veggie contains every one, but by eating a wide-range you are getting all the essential amino acids. Here are a few veggies with their protein per calorie in parenthesis. Alfalfa sprouts (40%),  Broccoli (49%), Cauliflower (27%), the list is endless. And of course there is protein in beans and soy milk, soy nuts, etc.

Best of all, alkalizing allows "Green" athletes like me to increase athletic performance by building stamina and muscle as well as pure energy. Well I'll be the Guinea Pig. Let the experiment begin!

"Even if our efforts of attention seem for years to be producing no result, one day a light that is in exact proportion to them will flood the soul." --SIMONE WEIL

Sunrise Run to Sunset Park

By the time I got to Sunset Park yesterday morning at 6:15, the sun was already a few degrees above the horizon. So this morning I left home at 5:55 and witnessed a beautiful sunrise as I was heading east on Sunset Road toward Sunset Park.

Today I re-committed to get my healthy lifestyle back on track. Somewhat out-of-sync since Mom's visit in April, sidetracked by the Alaska adventure in June, challenged by a career change and derailed by Don's visit last week somehow my good diabetes numbers were not too pretty. I'm not blaming anyone but myself. But like a free pastry at the Hilton, it doesn't take much to tempt me. Like my acupuncturist advised I should be as faithful to avoiding sugar in food and drink as I am to avoiding meat.

 Despite a good running program, I'd gotten away from my faithful Ayruveda practice. My regular yoga teacher Anne, returned to teach tonight after a 2-week vacation to London and Paris and after a little de tox tea and some chakra balancing meditation I feel that I'm back on the right path again. Just like the Red Sox, who just ended their 6-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Angels tonight.

It's only Wednesday and I already have 21 miles on the running shoes. That's about triple my work commute mileage. The new job is still a work in progress but hopefully things will work out.

"The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you."--John E. Southard

 

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Up at 5 a.m. to beat the heat, we proceeded on to Lake Mead. Don had seen the Hoover Dam on his last visit but had yet to experience the Tunnel Trail. Long gone are the trains and tracks that helped build the damn dam. Today hikers, bikers and runners can enjoy a broad view of Lake Mead from a flat grade cut into the side of solid rock.

We proceeded on the 4.5-mile round-trip trek and found a few volunteer photographers to operate the mini cam. It was a beautiful calm day, mostly shaded as the hot sun had yet to reach its intensity. I took a little detour on the return route as Don slowed down to take in the breathtaking view that will be delivered in a future photo album to loyal readers of this journal.

Hungering for a non-salad breakfast, Don persuaded me to take him to IHOP where I was fortunate to find a vegetarian omelet on the menu. On Don's last full day here I frantically searched for a few remaining fix-it items. All I could find was the guest bathroom sink's stopper that had been rendered ineffective by Haven sleeping his large cat frame in the sink. At first it looked like another trip to Home Depot but Don was able to repair the original part. The other fix was so easy I could have done it. The reason the kitchen clock had stopped was the battery had died. Time no longer stands still.

Now time is running out on Don's 2006 visit we only have time left for a run at Sunset Park and an early Red Sox-Yankees game on ESPN. Then the fun ends as Don flys home and I return to work at my new job.

Taking Care of Business

The last two days have not been all fun and games. It's been fun, games and Don fixing stuff around here.

The fun. Yesterday I took Don on the Calico Tanks Trail at Red Rock Canyon. No one I know has ever been on this trail before. It's a moderate to difficult climb behind the Calico Mountain range. It's too steep and rocky to run. Eventually you get to a "tank" or a small body of water that you'd never expect to find in the desert. It's a lot of rock-to-rock climbing and eventually you can see back into the Las Vegas valley from an angle that is usually only viewed from an aircraft window. Later that evening we were complimentary guests at a pool party where we enjoyed free food and beverages.

The games. We watched and wagered on baseball and football and enjoyed moderate success. Exact results cannot be divulged due to IRS and spouse monitoring of this blog.

The work. Earlier Don had repaired my vacuum cleaner and washing machine but with some free time before the Red Sox game today he was able to repair my shower slow-flow water issue with an unknown (to me) plumbing part and something called caulking (also unknown to me). Then he fixed the guest's room closet hanger that until now could not support very much weight. He even told me my car's shaky handling was caused by a tire issue and soon I found I needed a new set. One had a bubble and two others were cracked. After 60,000 miles I guess it was time for new tread on my truck. I couldn't find anything else for Don to fix so we enjoyed the Red Sox come-from-behind victory over the Tigers.

 

Night on the Town

Once again it's great having out-of-town visitors cause it gets me out on the town. Don and Cassie McCoy are visiting from Batavia, N.Y. The father and daughter made the trip in a remarkable 34 hours with only one overnight in Nebraska.

Engineer Don was the perfect guest as he fixed my vacuum cleaner with a $2 belt and my leaking washing machine with a hose adjustment. Even though I had a 6am run through Sunset Park and worked 8:30-4:30 on the fifth day of my new job I had to take the hillbillies from hicktown out on the town tonight. No expense was spared as I took them to the Las Vegas Hilton buffet. Fortunately my former coworkers were nice enough to comp us to the culinary feast. We proceeded on to the Fremont Street Experience where they enjoyed the light show in the sky. We went into the oldest continuous casino in Las Vegas the Hotel Nevada where Cass enjoyed her first gambling experience and we all contributed to the hotels positive balance sheet.

Don and Cassie are off to LA Sunday while I am off to another day at CBS. Where today they gave me my first cell phone. And I didn't think I would ever get one of those contraptions.

 

A New Dawn

Today I embarked on perhaps the final frontier. My last career. A job that will hopefully take me to retirement at Computerized Bookmaking Systems or CBS. It was such a great feeling on the 4 minute and 41 second drive. The same time it takes to win the 1-mile race at a high school track meet.

When I started my work station was clean, pristine and a bit sterile. So I tacked up an environmental calendar and a 2006 Buffalo Bills schedule and changed the computer's screen saver to a Lewis & Clark trail scene. Other photos and mementos will soon follow.

My new co-workers were so helpful, friendly and low key. We trained on typical fixes we'd make to common problems we'll field at a leisurely pace. It'll take time, but soon I'll be an intregal part of the team. By mid-afternoon I was helping a casino fix a problem with the wrong track name printing on it's betting slips and I felt like part of the team. The day was broken up my many coffee and tea breaks and Internet web surfing of my favorite sites: AOL, Red Sox, Buffalo Bills and a few others. By the weekend I'll have a TV hooked up at my desk to the in-house cable TV system

They're excellent about giving me time off for a dentist appointment Thursday and friend Don's visit next week. It's all good. I may even ride my bike to work tomorrow.

12 years, 8 months, 4 days

Monday, Jan. 3, 1994, my first day working at the Las Vegas Hilton. I was actually hired at the end of 1993 but they thought it would be best to wait until after New Year's to start training. When I first started it was a big change from my sports editor job at the Key West Citizen. I used to be a big fish in a small pond, now it was the opposite. But I adjusted, turned into an avid runner, lost 75 pounds, bought a condo and was diagnosed with diabetes. A lifetime in 12 1/2 years. Everything but a wife and a family. But I had a loving family both inside and outside the Hilton.

Monday, Aug. 7, 2006, my last day at the Hilton. Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday I started this job as a ticket writer and later an admin operator. Some co-workers like Katherine Mannix, Brian Moriarity and Ramon White have died and so many others have moved on. Art Manteris, Carolyn Evely and Tony Miller to Red Rock, Chuck Esposito and Kathy Bowman to Caesars, Doug Beil to Terribles, Cyril Burger to the Flamingo, Frank who I got Haven from to the Barbary Coast and beyond, there's so many that have left the Hilton and moved on and now it's my turn.

But today there was no sadness, no tears shed, not a moment of doubt or regret, Only peace and joy. That's not to say there weren't a few heart-felt goodbyes. Hugs from Rosemary, the office manager who used to replace me at 5 am when I had the graveyard 9pm-5am shift in 1995, and from Mary Padilla, who exchanged so many books and I was happy to introduce to authors John D. MacDonald and Carl Hiassen. Sincere handshakes from Mike Dindia, my 12-yr control room buddy and Mike Overend who admitted we'd had good times and bad but said I wasn't all bad because I was a Springsteen and a hockey fan. There were many others who wished me good luck. Some I had only known for a week or two but that's the nature of the business. How did I ever last 12 years?

There was no gold watch or going away party. That's just as well and speaks for the current management. In the past many people who had served less time had going away parties but those parties were funded by employees who were no longer here, not the Hilton. Hell, I was only at the Key West Citizen for 7 yrs and they threw a big bash for me. But this new corporation takes away liberties, privileges, flex days offs and does not deal fairly with its employees so it was time to make a break.

Fortunately, Terribles Casino saw fit to invite me to a Pool Party after my last day was done, so with my long-time friend Lynda Collins, who had known me from a personal and business side at the Hilton, we celebrated under a nearly full moon with live music and complimentary refreshments poolside.

Now I must get a good nights rest to start the next chapter at CBS beginning tomorrow morning.

I proceeded on... 

"Let us try to recognize the precious nature of each day."

--THE 14TH DALAI LAMA

Black Mountain

Taking advantage of what might be my last day off until Aug. 15, I returned to scale Black Mountain near Lake Mead for the second time. Not to be confused with Brokeback Mountain, Black Mountain gains elevation from 2415 to 3600 feet. It's a challenge all the way to the top and when you add the searing heat of summer it's downright suicidal. But today the "keep it cool" spirits were with me as cloud cover and a slight drizzle kept it cool all the way to the top. As I hit the summit about 10 a.m., normally a time of day when the mercury has already passed 100 near Lake Mead, I was almost cold. It was thankfully cool and cloudy all the way to the top. One reason I was testing this trail was to see if my friend Don, who is visiting from Batavia, N.Y., in less than two weeks, would be able to make it to the top. But when I met up with a grandmother near the top, the one who took this photo, I knew Don and maybe later Dad, Susan and Mom, would be able to make it.

The reason I won't have any days off for a while is my new CBS job starts Tuesday and to accommodate Don's visit I think I'll be working my weekends to free up the five days he's here. It'll be the usual visitor vacation with lots of Red Rock and Lake Mead trails mixed in with other Vegas attractions.

If the Black Mountain summit wasn't enough I also checked out the biking commute to and from my new job. It's 11 minutes there (uphill and delayed by RR crossing) and only 9 minutes home (mostly downhill). Now that's my kind of commute! At least 2 days a week I'll ride my bike. What a great job and the beard is already underway.

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."--Mark Twain

Perfect Health

Almost 20 years to the day after I started my new job as sports editor of the Key West Citizen I began my career at CBS -- Computer Bookmaking Systems. The day began with my regular three month diabetes checkup with Dr. Land. He said my diabetes was under good control my A1C number was 6.8 down from 7.1 six months ago. A normal person free of diabetes is 5 or 6. I was over 11 when I was first diagnosed. And he completely took me off my high blood pressure medication. It's just not needed anymore with control of coffee consumption and regular meditation.

While my first official day at CBS isn't until Tuesday, today was orientation and I'll get paid for my first few hours. I learned I'll have my own desk and I can hook up a TV to cable. Some days I'll only get a half a dozen support calls other days will be more. But always I'll have a great staff to back me up with whatever problem may develop. Many times I'll be the go-to guy who has seen and dealt with these computer betting problems with over 12 yrs experience at the LV Hilton.

The best part is the health is good. The optometrist said my vision was a perfect 20-20 with no signs of glaucoma. With clear vision I have three days left at the Hilton and officially start my new job Tuesday. The weekends are casual dress. I think I'll ride my bike to work on those days. They have free coffee, specialty tea and bottled water. I can hook a TV up to the cable to watch at my desk. The most spacious workspace I've ever had. It's the right job at the right time. No regrets and no looking back.

"Greed is the basic cause of misery. Free yourself of greed, and the mountains, rivers, and earth do not block the light of your eyes."

--SHE-HSIEN

 

One Week To Go

One week from today I start my new job at CBS. There are still no regrets as I enter the final week at the Las Vegas Hilton. But the real cause for celebration today is William Clark's birthday. Named "The Red-Headed Chief" by the Indians he befriended, the map-making half of the Lewis & Clark Expedition would have been 236 years old today.

You never know who is reading this journal, it's open to anyone on the Internet. A search for a key word, or series of words brings up some of these entries. I found that out when I wrote about Uncle Wally's untimely demise. Recently I did a search for my favorite local newscaster Nina Radetich and I didn't have to go too far down the list to find some of my own entries when I'd mentioned her. I bring this up because my acupuncture doctor said she had recently seen a new patient who came to her because of something she read in this journal. So years after I've turned to dust future generations will still be puzzled by some of these obscure journal entries. I feel like an Egyptian.

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter...to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring—these are some of the rewards of the simple life. JOHN BURROUGHS

Only Physical Sign of the Corp of Discovery

While it took Lewis & Clark 28 months to make it from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back, there is only one remaining physical sign that exists to this day along the trail. That mark was left 200 years ago today when on July 25, 1806, near Billings, Mt., Capt. William Clark climbed onto a unique rock formation he named Pompey's Tower (later renamed Pompey's Pillar) and carved his name and the date. He wrote in hs journal that day:

"The wind continued high until 2 P.M. I proceeded on after the rain, lay a little, and at 4 P.M., arrived at a remarkable rock situated in an extensive bottom on the starboard side of the river and 250 paces from it. This rock I ascended and from its top had a most extensive view in every direction. This rock, which I shall call Pompey's Tower, is 200 feet high and 400 paces in circumference, and only accessible on one side, which is from the N.E., the other parts of it being a perpendicular cliff of lightish-colored gritty rock. On the top there is a tolerable soil about 5 or 6 feet thick covered with short grass. The Indians have made two piles of stone on the top of this tower. The natives have engraved on the face of this rock the figures of animals, &c., near which I marked my name and the day of the month and year. From the top of this tower I could discover two low mountains and the Rocky Mountains covered with snow."

End of an Era

Today, in my third interview CBS (not Katie Couric's new network) but Computer Betting Systems, offered me a new career. The journey begins Aug. 7. After nearly 13 years at the Las Vegas Hilton it was time for a change. The commute to CBS is just a little over a mile, so I can leave for my 8:30-4:30 Tuesday-Saturday shift four minutes before and make it on time. I'll be making about the same money but after three months I'll get a raise that will put me above Hilton wages. They even offered to pay my Cobra health insurance until I'm covered by their plan in three months. While I had recently qualified for four weeks vacation at the Hilton, CBS threw in an extra week, so I'm starting with three.

What will I be doing? Basically the same thing I did at the Hilton. Except I'll be helping other Race & Sports books when they have trouble with their betting computers. The same equipment I've worked on for 12 years. It's a nice small company with a family atmosphere that's been in business for years and services most of the major hotels and casinos in Nevada. I'll miss the free food but at least I won't be tempted by the sugar-filled treats the Hilton puts out to fatten up its employees. I'll be able to grow my beard back, come home for lunch and the weeknds are casual. You can wear jeans and T-shirts. What's not to like about it? Sure I'm leaving a few friends at the Hilton, but I'll still be talking to them when they call in with software and hardware problems. CBS already has two former Hilton employees and both are very glad they made the switch to improve their careers.

"Life is a series of Hellos and goodbyes, I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again," Billy Joel

 

Short but Sweet

Two nights is hardly enough to experience all Vegas has to offer but Micky, Sue and their local guide packed a lot of action, excitement and good times into about 48 hours. With a very small percentage of those hours allocated for sleeping.

Today Sue & Micky were up at 4:30 am to watch the British Open live. London is nine hours ahead. I was able to sleep in very late to the decadent hour of 6 am. The morning exercise was yoga taught by one of my favorite teachers Kim. It was good, but both Sue & I felt a little dizzy and light-headed. Maybe we were still feeling the effects of all the water acrobatics in last night's "O" show.

Something life-changing may have happened to me today but I can't release any details now. You'll just have to keep reading this journal to find out.

The afternoon was another relaxing time around the beautiful Bellagio pool. Then it was a sad goodbye to sis and my Britsh brother in law. 

 

 

An Amazing Day

Days like this don't come along very often. There was so much action packed in it's all I can do to keep my head up and not fall asleep on my keyboard. Or is it a pillow?

Up at 4:40 am. Hit gridlock on I-15 on the drive to pick up Sue at Bellagio due to fatal truck-bus crash that closed major highway for 12 hrs. Picked up sister at Bellagio and head out to Red Rock to run La Madre Springs loop. It's hard to believe but it was actually cold at Willow Springs parking area at 7am. Sue & I proceeded on treacherous terrain to circle mountain. We saw many white-tailed bunnies but no snakes (good) or big horn sheep (too bad).

After a brief rest it was time to check out the cool pool at Bellagio. Literally cool. One pool is kept at 75 degrees and it feels simultaneously freezing and refreshing. The other pool is a little warmer and easier to slip into. There was lots of skin, glitz and glamour baking in the hot sun.

Rosa Maria and Ruth joined us for dinner. We had a great table with a view of the Bellagio fountains. I had some kind of a spicy tofu dish. Sue & Ruth also were kind to animals and enjoyed tofu entries.

That's not all. The best we saved for last. The spectacular O show. It was incredible. Words can't describe it so I won't try. Traffic was stressful coming home and now it's time to hit the hay for a deep, deep, sleep.ZZZZZZ 

Houston Visitors

Ten days is a long time between journal entries. But who wants to hear about trips to the foot doctor and high blood sugar readings? Sister Sue and bro-in-law Micky arrived from Houston, Texas today to give me something to write about. Sue, the successful sibling in the family is staying at the $1.1 billion Bellagio. She was upgraded to a fabulous room with a view of Paris and the fountains.

Connected to the top people in show business, Sue secured a comp to Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian. The front-row center seats normally sell for $150 apiece. Meanwhile I schlepped off to my Ayurveda yoga class with Anne. It was just what I needed as Anne once again put in plenty of poses just for me to combat my diabetes. After class both blood pressure and blood sugar readings were very good and I feel as if I may have turned the corner after a couple of weeks of less than spectacular numbers.

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."
--Frederick Keonig

Back In The Saddle

Everything was going up. Blood pressure. Blood Sugar. Weight. So I had to take matters into my feet Sunday night and break this 10-day running fast. Sure my foot still hurts but not as bad as losing a limb or eyesight so I proceeded on to the RR track trail behind my condo. Under a near full moon (it's 97 percent now) I returned to running which is 2nd only to breathing for me.

Less than 10 minutes into the run as I was crossing over the iron trail I tripped on some loose rocks and felt a pain shoot through my ankle. Oh, no! My return to running is marred by an ankle injury. But after a few f*#ks and other bad words I shook it off and had little or no problem the rest of the 4-mile run. Most of the time I didn't notice the sting of the sores or the ankle twist. After the run and meditation I had an excellent bs reading and lived happily and healthy ever after.

Monday's full moon is known as the "Full Buck Moon," because July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur.

I shut my eyes in order to see.--PAUL GAUGUIN

  

One year later

It's been a year now since I started this journal. One year ago tonight I was sipping grog (warm whiskey & water) like Lewis & Clark 200 years ago. As the Corp of Discovery finished off the last of their spirits, I planned to honor them and go without alcohol for the remaining 15 months of their journey and document my efforts.

For the first four months it was smooth sailing. But then in October I came across a journal entry where some of the men had made beer, so I joined them. That tasted great after 120-plus days of abstinence. Then there was the LV Marathon and I rewarded myself after 20-mile training runs and the marathon with some fermented beverages. There were a few other exceptions so I can't say I succeeded in the original goal but it's still been a fun and rewarding experience to put down a few thoughts on a semi-regular basis for my three or four regular readers. That number did peak after Uncle Wally's death when a Neo Tech reference spiked blog hits.

Currently I'm struggling through a bit of a foot problem that has put my running shoes on the shelf. That's like a deep-sea diver losing his life line. But after a few adjustments I've got my diabetes numbers back under control so it's all good. Trips in the next 12 months will hopefully take me to California, Palm Beach Gardens, Sarasota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. And after that maybe even Buffalo, N.Y.

Great doubt results in great enlightenment, small doubt results in small enlightenment, no doubt results in no enlightenment.--YUAN-HSIEN

 

Sidelined

Little did I know when I went running and showered this morning it would be my last run and shower for four days. After a minor procedure at the podiatrist this morning I was told not to run, do yoga or shower till Monday. This is bad. I need to burn carbs. Well somehow I'll survive.

So instead of running I watched a bunch of huskies run in the movie "Eight Below." It's a Disney film just out on DVD. I rented it from one of those Red Box kiosks for a buck a night. It's an exciting animal adventure set in Antartica. I would watch it again tonight if it wasn't Red Sox vs. Mets. Schilling vs. Glavine. Should be a good game on ESPN.

It's a good thing I have medical insurance. Today I made no less than three appts and left five prescriptions to be filled. In addition to a repeat with the podiatrist in 2 weeks, I made a date with an optomologist (I spelled that right without spell check) and my regular doctor for a quarterly review. Not that I've put you asleep with my boring medical life I close with another quote:

Life shrinks or expands according to one’s courage.  -- ANAÏS NIN

 

Late Entry

I've been informed my journal has fallen behind. This is true. Blame the photos.

Today featured a 5:25-6:02 am run along the RR tracks out back. Work 7-3. Ayruveda yoga 6:40-8:10 pm and a tape-delayed viewing of the Red Sox 10-2 win over the Mets.

2 quotes:

"In the misty blue haze,
jagged peaks appear as if
joined. When will I climb
and set foot there, to gaze
on all the world below?"

--CHIA TAO

Paradise is where I am. VOLTAIRE

 

North to the Future

We've arrived. After almost nine months of planning, we've finally set foot in the 49th state. Dad & I came in from Las Vegas, connecting through Seattle. I was regally served in the first-class cabin, while Dad sat in the back of the plane with the low-life commoners. It's amazing we made the Seattle connection with less than 20 minutes to hike from the two furthest most points, we plopped in our seats just as the jet was backing out.

Amy got in from the same Seattle airport, after visiting a friend and I picked her up with our little Chevy Cobalt rental car around midnight. It was still light out!

We came back to our cozy little Downtown Anchorage Hotel where Amy's single room was three times larger than the double room assigned to Dad and me. It was still too early to go to bed so I downloaded and emailed some photos and finally dozed off to a deep sleep 20-some hours after Leaving Las Vegas.

"Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."
--Hans Christian Anderson

Day 2 -- La Madre Springs

No mercy for the 75-year-old padre. Up before dawn for a round-the-country journey that took him from Buffalo to Atlanta to Las Vegas, there was no time to rest upon landing.

First we made sure my seldom-used bike had properly inflated tires for our ride/run the following day. The last time it was used was when the Senior Ham rode it along the LV Marathon course while the younger Ham ran.

Then it was off to tackle another challenging Red Rock Canyon Trail. This time it was La Madre Springs. Cutting the old man no slack, we proceeded on, up a rocky, hilly road. As Dad began to run out of gas he turned back and I ran ahead to the springs. That was almost the bitter end. Our paths were not exactly in sync on the return route and we almost missed each other. But as fate would have it one trail led to another and we made it back to the trailhead without setting off an emergency search and rescue effort.

To reward Dad for his strenuous effort I cooked him a pasta and sausage dinner and as a bonus the sausage was not actually sausage but a spicy soy substitute.

Paradise is where I am.--VOLTAIRE

Day One of Two Week Vacation

There's not too many things in life that are better than the first day of a two week vacation. With Alaska still three days away and Dad not arriving till tomorrow, I proceeded on to explore a new trail. Although I was very familiar with the Railroad Tunnels Trail from the Visitor Center toward the Hoover Dam, I had never taken the section that heads up to Boulder City. As expected it was a wide flat grade with the rails and ties removed. The trail meandered in a big figure "S" as it headed uphill. Some frightened jack rabbits fled in terror as I loped along. The trail eventually led to a very exclusive neighborhood where multi-million dollar homes overlooked Lake Mead.

The rest of the day I was free to pursue my pleasures (Vanilla Soy Latte at Starbucks) and take care of a few things for the trip. After going weeks without a wrist watch I finally broke down and had the battery replaced. I figured with airport connections and rendezvous with my traveling party of Dad and Amy I better have a time piece.

Now all I have to do is figure out what time zone Alaska is in (I think it's the one between Las Vegas and Hawaii) and most difficult of all -- figure out how to change the time on the digital clock. I thought vacations were supposed to be stress free?

 

Thirteen Miles Plus One for Good Luck

Journal entry from a laptop, take two, Well it's a little easier today but I still don't know how people work without a mouse. With the Anchorage Half Marathon just a week away I was a little concerned I hadn't built up the proper mileage to cover the 13.1-mile distance, so today I headed out to the Old LA Highway, aka the Old LV Marathon course for a 14-mile run.

 For some reason the hottest part was the start, it was uphill and into the sun, but on the seven-mile stretch that took me south towards LA I had a cool breeze. When I turned around at the old starting line with more than 10 miles under my belt and less than four to go I feared facing the sun again but it wasn't too bad and I felt great. Delirious maybe, because I was entertaining thoughts of running the full marathon instead. But after I passed 13 and struggled with the final mile I came back to reality.

Although I felt pretty good when I was done (in about 2 1/2 hours) the calfs were a little sore. Next week I'll be able to take advantage of the free massage after the race. Now I'm just going to take it easy with the confidence I can finish another Half Marathon in Alaska. Five years ago my time was 2:05 this year at the halfway point of the marathon I was 2:21, so I'll shoot for 2:15. What a great way to spend a relaxing vacation!

Journal Entry From Laptop

As journal entries go this is nothing special but how it was entered is the main thing.

About six hours after I rented this laptop, I've downloaded my digital camera software, taken and emailed this photo of Daisy, saved all my favorite files and figured out how to write journal updates from this laptop. Now I think I'm finally ready for Alaska. And best of all loyal readers will be able to keep getting updates while I'm in the 49th state.

The keys are a little harder to use and trying to work without a mouse is like threading a needle with mittens on. But this will play CDs, DVDs, help us with directions on Mapquest and enable us to lok up any other info we need.

How did Lewis & Clark ever cross a continent without a laptop? 

Almost Road Kill

Just got back from my 9-mile run. It was only 93 when I finished. But it really didn't bother me. I embrace the heat. Anything under triple digits is OK with me.

 

I was running across a crosswalk with the light in my favor when this old lady in a white Cadillac (it could have been Grandma) cut me right off so I had to come to a dead (almost literally) stop. I pointed to my green light and she sped by. Lucky for me (not her) there was a Highway Patrol car at the light that saw the whole thing. He turned on his flashing lights and after a low-speed chase of about three blocks pulled her over. When I caught up to them first I thanked him for looking out for me then I was going to offer to be a witness but I could tell he'd let her off with a warning when he said, "We're all squared away here." I wonder if he would have let her off if she hit me?

 

Paradise is where I am.

VOLTAIRE

National Trail Day

Did you know today was National Trails Day? What trail did you hike today?

Red Rock Canyon guide Linda Nation led a group of seven hikers including myself on the Old Spanish Trail. The trail was first used in 1829 or 1830. Historians debate the exact date. But what is agreed on is the trail began in Santa Fe, New Mexico, meandered through Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California and finished near Los Angeles.

 The trail was used long before automobiles or railroads by Spanish and Mexican traders. They brought woolen goods west and traded for horses they brought back east. The trail was in use until 1855 but many sections, including the one we hiked today near Red Rock Canyon, still exist and are protected as historic sites from further development.

Linda pointed out scratches in the rocks that were left by iron wagon wheels over 150 years ago. She said it takes up to a 1,000 years for a trail to completely disappear. We even saw two adult burros and a new-born foal along the way.

 

Discontent

Just now I'm slowly coming out of the fog. The Game 7 loss to the Hurricanes was just as devestaing as Wide Right in 1991's Super Bowl XXV and No Goal in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals. To come so close to ending Buffalo's 0-for-the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 21st Century for World Championships was devestating. Especially when I stood to win nearly $500 with a Sabres victory. Ouch!

So I drowned my sorrows the best I knew how with an 11-mile run Thursday and a 6-mile run in blazing heat Friday. I don't know if it's my kapha dosha or I've just acclimated to the searing heat but whatever it is the warm climate doesn't bother me anymore. In fact I embrace the heat. With just two weeks to go until the Mayor's Midnight Sun Half Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska, I feel I'm ready for the 13.1-mile distance no matter what the weather person has in store.

To get over the Sabres' loss and recent lapses in humility I've embraced this Zen mantra:

"All the harm, fear, and suffering in the world are caused by attachment to the self: Why should I hold on to this great demon?"--SHANTIDEVA

Farewell Cypresse

"Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes, I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again," Billy Joel from Say Goodbye to Hollywood.

After about 100 classes over the last three years, today was my last class with inspirational yoga teacher Cypresse Emery. Cypresse and her family are Leaving Las Vegas but not without touching a lot of hearts and leaving a lasting impression.

I can't begin to put into words how helpful Cypresse has been to my mind, body and spirit. She helped this awkward old klutz flow smoothly through postures, gave me inspirational quotes, mantras, hand-lettered Tibetan sayings and introduced me to Ayurveda.

Cypresse taught about seven weekly classes -- all different. I was lucky enough to catch three of her "farewell" classes in her final week. To honor my teacher I took both of her Thursday night classes. That was 2 1/2 hours that seemed like 5 minutes. Her personal and my favorite Sunday Sunrise Yoga class today was our last class together. It was the positive energy of the Sunday class Dec. 4 that spiritually inspired me to finish the Las Vegas Marathon. 

While I'll continue my yoga practice it will never be quite the same without Cypresse. But thankfully, it's not the same as before Cypresse.

 

Run, then Eat

Taking advantage of a rare Saturday off, I entered a 10k. Today's race was called the Run to the Sun but it should have been called the Run to the Top of the Mountain. Before the race I thought the wind that dropped the temperature 30 degrees into the 70s would be the problem. But the wind was hardly a factor compared to the steep grade up to the foothills of Sunrise Mountain. Running without a watch for the 2nd straight week I didn't know my time until the results were posted. But time was irrelevant compared to finishing position. I was 38th overall out of 138 runners and 4th in my age group. Ironically I beat the top 20-year-olds as the winner in the 20-24 male age group was behind me. Instead of a trophy I won a $25 cash prize in the post-race drawing. As much as a struggle was the Everest-like out bound leg, coming home was a blast as I finished just over 50 minutes. It was about a 10-minute pace out and a 6-minute pace back.

For lunch former Hilton sports book manager Cyril Burger comped Lynda & I at the Flamingo buffet. It's no longer the Flamingo Hilton. It was busy on the holiday weekend and there was a wedding party holding its reception at the buffet. The comp was valued at $42 but I don't think I got my money's worth in salad and cookies. Besides it's hard to eat animals with all the ducks, geese, turtles, flamingos, fish and other creatures that look in from the outside area. Lynda enjoyed the variety of choices and the only casualty was my "Defenders of Wildlife" hat that was blown into oblivion off my head on the walk from the parking garage.

 

 

 

 

Three Ways a Great Day

Up at 5 am, it's about 22 hours later as I attempt to put this incredible day into a few humble words. Three great things happened, all before working till almost midnight, so I'll try to type a few words before I hit the hay.

The Las Vegas Track Club offered a 5k race at Sunset Park and I can never pass on a run on my local course. The runs start at 7am now to beat the heat. Today's run was more desert and less asphalt which was fine with me because I'm ultra familiar with the sandy trails. The first mile was OK but I really turned it on when we hit the trails and the last mile I turned on the afterburners to finish in 25:05 my fastest 5k of the year. It was good for 3rd in my age group.

That would have been enough for one day but I had pre-paid in advance for yoga guru Steve Ross' class. He's the Lance Armstrong of yoga. What made it better is my favorite teacher Cypresse practiced along side me. This was the most demanding yoga class I've ever taken. It was hard, rewarding and difficult just like a marathon. But the good thing about sweating so much was I was so warmed up I was able to go deeper into the postures than ever before.

All this was going on while the mighty Buffalo Sabres were beating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to take a one game lead in the NHL Eastern Conference Best-of-7 series. Cha-Ching! If Daisy hadn't wet the bed and Haven hadn't puked all over the carpet it would have been the perfect day. But that's life. There must have been at least 36 hours in this day..

Rocky Gap Road

Determined to make it to the top of the Rocky Top 4x4 road on my third attempt, I proceeded on. It's only supposed to be 6 miles to the top. It's all uphill. The last time a blizzard turned me back. This time like George Mallory in his third Everest attempt, I was going to succeed or die trying. After I passed my previous highest elevation point, about 6,000 feet, it seemed like the road went on forever. It was deja vu all over again as the turns and bends in the road seemed like instant replays. But finally, after who knows how long (remember I'm running without a watch) I made it to the summit.

Much to my surprise there was a Jeep club at the top. I asked the leader if the trail went any further and he told me I could go 8 miles this way and pick up another trail and go another 15 miles and then hook up with a highway that would take me 45 miles back to Vegas. I don't think he realized I was on foot.

As the Jeepers were eating sandwiches and cookies I explored around and mulled over their offer for a ride back. It looked by the size of their stomachs that they might be eating for a while so I told them I'd head downhill and maybe catch a ride when they passed me. I was having so much fun running downhill, when the first two Jeeps passed I declined a lift. But the third one had an open front seat so I took it. The road was so steep and rocky it's equally difficult for Jeeps and runners to go uphill or downhill. My curiosity of another trail has been satisfied.

 

Time Stands Still

What are the odds of my main running wrist watch and my emergency backup watch both stopping on the same day? 100-1? 1,000-1? A million to one?

I had just replaced the battery in my main watch last fall. It's a great watch that does everything but take out the garbage. It even takes your pulse. So when it stopped functioning I went for my backup runner's watch that I'd had for about 20 years. Not much of the original watch remained both the band and the battery had been replaced many times, the last time in 1999. So why after seven years it chose to die on this day I do not know.

That was Monday. And because I had to work six straight days this week I haven't had a chance to get new batteries for these time pieces. But the more I go without a watch, the less I need it. I haven't been late for work. And I haven't cared about the times of my runs. I still have a white strip on my tanned arm but it's beginning to fade. I've noticed less stress. Before I used to check my watch as often as most people check their cell phones but no more. As long as I'm not late for work or dinner I may continue to forgo the burden of a time piece. Does anyone really care what time it is?

 

Full Moon Hike

A group of 25 hikers, including neighbor Lois Dimaggio and myself, experienced a wonderful night hike at Red Rock Canyon. It took a while for the full moon to climb above the clouds, but when it did we had enough light to guide us on the four-mile hike. The knowledgeable Linda led us on the Moenkopi Loop and to the Calico Hills with Jupiter the second brightest object in the sky. The recent Masters graduate pointed out bats in the sky, told us how the invasive grass had helped feed the fire that destroyed 32,000 acres last August but also made the Jack rabbits bigger than ever.

Lois, an avid walker and 5-year resident, had never been to Red Rock before and really enjoyed the beautiful scenery, fresh air and wide-open spaces.

Linda told us Joshua Trees that have split trucks are already 100 years old and some have been found to be more than 700 years old. It was a very imformative hike with a great group of hikers. I'm honored and filled with gratitude to have been a part of the experience.

 

Luck Runs Out

The day got off to such a great start with an easy 10-mile run straight from home to save gas. After tackling Red Rock's hills on Monday's 12-mile run, the formally formidable hills on today's trot seemed flat as pancakes. That's 22 miles in just two days of running this week.

You might imagine with all this running I wear out shoes like paper towels. The trail shoes had covered hundreds of miles from Sunset Park to Red Rock to Lake Mead to White Rock Canyon to the Colorado River. Arizona, Montana and Nevada. They were coming apart at the seems and the tread was as thin as rubber tires after 500 miles on the Indy oval. So I flipped them in the back of my pickup truck to await a proper burial in the remotest part of the remotest trail. We proceeded on to the Village Runner where I purchased a new pair of New Balance 906 Off-Road Trail shoes. Made in America. Not by abused Asian workers in overseas sweat shops. 

Mission accomplished it was time to kick back and watch the Sabres sweep the Senators. But Ottawa was not down and not out and staved off elimination with a hard-fought 2-1 victory. The Sabres will have three more chances to win the best-of-7 series. The night was salvaged when the Red Sox came from behind to beat the Yankees 5-3.

I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs. ~Jesse Owens

Grand Circle Trail Revisited

It's been more than six months since I've tackled the 12-mile Grand Circle Trail at Red Rock Canyon and with a Half Marathon coming up in Alaska in six weeks it was time for a little training run. It was a little warm at the start, mid 80s, and by the finish it had to be approaching the mid 90s. But like a Sherpa climbing Everest without bottled oxygen I had but a one-liter bottle (of water not oxygen) to get me through the delicious dozen miles.

Becoming one with nature I blended in with yucca cactus and creosote trees, scampering bunny rabbits, swift desert chipmunks, grouse birds and all sorts of lizards ranging from one to 10 inches long. I saw more blooming beavertail cactus and desert wild flowers than ever before it was amazing. After the run the ankles were a little sore and I felt a slight burn from the sunshine in the cloudless blue sky but it was all good.

Here's something to chew on. Did you know some scientists believe the universe was created by sound five billion years ago? And that sound was "OM!"

Nothing is permanent:
The sun and the moon rise and
    then set,
The bright clear day is followed
    by the deep, dark night.
From hour to hour, everything
    changes.--KALU RINPOCHE

Mom's Last Night

Mom's last full day in Las Vegas was another busy one. After breakfast we squeezed in a visit to see cousin Ruth and her daughter Mia. While they played some board game with friendly hippos that could turn a vegan into a safari hunter I excused myself to get a run in the beautifully landscaped neighborhood.

Carrying on the tradition that all of my visitors must dine at Sweet Tomatoes, the best restaurant on the planet, Mom & I enjoyed great salads, soup, muffins and pasta. We looked both ways as we smuggled apples out of the "no take-out zone."

While I was committed to watching the Sabres playoff game, a 5-4 loss to the Flyers, Mom and Rosa Maria went to some poisonous red meat Memphis Barbecue place and dined on burnt animal flesh.

Now it's time to bid farewell to Mom and start thinking about that Great Alaskan Adventure.

 

Golden Arches

You'd be surprised what you find on a different trail. After a dozen previous visits to Valley of Fire I decided to explore different routes with Mom today. We found an amazing natural arch, carved by nature and a priceless quantity of ancient Paiute Indian petroglyphs. On previous visits I'd always passed the campground turnoff. I didn't know there was an incredible arch there and petroglyphs that were 4,000 years old. What a find!

When we stopped for lunch near Mouse's Tank we were able to watch a Hollywood movie in the making. Two Nevada Highway Patrol cars were blocking the road but from the picnic tables we were able to see Mazeratti's streak down the scenic road.

After the cars sped away, quiet returned and we enjoyed our lunch with some company. We were visited by desert chipmunks. These little critters were so tame they came right up to us and ate the little peanuts from my trail mix right out of our hands.

Later that night I still had energy (I'd run 10 miles before Valley of Fire) to go to Cypresse's yoga class. She gave me a hand made sign that read:

"until the day that the sky itself , with all the sun and stars falls down to the earth...may I remain to help every living being." Traditional Tibetan Prayer  

@ Ming's Home

Frank was missing. Something about a private jet in Mexico. While my cousin was caught up in some International Intrigue, Mom & I enjoyed an evening with Ming & her family that included indoor soccer. Who could blame Frank for forgetting his cousin and Aunt were coming over when he had a private jet taking him south of the border?

Despite his absence Mom & I were still greeted very friendly by Frank's wife Ming, their kids Alex & Helena, sister Quan and mother Que. Not long after we arrived a soccer game broke out in the living room. Alex vs. Helena. I was the goalie.

Frank's loss was Rosa Maria's gain as the lovely Tita joined Mom, Ming & I for dinner at Balboa's, a surfing-themed restaurant, in The District. For the 2nd night in a row the food, company and evening air were all filled with warmth.

 

From Red Rock to The Elephant Bar

Mom & I covered a lot of ground today as we went from 4,177 feet above sea level at Red Rock Canyon to the deepest depths of Africa at the Elephant Bar in Green Valley. Taking advantage of a rare Tuesday off, we headed out to Red Rock to hear a very informative and humorous geology lecture by Red Rock volunteer Cactus Jack. He told us how the 600-million year old sea had gone from an ocean, to arid climate, to sand dunes to limestone & sandstone rock formations. We visited with Mojave Max and a few of his female friends and fellow desert tortoises. We proceeded on to Willow Springs where we hiked two trails. We saw ancient Indian pictographs and a beautiful waterfall cascading down hundreds of feet of solid rock.

The evening was just as enjoyable. We traveled to Rosa Maria Ward's lovely Green Valley home where we were greeted by Rosa Maria (or Tita), her son Tony and his fiance Tara. After some conversation and a garden tour we proceeded on to the Elephant Bar in The District, next to Green Valley Ranch. Fortunately for me there was a Veggie Burger on the menu, luckily for Tony & Tara they also had non-veggie burgers. Rosa Maria enjoyed Cajun Catfish while Mom feasted on a giant salad with skewered shrimp.

It was a lovely day filled with warmth. And the weather was nice too.

Olive Garden to Lake Mead

More fun with Mom today. Although it was just my normal 2 days off it's been like a vacation for me too. After a leisurely morning where she read and smoked while I didn't and did some yoga instead we headed off to the Olive Garden for their soup & salad special. Do you know about this? For $5.98 you get all the soup (3 choices), salad and breadsticks you can eat. And you even get a chocolate mint for desert. It was perfect.

To burn off this fuel we headed out to Lake Mead to hike/run the Tunnel Trail. It was a warm 90 degrees by the lake and a beautiful day for viewing wild flowers, the blue water and mostly blue sky.

That was enough outdoor activity for both of us and a quiet evening at home was all we could muster in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

"He who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens, and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays, Second Series 

Mom Arrives

Mom successfully completed her trip across the continent today. Although it was somewhat easier than Lewis & Clark's 1804-1806 expedition and a lot faster than the pioneers that crossed the rugged terrain in covered wagons it was still a long and tiring trip. So almost immediately after Mom arrived and unpacked I took her to Discovery Park in Green Valley, Nev., where we ran (me) and walked (mom) along a scenic path. She commented on how lush the green lawns were. I stopped to smell some roses (literally) while I was running and enjoyed the spacious vista where you could see mountains in every direction surrounding the Las Vegas valley.

After a brief stop at Albertson's for supplies it was a quiet evening at home watching a couple of History Channel specials. One about how President McKinley's assassination in Buffalo, N.Y., paved the way for Teddy Roosevelt's presidency and another one about how the 1848 Gold Rush helped to populate California which had only 12,000 residents at the time.

"Recreation park land builds part of the real sinew of the American people, it enhances the quality of our national life."-- Senator Mark Hatfield

Good Friday Run

"One should get away once in a while as far as possible from human contacts.
To contemplate nature, magnificently garbed as it is in this country,
to restore peace to the mind."-- Harold Ickes

That's what I did today as I proceeded on a new (to me) section of the River Mountains Trail. This dirt trail began next to St. Jude's, and although that was as close as I would get to attending services on this Good Friday I knew God was all around me as I climbed a moderately strenuous trail.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corp, by hand, between 1935-37, the 6-mile up and back course begins at 2415 feet and steadily climbs to 3480 to the top of Black Mountain where there is a spectacular view of Lake Mead and a permanent bench.

Along the way I saw blooming cactus flowers and wild flowers as a late spring has finally arrived in the desert.

The trail was anything but straight as many switch backs were put in to enable hikers (and this crazy runner) to ascend to the top.

After the run I celebrated with a Venti Green Tea Vanilla Soy Milk Latte at Starbucks while reading some of John Steinbeck's Sweet Thursday. It was a sweet Good Friday for this desert explorer.

 

 

Full Day, Full Moon

My Ayurveda teacher Anne said that only people that aren't balanced are affected by the Full Moon. So I admit I'm a little unbalanced. I went out in the parking lot and watched the Moon rise above the clouds and take over the night sky. April's full moon is known as the "Full Pink Moon," after the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring.

During the daylight this closet Werewolf accomplished much. My Nissan dealer treated me to a free oil change and car wash because I'm such a loyal customer. They'll get it back in few months when I bring my truck in for it's 60,000 mile service but it's worth it.

After the car was lubed and oiled it was time to do the same to my heart, legs, lungs, mind and spirit as I headed to Freedom Park for a satisfying 7.5-mile run. Running 10 times around a 3/4 mile loop the view took in Sunrise Mountain, many local trees sprouting fresh spring leaves and the still snow-clad Mt. Charleston. Nevada, by the way, is Spanish for snow-clad mountains. The best part of the run was the first half was in 35 minutes and the last half in 30 as I picked up a little speed with each lap and amazed the loafers lounging around the park in fear of finding jobs.

After my run I checked my blood pressure and it was only 94/59. My pulse was 46 the other day. See what happens when you give up coffee and take up meditation.

The UPS man delivered 2 new digital cameras so new photos may return to this space as early as tomorrow.

 

Racing to the Mountains

It's been six weeks since my last race, so this was a good day to get back in the groove on a familiar course -- The River Mountains Loop Trail. Today's 5-mile LV Track Club run was not on the same section I had run 12 miles Thursday. The entire loop is 31 miles but only about 12 of that is paved.

The starting instructions told us it would be uphill the first mile and then flatten out to the 2.5-mile turnaround. By flat they meant just not as steep as the first mile. So it was a slow leg out and I was only 22 minutes to the turnaround. But I flew on the downhill return to finish in 42:26 and again take 2nd in my age group.

It felt good to get a race in with the Alaska Half Marathon in just 10 weeks.

 

 

Restful, Peaceful Friday

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds."--EDWARD ABBEY

 

Unfortunately there weren't any trails for me today but it was still all good. Started the day with Seven Sun Salutations, a mild form of yoga. Then it was off to my sixth acupuncture treatment with Dr. Kimberly Sperling, O.M.D. There's no way to measure the precise impact this Chinese medicine has had on my blood disease but I believe it's part of the big picture that has helped me log readings that are non-diabetic. For example two hours after eating it's acceptable for a diabetic to have a reading under 160 and a non-diabetic would be 120-140. I was 113 tonight and that's without even running or hiking today. Just yoga and meditation. So it's hard to say exactly what it is: Ayurveda, balancing my Chakras, bee pollen, bilberry, candles, cats, Chinese herbs, Chronmium, Flax oil, garlic, insence, meditation, non-drinking, running, organic fruits & veggies, pure water, soothing music, vegetarian, Vitimin C, E and other supplements, Wheat Grass and yoga. After my 2nd cup of coffee my pulse was 46.

 

Thanks to Ann's Barne's & Noble Birthday Gift Card I stocked up on reading material with six new books today: Grant Comes East a fictional history book what if Gen. Lee had won at Gettysburg? The Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Everest, 32 first-hand accounts of memorable climbs, Using your Chakras, A new approach to healing. The Americas, the history of the hemisphere. Bruce's Springsteen's America, the people listening, a poet singing. And 90% North, the quest for the North Pole. That ought to be enough reading material to get me to 2007.

 

 

River Mountains Trail

When I set out on my weekly Adventure Trail Run today, I didn't know if I was going to pick up an unexplored part of the 30-mile River Mountains Trail at Railroad Pass, find where the same trail went below Boulder City to the Lake Mead Visitor Center or locate where Bootleg Pass cuts through the River Mountains over Lake Mead. Instead I did all three.

 The 2 1/2 hour run probably covered 12 miles. The dirt trail paralells HWY 93 into Boulder City about 50-100 feet off the highway. Along the way there were spacious blue skies and mountain vistas, purple wild flowers and a jack rabbit I inadvertently scared out of his ravine that was as big as a goat.

Past Boulder City I came over the hill and had a beautiful view of Lake Mead and the Moon that was waxing gibbous with 62% of it's visible disk illuminated (I looked it up).

As a Kapha (earth and water) there was plenty of both along the way. Kapha is part of Ayruveda, which is way too deep to go into here, but suffice it to say along with yoga, acupuncture and balancing my Chakras it has really helped me to stabilize if not totally dissolve my diabetes.

Here's how I balance my seven Chakras when I'm running: My roots (legs) are strong as they carry me up and downhill. Water cools my skin and energizes my body but I carry a replacement supply. The Fire inside me motivates me to run harder and faster. My Heart keeps pumping blood and makes me strong. I enjoy the Sounds of the wild and share a few whoops of joy with nature. My Eyes take in all the beautiful scenery. And finally my crown or consciousness is filled with awareness and gratitude that I can do this and enjoy it so much.

 

 

Dale's Trail After Cleanup

Time to give something back to Red Rock today. So I volunteered to help with a Visitor Center cleanup. I filled a big bag with trash and got a free cookie for my effort.

My new digital camera arrived yesterday but I don't like it very much (translation: I can't get it to work). So I think I'm going to send it back and get a refund. In the meantime I'll search the Internet for photos and maps to go with my journal entries.

After the cleanup, I checked off Dale's Trail on my quest to explore all 19 major trails at Red Rock Canyon. Just 4 more to go. Dale's Trail is a moderate 2.5-mile stretch that connects Ice Box Canyon with the Pine Creek Trailhead along the base of Bridge Mountain. There are four benches along the way to rest, hydrate or just enjoy the spectacular view. According to a review you'll see a

"Wonderful variety of cactus (cholla, barrel, beavertail, etc.), wildflowers (columbine, paintbrush, mallow, yellowbush, etc.), and plenty of oak, pinion, agave, yucca, some joshua, junipers, manzanita, creosote, ponderosa. Brilliant red soil mixed with limestone, aztec sandstone boulders, oxide pimples, other rock formations.

 

Top 10 List

Top 10 Things I did today.

1. Acupuncture ($85). Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

2. Hiked Ice Box Canyon at Red Rock (Priceless). Multiple waterfalls.

3. Double shot of wheat grass at Tropical Smoothies ($3). Cures and heals and prevents disease.

4. Venti Soy Vanilla Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks ($4.50). Better than coffee.

5. Read some more of "Skin City" a true story of  Las Vegas underbelly ($14).

6. Co-mingeled with Haven & Daisy (Priceless). I love my cats.

7. Ate a Subway Veggie Delight ($5).

8. Watched Travel Channel special on haunted houses in Key West (You don't want to know...).

9. Watched induction ceremonies for 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame (...my cable bill).

10. Talked to Dad about various subjects from Alaska to new hiking shoes to stress management (Dad's free weekend cell minutes).

Leaving Ft. Clatsop & White Rock Canyon

Two hundred years ago today Lewis & Clark left Fort Clatsop to the local Native Americans and headed back east across the continent. On March 23, 1806, Capt. Clark wrote: "...at 1:00 p.m. left Fort Clatsop on our homeward-bound journey. At this place we had wintered and remained from the 7th of December, 1805, to this day, and have lived as well as we had any right to expect, and we can say that we were never one day without three meals of some kind a day, either poor elk meat or roots."

To honor Lewis & Clark's departure I headed out to White Rock Canyon for a mini-expedition of my own. Dad & Sue are now familiar with this trail at least the descent. Which I made in record time today of 40 minutes, usually it takes 50. I proceeded on to the Arizona Hot Springs, a somewhat treacherous climb over slippery rocks and mini waterfalls. There I basked in the hot springs for at least 20 minutes hoping to cure some minor aches and pains. Then I proceeded up the alternate route, which I had done once before but I forgot how difficult it was. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the trail around the lake at Sunset Park and 10 being the Hillary Step near the summit at Mt. Everest, I would rate the degree of difficulty at 9.5. There were two particularly steep scrambles that I wouldn't recommend to anyone without adequate insurance. But somehow I successfully scaled the rocky cliffs and even saw some ancient pictographs on the way. My luck ran out on the drive home when I encountered grid lock at the Hoover Dam. The dam road became the damn road when it took nearly an hour to drive 4 miles.

 

Double Birthday Celebration

It's easy to remember Dad's birthday, it's the same as mine, every year, March 20th. Although we're usually apart in different time zones, we're always together in our hearts.

While neither one of us had a rip-roaring birthday bash today, not a drop of alcohol was consumed and that was fine with both of us. He's gone 32 years and I've gone for many long stretches as I work my way through this Lewis & Clark Abstinence Reenactment Journal. We celebrate in our own ways. He bikes and skis. I run and yoga. Today's highlight was a nice one-hour twilight run through the neighborhood. Six or seven miles. The exact number of miles was insignificant just as age is only a number. But I must admit 75 is a very impressive number. So congratulations, Dad!

On my 49th it was nice to hear from everyone in the family with cards, calls and gifts from Ann, Dad, Mom, Ron, Susan and Micky. The cats are oblivious to birthdays but I don't know the birth dates of the former stray cats either.

Simultaneous Sunset-Moonrise

Sometimes it helps to check the sunrise-sunset, moon rise-moonset chart before heading out for a run. Tonight's sunset was at 5:47 and the full moonrise was at 5:48. I proceeded on to Sunset Park and timed it just right so that I was on top of Mt. Sunset at that moment. After working up a pretty good sweat I scaled the steep mountain where I climbed with Susan last month and Uncle Wally last year. I enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Red Rock range that was reflected by some passing clouds. But where was the moon? I waited 10 minutes past it's scheduled appearance before a chill forced me to depart and head home. Was it the clouds hiding the moon? Sort of. But mostly it was the mountains by Lake Mead. Apparently moon rise time is calculated not when the moon becomes visible over the mountains but when it clears the horizon. As I ran home I kept looking over my shoulder. At first a few glimpses of white light poked through the clouds but halfway home the big beautiful lunar object started to draw my attention like it pulls in the tides. 

When I got home I watched the Sabres overcome two 2-goal deficits to beat the Caps 6-4 making it another fine day.

  

Blizzard Conditions

Today's Red Rock trail run featured blizzard conditions. The higher I climbed on the Rocky Gap 4x4 Road, there was more snow, it got much colder and then it got worse -- a blizzard let loose. It was a tough enough run on a treacherous rocky surface heading up and up to the sky on the steep mountain trail. But then after 2pm temps dropped from the 40s to the low 30s, the wind picked up and it began to snow. First a flurry, then a hailstorm. Then a blizzard. If my fingers weren't numb despite gloves I might have enjoyed myself a little more. But still it was something different as I traversed half-frozen brooks and creeks and discovered remote waterfalls. After over an hour of a steady uphill climb I was forced to turn around. Vowing to return another day to complete the 12-mile mountain-climbing adventure.

The run was set up by an office visit to my acupuncturist -- Dr. Kim Sperling. Another great treatment. Now that my healing team is assembled that also includes ayurveda with Anne and yoga with Cypresse & Kim Culp I feel like I might be on the path to wellness.

 

 

Red Rock Cleanup

For once I went to Red Rock not to run, hike or practice yoga, but to pick up trash. No, I wasn't sentenced to community service I just volunteered to give something back to a place I had taken so much from. Mostly photographs.

It was a nice little eldery group of about 9 volunteers (me being the youngest and not eldery) who met at the Willow Springs picnic area. We were all given a yellow trash bag and sent off. Mostly I found broken glass and cigarette butts, but I also found one kid shoe and a few plastic bags, cups and plates. After 90 minutes of collecting we were all rewarded with St. Patrick Day cookies.

A weekend wouldn't be complete without a stop at Sweet Tomatoes. An afternoon nap got me ready for yoga with Cypresse and it was another successful day off. Now back to working on a natural cure for diabetes.

There are no miracles for those that have no faith in them."
--French proverb

 

Yoga, Run, Yoga

Yoga, run, yoga. That was my health conscious day. Began with Kim's 9am yoga Level 1& 2 class. Small but enthusiast class. Then a stop at Starbucks. That 40 cent coffee thing isn't working anymore. Most of the time I just save 10 cents for bringing my own cup. But today I got free refill. That 2nd cup sparked me on a fine 5-mile run in Henderson that took in a panoramic view off all the surrounding mountains especially the snow-capped ones. Sunny, about 60, light breeze.

After laundry & lunch there was a little time to begin watching "Walk the Line" the Johnny Cash movie that Reese Witherspoon won an Oscar for Best Actress.

Capped the day with Anne's Ayurveda class. Anne has been very helpful both in and out of class helping imrove my health. With many twisting and bending poses she said she dedicated tonight's practice to me. That was very cool.

Whoever is happy will make others happy too."

 

The Penguins Proceeded On

As the wind picked up to a steady 30 knots, I proceeded on the Mountain's Edge Loop Trail in Henderson for a solid 7-mile run. But the wind made me work harder as it was behind me going downhill and in my face going uphill.  It made for a challenging, but still scenic, workout.

"Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty."-- John Ruskin, (1819-1900)

The highlight of the day was dinner and a movie with Rosa Maria and her sister Thais visiting from Costa Rica. First I stopped at the Go Raw Veggie Cafe and picked up our dinner. Cream of Carrot & Avocado soup for RM, Almond cheese pizza with basil pesto & marinara for Thais and a big juicy beet burger for me. Then the three of us watched March of the Penguins. To satisfy the three varied viewers English only (me), Spanish only (Thais) and bilingual (RM), we watched the movie with Spanish audio and English subtitles. It worked. We all could share in the sadness and joy of the movie.

 

 

It's Johnny's Birthday

One of America's greatest writers was born on this date. The author of The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row and my favorite East of Eden was born Feb. 27, 1902. To honor John Steinbeck's birthday today I'm re-reading Cannery Row. A charming book about a bunch of guys with no jobs or money that have more life and fun than you can imagine. I'll share with you the first paragraph of the book:

"Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. Cannery Row is the gathered and scattered, tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of corrugated iron, honky tonks, restaurants and whore houses, and little crowded groceries, and laboratories and flophouses. Its inhabitants are, as the man once said, "whores, pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches," by which he meant Everybody. Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said, "Saints and angels and martyrs and holy men," and he would have meant the same thing."

Steinbeck's books are still all in print 60 or more years after they were written in more than 50 languages. In Japanese The Grapes of Wrath translates to The Angry Raisin.

Happy Birthday JS, if I could only take one book to a desert island it would certainly be a Steinbeck.

 

Top Priority

In the past if I had a 5k race and a yoga class in the same day, the race would get top billing. But thanks to the help and support of my acupuncturist, Dr. Kimberly Sperling, I am putting things in their proper perspective. Through proper diet, visualization and acupuncture Dr. Sperling is helping me get my blood sugar numbers under control. Last week the evening numbers were very good but the morning numbers were not so good. But this morning's reading of 114, which followed a 103 was quite excellent indeed!

Having said that, there was a 5k race this morning at Sunset Park. Achy knees almost kept me home, but I proceeded on to take 2nd in my age group despite a slow (for me) time of 25:22. But it was a great way to start the day and I knew I had given my best effort when I almost threw up at the finish.

It was a beautiful day in Las Vegas as temps soared into the 70s and what made it more beautiful was that I didn't have to work. This rare Saturday off wasn't wasted as I headed out to Red Rock for Cheryl's Blue Sky Yoga class. It was exhilarating and enlightening as usual. Now I'll just try to focus on normal blood sugar readings and shoot for the improbable but not impossible cure for this potentially debilitating disease.

 

Starbucks Secret

Did you know you can get a medium size (grande) cup of coffee at Starbucks for 40 cents? It's true. They don't advertise this special. Just bring in your own travel mug and ask for a refill. That's only 50 cents. And because you brought your own cup they take another 10 cents off. They'll even add soy milk and you can spice it up with cinnamon and vanilla for free. What a deal. Who said Starbucks was expensive?

Today was my kind of a perfect day. It started with Kim's class at the Yoga Sanctuary. I used to take her Wednesday class every week but a schedule change has kept me away the past year. The class consisted of five young ladies and myself. The small class allowed Kim to give much personal instruction. Every breath was pure joy. After class I enjoyed a couple of cups of Starbucks coffee. Then it was off for a beautiful 5-mile run in Henderson that took in some breathtaking mountain vistas. Under sunny skies and with temps getting into the upper 50s I had no complaints on this spectacular day.

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Celebrate Education 8k

For the 2nd time in two weeks a top-notch race performance came on the heels on an acupuncture treatment. Saturday it was the Celebrate Education 8k along the Pittman Wash trail beginning at Arroyo Grande Park. The race had a little bit of everything. It started in a grass field for about 1/4 mile, crossed the wash where we immediately soaked our feet in 5-inch deep water and then headed uphill into a stiff wind. It was cold enough in the 40s, but the wind made it feel well below freezing. My first mile was about 8:15 and I was around 16:40 at MM2. But then the race turned downhill with the wind at our backs. That's when I really picked up steam. I must have been under 7 minute miles the rest of the way because I finished in 38:24 -- a 7:41 per-mile pace.

Usually I take 2nd place in these local runs but for some reason I was 4th out of 8 runners in my age group. There were two reasons (excuses) for this. The cold temps kept many casual runners home and only the diehards showed up. When I looked to see who beat me I noticed one runner was from Needles, Calif. and the other from Pennsylvania. So I was the 2nd local runner in my group. Overall I was 59th out of 124 finishers. Not bad and my time was about 6 minutes faster than last year on the same course.

"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself."
--Saint Francis De Sales
 

Bad Start, Good Finish

The day got off to an unpleasant start with a 188 blood sugar reading. That's about 60 points too high. But I wasn't surprised after altering my healthy lifestyle the day before. I can't be perfect every day, I'm only human.

Fortunately my second acupuncture treatment with Dr. Kimberly Sperling was scheduled for this morning. Dr. Sperling really does care about my mental, physical and spiritual health and made many positive suggestions before we began the treatment. Once again the acupuncture was very relaxing and healing. A strange thing happened near the end. I felt a cool breeze all over my body. Later I asked the doctor about the phenomenon. It was before the door was opened. She said sometimes things like that just happen. It could have been toxins or maybe evil diabetes spirits leaving my body as blockages were set free.

Then it was off to discover a new trail at Red Rock. Today it was the Rocky Gap 4x4 trail that begins at the most western point of the park and steadily heads uphill to the highest peaks that rise to over 9,000 feet. The round trip is over 14 miles. I didn't make it that far today but I will someday. But I ran uphill for almost an hour and probably climbed 5,000 feet. That led to a beautiful bubbling creek that was more than half frozen. It was very peaceful to sit there and listen and watch the water flow through the rocks with ice everywhere. The descent was awesome as I floated downhill and viewed rock formations and ponderosa pines.

The day wouldn't have been complete without a little yoga with live music taught by one of my favorite teachers -- Kim.

When I got home and checked my blood it was down to 88. Almost 100 points lower that 12 hours earlier. I'm back on the healthy path again.

 

 

Kids Still Play

While running around the neighborhood late Thursday afternoon, I stumbled across a pleasant discovery -- kids still play. Just when I thought today's generation was getting fat and lazy while glued to TVs, computers and video games, I came across many school-age kids playing sports in the streets. It was refreshing to see kids playing football, soccer and other games in the streets as I ran by. Maybe there's hope for the future after all.

Meanwhile half a world away, our American kids were playing hockey and defeating Kazakhstan 4-1 in the Winter Olympics at Torino. Five points if you can locate Kazakhstan on a map.

After the run I skipped the usual Thursday night yoga and helped good friends Nancy and Harvey celebrate their wedding at an informal party at P.T.'s Pub on East Sahara. Even former Hilton supervisor Paul Rompel showed up to take part in the fun.

"There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day."
--Alexander Woollcott

 

Uncle Wally Weekend

Today we said goodbye to Uncle Wally. His closest friends and relatives were present at Palm Mortuary Saturday and Sunday to pay their final respects. It's impossible to list all the close companions that came to bid farewell but the ones that must be mentioned were his adoring wife of 20 years Rosa Maria, his loving children Ruth, Wallace, Frank and Tony along with their spouses, children and his three surviving brothers Ham, Marsh and Chuck.

Bittersweet. There was so much joy and sadness, laughter and tears, misery and happiness in one room. A beautiful picture presentation of Uncle Wally's life from childhood to 73-year-old was one of the highlights. Everyone shed a tear and turned a smile while watching the touching presentation of Uncle Wally's life put to moving music.

It was especially hard for Rosa Maria to say goodbye and the children and the brothers. During Sunday's funeral so many incredible words were spoken in the four-hour service.  But maybe the most amazing moment came as the funeral goers left Tito, Dr. Wallace, Mr. Ward, Wally or whatever they called him at his mausoleum crypt. In a spiritual message of light the sun was setting over the western mountains at the same moment a big beautiful cream-colored full moon appeared over the eastern horizon. A stirring moment in time no words could express.

"Grant that I may be given appropriate difficulties and sufferings on this journey so that my heart may be truly awakened and my practice of liberation and universal compassion may be truly fulfilled." -- A Tibetan Prayer  

 

White Rock Canyon

Take it to the limit. That's what the Ward family did on their run/hike today at White Rock Canyon. Taking Dad & Susan to one of my favorite hikes, we proceeded on past the Hoover Dam, four miles into Arizona where we descended down through White Rock Canyon to the Colorado River. I knew the run would be challenging for Sue and rough on Dad, but what the heck they're both in good shape for their age (121 combined). Everyone found the footing kind of tough on the way down but we all made it to the river where we snacked on a couple of oranges and enjoyed the beautiful view. I stuck my toes in the icy river but that's as far as I got.

We headed uphill back out of the canyon and that's where the real challenge began. Sue's a much better uphill runner. I lagged behind her. But when we stopped to wait for Dad to catch up it seemed like forever for the Golden Oldie in the mustard colored hat to catch up. So I doubled back and ran about a mile where I found him. There was no need for worry. Dad had stopped to talk to other hikers and had accepted their offering of chicken and a candy bar. When we got back to the car there were six very tired knees, ankles and feet.

After a little down time, we visited with Uncle Chuck at cousin Ruth's, saw her kids Madeline and Mia and then enjoyed a delicious meal at Green Valley Ranch. The Ward family felt a little like Olympic athletes after completing their endurance event.

 

Typical Day Off but with Family

Today was a typical Thursday for me -- a great run, Sweet Tomatoes and yoga with Cypresse, but what made it really special was having Dad and Susan here to share it with me.

Sister Sue flew in from Houston this morning and checked into the new Wynn Casino. Dad had arrived from Buffalo the night before and checked into Chez Ham. Sadly, it was the untimely death of Uncle Wally that brought us all together for this weekend's funeral service. When Susan came knocking on my door it was lunchtime so we headed off to my favorite restaurant -- Sweet Tomatoes -- the Salad Bar Restaurant. Although Dad & Sue both eat meat, they like salads too and both enjoyed a delicious, nutritious meal.

After Sue went back to Wynn, I needed to get a run in and Dad was up for a walk, so we headed over to the Pittman Wash for a beautiful outdoor experience under a sunny skies with temps in the 70s. Then it was Susan's turn to accompany me to yoga class. She enjoyed meeting Cypresse and did quite well for someone who hasn't practiced yoga for a while. The icing on the perfect day was a stop at the Go Raw Veggie Cafe where we all enjoyed another delicious vegetarian meal. I don't know if I can convert them, but it didn't seem like they were missing their animal flesh today. It was great being together again for the first time since August.