Alison's School Award Ceremony

I started the day by driving to Trinity, TX to attend Alison’s third grade award ceremony. I arrived a couple hours early to hang-out with Preston, which was a LOT of fun.

Upsetting incident;
Preston and I went to lunch at a local Subway. While we were there, I saw a police officer having lunch with his family. He was dressed in “western garb”, but he was also wearing a badge on his belt and a pistol on his hip. I was speechless when I witnessed him spanking his 4-5 year old son for not eating fast enough. What a total piece of shit father. I’m ok with spankings, as long as it fits a lengthy list of parameters, but never in a million years would a spank a child for not eating fast enough. If that officer (the dad) did that in public, I can only imagine what he does in the privacy of his home…

Preston and I played at the park and went for a walk before attending the school ceremony. My wonderful and talented daughter earned nearly every award they were handing out!
-Straight “A” honor roll, all year
-Perfect attendance, all year
-Citizenship award (only 2 awarded to each grade)

I’m really proud of my shining star!

The drive home was horrific. It took me nearly three hours to get home, when it normally takes 1.5 hours.

Late this afternoon I went for an extended walk. It has been crazy hot all day. For most of the drive home, my truck thermometer read over 100 degrees. I felt good for the first three miles and then I completely ran out of gas, per se. At least I have a good day of mindful eating to be proud of!

Walk:
4.86 miles
1:29:46
18:27 pace

Cardio and lots of it

LUCKY!

Like most Monday’s, I’m starting a “diet” today. I haven’t stuck to a healthy regimen in nearly a year. Both my health and body are showing signs of the destructive abuse.

After a healthy breakfast I went kayaking on the San Jacinto River, via River Grove Park in Kingwood. The water level is very low. In fact, I had to walk my boat more than 50 yards before I found water I could paddle in. I saw a couple small alligators. The first one was maybe 3-4 feet long and popped up a few feet in front of my boat. The alligator was startled, as was I. He quickly went under the water. The second one was even smaller, 2-3 feet and was sitting on a piece of concrete next to the shoreline. I tried to get close enough for a picture, but I startled him as well. There were a lot of alligator gar “rolling” on top of the water, but that is common in the summer.

Once I had kayaked two miles, I turned around. It was then that I realized how windy it was. The trip back to the park was tough.

Kayak:
4.29 miles
1:41:52

When I was unloading my truck I couldn’t find my camera. I keep it in my lap when I’m kayaking. Since it had only been a 30 minutes since I seen it last, I assumed I lost the camera when I got out to walk the boat to the shore. I went back to the park and walked through the water and eventually found my camera sitting at the bottom of the river!!! I can’t believe how lucky I was to find it, again (this happed on the Guadalupe River as well). Lucky little camera if you ask me!

Short bike ride through the neighborhood, picking up cans along the way. It’s nearly too hot to be exercising. Nineteen cans collected.

Trail Bike:
5.47 miles
44:51
7.32 mph

Later in the evening I meet the Bayou City Outdoor club members for a trail run/walk at Memorial Park. Special thanks to event leader Anna for walking with me while we explored the Memorial Park trails.

Walk:
2.01 miles
38:26
19:07 pace

Memorial Day weekend

It has been a lazy day at the house. I worked on a few small projects, none of which were very significant.

Waited till 8pm to exercise and it was still 91 degrees in Kingwood. There was a total lack of motivation to run, but I forced myself to stay the course. Completing the daily push-ups required even more motivation. I will admit, I feel a million times better now that I am done.

Run:
1.32 mile
15:00
11:22 pace

Walk:
2.41 miles
45:00
18:40 pace

Push-ups: 51

Work

Worked at City Wide Lawn and Pest yesterday, as a manual laborer. As hard as the job was, it felt good to put in a honest days work. Kind of hard to explain...

The day started at Tom's house at 5:30am and I didn’t leave till 3:45. Once I got home I showed, ate dinner, and watched a little television. I was drifting off on the couch so I went to bed at 7pm! It has been a long time since I’ve slept 12-hours. I skipped my walk/run and the planned push-ups. Good thing Wednesday is my "flex day"

At work today

Managed to walk/run without being interrupted, this is always a bonus in my opinion. I skipped the scheduled squats and dips.

The Houston area set record high temperatures yesterday and today, 96 and 97 respectively. This summer is going to be brutal! I have to find the willpower to survive six more summers.

Run:
0.80 mile
9:00
11:15 pace

Walk:
1.96 miles
35:05
17:54 pace

On Saturday I plan to log some extra cardio time by walk/running my five mile bayou loop. Even though the new shows feel good, my feet need a break from all the concrete.

Biggest Loser Finale

As silly as it may seem, life is a little brighter after last night’s dream. I was incredibly happy in the dream, so much so that I woke up in a GREAT mood. There were three notable aspects different from my current existence. Now I need to find a way to make this dream a reality!

Let me start this blog post with saying, this has been a great day.

Woke up and went for a bike ride around Kingwood, collecting aluminum cans along the way. I said this yesterday, but it’s worth repeating… picking up cans from a bicycle is a surprisingly tough. It was another warm day outside; hopefully I’m acclimating to the heat so it won’t be so brutal next month. Today I retrieved 24 cans.

Trail Bike:
8.7 miles
1:04:52
8.05 mph

I treated myself to a new pair of Brook Cascadia 5. The new models are out, so REI had the old models priced at $69.00, which is a savings of 30 bucks! The staff at REI is wonderful. I mentioned the Lowa Renegade’s I bought two-weeks ago and how I wish I would have known a 20% coupon was coming. Without saying anything else, the cashier returned the Lowa’s and sold them back to me with a 20% discount. How amazing is that and I didn’t even have the boots with me!!! In the end, the Brooks Cascadia's only cost me $30 total. SCORE!

Last week I exchanged my REI half-dome tent for a Big Agnes Seedhouse UL1. Indeed the BA seedhouse is light, but it was entirely too small for a man my size. REI is having a big “anniversary” sale this week, so I was able to pick up a Big Agnes Cooper Spur UL2. I set-up the tent in my living room and instantly fell in love with it. This tent has all the features I want, at a mere 3 lbs and 16oz. I can’t wait to see how it performs outdoors. SCORE!!

At 3:30 I had an interview at Moore Supply Company. The interview went good and I feel confident they will offer my this job. Hopefully I will secure the position on my second interview that is scheduled in a couple weeks. I’m convinced this company and I will be a great fit! SCORE!!!
Send me some good vibes, because I need this…

I’m working with Tom tomorrow (City Wide Lawn and Pest) and he called to confirm the job. During the conversation I mentioned how my garbage disposal stopped working. I tried the reset button, but all I heard was a buzz. Tom reminded me about using an allen wrench to manually turn the blades. I knew about this trick, but for some reason I had forgotten to try it. I spent a couple minutes working the blades back and forth, and now my disposal is working like a champ! This saves me a pocket full of cash and time spent replacing the unit. SCORE!!!!

I watched the season finale of Biggest Loser. I found myself impressed with the contestants' devotion to weight loss. I need that kind of discipline in my weight loss journey. It would seem the “percentage of weight loss” is ideal for people with minimal muscle mass. Several of the recent winners have been older women. In my honest opinion, the lack of muscle mass gives them a sickly appearance, although it is ideal for total weight loss. There were 3-4 people I didn’t recognize till I saw their original picture. More importantly, where was Rulon? I did squats and dips during the commercial breaks. This enabled me to double my normal repetitions.

Once the show was over I went for a nighttime walk/run. The time running was increased and the time walking was decreased. Both were small numbers, yet moving in a positive direction. There was a hint of discomfort in the right knee, but nothing compared to Sunday’s excruciating pain. During my last interval a pleasant night breeze provided me with a burst of energy to finish with my head high. Up to that point it had been hot and sticky.

Walk:
1.5 miles
27:31
18:21 pace

Run:
0.81 mile
9:00
11:07 pace

Squats: 80
Dips: 70

Still searching...

After 37 years, I’ve learned to accept the fact that my life is destined to be a series of “redo’s”, both mentally and physically. Instead of playing the same game over-and-over, perhaps I should change the game and the players.

I’ve been physically and mentally broken down to a shell of a man. Even with the weight of the world on my shoulders I refuse to stop looking for that one thing or one person that moves me to achieve GREATNESS.

Doing my part

The afternoon started with a bike ride to River Grove Park and then I added the five mile loop. I was shocked how low the water level is on the San Jacinto River. It is amazing that less than 200-miles away the Mississippi River is at record high levels right now. Even though it was hot outside, I found the bike ride refreshing.

On my bike ride I noticed a lot of aluminum cans discarded along side of the roads. For almost a month I’ve been saving cans at home and work, because it is the right thing to do AND the scrap yards are paying 0.75-lb!!! I wanted a few more miles on the bike, so this evening I rode to River Grove Park again. During the ride I collected the cans I could easily retrieve. That in itself is a good workout>> ride bike, get off the bike, back on the bike, repeat over and over…

I collected a total of 17 aluminum cans, which is probably a little more than a pound. As an added bonus, I feel good about doing my part to keep the neighborhood clean. I plan to make this a weekly project, even if it makes me feel a little like “Stanford & Son”.

Trail Bike:
13.9 miles
1:24:49
9.66 mph

Push-ups: 42

Small milestone, I can do 20 push-ups continuously.

The little guy swims and painful running...

The kids and I had an extremely busy day. We woke up early to go fishing at Academy’s grand opening “kid’s catfish tournament”. We sat at the front door for an hour waiting for them to open, only to find out the fishing started at 10am. We grabbed a quick bite to eat before returning. During the second trip we were told the start time was noon.

We gave up on the fishing tournament and decided to go to the pool. We were at the pool for 3-hours and pretty much had the place to ourselves. I spent a lot of time teaching Preston some basic swimming techniques. Within one-hour he was swimming all over the pool by himself, with the aid of a jacket. During the Adult Swim (ten minutes every hour) I swam the length of the 25 meter pool. I have a lot more respect for swimmers now, because it is NOT as easy as it looks. I swam a total of about 150 meters. I’m not ashamed to say the workout was taxing.

I tried giving Preston a haircut this evening, which did not go well. He has very fine hair and it is difficult to fade. Every time I tried to smooth out the fade it would get a little worse. Before the haircut got too bad I simply stopped. Erin is particular about the kids’ hair and I don’t want her mad at me for something as silly as a haircut. I think she was biting her tongue when I dropped him off, but it can be fixed… by a professional.

This evening I forced myself out the door for a run. During the run intervals I was experiencing a lot of pain in my right knee (evidenced by the slow paces!) I badly wanted to quit, but I stayed the course and ran through the pain.

My first assumption is this is a hydration issue. I’ve not been drinking much water and I had the same discomfort before. The toe pain on my right foot is back. It hurts bad, almost feels like I kicked a wall. Only one toe hurts and it’s worse when I try to flex the joints of the toe.

Ever since I dropped off the kids my day as been spiraling downward. I need to get a solid night of sleep and start fresh in the morning. All the aches and pains are wearing me down. I want to exercise, but this ole body won’t allow it to come easy.

Walk:
2.12 miles
42:12
19:54 pace

Run:
0.82 mile
10:00
12:12 pace

Squats: 44
Dips: 39

Fun at the Pool

Simple life

I’m not completely sure of the reasoning, but the administration decided to change all the alarms tones (medical and fire) at the station. Now every alarm turns on ALL the speakers and lights throughout the station. Use to be, if it was a medical call, it only woke up the EMS crew and vice versa for the fire crew.

Last night I didn’t get any sleep, yet we only ran one call. The medical units were busy, so we were abruptly woke up each and every time. I feel bad for the medical crews, but it doesn’t make any sense for EVERYONE to be tired from lack of sleep. The administration doesn’t see the problem as they rest peacefully at HOME in bed. URG!

Once I got off work I rushed to pick up my kids and niece, before starting our drive to Orange Texas. I took the kids for an airboat swamp tour that crossed over into Louisiana. The kids had a blast; although the Captain was driving a bit “crazy” considering we had kids on board. This is my second airboat swamp tour. Today was a great day for spotting Alligators; we easily saw 10+ alligators, including a ten-footer that swam right up to the boat.

This evening Alison decided to run with me rather than ride her bike. I pushed Preston in the stroller, while Alison and I chatted during the entire 3.5 miles. Her athletic abilities always amaze me. How many nine years olds can go this distance, without a single complaint? Truth be known, she complained once… when we got close to the house she asked; “How far did we run?” I told her we ran/walk ~3.5 miles. Alison responded; “Ahh man, I thought you said we we’re going to do five miles”.

I cut the workout short because the humidity was miserable and it was now dark outside. I had lots of different aches and pains this evening. I really don’t want to get into it…

Walk:
2.48 miles
45:44
18:27 pace

Run:
0.92 mile
11:15
12:13 pace

Push-ups: 35

I’m continuing my crusade for a simpler life. This week I changed two things; instead of fancy ice packs I purchased an old-school reusable-refillable cold pack bottle. To my surprise it works really well. The surface area is larger (I bought the largest size available), it molds to the body part, and it is colder a lot longer than the freezable gel packs I own.

The also started wearing a bandana around my neck when I workout. I was shocked how well this worked. The bandana keeps the sun and bugs off my neck, absorbs the sweat dripping from my head onto my neck, which makes me feel cooler, and I have something clean to wipe my brow/eyes with.

Preston HAD to have a bandana too when I put mine on tonight. He kept saying he was a “cowboy”. He’s had his bandana on all evening and doesn’t want to take it off. I suppose that’s the Trinity side of him coming out.

Special shout-out to my friend Tom with County Wide Lawn and Pest for mending my sprinkler system. My lawn is nice and green again. Picture below:

Short video of airboat swamp tour

Early morning and a Steamy night

Before getting off work this morning, Scott convinced me to run in the wee hours of dawn. We had a good run, but I am NOT a morning athlete. As much as I try, I never like it… until I'm done. All my muscles are tight and just about every bone in my body aches till I get warmed up.

We continued with my run/walk program, although we cut it short because Scott had to go to his second job. Having someone to talk with made the time go by fast. I’m not sure the Garmin had a good signal. We were walking fast, yet our pace does not reflect the effort.

Walk:
1.57 miles
31:12
19:52 pace

Run:
0.66 mile
7:30
11:22 pace

Late tonight I went for a bike ride around the neighborhood. It rained for 5-10 minutes a couple hours ago, which made it steamy and quite unpleasant.

Trail Bike:
5.35 miles
29.37
10.84 mph

Squats: 44
Dips: 35

After a short 24-hour’s off work, I’m back on duty tomorrow. At least I can look forward to seeing my kids this weekend.

48-hour shift

I’m 38-hours into a 48-hour shift. I’m ready to sleep in my own bed.

Last night I only did a handful of dips and squats.

Dips: 33
Squats: 40

Tonight I continued with my walk/run program. Unfortunately I didn’t feel nearly as good as I did last weekend. Either way, I got out there and beat the streets around the station.

Walk:
1.89 mile
34:19
18:10 pace

Run:
0.83 mile
8:45
10:33 pace

Push-ups: 33

Loaded with the daily loot.

 This truck sold for $60!!

Left footRight foot

Full Moon

Big day at the auctions. The action started in Kingwood with two small lockers. During the first auction of the day several vehicles were broken into. Some of the veteran buyers said this is a growing problem. At the second auction in Houston we saw a couple pickup trucks go for sale. One was a 1997 Mazda that sold for $60!!! Once we made it to the last facility, the buyer who bought the Mazda had already sold it.

I purchased a couple lockers at the final facility and spent a whooping $65. The lockers included a chest freezer, four couches, a couple antique tables, a glass kitchen table, speaker boxes, and two bed frames. My garage is busting at the seams with inventory. Josh and I need to sale some stuff before we buy anything new.

While I was on the Southwest part of Houston, I exchanged my REI half dome tent for a smaller and lighter Big Agnes Seedhouse UL1. I really like it as an ultra-light tent, but it is almost too small. Chances are I will return this one as well. I love REI’s liberal return policy, which is why I’m a loyal customer!

The tightness behind my knee is gone, but now I have a new problem. My heels are dry and the skin at the rear of both heels has “cracked”, leaving me with an open cut on both sides.

Where has the day gone!?! It’s nearly 23:00, other than driving I haven’t sat still for one minute.

Walk/run through the neighborhood. There was a HUGE bright full-moon tonight. It was truly a beautiful sight. I really need to consciously spend more time outdoors.

Walk:
1.67 mile
29:58
17:57 pace

Run:
0.67 mile
7:30
11:12 pace

Push-ups: 32

Building a base

It’s been a lazy day, other than mowing the lawn.

The pesky tightness behind my right knee is getting worse. It is not as bad when I’m moving around, which leads me to believe it is a tight muscle.

Yesterdays walk/run was so successful I decided to repeat the session. This evening was several degrees hotter, or maybe I started earlier today. I had another good workout; even my paces were a little faster. I also made a conscious effort to land mid-foot.

I feel good…. really good.

Walk:
2.46 miles
42:03
17:06 pace

Run:
0.93 mile
10:00
10:45 pace

Dips: 26
Squats: 43

YMCA trail race (Alison)

The day started with an early morning drive to the Conroe YMCA. Alison was registered to compete in a one-mile trail run. Initially she was signed up for the 5k. She switched to the kids race at the last minute because she hasn't been training and she has lost her enthusiasm for running. During the process of switching races they forgot to switch her timing chip.

Alison had a decent run and placed third in her age bracket. Unfortunately, they still had her registered in the 5k. Erin and I pointed out the error to the guy in charge of the timing, but we were too late. While we were talking with the time keeper, they were handing out awards at the pavilion. Everything is correct now, but someone else went home with Alison’s trophy.

For the better part of a year, spider-man has been Preston's favorite super hero. Knowing this I decided to take him a Spider-man costume, which I knew he would enjoy. Without fail he immediately donned the costume. It was cute. EVERYONE was making fun comments to him and he seemed to like all the attention.

The kids and I had a great time hanging out for a few hours while Erin was in town shopping. During that time we stopped by Rita & Kevin’s house to see Melissa’s new baby. What an adorable little girl! It broke my heart to hear about her injured arm.

Late this evening I went walking. I set up an interval workout with occasional spurts of running. There’s an odd tightness behind my right knee. The issue has been there for a week and I wish it would go away. The walk/run went really well. I could have gone a lot further and now I wish I would have. With each interval the running was easier and smoother.

Walk:
2.41 miles
43:20
18:03 pace

Run:
0.90 mile
10:00
11:07 pace

Push-ups: 25

Picture 1 is Preston waiting in line to get a balloon from the clown.
Picture 2 is Alison visiting her old dog, Clifford
Picture 3 is Melissa's new baby

No pain

Zero back pain today. It is amazing what a little physical activity can do for your body!

Thirty minute bike ride before the afternoon storms moved through the area. The lower temperatures made for a pleasant ride.

Trail Bike:
6.2 miles
35:07
10.59 mph

Dips: 20
Squats: 45

Stop it, now!!!

The local news broadcast reports we have not had recordable rain in more than 59 days. The streak came to an end this evening when a small band of rain moved across Harris County. Stronger thunderstorms will be moving through the area tomorrow as a front moves through. Although the rain is a welcome sight, I see this as another good reason to be off the LSHT.

I didn’t do much today other than transplant my vegetable seedlings to my “bucket garden”. A local pool company occasionally throws away 5-gallon chlorine tablet buckets. With their permission I pick them up any time I see them next to the dumpster. I am planting my entire garden in ten different buckets. The bottom third of the bucket is filled with lava rock and the remainder is filled with top soil. My bucket garden will enable me to move plants towards or away from the sunlight as needed and there is a lot less weeding. My bucket garden is back friendly, as I don’t have to bend over as far to tend to my plants. With a little luck, keeping the buckets closer to the house will discourage squirrels and birds from harvesting my vegetables as they have done in the past.

Starting last night I noticed a small twinge in my lower back. This is the typical feeling I get when I haven’t exercised in a long time. On cue, my back is telling me to get off my ass. Tonight I went for a late night walk and I even ran for five minutes. There was a fog over the area, resulting in 100% humidity conditions. It was steamy, but I wasn’t out there long enough to find it bothersome.

Walk:
1.67 miles
30:00
17:58 pace

Run:
0.44 mile
5:00
11:22 pace

Push-ups: 21

This has been a stressful week and very little has been going right. Each day I find myself emotionally eating, which is one step closer to binging. Hopefully tonight’s run flushed some of those feelings out before I find myself in a tailspin.

I certainly feel a lot better now that I’ve exercised.

My Review of GARMIN OREGON 550T GPS

Originally submitted at REI

The trail-ready Garmin Oregon 500t sports an integrated digital camera, a sweet touch screen interface, spectacular trail mapping, geocaching and a vivid display for the ultimate GPS experience.

GARMIN OREGON 550T GPS

Cool and fun gadget

By Moderately Hellacious Slacker from Kingwood, TX on 5/11/2011

 

3out of 5

Pros: Large Screen, Intuitive Menu, Accurate, Simple Controls, Quick Signal

Cons: Short Battery Life

Best Uses: Geocaching, Hiking, Kayak canoe rafting, In Car

Describe Yourself: Casual User

How are you with directions: Great w/Directions

Was this a gift?: No

One of the coolest "techy" devices on the market. Garmin is at the top when it comes to GPS.

A GPS device of this caliper is seldom needed on a well marked trail. Although, the Oregon 550t came in handy last week when I needed to give know coordinates of my location to be picked up.

Needs a longer battery life, but they were smart enough to have the unit operate on 2 AA batteries. Good for emergencies, otherwise it is an overpriced gadget.

(legalese)

My Review of Osprey Atmos 65 Pack

Originally submitted at REI

Turning heads once again, the redesigned, lightweight Osprey Atmos 65 backpack now rests closer to the back while still providing unsurpassed ventilation.

Osprey Atmos 65 Pack

Comfortable pack to HWP hikers

By Moderately Hellacious Slacker from Kingwood, TX on 5/11/2011

 

4out of 5

Pros: Good Padding, Good Suspension, Large Capacity, Easy To Load, Lightweight, Comfortable

Best Uses: Travel, Extended Hikes, Heavy Loads

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

Was this a gift?: No

This is a big, spacious, and comfortable pack. I'm struggling with the fit due to excessive weight gain. The waist strap keeps slipping lower in an attempt to sit below my belly, which pulls the shoulder straps downward, thus more of the load is on my shoulders. This isn't an issue unless you're on a long hike or have a heavy load.

Osprey is on the expensive side, but the craftsmanship and attention to detail is worth the money.

(legalese)

My Review of Lowa Renegade II GTX Mid Hiking Boots - Men's

Originally submitted at REI

With an abundance of comfort and support, not to mention very little weight, the Lowa Renegade II GTX Mid hiking boots are well-suited for day hikes and weekend jaunts.

Lowa Renegade II GTX Mid Hiking Boots - Men's

Great shoes

By Moderately Hellacious Slacker from Kingwood, TX on 5/11/2011

 

5out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels true to width

Pros: Secure Fit, Dries Quickly, Durable, Lightweight, Great Traction, Comfortable, Ankle Support

Describe Yourself: Casual/Recreational

Was this a gift?: No

I feel in love with these shoes the moment I put them on! Light, comfortable, rugged, waterproof, and fits like a running shoe. Downside, very expensive and they don't breath as well as light hikers.

(legalese)

My Review of REI Campware Sierra Cup

Originally submitted at REI

Scoop, dip, mix and sip with this classic cup—it's a staple in any backcountry kitchen.

REI Campware Sierra Cup

Awesome camp cup!

By Moderately Hellacious Slacker from Kingwood, TX on 5/11/2011

 

5out of 5

Pros: Easy To Clean, Lightweight, Durable, Stable, Compact

Best Uses: Hiking, Car Camping, Backpacking, High Altitude

Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

Was this a gift?: No

I found this little cup as durable as it was useful. I only wish they made a larger model. If anyone from REI is reading these, PLEASE make a slightly larger size.

Caution, the handle gets very hot.

(legalese)

My Review of Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite - Regular

Originally submitted at REI

For sleep-anywhere comfort, Z Lite is the lightest, most compact, full-length closed-cell foam pad Therm-a-Rest® makes.

Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite - Regular

Lightweight pad that lies flat

By Moderately Hellacious Slacker from Kingwood, TX on 5/11/2011

 

4out of 5

Pros: Packs Easily, Warm, Lightweight, Comfortable

Cons: Heavy / Bulky

Best Uses: Car Camping, Cold Conditions, 3 Season Camping, Backpacking, 4 Season Camping, Winter Camping

Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

Was this a gift?: No

Lightweight, comfortable, and easy to deploy. I like the accordion style fold, which allows the pad to lie flat immediately, unlike the curving seen on the ends of rolled pads. The price point is on the expensive side for "foam". My biggest issue is how easily the pad is damaged when brushed against trees, limbs, etc. I'd recommend you place the pad in a stuff sack or save yourself some money and get a cheaper rolled pad.

(legalese)

My Review of Snow Peak Giga Power Stove with Piezo

Originally submitted at REI

This featherweight, super-compact stove is barely noticeable in your pack—click the Piezo igniter for an instant 10,000 BTUs of cooking power.

Snow Peak Giga Power Stove with Piezo

Love it

By Moderately Hellacious Slacker from Kingwood, TX on 5/11/2011

 

5out of 5

Pros: Lightweight, Easy to Use, Easy To Setup, Compact, Functional

Best Uses: Backcountry Camping, Survival

Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

Was this a gift?: No

Love this little stove! Small, lightweight, and inexpensive. I found the auto-igniter very useful.
Insure you have a level base, as the unit can be a bit unstable due to its small size. Also, wish they would include a flexible piece of aluminum to block wind, which comes with most MSR stoves.

(legalese)

Gear Review

Snow Peak Giga Power camp stove:
GREAT little stove. Super small and boils water in a blink of an eye. I found the auto-igniter very convenient. The unit needs level and secure ground as it is otherwise a little unstable due to its small size.

Lowa Renegade II hiking boots:
Love them! Light, comfortable, rugged, waterproof, and fits like a running shoe. Downside, expensive and they don’t breath as well as light hikers.

REI campware Sierra Cup:
I found this little cup as durable as it was useful. I only wish they made a larger model. Caution, the handle gets very hot.

REI half dome 2-man tent:
This tent is one of my prized possessions. I bit bulky for fast packing, but it’s worth it when you set up camp and have a spacious tent to benefit from. As much as I enjoy it, I will probably move to a one man tent to continue reducing the weight of my pack.

Nalgene water bottles:
I have a cabinet full of these bottles for a reason. They are durable with a wide mouth and secure lid.

Garmin Oregon 550t:
One of the coolest “techy” devices on the market. Seldom used on a well marked trail. Although, it came in handy when I needed to give coordinates to Andrea to pick me up. Good for emergencies, otherwise it is an overpriced gadget.

Kodak Play sport camera/camcorder:
I’ve put this little camera through hell and it never fails me. It’s waterproof, cheap, and small. Picture quality isn’t great, but I would highly recommend this to any outdoorsmen looking to capture pictures and small videos of their adventures.

Osprey Amos 65 internal frame backpack:
This is a big, spacious, and comfortable pack. I’m struggling with the fit due to my weight gain. The waist strap keeps slipping lower, below my belly, which puts more of the load on my shoulders. This isn’t an issue unless you’re on a long hike or have a heavy load. Osprey is on the expensive side, but the craftsmanship and attention to detail is worth the money.

Freezer bag cooking recipes:
Not too sure about this method yet. Agree it is cheaper and lighter. Since I don’t hike often, it might be easier for me to stick with commercial made foods made for hikers.

Therma-a-rest sleeping pad:
Lightweight, comfortable, and easy to deploy. I like the accordion fold which allows the pad to lie flat immediately, unlike the curving seen on rolled pads. I find the price mark expensive for “foam”. The pad is easily torn when brushed against trees, limbs, etc.

REI Traverse Shocklight Trekking Poles:
Lightlight and durable. Nonessential weight on smaller hikes. Multi-use item. I frequency use them to clear areas around a tree before sitting, and clearing the areas behind downed logs before crossing over towards unseen snakes. Also useful when crossing creeks, both for stability and ensure water depth.

SteriPen Classic:
Smaller and cheaper than a water filer pump. I haven’t used the SteriPen water purifier yet, but I’m concerned about anything that I can’t fix in the field.

Things I need for my next hike;
Lighter camp shoes (flip-flops)
Commercially packed meals
One-man tent
Consider air sleeping pad versus foam pad

Scoreboard; Trail 2, Bill 0

As expected, the Texas climate did not disappoint. The horrific heat has a way of making you appreciate the small things like an occasional breeze and long bouts of walking under the forest canopy. Even with those fleeting moments of bliss, the heat weighs heavy overhead…

My trip started exactly at 09:55. I was a mere 50 yards from the parking lot when I stopped to take a picture of two large insects. By their color I would say they were bumble-bees, but they had a completely different body structure. Each bug was a bit larger than a quarter. Either way, they were amazing little creatures and a stimulating way to start my hike.

I found the trail to be in exceptionally good condition and the various trail groups have done well with marking the trail. There were numerous large trees across the trail, which took me by surprise. I assume this was the result of a recent storm, because many of the trees appeared to had recently fallen. I’ve read that the groups leave a few trees across the trail as a way to discourage bikers, ATV’s, etc. I understand the reasoning, but personally I would rather have a clear trail. Not knowing if a snake is bedded down next to the fallen tree makes me nervous when I throw my leg over the other side of the log. I use my trekking pole to try and clear the area, allowing the snake to strike or move away.

Drinkable water on the trail is almost non-existent. Of course this was not a surprise, most of south Texas is in a drought condition. Two and half miles from parking lot #1, there is a small pond with water, but it is stagnant looking. The shore line is rooted up, giving evidence that it is the local watering hole for feral hogs. I also passed a creek later in the day which had 2-3 inches of black, stagnant water with insect larvae swimming in it. Both of these sources would only be used in emergency situations.

I was carrying 196 ounces of water with me and I drank over 130 oz before I stopped walking. At the time I felt like I was drinking plenty of water, although I didn’t account for how much I was sweating. As you’ll read later in this post, the fluid intake became a serious problem.

The LSHT is eerie in the fact that I never saw any wildlife other than birds. Not a single deer, raccoon, possum, hog, or squirrel was sighted the entire time. Even though I didn't view any four-legged animals, I saw a beautiful and majestic hawk fly overhead. I don’t think it was a red tail hawk because the feathers were light colored, almost white. Red tail hawks are large, yet this bird seemed to be considerably larger. Later today I plan to investigate the different species of hawks in the area and see if I can identify the one I saw. While I was preparing lunch a humming bird startled me when he buzzed within inches of me.

The bugs were not as bad as I had expected. As with most trails, there was a fair amount of spider webs across the trail. I keep a bandana in my pocket to wipe the webs off my face. Ticks were the biggest pest of the day. I stayed on the main trail, yet found small flat brown ticks on my legs frequently. All in all, I swept away ten or more ticks, two of which were already having a blood lunch compliments of me.

By three pm I had covered the minimum mileage for the day. Around the same time I had gotten sick to my stomach and started throwing up. The first food to come up was the potato and eggs tacos I ate for breakfast. Naturally I assumed I had eaten something bad. I started feeling better once the contents of my stomach was gone, then I noticed the sensation to throw up after drinking water. Other than the upset stomach, I felt fine. I continued hiking, hoping the issue would resolve itself. At the 11.5 mile mark I stopped and sat beside the trail deciding what to do. I knew I could tough it out, but I continually asked myself if it was worth it. Struggling with the decision was not any easier as I starred at my bracket, which read; HTFU.

In the end I called Andrea to pick me up. I wasn’t having fun and it did not make sense to stay on the trail feeling like this. I hiked another half mile or so to a road crossing where we would meet. While waiting for her to arrive I felt silly, because I started feeling better. For a brief moment I considered calling Andrea and telling her I had changed my mind. Then an episode of muscle cramps started. From this point forward it was clear it wasn’t “bad tacos” which made me sick, it was heat exhaustion. The temperature had reached a near record high of 96 degrees. I had hiked most of the mileage under the suns heat (started at 10am) and didn’t drink enough water to keep up with my sweat rate.

Now I’m sitting at home second guessing all my actions. Admittedly, the safest thing to do was to pull off the trail, but I hate quitting. As I get older it has gotten easier to call it quits. I don’t have the grit I had ten years ago and my mind refuses to accept this fact.

After texting my friend Karen, she said it best; “You didn’t respect the weather”. Nothing could be truer. Because of my work schedule I have to request vacation more than two months in advance. I took a gamble hoping the weather would corporate. Last week the average high temperature was 84 degrees. This week only one day was forecasted UNDER 92 degrees, there is no way I could have predicted this. I never considered cancelling my trip, thus I didn’t give the weather the respect it deserved.

I don’t know why I have such a strong desire to thru-hike this trail. I’ve lived in Southeast Texas all my life and the landscape is rather boring to me. But someday, I will conquer LSHT.

The LSHT continues to taunt me. This trail and I are developing a bad relationship.

After a mid-day start I was able to complete today's mileage of 11.9. Unfortunately, I've been throwing up for a couple hours. Not sure why I'm sick, but it is senseless to stay out here feeling like this.

Scoreboard;
Trail 2, Bill 0

I'll post a blog entry with more details tomorrow.

A special thank you to Andrea for dropping me off at the West terminus.

Good bye indoor plumbing, air conditioning, clear water, warm food.

Welcome fresh air, serenity, and more heat that any man could ever want.

Offical starting weight of my pack; 41.5 lbs
Day 1
Mile 0.0
Richards, TX
10:00 am, Monday
May 09, 2011

Why me?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?! I loathe the Texas heat. This is NOT how I wanted to start my hike.

Weather forecast for the Huntsville, Texas area during my hike;

Monday 96/72
Tuesday 95/73
Wednesday 92/73 20% chance of rain
Thursday 89/70 with 40% chance of rain
Friday 95/66 with 30% chance of rain
Saturday 90/68

Prep for LSHT

I have a lot of stuff going on right now and its getting a little stressful. Today I missed Wyatt’s wedding due to an emergency. I feel bad because I was his best man. Somehow, I hope he understands.

For the last few hours I have been finalizing the last minute details for my hike. I start walking on Monday. The forecast is showing some warm temperatures (Weather.com predicts every day except one OVER 90 degrees). Thursday and Friday have a 30% chance of rain.

I’m not worried as much about the weather as I am about the availability of water. It would have been best to plant water along the trail, but I simply did not have enough time. I’m carrying a one-gallon jug and two 32 oz Nalgene bottles. Initially I loaded a camelback bladder into my Osprey pack and noticed something was leaking. I don’t want any unforeseen issues, so I took the 100 oz bladder out in exchange for a one gallon jug. I’ll purify my water with a Steri-stick and attempt to filter the larger sedimentation chucks with a bandana. If I’m thirsty enough, the grit shouldn’t matter, right!?!?

Today I set up my iPhone so I can post text and pictures on this blog via SMS/MMS messaging. I will check my text messages and post on my blog twice a day, once at 7:30pm and again at 7:00 am. I’m looking for someone to text me every evening the weather forecast for the next day. If you would like to help me with this, please contact me. I want to make sure no severe weather pops up on me and to ensure no woodland fires take me by surprise.

I’ve done a lot to reduce the weight of my pack. When I first purchased my gear, I was set up for two people who would be sharing the load. Now that I’m carrying everything solo, I swapped out some of my gear at REI. That place is INCREDDIBLE. They worked with me and allowed me to return stuff that was purchased more than a year ago and without a receipt. During my last attempt at LSHT my pack weighed nearly 46lbs. Currently, my pack weighs 37 pounds. I'm carrying 196 ounces of water, which weighs in at 13-lbs. A lighter pack should make a significant difference on the trail.

A smaller stove/cookware, no water filter pump, and no MRE’s made a huge difference in weight and capacity. If it wasn’t for my two-man REI Half-dome tent (Which I love), I would be in the “ultra light” category. I packed enough food for six days. Each day is the same foods with a caloric value of roughly 1,700kcals.

I’m hiking eastward, starting in Richards, TX. I struggled finding a ride, so I won’t be on the trail till mid-day Monday. I hope to log ten miles the first day and 15-20 miles each subsequent day. With a bit of luck I’ll manage one or two 25+ mile days, so I can finish Friday night. I’ve left Saturday open as a flex day and will probably pull off the trail no matter my mileage by Saturday evening.

That is it for now. Send some positive vibes my way.

Bayou Bat's

Not much luck at the auctions. The first location had huge lockers with lots of miscellaneous goods. The lockers sold cheap, but these lockers would result in a lot of work for the buyers. The second location had great items, which sold at decent prices, but still too rich for my blood.

While on the NW side of town I stopped at REI for a water purification system. I’m been considering a filter (pump), but they are large and most filters have a short life span. After talking to a few “fast-packers”, including Catra I decided to go with a Steri-stick. Steri sticks use UV light to kill the bad stuff AND they are small, less expensive, and last for more than 8,000 liters of water. The only bad part is the lack of filtration. In the mountains of Colorado this won’t be an issue, but I’m concerned about the murky waters of Texas. The combo set I bought comes with a filter that you place on top of a Nalgene bottle. This will keep the big chunks out, but the salesman said if the sedimentation is bad I'll probably taste it. As nerds often do, I read a lot of reviews. It seems people either 100% love steri-sticks, or they whole-heartdly hate them. I’ll be able to provide an answer to that question in a couple weeks.

While at REI, I couldn’t resist looking at the hiking boots. I should have never done this, because I fell in love with a pair of Lowa Renegade II’s. They were so comfortable I didn’t want to take them off, but at $210, I didn’t have that option. I suppose I’ll add the boots to my dream list…

Andrea and I walked the bayou’s between Walnut Drive and Northpark Drive. The cool weather made for a pleasant walk. As the sun was setting a couple of bat’s kept buzzing by my head. It was exhilarating, but at times they made me nervous.

Walk:
4.93 miles
1:31:47
18:37 pace

Junk at the auctions...

Josh and I went to our second storage auction today. There were more than 75 bidders on location and they were throwing around STUIPD money for junk. We left the multi-unit auction early to go to another auction on the Northside of town. Once there we were told the auction was closed. I’m going out solo tomorrow. Hopefully I find something worth bidding on.

I received a couple pieces of good news;
1. My property tax protest with HCAD was returned today and the lowered my property taxes $3,000!
2. I was screened and selected by Active Vegetarian for a pilot weight loss program. My motivation to lose weight continues to be a struggle no matter what I do. This news is very welcomed.