LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO COOLS OFF IN CRESCENT CITY
I went to the coast on Thursday and Friday….nice break from the heat! Both Crescent City and Brookings were cool and both days were foggy. I’m more the foggy…stormy…coast loving girl rather than the sunny beach lover.
Its been awhile since I posted my weight. Getting ready for a vacation and then recovering from vacation is time consuming. In addition I have been using the Nike+ gadget and site on a regular basis. It’s a good thing and keeps me motivated.
I have stopped running due to my running shoes breaking down they now have 183 miles on them A LOT for shoes that were worn by someone close to 200lbs….I still use them to walk in but running is much harder on the feet. And after my three week vacation….new tires (I don’t buy cheap shoes or tires!) hotel rooms and lots of gas….liquor…a vacation!!
Unpaid vacation at that!!
(I kept cleaning off my lens but to no avail….there were always water spots…) I don’t think I had ever seen the tide this far out!
Lumbering around isn’t so bad more photo opportunities! And lumbering in sand is a healthy workout. I would love to also get a pair of Nike Frees for the beach…they are light and the soles are made in such a way that it mimics being barefoot in order to build the muscles in the foot. I wouldn’t dare wear them on anything but the softest of ground. My feet wouldn’t survive! I admire the people who actually run in them….like those Kenyon’s who run barefoot! I can’t stand to be without shoes. In my youth I remember running around barefoot but not for decades has this occurred….I will only wear slippers for about five minutes!
Lets see in other exercise and health issues….I totally fucked up my goal not to eat desserts for 100 days when I was in Montana….my friend bought me an A&W ROOT BEER FLOAT (I was relaying a story how my sister and I re-discovered them on her last visit). COULDN’T POSSIBLY LET THAT GO TO WASTE!! Then I discovered CHILI MANGO JELLY BELLY’S!! DAMN!! ARE THOSE TO DIE FOR!!! I had Ice cream on the coast the other day too. Not really too bad in the scheme of things but IT WAS NOT FOR 100 DAYS!! Oh shit!! I forgot about the donut from Continental Bakery in Crescent City….Now that is the best bakery on the west coast I have found so far!!!
ok I need to pull myself together…..
I’ll see how my friend Tiffy did with her goals and hopefully she will inspire me once again. Her challenge was 100 days and if you fucked up….YOU WERE MISSING THE POINT!! Yep I missed it alright!
Now for my Nike+ Challenge 10 miles a week in 2010….I missed THAT two weeks too!!! Now I could say that one week I did 33 miles and then the next did five…SO IT EVENS OUT…but I don’t think that way….I MISSED TWO WEEKS.
But I have recovered and continued on with the challenge.
I was not watching my eating while on vacation….How could I? I spent quite a bit of time at my friend who is a great cook! I couldn’t possibly pass that opportunity up! Being single I have gotten lazy when it comes to cooking. I own a cast iron skillet, a soup pot and a steamer. I love veggies and rarely cook meat. Most of my protein comes from sardines and eggs….I eat too much jerky when I am traveling. On occasion I will buy a tri-tip from a great place in Klamath Falls from local ranchers. I think I have used my oven about 4 times in five years.!
Oh and I love oysters…get them at Costco on occasion.
I have been looking into buying one of those stabilizing boards they are supposed to improve core muscles…my core muscles are in terrible shape. Us Tools all have bad backs…no not the type of bad backs that keep us from being employed and on food stamps…the type of bad back where we all have to take pain medication a few times a year. I try not to slouch too much but when your hobbies are painting, quilting and a blog with lots of photos well…one needs to be careful about letting it go too far.
The weight I have dropped so far has been healthy…not to fast which leaves one with sagging skin instead of muscle. It has been healthy over all in how much easier I can move. Being overweight is just a tremendous strain on the body and organs. I’m so healthy in so many other ways but it is just miserable being unable to move in certain ways.
I think that maintaining a healthy body and a healthy mind is mostly about slowing down and allowing yourself to experience yourself. Just yourself…no other considerations. Even being single I tend to worry about others put others before me and end up running around like a chicken with my head cut off. You have to be a bit selfish as someone said all eating issues are really nourishment issues. Nourish…truly nourish yourself and changes will happen. Not the forced regiment of diet or exercise or consuming those ridiculous diet products that leeches use to prey on society for a few $$$. Fundamental changes not noticeable overnight or in a week or a month. 
Most people have not even noticed my weight loss and when I tell them how much I have lost they are genuinely astounded. It has been very slow focusing on the internal mental changes and the consistency of regular exercise rather than the obvious results.
And integrating exercise into my life so that I stay interested….hence the merging of exercise with my love of photography. I could never dedicate myself to running around a track or working out in a gym…not my personality type!
(the harbor was quite empty….must have all been out fishing!)
31 pounds have come off so far…
More on my trip to the coast later..Oh shit I still have photos from Little Bald Hills Trail in the Redwoods. So many photos…so little time!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO HAS ALBINO LEGS….
I haven’t done a Lumbering Water Buffalo post in awhile…SHAME!!! Yes I am still running have not missed a NIKE 10 MILES A WEEK IN 2010 CHALLENGE (I was in 4,656 place and am now at 3908since I started…..weight not so good…hanging out between 193 and 195….too much eating out…that time of month binge on sweets…OUCH!!! But my friend Tiffy had a challenge on her blog to stick with an activity for 100 days….chose to NOT do an activity….eating desserts!!! the only thing I allow are hard candies…sparingly..IT’S DAY 8 so far so good…loaded up on fruit at Costco…hard to believe no ice cream just as its getting hot!!! I love ice cream on the coldest day but even more so when its 80+ out!! Has anyone tried the new Haagen Dazs Five Lemon?? OMG!!!!
ok so yesterday was the first day I put on shorts….I think maybe my legs could light the way in a blackout!!
Oh and I joined more Nike Challenges….2010 GUYS VS. GALS…2010 REP YOUR STATE…(Oregon is in sixth with Texas and Florida ahead)…and since I love my Equalons so much better than the Asics I bought previously…I joined WHAT NIKE + DO YOU TRAIN WITH. Now some people who joined the challenges take it way to seriously….I look at it as making it fun and it is ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN…I consistently log in 18 minute miles because I ALWAYS have my camera and take photos.(But really I am the s…l…o…w…e….s…t runner.) I have been struggling in the heat though and gave up after a mile and a half yesterday-walked another 4 but just could not run for the life of me!
Anyway I’ll try to do regular posts.
I have phobias….clowns…carnivals…heights….being surrounded by water…..balloons…telephones….metal scraping(fucking drives me insane)…BUT NOT MY SCALE!!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO SHIVERS AROUND CRATER LAKE
I knew there would still be snow at Crater Lake but I wasn’t prepared for THIS much in June! But no complaining….this part of Oregon needs the extra water! Just saying I forgot my hiking boots…showed up with thin little running pants and a running jacket with a sleeveless shirt underneath…dug around all of the recycling I have in the back of my car and found….
one of my many free fleece shirts my mom gets with her slot machine points…this one was was from Saddle West…Thank God for moms and slot machines.
I don’t even own a pair of snow shoes…oh my….I just looked on Amazon to see how much snow shoes cost….HURRY UP!!!….they even make snow shoes for running…I’d go about three steps with my lumbering gait and do a face plant in the snow!…then pretend I did it on purpose by quickly making a snow angel
I’m actually standing behind a safety rope as you can see many people have walked to the edge my brother told me that someone fell in this winter…not sure if he was trying to scare me….look that up to…I could find no such thing in recent years.!
they only plow the road up to the visitors center…and maybe a half mile up the road but not around the lake. As you can see the clouds look like they are going to drop some more snow on the ground….
and in fact as I was driving away little drops of rain started falling….sure to turn to snow as the sun set later on. From there I visited National Falls. I went for a good run/hike/walk for 4.74 miles Then stopped on the Rogue River for a 1.54 mile run/walk…both I will post about later….with lots of photos! As I said in an earlier post I had a rough week and had a major pig out session with Haagen Dazs…Kettle Krinkle Cut Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper….AND Newman’s Own Ginger Creme Cookies…OY!! Thought I had gained ten pounds!!!
Actually lost two…I guess the stress burned most of the calories! And that was after I came home and ate a humongous fried egg sandwich with cheese and avocado but really good whole grain bread. Anyway I had a total of 14.5 miles for the week. Once again made my Nike Challenge for the week of 10 MILES A WEEK IN 2010
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO INVADES FORT KLAMATH…
Memorial Day weekend is not the best time to find a place to go hiking when looking to avoid multitudes of tourists….I’m sure Crater Lake was a madhouse….most of the traffic was headed that way….or the Upper Rogue River….I headed for Fort Klamath thinking it would be a great place to spend the day and take photos….get in some hiking…
My brother who has a knee injury and is out of hiking for the most part came along for the ride…He loves the high desert and wide open spaces and going to college and working in Medford leaves longing for open range. Luckily he is transferring to a university in LaGrande where he will get his fill of Western scenery. Fort Klamath is a itty bitty town and the general store was quite filthy with little on the shelves but luckily we spotted this little gem….its a motel with an organic grocery store instead of a lobby….they make organic burgers…sandwiches and espresso!! Best damn Mocha I’ve had in awhile (made with Dagoba chocolate) Also a bit pricey but for a special occasion (too many of those lately)….
Oh and you can buy gifts!
This sign for a ranch was right next to the motel….prompted my brother to exclaim…It must be mighty hard to get a saddle on those fish!!!
down town Fort Klamath
I thoroughly embarrassed my brother by insisting to stop and take photos of the cow who was on the wrong side of the fence! (the ranchers came up behind me to herd her back in the field) That’s me!! You would never know I grew up on a farm the way I act when I see a farm animal!!! MOOOOOOOOO!
Just driving around I spotted a sign for a park….swear I can’t remember the name of it….DOH!! Where we encountered this beautiful little lake….
There is a trail that goes to the headwaters of this lake which is actually a river
I’m trying to make my way across to take a photo of where the water comes out of the mountain and to get to the other side as my brother drove my car to a logging road above the headwaters so we could see the view from above.
This is where the water comes out of the mountain
and looking back
this lovely view is from the logging road
and the river that snakes away from it…
The valley is gorgeous filled with sky
I left my brother to fend for himself and took off down the road…got a little nervous when I saw this….damn I left my bear serial killer spray in the car….but….
I can’t resist trying to turn it into an “artistic” shot!
the logging road…
on the way back I spied my brother sitting by the creek writing the next great western novel….
I lumbered on down to take some photos…..me standing above a rock…another spring coming out from the mountain. And let me tell you how wonderful these Nike Equalon 4′s are….usually after a 6 mile hike my feet would be burning in either my other running shoes or my hiking boots….WAHHHH!!! But with the cushioning in these its awesome!!! I could go another 6 miles!!! Mind you these are for people who over pronate…Nike makes shoes for all foot types.
On the way back home we stopped at the actual Fort Klamath….Confederate soldiers reenacting….in Oregon???? THAT is another post!
My latest extravagance is this little gadget from Nike. In order to track my miles I have been going on MAPMYRUN.(or walk or hike!) and spending half an hour figuring it out and saving my info…I wanted to buy an expensive Garmin unit that can even map your journey with elevation…but I opted to purchase the less expensive NIKE+ for now. It too is a wonderful time savor you just put a sensor in your Nike+ ready shoe (or you have to buy a holder)….strap on the “watch” and hold down the button…and walk until its ready then start your run or walk. It tracks your distance, time, calories you burned and ….
then you just unsnap it and pull off the time piece which inserts into your computer and uploads all of the information instantly AND recharges at the same time!! At the Nike site you can set goals and challenges for yourself and it tells you how you are doing reaching those goals….the first challenge I signed up for was 10 miles a week in 2010 made it every time so far! You can also get an IPOD with Nike+ but unless your doing something incredibly boring like running around a track or on a treadmill in a safe place….I wouldn’t recommend using headphones on a run in the city or on a trail. You really need to be aware of people around you. Recently a woman was a victim of attempted rape in Medford on the Greenway trail. Even though she heard him behind her she waited for him to pass but he grabbed her and started dragging her into the bushes. Luckily a cyclist saw it going down and called the police. The creep is behind bars now. But seriously if I hear any noise behind me I turn around….to make eye contact….let people know I am alert. I don’t like anyone behind me so I will move aside until they pass. But then I’m not such a competitive runner that I am singularly focused on my time and distance….more of the Lumbering Water Buffalo with a camera type!!
19.66 MILES THIS WEEK….YOU WOULD THINK I HAD LOST A BUNCH OF WEIGHT….but remember what I said about too many “SPECIAL OCCASIONS”? OOPS!!! That damn scale has been stuck for two weeks!!! But I always have “NEXT” week!!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO CHECKS OUT THE JOHN STEWART STATE PARK
I’m actually a bit behind as usual. My travel took me up Crater Lake hwy yesterday and thus I stopped after finishing work yesterday to get in a run…some days I can run two miles others I barely can manage half a mile before I quit and walk. Yesterday was one of those quit and walk days but it turned out better as far as taking photos and having a chance to reflect.
I actually drove by and almost went running in Medford again but luckily came to my senses and turned the car around and so glad I did. Although it was drizzling I had never been in the park before except to get a map and use the restroom. Yesterday was a great day as John Stewart State Park sits on Lost Creek Reservoir and as I said it was drizzling and the park was empty but for the workers…..and maybe two people visiting but not on the trails.
After I gave up running I encountered this path but avoided it as I had been following a trail of liquid scat….probably bear and it had been on this off shoot….since I left my bear spray in the car I stuck to the main trail thinking if the bear was on my side of the hwy the park workers could at least hear my screams!! Only half joking….
The JSSP was surprisingly beautiful with asphalt trails. Glad I “discovered” it as a safe place to go running. It is a popular place in the summer which is why I have been avoiding it…but like I was saying it was rainy so there were not many people.
Skunk Cabbage and Horse Tail are now my favorite things to see.
This adventure ended up being almost five miles….and I have lots more photos to put up later….
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO STAMPEDES THE OC&E TRAIL
I was in Klamath last week and it was rather cold and windy but I still managed 3.92 miles lumbering in Klamath Falls. It was cold and windy so windy I really couldn’t do much running in it….wahhhh!!! I feel like a whiner now that I’m home…but when its blowing head on…it really is a challenge and I’m not in the best shape!
OC&E stands for Oregon California Eastern 
Klamath Falls is high desert and where ever there is a bit of space that has not been manipulated for awhile the desert life tries to make a comeback…patches of sagebrush along the trail…
if you squint and get out your magnifying glass you can just make out Mt. Shasta in the clouds….
in the other direction the mountain is called Hogback….
looking down into one of the rail cars….lots of plastic bottles….
this has to be the most unappealing stack of signs….EVER….and the clown ….any minute now I’m going to want to turn around and patronize the business THAT belongs too! Not!! I don’t always understand urban decay….twenty years from now this might appeal to me but just now….the in between state where the business owners still operate but have given up on forward thinking….drives me crazy….
I weighed in at 195.5 so my eating habits weren’t as destructive as I thought they were….but I definitely need to do better! And the total for the week was 10.37. And the Nike Equalon’s are living up to my previous praises….four miles on concrete and the pain was minimal!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO CLIMBS A HILL ON SOME BACK ROAD IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
This girl likes to go new places and yesterday I dragged my brother to see the Iron Gate Reservoir in Northern California….a bit past Hornbrook. Anyway the reservoir wasn’t very pretty but that may have had more to do with the sky being so cloudy so we drove past and pulled over at an old fish hatchery…this Iris was growing alongside it.
up the road a bit and a turn on a gravel road my brother who is recovering from a knee injury looked for a place to do some writing while I got some exercise….as you can see he is no water buffalo!
I continued up the hill and of course used any excuse to rest stop and take photos! For instance this tire on a tree
fence posts are of particular interest
this is a strange area….most of it is a big ranch but then there are parcels of land on the side of the road where people have tried to homestead….without water or electricity they park their mobile homes on a flat space and try to make a go of it….this is one of them that the “go of it” got the go of them…
I had a lengthy conversation with one of the residents of this road….it was interesting they basically were trying to get away from society. In the five years they had lived there no one had ever come walking up the gravel road! They were nice enough although they seemed to be suffering the effects of being so isolated and in complete denial of said effects. That said I love talking to “characters”….we can’t all live the same lives. Later I will do a post of their “shrine”.
when I turned around not knowing if the road became private (it doesn’t) I could see Mt. Shasta…albeit faintly!
When I got back to the car….I saw this poor dead snake…and tried to remember if I was the one who ran over it…but I really don’t remember seeing it. Sorry if I did!
the road looking back…
And a view of the Iron Gate Reservoir….
It seemed like a longer hike but I guess because it was up hill half the way it was only about 3.36 miles….BTW last week I barely made the NIKE CHALLENGE of 10 miles a week coming in at 10.37…but I will be kind to myself since I was and still am battling a upper respiratory infection…I don’t dare take a photo of the scale….I had the best donuts (Continental Bakery in Crescent City) AND the best barbecue (ROSCOE’S) in Phoenix ….I SWEAR I”LL GET ON THE SCALE THIS WEEKEND!!!
THANKS FOR THE GREAT BARBECUE STEVE!!!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO MEANDERS ALONG THE SMITH RIVER
Finally have a chance to post the rest of the photos from
I actually ran slow jogged a good bit of it stopping to take photos of course….I started at Hwy 199 and the turn off to go to Stout Grove in the Redwoods. It is 3 miles to get to Stout Grove so I did a little over 6 miles. I have had an upper respiratory infection so I haven’t done too much been resting a lot. But it was such a beautiful day I could not pass the chance to stay outdoors.
This is looking back at a bridge over the Smith River
and of course I had to meander on the trail to where you can see where the rivers fork
oh and this is my new apparatus to take running….a bit cumbersome but it holds my camera, water, bear spray, cell phone, kleenex, sometimes a snack…if I was a fast runner it might annoy me more but I’m a slow lumbering jogger who stops at any photo op…or just when I get tired….which is often….my new Nike’s too!
lots of pretty Irises…I
I think this is called the South Fork….running into the Smith River
This is where the teenagers go to party…and swim…and God only knows how they get the graffiti spray painted on the side of the bridge….scares the heck out of me!
the rail on the bridge is where the scaredy-cats leave their graffiti….the rail is completely covered….
the view from the bridge..
and then there is this cute little covered bridge….I didn’t see a name…
This is prime real estate…the Smith River is on the other side of these houses and the Redwoods are now only about a mile away
houses on the other side of the river…
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO NAVIGATES CRESCENT CITY IN HER NEW NIKE EQUALON 4′S
Finally got my new running shoes Nike Equalon 4′s and took them out for a trial run…after some initial problems getting the tightness of the shoe laces just right( for those of us who have narrow heels they always put extra holes to keep the heel snug but if the laces are tight enough to keep the heel snug then my foot cramps!!!….poor lizzy… ) the cushioning was awesome for a short run around Crescent City…
Still learning how to use the new camera but its taking great photos for the most part….hard not to with such beautiful views!
Temporary beach graffiti….
someone pulled out the rocks from the barrier for a shelter…probably teenagers I don’t think that the city would allow the homeless to set up on this high-profile beach.
warning at the playground…fill in the blank…
this is the roof over a picnic table..
this was a short 1.6 mile run. Stopped to take photos of course!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO SUFFERING FROM ALLERGIES…
This is the only photo I took in the last few days. I walked the three miles to and from work!…another bird on a wire photo! Medford really isn’t that big when you walk it…actually seems bigger when you drive.
Whenever I don’t get enough sleep allergies attack….at least this season! Not sure if its the weather…mold or what. I don’t have regular allergies so its hard to tell what the trigger is just show up every few years…but wipes me out. But like I said it doesn’t help when I don’t get enough sleep! Also I need to need to accept the fact that exercise means I need to sleep more.
My week was spent mostly trying to catch up on work….last week I managed 15.88 miles. My weight stayed around the same.
I can’t wait to get my new shoes….hope they have more cushion than the new Asics….they should be here on the 11th!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO TRIES HER NEW RUNNING SHOES PART2
I had problems uploading previously so this post became 2 parts….left off with mr.creepy and the decision to take a different path back since reaching the U.S. Cellular Park was my turn around point. Of course a downpour started and I had to run to shelter( some covered picnic tables) Of course I don’t have a protector for the new camera yet so that was my main concern….both of my jobs require a camera..
Girls playing soccer…
This struck me as funny….along the oxymoron vein…
Of course I took most of last week off probably only ran/ walked about 5 miles….well rested! So I’m not sure if it was from my rest…or being on the concrete….I love the fit of the shoes but I think that they didn’t do so well on impact. My knees and feet were bothering me….not to mention my Achilles…so this is the before photo of the back of my shoe…
And this is after I cut the heel away….always does the trick! Can’t be fucking with the Achilles…
Oh and I forgot my new “high tech” socks….3 pair for 10 dollars…I’m used to going to Costco and buying little socks 10 for 7.99….they even have “higher tech” socks that are 15 yes FIFTEEN dollars for a single pair….
After hardly any exercise…travel and homemade brownies at Diannes….I actually lost a lb! When I used to go to Weight Watchers years ago the said think of pounds and quarter lbs as sticks of butter….never get discouraged by little weight loss. That is 4 sticks I lost!!
Total miles traveled was 7.58
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO TRIES HER NEW RUNNING SHOES PART 1
What a day it was yesterday. I slept until almost noon recovering from my trip! My camera has been on its last leg for awhile…been nursing it along and then this past week I had to take out the battery several times to reset it for almost every single photo I took. Now I have a new camera that I got a VERY good deal on. While it is a bit slower than my previous it takes better pictures and has a better zoom. I got to play with it on my run/walk
Had a chance to play with the zoom when I saw this duck napping in the water…
As usual I started along Bear Creek…
This time I went past the dog park ….the path is blocked off due to a new ramp onto I-5 I think that they are going to put a bridge over the road so people don’t have to go around and find the path again…which is what I did. This guy just stayed there looking at it for awhile….
Goodness!! Now you can’t even come in contact with the water anymore!!
the road that prevents the cross over
Finally found where the trail picks up again…
My new shoes by a post…
I love giant nuts!!!
You have to go under lots of underpass….with not much around…
The trail then runs along I-5 at least the fence traps the trash people throw out of their window
Only in Oregon …SHROOM POWER
These are where the retired people go to live….sort of scary how they built it there. Wonder if it is so high to remind people that they are there to die…..sort of hurry them along to get the money and open another bed. Or is it to get a better view since they mostly can’t walk anywhere anyway? Maybe so they can’t get away….like something out of a Stephen King novel!
This creepy guy is why I was too nervous to take the path back….well dressed but creepy….walking on the wrong side of the Greenway….hands in pocket refused to budge and wouldn’t look at me just stared at the ground….creepy creepy creepy. There is a certain etiquette on the Greenway….or anywhere for that matter….not a drunk or homeless just a fucking creepy guy…. 
To be continued…
SHOPPING IN EUGENE…or the lumbering water buffalo buys new running shoes
I needed to buy some running shoes and found a store online in Eugene called EUGENE RUNNING COMPANY….In the same shopping center low and behold was a NIKE store….that apparently was missing the whole google search thing. Growing up in Oregon how can you not love NIKE….it’s such a great story…..I thought of my sister Juanita who has started a farmer’s market in Purcelville, VA and the worries she has that comes with it. I went back to the car and got my camera to take these photos just for her!!
The bad news is that NIKE had no running shoes in wide sizes….WTF??? but luckily the wonderful folks (I can honestly say I have not seen knowledgeable, professional sales staff since I left Virginia) at EUGENE RUNNING COMPANY. They had a wide running shoe made by ASICS. While I am a big fan of NIKE….I don’t compromise my feet as I did when I was young….my feet are a mess too much weight upon them….and several snapped tendons in each. I believe in running injury free! While I love NIKE…you should see their new running jackets, I thought the Nike running jacket I had was the best but they are even more high tech now….I am on a very limited budget and my running clothes are mostly from clearance racks…what ever brand. However I still have running clothes from when I lived in Virginia and actually had a job that made some money….MOVING COMFORT running bras, tights and shorts….maybe Nike has improved with their larger sizes but when I used to run Nike didn’t do so well with the fit of women over size 4!
As I said the customer service was excellent at EUGENE RUNNING STORE and I wasn’t expecting to have someone actually putting on my shoe and lacing it up…so I apologized for not having shaved my legs!! The sales lady who looked to be a professional runner looked at me and said…THIS IS EUGENE! In Virginia not shaving ones legs is unacceptable….
I hate to sound materialistic and I love the outdoors for the most part I hate shopping…except book stores….but DAMN!! I was in heaven shopping at this center….NIKE, EUGENE RUNNING STORE…how could it get any better??? TRADER JOES!!!!!! Now there are some good grocery stores GOOSEBERRIES in Grants Pass…SHOP AND KART in Ashland….but none compare to the atmosphere of a TRADER JOES….They reign supreme in customer service….and happy employees!!! Yes employees who actually are happy!!! AND cool foods for less money!!! I LOVE THEM!!! I got this insulated bag for 1.99 to get my frozen foods home
And this one made of recycled materials….1.99 how cool they are!!
My new running shoes…
And they are wide enough!!! OOPS! Look they are made in China too. This is what I try to tell people who hate NIKE and are always worried about “slave” labor….every shoe company uses slave labor…even SAUCONY and NEW BALANCE..while their shoes are manufactured in the U.S. all the parts are made by “slave” labor. And you want to talk slave labor? Diamond mines and minerals used for cell phones and computers …people in China have it much better… while I love Michael Moore my response to his criticism of Nike and Phil Knight would have been to go after American family farmers first… when you grow up on a farm your childhood is spent working…and my parents used to just pay us a dollar a week…..when they felt like it!! with a lecture on how lucky we were that they LET us live there!! No time for sports….my sister resorted to hitch hiking to practice when she played. That aside its always good to pressure companies to improve the treatment of their work force….but as America concerns itself with others I think the rate of decline in pay, benefits, days off and humane treatment is on a rapid decline in the United States….sort of like leaving the fox to mind the chicken coop….bottom line we all need to remind companies that they can do better…even Nike, Asics, and Moving Comfort.
One last thing….Eugene has a full size Borders!!!!
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO ALONG THE LEWIS ROAD TRAIL HEAD
This was a rough week with not a lot of running or walking…and a lot of eating…one day it was a Bavarian donut and Strudel from the best fucking bakery on the west coast!!!!( Continental Bakery in Crescent City) The next day I was someplace with barbecue near by and the smell was driving me crazy…soooo…I won’t bother mentioning it because the barbecue sauce wasn’t all that good but the meat was…..and no greens….what the hell is THAT about??? Anyway then it was Vietnamese food at my favorite restaurant in Klamath Falls I thought I gained 10 lbs but it wasn’t that bad…scale photo is at the end if you don’t want to suffer reading the rest.
My brother came over WAY to early I was still debating whether to get out of bed…9:30 or so….we sat around and had coffee while I gathered my sanity which had scattered the previous night. Then I convinced him that he needed to hang out with some rocks and trees while I went running (He has a knee injury) instead of studying his school books…
Anyway for drivings sake I headed back to Lost Creek Reservoir to run on the other side of Peyton Bridge Rogue River Trail at Lewis Rd. Trail Head…I parked by the bridge and walked up Lewis Rd. to the Trail Head…you can drive but its only a mile…this is looking back at the mountains.
Lost Creek Reservoir with old trees still standing and people in a fishing boat
I didn’t make it to Lost Creek Trail Head as I told my brother I would be back in two hours….I’m not that fast of a runner!! Especially with all of the photos I take…
This side of the trail is much better for running with only a few hills and the path is in better shape….at least as far as I went..
I actually ran most of the way out stopping for photos of course….had to walk up a few inclines…a few slippery wet patches…
As you can see from the clouds the weather was beautiful!!!
You don’t follow the road but head for the bridge instead…
I love bridges…as long as they aren’t too high…
This is Fire Glen Camp….
You can’t see the smoke in this photo but these people did not put out their fire…even in a fire ring during spring I poured my drinking water on it…
There are lots of big boulders here…
Phobia aside I manged to climb on what looked to be the biggest and safest while having visions of the fall below I took a few photos then got the hell off…thankful to have survived!!
I’m not sure why there is a fence here…made me think that there were a bunch of bears on the other side…but since I survived the boulders…What the hell…
I think this is what they call the Grotto…although I did not see any signs…this was my turning around point
I was in the middle of this bridge and could feel it swaying so I walked lightly as a Lumbering Water Buffalo can….
this bridge was a little higher…
I’m not sure what these numbers are for…
What the Fuck??? the bridge is resting on rocks in CHICKEN WIRE!!!…this has been a day of survival…..
I ran a bit on the way back but for the most part walked….the views are beautiful…
More numbers…
I love trail markers…
and flowers….
Last week was 196.6…..
And as far as miles for the week go..12.97…was worried I wouldn’t make the Nike 10 miles a week challenge over at Nike Running…big relief…..
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO NAVIGATES MEDFORD AGAIN
This Lumber was 3.72 miles…had a tough week at work and too much travel I ended up taking about three days off…thought I would go running on the beach but like every time I have been to the coast in about six months it has been a fucking downpour and cold!!! And Windy!!! I don’t mind the cold or a bit of rain to much but the weather this year has just been awful when I go…And things that usually take 30 minutes this week took two hours…hope the sunshine brings brings ease simplicity…
But first this was the view driving to Klamath Falls on Wednesday…
but this was the road I was on..
Back in Medford and under the I-5 overpass near Hawthorne Park….
such beautiful flowers….
The creeks and were swollen from rain and snowmelt….
took a swing by the dog park….
This one was quite friendly and curious….
Every dogs wet dream a place where hundreds of dogs pee a week…lots of sniffing going on in there…
The dirt bike track….
reflections among the pond scum…
and of this trunk…
flowering tree by the skateboard park…next time I will bring a better camera to shoot the skateboarders….they are amazing!!
I wonder if there are any more little gardens like this in Medford….this one is quite old and not nearly as spectacular as the one in Brookings/Harbor that the master gardeners have going. This is going down East Main St…
but the daffodils are still a pleasure to look at!!!
view of the ivy that grows along E. Main..
The houses around here are much cooler than in the new developments which are ugly…all made out of tick tacky all looking just the same…These houses have character a bit of land and landscaping….
fallen blooms….
later…
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO WALKABOUTMEDFORD
Yesterday I ended up having to bit of work at the mall so I walked lumbered over… which was 3.25 miles.
Of course…I encounter one of my newest phobias….barely made it past the mall parking lot carnival….palms dripping with sweat from fear….of what??? That I will be kidnapped by a carnie?….or that some of those rides had plywood under them to stabilize them…do people inspect them each time??….crazy I know…used to love the fair and all the rides…now I just think of my head splitting open as it hits the pavement…
a much better sight…although I was standing in the middle of the road and this poor car had to swerve from hitting me!!
Polluted Beautiful Bear Creek!!
Beautiful sunset not so beautiful focus…
clever bit of landscaping…if they kept it up…
Shoes with the socks still in them…wonder if this person touched their doppelganger or if they were abducted by aliens….
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO TRIES TO NAVIGATE LOST CREEK RESERVOIR
This week as incredibly busy with work…had a hard time working in any running but on Friday I did manage another 3.2 miles but instead of seeing how far I could run lumber -I ran as fast as I could and then walked…ran then walked. Discovered the brain likes the running faster as far as producing the runners high….oodles of good chemicals hit my being…same place on the Bear Creek Greenway so I didn’t bother with photos.
Saturday morning almost noon I took off towards the Upper Rogue thinking I would try my luck on the trails around the Upper Rogue Gorge…then I remembered that I had been meaning to try the Peyton Bridge Trail Head to the headwaters of the Lost Creek Reservoir….not big on reservoirs but its better than running in Medford! I have two different books on trails in Southern Oregon which usually give detailed descriptions of hikes….but in the case of this trail there is very little so I assumed it was going to be a bit on the boring monotonous side walking through trees around a reservoir for 5 miles. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety in landscape!!
I had hiked about a mile up this trail previously about two years ago….had a little picnic and took photos…
This is Peyton Bridge…spanning Lost Creek Reservoir…
Not sure if the water is blue from algae….but most of this water comes from Crater Lake via the Rogue River and lots of little creeks that feed into it….
The thing I don’t like is that like most reservoirs there is a marina and you can hear power boats and even in the middle of the lake where people are just fishing with the engine turned off you can hear them talking….but as I discovered the further you go the less boats!!
Madrone leaves lit by sunshine..
The trail is in good shape most of the way….there were a few points where some brambles are growing over the trail and other parts where the ground is a bit soggy!
Bad people have no place else to put their used tires except to roll them down the hill!!!!
The trail goes up and down and around constantly so my running was limited to the places that were flat….or just a slight incline. But to my shame I met a man who was in his sixties on another trail in California who was recovering from prostate cancer who ran on a trail much worse and more hilly than this one….he also ran ultra marathons….50 miles and up….none of that pussy 20 mile running for him!!! (my head is hanging with shame!!!)
looking up
There are a few waterfalls along the trail not sure if they are seasonal….
Lots of bridges along this trail!!! I love bridges
Place to rest…..but didn’t. There are no mile markers along this trail….that I could see anyway
The trail leaves the forest for a time and ahead are some wonderful cliffs above!!
the reservoir stretches on….
another place to rest….but didn’t. I got such a late start and took quite a few photos…most not included in this post.
looking back at a bridge
I found this curious….closest part of the trail to a boating accident??…eaten by cougars or bears??….tree fell on them???
lots of bridges!!
hard to see through the trees and shrubs but this is a fairly big falls….they ramble over a fairly wide distance
about this time I wondered if I should turn back my feet were getting a bit tired but there is always another bend to see around….
This looks like its getting close….
finally I came to this drift wood clearing
lovely family of geese in the distance…I only brought my little digital because I wanted to run next time I will bring my back pack to take one of my “real” cameras….
There are thousands of these little burrs….stick right to you even after picking them off I kept finding them on the way back ….even found one stuck on my butt when I got back to the car!!
Cool flotsam and jetsam….lots of pumice rocks floating among the wood…
a little further is another bridge…and waterfall of course. The trail doesn’t stop here but its my turning point….hate to be a pussy but my feet were really getting tired by this time…and still there were no trail markers.
Finally….leaning over the bridge I realize that I now have the the conservative estimate of five miles back!!!
And I could swear that the hills grew bigger and there were more of them on the way back!!! Resting on one of those benches on the way back….actually did a lot more running too. Then my knee started bothering me towards the end so I walked….NO INJURIES!!! No problems today but still debating whether I will lace up my shoes and at least walk….
Since there weren’t any markers like I said I am calling it a 10 mile excursion…although I think it was a bit more after looking at maps when I got home…can’t find any decent maps either…even the one by the Army Corps of Engineers….Norton says is dangerous….
Anyway I got my appetite back and while I mostly stayed away from anything bad….I did break down and buy ice cream….to celebrate finally doing my taxes!!!!….the shame of it all!!
So far I have been weighing myself on Friday but because of an exhausting work week I completely forgot on Friday (had to watch my latest installment of MAD MEN)….anyway with an extra day I logged in 20.79 miles. Good thing I gave myself an extra day…10 of it was on Saturday…
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO FINALLY RAN A MILE….WITHOUT STOPPING!!
Actually it was 1.40 mile miles without stopping!! My usual foot photo…
And I had to take about 10 of these most ended up with my part of my head chopped off. I’m horrible at taking my own photo… That isn’t sweat…it rained the whole time!
I walked most of the way home which was good….I confess I ran a few times but for the most part I was too tired to go further than a half dozen yards…This is probably the way I will continue exercising run on the way up and walk on the way back…except for the loops…
The mistletoe is fascinating….creepy and compelling at the same time…
Bear Creek…
lone little duck…
more reflections…
I don’t run with an Ipod or headphones of any sort…I want to be able to hear birds and stuff and be able to think…Some of you know my struggles the last few years and my efforts to overcome them…I thought when I first moved back to Oregon I would shake the depression that had invaded every corner of my life and begin to run again…I did get into hiking a bit….there were so many struggles and setbacks in my personal life…financially….mentally…..it has been a roller coaster like none I had EVER experienced in my life. Anyway I really thought about why I didn’t start running again and tried to get past the excuses to what I was feeling. Running had been calling and calling…a memory of freedom. But when depression sets in when it gets its claws in you…what I think is that it becomes a control issue…yearning for the freedom to run…to break free…but compelled to grip and turn inward to a place that is static…not sure if it is comfort or fear…or the comfort of fear. Year after year waking up each morning and deciding to try to control rather than let go and be free. Holding onto darkness instead of letting go and feeling the darkness jolted off with every step. Five years later…turn around and say to yourself why did I hang onto that for so long? Even with those feelings surfacing I have to give myself pep talks to lace up my shoes….bringing along a camera helps….sometimes I don’t take photos thinking I have already been somewhere or that I have to have some exciting place to go to….combining two things I love eases the protest that still springs up as I plan to go running.
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