The difference between my first three lumbers this week and my last two was vast. During those first three lumbers, I felt like my feet were moving me forward, but that was about it. Not to mention my brain was in a depressive fog.
Posts Tagged → being an idiot
Bird Fishing
On Tuesday, I once again found myself driving to the trails in some of the worst fog I’ve ever driven in. It was like driving into a white wall for 13 minutes, hoping to arrive with car and body intact.
Monday Morning Darkness
After a weekend of blissful slack that included nerding out watching a come-from-behind draw for Spurs (finally learning to be not-so-Spursy), and Arsenal dropping much-needed points to City (A loss would have been better and put Spurs in 2nd rather than 3rd). Not to mention Wifey kindly got up with Lola on Sunday, which allowed me to sleep in until around 8, which is almost 3 hours longer than I have in ages. Damn, that felt good!
Happy 3rd Lumberversary
First, today.
With today’s sunrise not scheduled until 7:22 AM, I finally bit the bullet and strapped on my headlamp to start the lumber. Something I was slightly hesitant to do after yesterday’s early morning Homeless Camper encounter.
But, it was all good, and it allowed me to get to the park earlier and get a 6.01-mile hike in my feetz, well before 9AM. And I finished my week of lumbering with 30.71 miles over 5 days. Win.
Due to the earlier start and bad luck, there are no photos from today; I had to use scraps from the week.
Whoo-Hooing at Dawn
As per usual, I was up at 5:20 on Thursday to coffee up, dump out, get my shit together, and get to the park at 7 just as the sun was creeping up over the horizon.
The Cold Warm Up
As I took off down the main path towards the trails on Wednesday, it was apparent that I was duped by the warm 80˚ days and cold 45˚ nights and found myself a tad underdressed for the occasion (“Me without clothes? Well, a nation turns its back and gags”). So, I shook off the morning chill, put a spring in my step, and hoped to warm up soon by getting into lumbering mode as quickly as possible.
Two Days, Two Lumbers
Last weekend was swell, even though there was no lumbering and no photo creeping.
Saturday was spent watching footy from the time I woke up until late in the afternoon. As a bonus, Spurs won 3-0 over West Ham, and sit 3rd in the table after 4 games. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s super early, but after finishing 17th last year, it’s nice to imagine a top-four finish.
Fall-ish Mid-Week Lumbering
Four weeks ago, as I drove to the trails, I bemoaned the fact that it was 77˚ with 85% humidity at 6:30 AM. Well, this morning as I drove to the trails at the same time it was 45˚ and I debated whether to start the lumber with gloves1.
I guess that was my feeble-minded way of saying that fall is in the air. Also known as the “Sunday of Seasons.” Well, at least until mid-November when all the leaves are down and everything is dark and dank. Then it becomes the “Hospice of Seasons.”
Don’t get me wrong, my hulking, bloated body is not made for high heat and humidity, and I love that the cooler fall temps make for more miles and fewer bugs, it’s just that knowing there are 6 months of cold and darkness ahead makes me want to start gobbling antidepressants like they’re candy as I swig from a bottle of Jack with my trousers down and my aged, flaccid white ass pointed in the direction of Ma Nature as she flips the lever to Winter.
For the love of Pete, please digress!!
OK, OK… To the lumbering!
The week’s mornings have been cold and dark, with full sunshine not arriving until I’m at least 2 miles into my lumber. However, as always, it’s awesome to be in the woods as the sun creeps up over the horizon and shoots beams of orange light through the trees.
I bounced back from the weekend on Monday with a hike just over 5 miles, but then on Tuesday and today I was back to my 6+ mile loop, and after 3 days of lumbering have 17.37 miles in my feetz.
Over the past two days, the only photos of any worth were of a deer that I saw as I came around the corner on a section of trail. It stood looking at me about 70 feet away, and then eventually took off into the woods, where it poorly hid from me with some friends as I lumbered by. I had to bust out some manual focus skills to get the shot of it in the brush.
I also took a few shots of another Great Blue Heron, but it was right as I crossed the bridge near the end, and the sun was so bright that it blew out the highlights, and I couldn’t recover them in Lightroom. Oh well, I waited all summer to get some shots of a GBH, and then once I did, I was less than impressed with the large birds. They’re not that attractive, they don’t do much except stand around, and if you move an inch, they awkwardly fly away. They’re not exactly bald eagles, but I admit I do like seeing them around.
Thursday’s lumber looks to be a rainy one, and I’m looking forward to it. Also hoping for some better luck with the critters.
Later.
Goal Met and More Deer
Literally no one said it couldn’t be done, and I did it. Because it’s really not that hard—I got my 30 miles of lumbering in for the week in 5 days. Now I have the weekend to goof off, watch footy, and go photo creeping.
A Six Mile Start
I made zero effort to get out for a lumber this weekend, and was content to end my week with 22.93 miles and the knowledge that I also completed some long-needed upgrades to the Cul-De-Sac-Shack’s outdoor lighting. And by upgrade, I mean that the lights are no longer hunks of rust with a lightbulb attached.