2013 was a great year for adventures. I didn't travel as far as I did in 2012, but I did have some great experiences.
Two of the local adventures were Ice climbing at Lilydale park and attending the Red Bull Crashed Ice event, which you can read about in my blog posts from February.
One of the major themes for the beginning of the year was "Marathon Training". I ran through some nasty weather in February, March, and April. The most extreme day was a 16 mile run on a windy day that had rain and sleet. There were a couple of breaks from the training, though.
The first break was visiting Santa Fe, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon. All three places could be worth their own trip, and I left thinking about all of the things I would have liked to do in addition to what we did, especially at the Grand Canyon and in/near Sedona.
The next big break was a backpacking trip to Isle Royale, Michigan. It was cold and wet the entire trip, and it wasn't rare to see patches of snow on the ground. One of the members of our group had issues with his knees, slowing our hiking pace. Our feet got very wet everyday, and parts of the trail resembled a muddy creek rather than a typical hiking trail. Regardless, it was a good trip. We saw a few moose and we were able to keep morale pretty high through most of the trip despite the nasty weather. It was fun to be disconnected from the world for a while.
Shortly after the Isle Royale trip, I went on a 21 mile run, the longest run in preparation for the marathon. It would end up being the longest run of the year, as my next few attempts at running ended after about 20 minutes. I decided that it wasn't worth it to risk an injury as just finishing a marathon wasn't a big goal-I'd already done that. The big goal was to go fast, and I doubted that would be possible. So I watched friends finish the race the day of the marathon and I re-habbed for the next couple of months.
The summer wasn't completely shot, though, as I got some outdoor climbing in. I went to Interstate State Park, Devil's Lake State Park, and Red Wing. I definitely recommend all three of these places if you are looking to climb. Each has their advantages: Red Wing if you want to sport climb, Interstate if you want to stay pretty close to the twin cities and possibly camp and hike, and Devil's lake if you want a large variety of climbs and good hiking trails.
Toward the end of summer, a few of us went on a trip through the UP, across the Mackinac Bridge, to Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes national lakeshore. Once again, it was a beautiful place that I wish we had more time to explore.
On a warm November day I went to Sandstone to get my last outdoor climbing day of the year in. I didn't blog about it, but we climbed a few routes while we were there. The only time I had been there previously was an ice climbing trip back in early 2012.
To finish the year off, I've done most of my exercise indoors, but I did make it cross country skiing once, and went winter camping at Brunet Island State Park in Cornell, Wisconsin one weekend.
It has been an active year despite not being injured, and I look forward to more adventures in 2014!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes and Traverse City
In September, I went on a road trip to Michigan with 2 others. We drove from Minnesota through Wisconsin, and into the upper peninsula of Michigan the first night. Then, driving over the Mackinac bridge, we entered lower Michigan. While we didn't spend much time in the U.P., it was a scenic drive, and I may make a trip of just going there sometime ( See http://jonsconquests.blogspot.com/2010/10/timms-hill-and-mount-arvon-highpoints-2.html, for the last time I was in that neck of the woods, well that is unless you're talking about Isle Royale, which is Michigan, but not exactly the same as going to the U.P. ).
So we began our adventure in lower Michigan by getting some fudge in Mackinaw city as soon as we crossed the bridge. Then we made our way to Traverse city, first having lunch at a restaurant on the beautiful (and choppy that day) Torch Lake. Once we arrived in Traverse city, we visited the downtown, which has plenty of touristy shops and restaurants. We then made our way back to the hotel and called it an early night so we could make the most of the next day.
We made our way to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which was a very beautiful place. We hiked for a couple of miles along a large dune, and we were there early enough that there were no other footprints in the sand as we walked along. It was really cool to be the first people out on the trail, especially as we made our way back from the lake (the trail is an out and back from Lake Michigan), we saw several people.
One of the best views can be found from walking a very short distance from the road, where a large lookout is built. It is from near there that the picture was taken.
After leaving the park, we went back to Traverse city and headed to the Old Mission Peninsula, where we drove to a winery, Chateau Chantal. We enjoyed their wine almost as much as the views. The winery has views of both the east and west side of the peninsula (east and west bay) from their large patio, so pictures were taken once again (see below). Eventually we had dinner at a restaurant on the peninsula as well. It made for a great end to a really fun day.
I would definitely go back to Traverse city and the surrounding area. When we went it was a bit cool, so I think I would probably go in July or August if it was an option, mostly so I could go swimming or lay on the beach in comfort (Not usually my thing, but when you're on a beautiful beach, you can't resist!). We went when we did to attend a wedding, which was a couple hours south of Traverse city. This was also a great time in a beautiful place!
So we began our adventure in lower Michigan by getting some fudge in Mackinaw city as soon as we crossed the bridge. Then we made our way to Traverse city, first having lunch at a restaurant on the beautiful (and choppy that day) Torch Lake. Once we arrived in Traverse city, we visited the downtown, which has plenty of touristy shops and restaurants. We then made our way back to the hotel and called it an early night so we could make the most of the next day.
One of the best views can be found from walking a very short distance from the road, where a large lookout is built. It is from near there that the picture was taken.
After leaving the park, we went back to Traverse city and headed to the Old Mission Peninsula, where we drove to a winery, Chateau Chantal. We enjoyed their wine almost as much as the views. The winery has views of both the east and west side of the peninsula (east and west bay) from their large patio, so pictures were taken once again (see below). Eventually we had dinner at a restaurant on the peninsula as well. It made for a great end to a really fun day.
I would definitely go back to Traverse city and the surrounding area. When we went it was a bit cool, so I think I would probably go in July or August if it was an option, mostly so I could go swimming or lay on the beach in comfort (Not usually my thing, but when you're on a beautiful beach, you can't resist!). We went when we did to attend a wedding, which was a couple hours south of Traverse city. This was also a great time in a beautiful place!Friday, October 4, 2013
Climbing at Devil's Lake State Park WI
Last year I visited Devils lake state park and did some climbing in an area known as the Railroad ampitheater. It was a great time, and I knew that I would have to come back if I had the opportunity. In August, I got that opportunity, and visited for a weekend. This time the climbing was on sandstone, outside of the busy area of the park.
Arriving at night, we got to our campsite, set up camp, and went to bed for a good night's sleep before what would be a long day of climbing. We woke up early and headed over to the crag (Old Sandstone area) via our cars. The climbing area is away from the popular trails in the park, and the best way to approach is by parking in a small lot near a trailhead.
There were several climbs to set up, and I climbed 5 of them, all of them pretty fun. The easiest climbs were around 5.5, but I only made attempts on 5.7-5.10 rated routes. The area was well shaded, as it is in the woods.
Yeah, I should have done this post earlier, as I would have remembered more specifics, but it was a good place to check out.
Arriving at night, we got to our campsite, set up camp, and went to bed for a good night's sleep before what would be a long day of climbing. We woke up early and headed over to the crag (Old Sandstone area) via our cars. The climbing area is away from the popular trails in the park, and the best way to approach is by parking in a small lot near a trailhead.
There were several climbs to set up, and I climbed 5 of them, all of them pretty fun. The easiest climbs were around 5.5, but I only made attempts on 5.7-5.10 rated routes. The area was well shaded, as it is in the woods.
Yeah, I should have done this post earlier, as I would have remembered more specifics, but it was a good place to check out.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Climbing in Red Wing, MN
I recently got the chance to go climbing in Red Wing, MN at a place called Barn Bluff. It is located just outside of downtown Red Wing, making it somewhat unique as far as climbing areas go.
It was a warm day, and many people came out to climb. Despite the crowd, it didn't feel too busy as there are several routes surrounding the bluff. I tried 4 different routes, sport climbing twice and top-roping the other two times. It was a pretty cool experience as this was the first time I did any outdoor sport leading. It appeared that sport climbing was the most popular way up Barn Bluff, which made sense as there are many great bolted routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.12. I don't know exactly the ratings on all of my climbs, but I know they were all in the 5.7 to 5.10 range.
The rock was a bit slippery, and I saw some loose rocks on the top of one of the routes(one small one that I nearly knocked down came down with me in my chalk bag). So wearing a helmet was a good idea as usual.
The view from the bluff was great, though I didn't have a camera with me to take a picture when I was climbing. From where you belay, there is a wooded area that blocks the good view, but as you climb, you go above the trees and can see. There is a trail that goes all the way up, but that would be too easy, right!?
To any climbers who are curious, I would definitely recommend hitting up Barn Bluff. The infrastructure is there to have a really good day of climbing if you've got quickdraws and a rope.
It was a warm day, and many people came out to climb. Despite the crowd, it didn't feel too busy as there are several routes surrounding the bluff. I tried 4 different routes, sport climbing twice and top-roping the other two times. It was a pretty cool experience as this was the first time I did any outdoor sport leading. It appeared that sport climbing was the most popular way up Barn Bluff, which made sense as there are many great bolted routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.12. I don't know exactly the ratings on all of my climbs, but I know they were all in the 5.7 to 5.10 range.The rock was a bit slippery, and I saw some loose rocks on the top of one of the routes(one small one that I nearly knocked down came down with me in my chalk bag). So wearing a helmet was a good idea as usual.
The view from the bluff was great, though I didn't have a camera with me to take a picture when I was climbing. From where you belay, there is a wooded area that blocks the good view, but as you climb, you go above the trees and can see. There is a trail that goes all the way up, but that would be too easy, right!?
To any climbers who are curious, I would definitely recommend hitting up Barn Bluff. The infrastructure is there to have a really good day of climbing if you've got quickdraws and a rope.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Deciding not to run a marathon
Over three months of training through all conditions since February have recently come to an end, as I decided not to run in the event I signed up for. I made the decision two weeks prior to the event, when I realized my knee pain was more than just a one-time thing.
It was disappointing to not run, but I still supported friends who ran in the races at Grandma's Marathon weekend in Duluth, Minnesota. The conditions were pretty good, as the temps were around 50 degrees and it was foggy. It was raining on and off, but for the most part it was pretty light. It was a good day for many of those who ran.
I didn't start to feel the knee pain until after my second 20+ mile run, which was also after visiting Isle Royale. I don't know if it was something that happened on the trip, something during the long run, or something during the next run, which was a fast, but ultimately painful run. On the run following my last 20 miler, I set out to run 45 minutes fast, but I made it about 20 and felt a pretty sharp pain in my knee. This happened again the next two times I ran, so I knew that attempting the marathon would be foolish at that point. Could I finish? Sure, but I would have finished in a walking pace, not a PR like I was aiming for. Since I've already completed a marathon, just finishing didn't mean much to me at all, not nearly as much as protecting myself from further injury.
Fortunately, I did have some good moments during training. One significant PR that I broke a couple times was my treadmill 5k PR. This was shortly after my first 20 miler, which went quite well, as I ran the last 4 miles faster than any other segment of the race. That week gave me a lot of confidence for the marathon. Prior to that, I had some long runs in cold weather that just made me question what I was doing, but also built some toughness. I don't think I ran in comfortable conditions during any of my long runs prior to the month of May.
I intend to work on rehabilitating my knee, starting with taking it easy and seeking professional help. It might not be cheap, but I don't run to save money (though in general running does cost much less money than many other hobbies). If the knee problem isn't too serious, I intend to continue running in events in the fall.
It was disappointing to not run, but I still supported friends who ran in the races at Grandma's Marathon weekend in Duluth, Minnesota. The conditions were pretty good, as the temps were around 50 degrees and it was foggy. It was raining on and off, but for the most part it was pretty light. It was a good day for many of those who ran.
I didn't start to feel the knee pain until after my second 20+ mile run, which was also after visiting Isle Royale. I don't know if it was something that happened on the trip, something during the long run, or something during the next run, which was a fast, but ultimately painful run. On the run following my last 20 miler, I set out to run 45 minutes fast, but I made it about 20 and felt a pretty sharp pain in my knee. This happened again the next two times I ran, so I knew that attempting the marathon would be foolish at that point. Could I finish? Sure, but I would have finished in a walking pace, not a PR like I was aiming for. Since I've already completed a marathon, just finishing didn't mean much to me at all, not nearly as much as protecting myself from further injury.
Fortunately, I did have some good moments during training. One significant PR that I broke a couple times was my treadmill 5k PR. This was shortly after my first 20 miler, which went quite well, as I ran the last 4 miles faster than any other segment of the race. That week gave me a lot of confidence for the marathon. Prior to that, I had some long runs in cold weather that just made me question what I was doing, but also built some toughness. I don't think I ran in comfortable conditions during any of my long runs prior to the month of May.
I intend to work on rehabilitating my knee, starting with taking it easy and seeking professional help. It might not be cheap, but I don't run to save money (though in general running does cost much less money than many other hobbies). If the knee problem isn't too serious, I intend to continue running in events in the fall.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Visiting Isle Royale National Park
Some friends and I recently went on a trip to Isle Royale National Park. It was a good time, and provided a challenging hike for all of us.
We arrived via a ferry named "Voyageur II" from Grand Portage, MN. The ferry first stopped in Windigo, a harbor on the West side of the island. Everyone got off the boat and some of us re-boarded to go to different destinations on the island. The next stop was McCargoe Cove, located at the end of a scenic channel on the north side of the island. We got off the boat at the final stop, Rock Harbor. On the southeast side of the island, Rock Harbor has a lodge, a store, and a ranger station, but only the ranger station was open for our arrival. It turns out most people don't visit the island until the summer, and we were about to learn why.
It was around 4 pm by the time we arrived in Rock Harbor, so we didn't have too much time to make it to our campsite for the night, which ended up being about 3.5 miles down the shore at a place called "Three mile". On our hike over there, there was light rain and plenty of slippery rocks. We arrived and set up our tent inside a shelter that was available. This made for a very clean camp.
The next morning we set off on what would be our longest trek- about 13 miles. We hiked up a tough trail to the top of Mt. Franklin, encountering multiple patches of snow. Then we caught the Greenstone ridge trail, which we stayed on for the remainder of our trip. Along the way we visited Mt. Ojibway, where a weather station/lookout tower is located. Much of the trail was wet from both the snowmelt and from the rain, and in trying to keep our feet dry, we often navigated around puddles.
We continued hiking until we reached our campsite at West Chickenbone Lake. Our campsite was quite windy and with the rain coming and going all day, it was a relief to enjoy some hot cocoa and eventually getting into the tent.
We were a little slow to leave camp at West Chickenbone Lake, as the weather wasn't any better in the morning. We eventually did move on, and we hiked about 8 miles to Hatchet Lake. Along our way we saw a bull Moose about 50 feet away. It got startled by us, but we slowly backed away and when he went back to his business, we continued our hike. The rain came on stronger, as we navigated around large puddles all day once again. In addition to the puddles, there were many down trees all along the trail, as the "trail crew" hadn't gotten out to the park yet. This was certainly a nuisance, but it was all part of the experience. That night we cooked a very easy meal and hopped in the tent, our shoes soaking wet from the 8 mile slog. We were happy to get out of the rain and wind, and didn't bother to make hot cocoa.
With temperatures in the 30s every night, it wasn't a warm trip by any stretch, and as the rain continued to fall at Hatchet lake, we were quite certain nothing of ours would get dry. We stored some of our items in the nearest outhouse, which sounds nasty, but since very few people had been to the island yet this year, the outhouses around the island (located in campsites) didn't stink. It probably smelled better than the tent!
The next morning we got up and started our hike to South Lake Desor. This was again a very sloppy day, avoiding trees and puddles while making our way along the muddy trail. We were all quite wet and tried our best to make it an efficient 8 mile day. This night our campsite's location was a little better, and the weather improved, with the wind not being as big of a factor as it was at the last two campsites.
The next day we hiked about 11 miles to the Washington Creek campsite, located within the Windigo Area. The weather dramatically improved, and while there were still puddles and trees to navigate around, we were much more comfortable overall. Once we got to the campsite, we set up the tent in a shelter that was available and relaxed. In the distance we saw 3 moose, so it was a rewarding and stress free night.
We took the Voyageur II back to Grand Portage the next day, which (of course) was a gorgeous day. There were a handful of other folks on the boat heading back, some of them seemed pretty beat up from their hikes, some happy from the experience, some happy to leaving the island.
I would definitely recommend visiting Isle Royale to anyone interested. Going in May might not be the best time unless you are looking for an adventure. Even though I didn't come away with any bug bites, the rain, snowmelt, and downed trees made the trip a little less easy-going than it could have been.
We arrived via a ferry named "Voyageur II" from Grand Portage, MN. The ferry first stopped in Windigo, a harbor on the West side of the island. Everyone got off the boat and some of us re-boarded to go to different destinations on the island. The next stop was McCargoe Cove, located at the end of a scenic channel on the north side of the island. We got off the boat at the final stop, Rock Harbor. On the southeast side of the island, Rock Harbor has a lodge, a store, and a ranger station, but only the ranger station was open for our arrival. It turns out most people don't visit the island until the summer, and we were about to learn why.
It was around 4 pm by the time we arrived in Rock Harbor, so we didn't have too much time to make it to our campsite for the night, which ended up being about 3.5 miles down the shore at a place called "Three mile". On our hike over there, there was light rain and plenty of slippery rocks. We arrived and set up our tent inside a shelter that was available. This made for a very clean camp.
The next morning we set off on what would be our longest trek- about 13 miles. We hiked up a tough trail to the top of Mt. Franklin, encountering multiple patches of snow. Then we caught the Greenstone ridge trail, which we stayed on for the remainder of our trip. Along the way we visited Mt. Ojibway, where a weather station/lookout tower is located. Much of the trail was wet from both the snowmelt and from the rain, and in trying to keep our feet dry, we often navigated around puddles.We continued hiking until we reached our campsite at West Chickenbone Lake. Our campsite was quite windy and with the rain coming and going all day, it was a relief to enjoy some hot cocoa and eventually getting into the tent.
We were a little slow to leave camp at West Chickenbone Lake, as the weather wasn't any better in the morning. We eventually did move on, and we hiked about 8 miles to Hatchet Lake. Along our way we saw a bull Moose about 50 feet away. It got startled by us, but we slowly backed away and when he went back to his business, we continued our hike. The rain came on stronger, as we navigated around large puddles all day once again. In addition to the puddles, there were many down trees all along the trail, as the "trail crew" hadn't gotten out to the park yet. This was certainly a nuisance, but it was all part of the experience. That night we cooked a very easy meal and hopped in the tent, our shoes soaking wet from the 8 mile slog. We were happy to get out of the rain and wind, and didn't bother to make hot cocoa.
With temperatures in the 30s every night, it wasn't a warm trip by any stretch, and as the rain continued to fall at Hatchet lake, we were quite certain nothing of ours would get dry. We stored some of our items in the nearest outhouse, which sounds nasty, but since very few people had been to the island yet this year, the outhouses around the island (located in campsites) didn't stink. It probably smelled better than the tent!
The next day we hiked about 11 miles to the Washington Creek campsite, located within the Windigo Area. The weather dramatically improved, and while there were still puddles and trees to navigate around, we were much more comfortable overall. Once we got to the campsite, we set up the tent in a shelter that was available and relaxed. In the distance we saw 3 moose, so it was a rewarding and stress free night.
We took the Voyageur II back to Grand Portage the next day, which (of course) was a gorgeous day. There were a handful of other folks on the boat heading back, some of them seemed pretty beat up from their hikes, some happy from the experience, some happy to leaving the island.
I would definitely recommend visiting Isle Royale to anyone interested. Going in May might not be the best time unless you are looking for an adventure. Even though I didn't come away with any bug bites, the rain, snowmelt, and downed trees made the trip a little less easy-going than it could have been.
Monday, April 15, 2013
half way through marathon training
I decided to get on an 18-week program to train for a marathon in June. The original program had me running 6 days a week, but I decided to modify it so that I am running 4 days a week and doing other activities, such as weightlifting, riding a bike, or using an elliptical machine for those other two days.
So far the training has gone fairly well. I missed the best of one week do to a vacation, but I was somewhat active (see previous post about the Grand Canyon), so I felt strong when I needed to run again. For the most part, here is the routine:
Monday: Rest or cross train
Tuesday: Speed training (200s, 400s, 800s, 5k tests, intervals)
Wednesday: Cross train
Thursday: Speed training (200s, 400s, 800s, 5k tests, intervals)
Friday: Rest or cross train
Saturday: mid-distance run (increasing from 5-10 miles over course of training), every other week being at race pace
Sunday: Long run
Two highlights of my training so far: hitting a PR 5k time on a treadmill and running 16 miles on a day with miserable conditions (rain/sleet/snow/wind).
The long run started at 10 miles and has slowly creeped up from there. I don't plan on running more than 22, but do plan on going 20 at least twice prior to the marathon.
So far the training has gone fairly well. I missed the best of one week do to a vacation, but I was somewhat active (see previous post about the Grand Canyon), so I felt strong when I needed to run again. For the most part, here is the routine:
Monday: Rest or cross train
Tuesday: Speed training (200s, 400s, 800s, 5k tests, intervals)
Wednesday: Cross train
Thursday: Speed training (200s, 400s, 800s, 5k tests, intervals)
Friday: Rest or cross train
Saturday: mid-distance run (increasing from 5-10 miles over course of training), every other week being at race pace
Sunday: Long run
Two highlights of my training so far: hitting a PR 5k time on a treadmill and running 16 miles on a day with miserable conditions (rain/sleet/snow/wind).
The long run started at 10 miles and has slowly creeped up from there. I don't plan on running more than 22, but do plan on going 20 at least twice prior to the marathon.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
South Rim of the Grand Canyon in March
I recently traveled to the Grand Canyon, and yes, it is appropriately named, if you haven't been there. It has always been a place I have wanted to see ever since hearing about kids who went there with their families when I was in grade school.
I camped in Mather Campground, located in the south rim area of the park. It was a decent campsite, though being in higher elevation (around 7000 feet) and in mid-march, the temps did get into the upper teens over night, which wasn't a big problem as I had come prepared from Minnesota with warm clothing. Staying two nights, it gave me a chance to see a couple of trails.
The first night I saw the rim trail, which is extremely popular as it is all blacktop and provides for epic views. It is accessible in a variety of shuttle bus stops, but I walked from the campground to it, as it still wasn't too far.
The next day I headed out early (with a partner) as we shuttled over to the South Kaibab trailhead. We began a hike into the canyon, which started out with some switchbacks (even a little bit of ice), and the tone was set. We made our way down to a place called Skeleton Point and decided to turn around and head back up. This made for roughly six miles round trip. The trail was heavily used, by both people and mules.
What a special place the Grand Canyon is. I'm glad I got to go, and would I go back? You bet! The place is huge and I only saw a sliver of it.
I camped in Mather Campground, located in the south rim area of the park. It was a decent campsite, though being in higher elevation (around 7000 feet) and in mid-march, the temps did get into the upper teens over night, which wasn't a big problem as I had come prepared from Minnesota with warm clothing. Staying two nights, it gave me a chance to see a couple of trails.
The first night I saw the rim trail, which is extremely popular as it is all blacktop and provides for epic views. It is accessible in a variety of shuttle bus stops, but I walked from the campground to it, as it still wasn't too far. The next day I headed out early (with a partner) as we shuttled over to the South Kaibab trailhead. We began a hike into the canyon, which started out with some switchbacks (even a little bit of ice), and the tone was set. We made our way down to a place called Skeleton Point and decided to turn around and head back up. This made for roughly six miles round trip. The trail was heavily used, by both people and mules.
What a special place the Grand Canyon is. I'm glad I got to go, and would I go back? You bet! The place is huge and I only saw a sliver of it.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico
I recently got the opportunity to visit Santa Fe, New Mexico. I spent about a day and a half there, which I felt was sufficient time to explore. Here are some of the activities I did.
Hiking just outside of town. There is a free place to park and go on a hike through the woods, I believed it was called Sierra del Norte. It wasn't too busy and provided for some nice views of the landscape.
Checking out the art galleries and shops downtown. I spent several hours downtown Santa Fe, browsing churches, art galleries, shops, the State Capitol, and just downtown in general. It was a pleasant downtown catered to visitors.
Eating Mexican food. I ate at 3 Mexican restaurants while in Santa Fe, and I was never disappointed. I honestly don't remember the names, but each had a different appeal. One was a Fast food-esque Mexican place (not like Taco bell, though), where I enjoyed a beer and some chips with guacamole. The next was a nice sit down place where I remember having a couple of margaritas along with my meal. The final was a place downtown known for being good, where whatever I ordered was just one notch spicier than I'm used to, which led me to drinking a lot of water. Conclusion: this is a good area for Mexican food!
It was a joy to visit Santa Fe, and I would definitely go back.
Hiking just outside of town. There is a free place to park and go on a hike through the woods, I believed it was called Sierra del Norte. It wasn't too busy and provided for some nice views of the landscape.
Checking out the art galleries and shops downtown. I spent several hours downtown Santa Fe, browsing churches, art galleries, shops, the State Capitol, and just downtown in general. It was a pleasant downtown catered to visitors.
Eating Mexican food. I ate at 3 Mexican restaurants while in Santa Fe, and I was never disappointed. I honestly don't remember the names, but each had a different appeal. One was a Fast food-esque Mexican place (not like Taco bell, though), where I enjoyed a beer and some chips with guacamole. The next was a nice sit down place where I remember having a couple of margaritas along with my meal. The final was a place downtown known for being good, where whatever I ordered was just one notch spicier than I'm used to, which led me to drinking a lot of water. Conclusion: this is a good area for Mexican food!
It was a joy to visit Santa Fe, and I would definitely go back.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Cross country skiing
I have wanted to get into cross country skiing for a while, but never paid for a lesson or asked a friend who knew what they were doing to take me out until very recently. We took to the trails of Theodore Wirth park in Minneapolis, and I had a pretty good time.
Knowing how good of a workout skiing can be, and with how long it stays cold enough to keep snow on the ground in Minnesota, its sort of surprising that I haven't done more skiing in my life. I've only gone a few times, and just the other day was the first time that I really got a lesson.
It is hard. Technique is extremely important, as different techniques are needed depending on if you are going up a hill, on flat ground or down a hill. Balance was also really important, as the feeling of balancing on skis isn't exactly natural to me. I'm sure endurance is important as well, though we didn't go far enough to test my endurance. As with anything, having the patience to learn will be important if I want to continue skiing.
We ended up skiing for about an hour, and with all of the stop and go of falling and fixing technique, I think we only traveled something like 3 kilometers.
I am definitely looking forward to spring, but I think I'll be back on skis again in about 9 months.
Knowing how good of a workout skiing can be, and with how long it stays cold enough to keep snow on the ground in Minnesota, its sort of surprising that I haven't done more skiing in my life. I've only gone a few times, and just the other day was the first time that I really got a lesson.
It is hard. Technique is extremely important, as different techniques are needed depending on if you are going up a hill, on flat ground or down a hill. Balance was also really important, as the feeling of balancing on skis isn't exactly natural to me. I'm sure endurance is important as well, though we didn't go far enough to test my endurance. As with anything, having the patience to learn will be important if I want to continue skiing.
We ended up skiing for about an hour, and with all of the stop and go of falling and fixing technique, I think we only traveled something like 3 kilometers.
I am definitely looking forward to spring, but I think I'll be back on skis again in about 9 months.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Exploring Brickyards area of Lilydale regional park
I've recently visited the Brickyards area of Lilydale regional park a couple of times, and thought it was worth a blog post. Located just down the road from Harriet Island park in St. Paul, it is a great place to get away from town without ever really leaving town.
The Brickyard trail is named after the Twin Cities Brick Company, which used to be located on the property. You can still see remnants of this, for more info on the history, check out the NPS website.
Located on a hill, waterfalls are formed from small streams of water flowing in places where cliffs (due to the brick quarry) are located. In the winter they form large walls, which are great for climbing. I got the chance to go ice climbing there, and had a great time.
As I was snowshoeing along the trail, I noticed a couple of groups sledding down the trail, which is something I didn't do, but clearly would be a fun activity if you've got a sled sitting around. For one, it sure would speed up your trip down to the car if you parked on the bottom!
I definitely recommend visiting this trail to anyone interested in a nice hike through the woods.
The Brickyard trail is named after the Twin Cities Brick Company, which used to be located on the property. You can still see remnants of this, for more info on the history, check out the NPS website.
Located on a hill, waterfalls are formed from small streams of water flowing in places where cliffs (due to the brick quarry) are located. In the winter they form large walls, which are great for climbing. I got the chance to go ice climbing there, and had a great time.As I was snowshoeing along the trail, I noticed a couple of groups sledding down the trail, which is something I didn't do, but clearly would be a fun activity if you've got a sled sitting around. For one, it sure would speed up your trip down to the car if you parked on the bottom!
I definitely recommend visiting this trail to anyone interested in a nice hike through the woods.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Crashed Ice 2013
Its been a while since I last posted, but as I've explained before, that means I've been busy going on adventures! The one I'll be talking about today wasn't adventurous for me (I was a spectator), but for the competitors, it certainly was.
I wrote about crashed ice last year, and it was similarly a very busy weekend in St. Paul. In addition to Crashed Ice, there was a parade and some winter carnival festivities going on downtown. I was happy to hear that Red Bull would be putting the event on again, as it is really a unique event drawing many people to visit the twin cities.
The course was a little longer this year, but the idea was still the same: try to stay up on your skates, and if you fall, don't give up as someone else may fall ahead of you. That is probably over simplifying it, but if you ask any of the daredevil participants, they would likely give you a pretty similar take. The fact that falling could happen to anyone at anytime added to the excitement, and suspense of watching the racers fly by along the track.
If you want a taste of what Crashed Ice is all about, check out the youtube video below.
It was definitely a fun event to watch and I hope to see it back in Minnesota again next year!
I wrote about crashed ice last year, and it was similarly a very busy weekend in St. Paul. In addition to Crashed Ice, there was a parade and some winter carnival festivities going on downtown. I was happy to hear that Red Bull would be putting the event on again, as it is really a unique event drawing many people to visit the twin cities.
The course was a little longer this year, but the idea was still the same: try to stay up on your skates, and if you fall, don't give up as someone else may fall ahead of you. That is probably over simplifying it, but if you ask any of the daredevil participants, they would likely give you a pretty similar take. The fact that falling could happen to anyone at anytime added to the excitement, and suspense of watching the racers fly by along the track.
If you want a taste of what Crashed Ice is all about, check out the youtube video below.
It was definitely a fun event to watch and I hope to see it back in Minnesota again next year!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012 in review
2013 has come and it is time now to reflect on what a year 2012 has been! I haven't been too active in blogging, but I've been very busy going on adventures.
In the beginning of the year, there wasn't much of any snow in the twin cities, making it a uniquely non-wintery winter (if that makes any sense). It was nice for running, but I didn't feel right not using my snowshoes all winter. I did get to go ice climbing in Sandstone, MN in February, which was really fun, and also attended the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in St. Paul in January, making for two solid "Winter" activities. I also traveled to Hawaii in February, where I did some hiking, some surfing (this one was a big goal of mine), made it to the state high point, and enjoyed the weather.
In March I left town again, heading out east to Connecticut for work. I used this trip to visit a friend in Boston and go to the highest point in Rhode Island. It has been my only "solo" highpoint to date. In April, I went camping a couple times, once at Willow River state park, and the other time at Lake Maria State Park. Both were fun experiences.
In May, I climbed outside a couple of times. Once at Interstate state park, and another time at Devil's Lake State Park. Both were great experiences. I also camped near Devil's Lake State Park, so my friends and I spent a couple days in the area. I also ran in a 1 mile race, finishing in pain from a really dry throat. It was getting warmer out, so I used my bike a few times as well. In June, I did some more camping, this time at Lake Wissota State Park. It was a great chance to visit Chippewa Falls, WI. I also did some more climbing, visiting Blue Mounds State Park and Palisades State Park (both good places to climb). I also checked out a Twins game on a beautiful afternoon.
In July I did some hiking and canoeing at Lebanon hills regional park in Eagan (a St. Paul suburb), and some kayaking in Northern WI. The kayaking trip was fun as it was a group of a dozen or so friends from high school. In August I went on a road trip to Glacier National Park and Banff National Park, and then back through Canada. It was a great trip with many highlights. This trip consumed about 10 days of the month, so I was pretty busy for the rest of the month, but did attend a Saint Paul Saints game and climb at Interstate in August as well.
In September, one of the adventures was camping and kayaking in Wild River State Park, which being about an hour away from the twin cities, made for a quick getaway. I continued running and ran a 5k race with a time of 18:06, within 20 seconds of my PR. In October I went on a trip to Great river bluffs state park, a park near Winona with great views. I also cheered on participants of the Monster Dash, a popular 10 mile and half-marathon race.
In November, I went on a much-anticipated trip to Haiti. It was a great experience. I was happy to learn about their culture and help some kids. It was definitely one of the highlights of the year. I also ran a thanksgiving day 5k to keep November an active month! December seemed to go so fast with all of the parties, but I still made some time to run, climb, and even went camping at Afton State Park!
2012 was a great year filled with many adventures. I can only hope to continue the trend in 2013!
In the beginning of the year, there wasn't much of any snow in the twin cities, making it a uniquely non-wintery winter (if that makes any sense). It was nice for running, but I didn't feel right not using my snowshoes all winter. I did get to go ice climbing in Sandstone, MN in February, which was really fun, and also attended the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in St. Paul in January, making for two solid "Winter" activities. I also traveled to Hawaii in February, where I did some hiking, some surfing (this one was a big goal of mine), made it to the state high point, and enjoyed the weather.
In March I left town again, heading out east to Connecticut for work. I used this trip to visit a friend in Boston and go to the highest point in Rhode Island. It has been my only "solo" highpoint to date. In April, I went camping a couple times, once at Willow River state park, and the other time at Lake Maria State Park. Both were fun experiences.
In May, I climbed outside a couple of times. Once at Interstate state park, and another time at Devil's Lake State Park. Both were great experiences. I also camped near Devil's Lake State Park, so my friends and I spent a couple days in the area. I also ran in a 1 mile race, finishing in pain from a really dry throat. It was getting warmer out, so I used my bike a few times as well. In June, I did some more camping, this time at Lake Wissota State Park. It was a great chance to visit Chippewa Falls, WI. I also did some more climbing, visiting Blue Mounds State Park and Palisades State Park (both good places to climb). I also checked out a Twins game on a beautiful afternoon.
In July I did some hiking and canoeing at Lebanon hills regional park in Eagan (a St. Paul suburb), and some kayaking in Northern WI. The kayaking trip was fun as it was a group of a dozen or so friends from high school. In August I went on a road trip to Glacier National Park and Banff National Park, and then back through Canada. It was a great trip with many highlights. This trip consumed about 10 days of the month, so I was pretty busy for the rest of the month, but did attend a Saint Paul Saints game and climb at Interstate in August as well.
In September, one of the adventures was camping and kayaking in Wild River State Park, which being about an hour away from the twin cities, made for a quick getaway. I continued running and ran a 5k race with a time of 18:06, within 20 seconds of my PR. In October I went on a trip to Great river bluffs state park, a park near Winona with great views. I also cheered on participants of the Monster Dash, a popular 10 mile and half-marathon race.
In November, I went on a much-anticipated trip to Haiti. It was a great experience. I was happy to learn about their culture and help some kids. It was definitely one of the highlights of the year. I also ran a thanksgiving day 5k to keep November an active month! December seemed to go so fast with all of the parties, but I still made some time to run, climb, and even went camping at Afton State Park!
2012 was a great year filled with many adventures. I can only hope to continue the trend in 2013!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Training for Marathon #2
A marathon is a great goal. It is something you have to train for, it isn't easy, and you feel great when you finish. Many people see a marathon as a "bucket list" item, something they only need to do once. Others do multiple marathons. Of those that do more than one, there are many reasons. Some people just love the challenge. Some want to run different courses. Others might just have nothing else to do. I am currently planning on doing a second marathon, and the goal is to PR on a new course.
A little over 5 years ago, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon. I finished in a respectable 3:25, but didn't quite hit my goals, and saw some clear room for improvement if I ever were to run another marathon. I told myself that I wouldn't, though, as the training really did a number on me, as I went to physical therapy several months later with a knee/hip issue that pretty much prevented me from doing any tough runs in 2009. After a while I thought maybe I would do one if someone close to me wanted help training. Then I had a pretty successful running season in 2011 and 2012, with 5k wins and a 10 mile PR in 2011.
Fast forward to December 2012, and I've continued to run often, and have had some strong 6-10 mile runs in recent weeks. The marathon I plan to run is in June 2013, so I have a long time to train, but I want to be comfortable with a 12 mile run prior to my "real" training, which will likely begin in February.
I will probably use a similar training program as the last time, but I hope to run fewer miles, so I may substitute some runs for group fitness classes and cardio workouts. I am hoping this keeps me from injuring myself. Since I know I can finish a marathon, there is a mental game that will be played as well. In 2008, I hit a pretty big wall right around mile 21-22. I finished, but the last 5 miles of the race (minus the 1/4 mile to the finish) were really slow.
I'm looking forward to the challenge, and I'll keep everyone posted on how the training goes. Happy holidays!
A little over 5 years ago, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon. I finished in a respectable 3:25, but didn't quite hit my goals, and saw some clear room for improvement if I ever were to run another marathon. I told myself that I wouldn't, though, as the training really did a number on me, as I went to physical therapy several months later with a knee/hip issue that pretty much prevented me from doing any tough runs in 2009. After a while I thought maybe I would do one if someone close to me wanted help training. Then I had a pretty successful running season in 2011 and 2012, with 5k wins and a 10 mile PR in 2011.
Fast forward to December 2012, and I've continued to run often, and have had some strong 6-10 mile runs in recent weeks. The marathon I plan to run is in June 2013, so I have a long time to train, but I want to be comfortable with a 12 mile run prior to my "real" training, which will likely begin in February.
I will probably use a similar training program as the last time, but I hope to run fewer miles, so I may substitute some runs for group fitness classes and cardio workouts. I am hoping this keeps me from injuring myself. Since I know I can finish a marathon, there is a mental game that will be played as well. In 2008, I hit a pretty big wall right around mile 21-22. I finished, but the last 5 miles of the race (minus the 1/4 mile to the finish) were really slow.
I'm looking forward to the challenge, and I'll keep everyone posted on how the training goes. Happy holidays!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Visiting Haiti
Recently I was fortunate enough to go on a trip with 11 others to Pwoje Espwa, a children's refuge near Les Cayes, Haiti. We spent six days there, which was a great learning experience for me. We helped paint a couple of homes that young boys were staying in, had a mini track and field meet, played soccer, and brought down over 1000 pound of useful supplies to help the village.
We arrived in Port au Prince and rode in a large van, where I got to really see the hustle and bustle of the city. The road was rather chaotic, with street vendors knocking on the car window while trying to sell muffins and drinks. The rules of the road were new to me: honk if you are passing, honk if people are walking too close, and honk for a long time if you don't think someone sees you. There were many motorcycles weaving in between cars as well, so it was really an action-packed ride. This was so exciting that I actually threw up after a couple of hours (fortunately I was able to give warning and hop out of the van to take care of business). We arrived at Pwoje Espwa a few hours later, where we unpacked some of our things and took a breather.
Over the next few days, we had lots of interaction with the kids who live in the village, and a few that live in the surrounding community that hang out in the area. So many of them were really happy and I had a lot of fun playing with them. We played baseball, soccer, and ran some races with some of the kids (in total something like 600 kids live on the premises). There are older boys (and a few girls) living there too, and it was interesting to hear some of their interests. Many of them were interested in music and dance, and it was very entertaining seeing them perform. Some of the kids (ok they are around 20 years old, so I should probably say young men) have a group that performed for us. They have a youtube video (see below)which they had help from a local studio to produce. I think its really good, so check it out!
Of course, not everything we saw was so positive. While it is believed that the country has made some progress since the devastating earthquake in 2010, there is still a lot of work to be done. Sanitation is nothing like you would expect in the US. Many roads are in really poor shape, and of course, housing for many is quite minimal.
I did see first hand, though, that there are a lot of kids with hope and desire to make positive impacts in Haiti. They have goals to become doctors, businesspeople, wood-workers, welders, and many other great things. It was really the best part of being down there.
We left Les Cayes on one of the days to go to a beach community about an hour away called Port Salut. This town has a beautiful beach, not so different from other places in the caribbean. While it wasn't too busy, it did show me that Haiti does have some potential to attract more tourists.
Visiting Haiti was a great experience for me and everyone who went on the trip. If you or anyone you know is thinking about doing a mission trip to Haiti, I definitely reccommend it. Pwoje Espwa was a great place to stay and I think they are really doing excellent work.
We arrived in Port au Prince and rode in a large van, where I got to really see the hustle and bustle of the city. The road was rather chaotic, with street vendors knocking on the car window while trying to sell muffins and drinks. The rules of the road were new to me: honk if you are passing, honk if people are walking too close, and honk for a long time if you don't think someone sees you. There were many motorcycles weaving in between cars as well, so it was really an action-packed ride. This was so exciting that I actually threw up after a couple of hours (fortunately I was able to give warning and hop out of the van to take care of business). We arrived at Pwoje Espwa a few hours later, where we unpacked some of our things and took a breather.
Over the next few days, we had lots of interaction with the kids who live in the village, and a few that live in the surrounding community that hang out in the area. So many of them were really happy and I had a lot of fun playing with them. We played baseball, soccer, and ran some races with some of the kids (in total something like 600 kids live on the premises). There are older boys (and a few girls) living there too, and it was interesting to hear some of their interests. Many of them were interested in music and dance, and it was very entertaining seeing them perform. Some of the kids (ok they are around 20 years old, so I should probably say young men) have a group that performed for us. They have a youtube video (see below)which they had help from a local studio to produce. I think its really good, so check it out!
I did see first hand, though, that there are a lot of kids with hope and desire to make positive impacts in Haiti. They have goals to become doctors, businesspeople, wood-workers, welders, and many other great things. It was really the best part of being down there.
We left Les Cayes on one of the days to go to a beach community about an hour away called Port Salut. This town has a beautiful beach, not so different from other places in the caribbean. While it wasn't too busy, it did show me that Haiti does have some potential to attract more tourists.
Visiting Haiti was a great experience for me and everyone who went on the trip. If you or anyone you know is thinking about doing a mission trip to Haiti, I definitely reccommend it. Pwoje Espwa was a great place to stay and I think they are really doing excellent work.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Great River Bluffs State Park (MN)
I recently got the chance to visit Great River Bluffs State Park, which is located just south of Winona. I camped at the park with a few friends (and one dog). We all had a pretty good time, seeing some great fall colors and wonderful views of the Mississippi river. It was a cold weekend, though, so having the appropriate clothing made the trip comfortable.
We arrived in the early afternoon on a Saturday and set up our tent right away. The dog being just a puppy, we tied his leash to a picnic table (park rules, and for our own sanity). We set up the sleeping arrangements so we wouldn't have to in the cold night, and had some lunch.
After that, we went on a short hike to check out some of the views. The first overlook we went to was about a quarter mile from our campsite, named "The Hill of many Timbers". It is the southern-most overlook in the park. Next, we went to the "East Overlook", which is about a half mile from the Hill of Many Timbers. Both of these overlooks provided nice views. The Hill of Many Timbers primary views were of the hills in Minnesota and some of the park roads. The East Overlook had views of the Mississippi river and of Wisconsin in the distance.
After checking out those views, we decided to head back to camp and get some dinner going. We made hobo hot dish this time around and had some chips as well. We got a solid fire going, though we were careful that it didn't get too big as it had been a really dry season and didn't want the fire to spread. We put the fire out and went to sleep, the puppy joining us in the tent. It was a little under 30, which was a bit cold for this dog, but he stayed warm by sneaking himself in betweeen two of us.
The next day we walked over to the North and South Overlooks, which are a little over a mile from the campground, but only .2 miles from eachother. The trail over there runs through the woods, and there is an minor overlook on the way there as well. These overlooks both had great views of the Mississippi and Wisconsin as well, and made for a rewarding hike. We didn't make our way over to the other overlooks, which include "King's Bluff", as the puppy was a little too tired. We still had a good time, though, and having a sleeping dog on the way home is better than having a dog with energy in the car!
We arrived in the early afternoon on a Saturday and set up our tent right away. The dog being just a puppy, we tied his leash to a picnic table (park rules, and for our own sanity). We set up the sleeping arrangements so we wouldn't have to in the cold night, and had some lunch.
After that, we went on a short hike to check out some of the views. The first overlook we went to was about a quarter mile from our campsite, named "The Hill of many Timbers". It is the southern-most overlook in the park. Next, we went to the "East Overlook", which is about a half mile from the Hill of Many Timbers. Both of these overlooks provided nice views. The Hill of Many Timbers primary views were of the hills in Minnesota and some of the park roads. The East Overlook had views of the Mississippi river and of Wisconsin in the distance.
After checking out those views, we decided to head back to camp and get some dinner going. We made hobo hot dish this time around and had some chips as well. We got a solid fire going, though we were careful that it didn't get too big as it had been a really dry season and didn't want the fire to spread. We put the fire out and went to sleep, the puppy joining us in the tent. It was a little under 30, which was a bit cold for this dog, but he stayed warm by sneaking himself in betweeen two of us.
The next day we walked over to the North and South Overlooks, which are a little over a mile from the campground, but only .2 miles from eachother. The trail over there runs through the woods, and there is an minor overlook on the way there as well. These overlooks both had great views of the Mississippi and Wisconsin as well, and made for a rewarding hike. We didn't make our way over to the other overlooks, which include "King's Bluff", as the puppy was a little too tired. We still had a good time, though, and having a sleeping dog on the way home is better than having a dog with energy in the car!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Visiting Banff National Park
After visiting Glacier National Park in Montana (see my previous post), my friends and I headed north into British Columbia. We stayed a night in a small campground just across the border and took off early in the morning. It didn't take long for our drive to get scenic that day.
We entered Kootenay National park (still in British Columbia) and drove though seeing beautiful scenery. In addition to the mountains, we also came across a group of bighorn sheep. We made a few stops in the park to take pictures, but our goal was to get to Banff National park, so we moved on.
We entered Banff (Alberta), and headed up to Lake Louise. Lake Louise has an iconic view from the large hotel. The lake is an almost unreal blue and then there are the mountains and (Victoria) glacier in the background. Just stunning. Not far away is Moraine lake, home of the ten peaks. This was pretty. I remember seeing this view as a background for an old phone. To see it in person was really quite impressive.
We took tons of pictures during our time at Lake Louise and Moraine lake before heading south to Banff, the town. We went shopping and ate in town that night, before spending the night in a campground. Again, we woke up early, this time to go mountain biking. We didn't hit up any really crazy terrain, but we had fun making our way around town on our rented bikes. I did tear a shirt, though, so I suppose I can brag about that!
Banff was so beautiful that I would love to go back some day. Not sure when that will be, but it will remain on my list.
We entered Banff (Alberta), and headed up to Lake Louise. Lake Louise has an iconic view from the large hotel. The lake is an almost unreal blue and then there are the mountains and (Victoria) glacier in the background. Just stunning. Not far away is Moraine lake, home of the ten peaks. This was pretty. I remember seeing this view as a background for an old phone. To see it in person was really quite impressive.
We took tons of pictures during our time at Lake Louise and Moraine lake before heading south to Banff, the town. We went shopping and ate in town that night, before spending the night in a campground. Again, we woke up early, this time to go mountain biking. We didn't hit up any really crazy terrain, but we had fun making our way around town on our rented bikes. I did tear a shirt, though, so I suppose I can brag about that!Banff was so beautiful that I would love to go back some day. Not sure when that will be, but it will remain on my list.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Backpacking in Glacier National Park
A few weeks ago I went on a road trip with a few friends. Our first big destination was Glacier National Park. We arrived in St. Mary, Montana in the late evening after driving from Bismarck, North Dakota. We got a campsite, grabbed some dinner, and went to bed early with the intention of getting up early enough to get a permit with some solid campsites for our backpacking trip starting the next day.
We succeeded in getting up early and tearing down our camp quickly, and made our way to the Two medicine ranger station a few minutes before they opened up. We were the first in line, but barely. We got into the station and I came with a few of the ideas that I had in mind for trips. I already had some knowledge of what could be available, as the park has a website showing which sites are available which nights, but i didn't know if when i looked at the site was the most up to date as possible. Fortunately, I was able to figure out a route that seemed to make sense. $60 later ($5 per person per night) and we were off!
Our first day consisted of us heading out of the Two Medicine Ranger station and ending at the Upper Park Creek campground. This wasn't easy. We ascended about 2500 feet to the summit of "Chief Lodgepole peak", and descended about 2800 feet to our campground, 11.7 miles from our start. We arrived at the campground tired and thirsty. We were also weary of what we would have to do in two days: cross two medicine pass again to get back! We had a good dinner (a friend packed some Mountain House Lasagna) and enjoyed our company around the campfire.
On the Second day, we made a decision to do a day hike to Lake Isabel, about 2.5 miles from Upper Park Creek. Our permit actually had us staying there overnight, but by not staying there, we saved ourselves for the next day, where we would have to hike to Upper Two Medicine Campground, which was already a 12 mile hike from Upper Park Creek. If we were to have gone from Lake Isabel, it would have been closer to 15 miles! Lake Isabel was a nice looking alpine lake, with good fishing according to some of the people we ran into. We went for a swim and hiked back to Upper Park Creek Campground before dinner.
On the third day, we had our big hike: back over two medicine pass and over to Upper Two Medicine Campground. We woke up early, made sure we had plenty of water, and got off to a strong start. We took several short breaks on our way up the pass, many of which included picking huckleberries. Once we got to the top of Chief Lodgepole again, we took a long break to celebrate the finish of the toughest part of our hike. We made good progress down to Twin Falls, where we took another long break. By this time, we were pretty close to our destination, Upper Two Medicine Campground.
Upper Two Medicine Camp was very scenic, and shortly after having dinner we saw two moose. This was a great place to stay, though campfires weren't allowed, so we didn't end up staying up too late.
On the Final day of our trip, we left Upper Two Medicine and made our way back to Two Medicine Campground/Ranger station. This was about 5 miles, and not too tough of terrain. When we arrived at the campground, we washed our faces, put our packs in the car, and picked up some goodies at the gift shop.
It was a great hike, totaling about 34 miles through a beautiful place. We left in need of showers, but in awe of the scenery.
We succeeded in getting up early and tearing down our camp quickly, and made our way to the Two medicine ranger station a few minutes before they opened up. We were the first in line, but barely. We got into the station and I came with a few of the ideas that I had in mind for trips. I already had some knowledge of what could be available, as the park has a website showing which sites are available which nights, but i didn't know if when i looked at the site was the most up to date as possible. Fortunately, I was able to figure out a route that seemed to make sense. $60 later ($5 per person per night) and we were off!
Our first day consisted of us heading out of the Two Medicine Ranger station and ending at the Upper Park Creek campground. This wasn't easy. We ascended about 2500 feet to the summit of "Chief Lodgepole peak", and descended about 2800 feet to our campground, 11.7 miles from our start. We arrived at the campground tired and thirsty. We were also weary of what we would have to do in two days: cross two medicine pass again to get back! We had a good dinner (a friend packed some Mountain House Lasagna) and enjoyed our company around the campfire.
On the Second day, we made a decision to do a day hike to Lake Isabel, about 2.5 miles from Upper Park Creek. Our permit actually had us staying there overnight, but by not staying there, we saved ourselves for the next day, where we would have to hike to Upper Two Medicine Campground, which was already a 12 mile hike from Upper Park Creek. If we were to have gone from Lake Isabel, it would have been closer to 15 miles! Lake Isabel was a nice looking alpine lake, with good fishing according to some of the people we ran into. We went for a swim and hiked back to Upper Park Creek Campground before dinner.
On the third day, we had our big hike: back over two medicine pass and over to Upper Two Medicine Campground. We woke up early, made sure we had plenty of water, and got off to a strong start. We took several short breaks on our way up the pass, many of which included picking huckleberries. Once we got to the top of Chief Lodgepole again, we took a long break to celebrate the finish of the toughest part of our hike. We made good progress down to Twin Falls, where we took another long break. By this time, we were pretty close to our destination, Upper Two Medicine Campground.
Upper Two Medicine Camp was very scenic, and shortly after having dinner we saw two moose. This was a great place to stay, though campfires weren't allowed, so we didn't end up staying up too late.
On the Final day of our trip, we left Upper Two Medicine and made our way back to Two Medicine Campground/Ranger station. This was about 5 miles, and not too tough of terrain. When we arrived at the campground, we washed our faces, put our packs in the car, and picked up some goodies at the gift shop.
It was a great hike, totaling about 34 miles through a beautiful place. We left in need of showers, but in awe of the scenery.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Kayaking the Brule River (WI)
I haven't done a lot of kayaking, and absolutely none on an actual river until last weekend, when I went on a trip on the Brule river in Northern Wisconsin.
The Bois Brule river flows into Lake Superior, and my friends and I did a section that starts at "Pine Tree Landing", which is just off Dead end road, and ends at highway 13, which is a few miles down the river.
I got off to a slow start as I was right behind a few of my friends in a canoe that lost control and then I ran into them, filling up my kayak with water in seconds. So I hopped out of the kayak and with the help of a friend, drained it. After that, i was careful not to follow anyone too closely. The river was quite low, and my friends who were in canoes ended up abandoning the trip due to their slow progress and a hole that appeared in their old boat.
The meandering river offered many highlights, including several sections with rapids that kept everyone alert. There were a few ledges that i rode over with caution, but i still got a decent amount of water in my kayak. It was an adrenaline rush. My favorite part, though, was when there was a slow current and I could just relax and enjoy nature while still making some progress down the river.
The trip took us quite a long time as there were 6 of us in kayaks and we tried to stay together as best as we could, so there was a lot of waiting around. Even so, it was worth going. If I go again, though, I'll try to get a skirt for the kayak so i don't have to empty the water out so often!
The Bois Brule river flows into Lake Superior, and my friends and I did a section that starts at "Pine Tree Landing", which is just off Dead end road, and ends at highway 13, which is a few miles down the river.
I got off to a slow start as I was right behind a few of my friends in a canoe that lost control and then I ran into them, filling up my kayak with water in seconds. So I hopped out of the kayak and with the help of a friend, drained it. After that, i was careful not to follow anyone too closely. The river was quite low, and my friends who were in canoes ended up abandoning the trip due to their slow progress and a hole that appeared in their old boat.
The meandering river offered many highlights, including several sections with rapids that kept everyone alert. There were a few ledges that i rode over with caution, but i still got a decent amount of water in my kayak. It was an adrenaline rush. My favorite part, though, was when there was a slow current and I could just relax and enjoy nature while still making some progress down the river.
The trip took us quite a long time as there were 6 of us in kayaks and we tried to stay together as best as we could, so there was a lot of waiting around. Even so, it was worth going. If I go again, though, I'll try to get a skirt for the kayak so i don't have to empty the water out so often!
Monday, July 16, 2012
The highest Point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point
I know I left the readers for a real cliffhanger in my last post http://jonsconquests.blogspot.com/2012/07/climbing-at-blue-mounds-state-park-mn.html , so I've decided to tell everyone where we were off to after visiting Palisades State Park in South Dakota. We went to the highest point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point.
We were pretty tired by the time we actually hit the road to go to Hawkeye Point, as we had been climbing and it was really hot outside. Fortunately it wasn't too far of a drive from eastern South Dakota.
When we arrived at Hawkeye Point, we were pleasantly surprised. Despite being the easiest highpoint I've been to as far as sheer effort from where I parked my car (yes, this was easier than Rhode Island), this was actually a pretty neat place. No, there wasn't an incredible view of anything other than fields, but the spot is well taken care of. I enjoyed looking at some pictures in a barn and liked seeing the arrows pointing in the directions of the other highpoints. I also liked the mosaic compass (pictured above). People really put some work into this place!
While I don't think I'll be returning to Hawkeye Point anytime soon, it was a great example of why I like highpointing- going places you normally never would can turn out to be interesting.
We were pretty tired by the time we actually hit the road to go to Hawkeye Point, as we had been climbing and it was really hot outside. Fortunately it wasn't too far of a drive from eastern South Dakota.
While I don't think I'll be returning to Hawkeye Point anytime soon, it was a great example of why I like highpointing- going places you normally never would can turn out to be interesting.
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