One thousand footsteps

Jumbo Grade Rd

2010-03-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

The weather is still cooperating so I decided to go for another hike.

Originally, the plan was to hike along Ophir Grade Rd from Virginia City, turn and head uphill to grab two caches, then return and head down Jumbo Grade Rd to Washoe Valley where I'd either ask dad to pick me up or (if with someone) have their vehicle waiting.

Yeah, mapping that out exceeded 12 miles. NOT!

Instead, drove up Jumbo Grade, parked at where the two roads intersect, and hiked up to Wakefield peak where I encountered a herd of horses who were between me and the cache. After navigating around them, I returned to the road, crossed a snow filled valley, and hoofed it uphill to the next cache. About this time is when I realized I was going slower than I had imagined and so I really pushed that last .3 of a mile - until I plowed through knee deep snow. 300 ft took me 10 minutes. Found the cache and then went as fast as possible through the snow, mud, dirt back down to the truck.

All in all, 4.3 miles in 3:30 hours.

Not bad for lugging the full pack around!

El Dorado Canyon

2010-03-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Been seeing this one cache out in this canyon I hadn't heard much about except from the serious off-road group. As it was right on the county line, I was constantly looking at it to see if it was in Carson City (and needed to clear the area) or if it was in Lyon and safe to ignore for awhile.

Oh stop it and just go get the darn thing!

So, I emailed a friend who'd driven down there and was told it was a Long flat road. So, no worries.

After my appointment this morning, I drove out there and went down into the canyon. I stopped when my GPS read 2 miles to go, figuring the canyon wound around enough to add some distance to that. Parked, packed up, squared my shoulders, and headed out!

WOW this canyon is beautiful and I'm stunned it took me this long to get into it!

Truly enjoyed the walk, and despite being a long flat road, the view was remarkable and the numerous stream crossings made it fun and peaceful. Got to the site, found the cache, and enjoyed my lunch just sitting there in awe of the place around me.

I know someplace to go back to, with more time to hike the whole thing.

Hot Springs Mountain

2010-03-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

First day of Spring Break, let's go!!

Started my hike off Vicki Ln. I tried shuffling around the sleeping bag, tent, and bear canister, but in the end left the overnight gear in the truck. Pack is heavy enough without it!

Started up the sandy road and just kept plugging along, knowing I wasn't trying to keep up with anyone nor on a time limit, so I just moved at my own pace and took my time to not overdo it. This is my first day with a full pack on.

Met some nice folks with two little dogs. The lady asked if I was camping or training for the Rim Trail. Both! So talked with them a bit about the guided hikes the TRT is doing this year. Bade them farewell and continued on.

My view of Hot Springs has always just been this jut of rock out in the valley. Kinda like Prison Hill. But once I crested the ridge, I was surprised to find an off-road playground, lots of hills, gullys roads, twists, and various peaks. I've so got to get back up here in the truck!

Watched a black pickup struggle a bit on the sandy entrance, before they finally came up and passed me to head into a gully to set up some targets - more on them in a bit.

I hiked up the ridgeline, following the road towards the cache I was after. I'd thought it was on an outcrop of rock, but no, turned out to be right on the top ridge with an awesome view of the valley. So I decided to eat my lunch while sitting there enjoying the morning.

weeee-zzzzzzz

huh? What was that?

BULLETS!!!! I dove behind a rock, sat huddled (and Twittering my situation) as several bullets came whizzing over the ridge above and around me. I'm convinced they were ricochet, simply because I could hear them and they were slow. But still! During a break, grabbed my gear and ran for it.

The detour around those guys took me past a herd of deer with one unhappy about my presence. I was shooed away by his head motion and continued huffing everytime I paused.

Stopped by the next cache, then followed the trail from the old mine tailings to the rock house ruin before heading down the ravine and picking up the next cache. By that time my feet were killing me, so I called for a ride and was taken back to the truck.

Yippee!!! I hiked UP and OVER Hot Springs Mountain!

Week of walks

2010-03-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Now that the sun is up longer after work, I'm going to start walking more.

Three days a week, flat level walks, two days steep climbs.

So, Monday Dad and I went out to Moffit Open Space, parked and walked along the bike trail towards a stage of my multi-cache to check on it, then circled back around the sewer and cut behind that through the open field.

Tuesday, I tackled the face of Lakeview Hill. Managed to get to the shoulder where the two trails on the top intersect and had a fantastic view of town just as the sun set.

Wednesday, Dad and I met to walk the bike trail along the freeway starting at Del Taco. We walked to Northgate (I think) before turning around and heading back to dinner.

Thursday I went up Prison Hill in search of a cool place to hide a cache and play around in the rocks some more. Different location than Fat Boy Slim, but still a scramble. Found an awesome cave, alas, it's too close to another cache to hide on at.

Friday I help a classmate, so no walking for me.

Huff-Puff into Standard Time!

2010-03-14T20:54:00.001-07:00

Well, this morning was bizarre. Time changes and electronic devices are always a pleasure.

Today we headed up to Prison Hill with a group consisting of "seasoned" cachers and newbies. Though, when I rushed over to McDonald's, I found a Big Truck in my way and the grinning wave from Greg greeting me. So the trip up to the trailhead was fun as I led, Greg was in the middle, and Tarry brought up the rear.

On site, it was time to head out to the warm up cache of Water Pressure. Apparently my hiking sticks decided they didn't want to play today, so those went back into the truck after the cache was found and it was time to hit the trail.

OH BOY! Wheeze! To say I was bringing up the rear is an understatement and I don't even want to know what pitiful trudge I was making up that hill (BTW the gpx file is from one of the newbies who was using my GPS). Finally lugged myself up onto the saddle and once I caught my breath actually made pretty decent time around the north loop picking up the caches as we went.

ALmost didn't make it the last little climb to the Prison Break cache, but got up there and even took pictures. Then it was a straight blaze downhill to Fat Boy Slim, probably the best cache around here for the sheer adventure.

Once on the rocks, I found myself in a wonderland of crevices, bolders, twists, turns, and cubby holes to squeeze into. While the rest went for the cache, Greg and I explored a ledge he was considering a placement on, and since I'm "the biggest rock monkey" he knows, I was asked to try getting out on it. Hurm, footholds, no handholds. Fail! BUT! Jill (the new cacher from last week) was down a crevice and while we were shouting back and forth, she spooked out an OWL! Who flew right over her head and right beneath my feet. WHOA!! AWESOME!

So Greg and I went to where you can look down into Fat Boy Slim and I got pictures of them replacing the cache and generally trying to squeeze back into the hole. My attention was drawn to the rather rough, jutting rocks that were between me at the top opening and the floor of the crevice. Hurm, I can climb that....

We swung around, everyone else chowing down on lunch and I squeezed my way into the gap, asking Greg to spot for me. The space was narrow enough I could brace my back on the back wall while I adjusted my feet and hands. Trouble came when the opening was smaller that it looked on the end with the available holds. With guidance and strength (where'd that come from!?) I pulled with one hand, pushed with the other, and lifted with one leg to squeeze through the opening that was small enough my belt clip was catching. Shove through that, slide over to a better foothold, pull up one final time and a WHOO HOOO!! I was once again standing on the top of the rock.

I may not be able to go caving that often, but GAWD I LOVE IT!

I was totally pumped and cheering myself for the toughest climb I've done (usually they're small rock faces, or boulders) and bounded down the trail to enjoy my lunch of sunflower seed nut butter and jelly tortilla rolls.

Back down to the road and the final cache, before piling into the trucks for the return home.

I know where I'll be going up to play from now on. AND I want to find a class on freeclimbing to know how to do it correctly so this Rock Monkey can really have fun.

One foot in front of the other.

2010-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Well, the weather is *trying* to warm up, though yesterday was BEAUTIFUL and today is downright freezing. ARGH, come on, make up your mind!

So on Wednesday the 3rd, I finally started working out again. Friday I got half way through the workout before Tarry called, which gave me a welcome excuse to stop as I was whipped! Tonight I pick up the weights again.

On February 27th, I was invited out to a guided tour of Hidden Cave and Grimes Point. I've been to the petroglyph site numerous times (though never tire of it) and have never managed to go on the tour for Hidden Cave. A short walk through the old shoreline of Lahontan Lake to the cave showed us more petroglyphs and a few shelters used in the old days. Then we crawled through the doorway of the cave and saw the preserved condition of an excavation half done so that future archaeologists can work the site with new techniques and technology. It was a fun day all around.

Then yesterday, I finally got to put boot on dirt and hiked the Lakeview/V&T Hill above the hospital. It's a 3 mile loop and for the life of me I can never do this in less than 3 hours. Add a new geocacher to the trip, who scored all 6 caches on that hill, and we took a leisurely 4.5 hours! Eek. But at least it was a great day, just cool enough to keep us moving and not overheat, and a bright blue sky and clear sunshine.

Next Sunday is a hike up Prison Hill, then the following weekend, I'm on vacation!! Come on snow, MELT! Help me do a warm weather dance, some on Spring!!

BTW:

I changed the MapSource *.gdb to a universal *.gpx file. Hopefully that'll allow it to be opened on a variety of mapping software.

Winter stinks

2010-03-01T21:49:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been cold, wet, snowy, rainy, and generally miserable.

I've done one walk down the southern line of the V&T, but that's it.

However, I now have 20 days before my Spring Break vacation.

MUST.... START.... EXERCISING.... NOW!!!

Indian Hills

2010-01-17T22:15:00.000-08:00

Whoo hoo!

What an awesome day! Andy swung by the house and we were on the trail at 9am. The goal was to head up and over the entire area of Indian Hills, picking up all the caches there. Studing the aerial image, the plan was to hike up to the top, circle around following the various roads to the south end, then swing up and along the eastern edge back north to the Yukon.

The initial climb up was as always, a steep huff-puff right up to the top. After that, we flew down the trail, occastionally stopping for a breather, but for the most part it was a long steady pull all the way to the south end. We stopped for awhile to decide which was the best approach and departure from that cache.

The views from up there were fantastic and we snapped many pictures, including a large panoramic of Eagle and Carson Valley together. Then it was up the old fenceline road before heading over and grabbing the three middle caches. At the second, we were greeted and amazed by the graceful soaring of a young Golden Eagle. Absolutely breathtaking!

The hike continued down the ridge and into the flatland below were we scored a few other caches including one that I had found evidence of despite being archived 7 years ago! Sweet!!

The last long pull to the truck was killer and just a steady climb. Andy started saying, "Look, Yukon do it!" Nice play on words and a great mtivation to get us up that final stretch to finally collapse into the truck.

5 caches for me, 6 hours 20 minutes, 7.2 miles! Longest hike so far this year! Now to recover and hope the storm doesn't bury everything for too long.

Jack's Valley again

2010-01-16T23:33:00.000-08:00

But this time it's with Andy and Jacquelyn! Tarry joined us later.

Today we struck out in getting on the trail early. A comedy of errors had us running late. But we were eventually on dirt and trudging up the hillside. Both Andy and I were wheezing up the initial climb while Jacquelyn just looked at us.

Eventually we got to the top and then the downhill slope towards the fork in the road. It was decided to head straight up to the highest point first and work our way down from there, rather than the lowest to highest approach of last week.

The going was tough due to the soft, loose decomposing granite. For every step up, we would sink and slide back. Got to a point where the trail petered out to a handful of cairns staked about 20-30 feet apart. I took the trail that ran up along the inside of the rock outcrops while the rest went towards the outside and a more direct uphill path. Oddly, we both ended up at the top of the trail almost together.

Then the steep part came. Very slow, very tough climb got us to the top of the rocky outcrop that overlooks the entire valley. A sheer wall of rock on one side and some fun, adrenaline pumping bouldering on the other side. In my opinion anyway.

After we sat and ate lunch for awile, it was back down towards the trucks. We bushwhacked it most of the way, until we found a road that none of us knew about. Afterwards it was a quick stroll to our destination and to the vehicles waiting for us at the trailhead.

3.2 miles, 5 hours 18 minutes, 1264 feet elevation change.

To the top of Prison Hill - kinda

2010-01-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

Really quick, if you look over to the left, you'll see a new link. There's the MapSource gdb file that I'll be uploading all my hiking tracks onto, so you can see the location, distance, elevation, time, whatever yourself. Let me know if that isn't working for you.

A new cache published last night and while I might have risked it for the FTF, trying it at 10:30pm at night was a bit much. So I went up right after work.

From the trailhead, I made a bushwhacking beeline towards it, straight up the hillside. That was killer. Eventually made it to the summit (though not the true summit of the hill, that is just over a mile south of where I was) and found the cache. The hike up was tough and took me many bursts of upward movement followed by long periods of huff-puffs. But I got up there and then followed an old road back to the saddle and down to the truck.

Per the GPS, 2.2 miles in 1 hour 13 minutes.

Hopefully I'm not too dead for tomorrows hike back up into the Wildlife area.

Prison Hill foothills

2010-01-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

Spent too much time at home goofing off (cuddling with the cat) and so by the time I managed to drive all the way to the trail head, it was getting quite dark.

Add to it that just as I parked, my friend called to talk, so my inital walking pace was a bit slower as my attention was divided between the trail and the conversation. Don't get me wrong, I love talking with friends, so I'm in no way complaining - or I'm complaining my hike was getting in the way of a good chat!

Anyway, by the time I hung up, I was almost towards the turnaround point I'd decided on. I walked from Koontz Lane to Clearview Lane along the fenceline at the base of Prison Hill. Found a quick cache before turning around and hiking back through some different roads. It looks flat, but there's enough of a rolling hill action to get my heartrate and breath a workout along with my legs.

GPS says 1.2 miles in 30 minutes. That's about average.

Slacker!

2010-01-11T22:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it was dark and cold and I wimped out - kinda!

Instead, I got a haircut and did my laundry. Afterwards, I came home and popped my free weight workout into the DVD player. I didn't get through it all (this one does a LOT of reps and I'm not that high on endurance, yet!) but I managed to get through a good portion of it.

So, I did work out, it just wasn't a hike.

Saturday and Sunday though I have plans and this time I'm going to be carrying weight!

Jack's Valley Wildlife Refuge

2010-01-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

So there's this area where half the year it's open to vehicles and the other half it's closed. That was, until last year, when the gates were reinstalled with heftier steel ones and a new sign was added that the area was indefinitely closed to motorized traffic.

Well, crap.

And sure enough, a mere week or so prior to this move, a new cache was placed up there. Just after I had cleared the area out!

So today, Tarry and I hiked up there so he could get all the caches and I could get that one. The ground was hard packed sand with a light mixing of rain so it was stable. And the fog was intense! 50 foot visibility at most! Up up up we went, along the numerous roads and then swung back before heading down again.

GPS (yes I got it working again, somewhat, haven't gotten the screen shots yet) said in 3:47, I went 3.1 miles.

Not bad for this hibernating turtle.

Pinenut Adventure

2010-01-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

So today I went and hung out with Greg, Elizabeth, and Matt. While fellow cachers, these folks are the ones that get out and play with their big 4x4s and I love riding along or hearing their stories.

We went out into Brunswick Canyon to go find a place Greg was calling "Lucky Canyon". He said when he brought out his big off-road rig to run it, the other guys said his Big Blue was "too nice". Eek. So we found it and hiked it today. I'd never take my stock 4Runner up there and these two were saying it was too tight for their rigs.

Nice scramble down a narrow canyon through rock spires and boulders. I loved making my way up the sides to the various holes and openings and then sliding back down to the canyon bottom. I want to go back up here in the spring when it dries out. I imagine it'll be downright beautiful!

Secondly, we hiked up to the final of Greg and Elizabeth's Adventure in the PineNuts multi. Another fun scramble straight up some rocky outcrops covered in snow. We eventually found the cache and it look undistrurbed so we left it that way. On the way back, I cut over to the southern most outcrops to try a non-snowy scramble, when all I encountered was a cliff! I tried inching my way down with a guide from the guys below, but I didn't trust my soaked shoes (even now, 7 hours later, they are still wet) to hold their traction. So I went back up and over and came down at a safer location.

Two mini hikes in today, feeling good, and hoping the rain will stop tonight so tomorrow I can power up to a cache above Clear Creek Road, it's called Two-Leaf Hakea and it's the last in an area that has a ton of caches and is either a serious hike or a fun off-road romp through the sand.

Fingers crossed! And I'm making progress!

More light, more hill!

2010-01-08T22:33:00.001-08:00

I can tell the day is getting longer. Got out of work and had enough light that there was no talking myself out of it tonight!

Changed into more layers and soon was back on the Lakeview Hill trail. It was still light enough that I didn't need to turn my headlamp on, though I had it with me for the trek back down.

Tonight, tried pushing myself a bit further. Instead of 40 step increments, I pushed to 60. Course, my lungs have recruited additional allies and my heart began taking up the fight from a different front.

However, the constant struggle did not deter me and soon I was looking down on Lakeview. Rested (a lot!) and then back down to the truck, signing a peace agreement with my lungs. My heart was having none of it and was constantly reminding me of it's presence. Once back to the truck I gave in and collapsed.

Round trip time, though?

20 minutes!! WHOOO HOOO!

I suck!

2010-01-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

I was totally sitting at the trailhead and just... couldn't... do... it!

I talked myself out of it (It's too dark) and so came home and worked out to the weight training video I had. 55 minutes later, I flop into bed exhausted.

However, I have bought the gym pass to the school fitness center for the semester and starting on the 25th, they'll be open to 8pm. No more complaining, it's indoors, lit,warm, and fully equiped.

I will not fail, I will not fail, I will not fail.

Slippery stroll along the Mexican Ditch Trail

2010-01-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Whoo Hooo, I'm on a roll! Day two! (It's a mini roll, but it's consecutive!)

I was joined by HikingPam tonight, and we set out along the trail not knowing what it was like. I hadn't been out here since summer, so didn't know how the snow/ice was, but what the heck? Can't be worse than Riverview.

The main trail was hardpacked and icy, so we walked along the edges where it varied from clear dirt, to ice, to soft snow, to frozen snow that left me feeling like Legolas walking on top of the snow. Plus the company of several dogs who either barked, trotted along with us in their yards, or yapped at us from across the ditch.

We started at the Moffat Open Space parking area and continued the 1.2 miles towards the end near Carson River Road, before turning around and heading back to the trucks. Here's a map of the area we went on (Just the blue and red trails) http://www.carson-city.nv.us/Index.aspx?page=1081

Not a bad time and took just over an hour.

Tomorrow is the rest day for both the work out and the walks (primarily due to a department meeting tomorrow night, but also because of class starting at the end of the month).

Now all I need to do is get my GPS to cooperate again to post the track on here again. Stay tuned!

The face of Lakeview

2010-01-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so my "resolution" is to get my butt up and moving. So far, I've been working out at home for two weeks and moving right along.

However, I can work out at home all I want and that doesn't help me to put one foot in front of the other. So, I've added a bit to my workout. Each night after work, I'm going to find some dirt and walk/hike/climb/whatever for an hour to get back into moving.

I started during New Year's weekend. On Friday, I hiked up Prison Hill and found the cache Fat Boy Slim. Nice little scramble and play around the rocks. The Saturday I walked up a gully to find Bern's new earthquake cache. Both of which left me feeling pretty psyched. Though on Sunday the hike knocked me out and I slept for 12 hours. Oops. hehehe

Monday I started specifically on my goal. I love the V&T trail, but being at night (sundown was around 5:30) I decided to stay on the light side of the hill, that being the southern face. Trouble is, this is a STRAIGHT UP climb. Ok, I can do this.

Set out and 40 paces later, my lungs were burning. Rest-rest-rest, 40 more steps, now they are protesting. Another 40, the revolt is underway. 40 more and they are fighting in earnest. Step out another 40, and all out war is declared. Continuing on with 40 step chunks, I fought my lungs and the gain and eventually stood on the shoulder of the hill overlooking both Carson and Lakeview.

Not bad, stood up there, congratulated myself, and booked it back down. 600 steps later, and a total of a half hour, I was back at my truck signing the peace treaty with my disgruntled respitory system.

Day one, DONE!

Watch Your Step / Hobart Road

2009-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

This one has been on my radar a long time, in fact its one of my "Am I ready?" hikes. So, today was supposed to be a group hike, but for one reason or another, everyone had plans. I'm on my own and I don't really want to hike somewhere I've been without someone who hasn't been there.

But this cache was right around the corner, and I think I'm finally ready!

So, parked at Lakeview and began the hike at 10am. I was txting Bill the whole time so someone knew where I was. While a pretty good climb, it wasn't so steep that it knocked me out and I was able to maintain my pace the whole way with only a few brief stops and one break after an hour.

Soon I was in the area that Google Maps said should be a trail cutting up the side of the hill. I missed that entirely in the snow, so bushwhacked across McEwen Creek and made a beeline through the Manzanita bushes towards the powerline in hopes of a road. There wasn't...

Instead, I kept the cross-country routine up and eventually ended up at the top. Just as I was about to snap a great picture; my battery complained it was low, my friend Holly called, and the camera all turned on. All that means, battery went dead.

It would have taken too long to hike back to the trail, I could see Lakeview below me and a rather gentle ridgeline going towards it, so I just stuck to the south side of the hill and headed straight. My only problem I had was when my foot slipped under the cavity below a snow-buried tree log and got stuck. Nothing happened, but that one moment scared me: I'm alone, I'm off trail, my cell is dead, and I nearly twisted my ankle. That changed my mood quickly.

Once I got to the edge of the mountain, where is just dropped straight to the valley floor, I cut back in hopes of hooking up with a less steep climb to the road below me. Pure dumb miraculous luck brought me to the top of the ravine and I simply stepped from one side of the mountain onto the road. I was giving a heartfelt THANK YOU the rest of the way down.

Very good hike and one I did manage to make, but while I may be physically capable of doing that, I'm not yet ready to tackle such things alone. I'll wait for my hiking partners to be with me before facing the Sierra again.

Total: 3.9 miles, 3 hours 14 minutes, 1173 feet

Ambush Rock / Prison Hill

2009-03-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

This one took three tries! But at least I got a good hike out of it.

Attempt 1:

Went out after work and hiked up from the Silver Saddle Ranch side, a first for me. Made it up in 40 minutes and spent too long looking for the blasted cache. Finally had to give up due to the sun setting and headed back down, hooking up with Bill, and heading to Reno before coming home.

Attempt 2:

Yesterday, got a call from a rather calm Tarry who just wanted to chit-chat. Turns out he was up here looking also! So we combined forces and hiked back up at 9pm under a full moon in a second try at this stupid little micro cache. He needed two other caches, so we made a loop of it, and then headed back to the trucks.

Attempt 3:

Just before leaving work, got a call from Tarry who had finally found it! He gave me a hint and I was once again on the Silver Saddle trail hiking as fast as I could against the setting sun to get up here and find this little bugger before it set. Sure enough, found it! Took pictures, enjoyed the victory and hiked back.

Totals:

1: 2.4 miles, 1 hour 32 minutes, 447 feet

2: 3.1 miles, 2 hours 54 minutes, 591 feet

3: 2.4 miles, 1 hour 17 minutes, 470 feet

Biking around

2009-03-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

No easy caches, so went on a bike ride after work instead. Just peddled around this end of town, and discovered that I really need to take the bike in for a tune up. Plus get my front break fixed and the rear one de-squeakified. It's irritating!

But I do want to get to riding my bike more often as my plan is to ride it around South Lake Tahoe and bag all the caches along Highway 50 up there. So, the bike comes out and I discover how poor of shape I'm in!

Total: 3.1 miles, 33 minutes, minimal elevation

A New Day Dawning

2009-03-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

Saw this one publish, but never had the time to go after it. Now with an extra hour after work, I'm so going to be taking advantage of the great weather and hour and a half of day left to me. So, when the chance came up, I swiftly changed clothes, drove out Clear Creek to the trailhead of Old Highway 50.

Hot-footed it up the old road, to the spot where the drinking fountain is (it looks like an old fountain that used to run on the road to Alturas, so that's what I call it!) I wasn't the only one up here, so finding the cache was easy. But it was an enjoyable hike in the snow.

Totals: .9 miles, 25 minutes, 146 feet

Stuck Up the Hill

2009-03-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Did a short hike to the cache Up the Hill simply cause the road got to the point where a truck wasn't safe any more. So, went out on foot.

Course the rest of the story is very humorous, but that's for another blog.

Totals: .6 mile, 34 minutes, 194 feet

Hiking and climbing Prison Hill

2009-03-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

Went out with Bernsports, BigTruckCrew, C&S Team along with Kinta. Today just absolutely rocked!!

We started at 9 again, as usual, and hiked up to the saddle. This time, we were after two new caches so our trek took us towards the south. The wind started picking up soon after we hit dirt, and I took advantage of the fact I had a winter facemask with me. That thing saved me from a major asthma attack!

At the first cache, Greg and I waited while the other two scrambled up the small outcrop of rock. However, after 15-20 minutes, my lungs were acting up again, so I scaled the rock like a lizard and had the cache in hand before they even realized I'd passed them.

Afterwards, we hiked to the summit where the wind was simply monsterous. Poor Kinta nearly was blown over and took all four feet to keep himself upright. We braved onward and down towards the S, while Bern took the time to pull out his pocket weather station. 27MPH wind gusts. Not bad.

Once down on the other side of the peak, we went over to the huge "S" for Stewart and began searching for the next cache. That took a considerable amount of time, but soon it was in hand and we were all off towards the trucks.

Aside from the wind, and in spite of it, today was a fantastic day to hang out with friends and find a few caches!

Here's the totals for today.

Total: 2.2 miles, 2 hours 16 minutes, 609 feet

V&T Hill with Bernsports

2009-02-21T23:09:00.000-08:00

The nice thing about having a hill with a couple caches? You can keep hiking it with new people and still manage to stop at the caches!

Today was with Bernsports and I'll add more to this later. But it was a great chance to get out and do some hiking before the weather turned on us. This Saturday was just beyond fantastic!

I love living in Carson!!

Totals; 3.4 miles, 3 hours 6 minutes, 701 feet.

Weather blues

2009-02-18T20:20:00.000-08:00

So, "winter" finally decided to hit. Been either a snow storm or downright cold since last hike. My new pack is sitting here getting dusty.

I'm hoping the weather will clear soon. Once it does, you can be sure I'll be back out on the trail!

Feel the burn

2009-02-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

Or pain, in this case. I'm taking the week off doing anything until my calves and this bruise heal up. Work is the only part that sucks. Thank goodness for elevators.

Voltaire Canyon

2009-02-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Hiking with Puzzleman and Big Truck Crew

So, I woke up with sore shins, sore ankles, and here I am planning on doing this again!

I've been up Voltaire before so knew that I could do it. We met up at the mouth of the canyon and set out. I being the turtle naturally and gimpy on top of that. We hiked up the level road that wound up the canyon bottom, a nice hard packed sandy trail. Reaching the first cache I waited while Puzzleman and BTC went up as my knee was acting up again.

Once past there we hit the paved area and the hike progressed evenly, stopping to give my lungs and legs a rest. Turning onto the side road, we headed for the second cache and cut off the road once it began cutting into the mountain and we took the shoulder of the hill. A brief snack rest while my knee and i had an argument and the guys proceeded on since I knew where we were going. They got up there first, nicely timing it so I was up there near the same time. The cache was found, then they went off to explore the GPS Earth Monitoring station. I took the time to get some bouldering in and scaled the rock face. Neither my knee nor my full backpack hindered me, only the hiking pole that I'd brought as a crutch.

Then we headed back along the ridge, hooking up onto the Jeep trail up to the next rise and the next cache. I was actually moving better but my lungs still needed rest as we climbed up the hillside. A quick cache find, another chat at the top, and then we hiked back to hook up with the next ridgeline that headed down to the road. A slight detour off that, and a insanely fun slide on my bum down the snow covered slope, and we were back on solid road heading for the rigs.

A GREAT day and one I'm totally stoked to have shared with good friends.

Total: 4.8 miles, 1159 feet, 5 hours 13 minutes (see, me turtle)

Hiking the V&T hill with Big Truck Crew

2009-01-31T12:10:00.000-08:00

Big Truck Crew overlooking Carson

So, after getting rained out last weekend, this weekend was nice enough to head out! Plus I've got all my new hiking gear that I just had to start conditioning with. Turns out though that Saturday morning, Puzzleman isn't available, and Sunday morning Bernsports isn't available. So, what's a wolf to do? Hike both days!

BTC agreed to come with me on this hike and we set the time and place to meet. Course I woke up too soon, sat twiddling my thumbs for awhile, before realizing there was still an FTF to be had up on Prison Hill (yeah, up there again!)

Boggied up there as fast as my lungs would let me, making it to the top in 20 minutes. Found the cache quickly and ran/jogged back to the truck to tear out of there and head over to the trailhead where BTC was waiting for me.

Total 1st hike 1.6 miles, 508 feet, 53 minutes.

Once I met up with BTC, we struck out along the old bed at a pretty good clip, me weighed down by my pack that honestly I didn't feel the whole trip. Reaching the joining trail, we headed up - I took plenty of rest breaks, but they have grown shorter lately. At the top, we followed the road, before turning up a steep climb that led us right along the ridge at the very top, eventually circling around and ending up in the boulder field on the summit. We stood and talked a long time before making our way down the face and going our separate ways.

Thanks Big Truck Crew for joining me today!!

Total 2nd hike: 3.3 miles, 656 feet, 2 hours 50 minutes (with 30 minutes talking)

Friends on Prison Hill

2009-01-18T19:36:00.001-08:00

Went back up to Prison Hill today. 4.6 miles in 3 hours, hiking with Bernsports, Puzzleman, and nvnatv. It was an excellent day!!

So at the event the other night, found out a few others in town have wanted to go hiking but needed partners. And here we all are!

Same hike up Prison Hill as I did before, though this time we added in a short jaunt over to the two caches on the ridge so my buddies could grab those. Then we came back down and headed out onto the trail to find the remaining two caches.

Started at 9, got back to the rigs just after noon. Great time had by all and I seriously hope the start of a weekly hike.

Total: 4.6 miles, 667 feet, 3 hours 17 minutes

Not being lazy

2008-05-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately - my new job is making it more difficult to take the hikes I'd like to. But now that the weather has turned and the hills are now green rather than white, I'm hoping that there are some successful weekend hikes ahead for me.

Right now, though, I've taken to going to the gym after work three times a week. Hopefully that'll get me ready for some serious trekking along the Tahoe Rim Trail.

Working loop

2008-04-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

My truck died - specifically the starter went out. So, I decided to take today to answer the question: "How long does it now take to walk to work?"

Answer? 25 minutes, give or take.

Not a bad stroll and rather enjoyable.

To School and Back

2008-04-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Needed to work on my GIS project, so thought I'd incorporate a walk into going over to the High Tech Center. Not a bad stroll.

Riverview Park

2008-04-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Another fun stroll, this time out around Riverview Park. Even had a good chat with a "old combat veteran."

Mill's Park

2008-04-04T18:46:00.001-07:00

Took a quick stroll around Mill's Park. I'll add details later.

Had some time after work before dinner with Dad up at TGI Friday's so another walk. This time, decided to go walk around Mill's Park before heading over to Smith's to grab some needed house stuff.

I like Mill's Park cause it's big and quiet, and in the summer, the cottonwoods are full and provide a cool canopy that you really can't get anywhere else around here. Again, we took a path that Bill hadn't been to before, so he got to see a new side of the park.

I commented that I like these walks as it get's us outdoors and gives us a chance to talk to each other without distractions. I'm completely enjoying this and can't think of anyone better to share it with.

Now to keep coming up with new places to walk as I really like his idea of heading someplace, grabbing a sensible reward before heading back.

Total: 1.9 miles, 55 minutes (with a stop into Smiths), minimal elevation

Firkin and the Fox

2008-04-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

I will start again! We walked down to the Firkin and the Fox, grabbed a drink, and walked back - stopping by a long-time psychic business to find rates... "Depending on what you're looking for, $65 up to $250."

Um, no thanks.

So today we just headed out the door after we got off work. Bill decided that we should walk somewhere and reward ourselves with a drink and then walk home. So we headed to the new restaurant, The Firkin' and the Fox. Along the way, we strolled up Carson Street and wandered through the Capitol grounds. Bill said it was his first time walking through there - I told him we needed to come back later when all the trees were in bloom, then again in fall when the trees turn.

Sat in the Fox's Den and he enjoyed his beer while I had my iced tea (his explaination to the waitress was I was driving home!). An easy walk back along the other side of the street and then home to a restful night.

Total: 1.6 miles, minimal elevation, 1 hour 14 minutes.

Prison Hill - short

2008-02-29T15:36:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd go out and get some time on a trail while the weather is absolutely beautiful. So, went up Koontz Lane to the trailhead for Prison Hill, intending to follow the path that I had last year.

However, I didn't even make it off the flat land before I began getting tired. About a third of the way up, I was stumbling. And at the halfway point, where a side trail connects, I just couldn't move forward. But I wasn't tired. I wasn't breathing heavy. I just couldn't go forward. I turned and trudged up the side hill, making a loop out of my mini walk today.

I've learned to listen when my body just says Stop. Even the wind wasn't wanting me up there. Who knows why, maybe nothing, maybe avoiding danger. Whatever the reason I came back and am now resting at home.

Strange day...

Total: 1.2 miles, 50 minutes, 300 feet.

V&T on Lakeview Hill

2008-02-26T19:54:00.001-08:00

Whoo Hoo, found a FTF today - details to follow.

So I decided to go walking today since most of the snow that fell the other day has melted. There was a new cache up on a hill that hath no name - so it's dubbed Lakeview Hill until I can find out something different. This is the hill that has the old V&T bed circling it's base.

Strolled out along the bed to warm up and get used to moving again - this was the plan anyway, but it sure beat trying to scale the hill straight up the face. I've done that in the past, and don't care to repeat it.

Found the spur trail easily (something covered in snow really isn't that hard to find). Followed it up to the top where the footprints I had been following turned into snowshoe tracks. Encountered a couple with their Labrador hiking north. Clambered up a small rock outcropping to decide my best course of attack and set off to round the canyon/gully/whatever I was facing and approach the ridgeline from the west.

Followed the now familiar footsteps through snow that at times came up to my knees. It was an odd feeling being that deep in snow, shoes and pant cuffs soaked and yet having my jacket open and sleeves pulled up. But once I made it to the ridge, the wind picked up slightly, and I was glad for the jacket and overshirt I had with me.

Along the railbed I had startled a single deer coming up from the golf course. Now, as I crested the ridge, I saw the herd that deer was joining. About five heads all turned towards me and massive black tipped ears perked in my direction. I pointed the way I was going and left them in peace.

The cache was - relatively - easy to find (some hint would have helped) but I noticed that my GPS batteries were dead, the cameras batteries dying, and the cell phone was a brick. This seems to happen more often than it should... Anyway, began the trudge back towards the truck, which was pretty much a straight shot down from where I was. About two-thirds of the way down, my knee began protesting quite painfully to the angle and I limped back to the truck.

All in all, a great day to enjoy being out in the snow. :laughs:

Total: 3.4 miles, 634 elevation, 3 hours 6 minutes (including cache hunting/signing/resting time)

King Street

2008-02-15T15:58:00.001-08:00

Today was both a success and a failure - I'll expalin why in a bit when I have more time while at work.

Tuesday and Friday, these are going to be my hiking days.

I started out at the house and headed over to the bank before making the turn and walking my way over to work to say hi to Bill before the real trek began. I walked down through the middle of town, looking at the historic portions that I've learned about through the Wherigo cartridge I'm supposed to be working on. Then, a turn onto King Street and a straight shot up to the waterfall.

Today was a beautiful day, with plenty of sunshine, a slight chill in the air, and a breeze that increased it. But, I was prepared with my t-shirt, overshirt, and light jacket. I managed to pluck along somewhere around 2.8 and 4.2 miles per hour (according to the GPS each time I looked down at it). I strolled along the business area, the residential, the school district, and out into the areas still ruled by farms. There the road began it's slow ascent up into the canyon. Followed a walking path that circled one of the new neighborhoods up there and found a bench at my 2 mile mark. Good place to stop and rest for a bit.

There it began to get slightly steeper and my pace slowed. I began to give myself mini goals of diveways. Course, these are diveways on rather large properties, so they are spaced away from each other. However, at the 3 mile mark, I was exhausted and had reached my timed mid-point. I sat ontop of someone's driveway boulders, ate my lunch, and began the walk home.

All in all, a really good walk and a great way to enjoy this wonderful pre-spring day. A very successful walk, even if I failed to make it to the cache.

Total: 6.1 miles, 410 foot elevation, 2 hours 56 minutes.

Off to Work and Bear Rock.

2008-02-13T01:51:00.000-08:00

I keep forgetting to update this when I go walking - so another two parter.

Today I begin my hikes again! Was contemplating going up after the final of Lori's Lookout but that was further away than I wanted to go straight out of the gate, so Bear Rock won out.

Parked off the end of Cherokee Dr off Jack's Valley Rd and eyed the well defined dirt road that crawled straight up the hillside. Well defined normally by loose sand today by fluffy white snow.

Trudged up the road, sometimes crisscrossing, sometimes just plowing straight ahead, always trying to move forward and up. Verified on Google Maps that the road did lead to the cache.

I'm in such poor shape that it took me 2 hours, 20 minutes to get up and only half hour to get back. Maybe I should blame that on the steepness? But I did make it, my legs only shaking a little bit on the drive back home. And I'm thinking tomorrow may not hurt as much as I was dreading.

Total: 1.9 miles, 900 elevation, 2 hours 56 minutes (took lunch at the top)

Beginning in February

With the weather being so nice, I've taken to walking to work. Now, its no longer the several mile stretch that I was doing, this is around a half mile. Somewhere between 8-10 minutes between here and there. But, done twice a day it'll add up in between the bigger hikes that I do.

Freel by October - that's the goal.

Total: 0.4 miles, no elevation, average 8 minutes, 3 MPH

A stroll around town - a tale in parts

2008-01-18T21:30:00.001-08:00

This is actually a two part log as my first "hike" I didn't quite realize I was going to do the whole thing.

Today I decided, since it was a nice day, to take a walk. But I really had no goal in mind. So I just walked straight from my house and intended on seeing where I ended up. Turns out it was a walk to the post office. Then I was trying to decide if I wanted to meander my way over to 5th street and see how long it really is, or head over to the freeway and stroll along the walking path that runs along it. The freeway won the coin toss and so I struck out towards it.

However, when I got to the high school, my knee began acting up as its apt to do - especially since I haven't really walked anywhere in months. So I turned and headed back to the house.

Not a bad little stroll.

Total: 3.6 miles, minimal feet, 1 hour 27 minutes.

January 15th, 2008

I was testing my new Wherigo cartridge and it failed miserably. But since I was walking the trail anyway, might as well get the proper coordinates for the locations I wanted to feature on the tour.

The Kit Carson trail is a great little walk that winds its way through the historic section of town, with houses and buildings dating back to Carson's earliest times and most-notably the Comstock era. Amazing houses - and when I get my tour up onto the site, I'll post a link on my main blog.

Don't get too excited about the profile. As is always the case when I walk through town, it's never really that interesting.

Total: 2.6 miles, minimal feet, 1 hour 40 minutes (due to numerous waypointing and picture taking).

Couch potato

2007-12-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's been a long time since I even set foot out of the house. Needless to say, it is now December, snow was in the air yesterday and today. Hiking is going to have to wait until the weather returns to normal.

Its been so long since I went walking that I feel come spring, I'm going to have to begin all over again in my goal. So, heck, I now know some great areas to go for a walk!

My goal of hiking Mt. Rose has been completed. Freel Peak still sits out there, waiting for me to stand upon its summit. The Tahoe Rim Trail has shown me that it isn't a tough as I feared.

I can do it, I will do it, and soon I'll have some amazing hikes under my belt.

Mt Rose

2007-07-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

I DID IT!!!!

Okay, so a couple months back I asked Abe and Randy if they wanted to go with me up to Mt. Rose. At a whopping 10,776 feet, this was no simple walk in the park for me, and at a little over 6 miles in, was going to be one of the longest hikes so far. But I was willing to try.

We met at Galena Creek Park and Randy drove all of us up. We all stuck together, me doing a fair job of keeping up, until the trail began angling upward. Abe and Eph both waved farewell and the speedy rabbits raced ahead of Randy and me.

A slow, steady trudge got us into some of the most beautiful landscape I've seen. The height gave us sweeping views and the sheer size of the Sierra drawfed everything else. Eventually, as the switchbacks took us up the backside of the peak, Randy's dog Mister became my encouragement as his leash was strapped to my arm. Four-legged friends are great pullers!

Finally we came over a rise and Randy, behind me, states "There it is!" We were at the top, a bare peak (literally) of rock slabs. Very little wind, a handful of other people, and a great acomplishment to this couch-potato.

If you had told me four years ago that geocaching would enable me to stand on top of a mountain peak that I didn't even know where it was, I would have laughed.

I'm still laughing - because I made it.

Total: 12.3 miles, 2072 feet, 9 hours 30 minutes.

Snow Valley Peak

2007-07-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

Well, noble Reader, if you remember back when I decided to take a long walk up the Tahoe Rim Trail and come back via North Canyon Road - I came across a decision... to take North Canyon, or continue on to the cache up at Snow Valley Peak? That day, I went North Canyon, today I went Snow Valley Peak.

Confirmed that my average speed along the TRT is 2.0 mph, as my 30 minute, 1 hour, and 2 hour break points all lined up again at the same areas. This time, after 2 hours along the easy part of the trail, I headed up to the peak. Thought originally that this was a spur trail, but it is in fact part of the TRT itself. Hiked up and out of the forest to the alpine ridge covered in low-growing plants, one of which smelled really good, but I don't know what it was. Loads of wildflowers all over the place. Only other hikers were a pair that was heading back while I was having my lunch and one hiker that was about 100 feet behind me just as I came up into the barren mountainside and when I stepped off the trail to let him pass, he was gone. Wierd....

Once I found the service road that headed up to the towers on the peak, the grade increased so where I was huffing and puffing quite a bit more than I had been (9000 feet is up there). Evenutally made it to the cache and then walked over to the peak to find the register. Someone had built up a cinderblock "seat" that faced Eagle and Washoe Valleys, but it took me about five minutes to realize that the seat housed the coffee cans! Had my lunch up there and hiked back home.

Now, a note on the graphics. My GPS decided it was hungry for batteries today. It ate through 6 of them! Even before I reached the service road! So, the graphic is only one way and towards the top is a rough guess on where I walked. I do know that it took me 2 hours and 50 minutes to hike back out, but that is not included in this total.

Recorded Total: 5.8 miles, 1970 elevation (incorrect), 3 hours 50 minutes
Guesstimate: 11.6 miles, 6 hours 40 minutes

Steamboat Hills

2007-07-06T15:10:00.001-07:00

Mamma Gravy and I set out to do our weekly hike. However, today was in the 100's, so we opted for an easy stroll to grab a few multis that we both needed.

So that explains the wonky track log, we were bouncing around looking for the various stages of the two caches we were after. But, with the heat and the constant movement up through the hills, we did manage to get a workout.

Not much to report on this one, just no shade and a lot of sagebrush.

Total: 2 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes (mostly stopped at the cache stages), 270 feet

Slide Mountain

2007-07-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

So, up pops a new cache on Slide Mountain and I figure, why not try to beat Randy up there? After some research into just how to summit Slide, I discover that there's a service road that leads up from Mt. Rose Campground - neither of which I knew how to get to.

Once I found the campground and bugged some other hikers for $5 (all I had was $10s and $20s) I walked up the moderately steep, sandy road. Took about an hour to get to the top, where I was treated to views of Washoe Valley and the Truckee Meadows and a whole lot of Tahoe. Absolutely beautiful up there.

The hike up took about an hour, and back down was about 20 minutes (to show you how steep it was). I took about an hour to find the cache, mostly due to my unit being 30 feet off consistantly and trying to identify what a tower is.

Total: 2.3 miles, 3 hours, 750 feet

Tahoe Rim Trail to North Canyon Road

2007-06-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

Um, felt like walking.

I'd done this route before, though only to the point where there's a cutoff down to the North Canyon Campground.

The first leg of this walk was along the Tahoe Rim Trail at Spooner Summit. I'd done the first 30 minutes of this walk numerous times but only once before gone further. I found a cool Vista spot after an hour and was able to enjoy my lunch overlooking Carson Valley.

After 2 hours, finally made it to the cutoff and was left with the choice of continuing on to Snow Peak and a cache, or going down to North Canyon Rd. Since I like loops more than in-and-out trails, I chose to do Snow Peak another time.

Enjoyed the second half of my lunch at the North Canyon Campground, very quiant, and booked it back down the road since I didn't know really how far it was back to Spooner. Once I passed Spencer's Cabin, I discovered that my water was gone (well not gone, but the bits left were still frozen). So, upon finally seeing the dam at the lake, I hoofed it into the picnic area and a thankfully working faucet. Filling up the bladder, I swung around the lake to the climb back to my truck.

The only thought that was consistantly in my head was "I'm doing this!" And I did it - with time to spare as I made it back before I had to go to work.

Total: 9.3 miles (!), 1300 elevation, 4 hours 22 minutes

King's Canyon Road

2007-06-25T00:54:00.000-07:00

I slacked off way to late today and didn't really have time for a decent walk. Instead, i headed up to King's Canyon and hoofed it up the road.

This is the site of the major wildfire in Carson, the Waterfall Fire, though I opted not to hike to the waterfall since a couple of other people pulled up and went up that way. Instead, I hiked up the road itself that, eventually, leads to Spooner Summit. But I wasn't going that far.

Unfortunately for me, my heart just wasn't going to cooperate. After about 5 minutes, I kept having to pause simply to let my pulse slow down. I think I was taking one step for every six beats and I was keeping a steady pace.

Hopefully my heart will cooperate on my next walk.

Total: 1.8 miles, 500 foot elevation, 51 minutes.

Spooner Lake

2007-06-24T01:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, my foot is feeling slightly better, so decided to go do a really mellow easy stroll. The best place on a hot day like today is Spooner Lake!

Parked at the TRT Trailhead, which was packed! Hiked down through the aspen groves and made my way counter-clockwise around the lake. The lake was almost Tahoe blue today and the weather was superb. Met several others who were hiking clockwise (I think I was the only one going against the grain) and met them again on the back side of the lake.

The cool thing was that I didn't stop until just before I'd hiked back up to the TRT, the steep hill got to me and I had to huff-puff for awhile. But I didn't do the usual stop and check my email thing.

Total: 1 hour 12 minutes, 500 elevation, 2.8 miles

Oh crudcakes

2007-06-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

I think I've hurt my foot.

Had a dull ache on my right foot after coming back down from Ophir. After Hobart, the ache was a throbbing stab on the outside edge of my foot, right at the back of the arch. Work stunk because I couldn't really bend my foot.

Then I tripped and my foot rolled outward as I tried to catch my balance. Good for those around me that I tend not to verbalize pain that I'm feeling, though I'm sure my face went beat red.

This morning, I couldn't put pressure on it at all. Going to ice it down and keep an Ace bandage on it to see what happens.

Hobart Road

2007-06-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

On the west side of Lakeview is the access point for Hobart Rd. Back in the Comstock era, the whole sierra was laced with various roads leading to numerous parts of a massive water system. Much of it is still in place, though greatly modernized. So while this road is open to motorized traffic, that traffic must be displaying the NDOT insignia. In other words, Joe Public needs to walk and yield right-of-way to the state vehicles. But we get to benefit from hard pack dirt roads.

On my hike up, apparently NDOT is clearing out old brush that could fuel a fire. Course, this means that about 1/3 up into my hike, a State Parks truck pulled up beside me and warned me of the 6 other BIG trucks coming up. Also kindly asked if I wanted a ride up. Any other day I would have accepted and hiked back.

So, while this hike was short in distance, it took longer cause I was standing on the side of the road waiting for 10-15 minutes.

Total: 1.8 miles, 332 feet elevation, 1 hour

I also found a nifty feature on Mapsource which will tell me this info and at what elevation I started and peaked at. So that explains the change in the Profile graphic.

Lower Ophir Trail

2007-06-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it took me awhile to get back on my feet because this week has been insane. But, Bea and I went out again this morning.

Took the Ophir Creek Trail that begins at Davis Creek Park and continues all the way up to Tahoe Meadows. We didn't go that far. But we did do fairly well for two people who haven't really been doing anything in the last week.

Ohpir Creek Trail is a mildly steep route that winds along the base of Slide Mountain before climbing up to connect to the Tahoe Rim Trail and the eventually the trailhead to Mt. Rose. We managed to get 2 caches along the way (Bea got three) and enjoyed a great picnic lunch in the granite boulder field that lies about 2 miles up the trail.

All in all a very good day, now I just get to see what my legs feel like tomorrow.

Total: 5.0 miles, 1000 foot gain, 4 hours 53 minutes.

Virginia Range / Huffaker Hills

2007-06-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today was actually a two hike day - the first with Mamma Gravy, the second on my own.

First, we decided to head up into the Virginia Range again, this time trying for some caches scattered along the west side of the range. Though our goal was the five up there, after we discovered the old mining road we were on petered out (leaving me to foolishly scale the old waterfall), and then discovering that the other side didn't connect to the east side, we instead came back down through the gully and worked out way back to the truck.

A lot of uphill, downhill, sidehill, and some questionable game trails explain why the track is rather tweaked, but it was a GREAT hike and I'm glad we were both able to do it.

Total: 4 miles, 1045 foot elevation, 4 hours, 51 minutes

Second hike was me trying a theory that in the end panned out. I hadn't written down the final coords for a challenge cache around here, but was able to use clues, pictures, and a whole lotta luck to get to it without the GPS. But, I did get a good second hike out of it that went from well maintained trail, to burnt out hillside, to "Why am I doing this?

Had a great view from the top of the hill I was on, and in the end felt good about myself for making it up there on my own. Though, i did discover that once I got back to the truck, I'd drunk a full 2 3/4 liters of water. My poor camelback was bone dry even with the second bottle I'd dumped into it.

Total: 2 miles, 230 foot elevation, 1 hour, 50 minutes

Recon's Revenge

2007-06-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

Since we have a Jeep event coming up next week, figured I'd try for the only known Yellow Jeep Travel bug around - so it's off to Recon's Revenge.

Unlike everyone else, I'd found the road that was .25 mile from the summit, though the 400 foot elevation difference was nearly straight up. But I managed to hike up with little problems until I got near the top.

I was feeling overheated - so took off my hat, drank lots of gulps of my cold water, and hung out in the shade, letting the cool breeze take care of things. But when I stood up, I could feel my eyes wigging out (everything took on a yellow tint) and I was feeling almost nauseous. Sit back down, NOW!

Rested awhile, trying everything I knew to cool off. Not sure if that was the problem, but within a few minutes I was able to get on my feet again and summit Rose Peak at 6200 feet.

Total: .6 mile, 430 foot elevation change, 1 hour 16 minutes (a long time spent at the DNF)

V & T rail bed

2007-06-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

On the north end of town, you can see the old railbed where the V & T used to head over Lakeview Hill and north towards Washoe City. It's now a hiking trail with little difficulties. A few places the boulders from the cut outs have fallen onto the road, and one section has ben reclaimed by the vegetation that survived the wildfire.

Also a good place to really push it to see what my endurance is. So, after getting my new textbook from the college, I drove over to the start of the trail and began walking towards the freeway. Nice walk, even with the frigid weather that has settled on the area. But the sky was beautiful!! I love a day after a good rainstorm.

Total: 3.1 miles, 100 feet elevation, 1 hour

Rock Climb

2007-06-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

See what happens when I change my schedule? Argh, I have to get walking again.

Decided to go after a cache that's been sitting on a hillside for a short while with only one finder. The description read it was a 4x4 drive up before a steep hike. Sounded good.

Parked on the loose decomposing granite and hoofed it up the .3 miles to the cache. Scrambled over a lot of the tall granite spires until I found my way to the cache. Unfortunately, the battery went dead at that time, so all my info is just on the way in.

Incomplete total: .3 miles, 350 foot elevation, 37 minutes

Taking a break

2007-06-02T22:31:00.000-07:00

Whew - yesterday kicked my butt. I've been stretching all day and drinking water to try and rehydrate, but man.

So, we just wheeled today and explored some new roads. Other than that - I just slacked.

Tomorrow, I'll pick up walking again.

Eagle Canyon

2007-06-02T00:45:00.001-07:00

Bea and I felt adventurous. So, we went after the 5 caches in Eagle Canyon. This is a predominent canyon visible from pretty much anywhere in Reno.

Large boulders, steep sides, and numerous old waterfalls makes hiking up this tough on every part of your body, but especially your ankles, calves, knees, thighs, and hamstrings.

Bea turned back at the Eagle's Nest cache (bout half way) and I continued up to the top before turning back and heading down again.

On the way up, my GPS kept losing signal, on the way down it locked in and tracked the whole way.

Great news though is I made it and only suffered jello legs once I as half way down the canyon. We stopped at a shady rest area and I just laid down for about 5 minutes before making our way to the truck. Now I get to see just how much of this I'll feel in the morning.

Total: 2.5 miles, 975 foot gain, 5 hours 27 minutes

Walk to work

2007-05-31T22:55:00.000-07:00

Walked to work again - mostly because I slept in too late to do anything else. Though this will be the last walk to work for awhile, my schedule is changing to early mornings... well, maybe I can make it 9am instead of 8am... I'll have to think on it.

Also walked home, which is a first. Normally dad picked me up to go out to dinner or whatever. But now it's finally light enough and warm enough for the stroll home. Decided since it was such a nice evening, I'd cut through Mills Park, hence the squiggle on the track log.

Total: 4.9 miles, minimal gain, 1 hour 33 minutes

Hobart Reservoir (First trip)

2007-05-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

I really did mean to go hiking today - honest.

I was looking through Muscle Powered's online bike trail map - I saw a road leading up into the mountains that read "Motorized Traffic Permitted".

Huh? So I went to explore, yeah, me and dirt roads. My truck found the access point, and I began to climb - and climb - and climb - and see a young buck - and climb - and WOW what a view of Washoe! - and climb - and climb - and read a sign that says Hobart Reservoir Parking Area.

So I parked where I was told and gave myself a 1/2 hour to hike down to the lake and then back to the truck. The first thing I experience is the STEEP drop down. Okay, time adjustement, 10 minutes in, 20 minutes out. Those 10 minutes got me close enough to see the blue water through the trees, but then I had to bail.

Steep down means STEEP up. According to the profile, in .04 miles (read that - Point Oh Four) I desended and ascended 200 feet! Crud.

Total: 0.9 miles, 300 foot change, 30 minutes

Walk to work

2007-05-30T01:26:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to walk to work. While not a difficult walk - it is just going right down Hwy 50 to the center of town - it is a long walk and one that I have to maintain a fairly steady pace if I'm to make it on time.

Especially since I was talking with Lynn as I was heading out the door - great way to begin the day. Going for a walk and talking with a friend.

Ended the day by walking up to Dad's office, which was even better since I took the Division St route instead of just hoofing Hwy 395. The other perk, there's a small hill on the north side of town, which you can see the road climb. Both Carson and Nevada Streets do this - but Division does not. I haven't been able to figure that one out.

Now despite what the profile looks like, the total elevation change was a whopping 100 feet, so don't get all excited.

Total: 3.7 miles, minimal gain, 1 hour 31 minutes.

Goni Road

2007-05-28T22:04:00.001-07:00

Goni Road really isn't all that exciting - but it is effective as a route up to McClellan Peak.

Plus, it's a rather straight forward steady incline up, no little dips or small hills, just straight up.

Total: 2.1 miles, 400 foot gain, 55 minutes

Prison Hill

2007-05-27T23:32:00.001-07:00

Needed to walk - needed desperately to walk.

Thought a quick walk up Prison Hill would be to trick. Originally planned to just hike to the saddle and come back hour, easy hour of ascend and descend.

However, once I got to the saddle, only 20 minutes had elapsed. So I kept going... and going... and just decided to keep on going and see where the trail led.

The funnest part was the one section to the north where all of a sudden I just started running - and kept running until I ran out of breath. That was GREAT! I RAN!

Total; 3.3 miles, 500 foot gain, 1 hour 25 minutes

Silver Saddle Ranch

2007-05-27T23:26:00.001-07:00

Silver Saddle Ranch wasn't much of a serious hike, though it did get me out walking on dirt.

Had to do a quick maintenance check on my cache out there and to rescue a Travel Bug that's been hanging out far too long.

Quick .75 mile hike out - though I think the GPS goofed (hence the funky dot way out where I never was). Afterwards had a long chat with Lynn about the upcoming event.

Didn't map out total time.

Deadman's Creek

2007-05-27T23:17:00.000-07:00

And so it begins:

Invited Mamma Gravy and Nicole along for the hike - we tackled this multi cache that's been sitting on my Nearest Cache list for awhile.

It turned into a hike that was more than what we all throught. Fairly steep at the end, but we did manage to make it to the summit of Nine Hill.

Total: 3.6 miles, 1000 foot gain, 3 hours 45 minutes.

Why?

2007-05-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

I was challenged by BroncoCacher that if I can get in shape by my trip to Vegas in November, then he'd lead me up to Charleston.

MooseMob brought up the point that in November, Charleston is covered in snow.

That still doesn't change the challenge, get in shape by November.

So this will track my efforts - mostly hikes that I attempt and hopefully succeed at.