Scree - August 27 - September 2, 2010
02SEP10
A neighbor up the street was standing on the curb talking to her son as he got in the car. He was driving on his first solo. She stood and just watched him drive away. It was a touching moment.
On the lighter side... you know Jake is a golden retriever and a great dog; but this dog in the video is pretty amazing. You have to watch this.
01SEP10
I still have not learned how to use "cock a snook" in a sentence; but I am trying!
A gunman took hostages at Discovery channel. He was killed. I hope he really thought he was doing the right thing. I just don't watch the channels when their programming tastes differ from mine. But, if there is one more reality show, it might push me over the edge. Maybe there could be a realty show about that!
In Montana these goats were stuck on a bridge for a couple of days. It is a good story. They were rescued.
In Tennessee, the state wildlife agency wants to allow hunting the once endangered sandhill cranes. I just don't see the sport in that. I guess in Tennessee (my home state) you just have to be able to shoot something.
31AUG10
I spent all day, except for running and walking times, updating cloudhiking and Metro to Mountain. There is a new Support page and links to REI where we are now an affiliate. Please support our sites by clicking the REI link before you go to REI to shop. Thanks.
So evidently mushroom collecting is a dangerous business. Eighteen folks died collecting the fungi in the last 10 days! Evidently the mushroom collectors venture out onto wet slippery slopes and fall. Very tragic.
Gino Cornelli, head of alpine rescue, told La Repubblica newspaper: "They do the opposite of what they should. Too many cock a snook at the rules, and unfortunately this is the result."
I guess you should not "cock a snook" at rules!
30AUG10
In an interview in the Boulder Camera - Mike Knotek, director of Renewable And Sustainable Energy Institute - said that if you want clean energy you have to use land. In other words it takes land for windmills and solar arrays. It also takes land for mining. So I guess the tradeoff is do you want to have clean energy that uses land or dirty energy that uses land?
Another article in the Boulder paper was about climbers putting up a new route on the Diamond (a Longs Peak face). The article was fine, I just loved the last line - "can we go sport climbing now?"
I have been walking Jake each day after running. Amazingly it is a great cool down exercise. I have not had any aches or pains after running. I attribute this to my cool down walks. Jake just likes to walk.
29AUG10
Over in the Smokies, it's one of the few places in the eastern United States where black bears live in wild surroundings. There are about 600 in the sprawling park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
"People look at the black bear as a symbol of the wilderness," said Bob Miller, a spokesman for the park. "They are the biggest and most charismatic wildlife in the Smokies. And the cubs are cute just like little teddy bears.
"Bears have great expressions, and are very busy and resourceful.
"When people come into the visitors center, the first question is where is the bathroom and the second is where can I see a bear. It's the high point of most visits."
From a Tennessean article - "State boasts bears, ducks, mules, walking horses"
I wonder if they tell the visitors where to find the bears???
Speaking of bears, in an unofficial Park popularity contest by Coca Cola, Bear Head Lake State Park in Minnesota is beating the Smokies by over 500,000 votes. I say let the bears vote.
Jon and I went for a trail run. It was definitely more fun to sweat on the trails of the Park than on the streets of town.
28AUG10
Diane, Amy's mom, visited us in the afternoon. She brought over her special guacamole dip for Amy. Amy ate it all, smiling.
A disturbing article on Channel 5 News, "There will be no charges filed against the driver who hit and killed an 18-year-old Nashville girl on Gallatin Road last winter, despite investigators concluding he was driving at least 80 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone."
It was a pedestrian, hit by a car.
Pedestrians must be alert.
Drivers slow down and focus on driving - not the phone, music, texting, the mirror, food, or drink. Driving is a serious business.
27AUG10
I woke early and finished my Journal entry by 0900. I was headed to the Nashville Public Library to listen to the President's Outdoor Initiative.
I rode my bike to the meeting and naturally was a little warm when I arrived. They gave me a generic name badge. I soon saw almost everyone other than me was dressed in business attire. I was wearing a Patagonia t-shirt. Oh, well - they probably did not ride a bike to the meeting.
Senator Lamar Alexander was present and I am assuming was the keynote speaker (there were a lot of speakers!) He is a champion for the environment.
The listening sessions lasted forever. Our group was dominated by special interests wanting more access to the Wilderness and Park lands. Personally I had trouble trying to figure out how the Off Road Vehicle clubs and duck hunting clubs promoted the Outdoor Initiative; but I guess you are sort of outside.
An interesting article from Edmond, Oklahoma... Bicycle laws were being reviewed and updated trying to use Colorado's Laws as an example. An odd note at the bottom of the page, "Violations of the ordinance causing serious injury to a bicyclist carry a $500 fine."
I was trying to decide if that nominal fine was supposed to be a deterrent. Perhaps the web page would be a good place to sell an advertisement to bicycle wreck ambulance chasing lawyers, too.
We went out to dinner with Jon and Laura to our new favorite Mexican restaurant, La Fiesta. Dahlia waited on us. She remembered Jon's name from the last time he was there, a couple of months ago! It was a good evening.