Training Log Archive: Swampfox

It was the kind of day where you step outside and, then, you step right back in. And, then, you go over to the CD rack and, then, you pull out "Second Helping". And, then, you go straight to track 8, the one track not written by a member of the band. I keep blowin' down the road!

But I went biking anyway. And, then, running.

While I was running, I thought a little about how I keep stumbling over cwalker. I vow to learn, but it takes time. Of course when you--or at least when I--think about that, how can you not think about "Carol", by Chuck Berry? It completely stuck in my head, and even the breeze could not blow it out.

And, then, that of course made me think about Frank Beard of ZZ Top, who, despite his name, is the member of ZZ Top who doesn't feature a beard of length and texture that would have made any Civil War veteran proud. And you know what Frank Beard says about that? He says: "I'll grow me a beard when Chuck Berry does." The thing I like about ZZ Top is when they speak, they speak plainly, and it does not matter if they are speaking about Francine, La Grange, or when Jesus just left Chicago.

Don't believe me? Too bad. Go find your own breeze to run in!

C • plainly 7

By early afternoon it was already clear there would be no mapping today--too much breeze. The sign on the interstate warned of 45+ mph gusts, and in retrospect the part that needed emphasis was the "+" part.

But for running? Not so bad. You just lean a little bit more one direction or the other and if you have to run straight into the wind, you just bend over and tell yourself "if the antelope can do it, I can do it."

I ran an old Daze course at Pelican Bay. No problems as long as I stayed concentrated; of course with orienteering that is one of the key things. When you lose your concentration, you're probably losing time and you're in danger of losing a lot of time.

Pelican Bay itself was brimming with water. No pelicans though, not this time, anyway. Except for on backslopes and certain drfited areas, the snow was largely gone.

A bike pedal broke while I was out riding, for the second time over the past year. Went to the bike store for "mo pedal". Hopefully the new ones will last 25+ years like the original ones did!

Ran up at Happy Jack after some mapping. There was much melting underway, but much to go before the trails are clear. A few of the ski trails were groomed this morning, and it looked like a grand total of 3 skiers had been out by late afternoon. Maybe today will be the last day of the season? Many gaps.

Out at Remarkable Flats where I was mapping, it turned out that overnight myriad pasque flowers had popped up and were blooming! Beautiful. They're one of my all time favorite wild flowers.

While mapping my last pair of Compass Needle pants suffered a long, fatal gash down one thigh. I'm not even sure what it was--maybe just an especially sharp edged wisp of wind? They were too baggy to be great O' pants. I always felt like when I was wearing them I was wearing scrubs. But they were perfect for mapping, with the extra pockets my custom pair had. RIP.

This was the first day where it really felt like spring. There were some BBQs underway in town, and here and there folks had the lawnmowers out. I saw a bee buzzing some hyacinths, and an ant was scurrying around busily on someone's sidewalk. Birds were chirping at 5 am. All solid signs of spring.