Once every couple of millennium or so an event so mind boggling and unimaginable happens that no one would believe it. But I am here to tell you every word you are about to read is the pure unadulterated truth! The Commander bought herself a road bike! I never thought I would see the day, but once she test rode it, it seemed she was hooked. She's taken it out on a couple rides and is building her stamina and endurance, and I am looking forward to getting a chance to cruise with her as she glides along on her lean, mean, black and blue machine, which I will henceforth refer to as Bruiser. I'm looking forward to seeing what this dynamic duo will do together!

The Commander and Bruiser

     The Commander's not the only one getting out there though. I headed out to Desolation Wilderness recently to do an overnighter at Lake Aloha, with two companions. It was their first time ever backpacking and they handled it like champs! The whole hike in we took in the amazing views. After we set up camp we swam in the lake, jumped off a small rock, and even spotted a small water snake. We explored the nearby granite slabs and took in the wonder of the surrounding peaks. Clouds moved in and thunder occasionally rumbled, and it very lightly sprinkled sporadically. During the night I stood beneath the sky a couple of times to take in what I could of the landscape. I was surprised how bright it actually was considering the cloud cover and the moon being about half full. After I made my way back to my tent I quickly drifted to sleep, head full of the wonders I had seen.

Lake Aloha basin

     The next morning we decided to take a side trip on the hike out to see Lake of the Woods. Our route dropped down into a small canyon before descending to our destination. Though small, the canyon was beautiful in it's way. Granite walls climbed above us on both sides as we made our way through the vegetation filled arroyo. Once we got to the lake we had to do a bit of cross country hiking and route finding and, at one point, wade across some shallows. After some team work we eventually picked up the trail again and admired the alpine setting. We soaked it all in, enjoying the ease of having a trail to follow, before we began the ascent to the trail we hiked in on. As we neared the trail head the clouds grew thick once again and the rain began. It was actually pleasant and helped to wash away some of the trail dirt. After we got back to the truck, talk of future trips quickly ensued. All of which I will keep you informed about, my dear readers.

Lake of the Woods

     As with most overnighters, it felt like I was gone for longer than I actually was. The temperature was a full twenty degrees hotter than the area we had left. It didn't stop me from running when I got back though. Yup, despite the fact it was 94°F and I had just returned from backpacking. Enough of that though, I don't want to keep anyone waiting too long for what I know is everyone's real reason for reading this blog: THE SELFIE OF THE WEEK! It's a special one this week too! It's number 26, meaning I'm halfway through my year long project and you only have another six months of looking forward to seeing the weekly portraits of my visage! Please, don't be too sad about it. I am sure you can all guess where this week's installment was taken. 

Selfie #26

     Until next time my beloved readers, I encourage you all to get out there and experience this awesome planet, and to remember this blessing by the original monkey wrencher

 

     This last weekend I headed out to Cache Creek with a couple of friends for two days of adventure and spectacular scenery. The first day we decided we would raft the infamous wilderness run. I had done this particular stretch before several years ago with a lot of unfortunate mishaps so I was really looking forward to trying it again and having better luck. No dice. Things did go smoother this time around but the narrow river combined with swift water and lots of strainers made the first 2.5 miles sketchy at best. Things got a little better at the confluence with the main fork of Cache Creek but there were still several strainers we had to contend with. On one of the banks we became wrapped around a tree, the water keeping us firmly in place as branches and grape vines entangled us. I decided to turn the tables on one of these vines and entangle it. It was anchored upriver from us, so I chose to grab onto it and pulled mightily to free us. Yes, I used a vine to rescue us.Thus was born the legend of Jungle Dick. Back to the story of our heroes and their daring escapades. One of the crew got a sizable, but not too deep, cut on her arm. I myself fell out in a very shallow part of the river and almost had the boat run over me. We saw a dead opossum floating next to a child's pink flip flop in an eddy. We also spotted several turtles basking in the sun and a great blue heron periodically blessed us with it's presence. Finally, after seven hours, continually dropping water levels, and twenty two miles we reached camp. Dinner that night was spectacular, a smorgasbord in fact. Cheese, crackers, smores, and the highlight, BBQ bacon cheeseburgers! There were lots of stars visible in our pleasant campsite and we were all grateful the day turned out well. The main thing I took away from this experience is that WE WILL NEVER DO THE WILDERNESS RUN AGAIN. Yes, the scenery was great and I am glad I did it, but just like a couple of bad dates with a beautiful person that has a grating personality, you have to make that tough choice and know when things aren't going to work out and move on.

 
      I awoke the next morning to find I had a visitor in my tent, a small tree frog. It waited patiently by the door and even let me pick it up to put it back outside. We broke camp fairly quickly and got ready for another day of rafting, this time doing the shorter run from the Bear Creek confluence down to the Rumsey bridge. It was a much more enjoyable day and we saw lots of other boaters, whereas the day before we had seen none. And, oh yes, IT WAS THE SUMMER SOLSTICE! The longest day of the year! We decided to take our time and enjoy the journey. Soak in everything around us, pun intended. We even found some river loot, one of those water canons you stick in the river and then shoot the water at whatever unsuspecting target may wander into range. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the day.

     

     At the take out we inspected the Bold Venture and realized it had taken a significant amount of damage, most likely inflicted during the previous days battles. So some repairs will be coming very soon. Again. But you know what? It's part of being able to get out there and enjoy this great state of California! Seriously, it's an amazing place. We have mountains, beaches, an ocean, great cities, quirky little towns, huge trees, every type of person you can think of, one of the main hubs of entertainment, some of the best national parks in the country, and a vast amount of possibilities that can lead to anything happening at anytime. It can be crazy and intense, but that's just one more thing I love about my home state. The Beach Boys have a song letting the world know how awesome the women here are. I really do love this state, so it boggles my mind when people talk shit about such an incredible place. So here's one of today's lessons: if you are not happy where you are in your life YOU CAN CHANGE IT. Don't like California? Then get out. Go to where you want to go and stop bitching and let the rest of us be happy. In the mean time I'll be enjoying the plethora of experiences California has to offer.

    

     Here's one of those experiences now! The Selfie of the week! Taken on the first day of summer while rafting, very close to the take out, it expresses the joy and elation of making it through two more days of wonder and excitement in this mysterious thing called life.

Selfie #25

     Until next time dear readers, think about what you don't like about your life and why you haven't changed it and then realize

     I have been continuing to make choices to increase my personal happiness, leading me to be more carefree and lighthearted than I have been in months. This has lead me to think more on that topic I touched on last week, namely success and how it may make you happy. I'm still working on what success means to me personally and, while I still don't have a complete definitive answer, I can tell you one thing that will mean I am well on my way to it: a urinal in my house. Ladies, I cannot express in words the sheer joy of never having to worry about weather the seat is up or down but you guys know what I'm talking about. There's just something a little special about going in a urinal. And to have such a symbol of civilized opulence in my home would surely mean I am at least halfway to success. Of course the additional bonus is that when I have company and two people need to pee at the same time no one would need to pee in the sink.

Someday all my dreams will come true

     Speaking of happiness and success, I saw Jurassic World this week. I was really excited to see this movie as I am a fan of the franchise and dinosaurs in general. As a quick aside, let's not forget we are NOT the original residents of this planet we call home. This movie did not disappoint me at all. From the very first moment I enjoyed it. I would recommend watching Jurassic Park before going to see it though. There are a few references to it and lots of easter eggs for fans of the original. There's even a message to the movie. It examines how in the last few years, in this technological age and time of the 24 hour news cycle, that too many people have lost their sense of wonder and the view that if something happened more than five minutes ago it's already old. Yes, I know this is a big summer block buster, but it's also the reason that big screens exist. So go see it already!

The park is open...

     I sincerely believe one of the reasons I have been happier of late is that I am continuing to get outside, albeit currently only for day long excursions. It's enough for now though, to go on these adventures. To experience this world we live on. Whatever the conditions outside I go forth, as you all should, Don't be intimidated by the naysayers who will proclaim it's too hot, too cold, or that you are crazy for straying away from your domicile. Those people will make any excuses they can to justify sitting on their ass at home. I say to you all that you are better than that! Get off your duffs and live! Go find your happiness and your moments of woohoo! Along the way doubts may creep in and you might want to make your own excuses as to why you can't do this or that thing. Ignore them! But don't ignore this week's selfie! It was taken while on a recent ride when I was finally actually taking a small bit of my own advice and finding a moment of joy, experiencing things I may never experience again. This week alone I saw a family of turkeys laying in the middle of the bike path, rode in 100 degree heat one day only to ride in the rain the next day, and saw the joy on the face of an 85 year old woman as she found a small pine cone on the ground. None of which would have happened if I stayed home.

Selfie #24

     Until next time my valiant readers, if you find yourself still struggling with excuses cloaked as reasons about why you shouldn't do something that you actually really should do remember

     It's been an amazing week with lots of things going on, happening, and coming together. There was the recent anniversary I had with my bicycle, eight years and over 36,000 miles together! As with any relationships there have been ups and downs, times we didn't always get along, but mostly things just seem to roll along just right. And while we have both gone through some changes over the years we always stick together. Here's to you my trusted ride! I look forward to a continued lifetime of adventure with you!

     I had a pretty decent trail run this week as well, with my primary run buddy. Despite that feeling of being done with running I have somehow managed to run 20 miles already this month. I have found that it does help when you are running along scenic trails, taking in the sights and sounds of nature while discussing the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything.  Still though, I'd rather be riding or rafting.

Trust me, this is funny because it's true

     I had an actual rest day recently! I think it has been several weeks since I took one. Granted, I didn't sleep much the night before and I had to do a lot of errands, but I still count it as one. I went to visit my grandmother and took her for a walk in her wheel chair around the neighborhood she's living in. She's actually starting to like going outside and see the flowers, birds, and trees. I'm pretty sure she is wishing she had spent more time appreciating the outside world before her condition deteriorated to the point it has now. There's a lesson there for everyone! Afterwards I headed back to Folsom, where thunderclouds began to move in and the heat was oppressive. As I drove home the temperature dropped nearly fifteen degrees and the rumbling started in earnest. Visible lightening strikes happened a few times and it sprinkled a little. And for the first time in a while I was actually okay with not doing any physical activity.

     Soon enough though the rest day was over and it was time for back to back days on the South Fork American River. The first day was the full length from Chili Bar to Salmon Falls. It was the first time for one of my friends and she handled it like a champ! There was another ascent of the bridge pillar and a snack stop at Gorilla Rock, where thunderclouds like the previous days moved in swiftly overhead. The mixing of the sounds of rapids and thunder were an experience I won't soon forget. The thunderhead loomed above us the rest of the trip, sprinkling down upon us occasionally. A great blue heron graced us with it's presence, taking flight about fifteen feet from us as we passed it. It also happened to be D-Day so I of course assaulted the ears of everyone on board with my small store of World War Two jokes. As we were taking out and packing up the lightening began to strike and the water droplets came down a bit more, adding that fresh rain aroma to the air. A perfect end to the day.

Troublemaker

     Day two of rafting was a slightly shorter trip, Coloma to Salmon Falls. One of my trusty co-pilots was aboard for this trip so we chose to R2 it most of the time, once again allowing the ladies to kick back and enjoy the ride. I sat in the front for the big stuff and got soaked. I won't lie, I laughed manically like Geoffrey Rush entering the maelstrom in a certain pirate movie. We came close to flipping in Hospital bar but in the end managed to stay upright, though we did get parked on the valet rock. I hopped out, pushed us off, then hopped into the current to catch up to the freed boat. We even managed to score some river booty, a Nalgene bottle and a short cam strap. A small haul to be sure, but to a pirate a small amount of booty is better than no booty!

Hospital Bar

     And that brings us to the next day. But let's back up for a second. I recently rode the Folsom South Canal Trail to it's end. After realizing that it crossed over highway 16 an idea for a route to ride popped into my head. Which brings us back to the present. Despite the weather forecast saying it was going be 98 I headed out. I followed much of my previous ride, at least to highway 16. Once I got to the highway I was pleasantly surprised to discover how wide the shoulder was for much of the way on the route I was taking. Although there was heavy traffic at times the scenery was much better than I was expecting and the small towns had a certain charm to them. Along the way the temperature steadily increased until at one point the thermometer on my bike computer read a little over 112. Toward the end it was a bit of a struggle, but I pressed on, rested when needed, and eventually made it home. I ended up riding 77 miles, and yes it was tough at times, but I am thankful to be able to do such things and have these experiences.

     This ride is also responsible for spawning that thing that everyone looks forward to every week: THE SELFIE! I'm totally hot in this week's selfie! Okay, I'm only hot because it was sweltering out. Anyway, enjoy!

Selfie #23

     I've still made time to see a few movies in the theater the past couple of weeks. they've all been pretty good, in their own way. Fury Road is great if you want to see a chaotic, all out action movie. Tomorrowland has little bit of everything, comedy, action, optimism, and it will make you feel guilty about seeing Fury Road. San Andreas is pure disaster porn, but done far better than anything else in it's genre that I've seen since Twister. There are more than a few scenes that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Weather you see one or all of them, bring your own snacks.

     Onto a more serious topic. I've been thinking a lot about success. What does that mean? How do you know when you have it? Is it like porn, in that you can't define it but you know it when you see it?  Is it having millions of dollars? Is it having everything you have always wanted? Where does personal happiness factor into success? I have been pondering all these questions and far more lately. If you, dear reader, expected some solid answers I am afraid I must disappoint you in that regard. I am still figuring it all out myself, but my recent ponderings have finally lead to a decision in my current career to no longer pursue a certain course I was set on. And although I am not sure exactly where I want to go from where I am at now, I know where I don't want to go. That's it for this entry, so until next week I want you to keep this in mind:

     It's now June and bike month is over. I'm not usually very competitive but something brought out an ambitious spirit in me this year. I juggled in the top three spots for my team, actually attaining the number one spot a couple of times. I rode more than I ever have in a single month before, surpassing my old record by over 100 miles. My final count for May is 908.4 miles. Obviously I rode quite a bit, but I still did some other things as well. I ran over 40 miles, went rafting a couple of times, and went hiking as well. All this physical activity has got me thinking, reflecting on trips I have bailed on in the past. Why did I cancel them? It's certainly not because I wasn't physically capable. I have a really bad habit of making up bull shit excuses in my mind as to why I 'can't go'. This is the next big obstacle in my life I have been working on, pondering on the reasons why I hold myself back. There are more than a few that when I hold them up to the flame they are shown to be what they really are: feeble excuses. But if there is anything cycling has taught me is that the hills in front of you are just a challenge to overcome, and as long as you keep going, you will get over them.

This pretty much sums up May

     One of my favorite rides in May was my return to the Folsom South Canal Trail. As you may recall, dear readers, I attempted this ride a couple of weeks ago and couldn't find access. After doing some research on the internet I discovered where I could hop on the trail. It ended up being a bit longer than I expected, but it was an experience. I was almost accosted by Canadian geese that were protecting their young (and got offended when I called them ducks), saw a plover fly into a fence, and got ideas for future rides. It was also the ride where I took this week's selfie! I hope you are all ready for the latest installment in my self indulgence!

Selfie #22

     I'm continuing to lose interest in running again. I am sure that spark will come back before too long, but cycling, as usual, is how I am finding all those awesome moments of woohoo! I am sure everyone has their own special thing that evokes that rush, that feeling of exhilaration, that makes you want to loudly proclaim to anyone and everyone WOOHOO! So go out there and do what it is that makes you happy, go pursue and embrace your woohoo!

What's yours?

     So until next time my blissful readers, get out there and do what makes you happy because