Labor Day weekend !

Got in a Birch Lake swim early this evening after working at home today, second with Janet in as many days. Interesting how we can train our bodies to improve and become more efficient, even one this old :-). I look forward to each workout, exactly the reason I starting performing in tris, I have always enjoyed those 3 activities and having a few planned races givves a person motivation to stay at it. I am now conisdering snowshoe running this winter, hopefully we'll have snow to cooperate, so I won't havge to head north too often.

The upcoming weekend looks relaxing, Jeff has a football game Fri in Isanti, then Sat morning is yogalates class and may get a longer roadbike ride in, after that......some grocery shopping inclusing a new DVD player, rent some movies and relax. I bought some new hiking boots, to find once at home that they aren't quite right, so will return them, plus pickup a few things for the following week's trek to Isle Royale. That trip should prove many great photo opportunities and should be quite an adventure. I have most gear needed, but need to fill in a few items, rain tarp, added food, and new hiking pants.

Another Day in Paradise !

This weekend's adventure was a group hike on the SHT, 6.5 miles, about 20 or so showed up on a gorgeous day, as the nights lengthen the temps are dropping. This hike has some fantastic overlooks, the Poplar River valley and Caribou Lake (pic above). Caribou Lake is the lake I try to swim each time I go up that far north. After the 4 hour hike the water felt very refreshing, and exercising the arms after all of that leg work was a welcome change.

I left later Fri afternoon than planned, getting into one of the Finland campgrounds as dark was falling, the severe storm warmings that were being issued turned out to be very little wind or rain. It is extremely dry in the area and they can use the rain. The next morning I met a friend for breakfast and made the 10 am hike, Lutsen to Caribou. The hike leader was an interesting lady to visit with, her and her husband co-authored one of the BWCA guidebooks that we have used on our BWCA adventures. Their first edition was in 1978. We had no trouble swapping BWCA stories as we swept the hike, helping a person who was having some serious blister trouble, discovered a new use for ducttape !

Afterwards, I ventured north and hiked into the campsites I maintain. Along the route a young man came up behind me and we started talking, he and his family had hiked in the prior night, starting well after dark, they used flashlights and went into one of my campsites, taking 2 hours for an hour trip. Ambitious of them as they had never been on this section of trail prior. Earlier that day they can out and were now heading back in for another night.

The nearby Little Brule River was bone dry, not even any pools of water, confirming the online reports I have been reading. A "trail angel" had placed gallon water jugs of water at each site for those seriously short of water upon arrival.

I am constantly amazed at how a short time in the woods can cleanse me, phsycially and spiritually, refresh my soul. After a campfire, fighting off a bear or two, a pack of wolves, I slept 11 hours, so I guess that it is not too tough to figure out that being in the woods is where I am meant to be, and this time of year the 40 degree temps make for perfect sleeping conditions. 34 in Hibbing last night.............Fall has arrived !

On the trip home, I had time for some North Shore sightseeing, stopping at Palisade Head, had been by many times but stopped for the first time. Just when you think you've seen the best lake views you find a new one ! Standing on top to these cliffis on a crystal clean day overlooking the lake I could easily see the Apostles to the east, bringing back many great sailing memories. These cliffs are known as a good rapelling spot, and there was a group there today.

Enjoy your week!

Wednesday - Humpday

Looking toward the weekend...yeah ! I am planning on a trip to the North Shore and a Superior Trail Hiking Assn (SHTA) guided group hike Saturday morning, from Lutsen to Caribou Lake on the SHT, it runs basicclly from the Duluth area to the Canadian border. I have hiked this stretch many times and look forward to another trek. This section Trail follows the Poplar River, has a fantastic overlook of the Poplar River valley, and then skirts Lake Agnes, a gorgeous lake with no homes on it's shores. Total length is 6.4 miles, a nice day hike and I can finish with a lake swim in my favorite North Shore lake to swim in, Caribou Lake.

These group hikes are enjoyable because whoever shows up also loves hiking along the SHT as much as I do, and they are usually led by an informative naturalist, who explains all the different types of trees, vegetation, birds, geography, tells ya how to fight off bears, ect. Group sizes vary with weather but seem to be 20 - 40.

Afterwards, I will head to my 3 SHT campsites that I volunteer to maintain along the Little Brule River, about 30 miles further north on Hwy 61, north of Grand Marais. I usually clean out the firepits with a scoop, check the latrines, pickup any trash (altho there is rarely any as most that use the Trail are very clean campers), cut back any brush or grass that has overgrown, and cut up and pile firewood. It really isn't very involved or time consuming, very rewarding work to know I am contributing to helping the SHTA maintain the trail and sites. I also clean small brush/trees along the Trail on my hike in and out. Once home the SHTA has a website that all volunteers report into, stating any problems, necessary major repairs, or other issues the SHTA should be aware of. The SHTA is a non-profit that manages the Trail relying mostly on volunteeers for alot of their funding and trail, campsite and trailhead maintenance I park and enter the Trail at Judge Magney State Park, and on the Sunday trip back south, yes again can hit Caribou Lake for another swim.....I have come to love lake swimming this summer, logging many miles of open lake swimming. May also have a late lunch with a friend before heading on back home.

It looks like I will have one mroe work trip to Dallas before the end of our fiscal year on Sept 30, after that we rarely have travel funds for a month or so. I found a great hotel near our client there and it makes it comfy to return to the same place, becoming familiar with that area and the local roads. Travel from the airport to hotel is fairly easy once one figures which routes to stick to, and knowing the flight schedules helps.

Nice to hear from Mom and Dad last night from Branson, they got brave, and bored, enough that they decided to make a short trip down. Dad sounded excited on our 10 pm phone chat, late for him.

Oh yes....happy looking guy in the photo huh? Jeff took this pic after my last Tri 2 weeks ago, my bike and gear in background. This is what it looks like when you finish near the back of the pack, after most others, an empty parking lot...oh well the goal is not your time, but to finish, right?

Jim

Malawi....Southern Africa

Yesterday, Bryan made his decision to accept the Peace Corps offer, in late September he'll head to Malawi, in southern Africa. He has been told to not expect to live with electricity and possibly in a tin roofed building, he will teach secondary school students ( high school) with class sizes of 50 - 100, possibly without books, and maybe with classes held outside. A life changing experience without a doubt. The volunteer commitment is 27 months, 3 months of training and 24 months of work.

I am getting in good workouts after the triathlon finish a week ago, tonight got in a 60 min open lake swim with a friend and yesterday made it around our local lakes, 10 min warmup and 45 min steady run, good solid steady effort. Tomorrow will get in a bike ride, probably after the workday, working at home.

This picture is from our BWCA trip earlier this summer, at the trek's end, before heading home.

Summer's end is nearing

First blog entry, I will work on adding pics, hoping this will be a good way to share them, I enjoy taking many on my trips.


It's been an interesting year with many enjoyalbe travels. The year began with a Christmas trip to visit Joletta and Mom and Dad in Corpus, a sprint distance triathlon in Buffalo, MN ( took 10 min off last year's time on the same course !) my first olypmic distance (3/4 mi swim, 24 mi bike and 6.2 mi run) tri last weekend in Spicer, Minn, Jeff and I went to KC to cheer on the Twins (first night in snowstorm !), many trips to Des Moines including July 4th weekend and the annual family reunion, many trips to the Sup Hiking Trail along the Minn North Shore as guided group hikes and solo, BWCA with both boys (finally got all 3 of us there together), Bryan and I Amtraked to Juaquetta's in Spokane, and work trips to Little Rock and Dallas. I am planning a group hiking, backpack camping trip with others to Isle Royale in mid September and then Branson with Mom and Dad in October, and shorter backpack hiking treks to teh Sup Hiking Trail, unsure of work trips as funding gets dicey this time of year, ending our fiscal yr and beginning a new one Oct 1.

I met many interesting people on these adventures and have created some very enjoyable and rewarding new friendships.

I hope you all enjoy my tales as I relay them to you on this site !

Take care and enjoy what's left of your Summer, and Fall ! :-)



Jim