Various Hikes & Runs – Q4 2021

My usual notes on silly runs and bikes and whatnot. Of no possible interest to anyone. So, you’ve been warned.

Xmas in Colorado / New Mexico

Spent the end of the year in CO and NM with SL. Need to do a better job tracking, but here’s to an injury free 2022!

Nov 27 – Skyline with Huy (5:39)

New item by Shawn Butler / Google Photos

Nowhere near our old pace, but impressive for Huy on recovery from breaking stuff and me with broken rib and whatnot. Energy recovered nicely after electrolyte gels below traverse (good to remember). No other gus or gels.

Nov 26 – Short Test Hike

Nothing fell off, so…

Nov 25 – Black Star to Crest (9)

So windy!

Nov 24 – Nix Loop MB (7+)

Fun but for stupid rocks 🙂

Nov (Mid) – Hikes and Stuff in Boulder

Great times with family and friends…

Nov 15 – Short MB w/Injury

Tweaked muscle in my back. I assume from stretching and PT yesterday. So…well, ouch.

Nov 13 / Lizard + T&A MB with Jim

Chill ride. I’m still a wuss on rocky downhills 🙂

Nov 12 / Nix Loop MB (7+)

It was 95-100 and I had no water or food, but things held together and injury seems less injurious.

Nov 11 / Nix MB ???

Just didn’t care. Hot, dusty, tired. Rode a few miles and then went back to car. Leg seems mostly better.

Nov 9 / Little Sycamore Hike (3+)

Leg seemed okay on climb and initial downhill, but then nope. Hmm. Seems to be downhilll / shin related strain. Back to resting.

Nov 8 / Nix MB (5ish)

Took it easy. Leg seemed mostly okay? Will find out tomorrow.

Nov 4 / Santiago Jog (5+)

Just jacked myself up somehow. Shin/calf, quad, hip and Achilles. Fine on way out. Not so much on way back :(. Odd.

Nov 2 / Lizard Emerald with Mike MB (?)

Fun cool sub-one-hour ride with Mike. I sweat a lot. Also, I’m never going to be Alberto Contador. Otherwise, fun.

Nov 1 / Little Syc Loop (4+)

Fun little jog w/o much pain, but Achilles felt a wee wonky… 🙂

Oct 31 / Willow-Bend Loop MB (5)

Quick loop b4 meeting Huy for lunch and movie. I really need to replace my rear tire at some point (very little center tread left).

Oct 28 / Santiago TT (5+)

Freakin’ 90 degrees, but nice mellow (hot) jog on still deadish legs…

Oct 26 / Bend Loop (5+)

Feeling a little sluggish, but 0:25:15 to the top and 1:02 for the full loop. Faster time likely due to Colorado acclimatization. Legs super tired.

Oct 16-24 / Various Colorado Hikes w/Fam & Friends (NA)

New item by Shawn Butler / Google Photos

Nothing serious. Fun times in the mountains. 🙂 This included Manitou Include with Shannon on 19th, which was awesome. Drove 18+ hours from Denver to Irvine on the 25th via Ouray-Silverton, which was beautiful…but tiring. Grateful for cop on way to Denver who didn’t ticket me (Thank you!), and irritated at rocks who assaulted me windshield 3+ times (grr).

Oct 13-14 / Grand Canyon R2R2R X (42+)

New item by Shawn Butler / Google Photos

Crazy experience unfortunately ending with usual and very bad bonk. Much to remember here, but I do wish I could figure out the stomach issues. Some quick memories:

• Started 6:20 pm right before sundown, so spent most of the time hiking in the dark with waxing gibbous (60%) moon, so okay light until NK canyon. Didn’t really mind the dark (first time on NK), and the quiet was very peaceful. Twisted both ankles a few times, but nothing serious.
• Saw more deer than ever before, and several bighorn sheep on the way back SK. Didn’t seen any people after upper SK until around 5:30 am near the box on return, then a bunch of packs as runners headed to the north rim. Envied those who could run; they looked so damned perky 😉
• Very energetic until return to pump house, where stomach turned and body crashed. So, 7:40 or so at easy pace for R2R, then bonk at pump house around 3:30 am after half burrito on way down (related?), which means it took me nine hours to go from pump house back to SK trailhead arriving 12:30 pm after long slog of a climb. This is an idiotically bad pace. Without bonk, time would have been closer to 15 hours. Legs weren’t even tired, and I was never really out of breath except after bonk.
• Water was on but frozen at NK trailhead (around 20 degrees), so good to remember for future reference.
• Golden-orange leaves on snow near Supai Tunnel were gorgeous in the headlight, but couldn’t capture with camera.
• Free random breakfast of eggs, sausage, pancakes at Phantom around 6 am (?) as they had excess. Pretty nice.
• Drove from GC to Tuba City after hike (and food from Yavapai store), but just couldn’t keep eyes open after that. Stay at nice but expensive Hopi hotel.

Thought about doing again on return trip from Colorado, but didn’t have the energy or interest. Need to figure stomach thing out!

Oct 12 / Stage Coach Putt-Putt MB (5+)

Just loosening the legs up.

Oct 11 / Bend Out-and-Back (3+)

All the bits seem okay. Achilles 90%, hip 80%, back meh. 🙂 I think 25:20 to the top, 41:20 RT, so moderate pace no problem.

Oct 9 / Black Star Motorway Loop (26+)

New item by Shawn Butler / Google Photos

Did this for the first time in June 2020 in 4:07. Repeated today in far nicer weather in 3:33. Really a nice ride. Had to walk a few sections (legs just pooped, honestly), but the rain helped the roads (no dust or loose dirt), the temp was perfect and the downhill was really chill (I’m definitely more comfortable on the bike now). Only things off were (a) dozens of camo-wearing hunters out for quail or something (b) lots of dudes with trucks (c) obvious trash and off road activity and (d) a minor concern about being shot…but never even heard gunfire. Odd. Mike would like this ride. Tracking.

Oct 7 / Little Sycamore Loop (4+)

Jogged most of it. Nice weather, Achilles goodish, back meh, pretty good overall. Time was 51:25, which is a good if not best time? Not sure.

Oct 6 / Lizard Emerald with Jim / Mike MB (10)

Great ride. One of those days when I randomly feel good and have no idea why. PB&B sandwich? Magic? Good time.

Oct 5 / Bend Out-and-Back (3+)

Legs still feeling tired, so just up and down hill. Need to stretch and work on back flexibility. Otherwise, mostly okay.

Oct 3 / Weird Hikes with Kam (12?)

Met Kam at Baldy, but her Achilles was jacked from too much volunteer energy at the SD 100 yesterday (I think), so did most of Ice House to saddle, then went over to Manker to do service road to lodge. Very mellow time. Beautiful weather.

Oct 2 / Black Star to Radio Tower (16+)

Not a bad ride. Got my breathing together. Times not terrible. Never really felt too tired. Nice change. Tracking

Other Stuff

• Q3 2021
• Q1 2022 (TBD)

Peace.