If the whole train engineering career doesn't work out, he can always pursue the medical field. 
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Elliot update
Today we had our first Occupational Therapy session in almost a month. We had vacation, then our OT had vacation and then it was school break. Anyway, the delays he had that were secondary to his vision are no more. He has been making up for lost time and I have zero concerns about his development. He is not doing the traditional hand-knee crawl yet, but he is very proficient in his belly crawl and is all over the place. He is sitting up great. He is just doing everything you'd expect at this age. I was kind of hoping we could stop doing OT altogether, since finding a babysitter for Noah is hard now that school is in session. She agreed he's doing great and if evaluated now wouldn't even qualify, but doesn't want to stop so soon after his surgery. So for now, we'll keep it up. I will take and post a video of my man doing his belly crawl this week.
We see Dr. Olitsky next week for his 6 week follow up. I am confident his vision will pass with flying colors. He does have a red area in his inner right eye that kind of has a small bump on it we noticed a few weeks ago. I emailed a close up picture of it and he mentioned three possibilites, none of which are anything to worry about in his opinion. So while I'm not worried, I am anxious to see if it'll ever go away. Also, sometimes his right eye will water and seem irritated. It isn't often or too bothersome, but I'm curious what it's all about.
Here are some pics of my cutie pie, sporting his new longer and curlier hair-do
We see Dr. Olitsky next week for his 6 week follow up. I am confident his vision will pass with flying colors. He does have a red area in his inner right eye that kind of has a small bump on it we noticed a few weeks ago. I emailed a close up picture of it and he mentioned three possibilites, none of which are anything to worry about in his opinion. So while I'm not worried, I am anxious to see if it'll ever go away. Also, sometimes his right eye will water and seem irritated. It isn't often or too bothersome, but I'm curious what it's all about.
Here are some pics of my cutie pie, sporting his new longer and curlier hair-do
Monday, August 24, 2009
Bribery material
Hudson was playing at our house the other day, when I went to put Noah on the potty. I was changing him out of his pajamas and into his clothes (which is why he's not wearing anything). Well since Fric was going potty, Frac decided he too had to go. Which was good, since Frac really did have to go. Fric escaped before I could dress him as I'm urgenty getting Frac on the potty. Then Frac made a quick escape and they were running around like crazy bare butt boys. So funny! 
Gerber called and they want their baby back
But, don't tell them that's not Gerber babyfood he's eating. I steamed and pureed some fresh garden green beans for him. He was so-so on him, but loved feeding himself. Thank goodness for Grandma's awesome bibs!
I love his silly expressions.
His serious model face - heehee 
And the moneymaker smile :)
Sorry for the picture overload, but seriously, is he not just such a beautiful baby? I can't get enough of him. And he is just as sweet and lovable as he looks <3
I love his silly expressions.
His serious model face - heehee And the moneymaker smile :)Sorry for the picture overload, but seriously, is he not just such a beautiful baby? I can't get enough of him. And he is just as sweet and lovable as he looks <3
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Cooling Down
By the last day of vacation, everything started coming together. Noah got some rest and got acclimated, Elliot's antibiotics were kicking in and his ear infection seemed to be less bothersome and Mandy and I finally got to go on the family hike we envisioned from the start.
The original plan was for Mandy to hike with her mom and sister, and I would stay with Noah to play around the Cub Lake trailhead. But Noah kept trucking along and was having such a good time, Mandy decided to stay with us instead. Good thing too, because Noah was having a blast hiking with her.
Chasing him up the steep rocks...
And safely escorting him back down. It wasn't unusual for him to try to squirm out of her grasp. According to him, he didn't need any help.
It was an overcast day, with the threat of rain, but the temperature was perfect.
Cheesing around with Mom. It was cute - she became his hiking buddy on this trip. He would hike high up into the rocks, sit down and then pat the rock next to him saying "Sit here, mama, sit here" and wait for her to climb up after him.
Looking before he leaps?
"I want to climb this mountain, mama!" Noah loved climbing the rocks and was having a blast. He kept us both worried though, because he wasn't afraid of anything.
My 70-lb pack...
Washing his hands in the stream on the way back.
Crossing the bridge on the way back to the trailhead.
Both boys needed a ride by the end.
Worn out after almost 2 1/2 hours of good, hard fun. This is exactly what I feel like doing after a good hike.
The original plan was for Mandy to hike with her mom and sister, and I would stay with Noah to play around the Cub Lake trailhead. But Noah kept trucking along and was having such a good time, Mandy decided to stay with us instead. Good thing too, because Noah was having a blast hiking with her.
Chasing him up the steep rocks...
And safely escorting him back down. It wasn't unusual for him to try to squirm out of her grasp. According to him, he didn't need any help.
It was an overcast day, with the threat of rain, but the temperature was perfect.
Cheesing around with Mom. It was cute - she became his hiking buddy on this trip. He would hike high up into the rocks, sit down and then pat the rock next to him saying "Sit here, mama, sit here" and wait for her to climb up after him.
Looking before he leaps?
"I want to climb this mountain, mama!" Noah loved climbing the rocks and was having a blast. He kept us both worried though, because he wasn't afraid of anything.
My 70-lb pack...
Washing his hands in the stream on the way back.
Crossing the bridge on the way back to the trailhead.
Both boys needed a ride by the end.
Worn out after almost 2 1/2 hours of good, hard fun. This is exactly what I feel like doing after a good hike.
Professional Portraits
These are Elliot's first professional portraits. Snuck in a few family pics too. If you want a sneak peek go to:
http://www.kdog.com/
Click on Portraits
Click on Client Area
Password is: tho
http://www.kdog.com/
Click on Portraits
Click on Client Area
Password is: tho
A day at the office
I was looking for a place to take an extended break on my walk down from Longs when I came across this spot. With a fast-rushing Glacier Creek providing lots of white noise, and a rocky outcrop providing a nice, clear, scenic place to relax.
I stopped to snap a couple of pictures, when I noticed my spot had already been taken. By a Forest Service worker. I hadn't seen anyone in a couple of hours, so he may have thought it was a good place to catch a nap, at 2:30 in the afternoon.
He noticed me after a while and got up, explaining that he had just chopped down a tree nearby (they don't allow them to have chainsaws in the backcountry) and was taking a break. I don't blame him - chopping down a tree sounds like hard work. And carrying a 60-lb pack can't be any picnic either.
I've occasionally fantasized about chucking my office job and becoming a park ranger, and this is what I have in mind when I think about it. Not the chopping down trees part, just the hiking part.
I stopped to snap a couple of pictures, when I noticed my spot had already been taken. By a Forest Service worker. I hadn't seen anyone in a couple of hours, so he may have thought it was a good place to catch a nap, at 2:30 in the afternoon.
He noticed me after a while and got up, explaining that he had just chopped down a tree nearby (they don't allow them to have chainsaws in the backcountry) and was taking a break. I don't blame him - chopping down a tree sounds like hard work. And carrying a 60-lb pack can't be any picnic either.
I've occasionally fantasized about chucking my office job and becoming a park ranger, and this is what I have in mind when I think about it. Not the chopping down trees part, just the hiking part.
Monday, August 17, 2009
A walk in the Park
A 21+-mile walk, to be precise. I took advantage of Mandy’s offer to get out by myself for the day, and decided to hike Longs Peak again. I did it last year, but made several mistakes: not eating before I left, not eating or drinking much on the way to the top and starting out and keeping a too-fast pace. By the time I got to the top, I was bone-tired, dehydrated and suffering slightly from altitude sickness. My left calf muscle was pulled and I really wasn’t sure I could get back down safely (without a helicopter rescue). By the time I got down 11 hours later, I swore I’d never do it again.
Three days later I was already planning what I’d do differently next time. This time I spent more time drinking and eating on the way up, and just taking more time to enjoy the hike itself. I stopped to rest, take pictures and just enjoy the scenery. Got my legs and lungs in better shape before I went this time, too.
Mandy’s mom Anita was gracious enough to get up at 1:30 AM to drop me off at the trailhead. The early start seems ridiculous, but the park service advises LP hikers to get an early start for safety reasons - afternoon thunderstorms are routine in late summer and lightning fatalities rise exponentially after 11:00 AM. At that altitude, you are often hours from the relative safety of the treeline, so getting off the peak by noon is highly recommended. An even better reason for an early start is to enjoy the solitude and avoid the crush of hikers that crowd the trail in late morning through the afternoon. The first part shares the same trail as Chasm Lake, a popular dayhike.
I got started just before 2:00 AM. At 45 degrees, with no wind, it seemed warmer than usual for a Colorado morning. I hiked for almost an hour before nearing treeline, then shut off my headlamp and used the light of the slightly-more-than-half moon to guide the way. It’s a little awkward at first, but once your eyes get used to discerning the difference between the shadows of rocks and the rocks themselves, it is a pleasant experience to be able to see both the stars and the trail. I could also see the lights of Boulder and Denver off to the southeast.
Even though the trailhead parking lot was full when I arrived, I passed only very few people on the way up (and one, who had watched sunset the night before, coming down). The solitude was nice, after wrestling with kids all week. I hit Chasm Junction at 3:30 AM and then the Boulder Field an hour and a half later. The Boulder Field is where some people camp the night before so they don’t have as far to hike on summit day. It is literally a huge field of boulders, ranging from truck-sized boulders to ones the size of watermelons, with glacial-melt water from the permanent snowfield above it flowing down through the area. There isn’t a well-defined path through it, and you make your way through it by looking for cairns along the way. At nearly 13,000 feet, this is where the trail really gets steep and the air gets noticeably thinner, and climbing up to the Keyhole after several hours of stair-stepping up the mountain really tries your legs and lungs.
I made it to the Keyhole by 5:30 AM, and stopped to watch the sunrise. The Keyhole is essentially a notch in the mountain that allows you to pass through to the west side and continue climbing without having to pass over impossibly steep terrain (without climbing gear). When I arrived, there were already a couple other hikers there. I waited for almost half an hour as the sun rose over Mount Lady Washington, but then became too cold to wait for the full sunrise.
Hanging at the Keyhole. It was cold.
Sunrise over Mount Lady Washington
Crossing over the Keyhole, the view down into Glacier Gorge and the mountains beyond is breathtaking. The next part of the trail is referred to as the Ledges - although not the most technical part of the hike, it does try my nerves because there is so much exposure to your right as you climb along. When you do look out though, you’re rewarded with a birds-eye view of some of the most popular areas of the park.
Dropping down into the Ledges
A look from the start of the Ledges over to the Trough (which starts at the top of the lower snowfield)
A look down into Glacier Gorge
Taking a break on the Ledges, with Glacier Gorge in the background (towards Mill Lake)
At 13,300 feet, I finally reach the Trough, a 600-foot gully that ascends southeast towards the summit. This is the hardest part of the climb for me, both coming and going. Imagine taking 45 flights of stairs, three at a time, while breathing through your nose. It is steep, loose and lung-busting. At one point, I took my pulse by looking at my watch and feeling the pulse in my ears. And at the top, there is a rock called the Chockstone that requires some class-4 moves to get up. Coming down is treacherous. I slipped on some ice last year and fell about four feet and bruised my tailbone. This time I suffered "only" a bruised knee when I whacked it on a granite block.
A view from the bottom of the Trough, looking back over the Ledges towards the Keyhole (where the sunlight is shining through). To give you a sense of scale, the red arrows are pointing to people (click to enlarge)
Another view into Glacier Gorge as the sun rises, with Mill Lake and Jewel Lake at the bottom
A view looking down the Trough from near the top.
I watched a couple of climbers get up the Chockstone before I attempted it. I had help last year, but this year, I managed it solo.
Once you’re over the top, you turn the corner and make your way across the Narrows - an exposed ledged that heads east across the south side of the mountain. The first few moves are a little dicey, but overall, it didn’t seem to be as bad as many people make it out to be. I don’t know why I think that, because I have a fear of heights and this section is as exposed as it gets.
The Narrows - again, the red arrows are pointing at people, and the final move to exit the narrows is that large boulder to the left of the snow in the picture.
Watching people exit the Narrows. That big boulder was covered in blood as I came down, courtesy of a rock hitting some guy in the head.
This rock was fun to get around - either squeeze over the top, or hang out a little bit towards the edge as you go by.
Exiting the Narrows
The last section is the Homestretch, another 300-foot lung-busting climb up the south wall. This section is a lot trickier coming down than going up.
A view from the bottom of the Homestretch looking up.
A view from near the top of the Homestretch looking down.
Finally on top, nearly six hours after I started! You pop over the edge just to the right of the sign behind me
It was cold and windy at the top, but this time I felt pretty good as I hit the summit, and spent about 40 minutes at the top taking pictures and eating. I was the highest person in RMNP, at least for a few minutes.
Looking down at Chasm Lake, where we got married five years ago
Heading back across the Ledges
The Keyhole in the daylight. Notice the Agnes Vaille Memorial Shelter to the left, built to honor it's namesake - a woman who made the first winter ascent of the east face of Longs in 1925 and who froze to death on the way down. The shelter was finished in 1927.
Once back in the Boulder Field, I filtered some more water from one of the streams and headed back down. This time I chose to descend via Granite Pass over towards the Bear Lake area in order to catch a shuttle back to Estes Park. Cell phones are of no use here, and it is impossible to arrange for a ride once you’re finished. I could have hitched a ride back with someone, like I did last year, but I thought this would be a nice change.
I really enjoyed the views, and the newness of this particular trail (rather than descending the way I had come). And going that way, I only ran across four people in the next seven miles or so.
Looking back at the Keyhole from near the bottom of the Boulder Field
Heading down Granite Pass, towards Bear Lake.
Back below treeline
Since I was still feeling relatively well and because I was so close, I decided to hike up to Lake Haiyaha and see what the rest of our group had already seen the day before. After refilling my Camelbak from the lake, it was another 2 miles down to Bear Lake and the shuttle bus. By that time, I was dead tired and ready for the day to be done. I had started at 1:50 AM, and finished at 5:20 PM - 15 ½ hours later.
Looking back at the north side of Longs Peak from near Lake Haiyaha - that gully above the long snowfield is the Trough.
I walked down from there. Looks as far away as it felt. Longs is a hard, fun hike. Even though it is a popular hike, with almost 60 recorded fatalities and 60 annual search-and-rescues, it is not to be taken lightly.
Sam had enchiladas ready when I got back to the house (the best I ever had, of course) and I quickly finished off three servings. I figured out later that I burned somewhere between 9,200 and 10,500 calories during that hike, and only ate about 1,500 along the way. I ate like crazy for the next four days, and still lost three pounds.
Three days later I was already planning what I’d do differently next time. This time I spent more time drinking and eating on the way up, and just taking more time to enjoy the hike itself. I stopped to rest, take pictures and just enjoy the scenery. Got my legs and lungs in better shape before I went this time, too.
Mandy’s mom Anita was gracious enough to get up at 1:30 AM to drop me off at the trailhead. The early start seems ridiculous, but the park service advises LP hikers to get an early start for safety reasons - afternoon thunderstorms are routine in late summer and lightning fatalities rise exponentially after 11:00 AM. At that altitude, you are often hours from the relative safety of the treeline, so getting off the peak by noon is highly recommended. An even better reason for an early start is to enjoy the solitude and avoid the crush of hikers that crowd the trail in late morning through the afternoon. The first part shares the same trail as Chasm Lake, a popular dayhike.
I got started just before 2:00 AM. At 45 degrees, with no wind, it seemed warmer than usual for a Colorado morning. I hiked for almost an hour before nearing treeline, then shut off my headlamp and used the light of the slightly-more-than-half moon to guide the way. It’s a little awkward at first, but once your eyes get used to discerning the difference between the shadows of rocks and the rocks themselves, it is a pleasant experience to be able to see both the stars and the trail. I could also see the lights of Boulder and Denver off to the southeast.
Even though the trailhead parking lot was full when I arrived, I passed only very few people on the way up (and one, who had watched sunset the night before, coming down). The solitude was nice, after wrestling with kids all week. I hit Chasm Junction at 3:30 AM and then the Boulder Field an hour and a half later. The Boulder Field is where some people camp the night before so they don’t have as far to hike on summit day. It is literally a huge field of boulders, ranging from truck-sized boulders to ones the size of watermelons, with glacial-melt water from the permanent snowfield above it flowing down through the area. There isn’t a well-defined path through it, and you make your way through it by looking for cairns along the way. At nearly 13,000 feet, this is where the trail really gets steep and the air gets noticeably thinner, and climbing up to the Keyhole after several hours of stair-stepping up the mountain really tries your legs and lungs.
I made it to the Keyhole by 5:30 AM, and stopped to watch the sunrise. The Keyhole is essentially a notch in the mountain that allows you to pass through to the west side and continue climbing without having to pass over impossibly steep terrain (without climbing gear). When I arrived, there were already a couple other hikers there. I waited for almost half an hour as the sun rose over Mount Lady Washington, but then became too cold to wait for the full sunrise.
Hanging at the Keyhole. It was cold.
Sunrise over Mount Lady Washington
Crossing over the Keyhole, the view down into Glacier Gorge and the mountains beyond is breathtaking. The next part of the trail is referred to as the Ledges - although not the most technical part of the hike, it does try my nerves because there is so much exposure to your right as you climb along. When you do look out though, you’re rewarded with a birds-eye view of some of the most popular areas of the park.
Dropping down into the Ledges
A look from the start of the Ledges over to the Trough (which starts at the top of the lower snowfield)
A look down into Glacier Gorge
Taking a break on the Ledges, with Glacier Gorge in the background (towards Mill Lake)
At 13,300 feet, I finally reach the Trough, a 600-foot gully that ascends southeast towards the summit. This is the hardest part of the climb for me, both coming and going. Imagine taking 45 flights of stairs, three at a time, while breathing through your nose. It is steep, loose and lung-busting. At one point, I took my pulse by looking at my watch and feeling the pulse in my ears. And at the top, there is a rock called the Chockstone that requires some class-4 moves to get up. Coming down is treacherous. I slipped on some ice last year and fell about four feet and bruised my tailbone. This time I suffered "only" a bruised knee when I whacked it on a granite block.
A view from the bottom of the Trough, looking back over the Ledges towards the Keyhole (where the sunlight is shining through). To give you a sense of scale, the red arrows are pointing to people (click to enlarge)
Another view into Glacier Gorge as the sun rises, with Mill Lake and Jewel Lake at the bottom
A view looking down the Trough from near the top.
I watched a couple of climbers get up the Chockstone before I attempted it. I had help last year, but this year, I managed it solo.
Once you’re over the top, you turn the corner and make your way across the Narrows - an exposed ledged that heads east across the south side of the mountain. The first few moves are a little dicey, but overall, it didn’t seem to be as bad as many people make it out to be. I don’t know why I think that, because I have a fear of heights and this section is as exposed as it gets.
The Narrows - again, the red arrows are pointing at people, and the final move to exit the narrows is that large boulder to the left of the snow in the picture.
Watching people exit the Narrows. That big boulder was covered in blood as I came down, courtesy of a rock hitting some guy in the head.
This rock was fun to get around - either squeeze over the top, or hang out a little bit towards the edge as you go by.
Exiting the Narrows
The last section is the Homestretch, another 300-foot lung-busting climb up the south wall. This section is a lot trickier coming down than going up.A view from the bottom of the Homestretch looking up.
A view from near the top of the Homestretch looking down.
Finally on top, nearly six hours after I started! You pop over the edge just to the right of the sign behind me
It was cold and windy at the top, but this time I felt pretty good as I hit the summit, and spent about 40 minutes at the top taking pictures and eating. I was the highest person in RMNP, at least for a few minutes.
Looking down at Chasm Lake, where we got married five years ago
Heading back across the Ledges
The Keyhole in the daylight. Notice the Agnes Vaille Memorial Shelter to the left, built to honor it's namesake - a woman who made the first winter ascent of the east face of Longs in 1925 and who froze to death on the way down. The shelter was finished in 1927.
Once back in the Boulder Field, I filtered some more water from one of the streams and headed back down. This time I chose to descend via Granite Pass over towards the Bear Lake area in order to catch a shuttle back to Estes Park. Cell phones are of no use here, and it is impossible to arrange for a ride once you’re finished. I could have hitched a ride back with someone, like I did last year, but I thought this would be a nice change.I really enjoyed the views, and the newness of this particular trail (rather than descending the way I had come). And going that way, I only ran across four people in the next seven miles or so.
Looking back at the Keyhole from near the bottom of the Boulder Field
Heading down Granite Pass, towards Bear Lake.
Back below treeline
Since I was still feeling relatively well and because I was so close, I decided to hike up to Lake Haiyaha and see what the rest of our group had already seen the day before. After refilling my Camelbak from the lake, it was another 2 miles down to Bear Lake and the shuttle bus. By that time, I was dead tired and ready for the day to be done. I had started at 1:50 AM, and finished at 5:20 PM - 15 ½ hours later.
Looking back at the north side of Longs Peak from near Lake Haiyaha - that gully above the long snowfield is the Trough.
I walked down from there. Looks as far away as it felt. Longs is a hard, fun hike. Even though it is a popular hike, with almost 60 recorded fatalities and 60 annual search-and-rescues, it is not to be taken lightly.
Sam had enchiladas ready when I got back to the house (the best I ever had, of course) and I quickly finished off three servings. I figured out later that I burned somewhere between 9,200 and 10,500 calories during that hike, and only ate about 1,500 along the way. I ate like crazy for the next four days, and still lost three pounds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)