Mohave Desert

Whoa, a Pile of Stuff.

So that's it -- everything required for a four day wilderness trip except the camera (which is in my hand). One has to wonder how we are going to get it all into a pack. I think I am going to need to hire a Sherpa. I don't have that great of a scale, but with 2 liters of water it is 48 lbs.

Packing

Getting Ready -- The Ten Essentials

Whenever you go on a hike, whether it's a short walk or an extended wilderness trip, you should always bring these with you. It's hard to foresee what may happen or what you may need. Know your gear completely before setting out.

10 Hiking Essentials

1. Water
Water is the most vital necessity in a survival situation. You can' t live long without it, especially in the desert where you lose water rapidly through perspiration. Your body loses fluid as a result of heat, cold, stress and exertion. Even in cold areas, you need a minimum of 2 liters of water each day to maintain efficiency. You can live for up to a month without food, but only a few days without water.

2. Map
So you can get where you're going or communicate your location to rescuers. If you get lost you may be able to find features on the map to help pinpoint your location.

3. Compass
Critical for navigation!

4. Flashlight or Headlamp
Walking in the dark can be dangerous. Not seeing a pot hole or loose rock can make your situation even worse. Don't forget spare bulbs and batteries.

5. Extra Food
To generate warmth and increase strength.

6. Extra Clothing
Temperatures at night can drop dramatically. Wet clothes can deplete your body of essential heat. Having spare clothes can save your life.

7. Sunglasses
Eyes are especially vulnerable to bright sunlight and damaging UV rays typical in the desert and mountains. These can help avoid eye damage.

8. First Aid Supplies
A ready-made, store-bought kit may not have everything you need. It is best to construct your own, based on expert advice. Some standard elements include, but are not limited to:

sterile gauze pads
band-aids
antiseptic
roll of 2" gauze
moleskin
tweezers
adhesive tape
triangular bandage
personal medication (if applicable)
Bandana
Anti-diarrheal
Ibuprofen

9. Knife or Multi-tool
Can be incredibly versatile in time of need.

10. Matches or Fire Starter
Being able to start a fire can be the difference between life and death. Be sure to keep them in a waterproof container. A fire starter, such as a candle, kindling or chemical accelerant, increases your odds of successfully getting a blaze going. If you must start a fire, be responsible! Wildfires are a real threat to the Wilderness as well as to victims and rescuers!

This list of ten essentials started from the list I found here on the Superstition Search and Rescue site.

Water Report for Springs located in the Superstition Wilderness.
Map of the area.
Route description.

ShawnKielty.com

I know -- I told you before that it was back, but -- now -- I have made some repairs. This image is from Death Valley National Park.

Most of it works now. If you've never seen it there's an occasionally good shot out there -- take a look around.

For the techy geeks -- I quit trying to use an Apache server with PHP, and went bck to the oh so totally awesome tclhttpd server. It took me about 20 minutes to get up and running -- and fix the little bit of brokeness that I introduced trying to make it work with Apache.

Trail Cooking Trial

Many people don't understand the need to test your gear before going afield. With a remarkable boil time of 3.75 minutes the MSR Whisperlite™ is truly a great stove and came highly recommended by the elder brother. The 2 cup sized stainless cup is great, because you can cook in it and drink from it and eat from it and it's fairly light and easy to clean. My friend Jim gave it to me ...

Does anyone notice a problem in the above picture?

Just a note [Edited]: This was a dry run. I didn't actually light the gas stove in my house. It produces a basketball sized fireball, which is probably normal. I'd recommend never lighting a gas camping stove inside a house. Please don't light your house on fire testing out your stove.

Backpack Checklist

CLOTHES

___ 2 pair extra socks smartwool hiking & Wigwam Gobi liners 7.0 oz.
___ North Face convertible pants 1 lb.
___ SmartWool Microweight Long-Sleeve Crew 6.3 oz.
___ Patagonia Capilene 3 bottoms 5.1 oz.
___ Alpaca Hat 1.90 oz.
___ Outdoor Research Wool Pullover 14.1 oz.
___ North Face Summit Rain Parka 1 lb. 12.2 oz
___ marmot precip rain/wind pants w/stuff sack 7.80

Subtotal for Clothes: 4 lbs 11 oz

SHELTER & SLEEPING SYSTEM

___ Sierra Designs Light Year Tent 3 lbs. 15 oz
___ North Face Snowshoe sleeping bag, 3 lbs. 10 oz.
___ Therm-a-rest Pro-Lite 4 Regular 4-season ultralite mattress 1 lb 9.5 oz

Subtotal for Shelter & Sleeping System: 9 lbs. 1.5 oz.

PACKING

___ Kelty RedCloud 5600 6 lbs. 0.5 oz.
___ equinox pack rain cover 3.67
___ stuff sacks, freezer bags, & garbage sacks 4.00

Subtotal for Packing: 6 lbs. 7.72 oz.

COOKING & WATER

___ Katadyn Hiker Microfilter with stuff sack 14.8 oz.
___ 2 Nalgene 1-liter water bottles 12.50 oz.
___ 1 Platypus 2-3 liter hydration bag/pouch.
___ coffee pot w/lid, cup, fork, and spoon 1 lb.
___ mesh “kitchen” bag (includes condiments, toothbrush & powder)
___ MSR Whisperlite Stove 15.4 oz.
___ matches 0.35 oz
___ cigarette lighter
___ bear bag 3.49

Subtotal for Cooking (without food & fuel): 3 lbs. 0.72 oz.

NAVIGATION

___ monocular 2.1 oz
___ Silva Ranger compass 1 oz
___ maps (2 @ .2 oz per map) 0.5 oz
___ Waterproof notebook, pencil, reading specs 0.5 oz
___ Aurora Princeton led headlamp w/ 6 AAA batteries 4.2 oz.
___ (1)Streamlight Scorpion Stinger Flashlight 3.3 oz

Subtotal for Navigation: 11.60

ESSENTIALS & OTHER ITEMS

___ first aid kit 6.0
___ (*) waterproof matches
___ (*) firestarter ~
___ Gerber Folding Saw
___ (*) duct tape ~
___ (*) fox plastic whistle ~
___ all (*) items in small freezer bag 3.30
___ signal mirror
___ bug guard/sun block 3.00
___ sting-eze bug-bite/bee-sting relief 0.78
___ Dermatone Lip Balm with Lanyard 0.35
___ tent repair kit 0.5
___ expedition sewing kit 0.74
___ pack towel 1.52
___ toilet paper 1.50
___ candle

Subtotal for Essentials & Other: 17.69

PACK WEIGHT NOT INCLUDING FOOD, WATER & FUEL: 22 lbs. 6.63 oz

___ Fuel for 3 days (includes extra): 13.20 oz
___ Food for 3 days (23 oz per day x 3 "full" days): 4 lbs. 5oz.
___ 2L Water 4 lbs. 4 oz.

Total weight: 9 lbs. 7.83 oz.


TOTAL PACK WEIGHT: 31 lbs 7.25 oz

CAMERA

Canon 20d with 17-85 lens 3 lbs. 4 oz.

THE GEAR I WOULD BE WEARING

___ Gerber Freeman folding knife 7.8 oz.
___ Nordstrom Off white cotton oxford shirt 11 oz.
___ North Face Polargaurd vest 1 lb.
___ GPS with neck lanyard
___ REI Men's Sahara convertible pants 1 lb 3.4 oz
___ smartwool hiking socks & Wigwam Gobi liners 3.5 oz
___ Merrill Wilderness Boots 3 lbs. 10 oz.
___ Manfrotto 679B Monopod, to double as a hiking pole. 1 lb 4 oz.
___ Smith Factor Sunglasses 4 oz.

Wearing weight 148.97 oz or 9 lbs. 4.97 oz.

GEAR TOTALS

Pack 31 lbs 7.25 oz.
Camera 3 lbs. 4 oz.
Body 9 lbs. 4.97 oz.

Total Burden 44 lbs 0.22 oz.

Back to the Desert

I am getting ready for a trip to the desert; a backpacking trip. The last real backpacking trip I made was in the spring when I was 20 or so to Cloud's Rest in Yosemite. I might even be as strong as I was then, although a lot less likely to make that hike.

This is a Banded Gila Monster, (Heloderma suspectum cinctum) in Bluff Springs Canyon, Superstition Wilderness. August 6th, 2006.

*******************

John awarded me this:

because I offered him a choice between beer and food, which he clearly decided was thought provoking. Then he immediately used up some choices for tagging granting this wonderful award. Folks like Jill and Joanne, good thinking bloggers, very deserving of such prizes. A nice guy. I am proud to be in such good company.

I have previously declared myself immune to tagging, but apparently unilateral decisions like that don't necessarily work. In my acceptance speech, I'll say something nice about him.

Five people who have made me think ... recently. Dillon, who leaves me fascinated that he can be so objective about such a polemic subject. Paul, for reminding me of Phoenix's darker side. BirdChick, when I was young the Whooping Cranes fascinated me. Lauren who has left me wondering about poop habits or poo, more than once ... And Marscat, whose story I can't wait to finish. Thinking Blogger Awards to each of you.

The rules:

1. If, and only if, you got tagged an award, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the irritant award.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

A Pound a Day

2 Folgers Coffee singles 0
2 creamer packets ?
2 Granola Bar 360
12 triscuits 240
2 3 oz Tuna Pouch 220
2 Gu Honey Stinger 200
One Top Ramen 360
Box Raisins 130
2 Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate packages 240
6 whole wheat fig newtons 330
2 instant oatmeal packages 320
1 bag of tea 0
Quart of Gatorade (dry) 300

Total Calories 2600

Weight: 1 lb. 4 oz.

A 12 ounce Guinness in the bottle weighs about 1 lb. 4 oz and contains 153 calories, so the question has to be -- which would you pick?

Images from Tokyo, Thanksgiving 1997

Aerial view of Tokyo. It's literally a sea of 10 story buildings for as far as the eye can see.
The Yellow Raincoat

See more shots here.

Paradise Piano della Gomma

FTP in Italian

My Library

I used to enjoy reading, when I was in the fourth grade. When I got to be a grad student I kind of lost my taste for it. 4 solid years of serious study and research, left me literarily bereft of any desire to read.

I have been unpacking a few things recently, and since I came across yet another box of books, that's the 16th, it reminded me of how good it feels to read for the fun of it. I have been reading on the way back and forth on the train everyday, and I am seeriously enjoying having an hour to read everyday.

It is always fun to meet someone new and then get to see their library. It's so fascinating. "Oh, look, Strunk and White." "She has a bird book." "There's Janson's History of Art right next to
Latin America at the Crossroads." So much to learn about a person from their library. "He has a dictionary in the bathroom."

I started a list of books in the sidebar.

Ohhh -- I Remember When ..

Slim: Hey -- want to go fishing Sunday?
Me: Sure, where?
Slim: in the ocean. In Pacifica.
Me: Really? OK.

Sunday morning we get up and go over the hill to Pacifica and rent a sixteen foot outboard rowboat and they launch (drop) us off a steep, long ramp made out of telephone poles and we paddle through the breakers, drop the outboard, and poof -- we're in the Pacific in a 16' wood (freakin) outboard rowboat. Fishing for Ling-Cod.

"Just point right at the beach and the waves will take you home -- and {stay to the left of) try to miss the rocks and you'll be ok ... pull the motor up at the last minute ..." I can remember the shoreline from the ocean as if it were yesterday, but the odds of finding it from the beach side today are impossible.

I was sixteen, and Slim was about sixty-nine and my neighbor. I never was scared, and I never felt in danger. I never caught a fish, and I never was seasick. Slim threatened to throw his teeth up over the gunwale and told a shark story or two ... "The shark bit at the back end of the boat and left a bunch of teeth in it -- see -- here's a few," and he holds out a fistful of shark's teeth tied together with a string. If he were here today, I'd get in that boat with him again.

Holy crap. I wish I had taken a camera. You can't imagine the feeling of being on the very edge of the world, beyond the edge of the world -- and out there in the water. Looking back at the land with childish wonder. Holy crap. I wish I had taken a camera. I think it was here where the pillars are in the water.

And, damn, I won that camera the year before at the county fair, by shooting little targets with serious deadly accuracy, or some other crazy game.

400+ March

Date: 31 March 2007
Mileage for the week: 82.37
March total: 407.84
On the Ipod: Nothing

Red Shouldered Hawk

I went here to Grant Park for a hike today. It's right near Mt Hamilton and Lick Observatory in Santa Clara County.

I saw one of these -- and honestly -- I don't know what it is. Suspicion tells me that this is her kill, not road kill.


"What will I tell you when you ask, me why I am crying , will I point above at the redtail gracefuly soaring, or down below at his pray, who's quietly trembling." Good Friday, The Cowboy Junkies.

shawnkielty.com

I believe that http://shawnkielty.com is actually back online -- but just barely ... After the crash, it appears that their are a few critical pieces that are totally gone. so it might be a while before it acheives it's former glory. Cool things like the photos that you bookmarked long ago -- should still be there.

I'll be working on it as time provides.

The 49th State

SO -- there was a point in my life when it dawned on me that I had traveled in 44 states. That's right. 44. I had actually been in 44 states. It was easy to list the missing states. Georgia, the Carolinas, Louisiana, Alaska and Hawaii.

And I devised a plan. To go to all 50 states by the time I was 50. After that I would see if I could get laid in each of the 50 states. But for now it's just enough to go there. So I started rolling the idea of Alaska around in my mind. Alaska.

And I started to collect the stuff I would need to go there.

A truck. Not any truck, a tough truck, a Kurdish tank. 4WD, raised, tough, and with a 50 caliber machine gun camera mounted on top. One that lives through floods, potholes, hurricanes, snowstorms, etc.

A bicycle. In case I want to go for a ride.

A camera. Oh you know -- to take pictures.

A chain saw.

Camping gear. For me.

Climbing gear. Just in case.

SwimWetsuit.

Shorts.

So I have these things. And a plan. The plan says jump in the truck and ferry up the passage, stop and photograph the white black bears in BC, go to Kenai and Sitka and Juneau, get out to the west coast of Alaska somewhere, drive to Anchorage, then go north to Prudhoe Bay, see the ANWR before it turns into Bakersfield, and go to the Brooks Range and climb see Denali, and visit the occasional friend and drive home through the Yukon Territory, and spend the entire summer doing it. And somehow manage a birding trip to the Aleutian Islands.

I want to see a puffin, a polar bear, a walrus, a brown bear, a dall sheep, a caribou, seals and whales. I am not so sure I want to see a wolf.

A little voice is telling me that this isn't going to happen right away. Another voice wonders, "Do I want some sort of boat?"

Lunch Time at Sally's

These photos were taken with my work cell phone, A Motorola RAZR. I think it has the worst camera ever for a cell phone.

We had Lunch at Sally's at 16th and RhodeIsland in San Francisco.


Pasta with chicken and a cream sauce, and pasta on the side. Eat up.

After lunch we walked over to 18th to use the foot bridge over the freeway to get back to work. This climb up 18th at DeHaro street is well over an 18% grade.

I was a Bit Bored on the Train, and I said ...

There's that little freeway crossing at 18th and it's just a few blocks to work from there and HowBadCanItBe?, after all. And I got off the train at 22nd street, which is basically a hole in the ground. From there I looked up at a sign that said steep grade ahead, so I turned right on Pennsylvania, and proceeded to climb a fairly steep grade for a long block or two.

It wasn't too bad. Coast all downhill from there to 15th and Utah. 1.4 miles, with a short, but steep hill.

If you can find a better route, I'd be glad to here about it, the start and end points are marked with a green dot. Notice that the route map is marked in three kinds of red to indicate how (incredibly ^&%#ing) steep the hills are.

Yeah, It's Raining, So What ...

Well, it is.

http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/showsat.php?wfo=mtr&area=nw&type=vis&size=4

Date: 24 March 2007
Mileage for the week: 80.24
March total: 325.47
On the Ipod: Nothing

Saturday Morning Coffee

Well, I've been over to the new Cafe of the Beautiful People, for my standard "Tall Coffee with 2 extra shots." In Pullman, WA at the Cafe of the Beautiful, everyone was college aged and the Barista gave out heart shaped love on valentine's day. In Mesa AZ, every one was wearing athletic wear, or race gear, all fit and healthy, and i.e. beautiful. Here in Bahgdad by the Bay (thanks Herb), it's much more interesting. There always is a crowd, and today's crowd was mostly pre-teen girls wearing make-up. There must be a school-sized event over at the Performing Arts Center.

But it is Saturday Morning. Last time I sat down on Saturday morning to write I was sitting at my desk in Mesa, Staring out at the Superstition Wilderness. Today, I am at my desk in California, reviewing the past.

Here's another shot from America's Loneliest Highway.

Somewhere on America's Loneliest Highway

Sobriety Checkpoint

Last night at about 10:50, I spun through the Burlingame PD's sobriety checkpoint on California Ave. at about 18 miles an hour. It was strange and odd. They didn't stop me or even seem to notice me.





This afternoon I rode out to San Carlos Airport and back on the Bay Trail and it was about 30 miles round trip. On the way back we took the frontage road from the Airport to Oracle and my Red-Headed Riding Buddy blew a tire. I had a spare that was not right, that bought him an additional 10 miles. At the bridge my Presta tube on his Schrader rim gave out at the valve, leaving him on foot. I rode to get a car and came back for him, cutting his trip down to about 23 for the day, and leaving me with about 28 all day.


Site of the Blowout.


The interesting bit is this; from my house the bridge is five miles, Oracle is ten, Holly street is fifteen, and where is twenty? Round trip, these are 10, 20, and 30 miles respectively.

Date: 17 March 2007
Mileage for the week: 85.54
March total: 245.23
Max: 29.8
On the Ipod: Neil Young: Rockin' the Free World

The Commute to Work

This is an image of coyote point. It's rediculously small for whatever reason. My commute is 22.61 miles and took me 2 hours. There are three hills, these being my first hill climbing in quite some time.

It wasn't the most pleasant ride, as a lot of it is industrial.

Showtime

I set the alarm for 6 AM, and I laid out the riding clothes for the morning. Padded shorts, tights, a jersey, and some warmers.

I went to the doctor today to tell her that I was coughing in unbelievable fits at night like I had Pertussis (whooping cough), and that I was afraid I was going to break my ribs or something, and that I usually wanted to vomit after I was done turning blue, and she said, oh -- I think you have post nasal drip, take this phergain (sp -- an anti-nausea medication) with codiene (a pint of it, no less), that should help. Sure, narcotics usually help. "You'll be fine."

As long as I don't choke to death on my own phlegm while unable to wake up, cough, or puke.

I said, "Really?, I'll never take it."

I'll be up in the morning, on my bike, trying to navigate 16 miles of unknown urban paradise. Sans codiene. Paroxysms or not.

A long way ...

I am somewhat inspired by Lauren's post describing her commute to work. Did I mention I was jealous, too. It's a very nice ride. For some time now I have been contemplating riding (all the way) to work one day morning a week, in an effort to get my weekly base up to about 125 miles. Currently, if I push it, I can break 100 a week, but even if I am busy, I usually end up at about 75. Adding 15-20 miles will help.

I washed all my riding clothes, especially the padded ones. I never wear the ride specific clothing, but rising temps combined with longer rides seem to imply occasional showers and a change of clothes, and my saddle has been asking me for a little cushioning against my sit bones. So tomorrow I will pack up a shower bag and haul it into work. I have a shower at work.

In trying to plan a route through 17 miles of the SF Peninsula, I discovered several things.

1. There's a bike route map of San Francisco from the SF Bike Coalition
2. San Mateo County has this, which looks like a scary route. I don't like two lane roads with street parking and no bike lane.
3. There are other maps, too, here.
4. It ain't easy to get there from here
5. This is a very nice article (dated) about the progress made in San Francisco for cyclists in recent years.

Maybe this week I will try the full commute. I have something that looks like a route, thanks to mapquest's (thanks fritz, for sharing) "avoid freeways" option. I run the Bay Front trail out to the Airport and then ride Bayshore into South City, and on past Potrero Hill. With an occasional deviation that I'll need to navigate when I get there.

If I can get to work it will mean I can get across the GG bridge which will mean I can get to Alaska... it's all in the journey ...Wish me luck.

Date: 11 March 2007
Mileage for the week: 112.43
March total: 159.69
Max: 29.2
Time in the Saddle: 10:15
On the Ipod: Jackson Browne, Farther On

Fernando's

Behind the Scenes

A bike race seems to leave spectators standing around looking at each other as much as watching the race. Here are a few shots from behind the scenes at the Velogirls Menlo Park Grand Prix . Enjoy.

Velogirls Menlo Park Grand Prix

Is that the leader? I never know.

I started out today with a crazy idea I was going to go get coffee, photograph a womens bike race, have dinner with my folks and be in bed by ten. It all workd out ok except for turning the clock forward. Which meant it was 11:00.

That's Mount Diablo, which I think is about 35 miles away. It was definitely a nice day for a ride so I rode home to an ice pack and a hot tub. The extra ten pounds of camera gear made the long ride more fun.

I took about 100 photos during the CAT 5 mens race, the only race I saw. I'll be looking those over for the next few days to cultivate out a few more good shots, but for now, enjoy these. If you recognise anyone -- I'd like to know so I can add their name to the credit.

Hard to say it Better than this.

5 Miles Out

At about Chestnut and Embarcadero I turned back. For a total of 8.8 miles. That is Coit Tower.

Hi Dive

Lunch Ride

I have an appointment at 11:00 down near the Moscone center, so I am going to take a lunch time ride after that. If I can make it this far, it will be 17.6 miles out to Chrissy Field and Back. It's glorious out. The actual map.

UglyBike

Closed up shop. That, makes me sad. I'll miss you, Gilby. Good luck to you. I'll keep a place in my heart for you.

Flat Tire Paradise

Somewhat as a result of some self reflection, over the past few weeks, I changed the name of my blog. When I started this endeavor almost two years ago, my entire life was revolving around cameras, pictures, photography, and travel -- primarily in the desert Southwest. I am really unsure of the new name, since the old one was just simply descriptive, and the new one is ... well, slightly more philosophical.

Today, my life revolves around ... and around. If I have a camera these days, it's incidental, and more often than not, it's a cell phone and not a 4x5" film camera. Occasionally, I will throw my digital into my bike bag (and go to a bike race in Menlo Park on Saturday). It's a lot more likely I am carrying a spare tube. And some tubes of gu.

My blogging and reading the blogs of cyclists has led me to be back on a bike. Why I was drawn to the cycling blogs, or they drawn to me is a subject needing academic study by someone like Studs Terkel. But the truth is, reading about cycling put me back on a bike. On January 26 last year, I got back on a bike and rode 6 broken miles. I never should have quit in the first place. Those of you that inspired me, I should live longer because of it.

I live in a major metropolitan area -- a gorgeous city -- with a fairly poor transit system, and I rarely drive. My life is much more defined by a bike, my family, caring for my aging parents, and contemplating a haircut, than it is by 30,000 annual miles of desert driving, to get a camera into some crowded backcountry paradise. There's a strong community in my life today, and I haven't driven my own car this year. I live a much different life today, then I did two years ago in Mesa. When I cut my hair my friends said, "Was this ponytail longer than the last one?" and not, "Wow, I didn't recognize you."

When I look to what defines my life today, it's a gritty, joyous ride through wet manhole covers, potholes the size of a basketball, and an endless stream of broken green and brown bottles. Steep little hills that kick the crap outta Arizona. Horns honking, adrenaline pumping, lunchtime brawls into downtown for szechuan. Me dodging hazards and taxicabs to dine at one of 4000 restaurants, each with a Gypsy folk band. Or it's the meal I cook at home, the same one my mother cooked for me twice a month for the last so many years.

It's friendly cafes, family rock concerts, my father's workshop. Always -- I am a mule carrying groceries and a computer, dog biscuits in my pocket, raingear, shoes, a change of clothes, the encyclopedia brittanica, and a potted plant, and Shawn, don't forget to get the milk; It's me on a bike in a flat tire paradise, pushing these yellow bars into the mist.

Ray and Nassir Checking out Boats

Near the Embarcadero.

The Bike Hut

Bike Rentals at $5 an hour. Right on the Embarcadero.

The Embarcadero at Lunch

Trash

I took this with my phone on the way to work. This is a trashed up spot adjacent to the San Mateo Caltrain Station and North Railroad Street in San Mateo. I wonder if it is the resposibility of the Caltrain or the City of San Mateo to clean this up.

Speaking of Writing ... or was I Talking to Myself

It's autocratic, much like riding a bike. You can write me a ticket(thanks for the link, fritz), sure. Provided you can ride on the sidewalk, the wrong way up alleys, through tight spaces made up by fixed objects and moving cabs, into doorways to run up staircases, all the while acting nonchalantly --like it's an everyday thing -- like, "Hey man, I'm just on my way to get some coffee," all at 20 miles an hour. I can write you a ticket -- Mr. Authority, and publish it in my blog.

Seriously. I can write publicly about anything -- I don't need Simon and Schuster. I am a published author and have the equivalent of a novel in print. I have been writing almost daily for about 2 years. About 30-100 (care to hazard a guess?) people read what I write with some regularity. I have no idea why. But, they do. I read what some of them write and I know some of them. I am getting to know some of the one's I have never met. Some of them are my friends. I have friends I have never met.

Many of us having been trying to get out of the more populated areas, and as I grow, my friends have managed to succeed, for the most part. They are spread out like the leaves of an old maple. There are about a 1000 photographs taken by me exposed (published) onto the world, in the form of a casual travelogue, helping my friends and family know what I am doing. I know you've enjoyed some of the photos and some of the stories. I can share the travels, tales and work of my life with a few friends, not to mention an occasional spattering of wisdom.

I really like to hear when you, gentle readers, tell me that you enjoy what I have done. Or that you feel my pain, sorrow, boots, pain, frostbite, glee, victories, anger, adventures, see my successes, fear, dismay, love ... beauty.

I learn and enrich my own life when I read your stories and read what you've done. Or get a happy chance to develop a real relationship via an online world. Or as I develop and craft the stories I must tell to an unseen world.

I have been meme'd (hereinafter pronounced "maimed") by fritz. Frankly, I dislike the tagging activity, but, I am a good citizen. So that's five reasons I blog.

John, Tom, Eclectchick Michelle, Joann. You've been tagged. Five reasons you blog. Since I now have tagged everyone I know. I am no longer allowing myself to be tagged -- at least not until my third bloggerbirthday, which is slightly more than a year from now.

Beef Stew with Dumplings

Date: 25 February 2007
Mileage for the week: 82.68
February total: 286.30
March total: 47.26
Max: 28.3
On the Ipod: The Gypsy Kings, Un Amor

Ummm.

That's the 15" braid.

Leaving me looking a bit straight.

bzzzzzzz, click whirr ...