Michael: Is the Kettle Bell Butch Enough?

The water, mud, moss,
Roots, rocks, river, rain and steps
Keep the mind focused.


Monday, June 29, 2015

The gold standard upper body exercise when I was in high school was the bench press. Even my friends and I, cross country runners possessing little  upper body bulk, would regularly gather at each other’s house to see if any of us could bench more than our body weight.

My reasons for strolling down Memory Lane is to point out the types of strength exercises and philosophy behind muscle building that I grew up with and why the kettle bell intrigues me.

Doing such exercises as the bench press, bicep and triceps curls, flies and rows with heavy weights doing 3-5 grueling, slow reps was the way I was taught to strength train. It may still be the preferred way to go as far as I know, but it never worked as promised for me. I’m a thin lean dude and have grudgingly come to accept that not having 16” biceps doesn’t make me less of a man.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about strength training or don’t want to be strong, or even have as much of a traditional sculpted physique as my 145 lb. body will allow for. And despite never achieving the body builder’s physique that the bench, bar and dumb bell equipment and exercises promised, I enjoy using that equipment and doing those old exercises.

But I also like to mix it up and take a break from those exercises now and then so my muscles don’t get lazy and are forced to make adaptations. That’s why the kettle bell intrigues me. What could be more masculine or throwback than a shot put with a large iron handle? I expected from its appearance that the kettle bell would work much like traditional weights but that it’s unique shape would vary the demands on the muscles enough to make a difference and provide the variety I was seeking.

It turns out that I was both right and wrong. There are traditional strength moves that can be performed with the kettle bell and they even have the same names as the old iron plate exercises do; the press, the clean, and the snatch, for example. And even a specific to the kettle bell move, like the Turkish Get Up, has the feel of an old grunt drill.

But many kettle bell exercises revolve around rhythmic swing movements that are totally foreign to me, and quite frankly, feel a bit effeminate. If I were in high school and would’ve picked up a shot put and rhythmically swung it between my legs, like it was a small child on a swing, then flung it while saying “wheee!”, I would’ve been laughed off the track team.
Yet, outside of the letting go part, that’s what I’m doing a lot of with the kettle bell. And even worse, I pretty much enjoy it.

I also know that, just like dumb bell exercises, it’s not going to make much of a difference in my physique, but it does feel like I’m placing new demands on my muscles and joints and that the kettle bell is a worthwhile addition in the rotation of equipment and exercises that will help maintain my strength.

Michael: Looking for Riders

The rivers of blood
That snake just under the skin
Feel like aliens.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Just like in Los Angeles, there is a cadre of colorful nylon/spandex cyclists here in Chiriqui. Naturally, since most of the population here lives near the coast, so do most of the cyclists. But, again like Los Angeles, I’ve been expecting to run into some serious roadies desiring to tackle the beautiful hilly roads around Volcan. Yesterday I found out why that doesn’t happen very often.

Heading south from Volcan is a lazy winding road that heads toward the coast and the far larger towns of Bugaba and Concepcion. From Volcan the first town you hit is Bugaba, where the road ends at the Pan American Highway.

Until yesterday I had only taken the bus down the entire road. I have ridden the southern road down the first 9 miles from our cottage to the small village of Cuesta De Piedra where a very challenging road begins that leads toward Boquete to the east. That first 9 mile section is a piece of cake. Yesterday I rode the entire road to Bugaba.

The ride downhill to Bugaba is a 22 mile no brake joy. Compared to some of the other mountainous roads leading from Volcan, there were never any turns that had my heart in my throat hoping my skills and brakes were good enough to navigate the treacherous winding descents.

But, and here’s why I don’t see many riders up in the highlands near me, to get back to Volcan from Bugaba you’ve got to turn around and grind up hill for 22 miles. It’s never that steep but there is 4,600 ft of elevation gain. For most clubs or groups starting from the coast on the weekend, I’m sure that’s challenge enough and most of them stop in Volcan and turn back.

In fact, yesterday I saw a large group of riders of about 30-40 being escorted up the hill and then again going downhill while I was grinding my way back to Volcan.

I’m calculating that they were in Bugaba sometime around 7a.m. Which would mean if I ever want to ride with a large group of riders uphill to see where I fall in the pecking order around here, I’m going to have to get up awfully early to ride downhill to meet them. I’ve been starting my rides at 9 to give the roads a chance to dry and enjoy the peace of the mornings. But I suppose, just like in Los Angeles, once in a while I’ll force myself out the door a bit earlier than I’d prefer so I can enjoy the challenges and camaraderie of riding with a group.

Michael: That First Mile

The sunburst yellow
And burnt orange jester’s crown
Must make a bee buzz.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Today is my 500th day in a row of exercising for at least 30 minutes. My goal is 1,000. In my last 1,000 days I’ve missed two days of exercise. But that doesn’t mean I wake up in the morning, jump into my running shorts, fling open the door and sprint outside whistling, “Good Day, Sunshine or Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” Even here in Volcan, where “out the door” is quite beautiful.

Sometimes I’m just not feeling it and would rather just daydream, goof on the net, or put my feet up and read a book. So how do I coax myself to get moving when my feather weight running slippers feel more like lead boots?

For one, I’ve made a commitment and have a program and schedule. I don’t have to get up and wonder if I’m going to work out or what I’m going to do. Doing it of course is another matter, but knowing in advance what’s on the menu takes the mental anguish out of thinking up what to do everyday in an impromptu fashion. It also helps, over time, to reinforce the habit of exercise.

It’s also paid off. I’ve been healthy, active, and competitive now for just about my entire life. Even before I started this 1,000 day pledge, I didn’t pencil in many off days, so replacing them with light days wasn’t such a big leap.

I’ve made a commitment to another person and that helps. Kimme and I start out our running workouts together. So even if I don’t feel like it, I don’t want to disappoint her or take her down with me just because I’m feeling lazy.

But there still are those mornings where I’m just dragging and don’t feel up to it. Getting dressed and out the door is step number one. After that I’ll walk at least the first 5 minutes. Walking is easy, and now I’m already 5 minutes away from home. When I start to jog I’ll tell myself to take the first mile as easy as I can. Keep my head up and just move forward without worrying about any expectations I have for today’s workout. That first mile or so can sometimes be a real killer, but once my body’s been given the time to adapt, I’ve kept my head up and have been given some time outside to take in the light and my surroundings, my mood has usually significantly improved and I’m feeling both mentally and physically more engaged and prepared to focus on my workout.

On the rare occasion that I’ve had to deal with an injury and it would be unwise to continue a run, I’ll turn around and do some upper body work and stretching. Why not, I’ve already broken a light sweat and am dressed for exercise.

Once in a great while, I do just end up grinding it out. But those workouts are the exception, and even they have their mood lifting benefits. They reinforce my belief that I can push through those down moments until I can link back into that consistent flow of positive energy moving gives me.

For the most part, exercise is a joy and I feel very fortunate to get outside and do it everyday. But it’s also become a habit like brushing my teeth. It’s not something I always do with the same verve every time out, but I know it’ll get done. 

Michael: Old McDonald's

An iridescent
Violet hooded hummingbird
Feeds through its syringe.

Friday, June 25, 2015

Volcan is predominantly a farming community that revolves around a wide variety of crops and a few domestic animals. Almost all of these animals are either working or producing income. That’s why you won’t see the exotic animals here that I’ve seen in L.A. In L.A. I’ve seen camels, lamas and ostriches. Here, you get the basics; horses, cows, chickens, a few goats, and a couple of flocks of sheep.

Horses are the one animal here that are treated by some with an affection that many pets get back home. There are still quite a few working horses here used to do traditional farm/ranch work like herding cattle, repairing fences and I’ve even seen a few used to plow. But there are also a great many riding and show horses here. They’re treated well and seem to be living the good life.

Kimme wants to learn to ride a horse. As beautiful as they are, they’re big and intimidate me. I’ll just watch, thank you.

Volcan is a dairy community and the cows here are definitely grass fed all the way. We live at the entrance to a dairy farm which I’m going to have to learn more about. We’ll see a few cattle brought in some time on small transport trucks. We’ll see cattle taken away. Whether they’ve been bought or sold or why, I have no idea. Are they being promoted, demoted, punished, rewarded, retired…The cows seem as puzzled as I am.

One very good thing about the way the cattle industry here is that because they’re worked on a much smaller scale than in the states, the farms don’t stink. This is also a tropical highland environment with plenty of rain, streams and rivers to flush out any waste and carry it away. That’s why I’m not overly keen on swimming in any of the swimming holes around here. People say they’re fine and a lot of people indulge, but knowing that I’m sharing that pool with a great deal of cow dung particles heading downstream kind of puts me off of the idea.

If you’ve got a small parcel of land having a cow or two as living lawn mowers is also a pretty common practice.

Chickens and roosters, at least in the Volcan area, are very common. People raise them both for their meat and eggs. But even more so than cattle,  poultry are raised on a very small family home scale, like I’m sure it was done in the states back in old McDonald’s day.

We’ve heard that it’s an honor if you’re invited to someone’s house and they offer to slaughter a chicken for you for dinner. If we’re ever so honored, maybe I can act on the President’s behalf and grant the bird a pardon, or at least a stay of execution until after dessert and we’re on our way home.

Kimme and I have no big dreams of creating a sequel to Green Acres - Green Acres; Panama, but we can foresee having a few cows and chickens. Taking a siesta in my hammock while mulling on a wheat twig, or whatever the Panamanian equivalent is, sounds kind of bucolic and inviting. And that’s an idea that never would’ve come to mind a year ago living in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles.

Michael: Dogs

The miniscule ants,
Furious little pin pricks,
Quickly meet and greet.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

If I were a stateside dog and my owners started talking about moving to Panama, I’d seriously consider running away from home.

Dogs here are treated far differently than they are in the states. In L.A. in particular, some dogs are living pretty sweet lives living in better homes and going to better restaurants than I’ll ever step foot in. And I’m not talking about their owner’s home, I’m talking about their dog house, or chateaus as they’re referred to in Malibu.

Here in Panama a lot of dogs are on their own. If they’re fortunate enough to have a home, it’s a very simple one and if a dog shows up at a restaurant, it got there on it’s own and isn’t going to be there long before someone is scaring it away.

Dogs walk with people but it’s because they’re hoping for some food. Very few owners leash their dogs and take them for walks. So unless a dog is tied to a post or his house, it’s very difficult to tell which dogs have owners and which are just street dogs.

We see some dogs here that are always tied up and don’t ever seem to get more exercise than their short tether allows for.

Dogs that have owners and a property to live on can be very threatening when it comes to protecting what they consider the  boundaries of their territory. This can often extend far beyond the fence posts of their owners and some dogs have come after us very aggressively. We haven’t been bitten yet, but Kimme is carrying pepper spray and I’ve been nipped at a couple of times.

We’ve been given very different advice on how to handle vicious dogs. Some advise picking up a rock, or at least going through the motions, and that’ll scare them away. Others suggest squatting down and extending your hand behind you so the dog can sniff you and see that you’re not a threat, but want to treat them with kindness. We haven’t tried either approach yet.
I either just ignore them or acknowledge them, sometimes in a stern manner, while continuing on my way. I want them to know I recognize their claim to their space, am not a threat, but will be in a position to defend myself if I have to. Be cool and I’ll be out of your space is the jive I’m going for.  I’m not sure if they’re getting all that, but it’s been working so far. 

Our neighbor’s dog, Lea a pit bull, has a very deep bark and a very strong build. But she likes us, thank God.

There is also a cute black puppy living down the dirt road from us, that sometimes barks at us but lately has been coming over for some affection. She rolls over in a very submissive posture when we approach her at our place. She’s the only dog here that’s done that. The stray dogs here, which are easily in the majority, are usually non-threatening and will either ignore us or move out of our way.

Dogs are not treated at all like they are in L.A. So if you’re someone’s posh little toy and are brought to Panama, don’t let your owner set you down because the dogs and people here aren’t going to give you the red carpet treatment you get back home.

Michael: BMW/BBW

Picking a berry
On a walk through the forest
Shouldn’t feel strange.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

We haven’t had access to the net here with any reliability for a week and half. It’s come on for a couple of hours the past two nights, but that’s about it.  It’s definitely the most frustrating aspect of living here.

I wouldn’t say I live on the net, but it is much more than a bill paying service. I enjoy doing all kinds of  “research” on the web. Much more than I should actually. And that’s where not having it has had a few benefits. For example, I’ve been spending much more time reading books lately, which has been a real treat, though there’s no reason I couldn’t have been doing so when I had the net.

There are still aspects of the net that both amuse and frighten me. I’ve had my identity stolen a few times, and I’m sure at least one of those incidents was through opening mail with a bug in it.

Why some invites to certain websites start showing up in my mail is also a mystery to me. Because of my fear of identity theft I almost always delete any mail from a source I don’t recognize, no matter how enticing the appeal.
But once in a great while they almost sneak one past me.

Recently I’ve been hit up by a website offering BBWs. At first I didn’t recognize what the initials stood for and almost clicked on it because I get mail all the time from a BMW motorcycle dealer that I sold my motorcycle to before leaving the states. I miss motorcycles so when their mail shows up, if it’s touting a new road bike, I’ll open it up and take a peak.

So BBW/BMW, understandable from just a quick glance why I would open it. But I hesitated long enough to wonder what that “BBWs in my area” meant. Then it hit me, Big Black Women. Why they’d be looking for me, I have no idea. But I almost accidentally started looking for them.

Michael: Under my Belt

Lazy fly swatter
Swishes like a frazzled rope
From the cow’s rear end.

Monday, June 22, 2015

This past weekend I tested out the Osprey Talon 6 as a fully loaded over night running pack. I loaded up the pack with a change of clothes, toiletries, food, water and a few other essentials totaling about 4 lbs. of weight and away I went to join a group of about 20 ex-pats on a special hikers club weekend at the Totumas eco - lodge; about a 2 hours run from our cottage.

As far as lumbar packs go, the Talon 6 works better than any of the previous waist packs I’ve owned, though it still has the one critical shortcoming that turns me away from ever using a lumbar pack again as a trail running option.

I’ve never enjoyed the feel of a waist pack sitting around my waist. I tried for about 15 minutes to keep the Talon 6 on my hips and away from waist. But, like every lumbar pack I’ve tried, the Talon 6 wants to ride around the waist. After giving in and letting the Talon 6 sit where it wanted to, running with it wasn’t really much of a problem and, after shifting about half the water weight from the bottles to my stomach, it was even less of a chore and I could run with a little more verve .

But for trail runs I’ll reach for the Osprey Rev 1.5 vest every time. My belly button and I just prefer the feel of a vest.

But as an overnight pack the Talon 6 was a near complete success. In fact in August I plan on using it as part of a two pack fast-packing system. On that trip I’ll carry my light weight camp supplies in a Gossamer Gear day pack and water and other essentials in the Talon 6. That way I can do a long lollipop loop, hiking in one day and setting up camp at the end of the stick, and the next day or two, run loops from my base camp only carrying what I need for the day in the Talon 6.

Outside of the capacity, comfort and convenience of the Talon 6, I really appreciate that the bottles stay out of my way when I run. I’m a pretty skinny dude at 5’10” and 140 lbs. so it was a bit surprising that even fully loaded, my elbows never clashed with the bottles. I do wish those bottles could stand up-right and be filled, but if that’s the trade off I’ve got to pay for elbow room, I’ll live with it.

The Talon 6 has the perfect carrying capacity for long day hikes, over night trips that don‘t involve camping, and hopefully as one pack in a 2 pack fast pack system. It’s not perfect, but it does work very well in situations where a vest pack is too small and a full blown backpack is too large.

Michael: Decisions

The two tayras leaped
Like confused weasels before
Bounding off the road

Friday, June 19, 2015.

Solving the puzzle of an endurance event, like Monday’s Volcan Baru trek, is extremely rewarding. Not only does it mean I asked myself the right questions, but even better, I gave myself honest answers.

Questions like:

Am I physically prepared?
What pace can I maintain?
What are my nutritional and hydration needs?
How often should I eat and drink?
What equipment should I carry?
What shoes and clothes should I use?
When should I start?
How am I going to get to the trailhead and back?
Should I set a bail out time?
Can I bail out?
What would I do differently?
What did I do right?
Where’s the best place to get pizza if I accomplish what I set out to do?

As a caveat, I like to challenge myself by bringing as little as I feel is necessary to accomplish the task. So, for example, when I’m done, if I only have one squeeze of water and one nibble of food, I feel I’ve done it right.

And with a few minor exceptions, I did the Monday volcano adventure right.

If I were to do it over I’d make two small changes:

 1. I’d stash more water. I started with a liter and a half and had a liter stashed on the trail. I ran out of water with 4k to go and was lucky it was misty and cool. Not stashing more water was even a worse decision since the last 13k is downhill when carrying and ingesting nutrients and fluids is easier .

2. I would start earlier. I finished at 5:30 with about an hour of light to spare, which was just as I planned. But everything had to go perfectly. If I had fallen and gotten hurt, or needed to stop to rest for any length of time, there was a good chance I would’ve been finishing in the dark, greatly increasing my risks and causing Kimme additional stress.

I started at 6 a.m. right at daybreak. The plan was to start at 5:30 and I should’ve stuck to it. But I was feeling very confident, which is fine, but I shouldn’t have let that cloud my judgment and stray from my plan.

Otherwise, I’m quite pleased with how I solved the riddles of the volcano trek. And now to figure out the next challenge.

Michael: Over and Back

The Boquete mist
Covered us in a welcomed
Powder of water.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

On Monday, Kimme and I went to the highest peak in Panama, Volcan Baru, starting from the Boquete side. Kimme went out and back on the jeep trail then down a paved road for 4 miles back to our B & B for an 8 hour, 20 mile trek. I went up the same way to the peak but continued down the Western Trail to the trailhead near Volcan then turned around and came back for a total of 11 hour 35 minute jog/hike and 25 miles total.

To put the difficulty of those 25 miles into perspective, last year I did a 46 mile Rim to Rim to Rim Grand Canyon adventure in 10 ½ hours. And really those two journeys juxtapose nicely; the canyon being the bowl and the volcano being the very steeply shaped ice cream protruding above the rim. Who could resist?

Like the canyon run, I wasn’t going in blind. Just like I did Rim to Rim before doing the double crossing, about a month ago Kimme and I had gone over the volcano. On that trip we started up the Western Trail and jogged down the jeep trail. That took us 7 hours and 15 minutes; 5 hours up and 2:15 down. From that trip I figured I could do the double crossing of the volcano between 11 and 12 hours.

The trip breaks down into 4 segments; a 13k uphill run on the jeep trail. A 7k hike/run down the single track Western Trail, a turn around slow hike/run back up the Western Trail, then a 13k mostly jog down the jeep trail back into Boquete. From my previous experience of these trails I gave myself 3 hours for the run up, 3 hours for the hike down, 4 hours for the hike back up, then 2 hours for the jog back to the ranger station near Boquete.

I came pretty close to my estimates doing the first segment in 2:50, the second in 2:50, the third in 3:40, and the fourth in 2:15.

While both sides of the volcano entail climbs that start at 5,000 ft and end at the cross at the top at a little over 11,000 ft., they are completely different types of trails over very different terrain that really throws an enjoyable contrast into the journey.

For one, the jeep trail on the Boquete side covers that 6,000 ft of elevation gain in 13k, while the Western Trail covers that same gain in only 7k, so while still steep, the grade on the jeep trail is far more forgiving.

The major difficulty with running the jeep trail is that about half of those 13k sections are strewn with about 50 to 80 meter patches of large rocks to prevent erosion. Still runnable on the uphill, but on my tired legs on the return down, I chose to walk those sections instead of risking a fall, which was both frustrating and time consuming.

The trail also peters out very near the cross at the pinnacle and the last couple of hundred of meters is more of a slow scramble then a clear path to the peak, which felt both dangerous and again very time consuming. I skipped those last few meters on the way back turning for the jeep trail at the nearby Panamanian flag.

The Western Trail by contrast, starting from the peak, descends steeply on exposed sand and rock for about a 1 ½  kilometers, which is kind of fun because you can step/slide down. On the way back though that same sandbox feels like it transforms into a quagmire of quicksand.

There are bits and pieces of runnable sections on the Western Trail, particularly the last couple of kilometers. And, like at the top, the last kilometer is out in the open, but is forgivingly a flat grassy jeep trail. For the most part though the single track Western Trail is under the canopy and is a gorgeous steep rooty windy E ticket ride (I’m sure Kimme will want me to edit out this reference to old Disneyland tickets that broke down the park’s rides into different levels of excitement, with the E ticket rides being the most adventurous. But I’m going to stick with it.). On this trail I run, hike, crawl, swing, pull, twist, hurdle, grunt, pray…whatever I need to do to keep moving forward.

The weather was just about perfect, even a little on the warm side during the last few kilometers on the Western Trail near the trailhead, but with no rain during the just about guaranteed rain everyday rainy season.

That provides a descent sketch of the terrain and physical challenges of the over and back Volcano adventure. Tomorrow I’ll talk about the mental and nutritional aspects of this journey

Michael: Pacing

“ERRR, ER-ER, ER, ERRRR!”
And the distant reply goes,
“errr, er-er, er, errrr.”

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

If you trail run and race you’re my kind of animal. One of the more pleasurable aspects of running on the undulating beauty of trails is leaving the traditional notion of pacing behind and running by feel.

That isn’t to say there aren’t differing paces, but if you’re running by feel they don’t have the same rigid format as road work does. At least not for me.  I’m letting the terrain, my intentions and my mood dictate the pace.

But I do consciously run at different paces.

Trail Pace - This is my default pace. If I feel like easing up a bit, I do. If I feel like picking it up a bit, why not? I try not to categorize trail runs into hard/tempo/recovery runs. Maybe I worked out hard the day before and I’m tired, so I mainly take it easy. But I don’t consciously hold myself back the entire run. Even after a hard day I might, for some odd reason, feel great and enjoy lifting the pace up at times. I’m outside. I’m an animal. Why not let my mood, what my body feels like doing, and my surroundings dictate how I run. Mix it up.

Chase Pace - I’m running fast and taking risk. I could fall. I could bonk. But I’m racing and that’s what racing is all about.

Migrate Pace - I’m out there alone for a long time; maybe for multiple days. I don’t want to get hurt but I’ve got a distant destination in mind that requires that I keep a lively pace up. I’m intentionally holding myself back a little to minimize risk while at the same time being aware that I’ve got to run where it’s safe to do so if I’m going to get to where I’ve planned with some light left to work with. Often, I’ve failed and ended up stumbling and tired in the dark.

This is the pace I kept in my head Monday when I went over the volcano and back. I also carried a headlamp with me just in case. I started at 6 in the morning and finished at 5:30 p.m. with about an hour of light to spare.

Pack Pace - I almost forgot about this one. I’m usually out there alone, but every once in a while Kimme and I take it easy and talk. Sometimes I’ve even run into a talkative stranger and slowed to chat for a bit. I’ll even admit to chatting up fast runners, particularly on a tough up hill, to get them to slow down so I can hang with them for a while.

Grave Pace - I’m done but surprisingly my feet keep moving me agonizingly forward.  If I have a tent with me I’m looking for the nearest spot where I can set up then curl up inside until I stop shivering and fall asleep. Otherwise, I’m just moving forward until I reach a spot, hopefully my destination, where I can crash.

Those are the paces I move at when I‘m outdoors on the dirt or in the muck. I love being on the trails. They’re tough but informal. Keep the 3 minutes on, I minute off stuff inside or on the road. When I’m outside I like to run by feel, intention and the dictates of the terrain.
















 

Michael: Supplies

Tears not yet fallen
Shimmer on the morning leaves
Like uncut diamonds.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Tomorrow we start our 3 day adventure into Boquete. This is my equipment list. Everything I’ll be carrying, with a few minor exceptions, will be light weight, dry fast, and protect me from the sun, bugs and rain.

 For Monday’s 12 hour Volcano out and back run:

Clothes: cap with neck cape, long sleeve shirt, gloves, underwear, shorts, belt ( to attach headlamp to and use on waist if necessary), calf sleeves, socks, shoes, rain jacket (attached to pack).

The reason for the long shorts/knickers and calf sleeve combination as opposed to hiking pants are for two reasons; 1, It makes it easier to run while providing almost as much protection as pants and 2, After I’m finished I’ll most likely be wet and it’ll feel warmer to peel off the wet calf sleeves. For the same reason I sometimes opt to use a short sleeve shirt and arm sleeves, but the long sleeve shirts I have trombone up and down the arm pretty easily.

Equipment: Osprey Rev 1.5 pack with 1 ½ liter reservoir, phone, first aid kit, headlamp, safety whistle, insect repellent, watch ( with timer set to repeat every 15 minutes to remind me to drink), plastic bag.

Food: 2, 5 oz. gel flask with a blend of liquid sugar, honey, molasses, and electrolytes. I also have 2 large Baby Ruth bars and 2 half liter bottles of water stashed on the mountain. I’ll talk about caloric needs in another post.

Miscellaneous: Wedding ring, surf necklace, Road I.D., cash, license, credit card, and an optimistic outlook regarding the weather and my ability to accomplish this goofy challenge.

What I won’t be carrying: a map and compass (I’ve done this route and it’s pretty straight forward without any major trail intersections.), an emergency shelter ( I sometimes do, but rarely on day hikes. If I get hurt, I’ll hobble down to a lower elevation where it’ll be warm enough to sit it out. In the states I have a great poncho that‘s extraordinarily light and would serve the purpose.). A filter ( There is a spring in route and if I had my filter here, I’d consider bringing it. That’s why the food and water stash was necessary.), duct tape - that stuff is magical even though I rarely need it. If I had some it would be wound around something and in my pack.  

I’ll carry my around town clothes and gear in round town clothes in the Osprey Talon 6 lumbar pack: long sleeve shirt, underwear, shorts, calf sleeves, sandals, writing pad and pen, toothpaste and brush.

I think that should do it. We considered bringing our ipad but it won’t fit in either of our packs.

How this all works out will be fun to find out. Rarely does all go as planned and it’s always interesting to discover what went well and where I goofed. 
(Note: picture is missing 2 flask and sandals).

Michael: Clean

As the rain persist
The rest of the world becomes
Less of a nuisance.

Friday, June 12, 2015

I’ve been drug free now for two days and feel great. Though I have kept a small stash of nasal inhaler in case I start to get the shakes.

As far as I could tell my week long use of three antibiotics to treat my sinus infection had little or no side effects. I’m sure drug users themselves aren’t always the most objective observers/reporters so I asked Kimme if she noticed any changes and she said I seemed normal enough.

Whether it was drug or infection related or both, I did suffer heavy night sweats. Enough to wake me up, change clothes and find another place to sleep.

On a light run on Tuesday I also started to cramp in both calves and in my right hamstring, which is highly unusual. That was probably a result of loosing electrolytes from the night sweats.

Full disclosure, thought I hate toilet talk, I did miss two of my clockwork like morning constitutionals. Again, whether that was a result of the infection, drugs, reduced activity or a combination of the three, I can’t tell.

The take away from this treatment is I’m not going to wait nearly as long the next time I get sick to go to the doctor’s. The drugs she prescribed had an almost immediate effect in improving my condition and discomfort. I would still prefer for my body to fight it’s own battles, and I’ll continue to give it a day or two to do so, but if results aren’t forthcoming, I’ll be at the doc’s by day three. 












 

Michael: Trial #1

Red and gold leaved ferns
Light up the dark forest with
A burst of color.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Yesterday I strapped on a lumbar pack, the Osprey Talon 6, for the first time in years. We went for a good 3 ½ hour jaunt up the Western Trail to drop off a cache of supplies for a Monday run. The Talon 6 passed the first test with flying colors.

Why? It comfortably stayed where I wanted it to; on my hips with the belt slightly under my belly button. Most lumbar packs tend to ride up and end up bouncing or having to be secured above my hips on my waist, which is uncomfortable for me. But I was only hiking with a light load. The big test will come next weekend when I take it fully loaded with a change of clothes, food and water and run with it for a couple of hours. If it stays in place then, I’ve got a winner. 

But there are a couple of small touches that I really like about the Osprey that I know will make it a great hiking companion even if it doesn’t make it into the running lineup.

The hip pockets are large enough to each carry a 5 oz. gel flask and are held firmly in place with a fine stretchy mesh. Again no bouncing.

The pull tabs are easy to access and use even with gloved hands. The zippers work. Nothing more annoying than to have to stop and fiddle with zippers or turn the pack around to undo a snagged flap. Won’t happen with an Osprey pack.

The cinch belts on the hips and back pocket keep everything tight and secure against the body.

The shape provided by the foam support on the back panel and hip wings fits me perfectly (Walking. We’ll see about running later.).

It’s breathes well. The foam in the hip wings are vented and the back panel is slightly curved with ridges to reduce contact with the back and allow for air to flow through so your back doesn’t become a small swamp draining into your butt crack.

The bottle pockets come with a bungee cinch system so you can use different sized bottles without them jiggling or worrying about them launching out.

It’s also aesthetically pleasing to me. I like the burnt orange and grey trim. Heck, I even like the stick figure black Osprey logo on the hip belt. Looks like a logo I could’ve come up with. I’m sure it comes in other colors and if those had been on sale for less than the orange pack, I would’ve had a tough decision to make. But I got the color I wanted.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed it’ll stay in place on a run. If it does I’ve got a fast pack trip all mapped out for this pack.

Michael: Another Pack?

Frozen bananas
With almond milk and coffee
Is one fine delight.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

The trail running community has turned it’s back on lumbar packs (Yes, it’s an intentional pun.) You just don’t see as many of them out there as you use to. I stopped using them years ago opting for bladder or bottle vests. Some runners even prefer handhelds over lumbar packs. Small bottled belts, like Fuel belts, still seem to be in vogue, but good old large pocketed dual 20 oz bottle carrying lumbar packs have gone the way of external framed backpacks; used only by old diehards.

So why am I going on about lumbar packs? Because I just bought one of course, and can’t wait to try it out in a few hours to see if it comfortably serves its purpose. That purpose, at the moment, is limited to transporting a cache of water and chocolate somewhere between the 4k and 5k mark up the Western Trail so I’ll have some reserves stashed for a longer run on Monday.

That means today I’ll be using two Osprey packs; the Rev. 1.5 vest pack which I love, and my newly acquired Osprey Talon 6 lumbar pack. My only gripe pre-trial about the latter pack is its lack of bungee cords across the back pocket where a jacket or sandals could’ve have been secured, and the oddly shaped modified test tube looking bottles. Whether the bottle shape is a revelation in comfort will have to wait until another test next weekend when I use the bag again as an overnight/running pack. Today I’ll nix the Osprey bottles and will be carrying good old store bought half liter bottles.

If, in the next two weeks, the Talon 6 checks out, I’ve already got a fast pack trip lined up for it. Then I’ll use it to carry water and a few other essentials coupled with a Gossamer Gear shoulder pack that will carry my camp supplies. That way I can hike to a spot, set up camp, then do loops from camp only carrying the lumbar pack. One of my dreams - an ultra light modular packing system for fast packing.

Who knows? In a pinch, in some very long runs or races, I may even go back to using a lumbar pack. But it’s going to have to be one very sweet pack for that to happen. Test one of the Osprey Talon 6 is today.  

Michael: The Do It Center

English magazines
At Arrocha’s Japanese 
Store in Panama.


Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Turns out the Do It store in David is part a very modern and U.S. like appliance mall. We were there to pick up a kettle bell and sheets and to look at sewing machines. Partial success: we did get a 25 lb. bell and sheets, but the sewing machines were not up to Kimme’s liking. Next week we’ll try another appliance store near the Price Smart in David.

Surprisingly, the Do It store, for as large and as well equipped as it is, did not have sewing machines. We found those at a few other stores. The Do It store is much like a combination Home Depot/Home store with all the tools of a Home Depot, plus home accessories like sheets and towels, but minus the construction materials.

They even wear very Home Depot like burnt orange vests. My one criticism would be that for all the very helpful clerks they had throughout the store, they only had two cashiers. We ended up waiting over 20 minutes in line at noon on a Monday workday. If this had been in the states, people would’ve been getting pretty antsy. I’m sure some would’ve displayed there displeasure by putting down their goods and leaving.

That isn’t to say that everyone in line looked like the most happiest of campers, but a split screen showing how different cultures handle waiting could be an interesting, and I’ll bet amusing watch. Maybe people could even past their time in line watching such a program on an in store monitor. But I’d prefer they yank one of the other orange vested dudes walking around and have them pull cashier duty when needed.

As with almost all our trips so far in Panama we ran into an unexpected surprise. Yesterday it was discovering that the Arrocha store in the Do It complex, carries a wide array of English magazines such as Runner’s World and Men’s Health. We should’ve picked up a bunch, but sometimes we’re so stunned by such a discovery that we just make a note of it for later. Boot to the head for me for not picking some up on the spot.
















 

Michael: Swelterland

The caterpillar
Iridescent gold and blue
Covered with black fur.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Yesterday we scouted out the Quetzal trail and it’s a little worse for wear, but still manageable. That means our trip to Boquete this weekend has still got the green light. Today a different type of trip and scouting expedition to David.

David may always be a wonder to me. In Los Angeles when it’s hot people flee to the coast to cool off. Here we descend down the mountain toward the coast and we can count on it being 90 degrees and humid.

But we’re not going there for a change of weather, we’re going to pick up our second set of packages sent from the good old U.S. of A. and to see if there’s a decent sewing machine, sheets and a weighty enough kettle bell at the Do It Center.

In the packages should be an Osprey Talon 6 lumbar pack, a pair of shorts, underwear and an exercise band. The pack will be used to carry a change of clothes on a few adventures we have upcoming and to play with as part of a two part pack system on fast pack hiking trips. I’ll talk about that later.

The shorts have a 14” inseam. I like my legs covered when I run or hike here, but pants get awkward and heavy. With long shorts and calf sleeves I should be good to go.

The exercise band Kimme ordered to try and help with our posture. More after I figure out how to do the exercises.

The Do It Center is a kind of Jack of all trades home shopping store that Kimme believes is just like a chain in the Midwest. The sewing machine would is so she can start designing again and create some samples until she can retrieve her good machines from the states. And the kettle bell is for me so I can join her in the workouts she’s been doing off of her computer.

We won’t linger in David. Unlike the states, we’ll be glad to put the coast at our backs and climb into the more comforting surroundings of the mountains.

Michael: Cache

The bleat of the goat
Off in some distant pasture
Is today’s constant.


Sunday, June 7, 2015

We’ve hiked the Western Trail to the top of 11,000 ft. Volcan Baru before and gone down the jeep trail on the other side into Boquete. That trip took us 7 hours and 15 minutes. I’m planning on doing it twice without stopping in 12 hours.

Here’s the plan:

Start in Boquete. This allows me to do the jeep trail, the easier trail to the peak, both early when I’m fresh, and at the end. I’m planning on running in the morning all the way up, and hope I’ll still have enough energy at the end of the day to cautiously jog down. If not, at least I’ll be able to walk without worrying about getting lost in the dark. If I started on the far more treacherous Western Trail, there’s a good chance I’d end up in the dark under the canopy and that would mean very slow going when I’m at my most fatigued.  On the jeep trail, at least if I miss calculate and end up walking in the dark, with a headlamp I should be fine.

Monday - Email B & B in Boquete inquiring about a reliable taxi driver that can drive us to the Ranger Station at the start of the jeep trail at 5a.m.

Wednesday - Hike to the 5K marker at about 9,000 ft and hide two half liter bottles of water and 2 large Snickers bars with almonds.

Sunday - Jog the Quetzal trail into Boquete with a change of clothes. Keep fingers crossed that it’s not raining and we get lucky and a bus is right there waiting for us as soon as we step off the trail and onto the road. 

Eat lunch in Boquete before taking taxi to where ever our B&B is. Enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

Monday - Up at 4 to 4:30 to eat and prep. Make sure taxi’s on the way. Will start with liter and a half of water and two flask of gu.

Start up the jeep trail at 5:30 walking for 15 minutes before beginning to jog. It’s not light here until a little after 6 so may need headlamp for a while.
Calculating it will take about 3 hours to run the 13k to the peak.

Snap picture by the cross at the top then head down Western Trail toward Volcan jogging as much as possible but that won’t be very often.

Reach cache, eat candy bar and load water and away we go.

Figure it should take about 3 hours to reach trailhead sign. That means I should start back up toward the peak on the Western Trail before noon giving me close to 7 hours of light to work with.

Reach cache again, eat candy bar and load water and away we go again.

Reach peak in 4 hours. That should put me there before 4p.m. If I’m really lucky it won’t be raining but no doubt I’ll have already donned my raincoat. I’m really just hoping that there won’t be a lightening storm and I have to abort the trip and scramble back down toward Volcan.

I should be able to jog down the jeep trail in two hours completing my hike before 6p.m. and still in the light.

I’ll call Kimme to let her know I’m done and to send the taxi.

Piece of cake. Make that cheesecake with a swirl of chocolate and an expresso after a delicious and well deserved pizza and salad.

Michael: Bouncing Back

The leaves and branches
Form a heart shaped silhouette
Against the white skies.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

To take advantage of the down time I’ve had the past couple of weeks fighting this sinus infection, we’ve planned for our first over night stay outside of Volcan this year. We’re going to stay in Boquete, actually Lower Boquete, because it’s a little less expensive than Boquete proper. It’ll give us a chance to try out a new B & B and hit the Tuesday ex-pat market. That’s on the calendar for next Sunday and Monday.

Boquete is where we stayed last year while we checked out this area of Panama. It’s twice the size of Volcan at 20,000 population and growing and has a completely different feel than Volcan does. It’s really the tourist mecca of the Chiriqui Highlands.

We prefer Volcan, but the opportunities for Kimme to sell her designs would be better in Boquete so it doesn’t hurt to check it out now and then. There is also a small town near Boquete, Portrerillos, that I think we should look at before we decide to invest in property here. Though we’re beginning to become pretty attached to Volcan so it’s going to have to be a pretty special place to pull us away from here.

Our main objective for our visit though is to attempt to go to the top of  Volcan Baru, the highest point in Panama at 11,000 ft., via the jeep trail leading from Boquete, then down the Western Trail into Volcan, then turn around and come back. It’s only 40k in distance, but has a total elevation gain/loss of 24,000 ft. This will be the first time I’m going to cache some supplies for a hike. That’s scheduled for next Monday.

As a small prelude to the volcano hike, we’ll start by traveling into Boquete on foot via the Quetzal trail. We’ve been doing that trail just about every Sunday, but this will be the first time in quite a while for Kimme to do all of the trail. We’ve been doing it as an out and back and she turns around early so we can finish together.

We haven’t done the Quetzal in a couple of weeks though so we’re not sure what condition the trail is in at the moment. In the Santa Monica’s that wouldn’t be a concern. But here a trail can become overgrown and unmanageable pretty quickly. We’re going to scout it out this Sunday and if all looks doable, then the trip’s a go.

Of course the weather can come into play and pull a plug on the whole plan, but it’s too far away to let that creep into any decision making right now. One step at a time. The first step being to scout out the Quetzal.

Michael: A Long Taper

The drums have faded
Into the orchestra of
Water and metal.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Part of the appeal of moving to Volcan was discovering what the effects of living at altitude would have on my athletic performance. Having lived at sea level my entire life, I’ve only been able to read or listen to accounts of the oxygen enhancing benefits. 

But after 4 months of living at about 5,000 ft. I should’ve maximized all of the benefits of living at altitude, and am ready to drop down to my old sea level dwelling, Los Angeles, and see if there’s been a marked increase in my performance.

To  put this to an objective test, I plan on running a race I’ve run a few times before and see if I improve or at least hold steady, given that, due to age, I should be in a state of incremental decline, possibly offsetting any gains living at altitude has given me. This is another interesting kink in the experiment; can living at altitude diminish the loss of performance due to aging? I haven’t read any of the literature on that yet. But hell, I figure I’m trying to live my entire life as experiment of what I can squeeze out of this body before I wear it out. 

Complicating the issue is this unexpected bout of bacterial infection. It’s caused me to lose a week and a half of endurance training. But I’m going to try and twist that into at least a partial positive by looking at it as a prolonged taper and have scheduled a few grueling challenges for the next couple of weeks to see if that works.

If it does, I should be right back on track to try and run the 25k Bull Dog race in under 2 hours. That hasn’t been done by someone my age and would be about a 5 minute improvement over my previous best on that course, but I’m optimistic that living at altitude will have given me the performance boost that will make that possible.

Michael: Teetotaler to Addict

The metallic taps
From the sporadic rainfall
Are sharp and vibrant.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

I’ve been fighting a sinus infection here for over a week using my usual approach of reducing my workouts and resting more. It hasn’t been working. Then after receiving a note from Felipe, the ex-pat that runs the hiking club, that it’s taken him up to three weeks to recover from the flu here, I decided to reconsider the idea of seeing a doctor. I can’t afford three weeks of malaise.

So after a light run on Tuesday, I decided that if I was still sick that night I’d go see Dr. Marion Morales, a local physician who was recommended by the ex-pat volunteer we met during the hospital tour last month.

My logic for not seeing doctors previously goes like this: Doctors prescribe drugs. I don’t take drugs; therefore there’s no point going to the doctor’s.

Turns out my little logical syllogism was correct. Dr. Morales, a very young and energetic woman, prescribed 5 different types of medicine; three of them are antibiotics and the others are to treat the symptoms of congestion and mucus.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever taken any anti-bacterial drugs since childhood. I’ve taken a few pain killers, a few aspirin, and maybe a few anti-inflammatories, and that’s about it. 

But on the advise of Dr. Morales, I have now begun my regimen of taking; Primerus 750 once a day after a meal for the next 7 days, Noxadine twice a day. Dolo Apramax three times a day after meals, Mucosolvan three times a day after meals, and Monetzona twice a day. I’ll withhold judgment on the effectiveness of this treatment until after I see more definitive results, but I am cautiously optimistic.

All the drugs she is prescribing have side effects, as do all drugs, but none of them were worth taking note of. The information is with the medicine, but if any unusual symptoms were to occur, I am to email or call her.

Before I saw the doctor, in the patient’s waiting room, overseen by a young male assistant, were three rows of  folding chairs facing a T.V. screen. The assistant made my day by switching the channel to a station that aired  American television programs with Spanish subtitles and I got to watch one of old favorites - Seinfeld, for the first time in over a year. The episode was the one where Kramer is mistaken for a mentally challenged adult and ends up sitting at the guest of honor table and being serenaded by Mel Torme.

The only reason I waited any length of time to see the doctor was because, though the clinic is open from 9 - 6, she usually doesn’t get there until 12, as she over sees a medical program in nearby Cerro Punta. There were no patients waiting before me, nor was there any question as to whether I had made an appointment. There was also no nurse. What goes on at the clinic before noon I can’t say but will look into.

When she arrived she set up quickly and called me - “Mr. Michael” - just like my landlord does, into her office where she went through the usual background questions, took my blood pressure - 100/60 - sounds good, checked my ears, listened to my breathing, then outlined her prescribed course of action.

A large and well stocked pharmacy was adjacent to the clinic. I handed them my numerous subscriptions and after filling them, they very politely wrote out the directions in English on the boxes of the various capsules, syrups, and inhalers I was suppose to use over the next week. Everything seems pretty self explanatory as far as what’s to be taken and how and which orifice should be used. I’ll be awfully embarrassed if any complications occur because I snorted something I should’ve been swallowing.

Our first impressions of  Dr. Morales were very positive. We know we’re confident in our dentist, Dr. Sinclair. We’re now reasonably certain we’ve found a doctor we can turn to for help. That means a lot to us.

I’m not sure where we’d be in that regard as far as personal service goes in the states. I rarely had use for the services of my health insurance in the states outside of a hernia surgery over twenty years ago,a few broken hand bones and a case of Achilles tendonitis. That all went well and I was very pleased with the treatments I received.

This drug thing though is part of the health world I haven’t been a part of before. If it works I’m sure I’ll be less hesitant to visit the doctor and take any medications they prescribe. I see this as a fluke that makes drug use understandable, and not as a change in philosophy that living a long and healthy life means avoiding becoming chronically reliant on drugs.  

MIchael: Chemical Assault

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

The ochre bellied
Fly catcher’s name is larger
Than the bird itself.


Wednesday, June 3, 2015

We went from  Florence Nightingale rescuers one night to chemical weapons wielding butchers the next.

For the most part, despite the large number and variety of insects here, very few of them cross our threshold and enter our cottage. The occasional fly, a cricket here and there, a few ants… pesky but manageable.

But just the night after we rescued a bird that flew into a window, which I thought would create good karma, we were being assaulted on several fronts by a few different kinds of small ants in significant numbers. This called for a quick and unequivocal response. Out came the aerosol weaponry and quickly hundreds of small black corpses lie smoldering in the dust.

Makes me wish I would’ve hung on to some of my circa Vietnam war era army men to post around the house to stand guard and serve as a warning to any other foreign invaders. Respect our borders, damn it, or suffer the consequences.

Michael: The Taxi Driver

I look at my toes
Peanut like appendages
And know I’m a clown.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Because Volcan is a small town if you stay here any length of time and use taxis as transportation, your bound to begin to recognize some of the drivers and vice versa. We only know one of the drivers’ by name at the moment, but we hope that will change.

Most of these guys go quietly about their business, though we have met a few that are very cordial and talkative, particularly if they speak some English.

But over the weekend we struck yellow taxi gold. We engaged a driver we have used on several recent outings with a peculiarity who wasn’t afraid to show it. A man after my own heart. And what’s even better, is that we were exacerbating his annoyance with us without knowing it. A perfect confluence of quirkiness and miscommunication.

On two previous trips home after we got out of his cab, he would indicate for us to shut the door. No other driver has said anything like that to us. We just figured everyone was expected to shut the door, but that he must have had a bad experience with a tourist that didn’t close the door properly. So after we were admonished the first time, the next time we closed the door with a little more authority.

This weekend on the way home as soon as we entered his cab he talked about the door. Kimme wanted me to ask him how he developed this concern. I was reluctant, but gave it a go. Turns out he wants people to close the door gently. It’s his car and he doesn’t want to hear the door slam all day long. When we exited I closed the door and looked to him to see if I had done so in a way that he appreciated. I was given the thumbs up sign, which I hope means the same here as it does in the states.