Michael: Buffed Trails

Battered butterfly
Is pushed recklessly by winds
It doesn’t control.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

It’s been two years since I’ve done a trail race on a buffed out trail. Next month that’s going to come to an end when I run in the Valencia 50k near Santa Clarita, Ca.

You would think the opportunity to return to the milder trails of L.A. would bring a sigh of relief and expectation of a much easier go of it, compared to the rocky, rooty, gushy and difficult trails I’ve been training on in Panama. But that isn’t necessarily the case. Here, I step carefully. In L.A. without those worries, will I be able to step lively?

I have been doing road work with some intervals and speed runs both to prepare for the occasional road races here, but also in anticipation of some summer trail races in the states. This race in late March should be a good test to see how wise I’ll be able to play with the tachometer in conditions I haven’t been in in a while.

Speed is one thing. Gauging how to use pacing over 4 hours is another. Lately I’ve been able to gain confidence that I can stay out there for over 7 hours, but now can I gear it up a notch on easier trails and use all the fuel in the tank to bring the old jalopy across the finish line between 4-5 hours? It’s a little nerve wracking thinking about it.

Michael: The DHL Express Comes to a Crawl

Turbulent waters
Churn through the rocks creating
White watery beards.

Monday, February 6, 2017

Stock up because special needs can be hard to come by out in the boonies in Panama.

For example, my bicycle requires a specific type of brake fluid. I ordered the fluid from Chain Reaction Cycles in England on December 31. It’s been held up in customs ever since.

To be fair to DHL they did call me twice once my package arrived in Panama a week after I ordered it. Once we got cut off due to a bad phone connection and the other time I was driving so I tried to have Kimme relay what the contents were. I told them bicycle equipment and that was the last I heard from them. I’m not sure why Chain Reaction Cycles didn’t list the contents but that’s an investigation for another day.

I kept watching the tracking on-line for another week with the message that it was being delayed in customs for reasons unknown. I figured it was the flammable brake fluid that was slowing things down (seems appropriate doesn’t it?) and I was correct.

After sending them an e-mail last week stating what the contents were and asking if  there was any other information they needed, they got back to me on Friday with a message in Spanish. I called them today to ask them what it was about and after telling them verbally this time it was brake fluid, they informed me they needed to get a permit from the Fire Department to continue shipping. That should be another 3-5 days.

It’s a good thing I ordered this well in advance of needing it or I could’ve gone quite a while without getting out there on my trusty steed and going for some rides through this beautiful country.

Michael: Jack and Anjelica

Punished by the gods
Like Sisyphus pushing air
Instead of a rock.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

This is the 40th anniversary of Annie Hall, Woody Allen’s pivotal film. Last night I watched it for what must’ve been close to the 40th time. You watch something that many times and you’d think you’d know it by heart, but a small fragment of the film caught me by surprise.

For the first time when Paul Simon’s character invites Annie and Alvie to go with him to a party I caught the reference to Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston. I can’t believe that it took 40 years for that to hit me.

What a surprising entity the human brain is; to see something 40 times but never process it. So why now?

Has me wondering what else has washed over me multiple times without my being cognizant of it.

Michael: Long as I Can Grow It

The chattering bird
Punctuates the afternoon
With te-te-te-te.

Friday, February 3, 2017

There are a few old hippies around here. Old white dudes with their long thin white/gray hair pulled back into pony tails. Hippies were just slightly before my time, and I never was keen on the pony tail thing. But I have since middle school grown my hair long and now it’s about as long as its been in 15 years which still is a long way from the mid-back length I had it in it’s prime.

Funny how hair is. It’s definitely one of the more noticeable signs of aging. Not only the color; mine started going gray in my early 40s, but also the texture and thickness.

Fortunately, I’m no where’s near going bald. Shoot, I had friends starting to go bald in high school. But I am having on of those Seinfeld moments. This one from the time Elaine was dating a man who had been shaving his head for years and Elaine wonders if he might be going bald without noticing.

Well for simplicities sake, I’ve been having my haircut with a #2 blade for years. So I’ve also got the itch to see what my hair situation would be like if I let loose for a while.

Strangely, at the moment, my hair style resembles my mom’s. Kind of a gray wispy cloud that hovers over my head. And it’s much thinner than I’ve ever felt it before, though it’s still got enough life in it to wave in spots and curl in others.

I’m not sure a middle aged man should rock the same hairstyle as his mother. I’m not sure how long I’m going to let it grow. I don’t foresee a pony tail in the future, but I am curious as to what I would look like with long hair again.

Michael: Landmarks

Dark green canopy
Is tinged with fire red foliage
That resembles fall.

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Outside of running out of water on my Wednesday scouting run, I faced another difficulty. I am very directionally challenged, so shortly after losing sight of the major landmark here, the volcano, every trail intersection could potentially turn into a coin flip.

But Wednesday, possibly to make up for bursting my pack bladder, the trail gods were kind and put two trail angels exactly where I needed them. They were also the only people I saw during my 1:45 jaunt on that particular farm road.

The first angel showed up in the guise of a farmer at a very confusing three way intersection. I asked if he could point me toward the main road to Caizan and he did.

At the main road again was an angel that saved me a coin toss. This time it was a young mother and child. She was waiting for the bus. The road leads either to Caizan or Volcan. Without her help I’m almost positive I would’ve headed toward Caizan and away from home.

This, I feel, is somewhat my ying/yang fate. I have very good endurance, which I need because I often get lost and spend more time out in the boonies than I would if I had any sense of direction at all.

Michael: Unexpected Company

Golden retriever \
Formed a hunting pack with me
And we chased squirrels.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

The vast majority of dogs here are not my best friends. Half of them ignore me while the other half threaten to assault me. Today was different.

Today I went out exploring on a farm road to see if I could make a long loop run. The farm road starts right after crossing Volcan’s rarely used airstrip and heads toward one of the tourist spots around here known as the Lagunas.

As soon as I crossed the airstrip a spry golden retriever came bounding my way. I could tell from his body language that he wasn’t going to threaten me at all and seemed like he was happy to have some one to run with and possibly head off into the bushes to hunt squirrels with.

The dog stayed with me for the entire farm road. Well over an hour’s worth of warm weather running. He even continued to run with me on the road for a couple of miles until he met three other dogs and decided the hell with me.

At first I was worried about this dog running for so long without water, but that notion changed pretty quickly after I stumbled and did a 9.5 point shoulder roll that left me with only a few nicks on my knees. But, Ironically, the roll over also caused a small nick in one of the goofy seams in my Osprey pack bladder which then put me in the same position as the dog as far as water goes.

I say ironically not only because now neither of us had water but because this was the second time in a week that I was doing a very long run without water for the second half of the journey. Sunday my entire pack was taken from my stash spot. Today, at least I still have the pack, and should be able to patch the bladder. It’s busted at a seam before and a bicycle patch did the job.

It’s also Ironic because toward the end of the run there were a few streams by the road and my golden companion could bound off and drink while I was left high and dry.

I’m not very keen on running with most people but I’ve got to say I can understand why people enjoy having a dog to run with. It was very comforting to have this silent partner looking out for me. I’m not going to get one, but I’d be very happy if I met up with this retriever again.

Michael: Small World

Lying on the ridge
The rainbow appears to be
A tropical fin.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Today on a morning jog that I was suppose to go on yesterday, I ran into two people I just saw a couple of days ago. Sean, a stock broker and cyclist from Canada whom I don’t see very often and the ranger whom I met for the first time on Sunday when my bag was taken while I was hiking the volcano.

Sean rides a Cervelo, which was the brand of my first tri bike. I’d love to get a Cervelo S3 Disc when my mom wins the lottery. Not that there’s anything wrong with my bike. I love it, but the Cervelo is a more aesthetically appealing bike. I know that sounds shallow because it is. But for me a touch of green and a pleasing paint job go along way.

Every time I ride I think of Sean because he had a very unfortunate run in with a dog that cost the dog its life and Sean some road rash and a new fork.
So to see him out there smiling and enjoying riding again lifts my spirit.

Seeing the ranger honk as he drove by meant that they didn’t get any information about my missing bag on Sunday, which is a ying/yang kind of thing. Within hours of scrubbing up after my Sunday outing I was online looking at new packs. I don’t need much of a nudge to shop and after so quickly ordering a new bag, I was beginning to feel a little guilty for not giving my “old” bag (only had it for a couple of months) more time to find its way home. Now I can at least not concern myself with getting that phone call.

I am wondering what I would do if I see it being carried over someone’s shoulder when I’m out and about. Perhaps, “Pardon, Cuanto cuesta por mi mochila?” (How much for my bag?)