The meatloaf I made yesterday turned out very well. I had a large helping of it for dinner, and a huge meatloaf sandwich for lunch today. Next I'm going to try the Egg Muffins, but am too full from the sandwich to do it now.
I went to pick up some books I had requested from the library, and a DVD set caught my eye - Ken Burns' "The National Parks--America's Best Idea". There are 5 dvd's and each one is a couple of hours, so it will take a lot of watching to get through them all. I'm taking a little break from it now.
As most readers know 16 years ago I attempted to hike the Appalachian Trail from one end to the other in one go, somewhere about 2100 miles total. I developed bursitis in my hip and had to quit after about 900 miles, and I've never given up on the idea of going back and hiking some more of it. It's like I left a part of my soul on that trail.
I follow a forum called Whiteblaze.net which covers all topics connected to backpacking, gear, the trail, etc., and yesterday came across a 29 yr old who completed the thru-hike this past year. I'm reading his blog account of the hike and have come to the conclusion that I don't ever want to go back and try to pick it up. I would think differently if I was younger, but realize I don't even want to go there now - at least not for any serious distances.
What I do want to do are short trips from 2 days to a week in length, at a moderate pace without worrying about mileage covered. That said, I will probably continue to get "Springer Fever" every year. Springer Mtn in Georgia is the southern terminus of the AT and most backpackers get the longing to go there and start hiking in early spring. In the meantime I will hope to be ready for springtime backpacking in Northern CA and maybe southern Oregon in 2014.
I arranged for an EKG in my doctor's office tomorrow morning, and will be relieved to have all the necessary pre-op tests done. This morning a report of the ultrasound done when I was recently hospitalized was made available to me, and I think I have underestimated the seriousness of the whole thing. My gallbladder is certainly worse off than I thought, so maybe I can understand the doctors' hestiancy to just jump right in without weighing the problems they are sure to run into. I will be glad when the 23rd rolls around and let the chips fall where they may.
Today begins the warming trend to the mid-upper 50's, and then into the 60's. My oldest son reminded me that December is always a cold month in Sacramento, and then the rains start falling and the temperature rises a bit. I don't care for extended rainy weather, but I hope we get an adequate amount of rain to halt the drought we've been under.
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Hope all works out well for you. I guess if you going to have the procedure on the 23rd that means you will be in the hospital for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMy only backpacking involved guns and jungle in Viet Nam. Since then my joy on trails has been held to day hikes. Some of the day hikes have been over 12 hours but I still get a shower and my bed for the night. One fellow has a nice website on that style he called Slackpacking. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteI received Ken Burns' National Park Series and the gorgeous companion book as a holiday gift the year it came out. Both are just simply excellent. I've watched it several times. It is a long haul but well worth it.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to see if Netflix has that DVD series. I'm having a cold meatloaf sandwich for lunch tomorrow. :)
ReplyDeleteI may just have to fix a meatloaf now. That sandwich sounds wonderful. As you know, I am not a hiker so walking the whole trail doesn't appeal to me at all. I am so glad you are going to have that gall bladder taken care of.
ReplyDeleteOh, PBS ran the Ken Burns series… just loved it! I may have recorded a few episodes… gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteglad your tests are done … don't like the underestimating but I sure understand it. Keep looking forward .. and making plans… love your attitude… absolutely!
WE have hiked small segments of the trail. Never really considered trying to do the whole thing. A coupe of years ago we ran into a young man while we were walking the trail in the northeast. After listening to his stories of the last few months on the trail, any desire to tackle a serious hike were abandoned. He was nearly finished with the journey, but he looked a bi worse for wear to me.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend set out to do that hike quite a few years ago but was stopped my a case of pneumonia. She never mentioned trying it again.
ReplyDeleteI also saw the Ken Burns series on PBS. I was glued to my seat what a beautiful country we live in. Just wish more people would appreciate it and respect it.
I still want to try doing a thru hike of the AT, but my several winters in warm places have me wondering how I would handle the cold in the beginning. It is a goal to keep me trying to get into shape for it, anyway.
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