Jupiter at the Strathmore

February 2nd, 2009. George has started a new gig; volunteering for the National Philharmonic which is the orchestra-in-residence at the Music Center at Strathmore. I've been thinking, with the kids in college, now was a good time to devote time to philanthropic activities--especially given the financial crisis that is gripping the country. I eventually hope to balance contribution to the arts with equal contribution to helping the disadvantaged. I have yet to identify a charity in the latter category--but I'm looking. I don't want to enter into anything that would be too depressing, or would require a huge time commitment--maybe I'm being too picky. Anyway, last Saturday was my first day at the Strathmore. My volunteer efforts entailed setting-up and breaking-down chairs for a lecture they held before the concert--given by the back-up conductor. The lectures provide concert-goers with a better understanding of the music they're to hear that evening. However, on this night the chairs were already set-up and didn't need to be put away following the lecture, so I didn't feel particularly useful.

Regardless, the NP has an arrangement with Strathmore that volunteers receive a complimentary ticket for the evening show. Luckily, I received two complimentary tickets so that Jane and I could attend the concert. Among the selections was Mozart's last work, symphony no. 41 composed in 1788, and familiarly known as the Jupiter Symphony. I found the work mildly entertaining but agreed with Jane that similar segments sounded rather repetitive. But, neither of us are professional musicologists. I found the following description, which appeared on All Things Considered helpful in appreciating the symphony. Also I remember the movie Amadeus---which I really enjoyed--so in retrospect I liked (or should have liked) Jupiter more than I did.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's last symphony, the Jupiter Symphony (No. 41), was written along with two other, full-length symphonies in the summer of 1788 — in just six weeks. Mozart had recently been idolized all over Europe for operas such as Don Giovanni and for his spectacular performances of his own piano concertos.

But, by most accounts, Mozart was near the bottom when he wrote it: broke and in debt. His audiences had become interested in other composers. Austria was at war with Turkey. And his newborn daughter had just died.
Still, Mozart was determined to do something revolutionary. That comes in the final movement of the Jupiter Symphony with the composer's use of counterpoint, or weaving together two or more different melodies. Mozart uses five different melodies simultaneously in the Jupiter, making it a challenge for any orchestra that takes it on.
Some have said the Jupiter sums up what had happened in symphonic music up to that point, and that it foreshadows the work of Beethoven. But more than that, it's exuberant and introspective, charming and complicated — a lot like life itself.

Bright Sun After Heavy Snow

Bright Sun after Heavy Snow
by Jane KenyonThe Boat of Quiet Hours) Copied from The Writer's Almanac.

A ledge of ice slides from the eaves,
piercing the crusted drift. Astonishing
how even a little violence
eases the mind.

In this extreme state of light
everything seems flawed: the streaked
pane, the forced bulbs on the sill
that refuse to bloom...A wad of dust
rolls like a desert weed
over the drafty floor.

Again I recall a neighbor's
small affront — it rises in my mind
like the huge banks of snow along the road:
the plow, passing up and down all day,
pushes them higher and higher...

The shadow of smoke rising from the chimney
moves abruptly over the yard.
The clothesline rises in the wind. One
wooden pin is left, solitary as a finger;
it, too, rises and falls.

January 26th. The spring semester at UMBC started today and we dropped Elroy off yesterday but before we gave him back we explored a new park we hadn't visited before, Patapsco Valley State Park. This isn't a huge park but it has an fairly extensive series of hiking trails (outlined in my previous post), some of which are also used by bikers. Since it's wintertime, the visitors center was closed which was a little irksome especially since it wasn't straightforward where we were to go to find the trailheads to the various hiking paths. But we persevered and finally hiked the Cascade Falls Trail. The central attraction of this particular hike is small falls that cascaded in wonderful frozen burbles (if that's a word) over a short precipice. The sound of trickling water underneath the icy surface was interesting. It was a sunny but rather frigid afternoon just perfect for a hike. Along one remote section, where few hikers strayed, we found numerous downy feathers and one short brown-banded feather among the leaf litter, marking a spot where a bird (I imagined a baby owl) must have fell afoul (or should I say afowl) of a forest predator. Later along this same trail Elroy spotted a shed snakeskin. Imagine, finding a snakeskin in January. How long must it have been lying on the forest floor waiting for someone to come and marvel at its scaly resilience. Anyway, here are a few pictures along the trail.

Hiking in Patapsco Valley State Park

Patapsco Valley State Park

Description (from MidAtlanaticHikes.Com): The Patapsco Valley State Park is a long narrow park that stretches from the southern part of the Baltimore Beltway and north along the river, almost to Liberty Reservoir. It extends even further up the south branch. Portions of the park are well developed with picnic pavilions, restrooms and well-maintained trail systems. The Orange Grove Area is one such section. The labyrinth of trails allows one to hike as little as 1/4 mile to view a water fall or walk more than 8 miles while hardly retracing a step. The trails are well groomed, blazed and signed, for the most part. There are one or 2 junctions that might leave you scratching your head so please take a map.

Trails
Hilton Area:
Buzzards Rock Trail (2.1 miles): This steep trail runs along the top of a ridge and provides a scenic view above the railroad tracks, especially during late fall and winter. Please note that 0.7 miles of this trail is foot-use-only. Mountain bikers must detour on to Santee Branch Trail.
Sawmill Branch Trail (0.9 miles): This trail starts at the end of the Grist Mill Trail or off the Buzzards Rock Trail. The trail's moderate grade meanders downstream, allowing hikers to view several scenic pools and glades.
Ilchester Rocks Trail (0.1 miles): This very steep trail is an offshoot of the Buzzards Rock Trail and provides a nice view of rock cliffs above the river. This area is also popular for rock climbing.
Charcoal Trail (0.7 miles): This wide-open trail, which follows the power line, connects the Sawmill Branch and Santee Branch trails.
Forest Glen Trail (0.6 miles): This foot-use-only trail has several very steep grades, and connects the end of the Grist Mill Trail to the Hilton Area complex near the recycled tire playground.
Pigs Run Trail (0.2 miles): This relatively flat trail is nicely wooded and connects Forest Glen and Santee Branch trails.
Avalon Area:
Ridge Trail (2.2 miles): This popular hiking and mountain biking trail runs along the ridge above the river. The trail has two entrances, one at River Road and the other located just downriver of the Orange Grove Area comfort station.
Rockburn Branch Trail (1.2 miles): Access this trail from the Ridge Trail at River Road. The trail loops through woods and steepens as you head back to River Road on the Howard County side.
Valley View Trail (0.9 miles): This foot-use-only trail has a great view of the river valley and primarily runs along the ridge. Watch for a few steep sections with loose rocks.
Morning Choice Trail (1.8 miles): A relatively level trail, this route connects Cascade Falls Trail with Rockburn Branch Trail, as it winds through areas of beautiful mature trees, and passes a stand of bamboo, an exotic invasive species near Old Track Loop.
Glen Artney Area:
Vineyard Spring Trail (1.0 miles): This is a very popular mountain bike trail and can be accessed from the Grist Mill Trail. It is narrow at points, often only two to three feet wide, as it works its way along a stream.
Santee Branch Trail (2.4 miles): The Santee is a long trail connecting the Hilton and Glen Artney Areas. The trail follows a power line several times and can be connected with the Vineyard Springs, Grist Mill and Sawmill Branch trails to make a great 4.5 mile loop.
Soapstone Branch Trail (1.7 miles): This trail has a loop below the Glen Artney Area. Several stream crossings are required as this trail connects with South Rolling Road (Rt. 166).
Grist Mill Trail (1.6 miles): This trail is wheelchair accessible, traveling from the Lost Lake parking lot to the Swinging Bridge and continuing on to the head of the Hilton Area trails. The trail follows the river and railroad bed.
Orange Grove Area:
Cascade Falls Trail (2.2 miles): Beginning in the Orange Grove Area, this loop trail allows visitors an opportunity to view beautiful cascades and rapids. A short section of the trail is foot-use-only due to severe steepness. Please check the map available for sale at the park office before biking.
Ridge Trail (2.2 miles): This trail connects the Avalon and Orange Grove Areas and is popular for hiking and mountain biking.

Suggested 5.6 mile hike from the Orange Grove Area:

Trail Notes: Proceed up blue blazed Cascade Falls Tr. Almost immediately the trail will split. (This trail has multiple components that can be used to make short loops.) Bear to the left, following the split rail fence. Soon you'll reach Cascade Falls. Cross the stream on huge boulders and climb to the top of the falls. The Orange blazed Ridge Tr comes in on the left. (This is your return route.) Stay straight on the Cascade Falls Trail. You'll cross the stream three more times. Twice other components of the Cascade Falls Tr will come in from the right. Ignore them.
In about 0.6 miles from the falls and shortly after the last stream crossing turn left onto yellow blazed Morning Choice Tr. Cross gravel Norris Lane in 0.15 more miles. In another 0.19 miles the trail joins the red blazed Old Track Tr. Bear right here, following the dual blazes for a few yards. Where the trails separate bear to the right to stay on yellow blazed Morning Choice Tr. In another 0.18 miles come to an unsigned trail junction. The trail in all directions at this point is blazed yellow. For this hike make a sharp left turn.
Soon reconnect and, nearly as quickly, disconnect from the east end of the red Old Track Tr. In another 0.29 miles (after skirting the western boundary of the Belmont Research Conference Center arrive at the junction of the Connector Tr (Marked in both yellow and orange). Turn right to stay on yellow blazed Morning Choice Tr. You'll walk along the edge of the Belmont Research Conference Center some more before re-entering the woods. This is a good place to spot grazing deer at dusk. In 0.86 miles from the last trail junction arrive at purple blazed Rockburn Branch Trail (Right, Straight and to the left). Turn left and in a short distance come to a junction with orange blazed. Bear right, downhill on an old woods road. After passing a trail shelter bear left onto white blazed Valley View Tr. This is a narrow sidehill footpath closed to all but foot traffic. For the next 0.75 miles you need not be concerned with mountain bikers. As you weave in and out of shallow but steep coves you'll pass the ruins of some old rental cabins that were used prior to Hurricane Agnes which greatly changed to shape and functionality of the park. The Valley View Tr will temporarily "kiss" the orange blazed Ridge Tr. From this point follow the Ridge trail for about 1 mile to its terminus with the Cascade Falls Tr. Ignore any false trails or old roads. At the falls, descend, recross the stream and retrace your initial steps back to the car.

San Francisco Treat

January 24th. Jane had a business meeting to attend the second week in January in San Francisco; I had a comp ticket from United Airlines.....so I decided to take a 3 day vacation and accompany Jane. It turns out that January is a good time to visit San Francisco, the temperatures are comfortable and there aren't too many tourists. And getting around the SF Bay area using mass transit is really easy. There are so many things to do there, it was difficult to decide what sights to take in. We landed at SFO around 11:15 am and took the BART train to the Powell St. station and walked a couple of blocks to the Intercontinental Hotel where Jane's meeting was being held. After settling in we took a cable car ride to Ghiradelli Square and then to Pier 33 to go on an evening cruise to Alcatraz Island (see picture at left). The cruise left the dock around 5:30 pm with 301 passengers aboard and brought us around the island to get different views. After disembarking on Alcatraz, National Park Service guides conducted an orientation tour of the facility and started us on a self-guided audio tour of the island. It was interesting hearing the history of the island and the stories of the inmates daily routines and the less frequent, but more dire stories, of notable riots and jailbreaks. Probably the most famous inmate at Alcatraz was Robert Stroud, known to all as the Birdman of Alcatraz (see picture of Stroud'd cell at right).
Of course, as we learned on the tour, Stroud was not allowed to tend birds on Alcatraz. Stroud's scientific contributions to avian health actually occurred while he was an inmate at Leavenworth (incidentally, the same penitentiary where Michael Vick currently calls home), where he was known as........the Bird Doctor of Leavenworth. I know, not as poetic as the Birdman of Alcatraz. The other interesting misconception about Stroud was that he was a kind and caring elderly gentleman, as portrayed by Burt Lancaster in the popular 1962 MGM movie. Although possessing a high IQ, I've read that Stroud more closely resembled a homicidal and suicidal maniac. Just as a sidebar, during my career in biomedical research I've come across scientists with similar personality quirks as Stroud's, but those are stories for another post. Anyway, toward the end of our time on the island a full moon was up in the sky and the lights of the San Francisco skyline made a beautiful sight.

I also walked through Golden Gate Park, San Francisco's version of New York's Central Park. The park was nice and I went to the de Young Museum of art located there. The museum had a nice collection of early (mid 19th century) American landscape paintings by artists of the Hudson River School. Jane doesn't care for these, so I was happy to be there alone to spend some quality time just absorbing the landscapes. There was also a small but nice collection of abstract expressionists like Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and a San Francisco native Richard Diebenkorn that I don't remember every having seen before who I really liked. While in that neighborhood I also visited the Haight-Ashbury district, the epicenter of the hippie movement of the 1960s. I hadn't researched what exactly I would find there but was pleasantly surprized to see a strip of about 8 blocks of really interesting shops with various street musicians performing, although I don't think there was any organized effort to entertain tourists. It reminded me of Ludlow St. in Clifton...only a lot better. I took Jane there later in the evening after her meeting ended and we made a few purchases. Jane was impressed by the quality of second-hand clothes shops we looked at. As the evening wore on, we began to sense that we'd probably stayed in the Haight too long as once the shops and boutiques closed (around 7-7:30 pm), groups of young "drifters" appeared out of nowhere and gathered in groups on the street corners. The kids didn't outright threaten us--in fact they largely ignored us, but there was a palpable feeling that we really didn't want to be here alone too much longer. There was a collective sigh of relief by us, and others waiting at the bus stop, when our bus finally rolled up to the curb so we could ride back to the hotel. Anyway, the Haight was totally cool, man.

Jane and I also ran/hiked along the Coastal Trail starting at Land's End and going underneath the Golden Gate Bridge continuing east to Ghiradelli Square. This was my favorite and most memorable part of the trip. On Tuesday, January 13th we got up early and took the MUNI #5 bus to the La Playa stop and walk a block to the ocean beach. It was still completely dark with only the full moon providing light as Jane and I walked out to the surf. From there we walked about a quater mile up the Great Highway, past the Cliff House and to the entrance to Coastal Trail at Land's End just above the Sutro Baths. This trail takes along the west coast with magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Golden Gate bridge to the North. On the way the trail leads through the exclusive Sea Cliff neighborhood (pictured at right) that is perched on the Pacific Ocean overlooking Baker Beach with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge (see below). We started out as the sun begain to cast a reddish glow above the horizon and made it to Ghiradelli Square a couple hours later. When we back to the hotel I got to shower and rest, but Jane had to attend meetings the rest of the day. It was also nice, at this time of year when there weren't too many tourists around to walk along the Embarcadero area (basically from pier 39 to the San Francisco Giants baseball park) looking into the various shops. On Wednesday (January 14th) I headed back to SFO for the trip home; Jane followed the next day.

Cardinals

What a wonderful poem I heard on Garrison Keillors, A Writer's Almanac. I'm not sure I could get all the line breaks corrected but I've given up trying to edit on Blogger.

Cardinals
by John L. Stanizzi (taken from the Writer's Almanac)



I had seen them in the tree,


and heard they mate for life,


so I hung a bird feeder and waited.


By the third day,


sparrows and purple finches


hovered and jockeyed


like a swarm of bees


fighting over one flower.


So I hung another feeder,


but the squabbling continued


and the seed spilled


like a shower


of tiny meteors


onto the ground


where starlings


had congregated,


and blue jays,


annoyed at the world,


disrupted everyone


except the mourning doves,


who ambled around


like plump old women


poking for the firmest head of lettuce.


Then early one evening


they came,


the only ones—she stood


on the periphery


of the small galaxy of seed;


he hopped among the nuggets, calmly chose


one seed at a time, carried it to her,


placed it in her beak;


she, head tilted, accepted it.Then they fluffed,


hopped together,


did it all over again.


And filled with love,


I phoned to tell you,


over and over,


about each time


he celebrated


being there, all alone,


with her.

1982....It Was a Very Good Year

January 7, 2009. Dad gave us some old bottles of wine he had been storing in the basement. Not the really good stuff but who's complaining. We open one bottle over the weekend when Jane's brother was in town. Turned out the 1982 Chateau Laroque was pretty good. 1982 was when Jane and I started graduate school at the University of Cincinnati and Jane's brother started his job at the Daily Local in West Chester, PA. Both pretty significant events to us and I was glad the wine had aged well. It gives me hope for us. Anyway, the bottles of white wine, of around the same vintage, were all bad--evidently you're not supposed keep white wine that long. One bottle of Champagne had no fizz left. Judy looked-up the current market value for Chateau Laroque and it turned out to be somewhere in the $150.00 range. It was interesting opening these bottles. The corks were all moldy and very fragile (and now that I think about it so is mine) and there was more dregs than I would have preferred but I guess that comes with age. Oh well, next time I'm in town I'll focus on the reds and convince my dad to open the really expensive bottles.

Christmas Letter 2008

Here is the Christmas letter 2008 we sent to family and freinds (sans pictures):

Christmas 2008

We hope everyone has had a good year and this Christmas greeting finds you in good health and spirits. Highlights of the past year include attending the high school graduation ceremony for Elroy and Judy, helping them move into their college dorms, and (thanks to Uncle Michael's nagging about getting the kids registered to vote) we all voted in the presidential election. Elroy is now attending UMBC just outside of Baltimore and Judy is at Kalamazoo College (Kzoo) in Michigan. We visited Judy at Kzoo over parent’s weekend in October and look forward to spending more time touring Kalamazoo and Michigan in the future. Since Elroy is only 45 minutes away, we’ve visited him more often. Although we’re not exactly sure Elroy considers that a perk he does get free housecleaning as part of the bargain.

In May, Jane and George took a mini-vacation to Arizona to do a Rim-2-Rim-2-Rim hike of the Grand Canyon. Starting from the South Rim we ran/hiked 22 miles to the North Rim (a view from the Coconino Overlook is below) and 24 miles back the following day. The hikes out of the canyon were tough and it rained, snowed and sleeted as we approached the rims, but down in the canyon the cacti were in bloom and the temperatures were balmy. In October, we ran the Marine Corps Marathon and Jane made a new friend, Teddy Roosevelt (the mascot for the Washington Nationals baseball club who ran the entire marathon in his outfit). I won't mention our finishing times, suffice it to say we managed to beat Teddy……....I think.

As part of freshman orientation at Kzoo, Judy hiked and canoed in Killarney Provincial Park in Canada for 18 days. She came back with great stories of howling wolves at night, beautiful sunrises, lousy meals, portaging canoes and forging waist-high streams. She enjoyed it all, even the pimples and dirty hair that come with wilderness backpacking. The only mishap was the day we dropped her off at Kzoo for the program and were asked, "Do you have her passport? She'll need that to get into Canada." …Oops…we'd left her passport at home. Let's call the result, Techniques in Crisis Management 101.

Elroy worked at a veterinary clinic over the summer. He too came home with some interesting and some sad stories. However, Elroy is so allergic to most furry things that veterinary medicine may not be in his cards. At present, Elroy is focusing on Chemistry and adjusting to a challenging college curriculum but still finds time to read, re-read and re-re-read his favorite Fantasy/Fiction books.

Sadly, our faithful dog, Astro, passed away the week before Thanksgiving. Astro, like all Dalmatians, kept a close watch on his family, especially the kids, and we really miss not having him under our feet. However, our newest family member, Max the Cat, is still growing and very playful and enjoys tormenting Fresca who, at 15 years old, neither appreciates nor tolerates his attention.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Oh yeah, the downstairs bathroom finally got finished. No, not by George, by the contractor who did our porch+bathroom. It was what …8 years? Not that anyone's complaining.

On The Fritz

January 7th, 2009. While Judy and Elroy were home over holiday break we visited the Fritz Scholder exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). I've always felt this museum is confusingly organized and not easy for the casual viewer to come away with much information. However, I really wanted to see this exhibit which had been reviewed favorably in the Washington Post. I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit; Scholder's art reminds me of a cross between Frederick Remington and Andy Warhol's classic pop art. imagine that!

The NMAI exhibition, Indian/Not Indian, calls the late Fritz Scholder (1937-2005) one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. I don't know about that but I did really enjoy the exhibit and what little of his art I was able to download online, some of which are below. Indian/Not Indian is organized around a central paradox of Scholder's life and work—his complex identity as a person of French, German, English, and American Indian ancestry. Some of his works are copied below, enjoy.

If It's October...It Must be MCM Time

October 27, 2008. This year I talked Jane into running the Marine Corps Marathon with me. We largely trained together throughout the summer and planned on being able to complete the marathon somewhere between 4:45 and 5:00 hours. Although I would have been happier had our times been closer to 4:45 we both finished at 04:53 (Jane) and 04:55 (George). The day before the race was cold and rainy. However, the rain stopped overnight and the morning was mostly clear skies but still quite humid early in the morning. The starting temperature was okay (probably somewhere in the upper 40s) and went into the mid-60s as the race unfolded. A tad warmish for me but overall not bad. Early in the race I got a nice picture of Jane running with the mascot of the Washington Nationals baseball team.....none other than Teddy Roosevelt (see picture at left). As we crossed the Key Bridge into Georgetown there was a lot of ground fog that was enveloping the buildings on the Maryland side of the bridge that looked neat but reminded me of the humidity that would sap the strength out of me if I started to sweat too much. I saw many bigger guys perspiring very heavily and this kept me focused on drinking water and taking a Succeed electrolyte caplet every hour.

The course this year was different that in past years. Of course the start was the same crush of runners slowing moving toward the starting line which took approximately 10 minutes. Later we ran by the Capital building around mile 18...right when you start feeling the Wall. However, we handled this section well enough taking a few short walk breaks. However, after I passed over the 14th street bridge I developed some unpleasant nausea around mile 21 and around mile 23 told Jane to just push on without me to the finish while I tried to manage my finish. Luckily, I met up with Jane a few yards beyond the finish line and was able to get a quick kiss before we headed-off to the finisher's area. Job well done....ooraah.

Gettyburg Trip

October 27, 2008. Earlier this month Jane and I went to a scientific meeting that was held in a hotel/convention center near the Gettysburg Battlefield. We had visited Gettysburg several times over the years but it still is interesting coming and looking over the battlefield. The last morning of the meeting Jane and I did an early morning run through the battlefield. Beginning around 6:15 am at the High water mark we ran toward and over Little Roundtop, down to Devil's Den and continue through to the peach orchard. By the time we reached the Peach orchard the sun was coming-up over Little Roundtop leading to beautiful sunrise over the battlefield. We continued the run over to the Southern side and ran the last mile over the pastured ground that was Pickett's Charge back to the High water mark. Here are some other pictures I took during the previous day when we drove and hiked around the battlefield.

Loco for Moko

October 20, 2008. Last Friday Jane and I went down to the National Geographic Society to attend a seminar entitled: Tā Moko: The Art of Māori Tattoo. The speaker, Derek Lardelli, was a very elegant and engaging speaker and took the audience throught the historical origins of Maori tatooing, or Moko as it is referred to. Unlike the tatoos we're more familiar with in America, the Maori tatoos signify one's genealogy and play important roles in their culture. Whereas the tattoos appearing in pictures of 19th century New Zealanders were etched into the skin to create scarification ridges and grooves (representing the upheavals of the earth during volcanic events in New Zealand) current Moko is similar to modern-day skin tatooing. The highlight of the seminar was when a native Maori disrobed down to his underwear to point out the various tatoos on his body, including his buttocks, and their meaning. The NG Explorer's Hall museum was supposed to be open late so that guests coming to see the seminar could view a new exhibit, Whales Tohorā, but evidently someone didn't tell the them that and the exhibit was unfortunately closed. so Jane I spent a half hour walking around the area and unexpectedly saw the White House (see picture below) which was neat....especially when we saw snipers walking around on the roof. That's called turning lemons into lemonade.

After a Rough First Week Things are Looking Up

September 16, 2008. Both Elroy and Judy are at college now but the transition hasn't been easy. For Jane and I the loss of both kids was difficult; the first couple of days home alone were depressing or at minimum disorienting. I still think about them all the time and look forward to our visits. I started this post in September and it is now mid-October, I've been very busy at work and haven't had time to post. Anyway the situation has settled nicely. Although we still miss the kids, Jane and I enjoy a renewed attention to pursue common interests. We of course still run together a lot but now also enjoy weekend outings. One outing was to visit the National Geographic headquarters in DC to see an exhibit on martial arts practiced by Shaolin monks in China called Shaolin: Temple of Zen; we also saw the move Ghost Town and had dinner out one evening, and lastly we went to the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair in Adams Morgan, DC. Jane discovered an photographer/artist, Avner Ofer that she really likes and bought some of his photos (and we may but more).

We've had a couple of visits from Elroy and stay in email and phone contact pretty regularly with him and Judy--only we don't get to see Judy. Since Elroy and Judy both have IMacs, with built-in cameras, they can Skype each other which is really neat. Hopefully, Jane will get a new Mac soon through her work and we can use that functionality at home to see Judy when we talk and also save a lot of $$$.

Over the next few weekends, besides our plans to run the Marine Corps Marathon together, Jane and I will be visiting the kids at their respective colleges for parent's weekends. That should be fun.

The College Countdown

This is getting serious--I've started the countdown in my head. On August 23rd we drop Elroy off at UMBC (tick, tick, tick) and then on the 27th we drop Judy off at Kzoo (tick, tick, tick). The clock ticking does not imply that I'll be glad to see them go off to college. Quite the contrary, I'll miss them desperately, but such is life. Ultimately, our kids will mature and want to live on their own and living on campus is part of that transition. We may not see Judy until the Chrismas break, although if there is a parents weekend, Jane and I will probably attend. Elroy will be considerably closer at UMBC so we can visit, or he'll be able to come home on holidays or over three-day weekends. I dunno.....this is going to be a big, big change for all of us and I'm not sure what to expect. The operational plan is just to take one day, one crisis, at a time and hope for the best. We'll see how they adapt to college life....Toga, Toga, Toga. I wish them the best.

Biking to Work

Since mid-June Jane and I have been riding our bikes to work most days. The reasons for this are that Elroy and Judy each needed a car to drive to their day jobs and we've decided to cut back on driving to make a small dent in our carbon footprint. Overall, it's really been enjoyable and we intend to keep up biking as long as weather permits. Although my commute is a little longer than Jane's and involves some hills I can take a shower when I get to work so I don't mind sweating. Often I bike to work after a morning run--so I'm usually really sweaty by the time I arrive at work. The extra time spent commuting isn't that bad, maybe it takes me 20-30 minutes on bike what normally takes 10-15 minutes by car. For my birthday, Jane gave me panniers (saddlebags) and the carrier for the back of the bike, a bell to scare pedestrians that are in my way on sidewalks, and a side mirror so I can spy cars coming up behind me while on the streets. As the days are shortening we'll both have to make sure we have lights and reflectors aplenty so we don't get smashed. I generally stay on sidewalks and backstreets so I feel pretty safe, but occasionally have to cross or enter onto one of the big roads and cars (or the cars' drivers) do not make it easy for you to bike on the main thoroughfares very long. I haven't been caught in a rainstorm yet but have had a couple of close calls. Usually if it looks like rain I'll just hop on the number 5 Ride On bus that takes me right past where I work--so that's my alternative to biking now. The one thing I haven't had the nerve to try yet is putting my bike on bike holders that all the Ride On buses have. I'm afraid it won't be obvious to me how to put the bike on and I'll look foolish in front of the bus passengers---I couldn't live with that. One day when I get bold enough I'll try it.

The Class of 2008

A couple of weeks back, June 3rd, 2008, Judy and Elroy past that most magical of mileposts.....high school graduation. Graduation ceremonies were held at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC (see picture at left). Jane's brother (we'll call him Mr. Spacely) came down to witness the spectacle as the WJHS class of 2008 filed into the Hall, which was pretty cool to see and at the end toss all their hats into the air. The picture below is before the hat toss, I had a difficult time getting pictures indoors when the lights are low. The boys wore green robes and the girls, white. If you look carefully you can see Judy in the picture below; Elroy was too far away to get a picture. The valedictorian gave a nice speech...something to do with a Dr. Seuss book and life lessons, although I confess three weeks later I've forgotten exactly what she said. The invited speaker was a WJHS alum, a documentary film maker, and recently diagnosed with cancer. His message to the graduates to pursue their dreams really hit home with me and many of the other parents.....whether it registered with the graduates I'm not so sure. Anyway, as I'm writing this, between June 23rd and 30th, Judy and Elroy have turned 18 years old as well. Over this summer they're working at their first real jobs, will be going to college later in August, and will start participating in some of life's "adult" activities (I mean voting, of course). They still have a lot to learn and Jane and I try to pass on all the accumulated lessons of our own lives, but probably to no avail. I've always felt that at each big developmental step in their lives our parental concerns never fade.....they just change and this is no different. In about two months they'll be living away from home for the first time and I'm going to really miss them around the house. Jane and I may stop cleaning the house once their gone so it will feel like they haven't left.

Elroy's and Judy's Summer Jobs

Elroy continues his work at the Ambassador Animal Hospital. He started working there a few hours/week in April and now has expanded his hours after graduation. I think he works 4-5 days a week (around 30 hours) on a flexible schedule. Mostly he performs odd jobs around the office, filing, clean-up, yard-work, and also enjoys working with the groomer Jeanette giving doggy baths. Judy just started her new job this morning with the Montgomery County Recreation Department as a summer camp counselor. Judy will either work at "camp imagination' for 5-8 year olds or a "little people center" for 4-5 year-olds. This is the third job she has landed so far. The first was at the Ambassador Animal Hospital (where Elroy works), the second at a pet kennel; both jobs she quit after the first day. We'll just see how long her position as summer camp counselor job lasts.

R2R2R Conclusion

After dinner at the North Rim Lodge restaurant Jane and I did some shopping for the kids at the gift shop and went back to our room to pack-up for tomorrow's journey back to the South Rim and to plan what to wear. As the evening passed the snow flurries subsided and we sat outside on the front porch wrapped in the bed quilt reflecting on the day's events.

The next morning the temperature was in the low 30s and the ground was partially covered under a thin layer of snow. We opted to pay for the 5:45 am shuttle ride to the North Kaibab trail head; our new friends Gena, Jeremy and Beth (pictured at right) hitchhiked. We both arrived at the trail head at about the same time but again, Bob C. was a no-show. Later we learned that he (and his party) took a 5 hour Shuttle ride back to the South Rim evidently fearing that his party was in no shape to hike back to the South Rim in time to make the 4 1/2 hour ride back to Phoenix for their scheduled red-eye flight back to Washington.

Starting elevation for the North Kaibab trail head is 8250'. Leaving the trail head was exciting. Snow from last night's flurries had dusted all the trees and as the sun was rising, fog was rolling off the high canyon escarpments and misting into the cayon. At left is a picture of Jane starting down the North Kaibab Trail and at right a view of the roiling mists cascading off the canyon summits.

Surprizingly, I felt pretty good but we decided play it safe today and fast-hike most of the trip while the real trail runner trio took off at a fast pace. The hike back down to the Phantom Ranch was going to be downhill all the way. We buzzed past the Coconino Overlook (at .75 miles; elevation 7,750'). By the time we reached the Supai Tunnel (at 1.8 miles; elevation 6800') the morning fog was a memory. After another mile we passed over the Red Wall Bridge (see George running toward the bridge) and traversed the cliff-hugging trail down into Roaring Springs Canyon. This part of the trail that Jane is hiking down looks exposed but is very safe and good for taking pictures. Jane looks like a speck against the high canyon walls.

We continued fast-hiking down the Roaring Springs side canyon reaching the namesake falls after 4.7 miles (see picutre of the Roaring Spring below left) and contiued into the Bright Angel Creek Canyon following the burbling stream through the desert landscape. The day contiumed to warm as the sum came out but for the most part the temperature stayed cool.

As we continued toward the cottonwood campground we went through a very nice part of the inner canyon that was wide and filled with flowering cacti and agave. Here is a panoramic view of this part of the canyon.

After passing through the Cottonwood Campgrounds gradually the canyon narrows over the next 4-5 miles. Although this part of the trail was equally pretty and at times felt like a slot canyon, we were a little anxious to reach the Phantom Ranch and were flustered that the trail seemingly went on and on around every bend.
However, we did reach Phantom Ranch and took a pretty long break to fill up our camelbacks, eat some snacks, and change into lighter weight clothes since the day was warming-up. It's a relatively short hike from Phantom to the Bright Angel Trail and the Silver Bridge that took us across the Colorado river. Now the trail changed, first sandy but then becoming more rocky. The trails are very well maintained but the rocky nature of the Bright Angel Trail was noticeable--at least to me. Looking back, both the Black Bridge (in the distance) and the Silver Bridge (in the foreground) make impressive spans across the Colorado River.

As we climbed up out of the inner gorge we again entered the Tonto plateau and the trail flattened out for while. While on the plateau the Bright Angel Trail enters the Indian Gardens, an oasis like spot with trees and lots of vegetation (see picture below, left). It's a good idea to rest-up here because the rest of the way up to the North Rim is non-stop trudging up unforgiving and endless numbers of cruel switchbacks. We should have rested longer here. Upon leaving the Indian Gardens some more spitting rain fell for a brief time, and I just remember that I wasn't going to bother getting my poncho out. I was too tired and thought the rain might keep me cool. So we just put one foot in front of other and kept moving forward, There was a great temptation to look upward. You could see the South Rim (see photos below at right)...but not the trails that would lead there. Later we passed the 3 mile and 1 1/2 mile resthouses and it began to sleet. The switchbacks are just endless and looking back I could see them winding up the canyon walls with many hapless hikers behind me (see picture below).

We were told by our running mates that when your near the top when you begin seeing people that clearly don't belong hiking these trails....and we began to see such people in the last mile or so. By this time I was hot and sweaty even though the air temperature was getting colder with every step. Near the top it even began to sleet which felt so good and we passed many people coming down in blue jeans, long-sleeved flannel shirts and wearing parkas---I thought that was just crazy. We were just in running shorts and lightweight running shirts. Finally, we reached the summit of the Bright Angel Trail. A quick look downward revealed the Indian Gaden oasis far in the distance which was a magnificent sight.

I regret not stopping at this point and getting a picture with Jane but the South Rim was chaotic with tourists and I just wanted to sit somewhere and rest. Jane and I didn't stay too long here but just made a quick pit stop before going to the car and changing into warm clothes. At this point all I wanted to do was drive to the Wendy's we saw on the way to the Grand Canyon and get a hamburger and some hot and salty french fries.

R2R2R Run: Quick stats:

Ascent: Total: 10,300 feet

Day 1 - 5,840, Day 2 - 4,460.
Descent: Total: 10,700 feet

Day 1 - 4,860, Day 2 - 5,840.
Distance: Total: 45 miles

Day 1 - 21 miles, Day 2 - 24 miles .
Time: Total: 18.5 hours

Day 1 - 9 hours. Day 2- 9.5 hours.

R2R2R Grand Canyon Adventure

We had visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon last year on our family vacation. Due to time constraints we didn't venture far from the short trails around the North Rim Lodge. However, Jane and I were struck with the immenseness of the Grand Canyon and secretly vowed to one day do something grand. The inspiration for our grand adventure came from one or our running buddies who every year goes to the Grand Canyon to do a rim-to-rim-to-rim (R2R2R) run across the Grand Canyon. At least that was our understanding of what he did, needless to say there's a liberal amount of hiking too.

The basic route that most runners/hikers take is to stay overnight in one of the South Rim Lodges and begin the R2R2R at daybreak the next morning going down the South Kaibab trail which is steep, has no water stops but great views. During the first hour as the sun rises and the cloud cover gradually burns off the colors of the canyon change and at about this time one gets the first glimpse of the Colorado River. After approximately 21/2 hours you reach the black bridge that crosses the Colorado and a short distance later the Phantom Ranch where you can rest and refill your camelback. From Phantom Ranch you proceed up the North Kaibab trail to the North Rim to complete the hike on Day 1. After dinner at the North Rim Lodge and a good nights rest your ready for the run back down the North Kaibab to the Phantom Ranch and the climb up the South Rim by way of the Bright Angel Trail on Day 2. This R2R2R run included 22 miles the first day and 24 miles the second day that an average, fit person can complete in around 9-10 hours each way.

This trip started a little ragged for the group of runners we thought we were going with. After a protracted series of additions (including Jane and I) and dropouts to the participant list this year's hike was referred to as the "Last Man Standing" trip. Two women got pregnant and dropped out (of the two husbands one canceled and one came anyway); 4-5 others canceled due to injuries, one (our friend who provoked our interest in this trip) had a mild stroke and another had a flair-up of MS symptoms and couldn't make the trip. Jane and I were committed to going whatever the consequences.

Our flight to Phoenix was unremarkable. We probably spent more time waiting in line at the Fox rent-a-car desk once we arrived in Phoenix than we spent in the airport waiting for the outbound flight. Once we finally did get a car it was a 4 1/2 hour drive to the South Rim. We had arranged to meet the leader of these yearly trips, Bob C. at the El Tovar restaurant. We arrived at our reserved table for 8 at 5:00 pm on schedule but Bob C. didn't show up until much later; Jane and I had a wonderful dinner anyway and tried to relax. We planned to meet Bob C. and some friends of his early the next morning for the 5 am shuttle to the South Kaibab Trail head. What was quickly becoming an annoying habit Bob C. didn't show at the expected time again (he was having trouble with his guests getting up and going), but we did meet Bob C.'s friends, Gena, Jeremy and Beth who turned out to be REAL trail runners. We chatted during the drive to the trail head, wondered whether to wait for Bob C.....decided not too, took a few pictures together, and then started the journey.

I was really apprehensive at this point as the weather forecast was calling for severe thunderstorms and 2 inches of rain with up to 10 inches of snow above 7,000 feet (i.e. both rims could get a lot of snow) and what consequences that meant of hiking up those trails was any one's guess. Jane and I just tried to prepare for cold, wet trail conditions that we would be out in for about 9-10 hours. As we started out the skies were ominously overcast but we were finally here and were going to make the best of whatever nature brought our way. One way or the other we were going to make it to the North Rim. Below is a panoramic view from the South Kaibab Trail head. In the left foreground is O'Neill Butte which we somehow climb down onto the Tonto Plateau before plunging into the inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon.
Upon reaching the Tonto plateau, the view back up at O'Neill Butte (see picture below right) is quite impressive. Don't ask where the trails are because it is really hard to find them.
As the next couple of hours rolled by and we passed countless hikers along we way we began to suspect the weather was going be alright. I heard from one hiker that the really bad weather was further east. After 21/2 hours of running downhill we rested at the famed Phantom Ranch. Below is a picture of Jane reaching the Phantom Ranch and in the foreground the ever present mule patties which decorate the trails.

After a brief respite we were off on the North Kaibab Trail. The trail meanders along Bright Angel Creek; the initial few miles are through the inner gorge and appears as though we are in a slot canyon. Gradually the view opens up to beautiful vistas of the bottom of the Grand Canyon (see picture below). There was little elevation gain till we hit the Cottonwood Campground but Jane and I were feeling the effects of the 2 1/2 hours of downhill running and the altitude and were hiking more than running. The combination of the pounding our legs took coming down the South Kaibab and the higher altitude than we're used to really began to wear away at our stamina. By this time the sun was out and the temperature was warm but pleasent.

After we passed the Cottonwood Campground we stopped at the Rangers house for a water stop and thereafter the remaining 6 miles up to the North Rim was hard, relentless hiking up a series of switch backs. From here you have to climb about 4000 feet to the top in 6 miles. However, we were rewarded by the natural beauty of the Roaring Springs side canyon that we scaled to the North Kaibab trail head. There are some magnificent views as we struggled up the North Kaibab. There weather turned colder and brief spitting rains prompted us to briefly don emergency ponchos that Jane brought along. At the right below is a picture of a couple of fellow hikers wearing their ponchos and hiking up a trail seemingly carved out of the canyon wall. Gradually we passed the over the Red Wall Bridge and passed through the Supai tunnel (below is a view down the Roaring Spring side canyon from the Supai Tunnel).

Finally we made it to the Coconino Overlook. Below is a panoramic view from the Coconino Overlook. Here, the flora began to change to pine forest dotted with birch trees. From the Coconino Overlook it was a short, easy mile hike to the trail head. We rested briefly at the trail head and met up with Bob C. who finally showed-up and then hitched a ride to the North Rim Lodge.

This was the best part of the whole trip. Just sitting in a warm car. Talking to the couple that picked the three of us up. In was one of those MasterCard "priceless" moments. You know what I mean.....flight to Phoenix, $300; rent-a-car, $100; hiking poles and camelbacks, $300; expression on the faces of the couple that gave us a ride to the North Rim Lodge after we told them what we just did and what we planned to do tomorrow.........priceless. After a shower and change of clothes we met up with Gena, Jeremy, and Beth for a nice dinner. Bob C.'s party arrived much later that evening, after we had finished dinner, around 7:00 pm. A snowstorm kicked-up that evening and a rumor started that snow would accumulate and make the trails dangerous next morning and Bob C. and his party arranged to take a shuttle back to the South Rim. The rest of us took a wait-and-see attitude and turned-in for a good night's sleep.