Seeing a bald eagle makes my day. With rocks in my hamstrings, I took a short run yesterday around Lake Sylvia, just outside of Montesano. I ran around the swampy end of the lake to complete mini-loop. It looks like the park staff, or somebody, has been doing some work! They are enhancing the trail, building steps, bridges and handrails with much of the salvaged wood from the storms last year. Very artistic trail building. As I arrived, they were paving the entrance road as well, which seems to be breaking away a bit.
I slowed to a walk to stretch over by the dam, and as I crossed...the whisp-whisp-whisp of wings and a shadow went over me! I looked back to see a bald eagle twenty feet off the lake. I must have spooked her. She flew out over the water and came back to land on a doug fir a couple hundred yards away. Must be fishing.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wolf Cascades
This summer, for the first time since the 1930s, wildlife agencies and people in the Methow Valley have reported the presence of a wolf pack in Washington State. This may be a good sign for ecosystem health, although I wonder whether people have become more tolerant of this species due to advocacy and awareness campaigns, like that of Conservation Northwest. They may be more adaptable than we think. They control prey populations, like elk and other herbivores - the predator-prey relationship as well as their link to ecosystem health is fascinating. Two Oregon State researchers, Beschta and Ripple, recently published an articlelinking wolf predation on herbivores to healthier riparian systems in our very own Olympic National Park.
It immediately reminded me of a July/August 2005 article in Orion Magazine, by Rick Bass, on essentially the same topic in Yellowstone. The re-emergence of wolves to the landscape alters the ecosystem in ways that we did not realize. I dug around for information, and the same busy researchers have been conducting studies in both the Cascades and the Rockies. Their research program, Trophic Cascades is all about the role of predators in structuring ecological communities.
Poetically, I think we may see changes in the colors of fall once wolf populations thin elk herds, which in turn, give riparian forests a break from being munched on. Hopefully, it will help restore our favorite areas and trails. The intentionality of reintroducing wolves makes the endeavor restoration, whereby leveraging the natural tendencies of the prey regulation to bring back lost function to the system.
It immediately reminded me of a July/August 2005 article in Orion Magazine, by Rick Bass, on essentially the same topic in Yellowstone. The re-emergence of wolves to the landscape alters the ecosystem in ways that we did not realize. I dug around for information, and the same busy researchers have been conducting studies in both the Cascades and the Rockies. Their research program, Trophic Cascades is all about the role of predators in structuring ecological communities.
Poetically, I think we may see changes in the colors of fall once wolf populations thin elk herds, which in turn, give riparian forests a break from being munched on. Hopefully, it will help restore our favorite areas and trails. The intentionality of reintroducing wolves makes the endeavor restoration, whereby leveraging the natural tendencies of the prey regulation to bring back lost function to the system.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Li'l Si
A blusterry day out in North Bend. We hiked Little Si. The views provided some incredible contrasts with the yellowing big leaf maples, which stand out from the doug fir-hemlock forest on Mount Si.
Tacoma Triangle Half
IRC's Annual Tacoma Triangle Half Marathon went off in nice weather on Saturday. A casual start with 12 people left the "B for Beluga" parking lot of the Point Defiance Zoo and proceeded down the hill towards the Ruston waterfront. We all met at the north side of the Ruston Tunnel while friends closed off the tunnel to traffic coming the opposite direction (only room for one lane off cars at a time). Once we were all good, we lined up and sprinted into the darkness of the ~40 yard tunnel. I came out on the other side behind tall Alex, and we continued on the run along Ruston Way. It took about 2 miles to really recover from the all out sprint.
It was nice on a long run to have support. Folks attended three aid stations, set up along the triangular course that weaved across the north end of Tacoma.
At Old Town, we headed uphill for one block, then continued along the Shuster Parkway (yeah, you have seen that narrow sidewalk) to the north end of downtown. Up the hill to 6th, then followed Division until we hit Pearl. Then it was a straight shot back to Point Defiance.
I ran with two other folks at a conversational 8:50 pace. They pushed and pulled me along, and I was happy to run alongside tthem. We finished the 13 and change "Half" course in 2 hours. The running club is a good group of folks and the run left me energized...and a bit sore.
Back feels good, and the legs are generously talking to me.
It was nice on a long run to have support. Folks attended three aid stations, set up along the triangular course that weaved across the north end of Tacoma.
At Old Town, we headed uphill for one block, then continued along the Shuster Parkway (yeah, you have seen that narrow sidewalk) to the north end of downtown. Up the hill to 6th, then followed Division until we hit Pearl. Then it was a straight shot back to Point Defiance.
I ran with two other folks at a conversational 8:50 pace. They pushed and pulled me along, and I was happy to run alongside tthem. We finished the 13 and change "Half" course in 2 hours. The running club is a good group of folks and the run left me energized...and a bit sore.
Back feels good, and the legs are generously talking to me.
Friday, October 24, 2008
No Pain, No Pain
2.5 miles yesterday and 2 today. No big pains - my back actually felt ok. The runs are energizing. I went running yesterday around one of the boggy parts of Lake Tapps. I don't think many people go there - never seen anyone besides us. I was using my ChiRunning technique I learned after four chapters of Danny Dreyers book. Posture, Focus, Relaxation, Breathing.... There are a few rules, and your mind wanders. Every few minutes you must return your attention to some part of your body that is out of wonk - swaying by back and sticking out my gut, picking up your knees and overreaching, scrunching shoulders, etc.
One day to the half marathon.
One day to the half marathon.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Rain Shadows
One post about weather and maybe it will evacuate my mind.
I woke up to rain this morning. Still dark and the window was a tad bit open to let in the sounds of the morning. Also garbage day. We did not hear sounds of the garbage truck, but the early schoolbus that cruises the neighborhood gobbling up kids for the day.
Listening to rain is a Northwest past time. Stomping around in it, climbing moss-covered trees, and shunning umbrellas are customs here. Maybe in the city these days, but you will rarely see umbrellas around the PNW. Do you know what a rain shadow is? You have not lived here long enough.
Biogeographers could shoot out some fancy explanation, but locals will tell you just about anywhere in the immediate easterly vicinity of mountains that you may be protected from downpours in monsoon season. The reason...weather comes from the ocean and climbs up and over the mountains. Loaded with moisture, the heavy droplets must simply be let go by the clouds. Precipitation is rain or fog or snow. By the time they reach the other side of the mountain the clouds are either nonexistent or relatively free of their water weight. Some folks are adept at reading the rain forecast without turning on the TV. Long cumulus clouds and a bit of mugginess signify rain in roughly 24 hours. Disc-like UFOs (lenticular clouds) over Mt. Rainier mean trouble. See those flat, beach stone-shapes hanging over the crater we just drive over to the Eastside for a hike.
Some people with coins to jingle in their pocket wear Gore-Tex. The material is worn like a uniform around Seattle. I have been living in other countries and met people who end up hailing from the NW....I should have know when I saw your North Face, dude. It is waterproof and breathable.
Like Christmas, I remember opening the REI box to find my first Gore-Tex jacket. You never look back. I'll tell you - don't wear it in the tropics. The breathability is limited. Anyway...gear...is petroleum.
The most recent issue of Runner's World had a green focus. I started running because it was easy and cheap. Good shoes is all you need, and then you may need other toys. The RW issue really got into it. More than I thought by looking at the blonde on the cover with the green sports bra. Running's carbon impact is relatively low compared to other sports. Truth?! Green shoes. Recycled material in your midsoles, and bamboo textile in the upper. Good progress. 5,449 lbs. of CO2 if you purchase synthetics, use electricity to wash your clothes and travel to runs and races. 958 lbs. of CO2 in gear alone. Your carbon footprint is imaginary to begin with....But if it did really exist, it is essentially all the nonrenewable, fossil fuel (translated into added carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, that is emitted into the atmosphere killing polar bears and causing floods) that goes into making your product, providing you a service, etc. What can we do?
Carry your own water bottle.
Buy $100 recycled polyester shirts. And oh do I like pricey wool blends.
Make your own energy bars, etc.
Run local!
Are we making strides? Austin Marathon is the greenest race in the country, says RW.
I am doint my part to lower my carbon footprint. Not entirely purposefully - I am unemployed and not participating in some aspects of our economy. Jessica Solnit's article waxes better about it than me.
I am radical and nobody knows it but me.
Reading today: ChiRunning by Danny Dreyer
My posture is a less than desirable vertical orientation, and I wish I knew how to breathe
I woke up to rain this morning. Still dark and the window was a tad bit open to let in the sounds of the morning. Also garbage day. We did not hear sounds of the garbage truck, but the early schoolbus that cruises the neighborhood gobbling up kids for the day.
Listening to rain is a Northwest past time. Stomping around in it, climbing moss-covered trees, and shunning umbrellas are customs here. Maybe in the city these days, but you will rarely see umbrellas around the PNW. Do you know what a rain shadow is? You have not lived here long enough.
Biogeographers could shoot out some fancy explanation, but locals will tell you just about anywhere in the immediate easterly vicinity of mountains that you may be protected from downpours in monsoon season. The reason...weather comes from the ocean and climbs up and over the mountains. Loaded with moisture, the heavy droplets must simply be let go by the clouds. Precipitation is rain or fog or snow. By the time they reach the other side of the mountain the clouds are either nonexistent or relatively free of their water weight. Some folks are adept at reading the rain forecast without turning on the TV. Long cumulus clouds and a bit of mugginess signify rain in roughly 24 hours. Disc-like UFOs (lenticular clouds) over Mt. Rainier mean trouble. See those flat, beach stone-shapes hanging over the crater we just drive over to the Eastside for a hike.Some people with coins to jingle in their pocket wear Gore-Tex. The material is worn like a uniform around Seattle. I have been living in other countries and met people who end up hailing from the NW....I should have know when I saw your North Face, dude. It is waterproof and breathable.
Like Christmas, I remember opening the REI box to find my first Gore-Tex jacket. You never look back. I'll tell you - don't wear it in the tropics. The breathability is limited. Anyway...gear...is petroleum.
The most recent issue of Runner's World had a green focus. I started running because it was easy and cheap. Good shoes is all you need, and then you may need other toys. The RW issue really got into it. More than I thought by looking at the blonde on the cover with the green sports bra. Running's carbon impact is relatively low compared to other sports. Truth?! Green shoes. Recycled material in your midsoles, and bamboo textile in the upper. Good progress. 5,449 lbs. of CO2 if you purchase synthetics, use electricity to wash your clothes and travel to runs and races. 958 lbs. of CO2 in gear alone. Your carbon footprint is imaginary to begin with....But if it did really exist, it is essentially all the nonrenewable, fossil fuel (translated into added carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, that is emitted into the atmosphere killing polar bears and causing floods) that goes into making your product, providing you a service, etc. What can we do?
Carry your own water bottle.
Buy $100 recycled polyester shirts. And oh do I like pricey wool blends.
Make your own energy bars, etc.
Run local!
Are we making strides? Austin Marathon is the greenest race in the country, says RW.
I am doint my part to lower my carbon footprint. Not entirely purposefully - I am unemployed and not participating in some aspects of our economy. Jessica Solnit's article waxes better about it than me.
I am radical and nobody knows it but me.
Reading today: ChiRunning by Danny Dreyer
My posture is a less than desirable vertical orientation, and I wish I knew how to breathe
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Moved
I moved from SoCal several months ago. Back to the land of soy milk and cruelty free honey - the Pacific Northwest. Back had been in bad shape, so we laid off the running for a couple months. That and unemployment signifies 10 lbs. of extra weight to carry now that I am running again. I have considered renaming my moniker, "Mossrunner," now that we are back home in the precipitationlandia.
Up to 11 miles. I am going to run a half marathon on Saturday, October 25th, at Point Defiance, in Tacoma. Supposedly, the park has 20 miles of trails. However, the run will be on the roads. Also, I registered for the 2nd Annual Tacoma Marathon - hopes to be nice run in May. I will start building time running/mileage again in January.
So, the NW is quite different than sunny Los Angeles recently. It basically started raining when we crossed the border into Oregon several months ago. It stopped.
Not for long. It rained for two weeks. Summer was awesome. I actually kept up with my shorts and flip-flop habit.
This morning I left to go to yoga...38 degrees. So, needless to say, I broke out the sweaters a couple days ago. And I have been thinking of getting some thoughts out of my head.
Blackberries. Many think to be native of the PNW. Wrong. Non-native from Eurasia (we will say). Invasive. They have prickles, not thorns. They are in the Rose family, all roses have prickles. That Guns 'n Roses song - not true. My girlfriend and I made three cobblers this summer, and I survived with minimal stains on my fingers and clothes. My lacerations have healed. The Himalayan blackberry has the propensity to grab you, via the prickle, in a variety of areas on your body. It will snag your shoe, your calf, and then when you are not looking...there it is on your neck. I have heard the wounds tend to get infected, but I have never heard of anyone getting an infected cut from picking blackberries.
They are good...for eating. We will run out of the ones we froze tomorrow when I put them in the blender for a smoothie.
Running and hiking we have seen plenty of the blackberry plant along with the usual list of plant characters. I missed ferns. Now that we are in fall, the ground is loaded with browns and oranges of colors. The trees are radiant with hues of red and yellow. Changes in the temperature, water availability, and length of daylight cause the leaves of deciduous trees to stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the bright colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall brilliance.
Up to 11 miles. I am going to run a half marathon on Saturday, October 25th, at Point Defiance, in Tacoma. Supposedly, the park has 20 miles of trails. However, the run will be on the roads. Also, I registered for the 2nd Annual Tacoma Marathon - hopes to be nice run in May. I will start building time running/mileage again in January.
So, the NW is quite different than sunny Los Angeles recently. It basically started raining when we crossed the border into Oregon several months ago. It stopped.
Not for long. It rained for two weeks. Summer was awesome. I actually kept up with my shorts and flip-flop habit.
This morning I left to go to yoga...38 degrees. So, needless to say, I broke out the sweaters a couple days ago. And I have been thinking of getting some thoughts out of my head.
Blackberries. Many think to be native of the PNW. Wrong. Non-native from Eurasia (we will say). Invasive. They have prickles, not thorns. They are in the Rose family, all roses have prickles. That Guns 'n Roses song - not true. My girlfriend and I made three cobblers this summer, and I survived with minimal stains on my fingers and clothes. My lacerations have healed. The Himalayan blackberry has the propensity to grab you, via the prickle, in a variety of areas on your body. It will snag your shoe, your calf, and then when you are not looking...there it is on your neck. I have heard the wounds tend to get infected, but I have never heard of anyone getting an infected cut from picking blackberries.
They are good...for eating. We will run out of the ones we froze tomorrow when I put them in the blender for a smoothie.
Running and hiking we have seen plenty of the blackberry plant along with the usual list of plant characters. I missed ferns. Now that we are in fall, the ground is loaded with browns and oranges of colors. The trees are radiant with hues of red and yellow. Changes in the temperature, water availability, and length of daylight cause the leaves of deciduous trees to stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the bright colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall brilliance.
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