March 3, 2005
was going to include only Rich and myself. Much to my surprise, Rich thought it wasn’t going to happen at all. After a few beers at Isaac Newton’s on Friday night, the date was set.
The trip will be much less ambitious that I had originally hoped – 4 nights/5 days (rather than 7 nights/8 days) starting on Friday, May 13 (oooooh!) and ending on Tuesday, May 17. The distance goal is not set, however I would like to cover 10 miles a day if possible. The distance we cover will really be dictated by overweight bodies, bad knees, blisters, and good camping spots.
Let me explain. I’m pretty fat – 284 pounds last time I checked. I am joining the NAC this week, and I hope to get some muscle built up under the blubber, but I will still be considerably overweight by the time that May 13th rolls (no pun intended) around. I am hoping that Keri joins us this year. The trip is close by and it covers terrain that she has seen before so I think it is a real possibility. Keri’s knees are pretty banged up from year of abuse (she blames skiing and volleyball, I speculate it is something else!) If she summons the courage to venture out, we will have to dial back the mileage – a small price for good company.
March 1, 2005
Oh, but my fantasy world is wonderful.
In my mind I am still the same guy that I was in college.
In my mind I’ve not gained a pound.
In my mind my hair is on my head and not on my back.
In my mind chicks dig me.
Every once in a while reality steps up to the plate and knocks my fantasy world out of the park. Friday was one of those days.
On Thursday the snow came and closed the schools on Friday. I wasn’t bothered because I was able to spend a wonderful day at home with my kids. We made a mess. We ate junk food. We were LOUD. We had a blast! And best of all, I my mom took them for the rest of the weekend. Life was good.
After I dropped off the kids, I went to the Apple Store in
I am in the jug handle to cross Rt 73, playing with my broken iPod hoping that perhaps I could conjure up some magic that would make the trip unnecessary. I look up to see if traffic is moving. It’s not. I go back to my iPod. I look up again. Nothing is moving. Again. I go back to my iPod. I do it one more time, and this time I make eye contact with one of six teenaged girls in the car just ahead of me. I go back to my iPod. I look up again, the light has changed, I put the iPod on the seat, and start driving.
The girls turn around again. I make eye contact. Again. And that was the end of it. The four girls in the back seat start smiling, winking and suggestively pointing at me. Uggh. They are teasing me. I have no where to go. They keep it up. They are relentless. I’m squirming in my seat. Looking for an exit. I’m trapped. I give them a half a smile. That was a mistake. They start laughing uncontrollably. I am pretty sure that one of them had tears of laughter running down her cheek. Still no where to go. Stuck. My turn is just ahead. I am almost free. My humiliation is almost over. Their turn signal goes on. Ack. They are going into the shopping center too. My torture continues. The girl on the left turns to the front of the car, and then twists back around with a camera. That was it for the girls. They lost control of their laughter, and they were all crying. I gave a sad clown sort of smile. The flash went off. They turned. I was free, a bit humbled, but free.
As I think about it, they wanted me. I am sure of it. Chicks dig me.
January 3, 2005
I expect that just over 99%
of the population is starting their diet today. It is like a ritual. Stuff your face from late November through the last day of December, then tell the world that your New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight. It is not hard to see the folly in this, because like any addiction, it is hard to deal with the withdrawal. Most of us are not strong enough to make it through. I am not trying to be negative, but is that is how I see it.
I just read on the website for the movie Super Size Me that 60% of Americans are either overweight (must be nice) or obese (hey that’s me!) If we were able to deal with the pain of withdrawal, this statistic would not be so dramatic. Every magazine that deals with health, beauty, being a woman, or being a man has major real estate devoted to the diet this month. All of us hit the end of the Christmas (Chanukah or Kwanzaa) season and optimistically look to the calendar as the answer to our expanding waistline and impending diabetes. We all also know in the back of our heads that by the time that February rolls around, the diet will be behind us. We all know that by the time we flip the calendar to March we will likely stop feeling guilty about the Big Mac, Whopper, Grilled Stuft Burrito, etc. This year we will all be average and gain another five pounds or so. Everyone else is doing it, so why not me?
1) This is going to hurt. I have started enough diets to know that the first week is just painful, to you, your friends, and loved ones. As you give up the things you love, you feel like shit. Like a drug, your body needs a certain level of sugar and carbs (which are sugar by another name.) The pain you feel, the headaches, the fatigue, and the grumpiness are withdrawal. If you threw in the shakes and cold sweats we would be talking about heroine. Like any addict, you need to recognize that the pain is coming, and deal with it. It will pass.
2) The diet plan is the least important part. I am pretty sure that it is all about personal preference, low carb, no carb, Weight Watchers, etc, it doesn’t matter. You should pick something that you can stick with. For me, I do the Weight Watchers type thing. I like to see a full plate, complete with a meat, a starch, and a veggie. The idea of looking at a plate with a steak and nothing else is horrifying. You may be the opposite. Perfect. That is why there are so many car makers, brewers, ice cream flavors (bad example. Sorry!). Don’t pick what everyone is doing, pick something that you can work with and not what is popular.
3) It is going to take a long time. Period. End of sentence. Pick a cliché. There is no free lunch. You get what you pay for. Whatever. If you are trying to lose weight for a lifetime, you need to be patient. From what I can tell this is the second hardest part. Once you get through the withdrawal, staying focused for the long haul tough. This is the one that gets me every time. I have never hit a plateau while actually following a diet plan (I have when I start cheating!), but I get sick watching what I eat. Not giving up is a bitch.
4) Change your mindset. Anyone who successfully loses the weight and keeps it off has changed their habits and their view of food. As of today, that is not me. Food makes me feel good. I like to be full. When I am bored, I like to munch. When I am happy, I like to celebrate with a meal. I have no idea how to do this, but it seems to be key.
5) Let everyone know. Tell the world (that is what I am using this space for!) Everyone, without exception, knows that you are fat. They can see it with their own eyes, especially in the summer! Why should you be shy about your decision to change that? Be proud. Let everyone know how much you have lost. Let them know why you choose one food over another. You are adding time to your life. You should be bragging.
6) Track your progress. I think this ties into number 3. Take some pictures of yourself as you go. You will be amazed by the change. I am going to set up a page with new pictures each week – head, side, and front. I am going to add some stats like weight, waist size, chest size, etc. I really believe that seeing your body change will help move things forward. I assume that looking at the 290 lb Dave on the site will make me thing twice about that Snickers bar. This is untested, so we will see. If you don’t chronicle your weight loss on a website, perhaps you should invest in a refrigerator magnet or two.
7) Fast food was a major part in what got you to this point. It has to go. There is nothing on the menu that will help you. Not the salads, not the chicken sandwiches, nothing. That Super Size Me movie says (I have not verified it else where) that you walk for 7 straight hours to offset the calories in a super sized Big Mac, French fry, and Coke. Holy crap.
8) Get moving. I have heard that the average American walks around 420 feet (140 yards or 0.08 miles) per day. For most of us that is the only exercise we get. It is really pretty sad. Anyway, you can lose lots of weight by diet alone, and you would never have to move any further than the 420 feet per day to do it. If you want to speed things up, a ½ hour a day of cardio will help. I am at a point where I get winded when I play with my kids. It sucks, and I am not going to do it anymore. I m going to wait until all of the quitters clear out, so my plan is to hit the gym here at work every day starting until February.
December 27, 2004
November 22, 2004
It has been quite a while,
but I have recently been inspired to pick up my pen (in a figurative sense) again. Out of the blue yesterday Tara Harding told me that she visited FatManWalking.com and that she really enjoyed reading my musings. She also told me that I was a good writer. I think she may be taking a few liberties with the truth and she is likely complimenting my ego, but it was inspiring nonetheless. Thanks
I also like to write about gear – what I have, what I need, and Cleve. In many ways this is really not fair to Cleve, but it is quite fun. In a nutshell, Cleve does everything exactly how you are supposed to. If you stick your nose into a Backpacker Magazine or a backpacking how-to book, you will discover that Cleve employs most of their suggestions when he visits REI. I don’t know about you, but the first thought that crosses my mind when I read about the proper way to buy a sleeping bag is “Who would actually do that!?!” And the I can’t get Cleve out of my mind for a couple of days (after much experience I have found that watching open heart surgery on Discovery removes the thought from my head.) See that, I made fun of Cleve already, and I didn’t even try. Sorry buddy. I will work on that.
I like talking about the trip itself. The trek we took across
I may sprinkle in some talk of family, friends, the weather, politics, etc. The bottom line is that I am not going to limit this space to just my backpacking pursuits. Anything goes. Check back frequently for updates. I am going to try to post something two or three times per week.
May 7, 2004
Talk about pressure.
I took a few minutes earlier this week to let you know what was happening and why the interval between posts had grow so long, and Karen tells me she is disappointed because it wasn't funny. I try to add a little wit, sarcasm, and humor into every post, but I never realized that it was required! She's my performance has never been a problem in the past, maybe there is more to her complaints than meets the eye.
Anyway, back to serious matters . . .
I have been thinking alot about pack weight recently. I am starting to think of the things that go into my pack in budget terms. Just about every budget has some items that are required spending, such as the mortgage and electricity. The same could be said for the sleeping bag and the tent. The next things in line are the items that you THINK you need, but you could live with out. These would be cable and internet access in the home budget analogy. For backpacking, these things would be the candle lantern, GPS, and a book. I am likely to shoulder the burden for these items without complaint. That takes us to the things that I could truly do without, or that could be sharply reduced.
Underwear,socks, and shirts. It's kinda gross, but I am going to wear one pair and keep another in the pack. That's it. Clothing seems to have an additive effect on pack weight. The sweaty socks, the funkified drawers, and the nasty tee shirt seem to weigh a few more pounds than they did when they had that Spring Time fresh smell earlier in the day. After 5 days, that could be a lot of extra weight. I ain't gonna do it. One pair for walking, and one pair for the camp. Nothing more.
Pants. Nothing new here. One pair of convertable pants. Given that our trip ends just five days prior to the "Unofficial Start of Summer", I may not need the pant legs at all. I will bring them just in case.
Repair kits. I brought a backpack and a tent repair kit on our last trip. Why? I am going to bring the duct tape and nothing else.
Heavy foods. I am only bringing stuff that does not have water in it. No begals. No Chicken in a bag (well maybe chicken in a bag). No cheese. I am going to bring lots of noodles, beef jerky, and peanut butter.
More later . .
May 3, 2004
And Then There Were Three
Sorry about the rather long gap in postings. I have been extremely busy over the last few weeks with my camper, the Fraternity, and Morgan.
Last year my mother gave me the camper that she has owned for the last 15 years or so. Robbie, Mikey, my brother Charles, and I have been working to fix some rather substantial water damage. We had to take out just about every piece of wood in the bedroom. It was not easy, but it is just about finished. I expect that the job will be done by May 16. After that I will be spending most of my weekends hanging out with the wife and kids down by the Great Egg Harbor River. I cannot wait.
My Fraternity's Alumni Corporation held a meeting on March 27 to discuss the future of that organization and the terms of the probation for the Undergraduate Chapter. We have a mountain to climb ahead of us, but I am really psyched to be involved again. I have spent much of the time that I would normally use to post updates here in long email discussions about the structure and direction of the Alumni Corp. There are only a handful of guys active in this organization, but we all seem pretty motivated. You will probably see more references to Theta Chi in this space after we return from our trip.
It looks like I have passed the Asthma gene on to Morgan. The allergy/lung doctor confirmed this with Karen today, but it does not really come as a surprise. Karen and I both have asthma. The girl is going to be on a twice daily medication indefinitely to keep it under control. It is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it does kind of suck.
Now that I have filled you in on the last couple of weeks, lets talk about the trip. Mikey informed me two weeks ago that he was bagging the trip. I planned our excursion so that it landed in the last two weeks or so of his program a Chubb. Mikey is very serious about his education this time around (18 and in college is a world away), and he does not want to mess anything up while he is in the home stretch. I am very disappointed that he won't be joining us, but I think he has made a wise decision.
One thing that did make me chuckle - He has already backed out of next year's trip because he will have to work. He is probably right on the mark, but I found it funny since he has not yet found permanent employment. I hope he finds out that he was right about this sooner than later. Best of luck on the job search Mikey.
Robbie had a bit of bad luck over the weekend which has forced him to back out as well. (I am not inclined to go into details here, and you will have to check with Waycool if you want more info).
We are now down to Cleve, Richie, and me. Losing Mike and Rob is mostly bad, but it does have some good. The three of us still going are basically lazy, and are less inclined to find and cut wood for a fire. That's ok with me. I love the fire, don't get me wrong. BUT I only gather wood so that I don't get voted off the island. On second thought, that is the only good thing about them not going.
April 8, 2004
Robbie Sent Me Some Tips on How to Keep Your Pack Weight Down . .
and it should help. It looks like this chart is from a book that advocates the Ultralight backpacking method. Given our appetites and needs for creature comforts, it is unlikely that we could follow all the suggestions in the Ultralight or even the Light columns, but I think that we could be a whole lot more comfortable if we use some of them. That being said, it is very clear that the person that put these lists together is looking for the most extreme comparisons. I picked out a couple of the most egregious examples of where this guy was trying to make a regular guy look stupid (I also added my comments):
- Water/Windproof Lighter - A bic would do, and we all know that. I heard of a smoker that went out and spent a few dollars on waterproof matches, but ended up using the lighter he keeps in the same pocket as his cigarettes.
- Fleece Jacket & Fleece vest - come on. How many people actually own both of those?
- Fancy Compass? Yeah right. We use GPS baby.
- 4-16oz cans and 7-12oz of chicken - Duh. It is hard to imagine a person actually operating at such low brain function.
- A Candle Lantern & five extra 8-hour candles - I would just bring a pack of matches from where I bought:
- One 16oz bottle of booze - Any intelligent human being would bring 24 King Cans of Budweiser.
- A paperback copy of War & Peace - I have actually heard of people not bringing reading material. (Why bother to bring toilet paper?)
- Full sized Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar - You would have to be an idiot.
April 7, 2004
Something new. . .
The last time that I ran without someone or something chasing me was in 1986 when I played baseball at Kingsway Regional High School. It was a medical miracle call the Proventil Inhaler that made it possible. I am sure that you can easily picture me trailing behind my relatively fit teammates and coach, huffing, puffing, and sucking on my inhaler. The only thing that was more pathetic than that was my perfect zero batting average.
Anyway, I was out with my dog last night, and he started to run, and I decided to follow him. We ran around the rather large field by my house, and after about 1/4 mile, I realized that I was not going to die. It actually felt kind of good. Around 10:30 last night, I thought that I would give it a try on purpose. Honestly, I was a little surprised by how well I did. I actually jogged for around a 1/2 mile and then slowed to a brisk walk for a total of just over 1.1 miles. I gave myself a little pat on the back, and a well deserved shot to the arm.
I really was not expecting what happened next. I cannot be certain, but I am pretty sure that I coughed up the last remnants of that pack of cigarettes that I never really finished back in November 1997. What came up was big and black, and it may have crawled away (I called the police just in case). I also did not expect the nauseous feeling that came afterward. It lasted until I went to bed. I was under the mistake assumption that exercise made you feel better.
My experience last night was so good that I decided to do it again this morning, and I jogged for just over six tenths of a mile (of course I know this because of my GPS!). I did not find any more toxic waste in my lungs, but the nausea is still with me more than 3 hours later.
I am going to give it a few more days, but if I don't start feeling better . . .
March 28, 2004
The First Four Trail Sections are Available.
It takes a little time to put these things together. I will try to get the rest out by next Sunday. The maps are terrible. I am going to scan in new ones and see how they turn out.
March 25, 2004
Some Progress. . . Finally!
Things certainly are going better with Weight Watchers. After two full weeks on the program, I have lost 9.4 pounds.
While I am not surprised by my initial success (I have done this at least 6 times before), I am very pleased. Karen thinks I am crazy, but I am pretty sure that I can tell a difference in how my clothes fit already. Ten pounds does not seem like a lot, especially when you weigh in a stone's throw from 3 bills, but it really is pretty substantial. One of my former WW leaders illustrated this point at a meeting I attended a few year back by showing off a 10 pound bag of hamburger. Now that is quite a hunk of meat.
I am not sure if any of you have noticed, but there is still absolutely no new information about our upcoming trip. Nada. None.
I wanted to have the first couple of sections posted by this past Monday, but it just didn't happen. We have the big Theta Chi meeting on Saturday, and then I am sending the kids away. I really do expect to have the time and motivation this weekend.
I am going to try to guess how far we will get each day and build the pages around that. I will include the description of the trail, maps, and the elevation profile.
It does not look like this section should give us any trouble, just one big up and then relatively flat. That is EXACTLY how our trip to VA/TN looked as well, so assume it will KICK YOUR ASS.
March 19, 2004
Fat Man Status Update
Back in November and December my rather obtuse belly was the primary topic of conversation hear at FatManWalking.com. The main driver behind those posts was the weight loss competition at my job. The end of that competition is only 12 days away, and I wanted to give you a bit of an update.
From the beginning of December through beginning of March I dropped 1.5 pounds! I know what you are saying - "How did you do it? South Beach? Atkins? Ephedrine?" I am pleased to say that this accomplishment is my own. I am now trying to decide how I will market my diet so that I can also cash in on America's obesity problem.
Seriously though I was looking at the calendar the other day and I realized that I only had a little more that three weeks until D-day, and I got scared! That night I went to a Weight Watchers meeting as a last ditch effort. I really could not deal with the idea of having my buldging fur hanging out of my shirt all day. I weighed in at 288 pounds, and still Half-Fat.
My first week I dropped 7.4 pounds (without any seasonal adjustments!) It is the formality of the Weight Watchers program that works for me. They give you a points budget and slide rule to tell you what each food is worth. Don't bust your budget and PRESTO you lose weight. Now that sounds a lot easier than it really is. I AM CONSTANTLY HUNGRY. The biggest factor in my success with Weight Watchers is having to stand on a scale and have someone else write that big ol' number down for you. Ouch. Now they are always supportive, saying things like "It's ok. We all have tough weeks sometimes.", but their faces say "Did I just see your ass expand?" That is a big motivator.
I am really trying to exercise, in the form of walking, while I diet. The weather has severely turned against my efforts this week, but the forecast looks like I will be up and running again next week.
Allmans at the Beacon
Last night I had the great fortune to head up to New York City to see the Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon Theatre courtesy of Bear Stearns! It was an amazing show.
I last saw the ABB at the Tower Theater in '96 or '97, and I am amazed at how much better they were last night. The guitar team of Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes just blew me away. Gregg Allman's singing is still right on, and the whole band just lit the stage on fire. They are scheduled to be in NYC for the next two weeks. I would highly recommend that you make the trip.
March 17, 2004
Slacker!
Our excursion is only 65 days away, and I have not posted anything about what we can expect. All I can tell you is that the details are coming. I think that there are 5 Appalachian Trail sections between Harper's Ferry, WV and the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. I will work to have at least one of these sections posted every day or so until I have it all out there. Since we are expecting Mikey to join us Friday, May 21 through Sunday, May 23, I will have these days covered sooner rather than later.
March 5, 2004
I started exercising today, and man an I in pain.
I checked with a few people to see what they thought, and everyone had the same words of encouragement. They all said it was natural to get sore after working out. It is just the body's way of dealing with change. It will hurt less as I exercise more. These words were like Advil to my ego, and the my self esteem rose to new heights. Until I realized that all of this pain came from taking a walk around the office park!
Sure walking is not much, but I figured it was a start. I have a million excuses for not making it to the gym at the office - I can't come in early. I can't stay late. It is too much hassle to shower during lunch, etc. Walking does not have any of these problems. I am sure that it will help me get ready for any backpacking trip I take (that does have any hills or require a backpack!)
According to Dr. Samuel Klein, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 73% of adults can maintain their current weight without dieting by walking briskly for 30 minutes a day. According to this article, the participants were told not to change their eating habits during the study. The control group continued to eat like pigs without exercise, and they gained an average of 2.5 pounds.
My walk today was just about 1.75 miles in just under a 1/2 hour. Not a bad start, but it is not good enough to really make a difference. It seems that 11 miles a week is the magic number. Since it is unlikely that I will be able to take a brisk 30 minute walk with the munchkins in tow, I will have to walk at work. I am going to try for an hour a day, three days a week. I will let you know how that works out. (no pun intended!)
February 24, 2004
Odds and Ends
I haven't posted in a while, so I have a handful of topics to address.
My 33rd birthday has come and gone with little fanfare. Every year on my birthday Karen asks me how it feels to be X years old. Every year my answer is the same as I felt last year. This year was no exception. I felt the same, and that means that I felt pretty good. And my looks have held on for another year as well! Not bad. That was my birthday, and my how things changed quickly.
Two weeks after my birthday Nicholas and I took a short walk around the lake at Core Creek Park, and I felt my age bitch slap me.
Before I get into the specifics of the bitch slap, let me describe the walk for you - The ground was basically flat. No peak. No valleys. No ups. No downs. Flat. Nick and I traveled about a half mile around the rim of the lake before he was tired of the woods. We crossed the frozen lake and spent another hour or so on the playground before slowly following the lakeshore back to the car. The total distance could not have been more than 2 miles. I did not get winded, and I felt like I could have walked for days - Not bad for a Fat Man!
The Slap hit me in the car when I realized that both my knee and my hip were sore. How could that be? I am only 33 right? Who knows how it happened, but I can tell you that I felt it for at least three days later. What in the world does 34 have in store for me. Maybe a little prostate problem to go with my new joints?
This past weekend we had the chance to get together with the whole crew and make our way out to Victory Brewing Company for a few beers to celebrate Cleve's 30th birthday. The beer was great, the food still sucks, but what an amazing time! Mikey and I are the elders in the our tribe, so it is really nice to see the first of the youngsters creep into his thirties! Robbie's new guitar arrived in a shiny new hardshell case last week, and we literally played until our fingers were so sore we could not form chords. And most importantly, the dream has finally become a wonderful off key reality!
Rob, Mikey, and I have been trying for years to get everyone to sing the songs as we play. Success! Now we need to find more songs that the average person wants to sing. Did you know that most people don't know the words to every Grateful Dead song? I just found out. Karen is working to update the song book. Nice. We are getting back together in a few weeks, I will let you know how we make out.
It looks like Karen and Keri are going out in the woods together in early May. How awesome is that. I think that they will have a great time. I believe that it is the first time that they are going out without Rich and me. Normally Karen and I work as a team, splitting the weight of the tent and food, sharing the cooking duties, etc. I assume that Karen and Keri will do the same, which means that it will not be much different for them. Perhaps just a little less stress without the guys! I am just afraid that she will like it too much. I just wonder if they will be as into the toys, GPS and such, as the guys are.
Speaking of Keri, she got an iPod this weekend! Congratulations! TiVo can't be too far off.
February 9, 2004
People actually read this?
I got some feedback on my site over the last week or so, and I thought I would share. I am not sure if it is by coincidence or if it was deliberate, but I got nothing in writing, so I will have to paraphrase a bit.
The most flattering was from one of Karen's co-workers at GSK -
"Dave may just be one of the funniest and most clever people on the internet. He is brilliant, insightful, and sexy. If it wasn't for Karen (and that awful picture) I would date him. He should go professional." *
Carrie,
Thank you for the compliment. I work very hard at keeping things fun, entertaining, and informative. You must rembember that I am married, but I don't mind if you dream about what could have been.
As for becoming a professional writer, I just don't see that happening. I would have to be nuts to give up a job that almost provides a living wage, monpolizes more than three quarters of my waking hours, and demoralizes my existance in exchange for a life of fame, wealth, and leisure. No way. I just won't do it. I will keep FatManWalking as a hobby, not a job.
The feedback that I got from Robbie was a little different. He said that it makes him laugh, and he will be sure to sync it up with his iPaq so that he can read it on the crapper.
Now that is what I like to hear. Hats (and pants) off to you, Rob!
* Carrie actually said that it was kind of funny.
January 28, 2004
Snow Snow Snow
Mikey planted the idea of backpacking in the snow in my head in December, and I cannot get it out now.
My rational side knows that it will suck. There are no leaves on the trees, so the wind will beat down on me the whole time. Snow will get make it's way into my boots, up my back, in my gloves, and make me miserable. My sleeping bag will not handle the frigid temperature, and I will not sleep.
My stupid side thinks that the morning will be beautiful. The snow covered trees will be breath taking. It thinks that the chill in my bones will be cured with a raging campfire. Most of all, my stupid side sees a snowy backpacking trip as an adventure, and there is just not enough adventure in life these days.
It is actually rare that my rational side wins. I tend to favor being stupid.
Fortunately for me I have Karen. She gently reminded me of all of the crap we had to take care of during December, and nudged me into staying home. Once again she saved me from myself.
I won't be making my way into the woods for this snow storm either. Still too much to do. It is unlikely that I will be spending anytime in the woods until May.
It is still fun to let my stupid side flirt with the idea.
January 22, 2004
Boots
I have taken inventory, and it looks like there is no equipment that I need for this trip! I would like to get one of those nifty LED head lamps and a set of trekking poles, but I don't really need either. Most likely I will take a pass for this trip. However I NEED new boots.
I got my current pair of boots six years ago while Karen still worked at REI. She had me get together with the resident boot specialist, and we spent a good two hours trying different brands and models. These boots were perfect, until I actually used them.
I got blisters the very first time I hit the trail with them on my feet. I just assumed it was because they were not broken in yet. I am pretty sure that I used the same excuse the next 4 or 5 trips as well. There is no way I should still be having problems with them now. They have to go.
I think that I may follow Mikey's lead and get a pair of light, sneaker like boots rather than the full sized leather type. That means that I will likely be sacrifycing ankle support, but I think they will be more comfortable. I have hiked at least twice in sandals (once in PA) and have not had any problems. I am willing to risk it.
January 19, 2004
Whoda Thunk it.
First the Eagles.
Then Simon & Garfunkel
Now coming to a trail near you (kinda) - Dave and Mikey.
I will wait a minute while you get up from the floor and collect yourself.
I woke up yesterday and decided to move my starting point around 1,100 miles north. Since then Robbie, Keri, and Rich are seriously considering joining Cleve and I on our journey. Although I did not expect a positive response, I sent an email to Mikey to let him know. To my surprise, he is also holding open the prospect that he may come as well. Mikey is in school these days, and he is not willing to miss school, so he is probably in for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Not bad.
Mikey walks fast. Much faster than the rest of us. In TN I fought with him about this. It really does not make much sense to fight about how he chooses to hike. His hike is his, and my hike is mine. Hike solo. Camp together. It makes sense to let him choose the campsites for all of us. He will get there first. He can see if it is a good spot with his eyes better than I can with a map. Who knows. We can work together rather than against each other. It works.
More thoughts about the WV->PA Route
- My first thought deals with when to start. Friday, May 21 is the date that I have in
mind for the start. I am thinking that we could drive down in the morning and get an early
afternoon start. It should take around 4-5 hours from my house. I will be taking the PA
Turnpike, and I would be happy to pick anyone up on the way (Rich & Keri). It does not
make a lot of sense to meet at someone's house before heading south since we are all so
spread out. That being said, I don't want to drive alone, so if I have to go a little out
of my way to be sure that I have company, I will.
- Lets keep the itinerary flexible. None of us has ever actually spent 5 nights on the
trail. I am actually more interested in accomplishing that goal than the 40 miles. After
our adventures in Tennessee, I have learned that you cannot tell anything about the hike
from maps. What looks easy can be a ball buster, and what looks like a ball buster can be
a piece of cake. I also cannot predict the weather, our moods, and a million other
variables. Lets take it step by step, and set up camp while we are still happy and
energetic, rather than cranky and exhausted. Using that logic, our trip may be
substantially shorter than the 40 miles between WV and PA, or it could be longer. We
should be prepared for both possibilities. In either case, we will be off of the trail on
either Tuesday (05/25) night or Wednesday (05/26) morning.
- I am bringing my new Martin Backpacker Guitar with me. Anyone who brings a full sized
guitar is an idiot, and will be beaten.
- Our last trip was limited to men only. There is no reason to make that a tradition. Keri
is already considering making the trip. Hey Cleve, be sure that her husband does not know
where we are going. Your safety is our concern.
January 18, 2004
Major Change of Plan
I took a look at the family finances and the cost of a backpacking trip to Springer Mountain, and I realized that it was not going to happen in 2004.
I have wanted to hike all 2000+ miles of the AT since I first got into backpacking, but I have also known that it is unlikely that I will ever be able to do it in a single season. In other words, since I knew I could not do it all at one time, section hiking would have to be the way to go. Lacking creativity, I figured the best place to start my section hike would be at the beginning of the trail. That is why I focused my attention on Georgia.
Well if I can't start at the beginning of the trail, why not start in the middle? Harper's Ferry, WV. It is not really the dead center of the trail, but its close enough. The Appalachian Trail Conference Headquarters is there, and it seems like a great place to start.
The major benefit of changing the itinerary is that I will have more company on the trail. As soon as Waycool heard of the change of venue, he said that he may come. Rich and Keri are also considering joining us. Pretty Nice.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but here is a message from our sponsor -
Hike Solo. Camp Together
The larger the group, the more important this concept is.
I measured out the distance from Harper's Ferry to the PA state line - 39.8 miles. Assuming 5 days of hiking it comes out to 8 miles per day. Even the fattest and most out of shape of us should be able to handle that.
Oh yeah, another benefit of this destination is that Jenn Meyers lives near by, and I think that she will help us with transportation. I will update you after I speak with her.
Finally, I wanted to thank all of you that made it to Morgan's Christening today. I had a great time, and I hope that you did as well.
January 13, 2004
Happy New Year!
Sure, I am a little late with that message, but better late than never.
I got some great news a week or so ago. Cleve has decided to join me on my sojourn. I am ecstatic to have the company. I used to be very good at meeting people and engaging them in conversation when I was younger (and drunker), but it is work now. Now I can talk to Cleve and ignore everyone else on the trail. Just kidding.
Having a buddy on the trail also makes Karen feel a bit better. She was not going to stop me from going, and she was not making a big deal out of it, but she was worried. I think that comes from knowing that I will hurt myself, and it is just a matter of when. At least that's what she says. I believe that her fears come from reading Jess Carr's Murder on the Appalachian Trail.
Cleve and I talked, and we are most likely going to share a tent (saves me around 2 pounds or so) and stove, but nothing else. Cleve, Mikey, and I went in on food together for the ill fated Damascus, VA trip, and it was not easy. Cleve is more interested in the healthy food than I am. We argued over everything from trail mix to dinner meals. I think I wore him down last year, because he more or less ate whatever I bought (except for the trail mix). I have not yet given much thought to the menu, but I am sure that I want to make the decisions on my own.
The hiking aspect will not change, because of my Hike Alone/Camp Together philosophy, but distance and campsites are an issue again. When this was a solo trip, I planned on using the words of Forrest Gump as my manta - "When I was hungry I ate. When I was tired I slept. But mostly I ran"
Substitute hiked for ran and you can see what I mean. I cannot do that with company. This is a vacation, and it is supposed to be fun, so I don't want to push anyone past their limits. That would suck.
When we were in VA, I saw Cleve and Robbie check out a good 2 miles before we got to our second campsite. I checked out about 100 yards before the campsite, and never really recovered. Mikey never checked out. Put us all in a pot, stir it, and you know what happened. I want to cover a good deal of miles while I am in GA, but not at anyone else's expense. My goal with this trip as always been to actually spend 5 nights in the woods. If we can do that, we can call ourselves successful.
Back to the distance and campsites. Information is the key to everything.
Cleve is planning on picking up a GPS (BTW, I would recommend the Garmin eTrex Legend). So when we embark on our journey, Cleve and I will have the same MAPS, GPS, and FRS radios. Barring some breakdown, that should give us enough information to avoid the problems we experienced on our last trip. I am going to load the routes in the GPS units, so we will have reference points when talking on the radios. I am also going to load up every campsite and shelter, so that we can make the campsite decision on the fly.
Ahh. I love technology.
December 24, 2003
Merry Christmas!
The month of December is almost behind us. Thank God. I am not positive, but I am pretty sure that my Seasonally Adjusted Weight Loss is more of a gain. I have been so unsuccessful at the Dave Reduction Plan that I have been eyeing up some really obnoxious (and tiny) golf shirts for when I loose the office competition. If you are going to have to wear it, you should try to be funny about it.
Early in the competition I decided to target Ralph, and do what I could to sabotage his efforts. He is blowing me away. At last count he was already down 10 lbs. Bastard. I am pretty sure that I will be limited to carrots and lettuce in January.
Karen is cooking a massive turkey for Christmas dinner, and I plan on eating most of it. I am hoping give gorge a new meaning tomorrow!
December 13, 2003
Applying Economics to Weight Loss
On my way into work the other day I heard part of an NPR broadcast that stated that the average American gains between 7 and 15 pounds during the five weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was elated. In my warped mind I came up with the most wonderful concept to hit the Lazy Fat population in ages. Here is my incredible concept - Seasonally Adjusted Weight Loss.
Whenever you hear about the health of the economy, especially in January & Feburary, all the statistics are prefaced with "Seasonally Adjusted". This means that the numbers are normalized for the huge spike from Christmas shopping so that November can be compared with December. It works very well.
I figured the same principal could be applied to the health of the Fat Man. Here is how it works. If I were not trying to drop my weight I would go from 290 to 297 pounds. Since I am trying to shed a few pounds, if I don't gain any weight in December, it is actully like I have lost seven pounds! My seasonally adjusted weight loss would be SEVEN POUNDS!
I tried to find a link or two that would support my theory. I mean it is great to concieve of a brilliant concept like Seasonally Adjusted Weight Loss, but you need to have a little data to back you up. Unfortunately it seems that the piece of the NPR broadcast I heard was talking about the old holiday weight gain myth. It turns out that recent research shows that the actual holiday weight gain is actually around one pound.
Kind of ruins it doesn't it.
