July 31, 2024 - For my age... Happy Birthday to me!

 


The trailhead going up to Fiske Peak, July 29, 2024,  There are lots of warnings but it's actually a really nice trail.

Yes, I had a birthday last week.  And as I promised, I am including how old I am now: 70.  It is kind of a difficult milestone.  It feels to me like, when you are "in your 60's" (i.e. the week before last) if you feel fine, you can easily be in a little self denial about age.  However, when you are "in your 70's", there is no avoiding it.  You... are.... old.  I remember my parents when they were in their 70's.  They were old.  Before I was in my 70's myself, everyone in their 70's was... old.  On the other hand, I remember my mother saying that 70's are not so bad.  She said that most things don't really start falling apart until your 80's.  So I guess that's good news...  Still, crossing over the threshold of my 7th decade does come with a bit of a stigma, both internally (the way I view myself) and externally (the way others view me) that must be dealt with.

I must admit, I feel like I'm doing pretty well... for my age.  I have to add that last caveat now because, even though I can still do lots of stuff (like, hopefully the Tour du Mont Blanc), there are trips, others can do, that I just can't hope to do anymore.  Trips like backpack the 200+ mile John Muir Trail, with a side trip up Mt. Whitney (I know 2 people who did that this month), or back to back day-hikes up Half Dome in Yosemite and Mt. Whitney (my son and his friends did that) are just beyond my capability no matter how hard I were to train.

Training for the TMB is going well though (for my age 😏.) 

Here are the running totals since July 1:

Distance: 132 miles (213 Km) (goal: 200 miles)
Ascent:  18,727 ft. (5,708 m)  (goal: 20,000 ft. getting close!)


Pictures from last week:

Mount Tamalpias in Marin County. It is definitely greener than Yolo County this time of year!

Ferns and great smelling Bay Laurel trees mixed with Redwoods on the Dawn Falls Trail

The Blue Ridge Trail to Fiske Peak

On the trail up to Fiske Peak passing the burn scar left by the Hennessey Fire of 2020

Overlooking Cache Creek and California Highway 16

My new favorite wardrobe accessory for summer hiking: gators!

I've decided that I really like wearing gators for hiking this time of year.  They provide great protection for all sorts of uncomfortable things like woody brush that slices your legs, star thistle that pokes your legs, stickers that stick in your socks, rattlesnakes, and possibly ticks.  Probably not ticks but at least they will have to climb farther to get to some skin.  No ticks yet this year though!

Rattlesnake!  This one was dead, and very small, but a rattlesnake nonetheless.

Overlooking Lake Berryessa July 30, 2024 from "Buzzard Poo Rocks" right above the dam.

Overlooking Monticello Dam and Lake Berryessa at Stebbins Cold Canyon, July 30, 2024

Donate Here for Bill's Hike fundraiser for Tuleyome


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