India

Last month I traveled to Nepal to hike the world famous Annapurna Circuit, a life intention of mine.  The flight to Kathmandu included a 13 hour layover in New Delhi, India.  Traveling with friend Rich, we decided we’d obtain tourist visas for India, so that we could have a look around New Delhi in between flights.

Sometimes you just get lucky.  As it turned out, American Airlines would not have let us board if we didn’t have visas for India, as this was the terminus for their 13.5 hour flight from Chicago to New Delhi.  Disaster averted by chance. 

To be clear—our trip would’ve ended in Seattle if we hadn’t happened to acquire the tourist visa.  Score one for hiring travel agents.  We didn’t use one, instead conducting our travel planning with CheapO Air.  Seriously—the company exists, and in fact got us the great price of $1450 for our roundtrip flight to Kathmandu.  But we never heard about the need for the extra visa--presumably a travel agent would've pointed out the need.

So…we land in New Delhi, India, half a world away.  We clear India Customs.  It is evening, and our plans are humble.  An excellent plate of chicken tandoori and chicken biryani will satisfy—we just want to eat real Indian food in India.  So, we leave the airport, bags in hand, and that’s when we meet Malik, our cab guy.

Malik is not actually a cab driver.  He claims to own nine cabs, and also claims friendship with the Traffic Police.  He says not to worry, he’ll take care of us, come along.  Things are moving fast, so we say ok.  He asks if we like to disco.  We say no—we just want to eat a good meal of Indian food.  Off we go.

Malik sits in the front seat, and directs the driver to take us somewhere in New Delhi.  The roads are absolutely crazy.  Cars cutting in front of others, pedestrians walking everywhere, the occasional sacred cow in the median.  We take it in, cracking up.

We arrive at a restaurant called Laissez Affair.  Sounds French, but Malik says it is good.  Rich and I are troubled though when we’re told we can’t take our bags inside—we’ll have to leave them outside in the cab.  We never planned on leaving our bags out of sight. I think we were both hoping more for a chance just to walk down a sidewalk, pick a restaurant, and eventually return. We didn’t anticipate middle men.

Things then get a bit more interesting when Malik insists on sitting with us at the dinner table.  He says all he wants is a Coke and white rice, but of course we offer him some of our good eats, which include some truly top notch biryani, a complex blend of lentils (dal), a bit too-dry chicken tandoori, and some interesting accompaniments, like pickled onions and lime sauce.  No real complaints about the meal—it was what we were hoping for.

Malik though turned out to be a most interesting dining companion.  He shows us pictures of his wife on his phone, and then shows us a picture of him holding his pistol, which he seems proud of.  We’re not sure what the intent is, if any, in showing us this picture. 

Afterwards, Malik wants to show us more of the city, but we’re wising up to the escalating costs.  We insist he take us back to the airport.  He tries to charge us $120 US for the cab ride.  We object, strenuously.  Finally, I say, “C’mon Malik, we fed you dinner.”  We pay him far too much, but are happy to be done with it and back at the airport.

The next seven hours are spent walking around the airport, up all night, checking out coffee options, lounge options, India television.  Costa Coffee sure looks a lot like Starbucks, est. 1971.  On the tele, we note that one Indian politician, accused of corruption, is admitted to the hospital for “feelings of uneasiness.” 

And that was India.

Baker Lake 50k

Tough year for me at the Baker Lake 50k. I sort of expected as much. I just got back from Nepal, after a 36 hour series of flights, including a 15 hour flight from New Delhi to Chicago over the North Pole. Ordinarily, I would not have tried to run a 50k so soon, but this is Baker Lake, my personal favorite. I figured it’d be a bit of an experiment, and was sort of looking forward to the unique challenge my circumstances presented.

I was hoping trekking in Nepal might help in preparation—the high altitude acclimation, the hours on the feet, bit of weight loss. As it turned out, the experiment failed. Jet lag, the scratchy throat and fever, and maybe the lack of recent running experience trumped. Turns out running with serious jet lag, on a 12 hour time difference, is silly. Live and learn.

Things actually went pretty well going out. The trail is quite familiar, with single track, old growth, and views of Baker Lake. I was breathing a bit hard, but stayed steady within sight of a group of friend runners. I made the turnaround point in about three hours, which is pretty typical for me.

Unfortunately, the legs fell off on the way back. Sent to the chop shop. They locked up with lactic acid, to the point that I couldn’t run. At all. Cramping, severe dehydration and tightness. I can’t remember a bigger crash in a race. I was resigned to walking great portions of the trail.

The trail seemed to go on forever. I just tried to make “relentless forward progress,” as they say. I went from shooting for a reasonable finish time to just longing for soup at the finish. An increase in rainfall on the way back made things all the more fun. I was a wreck at the finish, but was greeted by friends, soup, and hearty campfire.

I love this race. Amongst other things, it signals the real start of fall for me. At only an hour away from home, I typically run it, and then come home for hot drinks, pizza, and football. My time this year was disappointing, but I won’t read too much into that, especially considering I was fine going out.

Great to see so many friends out there. Some running a 50k for their first time, or maybe for the first time in a long time; others knocking out yet another year on the Baker Lake trail. Special congrats to Charlie for setting a course record with the win. Good times driving to and from the race with Rich and Cosmo. And of course, thanks to RDs Dave and Jeanette for doing such a great job in putting on such a great "grassroots" event.

Overcast day with rain in the afternoon--good running conditions

Co-RD Dave Dutton

Preparations

The Nepal trip is fast approaching, and I am now in preparations mode.  I've wanted to trek the Annapurna Circuit for roughly 13 years now, ever since my last trip to Nepal, when the second half of my travel plans got waylaid due to the loss or theft of my moneybelt and passport in Lukla. There's nothing quite like being half a world away from home--without any identification, credit cards or cash--in a country where you don't know the language. My parents love telling this story about me.

I'm headed over with a couple good friends, also ultrarunning trail fools. Our plan is to go fast and light, making tracks as best we can, and basically fastpack the loop through the Himalayas in about half the standard trekking time. The Circuit is set to see some changes, as a road is being built into a remote section. When I learned this, I realized I'd always regret not pushing to get over there now.

My research on this trip is weak. There are so many details I'm not sure about, and haven't had the time or inclination to really figure out. I do know the Circuit is very well traveled, with tea houses all along the way, and so the trek will not at all be like going deep into the North Cascades. I've seen a few different numbers as to the distance, but I think 130 miles is in the ballpark. These are a different type of miles, of course, with a few days at the higher altitudes.

Nights will be spent in guesthouses, with dinner of rice and lentils, aka "dal baat", at a price of probably $5 to $15 per night. I'm probably on the high side with that cost estimate. The greatest expense is getting there, and finding the time to get away from day-to-day life here in the States.

Altitude will be one of the big challenges, with a high point approaching 18,000 feet. A different culture and language to contend with, and admire, as the case may be. I'm not sure where things are politically in Nepal right now--a Communist movement was starting the last time I was there, and I think they took power. I'm really looking forward to the trail, which will include deep gorges with waterfalls, long bridges, terraced agriculture, and the highest mountain range in the world. Also, there's this one place in K-du which makes really good tandoori. I'm hoping it is still there.

Visas are acquired, both for Nepal and India. Had to send the passports to the U.S. consulates; took some time, cost some money. We'll be lucky to get some naan in India, with only a 12 hour layover there, but who knows when I'll be back in that neighborhood again, so it's worth having that door open.

I joined the American Alpine Club, as they have an arrangement with the Mountain Fund for members to stay at the Kathmandu Club House, and support their worthy cause. AAC also offers a bit of rescue insurance if things go too wrong.  Both organizations seem really great.

I've talked to my doctor about vaccines. Fortunately, last time around I took care of Hepatitis A for life, and so the only one I needed to update was Typhoid. Water quality is pretty bad in many parts of Asia, including Nepal. The last time I was there I shaved my head so as to avoid getting sticky hair from washing in brown water. This time I have a little less hair, and so I'm a bit reluctant to get rid of what I have. I also have some altitude sickness pills, which I don't know what to think of.

Electronics. Last time, in the late '90s, this wasn't even a consideration. How the world changes. I'm not sure how cell phones work, either in the city or on the Circuit. I bought an extra battery for my camera, and an extra film card, but I don't know about charging them. I will probably buy a disposable camera, just in case. This blog may be offline for a little while. Or maybe I'll email a post or two. However it goes, so it goes.

This weekend my mind has turned towards the backpack. We want to go light, and I will, but "How light is right?" is the question of the hour.  I know people obsess about such things, but I won't have a chance to do that. I picked up two different packs at REI's Labor Day Sale, seen in the picture above, and have loaded them up. It looks like I'll be going with REI's Flash 65, described as an ultralight pack, but with twice the volume capacity of the one by Deuter, and at close to the same weight. I've also picked up a few other things, such as some Black Diamond hiking poles (an essential, I think), a puffy, and a water filter. If I had a little more confidence, I might go without certain things, but a middle ground seems right.

So much to think about, so much to do.

Cascade DNS

Beautiful August weekend in the Pacific Northwest. I was supposed to be running Cascade Crest today, but I chose not to start.  My left hamstring and the tendons behind that knee do not seem up to it. I left the decision a bit open until the end, but it's kind of the obvious smart move. For the last four years I've spent this weekend over in Easton, either volunteering or running, and so it is a bit odd to stay home.

Lots of friends are up at Cascade today. My best to all of you, running or volunteering.

This morning I went up Chuckanut, hiking, just to kind of stretch things out. A big owl swooped me, and then perched in a tree, checking me out. The picture above is not so good--bad lighting--but if you look closely you can see the flash caught the eye of the owl, so that it has red eye.

Sahale Arm

Finally, I got out again, on a perfect blue Saturday. I went up to Sahale Arm in the North Cascades National Park, one of the great day hikes in the U.S. I didn't really want to run, but I did a little bit, and carried a small pack, as a bit of practice for Nepal.

Sahale Arm is an 11.4 mile round trip from the parking lot, climbing up to 7800 feet. I believe Harvey Manning or Ira Spring considered it their favorite hike in the northwest. It was crowded, with an army of Subarus in the parking lot. Besides being a great day hike, the trail to Cascade Pass is the launching point for all sorts of mountaineering trips, with numerous jagged peaks within relatively short hiking distance.

I first saw snow near Cascade Pass, and then up on Sahale Arm there were a few snow crossings, but no problems really. Doubtful Lake still had significant snow in the lake, reaching out to the island. As I mentioned, lots of people out on this beautiful day.

Climbing to Sahale Arm Glacier camp was a bit of work. Nothing too bad, but I was working the hiking pole. I seemed to move faster than most, even though just hiking, which was a good sign, considerng my recent leg troubles. The weather couldn't have been more amazing, 80+ degrees, not a cloud in the sky, but the sun actually got to me after a while. The views were always good, but particularly exceptional from Sahale Camp, where the  waves of mountains give visible definition to the name "Cascades." I like where I live.

I managed to blister my heal, breaking in new shoes, probably with the wrong socks. Duh, ouch. Sandals today. No bears, but I saw a mountain goat near the camp--picture below, such as it is.

More pics here.

Wedding in Virginia

This weekend took me back to Virginia for my sister’s wedding, and a brief hot August visit with the family.  I am thrilled for my younger sister and her new husband, a very nice gentleman.  The wedding was a sterling affair in a nice country club in Haymarket, which just happens to be near Bull Run, where I ran a 50 miler earlier this year. 

The trip was a whirlwind for me, a test of endurance really, coming off strep throat.  I took a redeye flight on Jet Blue Friday evening, and then returned to northwest on Monday.  The flight path was abominable, though the best price, connecting through Long Beach, California.  It took something like 14 hours, door to door.  I liked Jet Blue, as they had real-time Direct TV in every seat.  I watched NFL football traveling each way, and managed to knock out a book too.

August is really not the best time of year to visit Virginia.  Weather was hot, humid, with occasional thunder and lightning storms.  The evenings are wonderful though, with the sounds of crickets and frogs outside, lightning bugs too, and the air just seems to relax a bit, after a tough day. The day of the wedding, the possibility of more storms was forecast, but fortunately never materialized.  The wedding itself was beautiful.  Great to see the family, even for such a brief time. 

Regarding running, I am reminded of when the great Kenny Rogers sang, "I need to drop in to see what condition my condition is in.”  I haven't ran in two weeks, due to a hamstring injury, strep throat, and travel.  It's been a tough time.  Somehow or another, I’ve managed to do 10+ events this year, and I know I need a break. Moreover, my hamstring is bugging me bad.  Even now, sitting here, I can feel tightness behind my knee. 

As for the fast-approaching Cascade Crest, I’d say I'm doubtful, but I'm still chewing on it a bit. I'm more inclined to focus on getting healthy for Annapurna in September. Still, the race is paid for, gorgeous and amazing, and so I'll leave it on the stove for now.

And, is summer gone already? What happened??  I’ll probably do something interesting this weekend, perhaps Sahale Arm, just to try to find the high country.

Strep Throat

At this moment, I am watching Rambo: First Blood 2.  John Rambo: "To survive war, you have to become war."  I've been watching a lot of television this past week.  I had never heard of this show, Matchmaker Millionaire, but I've seen my share of episodes now. Also, it seems like America's Got Talent is on every single night. That's some high quality programming. I like those dance people who glow in the dark like a Lite-Brite Board. Professor Splash is a nut.

I have strep throat, as might be discerned by the title above. Came down with it maybe on Tuesday or Wednesday after White River.  First it was just a swelling of the gland. A perturbance. But then on Wednesday afternoon it got so I couldn't focus, and I probably had a fever. It felt like I had broken glass in my throat. Couldn't eat a thing; drinking water hurt. I went to the doctor the next day; diagnosis made; antibiotics prescribed.

I got better, but the antibiotics didn't work as well as expected. After a tough weekend, I went in to the doctor again on Monday.  Finally, I got the right medicine, and now seem somewhat whole. I've lost about 9 pounds this week. Probably wouldn't hurt my running to stay sick another week, at that rate.

What a weekend of great weather and outdoor doings to miss though. Rich and Mike doing a ring-around Mt. St. Helens on the Loowit Trail, always a dream of mine.  Scott K. summiting Rainier. Terry and company putting on God's Country 50k out in Anacortes. I saw Joe and Shawna made it up Thornton Lake.

Me meanwhile, I know Matchmaker Millionaire. Also saw Up and The Eagle, fwiw. Up is cute.  The Eagle--not so good.

It is interesting though, to sit in a doctor's office.  You fill out the paperwork, show them the benefits card, make the co-pay.  You sit in the lobby, with all the other sick people.  Then they call you to a room, and shut the door. All this sterile stuff everywhere. Blood pressure, ear temperature taking machine. Eventually the doctor.

My point is, going to the doctor's office is sort of a stop and look around thing for me. Getting sick doesn't have to be a negative. It helps remind me of how good it is to be healthy.  I hope I can stay healthy and continue to do those things I like to do, and adjust in a graceful manner as I age.