Selfie Practice

Here's the deal; I am philosophically opposed to selfie-sticks. But when you travel alone, to get a picture of you, doing your thing on the other side of the world, you have only two choices...

- Give your phone to a random stranger, ask them to take a semi decent shot with a device they are unfamiliar with and pray they give it back afterwards.
OR
- Practice taking selfies before you go so that when the crucial moment is upon you, despite the rain, aching muscles, exhausted brain and "wine effect", you have something to remember the occasion by. (Something that doesn't make you look like every mile you walked didn't cost an IQ point, preferably!)

So, yeah... I practice selfies.

Want to see a few of them? Pretty sure I'm getting better!

First Attempt: Summer of 2015

Still trouble with focus and lightning... And hair.

By the first day of Camino, I was getting the hang of it!

Getting better at looking at the lens! :-)

Frowning again.

Not every one is a winner. Hahaha.

Too tired to sit up and yet, managed a selfie! That's a win.

Memories of a lifetime, captured in a single shot.

Or just documenting a new scarf.

Occasional oops' to be expected. 

Dallice's road trip

2016 and more shots are kept than deleted

Getting ready for Camino 2017!

Some Days Are Just More Difficult

In many ways, this week has been a successful one. Two real estate closings, lots of great client time, two hikes and two runs. And it's only Thursday!

Today, after procrastinating big time, I headed to Boulder and hiked a favorite, familiar trail.  Up to Wood's Quarry.

My attitude has been a bit off and I promised myself that if I made it into the trail at all today, I'd be allowed a couple of compromises.

1. No pack
2. Headphones and 80's music until I got into the woods.

So at 8:15 am (yeah, I know, an hour and a half later than normal) I locked the Audi, secured the Ipod to my tights and began a forceful and fast hike in the increasing heat. No Camelback because I was not carrying a pack, but that's OK. I'm a little of a camel anyway and will drink when I come down from the Foothills again.

Ugghhh... It was hard today. Phil Collins, Dido and Chicago all did their best to cheer me on, but it took all of a mile before I had a rhythm of any kind, on a 2 mile hike! At the top, I stopped to take in the view, to listen to hummingbird song and if lucky, glimpse a small deer or two. Nada. Today was the day I saw not a critter!  :-(

I did however, meet a mom. A really sweet lady from Washington State who had just moved her son into the dorms at CU. Obviously a bittersweet time for her  - And she was taking it all in at 6300 feet, smiling and getting her alone time in, before another busy day was underway. I admired her.

New Phone/Camera/Pedometer/Alarm/App Provider!

Last year about this time, I bought the Samsung Galaxy S6. It was reputedly the best camera phone out there and it was certainly a BIG step up from the S3, which was beginning to test my patience.

This week I took the plunge and upgraded again! This is a turn of events. So unlike me! In general, I am the lady who replaces technology only when it's absolutely required. However, there are some advantages to this new phone that are neither here nor there for real estate, but might make all the difference in the world to my Camino de Santiago experience.

Meet the Samsung Galaxy S7:

1. Water resistant and shatter resistant.  Yippee! It's not that I'm hard on my stuff, it's just that when you carry your phone beside your water bladder, expect that the occasional incident might occur. (And I will be the first to admit that as I exit my car, it's not uncommon for me to accidentally toss it on to the road from my lap.)

2. The camera is better than ever. Something about auto focus and burst shots? Eh... I'm sure I will benefit from it even if I missed most of the spiel by my friendly T-Mobile rep.

3. This version of the phone allows me to upgrade with an additional memory card. I turned a phone with 32GB storage into a phone with 64GB storage and that extra card can be taken out and transferred to the next phone I buy. (Well played Samsung, well played.)

4. And finally... a case. Instead of just that shock-proof rubber shell and a little glass screen cover (that still amazes me with its indestructibility!), I went all out. The new case snaps in place all around the phone and takes it from water resistant to WATER PROOF! Yes, I can take pictures under water! Apparently up to 2 meters deep, for an hour. 

It takes a village

I slept in.  My goal of being on the hiking trail in Boulder by 6:30 AM was simply blown out of the water when I left my phone/alarm downstairs and unplugged overnight. The tiredness and residual cough I have,  put me into a deep sleep... Neither  cat, nor body clock could render me conscious at 5:30 am and it was a struggle at 6:15 too.

New plan.

I'm nothing if not resourceful and decided that Longmont -> Niwot along the bike path,  would be a fine substitute.  Stopping at the Garden Cafe for breakfast at Niwot, then the post office,  then walking home... another 5 miles.

I packed my backpack a bit heavier to compensate for the flatter, easier trail and headed out at 8:30 AM.

The trail meandered along the river before becoming dustier and quite a bit more exposed to the sun. Another hot day was on the horizon.

I'm writing this post from the cafe.  A "border scramble" is being shoveled into my mouth.  Sloshed down with coffee. Lots of coffee!

Since I won't be this chipper when I get home,  better to blog now!

Boots: To resole, or not to resole, THAT was the question.

I love my Zamberlans! Since 2008 they have cushioned, protected and remained faithful to me.

Goretex has ensured water proofness, Vibram soles helped me stick to mud, rock, gravel, snow and ice. The mostly one-piece leather upper meant at no time did they suffer tears or stitching coming apart at seams. But as you might remember last Camino, I was "the squeaky pilgrim".

In the darkness of every early morning, as I tried to politely creep away to hike, my soles squeaked across the tile floor of the Albergue, breaking the silence, rousing pilgrims from sleep. Solving the problem became a matter of stealing away in socks and putting my shoes on once outside. It worked at the time but I was looking forward to finding a permanent solution. Resoling my boots to be exact.

Back in the U.S. I contacted Zamberlan (Italy) and was referred to the only cobbler they authorize to repair/resole Zamberlans.

A look at the BEFORE pictures:

The day that Dave Page, the cobbler, called to let me know my newly soled and very much improved boots were on the way back to Colorado, I couldn't have been happier. I was so looking forward to putting them through their paces once more!

AFTER pictures:

Looking good right?  :-)

And yes, they felt great too. I had new deluxe footbeds put in too and what a dream they were to hike in. Except for one thing...

Little did I know, but in order to pull off an old sole and replace it, the leather gets stretched a bit more under the boot during the re-gluing process, rendering the boot slightly smaller.

So, my perfectly fitting boots are now boots that will be fine for mild-moderate hiking up to 5 miles, but they not a good choice for long distance, day-in, day-out hiking up and down steep inclines. Once a toe can touch the front of the boot, it's all over. At best a minor distraction translates into a more annoying distraction with every mile. At worst, you'll be digging a shallow grave, roadside, for your favorite toe nail and limping to the finish line.

As you can imagine, the next logical move was researching brand new hiking boots and breaking them in. Today, I hike in month old La Sportiva boots. I purchased them a little bigger than the last pair because I'm a smarter, more experienced hiker than I was in 2008. No toe touches anything, even on the most brutal downhill jaunts. They are Goretex again, a little lighter than full leather, a little more breathable too.

Will they last 8 years like the Zamberlans? Unlikely. Between September 26th and November 3rd this year, they will carry me 550 miles though and with that in mind, I need to adjust expectations for their lifespan!

Planning for Camino de Santiago 2016

If you followed the adventure last year,  you probably read posts I wrote about my pre-Camino hiking and a discussion (published thoughts from my internal dialogue) about gear.

Overall,  my gear was spot on. I didn't carry too much and was rarely too cold or unprepared.

Things that other pilgrims ooh'd and aahhhh'd over included:
1. Safety pins - used for hanging washing on a line,  pinning to outside of pack, emergency fasteners. Lighter, smaller and more effective than the clothes pins most folks carried.
2. Soap in the scratchy nylon bag.  It's a great loofah and lends itself to my "hang to dry" under a bunk, trick.
3. Merino wool sleeves. Turns a t-shirt into a long sleeved top in seconds. Can be removed from under sweatshirt or rain jacket without any undressing. In fact,  I yanked them out while still walking and put them in side pocket of pack. Barely adds any weight too.

What I wish I had with me, but didn't:
1. A Buff. Handy neck scarf or hat or head band that is easy to carry and wash.... and lose! I lost mine before the start of the hike.
2. Pedometer. What does it feel like to see a million steps racking up in the course of a month? I'd like to find out.
3. Bigger notebook.  It turns out I had way more thoughts about practically everything,  than I predicted I would. Writing them down when you are not Internet connected is useful.

Update:
I bought a Buff and have been breaking it in. By the time I leave in 2 months it will have been stretched over my little head multiple times and endured countless washings to remove the trail sweat - as it should.

I splurged on a Misfit pedometer ($30). Why buy the cheapest,  most basic thing out there? Because it serves the purpose for which I intend to use it.  Counting steps. Nothing fancy.  I also wanted my pedometer to be waterproof, not need charging,  and have the potential to be a fixed to a leg or pack, rather than limited to the wristband option we all know and love. The Misfit can be worn as a clip on button and at $30, I will not be heart broken if it reaches an untimely demise. Added bonus, I can use it as a selfie button to take pics with my phone!

A month later: I woke one morning to the joyful exclamation by Misfit that I had exceeded expectations, met my goal and hiked 20,000 steps, before 6:30am. Since my alarm went off at 5:30 am and I had no recollection of running sprints for an hour between then and now, I had to admit that the accuracy of Misfit was in question and it was time to look for an alternative. My hiking buddy, Teresa, showed me the S-Health app on my phone and since then I have been tracking steps via my Samsung S7. Unless I update this again, I will be using this for the Camino.

Last year I took a tiny Moleskin notebook. This year I purchased the next size up. Enough said.

The training...

Right now I'm hiking 2-3 times per week and running once. In between, I try to wander 2-4 miles around the neighborhood. I will work up to hiking 6x/week, before I depart. Sometimes I hike alone,  sometimes with friends.

Update: A month later (8/22/16) I'm hiking 4 times per week and trying to run 2 mornings. My bag is packed and I'm mentally a step closer to leaving.

Update again: (9/12/16) This week I found the original Buff, circa 2015! Hidden in the Camelback pocket of my backpack, it had indeed traveled to Spain, walked the Camino and returned, unused. Huh!
I also opted to buy, last minute, short gaiters. They are intended to keep gravel and such out of the boots, but if they arrive in time I may try to waterproof them and have them as an alternative to the long waterproof pants. Why? Because Camino rumor has it that in high humidity and hiking conditions, the plastic pants will not breathe well and actually trap moisture inside, rendering the legs just as wet ... And perhaps ickier, than not wearing them at all. However, without gaiters, the pants are the only option to keep water from running down the legs into the boots.

On the pedometer front: The S-Health app is doing a nice job of tracking mileage, elevation gain and steps. I think it's a little generous in the "calories burned" department, but overall, we have a winner!

Planning for Camino de Santiago 2016

If you followed the adventure last year,  you probably read posts I wrote about my pre-Camino hiking and a discussion (published thoughts from my internal dialogue) about gear.

Overall,  my gear was spot on. I didn't carry too much and was rarely too cold or unprepared.

Things that other pilgrims ooh'd and aahhhh'd over included:
1. Safety pins - used for hanging washing on a line,  pinning to outside of pack, emergency fasteners. Lighter, smaller and more effective than the clothes pins most folks carried.
2. Soap in the scratchy nylon bag.  It's a great loofah and lends itself to my "hang to dry" under a bunk, trick.
3. Merino wool sleeves. Turns a t-shirt into a long sleeved top in seconds. Can be removed from under sweatshirt or rain jacket without any undressing. In fact,  I yanked them out while still walking and put them in side pocket of pack. Barely adds any weight too.

What I wish I had with me, but didn't:
1. A Buff. Handy neck scarf or hat or head band that is easy to carry and wash.... and lose! I lost mine before the start of the hike.
2. Pedometer. What does it feel like to see a million steps racking up in the course of a month? I'd like to find out.
3. Bigger notebook.  It turns out I had way more thoughts about practically everything,  than I predicted I would. Writing them down when you are not Internet connected is useful.

Update:
I bought a Buff and have been breaking it in. By the time I leave in 2 months it will have been stretched over my little head multiple times and endured countless washings to remove the trail sweat - as it should.

I splurged on a Misfit pedometer ($30). Why buy the cheapest,  most basic thing out there? Because it serves the purpose for which I intend to use it.  Counting steps. Nothing fancy.  I also wanted my pedometer to be waterproof, not need charging,  and have the potential to be a fixed to a leg or pack, rather than limited to the wristband option we all know and love. The Misfit can be worn as a clip on button and at $30, I will not be heart broken if it reaches an untimely demise. Added bonus, I can use it as a selfie button to take pics with my phone!

A month later: I woke one morning to the joyful exclamation by Misfit that I had exceeded expectations, met my goal and hiked 20,000 steps, before 6:30am. Since my alarm went off at 5:30 am and I had no recollection of running sprints for an hour between then and now, I had to admit that the accuracy of Misfit was in question and it was time to look for an alternative. My hiking buddy, Teresa, showed me the S-Health app on my phone and since then I have been tracking steps via my Samsung S7. Unless I update this again, I will be using this for the Camino.

Last year I took a tiny Moleskin notebook. This year I purchased the next size up. Enough said.

The training...

Right now I'm hiking 2-3 times per week and running once. In between, I try to wander 2-4 miles around the neighborhood. I will work up to hiking 6x/week, before I depart. Sometimes I hike alone,  sometimes with friends.

Update: A month later (8/22/16) I'm hiking 4 times per week and trying to run 2 mornings. My bag is packed and I'm mentally a step closer to leaving.

Update again: (9/12/16) This week I found the original Buff, circa 2015! Hidden in the Camelback pocket of my backpack, it had indeed traveled to Spain, walked the Camino and returned, unused. Huh!
I also opted to buy, last minute, short gaiters. They are intended to keep gravel and such out of the boots, but if they arrive in time I may try to waterproof them and have them as an alternative to the long waterproof pants. Why? Because Camino rumor has it that in high humidity and hiking conditions, the plastic pants will not breathe well and actually trap moisture inside, rendering the legs just as wet ... And perhaps ickier, than not wearing them at all. However, without gaiters, the pants are the only option to keep water from running down the legs into the boots.

On the pedometer front: The S-Health app is doing a nice job of tracking mileage, elevation gain and steps. I think it's a little generous in the "calories burned" department, but overall, we have a winner!