You Slay Me

We are stardust.

We are golden.

And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.

By the time we got to Woodstock,

We were half a million strong

And Everywhere there was song and celebration.

Joni Mitchell

We switched schedules this week to what they like to call the "winter" schedule around here. Now I'm not sure how you define winter but it surely can not include hiking up a mountain in 100 degree weather. The benefit of the "summer" schedule is you are hiking at 6:45 am and done by 9am before the sun gets too high in the sky, the temperatures rise, and the path gets covered in direct sunlight. However as summer comes to an end it gets a little too dark to be turning the guests out at 6:45. Last year the switch came in late September while this year it was moved way up. A little too way up.

Now before I ask for your forgiveness and explain how I was one of the 30% who didn't make the top or how no one broke an hour let me tell you it was way, way too hot to be attempting this and I faltered badly at the top. I started so well running most of the first mile and easily splitting the field of 40 at the first mile. Visions of a new personal best danced in my head. And then Mr. Sun came over the mountain, sweat ran like a waterfall, and the only thing dancing in my head was Korey Stringer. (google him)

Those twenty behind me closed in and the number behind me dwindled. It occurred to me that the people who run marathons and knock this mountain out in less than an hour don't have the same body make up as I do. They'll never be an offensive lineman and I'll never be a long distance runner. Anyway at Galoot after drinking a ridiculous amount of water I did what most of the last 15 or so people chose to do and that was not get on the road and go up the last 1.5 miles. I felt like I was quitting but discretion is the better part of valor. Sorry readers. Next week or later this week.

I did happily get in 1.5 hours of lap swimming yesterday and two pool classes to go with the hike and circuit training. And get to get back at the mountain in an hour or so.

Speaking of disasters I saw the movie 'Taking Woodstock'. I had looked forward to this movie all summer and if any movie should have been right in my wheelhouse certainly it would be a movie about Woodstock. But Ang Lee, who makes wonderful movies, made the choice to use this seminal event as merely the backdrop to a pointless family drama and coming out story. The music didn't exist and the impact this event had on a generation was bypassed. Just a gigantic whiff.

Again only 40 or so campers this week and I hear that next week may have the least amount of campers since the second dorm opened. Come on out and join in the fun!!! Peace, Jim