Both Jack and I woke up with our fillings still rattling in our teeth from yesterday’s NorthStar adventure. Jack’s knee is still a little bothersome too. He was gimping around this morning as we got breakfast. I was supposed do a fartlek workout this morning, but decided to give my legs a little bit of a break. The wind picked up early. At 11:00 PM last night, it was still howling. This morning at 7:00o am there were whitecaps. I woke up and reserved a campsite at Zion National Park, which took some doing, given our cell reception up here.

After breakfast, we decided not to ride. Take it easy, go for a hike in the park and then drive down to Carmel. We went to town to get a rake and a broom for the cabin. We also stopped at Pacos. We asked them if we were the only hardtails at NorthStar yesterday. The salesman reflected and said, “Yeah, probably.” The vast majority of their sales are full suspension. After riding trails around there, I can totally see why.

After that, we drove to the museum at the park. We walked along the path by the river and noted the whitecaps on the lake. Jack saw some. holders and considered the problems they offered. We looked out at the summit and took some pictures. The hike back was along the interior of the park. We went through the campground, and continued further. Turns out there are multiple campsites that either I didn’t know or didn’t remember. Looks like a fun place to stay … if you didn’t have a nice cabin to stay in. I did point point out to Jack that originally I thought about camping on our adventure. Given the wind, however, I was glad to have a cabin last night.

We ended up at the site of the Murphy cabin with the list of survivors and those who parished. Interestingly, the site is also a burial ground as well, although that shouldn’t have been surprising. We thought about our first day’s ride at Alder Creek, where the Donners camped. Interesting that they stayed so far away from the Murphys and the Reeds. We arrived at the Monument and saw the plaque that Dad always thought was a bit weird. Jack noticed that there almost seemed to be more punctuation than words. He’s got a point. Still the base of the monument 22 feet in the air, is really tall. That’s a lot of snow. Definitely an El Nino season.

After getting back to the car, we couldn’t help but stop at Little Truckee Creamery one last time. Jack ended our stay with a triple, and I had my ususual double. We went back to the cabin, cleaned up, packed up, and headed out to Carmel, listening to podcasts most of the way. We got back in time for dinner. It was wonderful to see Sarah, the ninth best versatility rider in the whole flippin’ world. The trip was a good one, although there were a couple of blips along the way. Hope to keep riding throughout the summer.

I got up early today because I had to acquire camping reservations at Zion National Park. There is a tight window to do this. They release campsites just two weeks ahead and they are filled shortly after 7:00. I had to select a site and complete the reservation before someone else grabbed it. My Internet access her is pretty spotty, so it got a little stressful as I created an account and selected my site. Eventually I got an email confirmation that I had a site reserved. So I have nearly every leg of my journey to Colorado identified.

Sarah called this morning on the last leg of her trip home from a very successful World Show in Guthrie, OK. I described Jack’s wreck from yesterday. Then I headed out for a run. Alexis has me doing 6 miles easy. I ran to Beaver Cove and then back to the Monument. It was a perfect distance. The wind had come up early so it was pretty breezy throughout the run. Jack and I had breakfast and lingered on the deck. It was 60 degrees, so a little brisk and the wind was only picking up. Around 11:30, we left for Northstar. We got two tickets and headed to the gondola. We decided to take “Easy Street” down, but I was surprised how challenging it was. We went back up and then took a chair lift up one more stage.

The route “Tryumph” was a really good one. Challenging still, but not significantly problematic. We rode that trail down twice and then stopped for a little lunch. We were looking for some different routes and so we graduated to “blue squares.” More single track and the hazards that exist on a trail like that. There is. no doubt that my skills improved throughout the day. Not sure if I am an “intermediate” rider but I did get down them. Jack had two small wrecks, but suffered no significant injuries. I was wreck-free until the end of the day. Jack was ahead and I noticed at one point the trail dropped and there was soft dirt. I tried to move over to take the straightest line, but the bike got sucked in by the dirt and over I went. I got some road-rash but that’s it. I caught up with Jack and we decided to call it a day. He was feeling it. Today was a lot of jarring. For two guys without lots of upper body strength, our arms, shoulders and hands took a beating. I went ahead to get a video of Jack. After that, I started down and ended up breaking my front wheel and went over the handle bars. We cruised down and both of us felt tired and beat up. Jack’s knee was particularly sore. We came back to the cabin and just chilled for a bit. The wind was still howling, so going to the dock would have been cold and uncomfortable. We had dinner of leftovers and then drove to get ice cream. We ate it in the car, out of the wind looking out at Donner Peak.

My body now is tired. My hands ache. I learned NOT to grip the handle bars in the rough parts, but that’s counter-intuitive. It was more comfortable to do so, but I didn’t always remember to do that. My shoulders are tight and my legs are tired. Sleep will be great tonight. It will be interesting to see how we feel tomorrow morning.

I got up about 7:15 and had some coffee and breakfast. Nice day and very quiet. It was peaceful relaxing before going for a run. Alexis’s plan was to run 1:15. I intended to run around the lake and then add on a bit. My legs were tired, but OK. No stresses, pulls or tightness. I felt pretty good by mile 5 at the turn onto So. Shore Dr. The hills at the end took some toll. I got back to the cabin just under an hour and decided to push on to the park. A grind up the hill and then back down to the cabin was enough. Legs were tired but not exhausted. Jack got up and had breakfast. We cleaned up and then headed to Starbucks for some coffee and the Internet. We also stopped at The Backcountry and got Jack gloves, goggles and a book of routes.

We decided to head to Alder Creek and Prosser dam. The trip seemed easier than some and not too taxing. The trail starts north on Highway 89 and looked like a fun trip. We headed out and the trail dropped to single track. The focus that takes is significant as you look ahead for potential problems. Things were going pretty well for the first 2.4 miles. Then there was a slight downhill with gravel and some children at the bottom. I didn’t see it, but Jack came down the hill and the bike dropped to the right and he took a face-plant into the ground. He cut his lip pretty badly and had a bloody nose and a cut chin. He got his knee and ripped his pants and had a bloody knee too. We were at a campground, so we were able to get some water to clean him up somewhat. He still looked like a fright. He composed himself after a while and we looked to continue our trip. We followed a single track along until it dead end at Hwy 89. We returned and made our way back to the scene of the wreck. From there we followed the road along deeper into the campground. The road became asphalt and it was nice to travel along a smooth road.

When that road dead end, we flipped around and then looked for a slightly different route back to the car. It took us to a really nice view of the lake and Mt. Rose. We continued around the side of the lake and ended up at the car. 8.6 miles, but an adventure to be sure. We made a pit-stop at Rite Aid and Safeway and then headed back to the cabin. It took a while to get Jack cleaned up, and attempt to get the blood out of his “Misty” t-shirt. We had lunch and then went down to the dock for the afternoon. It was windy, but lovely.

Dinner was tri-tip and asparagus. Simple and fast. After dinner we got back on our bikes and headed to “Little Truckee Creamery” for some ice cream for dessert. It was excellent as usual. We got back on our bikes and rode back to the cabin. My body is tired, and I know I’ll sleep well tonight.

 

The morning was spent finishing up cleaning the house: Putting Xmas decorations in a bin, wrapping paper in another, organizing backpacking gear, and finally organizing paperwork. Sally could tell something was up, so she stayed in the back seat most of the morning. Jack and I moved the oak bookcases to our “got Junk” pile, as well as the giant piece of glass. It weighed a ton and nearly killed me. Around noon, we were packed and ready, two bikes attached to the back of the car. Quick stop at Wells Fargo, and again at CHS before lunch at In-n-Out. Then we hit the road.

The drive was pretty easy, albeit long. We got to Auburn around 5:30. Navigating to the trailhead took some doing. Finally we were geared up and off and running. I was a little nervous at the start because the trail was uneven and the dropoff to the left was dramatic. In other words, a fail to the left would be VERY bad. After that, the trail widened and there were lots of lines to follow. After 1.5, the dirt stopped and we had a 1.4 mi climb up asphalt to the start of the next part of the trail. Up, I can do. Down, that makes me nervous. The trail down was really nice. There were a few things to navigate, but all in all, it was really fun. The last 1/4 did take a little more technical skills. We got back, covering only 5-6 miles, but had a lot of fun. We stopped at Riley’s at Auburn Ravine for supplies for dinner. We got to the cabin around 8:30. The air was crisp and it smelled like the cabin. We had torts and corn for dinner and then cleaned up. Afterwards we headed to the dock for a little star-gazing, which was fun and amazing. I was tired, so I went to bed and read for a while. Jack stayed up and played his Switch ☹️. No TV, so I guess that’s cool. Tomorrow we’re off for more adventures.

Yep! I got me a Trek Staunch 5 from Carmel Bike. Jack and I went out on an inaugural ride today in Ft Ord. I took him on the loop I run when I do my long runs. It was a lot of fun. Kinda sandy in parts and I need to learn how to ride the ruts. We probably rode about 10 miles or so. Most of it was really nice and fun. As a road biker, there are definitely some differences.

We got to E. Machine Gunner Road and decided to head back because it was 4:45 and his call at the Western Stage was at 6:00. So we high-tailed it back. The dirt road to the main intersection was rolling but really nice. Then we hit pavement and bombed down the hill to the last stretch of Gigling (I think.) We got back to the car 15 minutes after the decision to head home.

We made a pit-stop at Starbucks on S. Main and then Jack walked to the theater. I hung out and then went down to Hartnell to watch the show “Little Women.” The lighting better be good.

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At home, Jack and I cleaned out his room. All the clutter is gone. I don’t want to nag, but I hope we (he) can keep it that way. Then I attacked the office. We have a crap ton of books, so before finishing that, I attacked the garage. I got all the junk out, and vacuumed it. Our poor vacuum cleaner hadn’t seen so many leaves. I put the surfboard and skimboards back, put the tools away in a place they won’t get damaged by cold or dust. Some of the junk from the office is now there. I got some bins from Staples for camping gear and Xmas supplies. Hopefully that will protect them too. Then I got the office cleaned. Vacuuming that was a chore, but it looks so much better. There are a few small details left to finish, but that’s a big start. We also have a bid to paint the place. There might. be some work that needs to be done before we kick that off, but what a change that will be to our home.

Another summer is here and there are some activities and goals that I have planned. Last summer I had grand ambitions to write a lot. … That didn’t quite happen. So I’m heading off to try my hand again. Here are some of the goals I have for this summer:

• Mountain bike safari with Jack.
• Clean Jack’s room & car.
• Clean the office.
• Finish the front yard.
• Paint the house
• Get my head right
• Travel to CO and ride mountain bikes a bunch.
• Prepare for summer tech camp.
• Train and run my ass off.

So far, we’re off to a good start I think. Rachel’s Zach graduated from NPS and that was an enjoyable visit with his parents. Today Rach and Zach headed to AZ for a little road trip. He heads to Pensacola for flight school; Rach will work at Fish & Game until the fall, then to Woodshole for a TA appointment. Hopefully that will turn into a research position in the spring.

I’m off to Garland for a longer run, then work in the office. I would like to call “GotJunk” to get ride of the stuff around our house.

The day started early with about three hours of sleep. Got my two carry-ons and Jack drive me to the airport. I was a tad early, which was a good thing since the line for TSA exploded minutes after I got in line.

The flight from Monterey to SFO was easy

The day started with a dash out to Spreckles for the July 4 run. I’m tryin’ to get Carmel XCers to attend. All of two showed up. Coach Smith made her appearance with Gaby and Gemma and complete with r,w, & b taffata skirt. I ran the 10K. Amy Love (CHS grad 2002) ran 10 feet in front of me the whole way. Ended up running 52:01, which was pretty good considering my training. Padre Zach Keaton was 3rd over all and Rachel Suess also ran the 10K.

Left the race and drove home to prep for a BBQ dinner. Hamburgers, asparagus, and a homemade berry tart.

Mom turns 89 on June 25th. Carol graciously offered her home as a place to gather for a small celebration. We drove up around 10:00 and dealt with the typical summer traffic. The weather in Oakland was perfect, a little breezy, but warm in the sun. The party consisted of Mom, Carol & Boyd, the four Carmel Clifford’s and Katie, who drove straight from Donner to Oakland.

There was. great lunch of two salads for sandwiches and fruit. Tommy and Liv stopped by for a short visit too. He’s learning Python and working on bikes. He seemed to enjoy visiting with Grandma as well. The Sleeths have a new deck which overlooks the East Bay. We then had cake made by Boyd with hand-shaved chocolate and Fenton’s ice cream, complete with party hats. Carol and Katie gave Mom cards and a 6-month subscription to monthly flowers. Katie left first to head back to Palo Alto and we left about 30 minutes later. We did a drive through Piedmont, around 29 Sierra, PHS, Sea View, La Salle, and other common streets. We had an easy drive back to the Monterey Peninsula with a dinner provided by Forest Hill in her room when we arrived.

The next day was Mom’s actual birthday. I picked her up around 5:30, and together we made dinner as we waited for Sarah to finish with Cow Nite. It was a simple evening with BBQ shrimp shish kabobs. Mom opened her gift from us and card as we enjoyed a small fruit tart (as we were still full from Boyd’s cake.) We watched the video of Lou Ann’s celebration of life. There were some wonderful pictures and great memories that she recalled. We also looked at some really nice photos of Sarah and Parke’s trip to France. The evening was a nice way to celebrate family.

 

The movie Moon is a science fiction thriller about a man working on the Moon, harvesting its minerals to provide earth with ample energy. The main character is alone, waiting for his three year contract to expire so he can return home. Only he learns that he is a clone, as are both his predecessor and his replacement. The movie is thoughtful and thought-provoking. But it resonates for me because the main character, Sam Bell, works hard for others, whether that is his society as a harvester of minerals, or for his family. Only he learns that his family is a mirage. There really was a Mrs. Sam Bell, but the videos of her were shot years earlier and replayed each time for the next clone who mistakenly believes he will be returning home to a loving wife and beautiful daughter shortly. Instead, he works to deliver energy for a hungry planet, and he “works” for his family. His sacrifice and his desire, while understood, are ignored.

There were sacrifices that clones made for one another. So despite having their worlds’ rocked, eventually the two individuals opted to work together and ultimately chose to dedicate their lives to one another. That didn’t mean that things were easy from that point on. Indeed what happened after the movie ends is very complicated and involved. And sad. The sadness that exists in the movie is palpable. Sam possesses a strong desire to connect with someone else, someone who is real. In the end, this connection never occurs. While the possibility for change exists, the last line of the movie suggests that things are very much up in the air for all involved, including the possibility of prison for the clone who returns to earth. The longing for real connection is what I react to. Sam’s desire to touch his wife, to see his daughter, to feel their presence is very real. It is crushing to discover the extent of the lie. We don’t see anything from the companies perspective; we don’t see the argument to play with the emotions of a cloned person. Are they real? Do they have feelings? Should we care? Should we care about the emotional state of anyone we are not connected to? The movie poses many questions, and provides very few distinct answers.