Friday, December 25, 2009

Chrismas Wish List

Running
  • A couple of 25K's races/runs including Big Basin and Desolation Wilderness
  • Ohlone: just me and the dog
Backpacking
  • More of this....
  • Another stretch-- high mileage, ultra-light style-- on the PCT with Racer X
  • 1-2 short mileage backpacks with Madman jr. (a father-son)
Kayaking/Canoeing
  • Some paddles with Madman Jr. even if it's just a jaunt up to Del Valle
  • Another outing with La Familia in the Slough
Mountain Biking
  1. Mancation to Gooseberry/Bryce area
  2. Tahoe Rim Trail and Peavine weekend
  3. Downieville
  4. Free Practice or Henry Coe
Road Rides
  1. Tierra Bella as a warmup
  2. Mt. Hamilton
  3. Diablo loop 100miler
  4. Healdsburg area metric or century
Adventure Races
  1. Half Moon Bay as a warmup
  2. Tahoe Blue 12 or 24

Dog days of winter


Katie is a serious runner of the four-legged kind. Rain or shine, warm or cold, she is ready to join me on runs. As the leash comes out, she does a quick pre-run stretch consisting of licking her chops several times, sitting, standing, sitting, standing and racing to the door and back.

Her pacing is a tad faster than mine but she's kind enough to only run 3 or 4 circles around me on the climbs.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Six degrees of Dog

Katie-the-dog and I went rail running this brisk morning up through Morgan Territory. She's an eager and happy trail runner who has quickly learned how to pace along side me but still lapses into pulling her slower companion up hill despite constant "heel" commands and tugs on the leash. She's a constant pace runner I guess she and seems to forget her four-legged drive and weight advantage. Or at least that's how I'm interpreting the disapproving glances I get on the steep inclines.

We chanced upon a group of women hiking with their dogs. A brief conversation ensued as is usual for people with dogs (especially if the hill is steep, the dog is especially annoyed with the slowing pace, and the human wouldn't mind just an extra gulp of air). After revealing my dog was Made in China (she was a stray Taiwanese puppy rescued by a tourist), one of the hikers told me her friend also had adopted a rescue from Taiwan the same month as Katie. Litter mates! Unbelievable. Figure the odds!

Then add this to it: while visiting Bryce Canyon last week, I stopped the car to let Eric take a photo of a buck. Another car was there, as well. The driver was a fellow employee who was a also a co-worker in my old group.

Six degrees of Dog.