April 13, 2012

• Attempted V-log and Shadow Canyon Hike

  I have never done a vlog before, and I have never videoed myself either. It’s even harder than taking a self portrait. This is my first attempt at a v-log, so forgive the beginner quality. I quit messing with it less than halfway up the hike, irritated I didn’t know how to do it. I am going to post what I did, anyway, and then just post the pics from the rest of the way. 

  I love hiking, and have started easing (gently now, gently) into trail running. I am starting with Mesa Trail, because most of the way it isn’t very technical. (Technical trails are single track, rocky, steep, and offer more challenges than trails with gravel and are smoother. I was on Runner’s World this morning in the trail running forums and found this:

  Why does the popularity of trail running in the United States surge every time there’s a national crisis or period of epidemic uncertainty?

  Simple answer: Running like a wild man or woman through the woods nurtures the soul.

  I do look and feel like a wild man when I trail run, even when I hike. 

  This is a technical trail: 

  

   

  This is not:

  

   

   

  I was out of breath and sweaty every time we stopped, I always huff and puff on these trails. Here is my video. Next time I will make one where I am not sweaty, squinting,  in sweats and a ponytail and out of breath. I mean come on, how am I going to flirt with people looking like this?

   

   

  I think I quit using the video around mile four and just started taking pictures. Here is another flower for @vexations. No idea what any of them are, but they are pretty. 

  

   

  This is another rock slide,  I see them all over. I am not sure why this happens, why the rocks look literally like a slide from the top, but likely my friend @Therewillbedragons will know. He knows Rocky Mountain National Park well, so I am sure he can offer insight. 

  

   

  Caesar (Dog Whisperer) once did a show on a poorly behaved German Shepherd. His suggestion was to give him a job and have him wear the backpack when they were out walking so the dog felt like he had a job to do. It worked on TV, and by God it works for me. He is much less excitable when he wears his pack, and I don’t have to carry all the water!

  

   

  Another proud mommy shot:

  

  And another:

  

   

  The above trail is still a technical trail because it’s steep on both sides and very narrow, but the boulder paths didn’t come until later in the hike. Believe it or not, this is a trail. I am slow and clumsy over the rocks, but it is Salem’s favorite part. We stopped just up ahead so he could climb and get some water, and I could drink water but I didn’t climb any rocks I didn’t have to.

  

  Here he is on his rock, I take so many pictures of him he knows to stop and hold still when I tell him to. That, and he is a ham for the camera.

  

   

  I usually say “stop” and then “sit”, sometimes when I say stop he just assumes he needs to sit.

  

   I found another pretty tree for Vexations:

   

  

   

  I love Xanga people. @vexations reminds me to stop and smell the flowers, @buddy71 reminds me to slow down and look close, @We_Deny_Everything reminds me to use my brain and do the work! (hehe) and @xplorrn reminds me to enjoy the music. Everybody here has been good for me. Anyway, we were climbing the canyon and I was huffing and puffing. It’s a steep climb in only 1.4 miles. We stopped for another water break when I saw this neat stump that appeared to have steps in it, just like the steps (rock steps) we had been climbing. I took a picture of it for Buddy71.

  

  We made it to the top of the canyon, to the saddleback. We didn’t climb the peaks because his paw was bleeding, and I didn’t know if he was hurt or just scuffed it climbing up the canyon. We headed back to the car, here are some of the views:

  

  

   

  The closer we got to the car, the faster Salem wanted to go. He was hungry and tired!

  

   

  At the end of the day, we only hiked 10.8 miles, but it was still a good day. Thanks for reading my oh so exciting trail report!

  • 7:06 pm
  • 90 Comments