Monday weigh in

Jumped on the scale today.....

Weight today: 220

Loss to date: -50#'s

There is something mentally satisfying about crossing each new 10# increment and the 50# mark feels pretty good. It feels like a significant number to me at this point. I'm weird I guess but having lost 50 feels more substantial to me than the 2#'s more then 48 it actually is if that makes any sense. It's a nice solid number that looks big....it feels big enough for me to acknowledge it to myself.

My next intermediate goal is to "make weight" for an imaginary fight at 205.

My plan is over the next few days to go pick a UFC fighter at 205 and build a pretend fight with him where eventually I will set the date, start watching tape on him and train for the fight. I might even take a few private BJJ lessons or boxing lessons to add to the fun and "reality" of it all. The next 20#'s will be like a game.

Anyway, 220#'s today.... 50#'s down and my first 14er done and successfully marked on my peak list. Next target of 205 is coming online swiftly and my next 14er as well as some flatter but easily accessible weekend hikes are in the works. Production level is is good right now. ;)

False summit

Here is a very short vid I found of the last portions of some people climbing Handies. These guys are from http://www.neverbad.com and they are climbing all the 14ers and posting up on each of them.

It's the only representation I have found that shows the steepness of this section. I looked at a lot of pictures before climbing and most of it looked like a fairly gentle slope. I was surprised to see it for real because even the first 100 steps off the trail head (that are drastically more gentle than the reach for the summit) are much steeper than pictures would have you believe. For some reason grade/elevation does not translate well in pictures.

This vid gives and idea but even it is deceptive. The real tell is the guys voice when he says the words "steep" and "false summit". :) it's a real kick in the ass to gain the false summit BTW. You know for sure you will make it at that point because it's only 100 yards away but there is something cruel but appropriate about the mountain getting in an extra smack upside your head right at the end...ha ha, silly mountains.




http://www.neverbad.com/14er/2008/handies/tom/false%20summit.wmv

Handies Peak

Here are some initial pics of our Colorado trip. It was an incredible trip filled with fun, food, beer, and views.

I gained 1# that will be gone within 24 hours.

No problem considering the food porn I'm about to post......

Back to normally scheduled programing next Monday and more details of the climb to follow once I am done processing what happened. :) I need to gather my thoughts on the 14er but for now here is a hint of what it our last week looked like.

Closing in

The date for the 14er is closing in. As things get closer I'm not sure where my head is going to be at and I may/may not update until I get back on the 20th.

What I can say is that my weight today was 223 so I do expect to make my goal of 222 by Monday but like I said I'm not sure if I will update or not because it's getting to "all things 14er" pretty quick.

Example: today I had a job cancel and found some free time. I wound up getting a lap in at a local park pictured above so I could try out my shoes on some different conditions like pebbles, larger rock, grass/dirt.. My normal walk is on super smooth sidewalks so it was a good chance to see how they feel. They feel awesome. :) I had read a negative review of Merrell and sometimes that one negative review sticks in your mind. So far from the second I put these shoes on in the store to breaking them in and today's tests on various surfaces my feeling is that these shoes are a truly outstanding value. If I go on to take on more 14ers in the future I'm not sure how fantastic a shoe is going to have to be for me to buy it (and the mountain will be the real test of course) but I'm very happy with this product so far.

I actually have 5 major things running in the back of my mind right now that I want to explore but I feel the mental dial moving to 14er 24/7 and I just can't get into any of it right now.

We leave on the 14th and come back on the 20th with climb day on the 16th.

I am more than ready to get at it and report back about the journey ASAP.

Anybody who happens to read this hope for good weather for me on the 16th because all I really need at this point is good weather. ;)

Be back soon......

wek 28

I had a flat week this time and am holding at 224#.

There were some factors like beer an pizza on my B-day so I am fine with 224 this week..next week is a differnt story and I am targeting 222#'s for week 29. :)