Day 15: Baiting the Wolverines and A New Magic Number

Today's magic number is...

2.8

I lost 2.8 pounds this week. That brings the total to 7.1 pounds so far. Now just for kicks when I got back from my hike today I weighed myself again, and I was almost a pound lighter. But that had to be water weight since I sweated like George W. Bush strapped to a lie detector. So we will stick with the morning's number.

That puts me at 205.6. I tell ya, when I get under 200 I'm gonna party like it's 1999! Oh wait, I was over 200 in 1999. So I guess I'm gonna party like it's 1994!

So today's hike was Pyramid Mountain in Montville, New Jersey. The write up says it was a 4.5 mile moderate loop hike, however, since they have re-routed a number of trails it's actually about 5 miles now (4.97 miles to be exact). It's shorter than my last 2 but it has more ups and the ups are more intense and rocky as are the downs (there was butt sliding involved).

I've done this hike several times in the past. And, by the way, this is one of two hikes that I've actually spotted a bear on. It starts out with a lovely little walk in the woods. But once you get on the yellow blazed trail the pain starts. Half the time you are looking for the next blaze and you lookup and see it over a big pile of rocks and boulders. But for the blazes, the trail isn't always clear.

My pedometer refused to count aerobic steps for me today. It is resolutely saying 0 aerobic steps taken, but with the way my heart was pounding and the fact that I was breathing as heavy as an obscene phone caller, at several points along the trail, says that I did indeed take many aerobic steps in the course of my journey.

The many ups on the trail provided a little rock scrambling for me which I enjoy. However, we had some big storms come through here last night and every thing was damp which makes the moss and lichen covered rocks a bit slippery. There were many moments on the trail today that I was thankful for my hiking stick and good hiking boots with ankle support.

The other things that the many ups give you is some really nice vistas. They are the reward for getting your ass up the mountain.


I saw lots of people on the main trails that I used today. A lot families out together. And not a single DHP! Probably because many of the trails are too darn rocky for safe running.

The main features of this trail are what is called "glacial erratics". Glacial erratics are boulders left behind in curious positions by the movement of the glaciers through this area many millions of years ago. The most curious of these erratics is Tripod Rock. This is an enormous boulder balanced on three smaller boulders. There are also two other smaller rocks sort of similarly situated nearby. The interesting thing about the two small boulders is that they form a perfect "gunsight" for a summer solstice sunset.














When I arrived here today there was a group of kids and adults climbing around, over and under the rocks taking pictures. The kids looked like they were really enjoying their time outdoors which was really nice to see in this age of couch potato kids. Having been through here any number of times, I suggested a couple of other picture options, that are kind of fun photo tricks. These pictures are from a couple years ago...


















After this the trail descends into a swampy area. The 3 signs you are in a swamp in New Jersey, skunk cabbage, fiddle ferns and dead bodies. Wait, I'm just kidding about that last one. The third sign is the mosquitos. I don't have pictures from this area, because if you stop for a moment you get swarmed. So I kept moving to head for the higher elevations. The other big glacial erractic I encountered just before I left the swamp was Bear Rock. The hike description says Native Americans used to shelter by this ginormous rock. It's pretty impressive looking.














As I approached the end of my hike, I met a lot more people coming up the trail. It seems there was a party in a park nearby and some of the party goers decided to take a stroll in the woods. I met one such couple and their young daughter at the top of the highest point in the park. They had decided to follow the blue trail and had no idea where it would take them. The father had a beer in his hand and the wife had a small bottle of water. At least they had sense enough to ask me where the blue trail led (out of the park and into another county!) and how to get back to the parking area, without having to go back the way they came. I pulled out the map I had picked up and showed them where they were and that they should make a right onto the yellow trail when they came to the junction. and that would lead them back to the parking area. Then, I gave them my map and they set off down the trail. I just shook my head as I started back down the trail. Maybe I'm just anal, but I can't fathom wandering off in the woods without at least a trail description or better yet a map and a sufficient amount of water.

I passed several more groups heading up the mountain without maps or water. Pyramid Mountain is a pretty well traveled trail area, so I'm sure they made it out fine. But to me they just looked like wolverine bait.

By the time I made it back to my car, my trusty but temperamental pedometer read:

Miles: 4.97
Steps: 11670
Aerobic Steps: 0 (bull dookie!)
Calories burned: 531 (at least!)
Time: about 2 hours 45 minutes
I was soaking wet and looking forward to nice long shower when I got home.

Why is it that even when it's hot and humid out and you are disgustingly hot and sweaty, a hot shower still feels so good?

Oh, a quick note about Saturday. My cheat day so we did diner breakfast. I ran a bunch of errands and then that evening it poured. So exercise for the day was the treadmill. I'm attempting the Couch-to-5K Running Plan that one of John Heald's Bloggers mentioned. I think I did pretty well for the first time. But it was tough and I was dripping with sweat when I finished. I decided to follow it up with some light weight work, since one of my doctors once told me "I don't care what you weigh, as long as you build muscle." Because muscle metabolizes sugar better and faster.

I'm off to watch the Tonys. 'Night all!