First world problems

     I bought a new watch with GPS as my old one, which I've been babying along for a few years now, finally completely quit. It'll take me days to configure everything and figure it out.  I can't get it to sync with my strava app, even though it says it is synced.  What is it about me and technology? We never have hit it off. 
     At least I got it charged, and synced with my computer and my phone.  Now to figure out how to actually operate it.

Ha Ha Ha!

Young at heart. Slightly older in other places.

The 10 Commitments of Humanism

     Love them.
https://thehumanist.com/magazine/september-october-2019/features/living-humanist-values-the-ten-commitments?fbclid=IwAR2HkR4xsFxnXGIFJNXM0Ku4-zhpgeq4tWIlITplQxmv15jC390LCUGqHaI

An interesting fact I heard today:

We are the first indoor species!

This is not a good thing.  It goes against our natures.  Get outside.  Get some sunshine, vitamin D, and fresh air.

Stephen Hawking on "Is There a God":

     This is an excellent article worth the read.
https://www.brainpickings.org/2019/07/17/stephen-hawking-brief-answers-to-the-big-questions/?fbclid=IwAR00Ntuq_SWfYW8i4BzHWztocr-f78FwmZzHi0eOIkHEnih4FsJLG-Dl9XY

     Here is another good article.
https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/what-is-secular-humanism?fbclid=IwAR2QhEr0shLCHI64mvkF00FqyHjTCRwNSxSaYbvtx3ixBwIPuOVHukXB7gs

This should be the picture of the year.....If the earth dies, so do we. Wake up!

     The amazon is on fire.  The arctic is on fire.  Greenland's glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate.  Do you believe it yet?  New ad campaign:   Beef.  It's what is killing the planet.


     I wish I would have adopted these tenets 50 years ago.

Good morning. Up and at 'em. It's a new day.

chess

Sorry, but had to share

“I could conquer the world with one hand as long as you're holding the other.” ― Megan Smith

  This is the best quote ever!

fueled by plants

     The turtle has become my spirit animal or totem.

The turtle is a sacred figure in Native American symbolism as it represents Mother Earth. The meaning of the Turtle symbol signifies good health and long life. The turtle has great longevity living up to 150 years. ... The hard shell of the turtle represents perseverance and protection.

     Coincidentally, I graduated from the U. of Maryland....the Terrapins!  And I am tortoise-slow, but I keep on going. 

     Here is some of my collection.

Word of the day.....Mondegreen.

Who knew?  There's a word for the misheard lyrics of a song.

WORD OF THE DAY Mondegreen män-də-ˌgrēn Part of speech: noun Origin: English, 1950s 1 A word or phrase that results from misheard language 2 A made-up lyric or line that replaces a song's real words

Mt Bierstadt, a bucket list hike accomplished!

     Yesterday I hiked Mt. Bierstadt with friends. It is 14,065 feet in altitude with a 2800 ft elevation gain on the 7.1 mile  roundtrip.
      We got to the trailhead by 5 AM, (which means I was up by 2 AM, walking the dog at 3, left at 3:30 for the drive to WalMart where we met to carpool).  The parking lots were already full with cars lining the roadsides for a long distance. It's a very popular hike.

     At the start:

 2 pictures showing the continual lines of hikers. No isolation here.   

     Mountain goats:

     Two pictures of the rocks to scramble over nearing the peak, the last half mile or so:

     2 pics of me negotiating rocks at the top.  They made me uncomfortable and were never-ending. I think it is because my pack was heavy with 3 liters of water, food, extra clothes, etc, and threw me off balance when I went down on hands and knees to scramble over the bigger rocks.

     Me at summit.  It was extremely windy and cold up there.

     Some of our group at summit:

A picture of our entire group halfway up.  All but one reached the summit.

  

   LOL....my recollection of the last half of the hike was that it was much like this.  Hiking poles were invaluable in going up, but especially in coming down. Still tripped and fell 3 times on the way down.

     All in all, it was amazing.  I'm feeling a bit stiff today, but so accomplished!  A good night's sleep made me feel like I could do this again, but maybe not until next year....LOL.
     FYI....this is a beginner's 14er hike. But some people brought babies in backpacks, kids, and many many dogs, which I find questionable.  2 German Shepherd dogs on the many rocks at the top were whimpering and crying. 
     And there was a stream crossing twice, at start and finish down in the wet-lands  willowed area.
   

Deer Creek Canyon Park

     Deer Creek Canyon park is about 2 miles from my house as the crow flies (as the fire burns). A wildfire started there yesterday afternoon.  300+ nearby homes have been evacuated.  The winds and temps decreased overnight, so the fire was about 50% contained as of 4:45 this morning, but worries are that it will escalate again as winds and temps rise during the day. 6 firefighting agencies are involved.  Men on the ground are dealing with rocky terrain, burning vegetation, and snakes.
     It is a gorgeous park.  Here's hoping for containment today.

Photo from Fox 31

8 a.m.  Views towards the south from my house

Looking towards Deer Creek

A few of the news crew trucks

     It is smoky out, and also breezy!


11 AM, still at 50% contained, now thought to be human caused as 2 male juveniles were seen running from the scene.  Evacuations still in force.

Photo from Jeffco Sheriff's Dept

4PM....it sounds like the fire is contained now, roads are opening to residents, the 3 parks by my home including Deer Creek Canyon of course, remain closed.

This is great news for those people who were evacuated.  I'm glad to hear it, too, as I was afraid to leave home for fear the fire would suddenly accelerate into my neighborhood and Charleigh-dog would have been left alone.

Sorry, not sorry.

Take the time

Sometimes

The majesty of nature can't be shared too often

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” ― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

"Terrible things are happening...Families are torn apart...Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared." - Anne Frank (Jan 13, 1943)

....and they're doing it

New Zealand....a bucket list vacation

     New Zealand just urged their entire country to eat plant based.
https://www.livekindly.com/new-zealand-just-urged-the-entire-country-to-eat-plant-based/?fbclid=IwAR3A7fqUxvU5BJs4ol2ZBx2WZLiCmiJ-7oYr2_kS1ZQjaQ4iJ1y8Q8jH4LE

So true!

Bergan Peak hike

     9.7 miles hiked, Approx. 2000 ft elevation gain, 9700 ft elevation at the peak.  Sunshine for 7.5 miles, then pouring rain and hail turning the trail into a muddy creek.  It was an unplanned adventure!  It was also a good training hike.....Jen ran out of water, none of the rest of us had jackets or rain gear, only I had a hat for hail protection, my feet hurt letting me know I should get hiking boots instead of wearing trail shoes,  and we were all soaked, freezing and muddy to our knees. This is how we learn.

     Here are pics at the top while the weather was nice, and also of the storm blowing in. We didn't stop for picture taking after that.

     PS We met at the local WalMart to carpool to our hike.  As I waited at 7 in the morning, I found myself scanning the shoppers as they walked in, looking for guns. Sad.
     And WalMart had their US flag flying at half mast.