January 08th, 2016

Running to him was real; the way he did it the realest thing he knew. It was all joy and woe, hard as a diamond; it made him weary beyond comprehension. But it also made him free. John L. Parker

Morning y'all,

It's a gloomy, blustery morning up top. The high yesterday reached 39 degrees. The overnight low was 30 degrees. It was 30 degrees and mostly cloudy at 7am observation. The mountain received .04" of liquid precipitation last night and there is still a trace of snow hanging around up top. The trails have some slick spots, but I wouldn't consider Microspikes a necessity. I went down Bullhead and up Alum yesterday with relatively little trouble, I just needed to rock hop for a few short sections. The winds feel very alive right now, come on up and feel the mountain breathe!

I had another memorable hike up Alum yesterday afternoon. I got to the trailhead at 4pm, which is my preferred time to start up. Yesterday's hike was further proof that human physiology is a total mystery to me. I had done a long run the day prior and had a heavy lunch in town, yet as I hit Alum Cave, I could tell I was moving well. It was one of those inexplicable gifts, a day where you just seem to have it - whatever it is. In one of those old Lance Armstrong books, his domestique George Hincapie refers to this feeling as having 'no chain'. No resistance. I had the mountain climber's version of that yesterday, where what typically feels like effort wasn't effort but unbridled pleasure. I hit the ridges just as the golden hour was in peak form, another perfect afternoon spent (although such days aren't spent, they are above such classifications) with my mountain.