So. Jetty -- Peter Iredale

Columbia River South Jetty


To the Wreck Of The Peter Iredale (1906)



According to the ODO on the GPS, 8.14 miles. I think about 3 hrs. but I didn't much keep track. Again, this becomes "recreation" and not "training."

My big fanny pack works perfectly w/ the Platypus. There's room for lunch and some other items. I've discovered it's more comfortable slung over the shoulder as a "musette bag." I'm going to search through my "stuff" at home for a shoulder pad which will keep the bag in place. I don't need to "pack for war" for a day hike -- water and some bananas, maybe a bagel and some humus.

From parking area B, there's a trail/road through the dunes. It takes some searching to accurately locate. I ended up back out on the crest of the dunes. But the road/trail is marked on the map. The sand gets difficult to walk in when the tide is coming in. Soft sand, and it gets wet. There are dune trails, and I should explore them. The trail head for the "dune trail" from the Iredale (Last Wed. hike.) headed into wetlands/puddles. I'm sure there are routes around -- not like you're going to get lost out on the dunes.

8 miles . . . I was a bit stiff getting out of the truck later. But it's not "sore." And I feel great! Best I've felt in probably 7 years! This walking is paying huge dividends!

New Shoes!

Shoes . . . 11 US 4E width because I have a wide foot.

MT461GO New Balance "Walking"


The boots are great, perfect for "terrain" but most of my walking is on paved road. Makes not much sense to run a boot on a paved road. Yesterday on the Ft. Stevens bike paths I was thinking that a walking shoe would be much preferred.

$49.99 at Fred's -- on sale!

"Up The Hill" -- We managed to track it, figure altitude (365 ft), but didn't get the "trip data" reset. It's 3.1 mi. according to Google Earth. I worked in a few short jogs on the flat stretches. (We need to wear appropriate pants, not jeans.) The shoes are a good idea.

Ohhhhhh yeah . . . We're able to push hard up the hills, full blown aerobic -- step-breath-step-breath -- crank up the hill, and good, fast recovery. Able to accelerate at the summit. This a day after a long walk. The long walk yesterday did not leave me stiff like the hike up Tillamook Head on Monday!

Ordered "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" John D. Ratey, MD -- Book Depot, free shipping!

Thinking about Saturday hike, Tillamook Head from Seaside end out to ridge which I reached from other end on Monday. Booooooyah! I have not felt this good in a very long time!

Ft. Stevens

Gorgeous, clear, cold weather (low 40F's)

Three hours, 7.1 mi. on flat, paved bike path.

Fort Stevens to Battery Russell, Coffenbury Lake, Peter Iredale, Parking Lot A, Trestle Bay Trail, back to Ft. Stevens. Moving time 2 hr. 22 min. Moving speed 3.1 mph.



I was 231.0 lbs. and 40% fat this morning!

Found My Platypus!

Platypus hydration system (bag and hose w/ a bite nozzle) -- stashed in my "Burrito Bag" for the stunt kites. I remember now that I was using it out on the beach while kiting.



The "KampKing" bag is too small. It's for a kid (and giving it to my grand-nephew who is 10). But I found a large fanny pack for "day runs" -- when I don't need a full pack, but want water and lunch.

Tomorrow (Wed.) I'm headed out to Ft. Stevens -- 6 miles from Ft. Stevens, through the low marshes to Battery Russell and along the dunes on the beach. Fanny pack, hydration, and lunch/snack. Travel light and fast on this one. It's mostly open "tourist" area. Not out in the woods -- beach walking.

I'm 41% these days on the fat scale. 234.6 lbs. but probably because I ate after the walk -- a fair amount. Fat is down! That's the crucial part! And I'm more fit!

Tillamook Head!

5 miles, more or less, walking w/ Nordic poles. Probably longer since I took a wrong turn and got headed back on the Tillamook Head Loop when I thought I was headed out to see the lighthouse.

Interesting here . . . This was more "recreation" than "training." I felt like it was "fun" rather than a workout task.


Photo on the ascent from the Tillamook Head camp toward Seaside. This is "Terrible Tilly" lighthouse, now a columbarium for funerary urns.

Tired and stiff after, but flexing out the kinks and feel fine the next day.

For hikers -- This trail from Indian Beach to the Tillamook Head Camp is well paved (compacted gravel), wide enough to drive a truck, cleared, drained, well maintained.

Trail marking at the campsite is less than perfectly clear -- the park display sign "map" is poorly drawn. The western "Loop" trail is boggy footpath, less cleared, narrower, more like a hiking trail

"Loop" trail heads back to Indian beach.

Wide gravel paved trail heads out to the lighthouse view (and radar bunker).

Seaside Trail picks up BEHIND the camp cabins . . . facing the three cabins, the trail is to the right, behind the rightmost cabin, and heads out ill-defined, poorly marked until you get out of the cleared area where hikers have scouted for firewood.

Once on the trail to Seaside, it's clearly a trail

BOGGY! Trail is wet, fairly well maintained, clearly evident, with a lot of "boardwalk" stretches. It's a boggy trail! Even in the summer. Well traveled, well marked. Moderately arduous -- some long climbs, descents, hilly terrain. It has every potential to get stormy, nasty, windy, and very wet.

STAY AWAY FROM THE CLIFF EDGE! THESE ARE OFTEN UNDERCUT, AND UNSTABLE! THERE ARE EXCELLENT VIEWS WITHOUT RISKING YOUR LIFE TO CATCH YOUR LAST GLIMPSE OF THE WILD!



The Nordic poles proved useful in balance and puddle jumping around the boggy sopped areas.

GPS got my waypoints, but there's a learning curve on the "route management" -- I estimated distance from waypoints and the tracking/path ruler on Google Earth.

I packed in REI daypack:

extra polar fleece shirt in waterproof bag
storm coat
leather gloves
Nordic ski light wool hat
heavier polar fleece "goat roper" hat with ear flaps.
extra socks in waterproof bag
first aid -- w/ blister moleskin, tape
compass (GPS can crap out)
lighters in waterproof bag
whistle
camera
GPS -- I should rig this w/ the supplied carabiner so I can access off the pack.
toilet paper
extra ziplock plastic bags
water -- I need to find my Platypus Bag.

I wore New Balance Gortex hiking boot (mid weight), nylon storm pants, polar fleece shirt, long-johns. Started with a coat, but was soon warm enough without. Nordic wool ski cap which is readily adjustable for coverage.

Food:
apple slices, 2 cans sardines, 48 oz smoothie, almonds, 2 bagels.

For the planned March 21, round trip hike I should pare this down to some food and a lighter pack. It's not "wilderness." I'm not going to get lost or stuck. I can find my way out in the dark. (But a light would be smart.) I want to find a lighter bag, maybe the CampKing cheapo I already own? And a Platypus Hydration bag.

Walking 1 Hr. Up The Hill

WEEK 14

One hour, up the hill (water tower) w/ poles. 3.1 miles, more or less, according to Google Earth. Two days rest, and I needed them.

We're deciding on the Garmin Oregon 450t GPS. I had one before,(Oregon 450, no "t") fine except the corner of Clatsop Spit was missing. I think it was a funky load on the software. The 450t has the software pre-loaded.

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Later --

Purchased the Oregon 450t from Englund Marine. Loaded up the computer software , looking at the terrain, calibrated the compass function. Downloaded the User Manual -- which we'll flash memory and print out at home.

Tomorrow we're headed to Indian Beach, out to the Tillamook Lighthouse camp and along the ridge! Booooooyah!

Omron Pedometer HJ301A

Omron Pedometer HJ301A arrived today. I spent about two hours going over the inadequate user documentation, trying to parse out functions. Too complicated for practical use. I packed it up for return.

Not real happy about their return policy. We're probably going to get whacked some $10 in shipping and re-stocking for this bad idea.

Let me provide an addy and web site so you can avoid:

HRM USA, Inc
1039 Pulinski Rd
Warminster PA 18974
Attn: Returns DEPT.

http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/returns.html

IMPORTANT!
Please ship your return PLUS a copy of your packing slip/invoice, and reason for return to


RETURNING OPENED NEW WITHIN 30 DAYS of delivery:
Any OPENED NEW item returned within 30 days of delivery, and shipped back in the original manufacturer's Minimum charge of $2.95 for orders less than $30. in value.

Please find enclosed:

Original Packing List
Original manufacturer’s packaging
1 ea. Omron HJ301A Pedometer, Yellow

Order Date, 25 Jan 2011
Order No: 12XXX
Ref. No: 445XXX


Returning because features and operation are far more complicated than intuitively usable for my intended application – hiking computation of distance, time, steps. User documentation is unclear, ambiguous, and does not seem to address obvious functions – like clearing / resetting trip function.

Your return policy is less than clear. No mention of return fee for orders in excess of $30. We assume your site means "shipped back in the original manufacturer’s packaging."

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I'm thinking I really want a Garmin GPS, Oregon 450t