So much to say...

So much to share but I have to make this quick...I have apples to prepare for dehydrating! :-D

What I've been reading: The Pacific Crest Trailside Reader.
     This two volume set explores "the people, places, and history of the 2600-mile Pacific Crest Trail...and brings together short excerpts from classic works of regional writing and boot-tested stories from the trail."

     I was lucky to attend the book reading and got to meet Rees Hughes (Editor and contributor), Linda "Blue Butterfly" Bakkar (contributor), Tom "Bullfrog" Griffin (contributor), and Robert Birkby (contributor). I also got to meet Marmot who had just finished her 2011 through hike! The stories run from poignant, to scary, to downright hysterical! If you are an armchair hiker, these are the books for you!

Beefing up my mad skills:
     Last weekend I attended a wilderness first aid course taught by WMI (Wilderness Medicine Institute) and NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Check 'em out... http://www.nols.edu/wmi/

The two day course covered everything from how to assess a patient to making splints to cleaning and protecting various wounds. We learned about hypothermia, heat illness, altitude sickness, and how to wrap an injured ankle.

There was in class lecture and practical application. I'm sure the shoppers at REI were wondering what was up with all the folks lying around the landscape with fake bruises on their heads waiting to be "rescued". We also got some weird looks because it was raining and snowing during our outdoor practical training. Thank goodness for gortex!

So I'm feeling much more solid in my first aid training and will be carrying my certification with me to show off. :-)

Getting down with my chaturanga dandasana self:
     I'm so lucky to get to work with Katy Tavog who is helping me get my yoga on. I did yoga with her before my first climb on Mt. Rainier but not on my second climb and boy did I notice a difference. The first time around, I felt so fluid in my movement, strong, and stable. The second climb each step down felt rigid, stiff, clumsy even.

     With this history, I knew I couldn't hit the trail without working with Katy first. Right now she's helping me remember the moves and build up my strength. Next will be a strong workout to tighten my core and loosen my limbs, and finally, she'll send me packing with a pre and post hike routine to keep me strong and mobile for the 5 months on the trail.

     Check out her blog at http://feelyourfeetyoga.com/ and if you want a private yoga instruction, hop over to my resource page and contact Katy directly.

That's the highlights for these past few weeks.

Cheers everyone!