Summer update?

I was just having a IM conversation with a co-worker and we started talking about blogs. I mentioned that I have one and that I haven't posted anything since probably January. So I thought I'd drop a quick update.

Summer has been crazy with camping trips, yard work, projects, and birthday parties. We've had very little time to ourselves since June or perhaps even May. Looks like things might be slowing down enough to give us 4-6 weeks of relaxing before the holiday season hits.

Susan was supposed to have the summer off but as usual she ended up working most of her "off" time. She's finally slowing down now and she's up to having 2 days a week that aren't booked solid with tasks or filling in at the espresso stand. But, the nursing program starts up again the end of September so she's pretty much blown her summer.

Looks like I will be heading back to school soon also. All the nagging from my mother, sister, and Susan has finally made me realize that if I just get a degree it would be less painful than listening to them bitch. Of course I'm sure they'll just find a new topic to start nagging me about. I'm even going to guess that Mom and Ashlee will start nagging me that I need to have kids. No idea what Susan's new nag topic will be, but I'm sure it will be a pain in my ass.

So how about work?
Still sucks balls. Now that I've been with the company for three years they are starting to call me a "lead tester" of course that's just a title and there's no pay to come with it. I think the best way to describe my time at alliance is to repeat a realization I came to while walking with some co-workers yesterday. So here it is "I've been working for Alliance for 3 years and I make 500 bucks a year less then when I started".

/sigh
~Tow

Congratulations

Our friends Kevin and Jessica got tired of waiting and planning for their wedding. They gave us one week notice and told us to be in Ocean Shores on the 16th. It was a small wedding with just close friends and family. It was quick and painless. Thanks guys, I appreciated it.

From 2009_02_16

Fat 30's

Well Don't need to get any hikes in for the rest of the year.

I need to make one blog about my diet next month.

And I need to come in at 172.5 for Nov.

All done except that last one.

I'm going to blame it on a combination of things. First 3 large Thanksgiving dinners in the last week of the month. Second turning 30 and drowning my tears in a large bowl of take the cake ice cream with a liter of Mountain Dew as a chaser. Third WoTLK keeping me tied to my computer for the last couple weeks...I really need to get out of the house more.

So I fall a point behind this month...sucks but I can't lie I'm a fat fat 176.8 lbs
:(
~Tow

We will NOT be hiking in December!

I think Susan wanted to get hike #12 in more then I did. I was enjoying a nice lazy sunday. Had a nice warm fire going, Susan was napping on the couch with the kitties, and I was killing some bad guys online. Ah relaxing.

Anyway we wanted to go out and have dinner after the hike so we picked some place close. Priest Point Park. I've been there a few times but never really hiked there, they have some very nice trails but be prepared for a lot of hills and big steps.

From 2008_11_09

From 2008_11_09

I was playing around with the camera a bit more then normal so I got some really crappy pictures. I got a few good ones too but I was going for that soft fluffy water look with the long shutter speed but the day was grey and just way too much light. Even after I dropped my ISO down to it's lowest setting.

So far this month.
Hiking trips = DONE!
Weight = still jumping around but shouldn't be too hard to come in below my number.
blog = Done but I'll probably post another one at the end of the month with my weight.

I guess I'll get back to work now
~Tow

One more

That's right, got two hikes in this month so only one left! I've really enjoyed them but, it will be nice to take the rainy months off to play Wrath of the lich King. :)

OK so to the hikes.

Hike 1 for the month was Millersylvania State Park's fitness trail. It's only a one mile loop and you are supposed to do these work out stations along the way. They have 20 stations each asking you to do stuff like leg lifts and jumping jacks. Problem is most of the stations have been tore up by punks or just rotted away. I've wanted to go back there and check the place out because it's been right around 15 years since I was last there on a camping trip. I was sad to see that our baseball fields were turned into full hookup camp sites and the nature trails were converted into basically wheel chair accessible paths but it was still fun. And, it reminded me of old times camping with my cousin Aaron and getting into trouble.

Pics.
Starts off in what looks like an old apple orchard

From 2008_10_12

This part of the trail is also a service road but it doesn't matter cause it's beautiful.

From 2008_10_12

I've tried to explain to her that a hike is to enjoy nature, look around, and reflect. For some reason she just keeps thinking it's a race.

From 2008_10_12

My favorite pic from that walk

From 2008_10_12

Ok now to hike two, It's also been about 10 years since I've been to one of my old high schools. Susan wanted to go visit Mt St Helens so I figured it was a good time to visit my old stomping grounds. I didn't realize how many painful memories of fun times with my dad it would bring up but I guess you can't avoid those forever.

The mountain was a little hard to see. It wasn't clouds, or fog making it hard to get a view of the mountain. It was the wind, I'm estimating it at about a 40mph sustained wind with gusts up to 60. That wind that nearly knocks you back a step. So here's the clearest shot of the mountain I got all day.

From 2008_10_26

Since it was nearly impossible to avoid the wind up on the mountain and I was feeling cheap for using one of my hikes to stare at a mountain from a visitors center I decided to stop at my old high school. When I was there in 94 we built a nature trail along the back of the school. I wanted to see how it was holding up and it would give me some physical activity. I was surprised to see how 14 years of use had worn the trail. However, I was even more surprised to see that the education standards haven't increased over the years.

From 2008_10_26

Not sure why but they added little benches too.

From 2008_10_26

One last picture to remind me of what I've left behind.

From 2008_10_26

Ok so for monthly goals I'm pretty much on track.
Weight 170.2 this morning
Hikes 1 left before the end of December
Blogs, 2 more.

~Tow

Quick update

Weight 170.4 this morning
Still 3 hikes to get in before the end of the year.
Blog about hiking/wight done.

Why so quick?
Because, I am the only tester on my team at work right now. I'm currently testing items for 6 developers so I'm pretty much going to be up a creek if I don't stay on top of my testing.

~Tow

Sept. hike done already?

Yep, motivation to not be hiking in December plus nice weather got us out of the house and on the trails.

We went back to one of my favorite places to Hike, Mount Rainier. We picked the Skyline Loop trail which I have not been on since I was 16. Back then the hike was pretty easy. I went with my Sophomore Biology class from Toutle Lake High School. All I remember is how awesome the views where and the two chubby girls that kept slowing us down. But anyway back to this hike.

One thing I didn't remember was the hills. 1,400 ft up to the Nisqually Glacier and then right back down the Paradise Lodge. I was so tired after the first hill I didn't really try to get that great of pictures. It was more of a point, shoot, try not to pass out approach. And, Susan kept me moving. She didn't allow many breaks even after we got to the top and could sit there and listen to the glacier crackle.

So my pictures suck. I didn't realize until halfway through the hike that my ISO was set wrong. I had my camera set so I was adjusting the wrong setting when taking pictures and then my memory card filled up. In all it was a bad picture trip and a wonderful challenging hike.

So sorry the pictures suck but here's the best I could find.

Almost to the top

From 2008_09_07

A nice little mountain stream that ran through a alpine meadow...it was beautiful

From 2008_09_07

I believe this is called a marmot. I was taking this picture while standing no more then 6 feet from him.

From 2008_09_07

Spruce Hen, dumb as a box of rocks. It actually walked between me and Susan to get to the other side of the trail. I could reach out and touch it in the picture.

From 2008_09_07

Can you spot the bear? There really is a black bear on this hill side. I need a better lens for my camera.

From 2008_09_07

We also came across a deer that was a little to fast for me to get a picture of, some really cool wild birds that I have no idea what they are called and some noisy mountain chipmunks.

I'd have to say if you are going to do any hike in Washington this is one that should be on the top of your list. Absolutely beautiful.

~Tow