Dealing With a Threat

"No." I told the young panhandler at the Safeway grocery store door.

"You a rude son-of-a-b$#&$!" he said, lurching forward.

"Say that to someone your age." I said while putting my groceries in my backpack at the bike rack.

Then another twentysomething joined the first as the first continued the insults: "Bring one, you son-of-a-..."

Now, this 62-year-old can take one young punk, but not two. So instead I went inside the store and told the Service Desk. By the time I came back outside, the two punks were gone.

I thought to myself: This assault is in a nice neighborhood, mid-morning, at a nice store called SAFEway... how ironic. There just isn't relief, even on vacation.

Then I bicycled away. Bicycling away from a threat works!

-copyright 2012 by Willy

Working Vacation

I am helping my daughter with her two-month-old son this week, as she starts work. I was supposed to be the third-shift bottle feeder so that she can sleep, but grandson slept through the entire night last night... for the first time. So, this is going to be easy.

I fixed, cleaned and installed (I don't idle well) and went bicycling. Since I about ran out of things to do already, I realize that I am going to have a relaxing vacation.

I did not rent a car this time. During the day, besides resting, I am either out on her bike (sometimes running errands) or walking the neighborhood... having fun.

This is a really good and relaxing vacation.

- copyright 2012 by Willy

Family

The family gathers together... dad, mom and all the kids.

Dad addresses himself to the kids, points a finger and says: "You should take personal responsibility and care for your own lives." It's doom and gloom time.

Mom then smiles and says: "It is absolutely not hopeless. There's always something to do. There's always a place to begin." The kids smirk and smile.

But did the kids get it? Will they do something?


- © 2012 by Willy

P.S., I have a bad knee, so I'm going to bed.

Appreciation

I like it here. I came from a third-world country, and appreciate what we have here. I've been around and this country is the best there is.

Like me, there are many Americans that reflect an uplifting version of democracy. Of hope and trust in our system... that is not shared by others.

Most of us believe in our careers and our work because the job fulfills us and gives us a reason to live. We believe we may actually do some good, whereas others can't wait for early retirement.

Most of us stand tall in front of flag for the singing of The Star Spangled Banner at game or graduation. Others walk around during the moment.

Others don't seem to like their life and disrespect their country, which is their loss. There is always going to be some discontent, and most of us accept that. God help us all.


- text © 2012 by Willy

P.S., A good attitude is healthy.

Getting to the Trailhead

How do you get to a peak? Same way you get to Carnegie Hall... practice, practice, practice. Then drive to the trailhead.

Some trailheads are more difficult than others to get to. In Colorado, $6M was spent paving 12 miles of Guanella Pass Road from Georgetown to the Mt Bierstadt trailhead, and it was wonderfully easy to get there. On the other hand, getting to the Greys and Torreys trailhead requires a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle due to the dirt road ruts. Around here in the south, it's important to have the right trailhead vehicle... one that you don't mind getting scratched by brush, banged up by potholes, or smashed by vandals. Thus, an important piece of backpacking equipment is the selection of your trailhead truck, which has the conflicting requirement of getting us there, not be too nice, and being the daily driver to work.

It would be something to meet all three with one vehicle.

One solution is to own more than one: a daily driver and a trailhead truck. And decide which one to take, depending on destination. Either hope that the trailhead truck can survive the interstate, or hope the reliable daily driver can stay pretty.

As time goes by, the reliable and pretty car slowly becomes the trailhead truck, the close-to-dead trailhead truck is discarded, and a new vehicle bought for reliable and pretty daily driver... in a cycle period of many years.

I have to think this through better but I may be doing a version of this that involves three vehicles: My 22-year-old tired trailhead truck reached 253K rough miles. It burns oil, has questionable reliability and looks like hell, so I bought a newer truck today to restart the cycle. I have an older van. I may keep the old tired trailhead truck for special occasions where I need to leave the truck at an unfavorable location for weeks, like AT segment hikes... and I do not lock it so as to avoid somebody busting the window to get in to search.

Happy trails to you.

- © 2012 by Willy

Hiking Resume

OK, so if somebody asks for a resume... and it's to compete for a hike spot... what should I say? Ability, of course, but also I realize that it's a group, that I'll need to mention mental and physical fortitude with people as well as contributions and leadership. How about something like...

"My achievements are many. Hi, I'm Willy and I'm an engineer group leader. I mentor college co-ops and interns to take over for me, and put out fires. I also taught 20 years of evening classes at the local college. And I even taught Faith in Sunday School to High School seniors. I can write well too... have published 200 documents, mostly technical reports, conference and journal papers, but also am a published poet. I am really good on my feet... not only having gone through the Toastmasters curriculum early on but having pushed my club to achieve Top Ten international recognition. I am an excellent people leader and communicator.

"I like the hiking adventure. I've hiked and backpacked my whole life, progressively getting better, so that at age 62, I'm darned good. This year, I hiked Colorado twice, the Smokeys (four times), plus a segment of the AT. Last year it was Yosemite and its High Sierra camps loop, and another segment of the AT with my daughter, and more CO... I'm bagging peaks of CO 14ers as well as AT segments. Have done the Grand Canyon three times (including a rim-to-rim), Mt Hood wilderness, Big Bend, Yellowstone, Everglades, and etc. I conveniently have a mountain trailhead right out my backyard and hike locally three times a week, crosstraining with bicycling, weights and elliptic. I was a certified personal trainer. I'm a no-nonsense ultralighter. I'm not good at snow, but own crampons, snowshoes and axe. I like mother nature and the outdoors but I love the view from the top (like from Vogelsang saddle). I'm slow but sure, and have the demonstrated desire to climb.

"Yes, I do Facebook but only have 60 'Friends,' which is typical of my generation.

"Why am I a perfect fit for this? Because I have the demonstrated desire to climb. I'm in shape... both physical and mental shape. I like hiking, backpacking and climbing... and do it all the time. I'm a mature, seasoned and aged adventurer, so I know a few things I can contribute. I have the good attitude and enthusiasm for it. I'm fluent in Spanish, my original language. I have real friends... the face-to-face kind I drink a beer with. So... best of all... I have people skills."

That should do it. That's about what I turned in. We'll see how an aged adventurer rates.

- © 2012 by Willy