Pikes Peak

Hiking Pikes Peak up the Barr Trail: a wrong trailhead, a bear on the trail, a hungry-looking bear reported behind us, a wind gust I had to drop to the ground to avoid, and a t-shirt at the snowy summit while the train tourists stared.

Domestication

The last horse slaughterhouse for human consumption lost its court challenge. Apparently horses are somehow distinct from cows or pigs. I leave you with a Futurama quote about double-horse juiced-in goodness.

I Dream of....

I dreamt of an all-day climb up a crazy-steep mountain, a cabin at the top, and the reason my pack was so heavy: a full-size oven with range. Freud, where are you?

Union Craziness

My manager is boxing up his desk to move two desks over, because union rules forbid him from carrying the items the three steps himself. The movers, meanwhile, pick up boxes, walk a few feet, and set them down.

Pistols

I did my first real pistol squat this morning, left leg. My right leg was not inclined to oblige me. It will, soon enough.

Remodeling

I have moved the tissue box at work from the top-right corner of my desk to the top-left. Don't accuse me of being rash; this happened only after weeks of contemplation. The execution was flawless.

Rotting Moose Carcass Mouth Man

On my flight back to New York I sat beside a man with a rotting moose carcass in his mouth. Once home I shaved my head, burnt my clothes, and peeled off two layers of skin. I still feel dirty.

Bench Press

Always use a spotter. I've heard it countless times. I should have listened. It would have been embarrassing if anyone had been around, but no one was, which only makes it dangerous. I'm okay with that tradeoff.

Preparatory Work

I need some preparatory hiking before Rainier (itself a preparatory hike). The bigger problem: I need someone to hike with. North Georgia, Half Dome, Pikes Peak? Ideas welcome.

A Baseball First

My first company dinner was at Sparks Steak House, where the Gambino boss was gunned down. Amazing sirloin, and a baseball first: both teams scored eight runs in the second inning. BTW, what's an inning?