Why, howdy!

Getting back to life here in Silicon Hell post big desert blast took a bit, but things are rolling along nicely again. Had a couple short adventures on Thumper out to previously tread areas. Not too exciting, but enjoyable all the same. I’ve been having a bit of a mental block about how far I can range on any given weekend which has limited my adventuring. Taking a solid looks at maps and rejiggering my outlook has kicked open possibilities. Plans for a few day blast up the 1 from the city exploring the coast and all the little side roads into the Mendocino NF is in store mid September.

Trail running has been taking up the slack and it’s good to be getting back into a solid routine after almost 2 years out due to injuries and recovery from the resultant surgeries. Despite all there is I find to dislike about this place, its expansive network of parks and open space preserves makes for some damn fine trail running. Having gotten back into the flow in the spring of ’14 and all prepped to do the Dirty Half in Bend, the goddamn 2 Bulls Fire ripped right through the race course canceling the affair.

Soon after, the fucked up shoulder was too painful and fire season too busy to get back into it. Sitting out the shoulder surgery and awful plantar wart through the fall and winter of ’14-’15 knocked me back to zero, but fire season 2015 was gonna be the return to it. Until I blew out my fucking knee. Another surgery, YAY!!!!

Getting the gig here in Cali, I showed up eager to work, but seriously out of shape. 2 years of sitting around will take it out of ya. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for the lifestyle here, I will say it provided a great opportunity to get back at it. Having no social life can really open up some free time.

Not having been into racing for a good while I was inspired to get back into them by 2 good friends: Sam DLV,a bad ass broad who is near 50 and destroys ultra trail runs and former GF, current friend Amanda J who has always offered a ton of encouragement and inspiration. She is a goddamn animal and crushes every race she enters. Found a race hosting organization that puts on some really top notch trail runs here and have gotten a few under my belt. This weekend I’m doing a trail half up Mt. Diablo which is gonna suck, but all the trails here have wicked elevation gain so you can’t help but get good at dealing with it. The ultimate goal is to run the Peterson Ridge 40 miler next spring with Sam, then get in a few 50k-50 milers in per year. Ultimately, it’s to build up and stay fit to do solo trail runs the like of The Wonderland Trail around Rainier and Timberline around Hood. Combining moto adventures to places to do big trail runs is the ultimate fucking sweet plan for the foreseeable future.

The day after the run I interview with PG&E for a GIS Tech position. It would, ironically, be in the town I was born in: San Ramon. Staying in Cali long term is not going to happen, but doing a few years to build up skills and pay off all my student loans is a much better option than anything being offered in the NW right now. Having lived as a paycheck to paycheck wage slave for years, the option to have financial security and do some career building seems a worthwhile price to pay to be here a bit longer. That being said, options in PDX are being explored, but are a significantly longer shot.

Time will tell.

Trust me, the next one will have more pretty pictures and adventure chatter. I promise.