This, That, and the Other...

How time flies! It has been almost 4 months since my last post. I offer no defensible reason for the lapse.

It has been an odd winter and spring, with almost all of our snow happening in February, March and April.  Usually we get a good mix of snow and cold that make trail running even more fun. This year, it seemed we would get dumped on, then it would warm up and the trails were like running in mashed potatoes. I ended up spending a lot more time on the roads then is normal for me. Coupled with illness in January and a bit of burnout from last years high mileage it led to an interesting looking training log with low mileage weeks interspersed with high mileage weeks in a somewhat random fashion.

I took a little time out in February to head west to Grand Forks, ND to spend a weekend with my daughter and her husband. S and I ran a 5K together (her first) on a frosty morning...

The Greenway, Grand Forks, ND

Happy to be finished!

and then went on to participate in my first bike race. A local friend lent me his fat tire bike, which I rode for the first time the night before. Thankfully my son-in-law is a bike mechanic so was able to adjust things to fit, and then return the bike to normal once I was done. He ended up jumping in to the race as well after having a lot of fun on the pre-ride of the course. 

E, myself and S ready to race 

Listening to pre-race instructions

Climbing the hill near the race start/finish. My almost treadless mukluks made things interesting as I had very little traction. 

The following Monday I got out for another ride at Hartley on a friends bike. Had more fun then should probably be legal!

Superior Spring 50K

The weather had been pretty dry lately and we even had some days in the 50's and 60's so the trails were in good shape, though there were rumors of snow still present in spots and the frost had only recently left the ground, leaving treacherous footing in a few areas.  Race morning dawned overcast with a chance of rain. Only an hour or so in it had started to drizzle and this kept up the whole day. By the time I was headed back to Lutsen the ground was getting pretty muddy, but I have seen worse for this race. What was more worrisome to me was the potential to slip on roots or rocks. After a few hard ground strikes in the past couple of years I am getting a bit more cautious. This of course didn't prevent me from stepping onto, and sliding off of, an exposed root. Thankfully I am already relatively close to the ground so didn't have far to fall.

The highlight of the race was seeing the spring ephemerals blooming along the trail.

Dutchman's Breeches

Spring Beauty

Bloodroot

 The bloodroot literally emerged during the race!

I wasn't quite as exuberant in my welcome to these flowers as I had been when I first spotted hepatica blooming last Wednesday (a friend mistook it as a war cry of some sort) but I was pretty enthusiastic.

During the race I also had the opportunity to meet Jan Horak (Tofte Trek Wilderness 10K) twice out on the trail. He was hiking along with a shovel, working on drainage issues. What an honor!

Somewhere on my journey back from Sawbill I kicked into race mode (had to have been the chicken noodle soup at Sawbill) and actually started to feel like a runner and stopped contemplating dropping and retirement. From then on I was focused on finishing as strongly as I could. I kept flashing back to running this section at Sawtooth and reminding myself that if I could climb Moose Mountain at mile 96 with no breaks I should be able to power up it now.

As a final reminder of our long winter and the wet conditions, the course crossed one last patch of snow (ankle deep, soft and slippery), then more mud, before rounding Caribou Highlands and the pool to the finish line.

Not my fastest time on this course (where I set my 50K PR in 2010) but I am pretty content with it in light of my attitude and energy level the first 20 miles.

Vortex Shawl - How to Block a Circular Item or What I Do When I Am Too Sick To Run

I spent the past weekend bundled up indoors recovering from a respiratory virus. With all this downtime I finished up one project and even got around to blocking it. As the knitters who read this blog may know, lace doesn't look like much until it is blocked. 

Vortex Shawl pre-blocking

Now, I have knit many triangular shawls, but have not knit a circular one in nearly 20 years, and I don't think I bothered to block that one. Blocking wires work great when there are straight edges involved, but I don't have any that are flexible enough for this application. A little internet research (thanks Ravelry) led me to search out some fishing line. 

Super Strong and Nearly Invisible

But first things first. Into a sinkful of warm, soapy water (Dr. Bronner's Unscented Liquid Soap) to soak:

Wool Floats

Immersed

After a nice long soak and a rinse it was time to squeeze the excess water out.  The key to washing woolens (or any fiber that will felt) is to keep water temperature changes to a minimum, avoid agitating the item, and never wring (twist) the item.

Laid out on a clean towel

A little extra weight applied to squeeze out the last bit of water

Now it was time to run the fishing line through the edging. Per some instructions I found I pinned a fabric measuring tape to the center of the shawl so I could achieve an even radius. I then pinned out the shawl, working first on one side, then the other to keep the tension as even as possible. 

 

It took over an hour to get this pinned out. I then spent some time tightening the fishing line to more evenly pull out the edges of the shawl. If you click on the photo below you might be able to see how I anchored the  ends of the fishing line to some extra pins to hold the line taut.

The shawl ended up being about 40 inches across, smaller than I initially thought it would be. Not sure what, or who, this is for, yet.

Yes, I Still Knit

It has been awhile since I have posted any substantial knitting content.  A peek at what I have been up to:

Arrowhead Mittens v3. ©Wildknits.

Thumb gusset

This version has a more traditional 3 inch cuff (vs the original pair with a 7 inch cuff) and a redesigned thumb pattern.  I actually knit three mittens for this pair. The first acted as a gauge swatch and resulted in my adjusting the pattern for a  better fit for the recipient.

Lorne's Hat - design by Yarn Harlot

If you follow the link you will see this hat is meant to be folded up. I had a skein of sock yarn that when knitted up yielded a pattern that I did not like. But in a hat, the stripes worked much better.

Jenny's Socks 

This yarn was much more subtle in the skein. Interesting how the use of flash really made the colors stand out. As you can see, I do not obsess about ensuring that socks perfectly match each other.

Shell Lace Scarf - ©Wildknits.
Based on a pattern stitch from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker, pg 209

I have a large supply of Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift in this colorway leftover from a previous project. I find having a little lace on hand to be comforting. I designed the scarf to test this pattern to see if it would work as an edging for a circular shawl I need to finish. This is it's second incarnation; on the first I had three repeats of the pattern, which turned out to be too wide for my liking (~10 inches lightly blocked). This scarf should be about 6 - 6.5 inches wide once blocked. Length will be determined by my attention span.

Heart Elbow Patch - Knitting Workshop by Elizabeth Zimmerman (EZ), pg 155

I picked up this sweater (100% wool, men's x-large) years ago at a thrift store. It had been shrunk by a previous owner. I love the color and the warmth and had worn it to the point of holes in the elbows and battered cuffs. The other night I finally got around to knitting up some elbow patches and sewing them in place. I also darned the cuffs back together. While I was working on this Mr. Wildknits commented that I could have just replaced the sweater. I informed him that I had been unable to find one in that particular color. He then suggested I knit myself a new sweater. I do have a pattern for a saddle-shouldered sweater knit in the round ( Thanks EZ!) and I am pretty sure I can match this color. Will be adding this to my project queue.

Vortex Shawl - ready to be finished

This shawl has been languishing for quite a while. The pattern calls for a picot edge. I am NOT a fan of picot, and in this yarn, with these needles.... ugh! I have been searching for just the right edging for this, taking into account that I have only one skein left of the yarn and no real guarantee I could find another. As mentioned above, I thought the shell lace pattern might work, the curves reflecting the spirals in the shawl. As I worked on the scarf I became less fond of that idea, concerned that the pattern would be too wide and too yarn intensive. Off I went searching again. I finally stumbled on an edging that I think may work. It is the one used on the Hemlock Ring Doily Blanket. I will be giving this a try over the weekend as I really want the 40 inch circular needle for this:

Mini Mania Scarf

Supplies for the Mini Mania Scarf

As you can see I have accumulated a bit of sock yarn over the years (this is a 11 x 17 x 10 inch box). The pattern calls for a minimum of 5 grams of each color. So, I sat down one night with our kitchen scale and weighed all of the sock yarn that easily came to hand. Looking through my stash led to memories of each pair of socks knitted, and who for, over the past 15+ years.  It also yielded a supply of the exact yarn needed to darn a pair of Mr. Wildknits socks. My goal is to use up most, if not all, of the yarn in this box by the time the scarf is finished. Bonus: I will learn a new stitch pattern. It is always good to expand ones skills. 

Tuesday's are for Running to - and from - Work

Sun just peeking through the clouds over Lake Superior

Ahhhhh.....

Looking east as I round the hairpin curve on Skyline Boulevard

Today's route involved a traverse of 40th Ave W. Much of this road washed away in the flood of June 2012

 I keep wishing we would get a serious snowstorm so I could bring a sled over and make a run or two down this hill. It is over half a mile long with some great turns. But alas, we seem to specialize in spotty snow and rain now.

A local biker is a regular on this route, as are a few dog walkers.

Some of the damage on the upper portion of the road. 

Ahhhhh.....

A peek at one of the washed out sections of road - in this spot at least half of the roadway is gone. The ditch is over 6 feet deep.

Just a little frosty. It was about 9 degrees when I left home.

On the run home.

A winter hike - Split Rock Loop

Mr. Wildknits and I decided to take a drive up the shore and hike the Split Rock Loop. We chose to start out by walking the road section first and traversing the loop in reverse. This allowed us to tackle a steep climb (including a section with a lot of ice) early in the hike. It was nice to see the trail from this perspective - and it appeared we were the only folks who have hiked it in this way.

The northeast side of the Split Rock River was very sunny and warm today. Not so much on the southwest side. Since we delayed lunch until after crossing the bridge this made finding a sunny spot a bit of a challenge. We finally stopped at a bend in the river with a nice cedar whose roots we took advantage of for dry, snow-free seating.

While eating I noticed this little critter scurrying across the snow-covered river:

I didn't see any signs of wings, so am a bit baffled as to identification. Anyone have any ideas as to what it may be? Temperatures were in the upper teens to low 20's F at the time I took these photos. And this little guy could move fast! It was hard to capture pictures of it.

We tested out the ice on this section of the river and crossed it to check out a cedar that was growing in a crack in the rhyolite cliff. Pretty impressive perseverance  when you consider how high the river can get during spring ice out and storms. The roots were only a couple of feet above winter river level.

Mr. Wildknits took this opportunity to have me pose for a portrait.

Not sure why I have such a stern look on my face - maybe the sun? The cedar I photographed is just off to my left in this photo.  And then I thought I should get a shot next to the cedar. 

We got going again and between the lengthy stop and the shade I got a bit too chilled. This resulted in a minor Raynaud flare in my hands. Good motivator to hike fast to warm up. 

We finished out the hike by checking out the new pedestrian underpass at the wayside rest. 

Yearly Mileage Goals

I seem to stumble upon these goals sometime in the last quarter of the year when I review mileage totals. In 2010 I was thrilled to hit 1500. I had hoped to do the same in 2011 but was derailed by a stress fracture and was very happy to reach 1000 miles. I had no real mileage goals for 2012, though figured 1500 was reasonable considering I was training for my first hundred miler. I had four 50+ mile weeks in April, so looked to be well on track.

Then things at work went a bit haywire. It was a very stressful spring/summer which had me unable to take much time off, putting in extra hours, and contemplating my career path. Add to that heat and I really scaled back on my running with only two 50+ mile weeks in August.

By the second week in September I had hit 1400 miles for the year. Hmmmm..... 1500 seemed pretty attainable. I think someone in my local running group threw out the number 2000 and I simply laughed, even my rudimentary math skills told me that would be a reach.

Sometime in late October I realized that 1800 was a reasonable goal, assuming no injuries or illness. I was well on my way at that point and just had to remain consistent. The weather in my area can make this tough. We have had some snow, but not enough to make the trails reliably runnable. This means more time on pavement in an attempt to get in longer runs without risking a slip and fall (the sections of the Superior Hiking Trail I usually run have  a few steep climbs and cliffs).

By the last week in December I had only 15 miles to go and then I headed off to the Tuscobia Winter Ultra to volunteer. I packed my running gear (as always) yet didn't leave the race headquarters - at least to run. This meant I had to get in a long run on the 31st. And of course this was a really cold day.

Fortunately  I have a really good friend who was more then willing to come out and ensure I logged those final miles. Rather than hitting the trails for one long loop, with no potential for a bailout if we got too cold, we opted to run at Hartley Park in the heart of town. This would allow us to:
a) quit if we got really cold
b) get some protection from the wind
c) scope out the trail for the following days Barely Organized New Years Day Run

It took me 3 miles (vs my usual 1 - 1.5) for my feet and hands to get fully warm. My Raynauds had kicked in full force due to getting chilled prior to starting the run. The loops were 6 miles long and during the 2nd one I was rethinking the importance of reaching an arbitrary number. I was tired, my legs were tightening up.... whine, whine, whine. By then Ron was in full pacer mode (he had ample training at Sawtooth) and was making sure I was eating and even singing Bob Marley to me.

As we approached the end of the loop Ron and I discussed how to modify it so we would reach 15 miles at a scenic spot in the park. We hit on a solution and headed out for the final 3 mile loop.

 First attempt to document - too big and too far out on the pond

 Snow angel - because why not on a day with windchill readings below zero

 It also hides the fact I can't seem to accurately right out 1800

Evidence that it was indeed me that made the snow angel

6th Annual Barely Organized New Years Day Run

Start the new year out right with a run (walk, bike, or snowshoe) on the single-track trails at Hartley Park.

Gather at 12:00 pm January 1, 2013 at Hartley Nature Center 3001 Woodland Ave. Duluth, MN.

Potluck to follow the run (hot water will be provided, no cooking facilities but there are outlets available for crock pots and such).

We will have private use of the building that day including access to their exhibit hall, classrooms and bathrooms.

Hartley Park is 660 acres of woods with 9+ miles of hiking/biking trails, 5 kilometers of groomed (classic only) ski trails (Minnesota Ski Pass required), a pond (skating anyone?) and a big hill to climb for an awesome view of Duluth and Lake Superior.

Donations accepted to cover the cost of facility rental.

On the 10 Year Anniversary...

Paul Wellstone - October 25, 2002

On a gray, sleety October day,

the plane goes down in the north woods

with the large-hearted senator

whose decency and respect for old ideals

made half the citizens almost happy

to be Americans in a dark time.

Down went his wife and his daughter too,

three campaign workers, two pilots, 

eight in all, the radio says,

neglecting the ninth seat where Death

dressed in an ordinary suit

sat watching for his chance

to do a morning's harvesting.

Do you think he wasn't there

hitching a ride, invisible, just as 

he sat in the box at Ford's Theatre,

held open the convertible door in Dallas?

He sits in the front seat of your car, too,

or waits feigning sleep with his head

resting on the next pillow in your bed. 

So we go on to write the same poem,

sing the same sad song yet once more

not for the dead who have gone

over to the insensible kingdom

but for us who must now carry on

without them. This time, as so often

before, Death snatched a big one

when we could not stand to lose

his voice, which spoke, not alone,

but for us millions who longed

for a world green, alive, about to bloom.

~ Bill Holm, Playing the Black Piano/The Chain Letter of the Soul


I miss both of these voices.

A Little Bill Holm

I find myself reading Bill Holm lately, working my way through a few books I had not read before, despite their availability in the house.

I had heard him read several times when he visited Duluth and am thankful for those opportunities to have his "voice" in my ear as I read his work now. Bill passed away on February 25, 2009.


A few poems as we welcome Fall and the colder months:

A Last Word with the Fog

After ten years of whining I'm finally
making friends with the fog.
How courteous of the world out the window
to disappear for a little while.
You, too, can disappear, even in
broad - though murky - daylight.
Only in children's fantasy stories
does the invisibility cloak exist,
and, of course, in Skagafjordur...
Use your disappearance prudently,
as the mountain and the fjord
intend to use their own.
Maybe, with luck, no one will ever
find you again except
yourself, when the fog gives up,
as it always does, and goes away
to give some other lucky fjord
a day or two to disappear.



Alberta Clipper

At twenty below, this wind
has teeth, not a figure
of speech but a fact.
It hungers, not just for cheeks
or fingers or feet.
This zombie zephyr wants
the engine of life itself.
Seized up, stopped dead
as your car is.
Listen to its jaws
clack together on the porch.
Don't open the door.

The Chain Letter of the Soul: New and Selected Poems
Milkweed Editions 2009

Progress

10th St 3 months ago:

Coffee Creek over it's banks and the road

Rapids on the flattest street in our neighborhood

Under the waterfall is our water main and a sewer line

10th St now:

Looking upstream: quite the overflow culvert. Pipe on the right does not line up, wondering how they will fix that.

Looking downstream

Coffee Creek:

If you look very closely you can see the creek, just above the black cloth.

Knowing that we had much less damage then most neighborhoods in Duluth I wasn't too concerned about the delay in repairs until I noticed that 10th St. was no longer listed on the "closed streets" on the City's website. Hmm. I sent a quick email off to the head of Public Works to check on the status. Apparently in the past few years Coffee Creek was designated a trout stream which meant that the DNR was now also involved in the decision regarding repair of this road.   This in addition to documenting damage for FEMA meant delays. I was even told at one point that we had "alternate routes" into the neighborhood so there was some talk of not repairing the road at all! 

I live in one of the older neighborhoods in Duluth (100+ years). Anyone who has been here knows that our alternate routes are quite steep (I live one block from the 3rd steepest street in Duluth). 10th St is the only route into the neighborhood when the roads are icy and/or snow-covered. Needless to say, I fired off an email to explain my views on the need for this repair, including that our water main was currently suspended in midair - not a sustainable plan during a Duluth winter. 

As you can see, the decision was made to make the repair - and to get it done before the really cold weather hits. 

P.S. While this has been an exceptionally dry year (other than the flood event) that is the typical flow for Coffee Creek at the end of the summer. It is a "flashy" stream and rarely has much water in it except during spring runoff and after a significant storm.