My longest hike, and biggest mistake to date

So yesterday I decided to push myself a little harder than before, ya know, to find my physical limits. After all, how do you know what you are capable of if you never find those said limits? So I'm in Grand Lake Colorado, about 2hrs from Denver and near Winter Park Ski Resort. Grand Lake borders the south edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, and is around 8,500ft in elevation. I've done some hiking up over 9,500 quite a bit, and spent a decent time close to 10,000ft, but this would be the first time over 10,000ft and also my longest hike by far. In Yosemite I did a 14mile hike which was pretty easy and left me in good shape, so I knew I was able to withstand 20 miles, but the purpose of the day was to push myself further so I could find that limit for future reference. The only map I had was a freebie from the park's visitor center, which was enough to tell me where to go, but not enough detail to let me know exactly what I was in store for.
The morning started off good, I arrived at the visitor center (and trail head) at 6:50am, got ready to go and was off by 7:30 or so. The plan was to hike two trails that paralleled each other with about 5-6 miles between them. Each trail was app 10miles long and to cross over to one another was a nice tough ~7mile hike up and over a mountain pass/flat that would take me near 12,000ft! Sounded like fun! I got rolling and took my time for the first few miles enjoying the scenery, taking in the sights, and snappin a few pics along the way. I saw a couple mule deer which is always nice to see, but still no elk or bears : (

Maybe 6 miles in I stopped for a quick snack and then picked up the pace. Eventually I made it to the last camp site on the south trail which was 9.2miles in and just before the big climb to the pass. I was greeted by a park ranger and we had a quick conversation. He looked concerned, asked me where I was going, what time I started, and didn't seem comfortable with my plan. I asked if I could make it before night fall, but he seemed way more worried about the weather which I hadn't even noticed till this point. Some clouds were rolling in which in the mountains means, don't go up, go down and prepare for the worse. See, mountain storms can come quick and be harsh, dropping temps 20+ degrees in no time and howling 40+mph winds. I decided to keep pushing on and he let me know where he was camping just in case I needed help.
At that point I was over 10,000ft and had a 1,500ft+ climb to get up on the pass. Climbing for me is not a problem, it's the decent that gets my knees calling out for help. Once I got up on the pass I could get a good look at the clouds that were coming my way, and they looked bad, really BAD. I had to make a decision, turn back and head in the way I came (boring), or roll the dice and try and get to the north trail before the storm hit (what a real adventurer would do). With no rain gear, hat, gloves, shelter, and weather worsening by the minute I should have gone back, but I decided to gamble and go for it. Not a wise decision!

The edge of the storm clouds!

Not bad for a little camera : )

I really picked up my pace knowing that getting over this 5-6 mile pass was critical. When you are near 12,000ft and have a storm over the top of you, well, it's not safe at all. Being that I was the tallest feature around, the chance of being struck by lightning was way too good, and with no help around for miles I could surely fall to Mother Nature's wrath with one strike. As I made my way across the tundra like ground I felt exactly what I knew was coming, but hoped and prayed would somehow pass me by. A cold breeze hit my light layers going right through them, the storm had arrived. At that point it was prob in the high 50's, but the temps fell quick along with small rain droplets. I started moving quicker, almost jogging to get across this death pass. As if Mother Nature wanted to test my limits, she started throwing down pea sized hail at me stinging my head, face, and hands, then they grew to marble size with freezing rain mixed in. Soon I was soaked to the bone and getting cold fast. I started to jog on top of the marbles that now covered the ground, splashing on the water that wouldn't penetrate the frozen ground. Rocks become more of a hassle because they were slippery now and begged to twist my ankles. I thought to myself, keep a good pace but be careful, your at 12,000ft and you can't over do it with another 6-7 hours to go, but all I could think about was keeping warm and getting off this stinkin pass! After a few miles I started to slowly descend and the hail turned to freezing rain then to a light rain. The temp was 43deg at that point and I was frozen. My hands had turned deep red and became immobile even though I kept shaking them in hopes to increase the blood flow and warm them up. It was not working and I actually got pretty scared, especially when my finger tips turned purple. I stopped at a sign that said "Grand Lake 12 Miles." I was glad I made it over the pass, but at the same time horrified at the distance I still needed to cover. I just happened to glance to my left and saw a herd of elk about 250 yards away. It was the first elk I'd seen on my adventure, and for a second it took my mind off the pain. I took my pack off, now soaking wet with ice stuck on it, and dug for my camera. My hands weren't working all that well, my fingers could hardly be forced to bend and it hurt to try, but I managed to get a few pics and a short vid of the elk. There was no time to stop, I need to get down in altitude where the temps would warm back up a bit.

The herd of elk off in the distance.

An hour later I was back down under 10,000ft and the temp hit 50deg, I was happy at that and surprisingly my pants had dried up fairly well, but my socks and shirt were still wet. I knew I had made it through the storm even though rain was still falling lightly, now I just had to focus on making good time to arrive back at the trail head before dark since I didn't have a light source (I was not very well prepared for this hike). The miles went by, but they went slower and slower and each one got harder. My knees were getting sore, my legs tired. I stopped for break to refuel, but the mosquitoes were so bad I couldn't sit in one place, so I walked slowing while I ate and drank water. I made it to a campsite that was 5.2 miles from my car, it gave me hope, but I was drained and loosing strength quick. The next campsite seemed to take forever, as did the next, and the next. At one point I thought I was under 2 miles from the car, but then another campsite sign told me it was 3 miles to go. My emotions started to get the better of me as it hurt to take a step, especially if it wasn't on flat ground. Each time I would take a step up or down a strong shooting pain would come from deep inside my knees letting me know I was done, I couldn't go on, but I had to, I had to make it, there was no other choice but to sit and rest and let the bugs eat me alive, or go on. At times I imagined Carrie waiting at my car for me, rooting me on, giving me hope, but soon those thoughts were once again taken over by pain. I was hungry a few hours back and had to stop to go both #1 and #2, but my body seemed to shut down now as all those feelings went away. I didn't even feel like drinking water, but I knew I had to. At one point I thought I saw a coyote pup, I even took a picture of it, but it didn't move, not a bit. It was a log. Was my vision getting blurry? Was I loosing my mind? Was I going to make it or collapse on the trail?

Back down in the valley:

A sign appeared up ahead. I knew I was getting close, I had to be. It said 0.5miles! A jolt of energy shot through my body and I took some quick steps, but my legs wobbled and hurt to bad to keep that pace up. That last 1/2 mile seemed to take forever, almost 20min if that tells you how slow I was going at that point. As I saw the parking lot I almost felt my emotions surface. It was the hardest physical task I've ever done in my life. I didn't know if I was proud of myself, or wanted to punch myself in the stomach for being such a fool. I was way too weak to throw a punch with anything on it and my brain couldn't fathom anything but sitting down, so that's what I did, in the men's restroom at the visitor center : )
After resting a bit I went into Grand Lake town and ate a 1/2lbs burger and cup of macaroni and cheese, it did nothing for me. My stomach was empty after burning up all the food I had ate throughout the day, but all I could think about was getting in my tent and relaxing. It was just over 10hrs of walking with no more than a 3min break for lunch at 12:15. The best I could figure out was 27miles, between 5 and 6 of that at over 11,500ft, and half of that jogging soaking wet freezing to death...literally.
I laid there in my tent, legs aching, knees burning, and a strong headache, pretty much miserable. For once my sleeping pad felt wonderfully comfortable. I talked to my Mom and Carrie for a bit. She reminded me that I still had some pain killers from my surgery a few months back so I popped one of them babies in and watched Lee and Tiffany Lakosky's Getting Close hunting DVD on my laptop until the battery went dead (ordered two extras today, take that!). By that time the pain killer had kicked in and numbed my pain so I could fall asleep. Early in the morning I woke to horrible pain in both my legs especially in my knees, so I grabbed a few breakfast bars and another pain killer and downed them with water. So far today I've taken three of them to keep the pain away, and it seems to be working quite well compared to what I thought it would be like all day. I've spend about 7hrs at the library uploading pics/movies, downloading songs, buying spare laptop batteries, and a summer tent. Unfortunately the connection here is super slow so everything is taking longer than it should. I did have a wonderful and huge breakfast at Carrie's Corner (I took a pic of the menu and sent it to my Carrie). The pancake was by far the biggest I have ever seen, prob close to 13in in diameter! The sausage patty was about 5in in diameter and close to 3/4in thick. They did some amazing home fries which were freshly cut potatoes seasoned and pan fried with onions and green peppers...yummy!
My brother arrived today with his family. They are staying in a cabin near Grand Lake so I'll go meet up with them soon for dinner and some relaxing. I need to give them some warnings about the great west even though I'm sure they will all blow me off.
So, lessons learned. Be prepared for anything. Take small steps in pushing yourself physically, and if a park ranger shows genuine concern you better listen to him!

More pics on my smugmug page, just click on one above and you be there. Some vids on youtube under my user name : iambquinn
thanks for reading

In search for the ultimate Gyro!

So it's all Carrie's fault. I'm hooked on Gyros, that's right, the tasty "Greek taco" as I like to call it. Ever since I had some of hers from Fedoras (see earlier post with pic) I've craved more and different offerings from everywhere I go. When I see a sign that says "Greek" I have to stop in for a gyro even if I'm not hungry.

So, I've decided to keep a running track of all the gyros I've had and rank them per my taste buds. I like to break things down to each component of the gyro and comment on each, then as a whole.

The pita is the most consistent part of all the gyro's I've had. It should be soft, not too hot, and easy to tear with not so sharp teeth. If a place screws up the pita, there are in trouble.

Next is the meat, oh the meat! Tender, and full of flavor the meat is the heart of the gyro and for the most part is also fairly consistent which each place. It's important to mention the size of pieces on the gyro. I've had a few where the pieces were too big for one bite, and that's not good. You don't want to have to tear a piece in two, or worse, as you bite and pull the gyro away from your mouth end up pulling extra chunks of meat out falling to the table (if you eat over your plate that is). So bite size meat chunks is a must.

The toppings. This is subject to every one's personal taste, but there are a few things I feel are a must on a gyro. Tomatoes and the sauce are at the top. Onions are a tough one, and the banana peppers, so far only found at Fedoras, are icing on the cake.

The tomatoes are easy, but I'm surprised how many places screw them up. A sliced tomato is a no-no, and big chunks are not good either. The tomatoes should be small bite sized pieces that can be taken in with the bite, not worked in with effort on each bite. The center of the tomato doesn't do much in a gyro (too gooey), so stick with the outer portion please! The placement of the tomato is also a biggie. Many places put them on top, but then you don't get anything when you are on the bottom of the gyro. So spread them around so they can be easily had on each and every bite.

The onions are tough because many people don't like them. The trick to utilizing onions is to add the flavor without jumping out and watering eyes. Small pieces spread throughout the gyro is in my opinion the only way to add them. I myself do not like raw onions, but if used this way I don't really notice them, but they do add some flavor that is welcomed. What not to do, same things as the tomatoes, no big pieces, and not all on top or bottom.

Sauce: WOW, how can so many places screw this up? First off, sauce is a must, whether it's the white or red sauce. I myself prefer the white (cucumber) and feel it's the only way to go. Second, if the sauces flavor does not jump out at you then find another sauce or work on your recipe. I've had quite a few gyros that the only thing the sauce offered was a cool creamy feeling in my mouth, no actual taste. I didn't understand it. The placement and amount is very critical. The sauce should be available on every bite and never over powering. The biggest mistake I've found is having all the sauce on either the top or bottom of the gyro. What in the world are these people thinking? It's so easy to spread the sauce before you wrap the gyro up, so just do it people!

Extras include the banana peppers found so far only at Fedoras. These peppers are so good and I wish everyone would try them at least once. If taken in smaller bites they aren't over powering and offer up a great sweetness to the package. They need to be sliced up in smaller bites and spread throughout for the best effect. I also like to add hot sauce to my gyros, but that's just me. The last is a house dressing type sauce that is so far only at Fedoras. This is good stuff, but be careful because if you get the gyro to go as I do often there, the sauce can soften up the pita too much. This should be applied on top of the gyro to soak down through the meat.



Here's what I got so far in the order of digestion:

Fedoras (Chillicothe and Peoria IL): THE GYRO that started it all. First off, I always get the deluxe which as extra meat, tomatoes, banana peppers, onions, and the cucumber sauce on the side. At $5 1/2 (not sure the actual price but this is close) it's a bargain! The size is the first thing that grabs you, it's huge, enough meat to make an entire 2nd gyro. In fact Carrie and her Mom get the deluxe with an extra pita and share it, and usually never finish their halves. Ok, lets break it down now. Fedoras' pita is just right, easy enough. The meat is tender and good, pretty much on par with everyone else. The chunks of tomatoes are great, the onions are good but sometimes a little to long and stringy, the sauce on the side is wonderful and probably the best so far. They do use both banana peppers and their house dressing which add some fabulous flavor. Overall this is the best gyro I've had mainly due to the size and bargain it is. Perfect, not exactly, but what is perfect anyways?

Yannis Greek Cafe (Salt Lake City): So upon arriving to SLC I was thinking about trying to find a gyro place so I jumped online and started a search which led me to Yannis. "The best gyro in SLC" many people said. I was excited to say the least. What a bummer!!!! The gyro was over $5, and about the size of a taco, like a Taco Bell taco at that. The pita and meat were good, but the sauce was boring and smothered on top like I hate. I left hungry and majorly disappointed never returning again.

Crown Burger (Salt Lake City): Directly after Yannis and went to C.B. planning on having a burger, but when I saw they had a gyro on the menu I immediately decided I better have one. I was rather impressed with C.B. since they don't specialize in Greek food. The downfalls where similar to Yannis though, first and foremost being too small. The meat and pita were good, toppings ok, but just not worth the money for this little guy.

Mad Greek (Salt Lake City): I saw their commercial on TV and went looking for them! Once again pretty typical SLC gyro, not all that big but good. Their sauce was on the bottom of the gyro so the top half didn't get any. Why would they do this? Price was sub $5, but still not near the top of my list.

Greek City Grill (Salt Lake City): I just happened to stumble on this new joint, only 2 months old at the time of my visit. Owned by actual Italians their gyro was the best of SLC, but still fell short of Fedoras. The size was the main difference from their competitors along with a decent price for the added size. The pita had some strange salt size crumbles on it that stuck to my hands, kinda annoying. It felt more dry and hotter than others too. I like my pita soft and just warm.

Greek Soulvakia 1 (Salt Lake City): One of the originals in SLC I was really excited about this visit. The place was packed so I new it had to be good. Again, this gyro could be lumped in with all the others, except for Greek City Grill because of the size. Once again I left hungry because the gyro was just too small. The taste of the meat was good, but they put sliced tomatoes on top along with all the sauce. Not a good combination for me. Disappointing.

Apparently SLC does not know what a GOOD gyro is???

...to be continued

Moving on out of SLC

Well, my time in SLC has come to an end. I'm now in Colorado, getting ready to see my brother and his family on their vacation. Internet access may be limited to libraries, but now I have my new laptop to rely on!!!! Yeah, finally my own laptop. I got a Sony FW, it's pretty sweet. I built it up online at Sony with a P8700 2.53GHz processor, 320GB HD, 1GB graphics card, Blu-Ray player, full 1080p screen and all the little bells and whistles. I'm actually at a library right now in Denver typing this up. So anyways, not sure how often I'll be able to write in the blog, but I'll try and keep it updated as much as possible.
So last week Carrie (my GF) came out to visit me in SLC. She has never been IN the mountains before, so that was a good experience for her. We camped one night and were planning to camp again the next night but some rain kept that from happening. We went to the zoo, saw Transformers and Public Enemies, saw two moose (not at the zoo either), saw the fireworks on both the 3rd and the 4th, stayed at some nice hotels (and cheap since it's the off season out here), and ate some great food. I don't think I can sum up how wonderful it was being with her again and it only makes me more anxious for our next time together. Love you honey!
So what's in store for me now? Well, the next couple days I'll be up near where my bro's family is staying near Rocky Mountain National Park exploring for fun things that he and his kids can do. I'm really worried about the altitude keeping them from doing much in the way of hiking since it's going to be 8,500ft and higher. I'll look for some rather easy going trails they can hike, and maybe some nice mountain lakes and streams we can do some fishing in. After they leave, well, I don't really know what I'll be doing. I guess I need to figure that out.
I'm going to start contacting hunting outfitters looking for some freebie work in Sept once season starts. I have this strong desire to be a part of something hunting related, so hopefully there is someone out there that will need some help and put me to work. We'll see.