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Autumn 2013

Livin’ It & Lovin’ It Around o ic x e M w e N , e u q r e u q u Alb

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Duke City Fit

Autumn 2013

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Duke City Fit

Publisher A Left Turn in Alamosa

Ken Orth

Life is a series of choices. I think, at its very base, that’s what it is.

Some choices we make… I believe I’ll wear the Hawaiian shirt tonight.

Some are made for us… Honey, you look much better in the green shirt.

Some are forced upon us… Look, if you wear that Hawaiian shirt one more time, I am leaving you. It’s me, or that shirt.

Some are made by the failure to make a choice… Here, we’re late, put on this pink one and let’s get going.

In the end, the roadmap of recent decisions we’ve faced looks rather like a big ol’ gnarly tree in the winter, with no leaves. An untended mulberry tree, perhaps, overgrown with a thousand intertwining branches.

Up near the top of that tree, I imagine a bright yellow tennis ball jammed onto one of the branches, way up there in the sky. You can barely see it through the maze of limbs.

That tennis ball marks the spot where you currently are in life. “You Are Here.”

You got to that spot by traveling up the trunk (getting up this morning?), taking a hard right on that first big limb (deciding not to shave today), and then up that crooked one when you opted to make your own coffee rather than hitting the Flying Star on the corner. And so on, and so on, and so forth. Making twists and turns until… voila, you ended up where you are now. Right at that bright yellow tennis ball.

You are here.

You could have ended up over there. Looks like the “let’s shave this morning” branch down there at the bottom goes that way. Or you could be way over there. Or even, possibly, on this branch right next to you, almost touching you, but you would have gotten there by a completely different route.

When you look out from your tennis ball spot, you can see all of the many, many branches… all of the choices that you might have made… all of the many things that might have been. That could have been. But were not.

You are here.

The thing is, though… the branching choices of your life don’t end there, at that tennis ball, like they do on that tree. They keep on going. Another tree springs forth from that very spot. And another after that. And another. Endlessly. Until you’ve wandered so far, going this way and that along the meandering branches, that you may not be able to see, or even imagine, the places where you might have gone. If only you had gone to the Flying Star back in 2003 you would have stumbled onto your old girlfriend there. Or that morning back in ‘98 when you turned down that job offer. That was a big branch there.

Your past, then, is a veritable forest of branching possibilities. Tree upon tree. And amongst all of that, you find yourself here, on this yellow tennis ball.

For me, on a certain day in July, that tennis ball found me in the heights of a tall Colorado aspen tree, nearly touching the cloudy sky. The ball is marked “The Alleys of Austin”. And I wonder how in the heck I got to this lofty place…

The first big branch, I think, was in getting out of Albuquerque so late on a Saturday afternoon. I knew I wanted to camp somewhere along my way northward that night, and I also knew that most of the campgrounds were likely to be full. They were. All of them. And I wasted way too much of my dusk time cruising through them, searching for an available spot that didn’t exist. So, I ended up erecting my tent after dark, by the light of my headlights, somewhere off of a rutted, gravel, forest service road up on the Taos Plateau. This, as a thunderstorm bore down upon me, dark and mean, its rolling thunder and strobing lightning threatening to crack open the very universe.

I crawled into my little tent just as it all broke loose around me. Raindrops smacked the tent with a ferocity that made me feel like I was on the inside of a snare drum. I tried not to ruin what little mojo I had by even thinking about hail… golf ball size hail… don’t even think about it.

I slept somehow, in my clothes. I guess I was thinking that I might have to suddenly bail out of the tent in the middle of the night, for one reason or another. Hail, flooding, bears… you got me.

But sleep, I did. Until I awoke with a jerk in the middle of the pitch black night to a new sound. It was no longer the drumming of rain. Now I heard the yipping and yowling of a pack of coyotes in the near distance. A BIG pack of coyotes. A lot of coyotes. And their yowling grew nearer. And nearer. Until… damn… they were coming through the very clearing in which I had hastily pitched my little tent. Like a noisy river, they streamed through… around and past my tent like a rock in that river, all the while with that whining, yapping caucophany of coyote noises moving and changing around me. This is true stereo sound, I thought, as I was briefly immersed in it. Quadraphonic, even. Coyote surround sound.

And it was gone. Just like that. They were gone. Yapping their way into the twisted stunted junipers of the forest and the puddled remnants of the recent storm. They were happy, it seemed, to be alive and free. And they were singing about it with wild abandon.

I’ll leave you to imagine the range of emotions I went through in those few moments, in my little blue tent, in a lost and lonely place in the Carson National Forest up on the Taos Plateau. Bewilderment, fear, angst, isolation, wonderment, exhilaration. Pure, unadulterated joy. I think, I too, was happy to be alive.

It did occur to me, as I drifted off back to sleep, that maybe it was a good thing I’d not found a campsite back down there by the Rio Grande amongst the RVs and the pop-ups and the vacationing Texans. I’d have missed the show, for sure. That was a weird branch of the tree. A strange decision made for me.

A similar thought slipped through my somewhat clouded mind the next morning in a parking lot in Alamosa. A Sunday morning. The question had to do with an impending show… Could I? Should I? Afford to miss this show?

The parking lot was, I had thought, simply for a Visitor Center. So the sign said. A Visitor Center with a current map of Colorful Colorado. A road map with its host of new ideas about where I might go on this glorious, freshly-washed day in the Rocky Mountains.

It was a Visitor Center, and they did have a map. But it was also a railroad station. With an old-timelooking train pulled up at the platform, hissing and clanking and making all kinds of old-time-trainy sounds.

And, strangest of all, the station was literally crawling with cowboys. Cowboys. I knew this from their cowboy hats and their boots and their jeans. And they were there with their cowboy families… their wives and their kids with their own little cowboy hats. And they were all standing around waiting to board the train. On a Sunday morning in Alamosa. What the hell?

“It’s a concert train,” the oh-too-cheerful visitor center lady told me. They’re taking the train up to LaVeta Pass where there’s an outdoor concert in one of the prettiest places you’ll ever see. Then they’re bringing the train back down here to Alamosa. Back by about 6:30 tonight. The train is leaving any minute now. But you probably still have time to get a ticket.If you hurry.

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Duke City Fit “Who is performing up there?” I asked her, knowing full well that it had to be country music.

All these cowboys weren’t headed up to see Blue Oyster Cult. Not that I have anything against country. Or cowboys, for that matter. It’s just not really my cup of tea, except for some of the oldtimers, like Willie Nelson.

“It’s not Willie Nelson is it? I added.

“No, it’s Michael Martin Murphey. He’s pretty popular around here. Have you heard of him?”

She looked at me, in the wrinkled clothes I was wearing that looked like I’d slept in ‘em, and my sandals, the implication in her eyes and in her heart of hearts that I didn’t know squat about country music, now did I? Michael Martin Murphey.

“Yah,” I said quietly, “I know who he is.”

Standing there, looking at her, my eyes glazed over and my mind went tumbling…

It was long ago and far away. Back down a thousand twisting branches in my younger days.

It was in a trailer house in the boonies of northern Iowa. One of my roommates brought home a new album he’d just gotten. It was a Michael Murphey album. Cosmic Cowboy. I can still clearly see the album cover in my minds eye, and him walking in through that cheap trailer door as it slammed shut behind him. He showed the cover to us as he put the vinyl on the turntable.

The album was obviously country. But this was the heyday of the hippy psychedelic psychosis.

We were longhairs. Our Pioneer turntable was normally scratching out the likes of The Who, the Grateful Dead, and the Moody Blues.

Country? Whatchoo talkin bout?

But, it did claim to be “cosmic” at least. And it turned out it was. At least some of it was. I liked it. We probably wore out a cartridge needle on that album alone that summer. It was the very first “country” that I ever liked. It was way before I’d ever even heard of Willie and Waylon and the boys. A couple of the songs made deep and lasting impressions on my young tumultuous soul. When my trailer-mates and I moved on, I bought my own copy. That’s a picture of it over there.

Many branching paths and years later, when I found myself in New Mexico with a young family, Michael Murphey reared his cosmic cowboy head once again...

When my two boys were little I used to always sing them to sleep. Most nights. I had a select little repertoire of sleepy-time songs. Meaningful songs.

Quiet songs, like “The City of New Orleans” and “Hobo’s Lullaby” and “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo”.

Not so strangely, I guess, one of the old Michael Murphey songs worked its way into the rotation.

“The Alleys of Austin” was a sweet, soft song with some beautiful images and a gently fading ending that would never fail to put the youngsters to sleep.

I must have sung that song a hundred times or more over the years, quietly acapella in a darkened room with naught for accompaniment but the soft, heavy breathing of a couple tired little cowboys as they dozed off.

“The clouds are like the feathers of sparrows… a thousand different colors of gray…”

As the years went by, the boys moved out of the bunkbed into separate rooms and they no longer demanded (or allowed) me to sing for them anymore. Somewhere along in those growing years, our family managed to actually see Michael Murphey in concert a couple of times. One time he rode a dancing white horse into the New Mexico State Fair rodeo grounds while singing “Wildfire”.

The problem for me, and maybe for my boys, though they didn’t know it, was that Murphey no longer sang those old cosmic songs. The ones that

I loved. It seemed to me, rightly or wrongly, that he had gone full-bore “country”, away from his cosmic roots. It was rhinestone cowboy stuff. On a dancing white stallion. I felt a little betrayed, and saddened when I came to know that I’d probably never hear him sing those old, sweet songs.

So it goes.

“Yah, “ I said to the smiling visitor-center lady, “I know of Michael Martin Murphey.”

Perhaps she noticed the hint of sadness in my voice. Or in my eyes.

I walked down and talked to the ticket agent anyway. As it turned out, they were all out of general excursion tickets for today’s trip. All they had left were First Class seats. Up in the domed vista car. Surprisingly, they weren’t all that expensive, but the bump in price kinda sealed the deal and I walked back out to my car, ticketless.

The show would go on without me this day. I was going to take the branch to the left. Northward.

Out in the parking lot, a Colorful Colorado Map dangling from my hand, I looked up at the dark clouds forming above the mountains where the train would go and I tried to reason with myself about my decision. It’s going to rain up there anyway, I told myself.

“Looks like it’s gonna rain,” some stranger said to me there in the lot as he opened his trunk and pulled out a couple of guitars.

“But that doesn’t matter much. The stage is covered and it’ll just make for that much better of a show. And it is the City of New Orleans after all,” he said, pointing at the train, still huffing and clanking by the station.

Say what? Then I noticed that the train cars had “Illinois Central” emblazoned on them, just above the windows. I gawked, unbelieving, and quietly sang the opening line from the old nighttime song… “Riding on the City of New Orleans.

Illinois Central, Monday morning rail…”

“Yep, that’s it, you got it,” he said. “We’ll probably sing that one in the jam session in the club car on the way back down.” And he disappeared with his lady friend and their guitars into the train station.

“Well, son of a gun,” I said to myself, “It’s The City of New Orleans”.

And I stood there by my car, watching them and the the train and the clouds and the cowboys… and the branches of the tree spun out of control before my very eyes. Could I really skip this event?

“Hey!” a lady shouted at me as she hustled toward me across the parking lot. “You’re going to need this.” It was the ever-smiling lady from the visitor center.

“I see that you’re in a little car and you don’t have much stuff so you probably don’t have a chair along with you. And you need a chair so you can sit up close. So I want you to borrow my chair, if you’d like. I just got it and it’s never been sat in but you are welcome to take it up there with you if you want and you can just leave it here in the station when you get back down cuz I won’t be here then.”

And she smiled at me and held out the chair in the bag and… and… well... what could I do? I ask you, what could I do?

TO BE CONTINUED This story is very nearly all true. And it is very likely to be continued. Possibly, in this very issue of the paper.

But, I’d suggest you don’t go looking for it.

Even as I didn’t go looking for it. Rather, let it percolate for a bit as we get a sneak peek at some of the other branches available in our lives.

Duke City Fit Editor: Ken Orth

Copy Editor: P Joan Orth, RN

Editor@dukecityfit.com (505) 291-0070

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Autumn 2013

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Duke City Fit The

Slacker’s Guide to

Bike Commuting Joe Beman

I

t’s probably happened to you: You’re standing next to your car at the local Pump-N-Munch, filling your tank with gas and your nostrils with fumes as you helplessly watch the digits scroll too rapidly to read as the cost of the odorous transaction skyrockets. You shake your head ruefully, cuss Opec and the oil companies and swear to yourself that you’re going to change how you get from point A to point B. “I’ll ride the bus.” “I’ll walk more.” “I’ll start riding my bike to work!” you declare to yourself. By the time you get to your destination,however, reality creeps back in. Walking? That’s out of the question as things are pretty spread out in Albuquerque, and not even Kaine, from the TV show Kung Fu, who walks the earth for a living has that much time. Taking the bus may work, but what if there isn’t a bus route that goes past your home or your destination?

That leaves commuting by bike. “That’s doable” you say. And by now, you have heard all the self-righteous piety of the socially conscious as they tell you how leaving your car at home and riding your bike will “save the planet” by reducing green house gas, and how it will make America stronger by reducing our dependency on foreign oil, get you in shape . . . blah blah blah. You’ve heard it time and time again, ad nauseum. But maybe you’re like me, though, and you care about that stuff, but only if it’s not too much of a hassle. And what a hassle it will surely be, having to schlep your lunch, change of clothes, keys, cell phone and maybe even a laptop! And what if it rains or if there is an emergency and you’re stuck there at work and need to get somewhere fast?

Suddenly, it’s more than just a quick ride to work.

Well, my friends, I’m here to tell you that commuting by bicycle is NOT that much of a hassle. In fact, it’s quite easy and enjoyable. Take it from me, a guy who cherishes his remote control, that starting the day outside and in the shadow of the Sandia Mountains and getting to work on your own power can be more enjoyable than driving. Throughout this article, I will explain (without any preaching, except maybe for safety) how you can effectively deal with the concerns listed above and make your commute to and from work the most enjoyable part of the day. Because yes, my fellow beer drinkers and TV watchers, bike commuting is for slackers too!

Choosing your ride and getting it ready I’ll bet many of you have bikes that sit in the garage as you drive to work and that you ride for exercise, fun, relaxation and stress relief when you get home. How much sense does that make when you can accomplish all those things getting to work and back?

If you already have a bike that you’re comfortable with, then ride that, especially if your goal is to save money. If you have a road bike, you’ll want to get beefier tires and take steps to prevent flats, which I’ll get to later. Conversely, if you have a mountain bike, you’ll want to equip your steed with tires that give less rolling resistance on pavement. For that purpose, most bike shops carry “road slicks” for mountain bikes, which will make your ride much easier than on the knobbies.

If you don’t yet have a bike, bike shops have been answering the call for cheap transportation since gas prices have gotten ridiculous. They now offer an array of inexpensive and comfortable commuter bikes. I’m confident that with a little shopping around, you will find the perfect ride to work. My personal favorite is a style of bike called a cyclocross bike. Cyclocross is a type of racing that takes place mostly off road.The bikes they use are modified road style bikes with slightly bigger and knobbier tires. That fills the bill for both speed and durability.

No matter how rugged your bike, flat tires are always a concern. With some simple preventive measures, you can drastically reduce the chances of ever having to wrestle your way through a tube change. Purchase self-sealing or puncture-resistant inner tubes along with tire liners that form a thorn proof barrier between your tire and inner tube. If you take these two simple steps, a flat tire will be rare. Also, making these modifications in your garage prior to your rides will give you some practice changing out a tube in the unlikely event that it may become necessary. The folks at your favorite bike shop will gladly help set you up.

Hauling your stuff So, what about carrying all that stuff you need to work? Basically, there are two ways to do that: load the bike or load the rider. Most bikes have what are called “braze-ons”, which are threaded holes in the frame designed to mount racks on which you can mount panniers (bike mounted bags). There are also handle bar mounted bags and even bags that attach to your seat post. Local bike shops have bags, but an even greater variety can be found on line at nashbar. com and performancebike.com.

Loading yourself down is a simpler and less costly way to carry your haul. Many commuters just load up a backpack and head to work. This works fine and can save money if you already own a backpack. I prefer to use what is called a messenger bag. Made popular by bike messengers in San Francisco, messenger bags are designed specifically for cyclists who want to carry a payload and have easy access to the bag’s contents. They sling over the shoulder and are held stable by a cross strap and have built-in carrying features like cell phone holders, key lanyards, and a myriad of pockets and compartments. Nashbar and Performance carry a wide assortment of messenger

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bags, as do many bike shops. My favorite is the Timbuk2 Classic Medium (Timbuk2.com).

If you wear a suit on the job, a company called Two Wheel Gear has you covered. They have a pannier specifically designed for carrying your suit clothes and doing so without causing wrinkles: www.twowheelgear.com. I would also recommend checking with your local bike shops. They often have exactly what you need and are usually very helpful.

The route The first thing you need to do is eliminate the notion that you will ride in the same way you drive. Albuquerque has an incredibly extensive and connective network of trails and bike lanes.

Chances are, there is a way for you to get to work in which you can utilize this generous network.

Each year, the city prints out large color coded maps presenting all of the bike routes. You can access an interactive version of this map, or have one mailed to you, by going online to www. cabq.gov/bike. Bike shops provide these maps for free! With the help of the map, you can find a safe road with a bike lane, or a separate bike path that parallels your route. If you’re lucky, you can find a route on off-road trails on which you rarely have to ride on the same surface as automobiles.

Staying Dry I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about packing rain gear in case it rains.You can research on your own all of the shapes and sizes of packable rain gear in case you get caught in a gully washer. With a little forethought, however, you can prevent having to stop in the middle of your commute to don the slicker. One such measure, is to survey your route while riding on a nice day, and look for and note places to duck into at the onset of a deluge. Look for public places with awnings, overhangs and covered walkways. Try to find one such place on each block and you’ll always have a plan when the skies open up. My favorite is churches with covered walkways.

Other ideas are gas stations, businesses with covered entries. A thick shade tree will do in a pinch as well. Whatever works for you, mentally noting these places and their locations on a nice day will save you trouble later if you get surprised by some weather.

You WON’T get stranded!

You’re lucky. You live in one of the best cities in the country for bike commuting. The City of Albuquerque wants you to ride your bike to work and has provided services to make it easy.

My favorite such service is the Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program. The GRH ensures that if there is an emergency or unexpected situation where you need to get somewhere immediately, you can call and have a shuttle van pick you up and get you where you need to go. For details on this program and to register, go to the city’s GRH website: www.cabq.gov/transit/services.

In addition to the GRH, the City’s transit and bike commuting web pages are full of tips to make your commute safe and successful, as well as a long list of services just for you. And remember, all the city buses have bike racks, so it’s easy enough to schlep your bike on the bus and have them carry you both up that long, long hill. For a buck. What a deal.

My rap on safety First and foremost, your safety is ultimately YOUR responsibility! There are laws put in place to protect you. There are also laws in place for you to follow to keep you off the sidewalks etc. It is recommended that you know these laws. But it’s you that must make the final decisions that keeps you upright and alive no matter what the laws state.

Aside from picking a safe route, other things you can do to stay safe involve additions to you and your bike. You should wear an ANSI approved helmet, add some flashing lights to your frame and wear brightly colored and reflective clothes. But the most important piece of safety equipment you will possess lies underneath your ANSI approved helmet. That’s your brain, of course. You need to be vigilant and alert at all times and try to foresee dangerous situations before they develop. For example, when a car pulls to a stop sign or light from a side street, make sure he/she looks directly at you before you feel safe to continue through the intersection or he/ she may decide to proceed into you. Also, watch for cars pulling out of driveways, try to make eye contact. I could go on with several examples, but the main point is: stay vigilant, stay alert, notice your surroundings.

The City’s bike commuting pages mentioned above also have safety tips.

Do it your way Finally, try to make things easy and fun. There is no need to be fanatical right off the bat. I recommend that you start off by riding one day a week and then increase each week. If you’re hesitant to ride in the rain and they are calling for nasty weather all day, drive your car that day!

You’re no more virtuous if you don’t enjoy it. Do it your way, it’s your commute. Aside from being economical, good for the earth and great exercise, bike commuting can be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day if you just let it.

Happy commuting.

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311 768-2680 857-8025 857-8650 768-2453 452-5200 243-RIDE

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Autumn 2013

9

Duke City Fit

Backpack the Raggeds KenOrth

Why Gunnison?

This time, it wasn’t my wife asking the question as we threw our limited amount of stuff into the little convertible and prepared to head north toward the Rockies. She has learned, or acquiesced, over the years to simply go with my wild-eyed ideas.

Perhaps, better than I have.

It was me who was asking the question. Of myself. Little doubts creep in now and again. Little wonderings, really.

I usually keep them to myself. In fact, I try to flush them out of my aging grey matter as quickly as they show up so as not to impact my mojo. The decision has been made, impulsive or not, and we’re going with it.

This idea… Gunnison… was actually born out of a trip we’d made up there a couple years ago for my son’s hockey. In the dead of winter, of course. The truth was, though, that I liked it.

I liked it a lot. I liked the people and I liked the town and I liked the scenic beauty of a part of the Rockies that I knew not at all.

Since then, Gunnison had lingered in the back of my mind somewhere like a little itch.

We were finally scratching it.

Which thought vaguely reminded me of my dear old mother’s perpetual sage advice… “Don’t scratch it, you’ll make it worse.”

Second thoughts, indeed.

The drive from Albuquerque to Gunnison is about 6 hours, if you drive it straight through. Unfortunately, I can’t drive straight through to anywhere. Certainly not in a convertible in the summertime in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Heck, I can’t even make it straight through to the west side.

But be that as it may, we did finally get our sun-soaked, windblasted buns up into the Gunnison River valley. Auspiciously enough, our arrival happened to coincide with a televised sporting event that I absolutely needed to watch. (If you really need to know, it was the Stanley Cup finals.) This, of course, forced us to seek out a satisfactory Gunnison brew pub and subsequently immerse ourselves in the mayhem and debauchery that occurs within the walls of such places. Also, I thought we might just be able to get some pointers from some of the local patrons as to where we might go and what we might do in the general vicinity of Gunnison.

It worked perfectly. The right team won and we emerged 3 hours later with more tips than we could possibly use… including one map drawn on a cocktail napkin. From hiking to mountain biking to riding the river, the world appeared to be our oyster. And a beautiful oyster at that.

There are no less than five National Forest Wilderness Areas within striking distance of Gunnison. I have always preferred wilderness areas… the fact that they preclude mechanized travel contributes mightily to their secluded nature. There is nothing worse, I think, than to spend a few hours hoofing it back into the boonies only to be interrupted in your isolated reverence by the roaring sound of a few ATVs coming around the bend. No thanks. That won’t be happening in a wilderness area, and if only for that alone they are worth the price of admission. Which price, now that you mention it, is absolutely nothing, dollarwise, except for the cost of getting yourself and your stuff to it. And the physical labor of toting it in.

After some wanderings, musings, and wonderfully friendly chats, we settled upon an area and a trail for a backpacking adventure. Into the Rocky Mountains! Ominously enough, the trail was named after and went deep into “Dark Canyon.” It was in the Raggeds Wilderness.

Raggeds? Dark Canyon? Cool.

(Remember to flush any of those doubting second thoughts before they have a chance to fester.)

Now I consider myself fairly knowledgable about the not-sogentle art of backpacking, but this, I realized, would take a little extra bit of planning. This is a wilderness area in the Rockies. This ain’t just a stroll through the bosque. This is bear country. This is a place where cell service does not penetrate. Just like in my old pilot days, I have a checklist. Good thing, too, because I would have missed the coil of rope that had fallen down into one of the wheel wells.

(Normally, when camping, the rope’s main purpose is as a clothesline, and that would not have been a big deal to have done without. But in serious bear country, the food has got to

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be hauled up a tree in the evenings. For that, a rope is required.)

The Dark Canyon trail, at least at its western end, follows along a waterway called Anthracite Creek.

The canyon is not dark, and the creek is actually a river. A tumbling, raucous mountain river. A river that sings. A river that makes you want to get your head wet and sing along with it. What could I do? I did and I did.

My excuse for the singing was the old adage that when you are hiking in bear country you are supposed to make noise so that you don’t accidentally bump into and startle an inattentive bear. My wife saw right through the ruse, and put up with my singing anyway. Bless her heart. In my own defense, I will say that the darn river made so much noise that it was difficult for even me to hear my own voice above its churning din.

When we’d headed out on our wilderness trek, I had noticed two cars in the parking lot. I was a little bummed. I know two cars isn’t many. But it ain’t zero. We would evidently be sharing this 65-thousand acre wilderness with more than just the bears and the elks.

However, we immediately caught up with and passed a couple fishermen who were obviously in for only a few hours.

That accounted for one car. My spirits went up. And about an hour later when we passed a couple coming out… well, they must have thought I was a little goofy the way I was smiling so big. The other car was accounted for.

That’s it. We’re on our own. Hallelujah!

There is a strange mix of emotions that plays upon the mind of a backpacker. It is different from a day hiker. For one thing, it is a lot more work. It adds the dimensions of labor to the endeavor. More than once, on a particularly steep uphill through a rocky scree, I found myself muttering, “Are we having fun yet?”

That same work, however, adds a sublime sense of accomplishment. And commitment. We’re not just taking a peek at this wilderness and then scurrying back to the safety of civilization. We’re moving in for a while. We’re taking the guest room. We’re here for the moonrise and the Milky Way and the fluttering bats at dusk.

There is, also, a slight touch of fear to the whole thing. A touch that grows with every step. With every step away… from the safety of numbers, the known, the cell phone and the relatives and the bathroom with its conveniences and its medicine cabinet. We’ll not have any of those. Not tonight.

Above that little tingling of fear, though, there is a joy in knowing that you don’t need any of that stuff. You don’t want it. There is a growing sense of self-reliance that has heretofore gone unrecognized, unnoticed, untapped, unknown.We can do more than “get by” without that stuff… we can thrive. We can excel. We can immerse ourselves in the wonders of this pristine place as completely as we are able. We are not just visiting, we are going to bed with it.

And speaking of bed, all hyperbole aside, there is one thing I know about camping… especially backpack camping… and it is this: “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” And if mama ain’t warm at night, mama ain’t happy.

So, mama has a sleeping bag befitting of a trek up Mt Everest. It is rated to 20 below. It even has a flannel interior liner. No slick, cool nylon for this girl, unh-unh.

And it’s a good thing, too, because it got down to near freezing on that first night. She didn’t even notice. Not when it got cold and not when I had to dig into my clothes to find my long johns in the middle of the night. The long johns that I had lackadaisically failed to don back at bedtime. She knew better. Or at least she wasn’t willing to take the chance.

I corrected my sleep-time attire on subsequent nights.

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Duke City Fit About the wilderness, the trail, the campsite… what I can say... what I must say… is that all of it far exceeded my wildest expectations. And those expectations were rather high to begin with.

The trail ascended and descended along a wide variety of terrains. Through dense forests of conifers here and aspens there. Through rocky, jagged screes, desert-like and dangerous with prickly pears and yuccas. Through thick undergrowths of wild rose and blackberry bushes that clung and tore at our legs and threatened to overrun the meager trail that was somewhere down there beneath it all.

And all along, ever present, the jagged, stark, rugged cliffs of the mountains hung above and around us. In front of us and behind us. They were a never-ending reminder that we were not in Kansas anymore. They were big and mean and said in no uncertain terms, “You are in my house now.” The name “Raggeds” suited them to a “t”.

But also all along, and never far away, and certainly never out of hearing range, was the river.

The noisy river. Anthracite Creek. It tumbled, always. It didn’t babble or gurgle. It got down and got funky. It sang rock and roll in the shower. It was a river that was going for every bit of life that it could, and meant to have it.

Sometimes it was way down there, in a precipitous canyon that had been cracked out of the earth. We stared down into it with awe and wonder. Other times, it tore at the rocks beneath our very feet… working… ever working… to move them. As it had moved everything else that dared stand in its way. Cold and clear and indescribably alive, it was the cunning mistress to the Raggeds mountainous master. They toyed with each other. I looked at them and I was never sure which was really in charge. River or rock.

As for our campsite, I daresay it was among the finest I have had the pleasure to experience.

Strangely enough, though, it didn’t seem to be all that at first glance. Or even second glance.

But it grew on us. It was as if the wilderness had opened up for us... not the fancy guest room, but the quirky room in the back. The one that takes a little time to appreciate.

We were forced to put up our tent in an open meadow which would not have been my optimal choice. But it turned out that it provided unbelievable views of the stars and the Milky Way and the erratically flying bats. And the early morning sun that blasted us and said get up and get moving, time’s a wasting.

The river had a wonderful rocky beach where we actually built “beach chairs” out of small boulders. It’s amazing how important a little thing like a back on a chair can actually be.

The river split into two right before our campsite, forming a small island that was literally covered with butterflies in the late morning. Dozens and dozens of them. We began referring to it as “butterfly island” .

It was a dreamy, wondrous place that seemed to want us to sit back and relax and let it present its wonders to us in its own due time. We needed but to keep our eyes and ears open.

And our hearts. Most especially, our hearts.

The Raggeds, and the creek, and the butterflies and the bats and the rocks and the stars… they opened up for us. They let us into their home. For a few magical days. And they taught us just a little bit of their melody. Of the melody to their wilderness song.

The Raggeds Wilderness is located just north and west of Crested Butte, CO. Access to both ends of the Dark Canyon Trail into the Raggeds is off of Highway 12, the Kebler Pass Road. The eastern end of the trail, near Horse Ranch Park, is NOT the trailhead we used. The western trailhead, out of Anthracite Creek Campground, is the one. It runs alongside the creek for 6 miles or so. And even then, a secondary trail runs along The North Fork of the creek for a good ways further. Some nice isolated campsites can be found back there.

Autumn 2013

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Duke City Fit

So, What Do I Do If I’m Coughing?

(Besides Cough, That Is) Dr Elaine Adams, DC How many times have we sent our spouse or our mommy to the corner drug store to pick up the cough medicine we need so that we can sleep? I know I have done it a number of times. (I’ve sent my mommy and my husband, just in case one of them forgot.)

Current research is suggesting that those were wasted trips. Over the counter cough and cold medicines may have little or no effect on our cough, but it may have an effect on our immune systems. The research suggests that some brands may have a little effect, but the conclusion of the FDA’s researchers was that there is no good evidence for or against their use. In reviewing 25 studies Science Daily (Jan.23, 2008) was concerned that six of the nine studies supported by the drug industry had positive results for the medications. However, out of the 16 studies that had no conflicts of interest, only three showed positive results.

Once again we have to question the science and wonder where we get the real answers.

In August 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration advised parents not to give cough and cold remedies to children under 2 and a panel of federal health advisors later said that children under 6 should not receive the medications either. This research also questioned whether or not you even want to cure a cough.

There is a common misconception that a runny nose, a cough or a low-grade fever is a cause for alarm and you should take medication to get rid of it. Actually, coughing and sneezing are tools that your body uses to get rid of viruses and other airborne irritants.

Fever helps to kill bacteria and viruses that have invaded your body. Fever is probably the thing that is most frightening to parents and yet it is our body functioning to fight off an illness on its own. There are many parents who are so afraid of fever that if their child’s

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fever rises to 100 or 101 degrees F, they give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen. This might well be a case where the cure is worse than the illness. Read up just a little on these two medications and you will toss them out of your medicine cabinet. Every precaution that you read about ibuprofen talks about GI bleeding and perforations of the gut. In healthy adults, 800 mg 3 times per day of ibuprofen can create serious GI bleeding in as little as three days. Acetaminophen is liver toxic when taken in high doses on a regular basis.

Worse yet, there are parents who give their child an aspirin at the first sign of fever, which sets the child up for the life threatening Reyes Disease. Reyes disease is a disease primarily involving children, but it can affect any age group. It affects all organs of the body but is most harmful to the brain and the liver. It causes an acute increase in the pressure in the brain and often a massive accumulation of fat in the liver and in other organs. Reyes disease is considered a two phase illness because it generally occurs in conjunction with a previous viral infection, such as the flu or a cold or even the chicken pox. The disorder commonly occurs during recovery from a viral infection, although it can also develop 3 to 5 days after the onset of the viral illness.

Reyes is often misdiagnosed as encephalitis, meningitis, diabetes, drug overdose, poisoning, sudden infant death syndrome or psychiatric illness. Symptoms of Reyes include persistent or recurrent vomiting, listlessness, personality changes such as irritability or combativeness, disorientation or confusion, delirium, convulsions and loss of consciousness. In infants, the illness may not present in a typical fashion. Vomiting does not always occur.

There is no cure for Reyes syndrome, so prevention is the best bet.

Fever is not always the enemy of a parent. Actually, the purpose of a fever is to stimulate the immune system and to create an inhospitable environment for the invading organisms. That is, to turn up the heat high enough that the microbes cannot survive. Fever stimulates the production of more antibodies, which are the cells that attack the invaders in your body. These cells are tuned in to the exact bug that has attacked you and they function more efficiently and more specifically than any medication can. Fever produces more white blood cells, which again fight off the invader. The increase in body temperature increases interferon production, which is an immune system cell, which blocks the spread of viruses to healthy cells. Fever also promotes the walling off iron which bacteria feed on. So reducing fever helps the bugs more than it helps the kids when it is at a low level.

So if you are taking medications which stop these natural protections, you may well stopping your body’s healing process and in the long run you are extending the course of your (or your child’s) illness. In just a brief search of both the NIH and the FDA web sites, there is a plethora of information regarding the use of OTC cough and cold medications for children. Some citations even suggest that these medications should be avoided in children under the age of 14.

Underlying every cough and cold is a weakened immune system. What weakens your immune system? The same things I talk about frequently are the villains that weaken your immune system. Are you eating sugar and too many processed grains? Have you been getting out in the sun? Vitamin D is vital for your immune system. What about those fish oils? They are all over the news, but it doesn’t help if you don’t take them. How about getting some rest?

In this crazy busy world that we all live in now, even our children tend to be over-scheduled and ultra busy. Getting outside to play and then maybe early to bed without that extra hour of television might be just the prescription to avoid that cough or cold. And don’t forget to wash those hands. One of the best ways to avoid the spread of colds and flu is just washing your hands. A good emulsifying soap is best. Keep yourself and your children exercising and just these few habit changes can keep you from getting the colds or flu. Vitamin C and zinc lozenges help with the scratchy throat and also offer an immune system boost.

So, as the flu and cold season ramps up here in Albuquerque, act proactively. Remember that it’s always your body that fights off the viruses and bacteria. Help it with that fight by doing the things that build the immune system. Hang in there and help keep the Duke City fit.

Dr Elaine Adams, DC has been practicing chiropractic for 23 years. Her clinic, Lifetime Chiropractic, specializes in nutrition and stress reduction. www.lifetimechiropractic.com email: dradams@lifetimechiropractic.com

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Duke City Fit

Autumn 2013

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Duke City Fit

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Duke City Fit

Dynamic Fitness Lifestyle Nutritional Knowledge is POWER for Living Dynamically!!!

The POWER of Balanced pH Levels in Your Body for “Living Dynamically” We hear so much about inflammation these days due to the fact that all disease starts as inflammation at the cellular level… Our bodies literally live and die at the cellular level!

Drinking sufficient amounts of water (especially Kangen alkalized water with a pH of 8.5-9.5) while eating a diet consisting of sufficient amounts of fruits (including citrus), vegetables and healthy fats will help make your body alkaline.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of us that fast foods, processed and packaged foods, sodas, sports and fruit drinks, You see, there are billions of cells within our bodies that must maintain alkalinity in order for our bodies’ to maintain homeostasis. caffeinated drinks, and energy drinks are very acidic. Surprisingly, The first line of defense against inflammation is proper pH balance. many protein/meal replacement shakes are also acidic.

Disease can only grow in an acidic body, which makes inflammation favorable for the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungus, mold, viruses, and any other unwanted organisms. Everything from obesity to cancer is caused by an over-acidic body. pH is a measure of how acidic a water-based solution is. Since our bodies are mostly water (roughly 70%), pH can be used to describe how much acid is in the fluids in our bodies. pH has a profound effect on all body chemistry, health and disease. All regulatory mechanisms (including breathing, circulation, digestion and even hormonal production) serve the purpose of balancing pH, by removing caustic metabolized acid residues from body tissues without damaging living cells.

Meats/Proteins, dairy and grain products by themselves tend to make your body acidic.

This is one of the reasons why I teach my clients to eat a wellbalanced diet consisting of Lean Proteins, Complex Carbohydrates, Fibrous Carbohydrates and Healthy Fats in the proper portions and ratios to meet their bodies’ physiological needs, while also recommending drinking Kangen alkalized water (Not to be confused with alkaline water).

Emotions can also affect your bodies’ pH balance… Anxiety, depression and mood swings can cause body chemistry to be acidic.

People who are generally calm and easy going with stable emotions tend to find it easier to achieve and maintain alkalinity.

Water has a pH of 7.0, lower than 7.0 is acidic; pH levels above 7.0 are basic, or alkaline. Our bodies maintain our blood at a pH level of about 7.4. The kidneys tightly regulate this pH balance by continuously filtering the acids and bases in our blood. The kidneys excrete just the right amount of acid or base in the urine to keep the system in pH balance.

Autumn 2013

Trainer since 1981. He is a graduate of The National Academy of Sports Medicine, and is the owner of Designer Bodies Exclusive Personal Training and Nutrition Management

Visit us on the web at

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An acidic state causes a lack of oxygenation at the cellular level. When the pH level falls below 7.4, there is less than the maximum oxygen in the blood. Blood carries the maximum oxygen at pH 7.4 (alkaline). Without proper oxygenation, unfriendly bacteria, mold, and viruses will thrive.

Osteoporosis is also an acidic problem. As the body becomes more acidic, calcium is depleted. The body will then leach calcium from bones, teeth, and tissue to make up for this loss. One of the first warning signs is calcium deposits in the body, which come from the calcium in our teeth and bones and not from nutritional calcium.

has been a Personal

Center.

Certain other body fluids are highly acidic (like stomach acid) or basic (enzyme-rich fluids in the pancreas). These fluids are kept tightly walled off from the blood and body tissues, where they could cause damage if released inappropriately.

When the human body is in an acidic state, it will try to shield itself from the damaging acid by storing it in fat cells. The body then tries to prevent the acid from eating holes in tissues. When the acid level is high in the body, calcium is also depleted.

Your body will then makes fat cells in order to store unwanted acid for its own protection. This process may save your vital organs from severe damage. However, returning your body to a balanced pH level will ultimately help put you in a position to lose unwanted body fat.

Dwain Kindelberger

You can test your pH level by putting pH paper, (which you buy at your local health food store), into your mouth and wetting it with your saliva. Then you compare the color that the paper turns with the given chart. The optimal pH level is between 7.2-7.4. However if your pH is already acidic, then inflammation is occurring at some level already. So the key for optimal health is to eat correctly and exercise in an effort to keep inflammation at bay.

The information contained in this article is not meant to treat, diagnose or cure any ailments or diseases. Please consult your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program.

Until next time… Remember you should be eating to achieve your long term goals, not short term satisfaction!!!

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What Did You See This Summer?

Aspens, aspens as far as the eye can see.

A rufus attacking my hat in a tree.

Columbines violet and columbines white, And daisies so briliiant they glow in the night.

Rivers are joining, Ragged and rough A snake in the dirt, not hidden enough.

Butterflies checking out what we are reading A cascading falls, just what we are needing.

The Anthracite Creek is cold, clear, and wild It matters not what, just do it with style.

Duke City Fit

We Need to Talk About Socceras Ken Orth and Karl Thomas

It was a while back…

We were shooting the breeze, some guy and I at some party somewhere, about playing soccer back in the day. When we were young and spry. And mischievous. (Mischievous? Did I really just use that word? I’m trying to be polite, I guess.)

Anyway, as we expounded upon our soccerly exploits and accomplishments, he related a tale about a tournament his team had hosted once. In Wichita maybe it was? No matter. By way of being good hosts, prior to their games, they would fill up a bunch of paper cups with sodas and grandly take them over to the other team on trays. A cup of of caramel colored, sugary, carbonated beverage for each and every player. All in the spirit of camaraderie and generosity.

Meanwhile, he told me, back on our sideline we were drinking fruit juices. We knew, or at least we suspected that soda before a game was a bad idea. Sure, the caffeine and the sugar might give you a temporary lift, but all that extra CO2 in the system was gonna slow ‘em down eventually. No doubt about it.

He chuckled as he told the tale, “those goofs.”

I smiled and nodded along at the gullibility of some people.

And the audacity of others. It was a good story.

The whole concept ended up sticking with me, even after all these years. Not of being bad and having the chutzpah to pull off such a stunt, although the whole idea did have a certain appeal, (purely in a scientific study sort of way), but because it got me thinking about sodas and the carbonation and just what in the heck kind of impact would they have on athletic performance. Or health in general, for that matter. Inquiring minds want to know.

Well, kinda want to know. Sort of. Actually, about the only time I think about it anymore is when I’m on the soccer sideline getting ready for another game and I look over at the other team on the other side and I think about delivering a tray of sodas to ‘em. It still makes me smile.

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d o S

As it did again the other day when I met up with my long-time health guru Karl Thomas. Not on a soccer sideline, but at a cafe. Karl usually chooses the topic that we are going to discuss, no matter how far out in left field it may seem to be, and I usually get a story out of it.

This time, he told me, he had thought we would revisit the acid-alkaline levels in people’s systems and the issues it presents. But as he worked on it more and more, something became abundantly clear… there was one product in our lives that is doing more damage, possibly, than all of the other things combined. And that product is soda. Carbonated soft drinks.

Sodas are becoming a health problem of epidemic proportion. Right now, about half of all Americans will consume some soda on any given day. The average in this country is in the neighborhood of one can of soda per person per day. Among those who drink soda, that average is about two and a half glasses per day.

Do you have any idea how much sugar is in a typical can of soda? If you could crystallize it out, it would be about ten teaspoons. Ten teaspoons! Try putting ten teaspoons of sugar into a glass to get a concept of how much that is. A lot. And then start multiplying that by the number of sodas… per day, per week, per year.

The thing is, refined sugar is bad for you. Period.

Regardless of what the industry wants you to believe, it is NOT natural. And its new, cheaper counterpart… high fructose corn syrup… is probably even worse. These sugars, both highly refined, are simply not used properly by your body’s metabolism. In order to process them at all, your body has to tap into other resources. Resources that are limited and should be used for normal bodily functions.

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Duke City Fit These resources then become reduced or eliminated, and those other functions suffer.

This is where diabetes is coming from. If you graph the growth of diabetes in this country, you’ll find that it very nearly follows the graph of the growth of sodas. And the same with obesity. And asthma. We, as Americans, are beating our glands (like the pancreas and adrenals) into sugary submission like an old mule. With soda. Until that old mule can’t do its work anymore.

And don’t think for a minute that you are dodging this problem by drinking “diet” sodas.

Not so. As a matter of fact (or very strong conjecture at least), they may actually be causing more bodily harm than their sugar-laden counterparts, and that ain’t easy to do. Those artificial sweeteners carry their own baggage. They are “fake” sugar… and not only do they “fake” your taste buds into thinking something is sweet, but they’re faking out your glands and organs as well.

Insulin production, for example. From the pancreas. Whether it is refined sugar streaming into your system, or fake sugar, the pancreas uses its resources to pump out insulin. In one case, it can actually use it, and in the other it is more or less a total waste, but in both cases it is beating on that pancreatic mule. Again and again. And when that tired old mule can’t do its job properly anymore, diabetes is staring you in the face.

Diabetes and obesity are, as you may not have expected, higher among diet soda drinkers than the normal population. And in fact, it is just about the same as it is for sugared sodas. You are basically just substituting one man-made poison for another when you go “diet”. And you are not cutting out overall risks, or even weight-gain, by doing so.

But what about the carbonation?

Here is the deal. Carbonation is nothing more than an injection of CO2 into the beverage.

And, CO2 just happens to be a major waste product of our body’s normal functioning. It is a waste product. Under normal circumstances, your body’s cells take in fuel (proteins, carbs, or fats) along with oxygen and “burns” them to create energy. This is metabolism, and all of the living cells in your body are doing it to more or lesser degrees.

The byproducts of all of these “burns” are acidic wastes and carbon-dioxide. CO2. Your body is constantly creating these wastes and constantly working to get rid of them. In the case of CO2, the body carries it in the bloodstream to the lungs where it is expelled. Like dumping the trash.

Our bodies have evolved to become very good at this process. When you work hard, as in exercise or running from a saber-toothed tiger, you burn more. You need more oxygen, so you breath faster and harder. Coincidentally enough (or not), by burning more, you are also creating more CO2 waste, and the body has figured out to use the faster breathing to also get rid of the extra waste. Good idea. More oxygen in, more CO2 out. It is a finely-tuned machine.

Or it should be. Would be, if left to work the way it was designed to work. Unfortunately, it was not designed to take in a bunch of extra CO2 via the stomach. When we introduced soda to the system, we threw a wrench in the works. In this case, the wrench is excess CO2. Under normal conditions, there is more of it for the body to get rid of but no corresponding demand for more oxygen. It is like running a hose from your cars exhaust pipe right back up to the air intake. You’re bringing in stuff that you should be getting rid of. The engine, sooner or later, will malfunction. The “check engine light” will come on.

In the case of our bodies, that “check engine light” comes in the form of pains (arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis), diabetes, and high blood pressure. Service engine soon.

Now certainly, we know that it is not just carbonation, CO2, that leads to these things. But it is a contributor. A big one, these days. And when you add it to the excess of sugar (or fake sugar) and the high acidity of soda… well… you’re throwing a triple whammy at your body’s finely tuned, highly evolved engine. You’re damaging it, with every can of soda you pour in your fuel tank.

Oh, and we haven’t even touched on the caffeine that is in most sodas. That stuff kicks your adrenal glands with a steel-toed boot. Again and again. Among the things that suffer from this adrenal abuse is your immune system. Suffering from colds, flus, or allergies?… and still wolfing down sodas?

Whoops.

It boils down to this… more sodas, more problems. Pure and simple. If you are drinking sodas with any regularity at all, you probably have some bodily problems. Some health issues.

And you may even be combatting these issues with pharmaceuticals or supplements. But that is like fighting yourself. Two baby steps forward and one giant step backward. You may as well be washing that blood pressure medicine down with a can of soda, or that allergy capsule with a giant fountain drink. Wrong move.

If you are a soda drinker and you have any of the health issues we’ve discussed, your way forward should be clear. First and foremost on your list should be to eliminate sodas from your fuel intake. Just stop ‘em. They’re not all that good anyway. Switch to fruit juices, the ones without added sugar. Or just plain old water. Give it a few months and see if you don’t start feeling a marked improvement.

You will. It is that simple.

If you are a soda drinker and you are not experiencing any of these health issues yet, count your blessings. It is just a matter of time. You are either relatively young, or relatively young to regular soda consumption. It is cumulative. Keep it up and your check engine light will come on. You’ll start having more colds, flus, and allergies. You’ll probably develop a weight problem.

A weight problem that diet sodas are not going to help, just exacerbate. It is coming.

All right, that is my preaching for the day. For this issue, anyway. In “The World According to Karl and Ken”, sodas rank right up there at the top of health issues facing Americans today. If for no other reason, because they are so prevalent. So wide spread. So accepted and wellmarketed. Yet so very insidious and dangerous. So misunderstood.

“But it is sooooooo good,” my son says.

But when he was laid low for a few days with what turned out to be a sinus/ear infection, we actually chatted about this very thing. That infection, we theorized, might have had its roots in all of those sodas he’d been drinking. They create an acidic environment in your body and it is well known and documented that bacteria and viruses thrive in acidic environments. And also, your normal immune system is probably not working at its best level. Add it up… more sodas, more infections. It is that simple.

So, we’re working on the soda elimination. Or, at least a major reduction. And for our part, as his parents, and the guardians of his well-being, his mother and I have decided to stop bringing this stuff… this… dare I say, poison?… into our house. Even when it is on sale.

It is maybe one of the best things we can do for our son. And maybe, the best thing we can do for ourselves. One giant step forward.

Autumn 2013

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Duke City Fit Jason R. Karp, Ph.D.

Running Through the Menstrual Cycle The menstrual cycle, which occurs monthly from menarche (age 11-14) until menopause (age 45-50), is the defining physiological characteristic of females. The levels of estrogen and progesterone change continuously throughout the cycle as a complex interaction of positive and negative feedback mechanisms regulate the timing and amount of hormone secretion. With the large fluctuations in the concentrations of these hormones, the phase of the menstrual cycle significantly affects the female runner’s hormonal environment and therefore her physiology.

Dr. Jason Karp is a nationallyrecognized running and fitness expert, 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and owner of Run-Fit. He holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. A prolific writer, he has more than 200 articles published in international running, coaching, and fitness magazines, is the author of five books, including Running for Women and Running a Marathon For Dummies. He is a frequent speaker at international fitness and coaching conferences, and won a team silver medal at the 2013 World Maccabiah Games in Israel. For his popular training programs and autographed copies of his books, go to Run-Fit.com.

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Phases of the Menstrual Cycle The menstrual cycle is usually 28 days and is divided in half by ovulation on day 14, as the ovum is released from the ovary. The first half of the cycle is the follicular phase and the second half is the luteal phase. The exact length of the menstrual cycle can vary from woman to woman, cycle to cycle, and year to year. Changes in hormone levels can affect the length of the cycle. Teenagers tend to have low or changing progesterone levels, which can alter cycle length. Birth control pills, low body fat, weight loss, being overweight, stress, or intense exercise can also change menstrual cycle length.

Follicular Phase The follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, which begins with the onset of menses (the “period”), typically lasts 14 days (but can last 11-21 days). Following menses, which typically lasts three to five days, estrogen rises, peaking on day 14, right before ovulation. The burst of estrogen toward the end of the follicular phase causes a surge in luteinizing hormone on day 15 to initiate ovulation. During the follicular phase, progesterone level remains low.

Luteal Phase During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which always lasts 14 days, progesterone rises. Estrogen drops after ovulation before rising again toward the middle of the phase. The increase in progesterone causes body temperature to increase to prepare for the fertilization of an egg. If fertilization does not occur, both estrogen and progesterone levels decrease abruptly. The luteal phase ends with the onset of menses, and the cycle starts all over again.

When you feel bloated during your period, you can blame progesterone. The high concentration of progesterone during the luteal phase affects fluid balance, causing you to lose water and electrolytes. The rapid drop in progesterone as you transition from the luteal phase back to the follicular phase results in excess premenstrual water and electrolyte retention, causing you to feel bloated.

Physiological Effects and Performance Implications of the Menstrual Cycle While a man’s hormonal environment is pretty stable, a woman’s hormonal environment is constantly changing.

Any physiological changes resulting from menstrual cycle-induced fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone are exacerbated during exercise, especially if it’s intense.

When you go for a hard run, the concentrations of estrogen and progesterone in your blood increase during both the follicular and luteal phases. Low-intensity exercise, however, does not alter the concentrations of these hormones.

If you bleed a lot during menstruation, it’s possible that your blood’s hemoglobin concentration may decrease, which can negatively impact your ability to transport oxygen in your blood. Since iron is an important component of hemoglobin, iron loss often accompanies a lot of bleeding.

If this happens, you may need to supplement your normal diet with iron. Many female runners exhibit athletic anemia (low blood iron levels due to physical activity), especially if they lose a lot of blood during menstruation. Athletic anemia is very common among female runners, especially those training at altitude.

Body Temperature Body temperature changes rhythmically throughout the menstrual cycle, peaking during the luteal phase in response to the surge in progesterone. Progesterone acts on the brain’s hypothalamus (the temperature control center), which increases set-point temperature. A higher body temperature increases the threshold for dissipation of heat. In other words, a woman’s body must reach a higher temperature before her thermostat compensates and begins to cool itself. Not a good thing when you’re running on a hot and humid day, as you want to begin the cooling response as soon as you can. Estrogen has the opposite effect on the hypothalamus, decreasing body temperature, which explains why body temperature is lower during the estrogen-dominant follicular phase.

The increased body temperature during the luteal phase remains elevated during exercise and when exercising in the heat. A higher body temperature during the luteal phase makes it harder to run in the heat during this phase, as you don’t begin sweating to dissipate heat until you have reached a higher body temperature. You also have a decreased ability to dilate the small blood vessels under the skin, which compromises your ability to release heat to the environment.

Hyperthermia—an increased body temperature—is one of the factors that cause fatigue during prolonged exercise.

Thus, long, intense workouts and races in the heat can be more difficult during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

The increased body temperature during the luteal phase can also put you at an increased risk of developing heat illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Training improves your ability to regulate body temperature.

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Metabolism and Muscle Glycogen Menstrual phase variations in running performance may largely be a consequence of changes to exercise metabolism stimulated by the fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone concentrations. The magnitude of increase in these hormones between menstrual phases and the ratio of estrogen to progesterone concentration appear to be important factors determining an effect on metabolism. Estrogen may improve endurance performance by altering carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism, with progesterone often acting antagonistically to estrogen. Estrogen promotes both the availability of glucose and uptake of glucose into slow-twitch muscle fibers, providing the fuel of choice during short duration exercise.

The ability to run for a long time is greatly influenced by the amount of glycogen stored in your skeletal muscles, with fatigue coinciding with glycogen depletion.

Research comparing the amount of muscle glycogen in women eating either a normal diet (2.4 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day) for three days or a high carbohydrate diet (3.8 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day) for three days has shown that muscle glycogen content is greatest during the midluteal phase after both normal and high carbohydrate diets. Muscle glycogen is lowest during the mid-follicular phase. However, a female runner can increase the amount of muscle glycogen in the follicular phase by eating a high carbohydrate diet. There is also a glycogen-sparing effect to the luteal phase, with a greater reliance on fat during submaximal exercise.

Theoretically, with less reliance on carbohydrate for energy, less lactate (and therefore other metabolic byproducts) is produced. Some studies have documented that less lactate is indeed produced during exercise in the mid-luteal phase, while other studies have not. Interestingly, when men are given a synthetic version of progesterone, they produce less lactate during maximal exercise, suggesting that progesterone, which is elevated during the luteal phase, may lower lactate levels.

As a female runner, you can expect to perform better during times of the menstrual cycle when estrogen is the dominant hormone and perform the worst when progesterone is the dominant hormone. Many of the female runners I’ve coached have experienced their worst training days in the few days leading up to and including menstruation. You may find that, while harder workouts may be more challenging during your period, easy running may actually improve your mood and alleviate physical symptoms associated with your period.

Avoid challenging workouts around menses, especially if you don’t feel well at that time or if you feel bloated due to the rapid drop in progesterone as you transition from the luteal phase to the follicular phase. For example, if you have a 28-day cycle starting on Monday, and menses occurs on days 1 to 3 (Monday to Wednesday), plan your hard workout on Thursday or Friday that week. If you have two workouts planned, schedule them on Thursday and Saturday, or schedule just one workout the week of menses and two workouts during the other three weeks of your cycle. If menses lasts five days (Monday to Friday), schedule one workout the week of menses and two workouts during the other three weeks of your cycle.

Autumn 2013

21

Duke City Fit

The

Continental Divide Trail South

Isabel Bearman-Bucher Ever gotten your back up? We all have. Considering when the Earth did it, our “seeing red,” amounts to nothing more than an infinitesimal tick on the back of the cosmos. Eons gone, the earth hunched-up, forming the Continental Divide, a spine, if you will, which starts at the Bering Strait, a bit south of the Arctic Circle, ending some 7,000 miles later at the Strait of Magellan, the tip of South America. So, making it simple, water falling left, or west, drains into the Pacific; east, into the Atlantic. Along the way, it sometimes dumps into different Earth oceans. Some 20 thousand years ago, ancient people called “the Beringians,” along with pre-historic lions and camels, used the thousand mile-wide land bridge to cross from Asia, populating the Americas. That bridge is gone. But not the descendants of those travelers.

Only about two dozen hikers a year trek the entire US/Canadian 3,100 mile long trail.

Some folks on horseback try it. In 2007 a German started in Tierra del Fuego, and was joined farther-up the spine by a female Austrian, using four Mustangs borrowed from the BLM. They completed the “long ride,” in three years. One brave sort did a backpack from Mexico to Canada and back again, taking seven months.

Mainly around Columbus, the Animas Mountains and Antelope Wells, west on what we call the NM “Boot Heel,” our 700 mile part of the Continental Divide deposits its water into holes, which mostly evaporates, or collects in our disappearing Albuquerque water table. In those far CDT western places, people often stash big gallon jugs of water for other hikers, because it’s truly the “Parchlandia.”

The trail does meander here and there, and parts of it can be found around Cabezon Peak. At one point, the trail was the road, which was not a good track. That’s where Albuquerque resident, Charlie McDonald enters the picture. A twenty-eight year member of the New Mexico Mountain Club, who could aptly be called el Signor CDT – Mr. Continental Divide Trail, together with over 100 volunteers, re-rerouted and worked the over fifty miles of it, for over fifteen years. Their determined efforts have made a much more accessible, foot friendly hiking experience, with majestic views, for Duke City hikers.

“It all started because the BLM listed volunteer projects like planting Cottonwood saplings, or barbed wire removal,” Charlie told this writer. “We’d been hiking the road over there by Cabezon Peak, looking for a better route because off trail, it had great scenic value. So, all the stars got in alignment.”

He proposed a fifty-mile route beginning on the Cuba, NM highway, meandering south to the northern boundary of the Cibola National Forest, at Mesa Chivato. When the BLM approved the plan, Charlie then posted “exploratory work days” in the club’s quarterly bulletin. From there, they marked it in three-

22

mile segments and went to work. The BLM, accompanied by archeologists, who scouted out any Indian ruins, then hiked each segment, and gave that OK, with re-routing occurring around any special spots.

Each section went through the same drill; the volunteers did the approved three; the BLM passed the next three, and so it went for over fifteen years. Sometimes there were a half dozen folks, and sometimes as many as 45, when the CDT Trail Alliance posted the work days in its national bulletin. Somebody always showed up.

“People came as far away as Connecticut,” recalled Charlie. “Two friends came to every work session for all those years – some I never saw again, but there were always folks who wanted to help. The trail was like a hike,” he continued. “When you’re starting up, just slow down your pace and keep at it. We built cairns, trimmed, removed dead wood, marked and opened trail.”

Charlie never criticized anybody’s work because he knew if he did, next session he’d have no volunteers.

Instead, he told everybody to work the trail with the ten-year-plan in mind - imagining no return jobs for a decade. The BLM tried not to create trails because they encouraged “dispersed recreation,” which translated meant “hikers - find your own adventure, and because it will always be different, your damage impact will be less.”

After a while, the New Mexico Mountain Club gave El Signor a two-hundred dollar plus yearly allowance for tools, so the volunteers shouldered loppers, McLeods, shovels and other rigging.

“The system worked. We had reasonable freedom to pick a trail, or to re-route,” he recalled. “There were terrible weather days – 40 mph winds that would knock you over. Cold. Once, my hands froze in my work gloves.”

Today, Cabezon Country, and this beautiful legacy resulting from the “can and will do,” efforts of 100 people, the Continental Divide Trail South, is a favorite of so many for its monumental views and stunning geology.

These days, Charlie’s CDT South 25 miler is done, but he and his wife, Connie, now volunteer at the yearly ultra marathoner Deadman Peaks Trail Run. (www.dp50.org) These superb running “machines” start south of Cuba, turning back at Torreon Road, where on a great cool day, this writer and 14 other Palo Duro Senior Center hikers, enjoyed the work by people devoted to the New Mexico outdoors. Thank you Charlie, El Signore CDT and esteemed company.

Read on …

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Duke City Fit Folks gather at the big white van with the Palo Duro Senior citizen logo on the side. I’m looking around, and once again, wondering where all the years have gone. Me? A senior citizen? What happened? When? I think older people today are different from the ones in my memory - they’re more health conscious, more into daily exercise, many dress youthfully.

Impressed with the level of fitness of the group, I asked some women if they’d been “tomboys,” as kids. The question traveled, and almost every woman said “yes.” Viv, one of the hikers, whom I learned later has a PhD in Exercise Physiology, laughed.

“Me too,” she comments, “ and it looks like it’s paid off, just, hasn’t it?”

I nod my head.

It’s a cool day, and the fourteen member group is doing the equipment check; the toidy trek; others clump together, pals of the trail; some are loners, like me, just starting a new life with these groups.

All aboard, soft laughter and chatter fill the cool air as Albuquerque whirrs by on their way to jobs, school, life. Lucky me to have managed a window seat.

We’re going west on 550 past Bernalillo and San Ysidro, an ancient farming community established in 1699, named after the its patron saint. Our leader, Bill, explains something called SPOT GPS device - translated - these walkietalkies talk to the leader, the last person called the “sweep,” providing a signalop it could send to the senior center, in case there was an emergency. In that event, a helicopter would lock in on our coordinates, and come to the rescue.

Eighteen miles later, it’s a right and a left, past San Luis, or whatever, because I’ve tuned it out. Cabezon Peak drifts by in the southern distance. The 7,785 foot “head” ” is the biggest of some 50 companion plugs in this Rio Puerco volcanic field.

For some reason, molten lava froze in their throats, and after eons, the cinder cones that surrounded them disappeared, leaving them, stark and standing erect, in the New Mexico landscape. Ancient Navajos and Pueblo cultures believed that a giant was killed on Mt. Taylor and its head became Cabezon - its lava, the blood which formed the El Malpais, or badlands to the south.

“I did that hike once,” somebody offers as we pass Cabezon, “and it’s as close to losing it as I’ve ever come. Never again.”

“Stopped breathing.” states another.

“Just kept croaking, ‘Don’t look down.

Don’t look down.’”

“Right! The chimney is two thousand feet of steep,” choruses another.

“I froze,” admits Val. “I’ll pass,” I insert, getting a good laugh, and therefore a ticket into the group mechanics.

We’re bumping in the outback now the brown on brown of New Mexico with some green for a few hapless cows. We park. Packs get strapped on, sticks tap.

People smile, happy for the adventure and the trail. Across the road we hike up a small rise flanked by two tall, sturdy cairns, thank you Charlie and Company, the entry point to our Continental Divide South Hike. It’ll be a six miler, if folks want to do the few add-ons - one a great

Autumn 2013

view site at five miles for lunch, another down to see hoodoos.

We navigate carefully for a few hundred feet around the deep black fissures in the earth, then, following the cairns, in two miles, we’re climbing up onto the divide shelf.

The red rock sculptures, dotted with juniper meld with mineral-washed white lines that underscore “red dog,” which somebody says is when slow-burning coal caused the sandwiched mudstone to turn colors. Turning 360, I marvel at the landscape all around me. It’s as if a giant hand scooped and piled sand, side-swiped the flat mesas, then finger-stroked and clawed it all down exposing red, yellow and green hills.

Deep green, twisted vegetation reaches up. Everything on the unfolding mesa is reaching up.

As humans, in our souls, so do we. I’m surveying the utterly wild landscape that is a surreal tapestry, favored by so many New Mexico artists. We’re ascending up and out onto the back of the Divide.

Before us lies the Rio Puerco Valley; brown on brown, red rifts, white towers, with Cabezon at center stage. It’s utterly magnificent; the air is sharp and clean.

We all fall in love with New Mexico once again.

“There’s caves over there, see? ” Chocolate Man says, pointing, passing his first bag of Hershey’s. Hands reach.

“Next week’s hike is going to be there.”

I want to go.

Bill passes leader position to the hikers, and we move along with the sculptures on our right, and the immensity of the New Mexico landscape on our left. We curl past ponderosa barely clinging onto black rock cliff sides, we’re winding back up onto sandstone paths, finally to the point of view, a shelf that’s about 2.4 miles in, on the edge of a steep drop-off.

It’s lunch.

How can raw carrots, raisins and an orange taste so good? Presently, I take off with four other women, down a narrow gully, which, after about 300 feet, dead ends, overlooking a vast unnamed valley where hoodoos, resembling otherworlders, stand, some tipped left, some right, some straight, all with blobbed heads.

Back at the van, we all pitch in to clean up discarded aluminum cans, glass bottles and garbage that litters the hike entry.

“Stewards of the CDT,” I think, glad to have the trash gone, turning one more time to salute El Signor Charlie and all the volunteers who worked this trail for us all.

CDT. Do it in the fall.

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GETTING THERE: • I-25 north to Bernalillo • 550 northwest.

• 18 miles past San Ysidro to San Luis Rd. Hwy 279, Sign for “San Luis, Cabezon, Torreon” • Left 8.5 miles W/SW to Torreon Rd. • Right 3.6 miles • Left and park • See tall cairns marking CDT South Trail across the road.

23

Duke City Fit Demand Soars For Relief of Severe Neck and Back Pain!

People Are Swarming in Overwhelming Numbers For Treatment At The New Mexico Back Institute.Treatments are FDA Cleared, No Side Effects & Best Of All...

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Denver, CO – Recent medical breakthroughs have led to the development of advanced technologies to relieve severe back and neck pain without drugs or surgery. Through the combination of proven scientific principles, the latest technological developments and the brilliant work of physicians and medical engineers– this space age technology is available to the general public via licensed and trained doctors, in its incredible DRX 9000 spinal decompression equipment. The DRX 9000 is an FDA cleared medical technology for providing True Spinal Decompression and has been clinically proven with up to an 88.9% success rate with back pain and symptoms associated with hernated and/or bulging discs...even after failed surgery.

WHY SO MUCH EXCITEMENT? Since 60% of spinal fusion surgery patients continue to suffer and conventional treat ments such as medications, injec tions and exercise therapy offertemporary results, the fu ture is bleak. The treatmentprogram at The New Mexi co Back Institute works for:• Back and Neck Pain • Sciatica/Numbness • Herniated and/or bulging “ I had such intense pain from a sec discs (single or multiple) ond herniated disc that I could not walk without the aid of crutches.

• Degenerative disc disease Couldn’t shower or even dress and • A relapse or failure was out of work for a month. After 3 weeks of treatments my pain was following surgery GONE! I have recommended this procedure to at least seven people. I • Facet syndromes pray that they try it.”

• Spinal Stenosis ~ Eva Wilkstrom, Denver • Spondylolisthesis CLINICAL RESULTS Several university studies at Johns Hopkins, Stanford and Duke have confirmed what doctors in practice have known for years, the treatments plain WORK! Dr. John Leslie, who is a clinical re searcher from the prestigious Mayo Clinic reports a 50% reliefof back and leg pain after 2 weeks and an overall 88.9% success rate at the end of a six week protocol. Our own case studies have shown 50% reduction of disc protrusions after 4 weeks relieving the pressure on the sensitive nerves, thus reducing your pain.

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The gentle decompressive forces utilize a logarithmic curve to avoid proprioceptor (pain) response, which would create muscle spasm. The split table design decreases friction and allows gentle separation of the vertebra to reduce pressures on the tissues causing pain and encourage hydration of the discs.

PAIN-LESS TREATMENTS Patients describe the treatment as a gentle, painless, intermittent pulling of your back. Many patients actu ally fall asleep during treatment! A spinal strengthening and stabilization program is often included with thetreatment protocol in order to achieve optimal long term results. The number and duration of treatments are determined by the supervising physician. Many patients get substantial, immediate relief after just a few treatments.

GETTING STARTED Call one of the Albuquerque area clinics to schedule a no-obligation consultation. Only a consultation and evalu ation by the doctor can determine if you qualify for thistreatment and the number and length of the care plan.

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Multi-use Trail: A paved trail close to auto traffic Bicycle Lane: A portion of street with designated lane for bikes One-way Bike Lane: Similar to bike lane but one way Bicycle Route: Cars and bikes share the road Bicycle Boulevard: Shared roadway optimized for bike traffic Mountain Bike Trail: Unpaved but maintained trail Roads with Wide Shoulders Arroyos

Bicycle/Pedestrian Overpass Mountain Bike Trailhead Place of Interest High School Bosque Trail Parking Lots Rapid Ride Stop Bicycle Shop Rail Runner Express Station

3 1 0 2 Albuquerque Trails The City of Albuquerque plans for, develops, and maintains many of Albuquerque’s trails. The Albuquerque metropolitan area has more than 130 miles of paved multi-use trails and hundreds of miles of unpaved trails that are used by bicyclists and other users. These trails are connected with the on-street bikeway system to provide a recreational and commuter network.

Look for them in green on the Trails Map. Albuquerque’s premiere trail, the Paseo del Bosque Trail, goes from the north to the south edges of the metro area through the Rio Grande’s cottonwood bosque, Sixteen miles of paved trails uninterrupted by roadways. It passes through Rio Grande Valley State Park, with opportunities to see birds, coyotes and other wildlife, but also takes trail users to the Nature Center, Bio Park, the zoo, and the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

You may encounter many different kinds of users on the trails. Expect to meet other bicyclists, walkers, people with wheelchairs, in-line skaters, possibly equestrians. Courtesy and caution are a part of having an enjoyable and safe trail ride.

S A F E T Y

Ride in a Straight Line

Beware of Car Doors

Obey Traffic Signs

Scan the road behind

Trails-Keep to Right

Avoid dodging between cars.

Watch for cars entering from driveways.

Be wary of parked cars.Be particularly careful if someone is in the car. Ride a car door width away.

As a vehicle, bikes must obey all the rules of the road.

Cyclists and motorists have the same privileges and duties.

Shoulder check regularly and use a mirror to monitor traffic.

Be prepared to manuever for safety.

All trail users must keep to right except when passing. Move off trail to right when stopping.

Ride in SIngle File

Dismount as Posted

Make Eye Contact

Turning Left - 2 Options

Trails-Signal to Others

Except when overtaking or passing.

Walk across posted locations.

Confirm that you are seen.

Establish eye contact to insure they know you are there.

1-As vehicle, signal & move to left turn lane, turn when safe 2-As Pedestrian, Ride to far crosswalk & walk across.

Sound your bell or call out “on your left“ then pass on left.

Careful at Intersections

Control Your Pet

Earphone Dangers

Use Lights at Night

Be Visible

The majority of accidents occur at intersections.

Vehicles making left turns are particularly dangerous.

Albuquerque requires pets to be leashed and owners to clean up after them.

Keep volume sufficiently low to be able to hear other trail users.

Use a strong white headlight and red taillight at night.

See and be seen.

Reflective clothing and lights.

Keep to right where you are expected to be.

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Home Grown Tomato Basil Pasta You have all those tomatoes now. What to do with them? Go out and pick about 6 good ripe ones. If you have some basil out there, grab a half dozen leaves. And finally, your jalapenos should be beautifully red by now. Pick one of those.

(If you don’t have red jalapenos, you can try about 1/3 red bell with a dash of cayenne.

Its close. Next year, grow some jalapenos. Red jalapenos are worth their weight in gold.)

This dish will surprise you with its simple, delicious elegance. The combination of the cool tomatoes with the hot pasta works wonderfully. Have a glass of Merlot with it. You don’t need to thank me. Just pass it on.

First, get a large pot of salted water on to boil.

A pound or so of your favorite pasta will go in it when it’s ready.

I, personally, think that Angel Hair is the best for this.

While the water and pasta do their thing...

Ingredients: Into large glass bowl 6 medium tomatoes, chopped into good-sized chunks 5 tablespoons good olive oil 7 leaves basil, chopped (about 1/3 cup) 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 to 2 cloves garlics, crushed thru press 1 red jalapeno, seeded and chopped small Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 1/3 cup or so grated or shaved Parmesan cheese Stir it all together gingerly, so as to not destroy the tomatoes.

Let it sit, or chill if you’ve got to hold it for a while.

Finally, when the pasta is cooked al dente, strain it into a separate, larger glass bowl.

Gently stir or toss the cool tomato mixture into the hot pasta. Serve.

Top with more grated Parmesan.

Serve with fresh baked French bread

Autumn 2013

2401 Jefferson NE • Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505) 884-8012 • www.libertygym.com 27

Uncle Uncle KC’s KC’s Corner Corner

n i t s u f A o hT e Alleys

I don’t think that it was preordained that I’d be boarding that darn train. The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad out of Alamosa. But it sure seemed like it. When that lady came out of the visitor center offering me her folding chair to take up with me, it was kinda the last straw. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I wasn’t going. That I hadn’t even bought a ticket for the train. I thanked her politely and sauntered into the station ticket office and bought myself a First Class ticket (because that was all they had left).

“Train’s leaving right now,” the officious agent told me, “So you better get your things and get aboard. Oh, and you might want to take a rain coat of some kind.”

Thus, through a strange series of twists and turns, like an ant crawling up the branches of an old cottonwood, I found myself on the loading platform. Really, how I got to this point is a story all unto itself. But suffice it to say that I was heading up to LaVeta Pass for an outdoor concert, apparently in the rain, by a performer I was pretty ambivalent about seeing. The train was going to be chockfull of cowboys. And I was actually still wearing the clothes I’d slept in the night before (in a tent in the rain) because I’d not had an opportunity to change out of them.

Not for the first time, I wondered just what in the heck I was doing.

“Going with the flow,” was the best answer I could give myself.

Me and my First Class Ticket and my folding chair were all directed up into the top of the domed vista car. Once there, I found my assigned seat to be the fourth and only remaining seat in a booth already occupied by three strangers. Three cowboys with three cowboy hats.

“What is this?” I declared to them as I sat down. “I distinctly remember telling that ticket lady that I wanted a booth with three beautiful women. And what do I got? Three old cowboys!”

Well, that may not be among Andrew Carnegie’s methods for winning friends and influencing people, but it worked for me. Soon we were swapping stories and telling tall tales like we were long lost buddies. They’d ridden this here train many times, were veterans in fact.

When they found out I owned a newspaper, one of ‘em was bound and determined to introduce me to the owner of the train, whom he knew.

“He’s on here somewhere. You’ll know him cuz he always wears an ugly green cowboy hat.

I’ll bet you anything he’ll want to put an ad in your paper. “ “Sure,” I thought. And maybe it won’t rain. And maybe Michael Martin Murphey will sing one of those old songs that he’s long since abandoned. And maybe our waiter will show up, because Lord knows we’re long overdue for a Bloody Mary.

28

While I was thus ruminating to myself about the trials and tribulations of my life, the waiter did show up at our table and began talking to my erstwhile cowboy comrades.

Or least I initially thought he was a waiter. He wasn’t. He was the general manager for the train. He had a cowboy hat on, too. He talked to my boothmates like they were old friends, which they evidently were. He’d come to tell them that they had all been upgraded to the Club Car. “Grab your stuff and come with me.”

My mind reeled. Upgraded? From First Class? Thoughts of a Bloody Mary disappeared into the realization that I simply didn’t know a whole hell of a lot about life, now did I? “You’re with us,” my cowboy friends uniformly agreed as we piled out of the booth and grabbed our stuff and played follow-the-leader. Who was I to argue? It was like a cowboy parade as we marched down the length of the car… a parade with a disheveled, bed-headed clown taking up the rear, toting a folding chair in a bag. With a grin on his face so big that it might as well have been painted on there.

Down in the Club Car, Bloody Mary finally in hand, I eventually found myself sitting in an easy chair next to an official looking guy wearing an official looking “Rio Grande Scenic Railroad” shirt.

“You look official...” I started to say to him.

“Ed, this is Ken,” someone introduced us. “Ken, this is Ed. Ken owns a newspaper down in Albuquerque. Ed owns the train.”

I looked at him and he looked at me and as we shook hands I swear to you that the first thing that stumbled out of my mouth was this…

“I didn’t recognize you without your hat. I was told that you normally wear an ugly, green cowboy hat.”

(Andrew C. must have been turning over in his grave by now.)

“Who told you that?” he said, faking a half-smiling grimace as he gazed around at the now silent inhabitants of the Club Car. “It’s not ugly and it’s not green,” he said as he got up and strode across the car to where he had left his hat at the end of the bar.

He held it up for everyone to see and placed it lovingly on his head as he walked back toward his easy chair. “Its brown and it’s beautiful.”

In the general pandemonium that broke loose then and there in the Club Car, I gathered that the unofficial tally was in the neighborhood of 17 to 1 that the hat in question was, indeed, ugly. And green. Albeit, a kind of camouflage brown green. But I let it slide.

We talked for quite a while, did Ed and I, in the back of the Club Car as the train slowly chugged its way higher and higher into the Rocky Mountains. He loved railroads, he told me, and he loved music. And this concert train, and this new stage up at LaVeta Pass were the beginnings of the fruition of that passion. Of that dream he’d had to blend the two… railroads and music… into something special. Something unique. Something wonderful.

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Duke City Fit

898-3562 SW Corner of 4th & Alameda Enter on 4th, Across from the Church “Did you know that this Club Car, this car we’re sitting in, is one from the train they called the ‘City of New Orleans’? This car is named the ‘Mardi Gras’. It is one of five club cars that were used on the City of New Orleans. I have found and purchased four of those cars and we’re working on the fifth and final one.”

My mind wandered a bit as he spoke. The Club Car from the City of New Orleans! I’d seen Arlo Guthrie sing that song, his song, several times. With my boys, at the Kimo Theater in downtown Albuquerque. But more importantly, I’d sung it for the boys hundreds of times over the years, to help them drift off into sleep. It was one of our songs.

The words, unbidden, floated through my mind… “Dealin card games with the old man in the club car. Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score. Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle. Feel the wheels rumblin’ neath the floor.”

Here they were, those wheels, rumbling neath the floor. I wished for a moment that my boys could be here with me. But they don’t hear that song anymore, and they’ve got other things to do. But here was I, sitting in that famous old train. Headed up to hear a cowboy concert in the rain. There seemed to be something poetic about that.

When Michael Martin Murphey took to the stage, it was, indeed, raining. He belted out a song while the masses huddled under their umbrellas and then he took pity on the assembled cowboys, or at least upon their wives and their children, and he invited them, one and all, to join him up on the stage.

Which was at least covered.

“We can all fit up here,” he said as he

Autumn 2013

helped usher them up the steps. “It’ll be a little bit cozy, but it’ll be dry.”

Now, admittedly my mind was already fairly reeling from the many seemingly bizarre events that had buffeted me in the previous hours, but this one took it all a step beyond the pale. I have been to a goodly number of concerts in my day. In the rain, in the lightning, in the blistering winds of west Texas. But I have never seen, nor heard of, a performer inviting the entire crowd up onto the stage to get out of the elements. Or for any other reason, for that matter.

Never.

I hadn’t even had the chance to get my loner chair out of its bag. After I’d toted it all over God’s creation. I wandered around and gawked and took pictures and tried to remain aloof, like I was a newspaper reporter or something. In search of a breaking story.

When I finally plopped myself down up on the floor of the stage, I was nearly sitting on the pointy-toed boots of the bass player.

It was from this vantage that I listened to Michael’s famous song “Wildfire”. A feather dangled from the end of the bass player’s guitar and occasionally swept through my field of vision, adding a strange, surreal visage to an already unusual setting.

I listened politely to several cowboy songs.

Or acted like I was listening. They were about pickup trucks, I suppose. I’m not much into cowboy songs. I was here not for them, but out of respect for the singer/songwriter of the old, old songs that he never sang anymore, but which held a very dear place in my heart.

A couple of them had a history for me, and I had long since reconciled with the fact that I’d never hear them live. Never from the horse’s mouth, as it were.

My dad used to tell me, “Never say never.”

Michael announced, seemingly out of nowhere, that this year was actually the 50th anniversary of the writing of one of his favorite old songs. Cosmic Cowboy. And with that, he launched into it.

Are you kidding me?

“Merry-go-rounds and burial grounds are all the same to me. Horses on posts and kids and ghosts are spirits we oughtta set free…’

Me and the bass player sang harmony.

Loudly and with gusto. At one point, on a deep breath, I think I almost sucked that damn feather down my throat. It was a dreamlike rendition that transported me back in time to a trailer house in Iowa when I’d first ever heard of Michael Murphey and I thought that perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing to wanna be a cosmic cowboy.

When it was over, I nodded a silent, smiling “thank you” to Mr Murphey. I got a big thumbs up from him, and a kick in the butt from the bass player, and a few drops of water in my eyes (I think some of the rain must’ve blown in from beyond the edge of the stage).

Soon enough we were loaded back on the train and headed back down the mountain.

In the Club Car, there was indeed the jam session that I had heard might happen.

Michael was there, as was the train owner, and the manager who’d moved us all down the aisle in that fabled cowboy parade. It was a veritable Who’s Who of train personnel.

Somewhere amongst the medley of songs they were singing, Michael announced that he’d been asked to sing a real old song of his.

He said he was kind of surprised that anyone knew it. It was so old, in fact, and he hadn’t

sung it in so long, that he was going to need a little help with the words. And he asked me to come sing it with him.

I plopped down in the easy chair next to him as if it were the most normal thing in the world. It did seem normal. This was the moment that this whole thing had been leading to. This is where the yellow tennis ball was jammed on a branch. This was, it seemed to me, why I was here.

I was the one who had asked him to sing this song. I was the one who had sung this song, so many times over the years. I had sung it to an audience of two little boys in a nighttime bedroom as they tried to bravely face the demons of darkness that lurked there.

I had sung my heart out to them, for them, with them. This song. The Alleys of Austin.

Now I was privileged to sing it with the man who wrote it. A man who knew not of the import of his quiet little song in the quiet little lives of a couple quiet little cowboys.

The Alleys of Austin, with its “laid back baboon, by the light of the Texas moon ... combing his auburn hair…”

So we sang it, Michael Murphey and I. Somewhere in there I believe I saw a little twinkle in his eye as he brought the song to life again, like a long, lost, nearly forgotten friend. Certainly there was a twinkle in my eye. We sang it well. We got all the words and we got all the nuances. We sang it from the heart, as it was meant to be sung.

For a moment, afterword, there was silence in the Club Car. Even as there had usually been silence in an old darkened bedroom. I imagined, as I sat there, that I could hear the sound of some boys’ heavy breathing. And then, there it was, the sound of the wheels, rumbling neath the floor.

29

Duke City Fit

Events in Red Require Registration Ongoing Farmers Markets: (See Ad Page 9 for Map) Downtown Farmers Market, Saturdays 7am-noon, Robinson Park 8th & Central, Gina Meyers 243-2230 Nob Hill Growers Market, Every Thursdays 3pm-6:30pm, Morningside Park at Lead & Morningside SE Catherine Gordon, 9348960 ABQ Uptown Growers Market, Saturdays 7am-noon at Louisiana & Indian School (NE parking lot) Nancy Erickson, 865-3533 Northeast Farmers Market, Tuesdays, 3 pm-7 pm , West side of ABQ Academy, 6400 Wyoming Blvd. Enter campus

at Burlison go right (south) and the market will be on the right hand side Jedrek Lamb 858-8887 Presbyterian Farmers Market, Tuesdays, 7am-1 pm , at Presbyterian Hospital parking lot at 1300 Central SE Nancy Erickson 865-3533 Corrales Growers Market, Sundays 9am-noon, Recreation Center 500 Jones Rd & Corrales Rd, Mary Jane 898-7927 On-going A View WIth A Room, Free, 9am-5pm everyday, Open Space Visitor Center 6500 Coors NW, a showcase of landscape paintings describing the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space properties, with a special focus on its Waterways and Wildlife contact Josh 897-8831

Qigong in the Park, Free, Saturdays 9-10am: Altura Park at Hannett and Morningside NE, Qigong practice for all, Loretta 681-1924 www. qigonginthepark.com

September 19 Full Moon Run by Heart n Sole Sports, Free, 7:45pm, Kit Carson Park 1744 Kit Carson Ave NW HnS info: 884-7653

New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors, Save trails, learn new skills with cool tools, and “rub shoulders” with forest rangers helping to build and maintain a wide variety of trails. 884-1991 www.nmvfo.org

Twilight Hike on a Full Moon Night, $3 Parking fee, dusk, Pre-register required, RioGrande Nature Center 2901 Candelaria NW, Call for exact start time, 344-7240

Open Space: A View with a Room, Free, Every day through Oct 27, Open Space Visitor Center 6500 Coors NW, A Gallery Show of traditinal NM arts - colloquial goods Joshua WIllis 897-8831 Water Exercise Classes, Weekdays, $2.50, City of Albuquerque Indoor Pools at Los Altos Pool 2916291; Valley Pool 761-4086; West Mesa Aquatic Center 836-8718, Morning & evening classes Rio Grande Nature Center Bird Walks, $3 parking, 8:30am, Saturdays & Sundays, join a naturalist for a quiet bird walk, preregister, 344-7240 Rio Grande Nature Center Nature Walks, $3 parking, Sundays, 10am in Sep / 1pm in Oct-Dec, an insightful nature tour of the bosque, preregister, 344-7240

September 21 Sandia Scoot 5K, 7am, $35, a paved out course start & finish at Eclipse Aerospace out & around Mesa Del Sol, www.sandiascoot.org Bicycle Mechanics Class 1, $10, 9am-4pm, 5600 Esperanza NW 87105, Basic tune-up, shifting systems and brake systems. pre-register: www.bikehubnm.com/bike-classes/ September 22 Tour De Acoma Bicycle Race, Pre-Register, 100-50-25 mile race, unique chance to bike on the beautiful pueblo lands, See Ad pg 5, Mikayln 505-552-1040 www.tourdeacoma.com September 28-29 Corrales Harvest Festival, 9am-5pm, $5, throughout the Village of Corrales A beautiful fall weekend full of activities, art, food, shopping, pets and tractor rides! info: 349-3809 www.corralesharvestfestival.com September 28 Mt Taylor 50K, forested trails & trails through open high mountain meadows and the 360 degree view from the summit of Mt Taylor, mttaylor50k.com

September 13 Stone Cup Climbing Competition, 6pm, Stone Age Climbing Gym, 4201 Yale Blvd. NE Suite I 87107, 341-2016 www.climbstoneage.com September 15 Chips n Salsa Half Marathon, 7am, Pre-registration required, Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute, ww.IRUNFIT.org Santa Fe to Buffalo Thunder Half Marathon, 8am, Pre-registration required, from the heart of Santa Fe down old Taos Highway to Buffalo Thunder Resort www.santafethunder.com 6th Annual Open Space Urban Farm & Harvest Festival, Free, 10am-4pm, Open Space Visitor Center 6500 Coors NW, A celebration of Urban Agriculture / Local food / Community Jodi 897-8831

30

National Public Lands Day, Free, 9am, After breakfast (provided by Open Space), we are planning on doing trash cleanup for most of the morning, from 9:00 until noon the geo-caching fun after lunch, Erik 505-452-5208 National Public Lands Day, Free, 10am-3pm, Valle de Oro Natl Wildlife Refuge, info/activities/ fun for the whole family, 7851 2nd St SW 87105 info@newmexicooutdoorscoalition.com 3rd Annual Virtus Race 10K/5K/Kid Run, 7am, $35, at Alameda bridge Alameda & Rio Grande, throughthe beautiful bosque, www.oakgroveclassical.com September 29 Run to Break the Silence, 5K/10K run/walk & 20K cross-country, $30/$20, starts and ends at Sandia Resort, benefits Presbyterian Ear Institute www.presbyterianearinstitute.org

www.dukecityfit.com

Duke City Fit September 29 Corrida de Corrales 2013, 28th annual, run the flat, shady, dirt trail along the tree-lined acequia through the heart of beautiful Corrales, www.active.com

October 12-13 October Fitness Festival, Free, 11am-6pm, Crossfit Zephyr & Griffin Gallery hosting to learn about fitness w/ games, events, seminars, classes, 8338 Comanche Rd NE 87110, Info: 554-2228 October 12 Bicycle Mechanics Class 1&2, $10, 9am-4pm, 5600 Esperanza NW 87105, Basic tune-up, shifting systems and brake systems & Ball bearings and wheel truing, pre-register: www.bikehubnm.com/bike-classes/

October 5-13 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Balloon Fiesta Park, www.balloonfiesta.com 1-888-422-7277

October 17 Twilight Hike on a Full Moon Night, $3 Parking fee, dusk, Pre-register required, RioGrande Nature Center 2901 Candelaria NW, Call for exact start time, 344-7240

October 5 ABQ City Cycling Class, $10, 10am-1pm, 5600 Esperanza NW 87105, Learn to fix a flat and cycle safely in Albuquerque as a vehicular cyclist for fitness, commuting or recreation www.bikehubnm.com/bike-classes/

October 18 Full Moon Run by Heart n Sole Sports, Free, 7:15pm, Kit Carson Park 1744 Kit Carson Ave NW HnS info: 884-7653

Donut Dash 5K Run/Walk, 9am, Pre-registration required, ABQ Academy 6400 WYoming NE 87109, Active.com Born to Run 2012, 8:45am, Sagebrush Church 6440 Coors Blvd NW, 881-4563 www.borntorunnm.org October 6 Sandia Shadows Trail Run, 8am, Pre-registration required, www.IRUNFIT.org Bosque Wild Sunday Morning Hike, Free, 9am, First Sunday of the month from the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors NW, 1.5 hour guided walk in Bosque, max 20 people, Pre-register suggested 897-8831

October 19 The 19th Annual Día del Río: A Celebration of the Rio Grande, Free, 8:30am-1pm, Durand Open SPace 4812 Isleta SW 87105, variety of conservation activities such as revegetation, trail work, and trash pickup Kent 452-5216 October 20 30th Annual Duke City Marathon, Downtown - 3rd & Tijeras, 7am, 505-880-1414 dukecitymarathon.com October 25-27 NM Ski Swap, $2, presented by Sandia Peak Ski Patrol at Expo New Mexico, Saturday 9am-4pm, Sunday 11am-4pm, info about selling & buying gear: www.nmskiswap.org

Running an Event ?

Do It Better. Do It Right.

Est. 2007

CO

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Marathons Durathon Triathlons Off-road Racing Moto-cross Conventions Ski Competitions Swap Meets From 5 radios to a hundred..

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Autumn 2013

October 26 Make A Difference Day,, Free, 8:30am-1pm, Piedra Lisa Open Space - Sandia foothils at Candelaria, variety of conservation activities such as revegetation, trail work, and trash pickup Jim 452-5213 Tooth Fairy Run, 10am, Hoffmantown Church parking lot, run for fun, active.com

November 16 Full Moon Run by Heart n Sole Sports, Free, 7:00pm, Kit Carson Park 1744 Kit Carson Ave NW HnS info: 884-7653

October 27 Day of the Tread, Pre-register required, Biking or Running or Walking on pumpkin-lined courses to benefit Tingley Hospital , See Ad page 21, www.dayofthetread.com

November 13-18 Festival of the Cranes, Free, Bosque Del Apache Visitor Center, San Antonio NM, Cranes!, All day everyday 575-838-2120 www.festivalofthecranes.com

Great Pumpkin Chase, 9am, Pre-registration reqd, wear a costume, www.IRUNFIT.org

November 21 Twilight Hike on a Full Moon Night, $3 Parking fee, dusk, Pre-register required, RioGrande Nature Center 2901 Candelaria NW, Call for exact start time, 344-7240 November 23 Taos Turkey Trot, 8am, Taos Youth and Family Center, a fast, beautiful 5k course through town that is both family-oriented and competitive, www.taosturkeytrot.org

If you have tried to manage an event with cell phones then you know they just don’t get the job done!

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Bosque Wild Sunday Morning Hike, Free, 9am, First Sunday of the month from the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors NW, 1.5 hour guided walk in Bosque, max 20 people, Pre-register suggested 897-8831

November 2 2013 Doggie Dash and Dawdle, 8am-1pm, Balloon Fiesta Park, NM Humane Society fundraiser to benefit homeless pets, 5K run or 2 mile dawdle, rent a dog for $10 if you don’t have one of your own, www.animalhumanenm.org ABQ City Cycling Class, $10, 10am-1pm, 5600 Esperanza NW 87105, Learn to fix a flat and cycle safely in Albuquerque as a vehicular cyclist for fitness, commuting or recreation www.bikehubnm.com/bike-classes/ November 3 Daylight Saving Time Ends, set your clock back 1 hour

November 28 Hobbler Gobbler Thanksgiving Day Run, 9am, Rio Rancho Aquatic Center, www.IRUNFIT. org December 1 Bosque Wild Sunday Morning Hike, Free, 9am, First Sunday of the month from the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors NW, 1.5 hour guided walk in Bosque, max 20 people, Pre-register suggested 897-8831 Deember 7 ABQ City Cycling Class, $10, 10am-1pm, 5600 Esperanza NW 87105, Learn to fix a flat and cycle safely in Albuquerque as a vehicular cyclist for fitness, commuting or recreation www.bikehubnm.com/bike-classes/

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2817 San Mateo NE

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