Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Three Beautiful Things 07/23/19: Anniversary Hike on the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, Recuperation, Fun with Kirk Gibson

1. I just looked it up.

It was forty-six years ago today that I was hospitalized after I fell inside a Zinc Plant roaster, inhaled a nearly fatal amount of sulfur dioxide gas and toxic mineral dust. On July 24, Dale Costa transported me to Coeur d'Alene where an eye surgeon removed the damaged/burnt tissue from my eyes and, unable to see for several days, I was admitted to the hospital in CdA.

At the time, no one knew how my respiratory system or my eyes would recover from the exposure I suffered.

I did recover.

Today, forty-six years later, not really thinking about this anniversary, but wondering if today was the day while I as on the trail, I had my strongest day of hiking in the last two months.

I arrived at the start of the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, barely a mile south of Wallace, on the Moon Pass Road, about 8:15. I don't think the temperature had even reached sixty degrees yet. The sun still hid behind the steep hills and, invigorated by the bracing cool air, I was off.

Ever since moving back to Kellogg, I've been wanting to find a hiking trail that runs near a creek, hikes similar to my favorite hiking trails in Oregon, the Sweet Creek Falls and Brice Creek trails.

Today I discovered the Pulaski Tunnel Trail is exactly what I'd been longing for as it winds its way along and above and, few times, over the West Fork of Placer Creek.

It's a two mile hike to a viewpoint overlooking the mine tunnel Ed Pulaski harbored a crew of firefighters during the Big Burn in 1910 and the trail includes a series of informative signs about the fire and Ed Pulaski's heroism.

I have never felt stronger hiking uphill than I did today. Granted, I stopped several times to rest, but even when I hiked the steepest part of the the trail -- the last half mile -- I wasn't desperately gasping for air the way I did when Byrdman and I scaled a steep section beyond the picnic table on the hospital trail nor the way I did when Byrdman and I hiked the Revett Lake Trail back on June 29th.

In fact, I didn't realize that, for me, the trail was fairly steep in parts until I hiked back down the trail and I realized that my legs and heart had been stronger and my wind had been better than at any point this summer.

Not only did I enjoy my physical condition being a bit better, I also enjoyed the relaxing rush and gurgling of Placer Creek, the several small waterfalls cascading over rocks and logs, the variety of trees shading most of the trail, and the wildflowers that popped into view from time to time.

I now know that when I return to the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, I must arrive even earlier in the morning, spend even more time in the cool air, hike the trail more slowly, and take pictures. It will be challenging to snap good compositions, I think, because the foliage on this trail is thick, but I'm ready to give it a try.

2. Back home, I realized that I'd racked up nearly 10,000 steps on the Pulaski Tunnel Trail (I would go over 10,000 steps just walking around the house). I needed some time recuperate and enjoyed some seltzer water, a bowl of leftover rice salad, and, before long, I took a nap. I wasn't crapped out, but the fatigue I felt was sweet fatigue and I enjoyed a short deep sleep when I lay down.

3. The best part of watching the Phillies and Tigers slog through fifteen innings of baseball before the Phillies finally prevailed 3-2. I had a great time watching this game. I used to be an avid Detroit Tigers fan (I even belonged to the Save Tiger Stadium Fan Club back in the early 90s!), but I haven't paid much attention to them in recent years and this evening I got more familiar with their struggling team. But, most of all, I enjoyed the fun Kirk Gibson was having. He's a Tiger broadcaster now and during the game he went out into the concession area and interviewed fans and gave away goofy prizes.

Gibson is suffering from the slow deterioration of Parkinson's disease. It's apparent in his movement and in his deliberate speech patterns. Parkinson's has not, however, diminished Gibson's warmth, his enjoyment of the fans in the ball park, nor his sense of humor. He was not only funny with the fans, but he had a good time getting in some good-natured jabs at this former teammate and fellow broadcaster, Jack Morris. At times, the game was secondary to the fun Gibson, Morris, and the Tigers' play-by-play guy, Matt Shepherd were having as they broadcast this game from the right field bleacher area rather than their usual perch above home plate, putting them in close proximity to fans in that part of the park.


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