1. Today I was determined to hike beyond the picnic table on the hospital's Health and Wellness Trail and huff and puff my way to the top of the hill and then make my way to the old road that winds down to Vergobbi Gulch. I did it. Because it was a remarkably cool August day, I didn't have to get out the door really early, so it was after 11:00 when I set out, and, to my delight and relief, the temperature barely rose while I was on the trail, making the hard work of humping up that hill not only bearable, but enjoyable. The thing I enjoy most about getting stronger, little by little, is that my focus is less on the chaos of my heart thumping and my lungs screaming for air and much more on the beauty of my surroundings.
Today I had moments of being enclosed by pine trees and wild shrubs, making it seem as if Kellogg had disappeared and I was enveloped in the sweet smells of wild berries -- I don't know what they are -- and other fragrant plants. I wasn't alone in enjoying this world above Kellogg. Over the course of my hike, over a dozen wild turkeys were my companions. I marveled at how deftly and effortlessly they scampered straight up the hill. It made me think back to when I was in grade school and used to scramble effortlessly up the side of this hill on the Mission Avenue side. I didn't know how fortunate I was not to need a trail, but with my youthful agility and energy could zoom right up these hills. My efforts these days are a far cry from zooming!
2. When I got home, I spent a lot of time studying the area where I'd been hiking. I studied my CdA National Forest Map and logged onto Google Earth. I wish I could go back in time to late June. I was waiting at the top of the steps rising out of the hospital parking lot for Byrdman to arrive. Two guys showed up and told me they were setting off for Graham Mountain. At that moment, I didn't think much of their plan, but in the weeks since then, I've become increasingly curious about their route and, with the map I have and with the help of Google Earth, I can't quite figure out what they must have done. I have some ideas, but no certainty. I'll go out to the Ranger Station one of these days and see what information is out there and talk with someone. Right now, I doubt it's a hike I'm in good enough shape to try myself, but, still, I'd like to learn more about what those lads must have done that day.
By the way, the pleasure of my map studies was greatly enhanced by listening to the album by Eric Clapton and Friends (Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, Mark Knopfler, Don White, and others) called The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale. They recorded this album after JJ Cale died and it's a superb collection of JJ Cale songs covered exquisitely by Clapton and this handful of other artists.
3. Cas and Tracy and Seth and Angie finished their weekend barnstorming tour of L. A. baseball parks tonight. After seeing games on Saturday and Sunday at Dodger Stadium, tonight they were at Angel Stadium of Anaheim to watch the Pirates play the Angels. Well, as good fortune would have it, this game was my free game of the day on my smart tv's MLB television app, so I settled in and pretended I was there watching the game with them.
I knew where those guys' seats were -- Cas had described them to me soon after he purchased them earlier this summer. In the bottom of the first inning, with two out, Justin Upton hit a fly ball to center. Starling Marte calmly camped under it, caught it, and flipped the ball into the stands behind him.
The camera didn't follow the flight of his flip into the seats, but I immediately wondered if he'd flipped that baseball anywhere close to where I knew Cas and Tracy and Seth and Angie were sitting. I knew he'd flipped it in their vicinity.
Well, sure enough, a little while later Cas texted me a picture of Tracy holding a baseball. Starling Marte flipped her that ball! If only the camera operator had decided to show the entire flight of Marte's flip -- all those watching could have seen Tracy make a fine catch and we all could have seen the Lounge well represented at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
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