Hiking Preparation

 

Song:  Until We Meet Again

Composer / Performer:  James Toller

My wife and I have been discussing about hiking more and more.

She and I will make more serious plans to do some mountain hiking in the future...

and so...

before venturing to the high country...

I will have to do more preparation...

not only in equipment...

but in the realm of the physical.

I will accompany my wife on her morning bathroom hikes with Bandi.

She has only been keeping to the road and near home...

but in order to prepare ourselves for mountain hikes...

we are going to lengthen the morning hikes...

and include forest wandering as well.

But...

I am going to have to carry my shotgun loaded with 3" magnum bear loads before we do that.

Moose sign is still prevalent farther out from our home...

and so...

I will reverse sling my shotgun for easy carry and fast and intuitive shooting 

in case of an emergency.

My Mossberg 590A1 military spec shotgun is perfect for my uses...

as it carries 6 - 3" magnum bear load shells in the magazine...

and it will carry an additional two in the butt stock...

and it is parkerized for weather protection.

Until we come back from Japan...

my wife will just be taking Bandi out in the mornings near home for her short walks.

But...

afterwards...

we will extend the walks farther and farther out...

and later...

with a full gear load out.

My wife and I want to go on many alpine hikes around Colorado...

and eventually...

make the Pikes Peak summit on the Barr Trail...

but it will take major preparation for us before we will be ready for that hike

(as measured in at least a couple of years...

and with many lesser hikes in the high country).

We will be wearing heart monitors to ensure we keep within safe heart rates...

and before venturing into high country...

besides firearms...

I will invest in satellite gps and communication gear

in case of an emergency demanding medical extraction

(it is imperative to always know where one is...

and to be able to relay coordinates to rescue crews...

although we will be sticking on to dedicated trails...

but the possibility of getting lost or injured still exists).

And...

once we get hiking gear...

we will test them during high wind snow storms on our mountain...

as we hike along the roads up our mountain ridge.

My meal today...

pan grilled mochi in soup...

...and beef salad with shaved daikon and daikon sprouts.

Even Bandi got a special meal today.

We had some leftover salmon and beef stock...

so she got an amazing meal...

which she just gobbled up.

My shotgun in its case...

the shotgun holster which I will mount on my trike for greatly extended rides

 in the backcountry...

and my ammo box.

You can see my Hi Viz front sight.

It is made for close encounters and immediate intuitive shooting...

in case of an emergency surprise encounter with a moose, bear, or mountain lion.

I had to cut off the chamber lock as I couldn't find the key.

I will be reverse sling carrying my shotgun with 3" Magnum bear loads...

 on all our longer morning hikes...

but if we venture into the forest...

I will also be chest holster carrying my 10mm with bear loads...

and I'll have my wife chest holster carrying the .357 Magnum loaded with bear loads as well

(I had taught her how to shoot with it over several hundred rounds...

and she is a surprisingly good shot...

even with magnum rounds).

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We are going to a Sportsman Warehouse in Colorado Springs tomorrow...

to look at some hiking gear for the future.

Both of us will be buying dedicated mountain hiking boots and other hiking

gear once we get back from Japan.

But...

if we find some really good boots...

we might just get them tomorrow...

as we will be doing some light hiking in Japan in the Northern territories...

and increasingly more on our everyday morning hikes...

as this will allow us to break in the mountain boots well before 

we try the high country.

--------

We shall be going on trips around the world as we continue to age...

as well as throughout Colorado between those overseas adventures.

This is what life is all about...

adventure and serenity...

both of which can easily be found in the high country of Colorado...

and with just a little bit of planning...

in other places around the world as well.

My wife and I are not ones to sit around...

just growing old.

Remaining active...

seeking out adventure...

enjoying the solitude of the alpine high country...

and even the high peaks all around Colorado...

is really an adventure to within through our adventures outside ourselves.

Always remember...

life is not merely about the quantity of life...

but the quantity of quality.

Life must be fully lived...

or we are just waiting to die.

The Past Three Days / Snow / Sun / Good Food

 

Song:  One Man's Dream

Artist:  Yanni

A few days ago...

it had lightly snowed off and on for the day.

As there were no projects I could do at the time...

I went down to the home theater...

and I had ended up falling asleep as I binge watched show after show...

until I had awakened on the sofa just after 6 AM...

whereupon I walked upstairs to my bedroom and fell back asleep in my bed

until I felt like waking once again.

Later that day...

the sun had come out and most of the snow melted.

I went to the community center to drop off some trash...

and on the way there...

I saw this small herd of deer just grazing on the side of the road.

Once the cows leave for warmer accommodations until Spring...

the deer herds move in to graze.

It was snowy outside three days ago...

and my wife had grilled some mochi and put them into a hot soup base.

I love mochi...

and my wife makes mochi into all sorts of dishes I had never had before...

and they are all so delicious.

She has been making different mochi dishes for appetizers frequently lately.

I also had an avocado, daikon sprout, and greens salad.

For the main meal...

I had Mandarin Chicken and rice.

Yesterday...

I was going to finish putting on a second coat of sealant on the third deck...

but the snow had melted and left large water puddles on the deck railing...

as the sealant makes the water just bead up.

I will have to wait a couple of days before I resume my work there...

as I must ensure completely dry conditions.

Yesterday...

my wife made sausage and shrimp noodles...

and I had a nice salad to go with it.

-----------

Today...

it is sunny and nice...

but as I still must wait for another day before I can re-coat the decks...

later this evening...

I will just go back down to our home theater and binge watch more dramas

until late tonight.

My wife made me some more mochi in a different fashion...

and it is now one of my favorite ways to eat mochi.

She first lightly pan fries each mochi cake until it browns...

and then she soaks them in a sauce of soy sauce and sugar

while continuing to pan fry them...

and she will then take them out nice and hot and wrap each one in a sheet of Nori.

They were so delicious.

 I had some Memmi avocados as well...

for my appetizers.

As my wife had earlier made a large roast...

she thinly sliced it and made roast beef Pho for my main meal.

She had also earlier grilled some colored peppers...

and I put them in my Pho as well.

--------

My wife has been making so many delicious dishes I had never had before...

or had been made so delicious before.

She has a whole lot of spices and sauces I had never had before...

and so...

 her dishes are so unique and wonderfully flavorful.

I always look forward to her calling out to me that my meal is ready.

---------

My wife is now shopping online for a good sub zero degree hiking jacket...

as she is looking forward to doing some Winter hiking...

as well as doing some Nordic Skiing with me in Mueller State Park...

on their groomed trails

(this will be my Nordic skiing spot forever...

as Mueller State Park is just half an hour away).

In a couple of days...

our Autumn Arts and Crafts fair will begin at our community center.

I hope to find some art there that I would like to purchase.

I will be sure to take plenty of photos.

-------

I am still quite full from my meal...

and so...

I am thinking of taking a little nap before heading back down 

to our home theater to binge watch more dramas.

Life is good  :)

Comfortable Bandi - The Princess Of Our Home

 

Song:  Until The Last Moment

Artist:  Yanni

My wife shared some of her photos of Bandi over the past couple of months...

and how she loves to just relax in the loft...

especially after her morning walk and bathroom run.

When my wife is on the computer...

Bandi just loves to sit near the 3rd deck door as she looks out

and enjoys the fresh mountain breeze.

My wife will then let Bandi out onto the 3rd deck for as long as she likes.

Bandi also loves sleeping on our loft bed.

She will often sleep so comfortably on the loft bed for a few hours 

after her morning bathroom run.

Bandi will often just lie on the floor near my wife as she is on the computer.

Bandi loves just being near my wife when she is up in the loft.

Bandi also loves to lie on the floor as my wife is running on her treadmill

(my wife will usually run for 45 or so minutes each time).

Bandi knows our routines.

As soon as my wife gets dressed...

Bandi gets excited and runs down to the front door

as she knows it is time for her morning bathroom run.

Bandi is just so comfortable in the loft.

She sleeps with me at night...

but for most of the day and into the late evening hours...

Bandi loves being near my wife in the loft.

However...

Bandi knows when it is time for me to eat...

as soon as Bandi sees my wife setting my eating area...

Bandi comes to me in my room and gently puts her paw on my arm...

and then leads me into the kitchen...

as if to say...

it is time for US to eat.

As I always feed Bandi some of my food as I am eating...

she gets excited when it is time for me to eat...

even though I will usually feed her her meal just before or after I eat.

Bandi is such a character...

and she has many places in our home for her to rest or sleep.

But...

as she loves being near one of us at all times...

she will pick one of her many beds to lie on 

that is the nearest to one of us at that particular time.

My wife and I love spoiling Bandi...

as she is just so sweet and mild mannered...

as well as being so much fun to watch and play with.

She is not only good company...

but she alerts us as to people or animals near our home...

as she loves her home...

and so...

readily guards it.

I love seeing her so happy...

as her eyes light up and her tail stands on end whenever she goes outside...

when we play fetch with her...

or when it is Yum Yum time for her.

We will throw her rubber bone for her to fetch in the great room and the loft...

until she finally gets tired.

Bandi lives a life filled with adventure and freedom...

as well as complete comfort.

As Bandi is like our child...

she is the princess of our home...

as it should be.