TACKLE a Walk to Remember

My spouse and I forfeited our Friday date night to just hang out at home.  I insisted on a stroll at dusk.  My muscles were finally recovered from our climb on Old Rag Mountain a few days ago.  A walk would be a good stretch.  

Since it was near dark, we walked on the too narrow sidewalk instead of the street.  Conversation was flying about the weekly events.  Family weekly rehash:  a car was towed, no one was hurt in a car accident, my spouse landed a new job contract, I hired another employee, one daughter's computer was infected with a virus, one daughter's plan to move to Alaska,  my son and his family are moving to SC and one daughter's possible move to London.   Just when I was getting worked up about the kids moving so far away, I ended up in the grass staring at the night sky screaming in pain.     

It had been five years since I had an injury to my ankles.  I thought I was on a roll.  While chatting, I stepped off the sidewalk awkwardly and lost my balance.  I felt something pop and snap in my ankle.  It felt like a dislocation.  I put my foot straight up in the air and manipulated the ankle area while cursing like a sailor from the intense pain.

I couldn't believe it!  I recently hiked Old Rag Mountain climbing on boulders, rocks and cliffs without any lower extremity mishaps and I injure my ankle while walking near my house.

Lake Jackson VFD ambulance arrived in minutes to rescue me and my poor spouse who appeared to be flabbergasted by my Exorcist-like behavior.  The crew took my vitals and then lifted me into the ambulance.  I saw my spouse wave his camera phone through the glass doors. He was getting the car to meet me at the hospital.  Alone, well with about six crewmembers,  I groaned and got teary eyed thinking about the inconvenience of this injury to me, my family and the ambulance crew.  I am sure there were heart attacks to prevent, but I was seriously crippled and in scale nine pain.

The ER was packed, in fact, near record breaking, according to the Admittance Department.  Great!  It was going to be a long night.   I whispered a comment about having great insurance to the nurse and she smiled. 

Hanging out on a gurney, I noticed my toenail polish looked bad.  My spouse refused to run out and buy nail polish for a touch up.  He also refused to turn off the blinding overhead fluorescent lights in the hospital room.

Two hours later, with an X-ray with no fracture, I was crutching out with a splinted ankle swelled to the size of an orange, a skinned knee and a shattered dream of running in the morning.       

My spouse and I had only been married close to two years.  He mentioned that he had never been with me during an injury.  My kids have endured the past experiences of my pains.  They all sent sympathy texts to my spouse for getting stuck with the injured mom.  Hours later, after my grumpy demands of ice bags, drinks, books and pillows, he understood.  I popped a pain pill and went to La La land for a few hours of sleep.

Laid up for a weekend was good for me.  I worked on homework, hobbled to a birthday party and slept in on Sunday.  The worst experience was going to the dreaded DMV for a handicap pass for my car.  I needed it to survive classes at college where you park miles away.  The DMV had no sympathy for struggling customers.  No drive up windows, automatic doors or priority service are offered to injured or handicapped customers.  The clerk even yelled at me for leaning on the counter and told me to get in line!
It does make you see the world through different eyes when you are injured.  Some people are helpful, but others are rude and impatient.



My daughter and I played artist.  Her face painting is awesome!

 The best time was relaxing and painting with my daughter.  I have not done a craft-like activity in years.  But we enjoyed sharing paint and brushes and creating our two inspiring paintings.  We were inspired by some paintings we found on tumblr, a great site for art.  This injury was a way to be forced to slow down to relax and smell the roses.
    

TACKLE Old Rag Mountain in Virginia

My spouse has hiked 600 miles on the Appalachian Trail that extends from Maine to Georgia.  If you agree to go backpacking in the mountains with an Appalachian Trail (AT) section hiker, be prepared for some interesting experiences.

1.  We showed up at Old Rag Mountain parking lot ($15) at the ungodly hour of 5:30 AM for our day of exercising.  It was dark, cold and scary.  I had one microscopic flashlight,  hot coffee and an overactive imagination.  I thought a bear would attack us any minute.

2.  After fighting off spider webs on the dim, steep switch backs on Ridge Trail, we emerged to sunlight where my spouse announced the beginning of the infamous "very challenging rocks".   Flat, Old Rag Granite (dated 1.2 billion years old by geologists) was stretched along the trail.  This looked manageable to me.  I was in for a surprise. 

3.  My spouse had hiked Old Rag Mountain ten times, so he was in charge.   I assumed that we arrived at the top of Old Rag when I saw this view.  This was only the first of many gorgeous scenes of the Blue Ridge Mountains.   I had a long way to go.

  

4.  The fall weather was bringing the change in leaf color.  In October, the trails would be packed with spectators admiring foliage in full splendor. 

Wildlife put on a show with deer frolicking to the sound of woodpeckers tapping on trees.  We even stumbled upon a pigeon bobbing along the granite.   

5.  In the Fall of 2000, Shenandoah National Park had the largest fire in its history.  Today, there is evidence of nature regenerating.  

6.  The trail transitioned from a dirt path to a blaze directed scramble of rocks and boulders of granite and basalt.  At this point, I regretted not bringing gloves.  Rock climbing was now on the agenda.

7.  Techniques in hiking include sliding down the sides of boulders and sliding through intrusive basalt dike formations that fractures in a staircase pattern.

8.  Another hiking technique includes the squat, a necessity to maneuver under the low hanging ledges.  I now understood the meaning of the "very challenging rocks" in the trail.  I was getting a little claustrophobic.  I am physically active in my daily life, however, my muscles were not prepared for this workout.

                                                                  

                                

9.  Three hours later, I was starting to think I made a mistake.  My spouse is an experienced hiker and this trail was tough.  There was no turning back.  I had to suck it up and get to the summit of Old Rag Mountain.

10.  It took three and one half hours to reach the top of the mountain.  I only had one skinned elbow, raw hands, a bruised knee and two slight panic attacks.  One feeling of anxiety struck me when I felt stranded at the base of a wall of granite.  The second hit me when I had to jump over a bottomless hole to get to the next boulder.  

 11.  It was sunny and warm until we reached the top where it was chilly.  This is our view at 3,291 feet.  Visability is zero because we were in a cloud.  We ate a snack and planned our descent down the mountain.   We had not seen one soul since we left the parking lot.   Suddenly, we heard voices.  Three men in their sixties appeared and told me about the "easy" Saddle Trail down the mountain.  My angels had rescued me.  My spouse balked at the wimpy trail, however, it would be a new one for him, so he agreed. 

12.  It wasn't that easy, but no boulders the size of my house to climb.  I could deal with this trail. 

13.  The Saddle Trail had pleasant surprises like the Old Rag Shelter, a protective area for hikers caught in bad weather. 

14.  Connecting bridges, streams and waterfalls led us back to our parking lot.

15.  Colorful shelf fungus grabbed our attention as we continued along the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.

16.  Old Rag Mountain was once the local sight of a small mountain community.  Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935, resulting in the relocation of this community.  Any signs of human activity should remain undisturbed.

Finally back at the parking lot.  A long, exhausting day and our daughters were probably still in bed.  It was a  great experience but I would not recommend the Ridge Trail to young children.  You should be healthy and in good physical condition to get to the top of Old Rag Mountain on this trail.  The Saddle Trail is a good alternative and was very scenic.

TACKLE the Memory of 9-11-2001 and the Last Day of Normal

Monday, September 10, 2001, the kids started their first full week of school.  I had a busy day at work and collected the pile of bills that I needed to pay.  My 20 year old son had a flying lesson at the local airport.  He wanted to be a pilot.  The next day was supposed to be a gorgeous day, so I decided I would play hooky.

On Tuesday I took the girls to the school bus stop and then I plopped on the Lazy Boy in front of the TV.   I whipped out the checkbook and started to write checks and enjoy a day of peace.  However, September 11, 2001 would not be peaceful.  This was the day the drums of war would begin to beat.

While balking at our electric bill, I listened to Katie Couric on the Today show talk about a commuter plane that hit the World Trade Center (the Twin Towers) in New York City.  The sky was clear and planes do not fly near skyscrapers. I thought of my son who would be flying a solo flight in the near future.

The Today Show had live coverage of the Twin Towers with a gigantic hole ripped through one of them. Suddenly, another plane, a jumbo jet, slammed into the other tower.  I jumped out of my seat and stood in shock in front of the TV.  Clearly, this was not an accident but a deliberate attack on the United States of America.

I retrieved my daughters from school.  Next, the Pentagon was hit and then another plane was lost in air space.  All planes were grounded.  The neighbors huddled outside looking up in the air.  I remembered that my son was working for a car company near the Pentagon.

Tires screeched in the driveway followed by my son bursting through the door.  He was a bundle of energy.  During work near the Pentagon, he saw the plane coming in low in restricted air space.  He knew it hit the building and rushed home before all hell broke loose in DC.    The experience clearly rattled him  He joined the Air Force a few months later.

During the ten year anniversary of that horrific day, I compared these two time periods:  September 10, 2001, the last day of normal, and now in 2011, living with change.

Then & Now:  September 10, 2001 & 2011

Top Stories:

September 10, 2001:

Highlights included Chandra Levy missing for 133 days.  Rep. Gary Condit, CA, denied having an affair with her.  Actor Robert Blake was a suspect in the killing of his wife.

Most Americans were not interested in foreign relations and never heard of Osama Bin Laden.  The 10/12/2000 US Naval Ship Cole bombing in Yemen was a distant memory.  George W. Bush was the President with Colin Powell as the Secretary of State. 

2011:

The country is suffering from a bad economy, high unemployment, and massive home foreclosures.

We are involved in war.  Ten years later, my son is staying in the Air Force for a career.  He has been deployed numerous times to Afghanistan and Iraq.  One of our daughters has joined the Air Force and is still in intense training.

Barrack Obama is President and Osama Bin Laden was found and killed during his term.






Military:

September 10, 2001:

Most young men and women that joined the military signed up for training and education.   Only 206,002 members of the military were deployed in 1999.







2011:

The United States military's recruiting numbers were record breaking after 9-11-2001.  Deployment reached 387,920 in 2003.

Today's military is performing a tough job carrying out the orders of war.







Air Travel:

September 10, 2001:

Passengers skated past security checks in airports with little hassle.  The biggest complaint about air travel was the food offered on board.

2011:

Passengers are searched, questioned and subjected to body scans.  Luggage items are restricted and randomly searched for safety.


Security and Privacy:

 

September 10, 2001:

A copy of a birth certificate could be used as ID to come and go out of the USA.  ID and social security numbers were not routinely verified.  

 

2011:

Homeland Security was establish to protect our nation.  Strict policies enforcing proper identification and verification were implemented for individuals coming in and out of the country.

The government steps up their ability to dig and research into our lives.












Schools:

September 10, 2001:

Children were taught to prepare for hurricane and tornadoes by hiding under desks and putting their heads down.  This was the biggest threat while children were away from their home.

2011:

The youth of today grow up with terror alerts and lock downs in school.  It is a part of their everyday lives.



Religion:

September 10, 2001:

Citizens of different religious backgrounds lived and worked together in America.  



2011:

The terrorists who flew the planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and later crashed in PA were radical Muslims.  After September 11, 2001, the peaceful members of this religious group struggled to regain their reputation with fellow Americans.

There were 2,976 victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on America.  Never forget.

 

TACKLE College: Then and Now

Those were the days!





What a difference 30 + years can make!   I first attended college in 1978.  Now, over 30 years later, I am back to school.  I started to compare the two time periods and this is what I remembered from 1978 and what I observed my first week of classes in 2011.

                                                                   Comparing Two Era's: 1978 and 2011  

1.  Classroom:

1978:  Professors smoked in class and were old enough to be my father.  They taught lessons with chalk on a blackboard made of slate or painted wood. 

   

                                              

2011: Many campuses are "smoke free" and Professors are young enough to be my son.  They post class lessons on the university website, "Blackboard".  

2. Majors:

1978:  Academics included Liberal Arts as a popular major for a well rounded education.

2011:  Innovative colleges and universities, such as George Mason University offer Bachelor of Individualized Studies (BIS), where students can build their own major. 

 

3.  Computers:

1978:  Computers were big, bulky and slow.

2011:  A computer can be held in the palm of your hand offering daily technological changes.     

4.  Transportation:

1978:  Students, like me, drove cars such as a 1967 Plymouth Valiant with no air conditioning and no seat belts.  Free parking lots were a few feet from the front door of the classrooms.

2011:  Talking and beeping seat belt alarms and climate control vehicles provide safety and comfort in unpredictable traffic on campus.   Parking requires drivers to stalk walking students to their car for a potential space in over crowded lots.  Expensive parking permits are required and lots are miles away from the buildings for class.

6.  Dining Hall:

1978:  Dining Halls were often the center for socializing, mail and food.  Students retrieved their mail and prayed for letters with money from parents.  The cafeteria included a new healthy addition: a salad bar consisting of veggies and fatty dressings.  Your Student ID included your social security number and provided you with all you can eat food.

2011:  Students rarely use their post office mailboxes.  Email and social media are the acceptable method of communication.  Tofu bars, nonfat, low carbs and various foods to suit special diet needs are on campus food courts.  Complicated meal plans with mandatory student ID cards with encrypted numbers are required for everything in campus. 

   

7.  Getting Around on Campus

1978:  It was safe to walk through campus late at night.  The danger was in balancing on chunky platform shoes and clogs.

2011:  Campuses offer escorts and emergency panic buttons through the campus for security.  Runners are trying the new fad of barefoot running.

8.  Jewelry: 

1978:   Girls had their ears pierced with only two holes.  Hoops were the popular earring.  Some daring boys had one ear pierced, usually with a small diamond.  

2011:  Piercings pop up everywhere on the body.  Hoops are even in the nose septum.



9.  Trends:



1978:  Blue eye shadow and glitter are splashed across the girls in response to the disco craze.

2011:  Tattoos and twitter are sending messages all around campus.

10.  Hair:

1978: Farrah Fawcett posters were plastered on every male dorm room wall.  Her perfect "feathered" hair and big smile were the envy of every girl.



 2011:  The fashion forward girl wears feathers in her hair.

 11.  Music:

1978: Couples crowd the lighted dance floor to the beat of songs like "Lady Marmalade".





2011:  Lady Gaga with her controversial costumes, is a pop singing talent who has stormed the music industry.

One thing that is still the same is homework.  We had it in 1978 and we have it in 2011.  In 2011, Professors usually request hard copies of work, but will often allow email, faxes, and scanning.  No more excuses like, "the dog ate it".