UNDER CONSTRUCTION

ABOUT RENO, NV: RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN (5,011’) 3X, TWIN PEAKS (4,851’) September 3, 2015

Seeking to get back into a good condition, I got to sleep early the night before. I had a follow-up appointment with a doctor, and awoke about 4:45 a.m., Thursday morning. Excited about the new forthcoming software, and by which I can start to wear my new watch safer, I eagerly sought a better lifestyle. Asking a DPS leader about attending an upcoming Nevada peaks trip, he seemed to not be comfortable with me coming along. Understanding, I directed myself to other things.

Never before hardly feeling this good this early in the morning for awhile, I went to motor off to get breakfast. To try an eatery new to me, I drove south of the downtown area, and ordered corned beef hash with eggs. I paid for street parking, only three quarters, but I wished to try new things. With coffee, I was served quickly, and pretty girls waited on the tables.

Then, it was off to Mayberry Park, where I hiked the river trail to the Tom Cooke Trail over to the top of what I call, “Patagonia Hill.” Breezy, I wore a light jacket, and took photos along the way. Back to the car parking lot, I motored the short way over to the enviro clothing store, where I saw the new fall styles. Nothing much on sale, I then went to read the newspapers.

Then, it was to get some items by shopping, then to have a small lunch before heading to the clinic. To see the doctor, I had to go to the financial officer, and would e-mail some income forms. The staff took my information, and the doctor hadn’t gotten any information from the hospital, so I approved the request, and then was told that I did alright in phoning 9-1-1. It looked good for then continuing my medication, and so I left with another appointment for another month. Medical care here is fine, and I am not disappointed in Nevada medicine.

With some Diet Coke from lunch, I was feeling better. Seeking to get back into peak bagging, I headed for Huffaker Hills Park. Running dash cam video all along the way, I was recording new drives. The approach road, Alexander Lake Road, was now signed, “no bicyclists or pedestrians.” I entered the trailhead parking lot, which has now been much improved.

First to do was Rattlesnake Mountain. I did photos and video as I hiked on up, and wore only a T. The only one hiking to the top, here, I shortly topped out, with jets flying by from the jetport. Doing my summit twirls, I did some panoramas, and hiked back down, with more videos.

Back to the trailhead, I sought to also bag Twin Peaks. Both of these climbs are normally only 20 minutes to the top, but for some twerk, I only count Rattlesnake Mountain as a peak ascent for my numbers. Once on a 1990’s Club evening hike, we climbed the peak from another direction, slightly more gain. Feeling good about it, I chose then to count it. They later put in the new trailhead and trails, for Twin Peaks, but being too easy, I declined to then count it.

Some other hikers were returning from Twin Peaks, and I liked it that hikers can enjoy the trails and open space. Like Lone Mountain in Vegas, this is a worthy summit for that urban style of peak. I topped out with summit twirls, and panoramas, then returned quickly back to the car.

There was a crash on I-580 northbound, so I took South Virginia Street to Interstate 80, and then north on 395. Doing more shopping, I had hiked 7.66 miles with 43 floors. Capturing 158 images and movie clips, with dash cam videos, I spent about 22.57 for food and drink.

Having some fill of activity for the holiday weekend, I now expect to do more hiking or traveling after the holiday. There will be the major software update, then I don’t feel compelled to have to upgrade my phone, by what is expected to come. I’m looking forward to be able to use my new watch without more fear of theft or loss, and then perhaps some driving down to the Eastern Sierra, now much less of a drive.

As I type this up, I’m feeling quite upbeat, and looking to another good day, tomorrow. My follow-up appointments are done for now, and I’m feeling back to about normal. My home improvement debt is nearly paid off, and then it’ll be back to spending as usual, for awhile. There’ll be some need for additional frugality, but when I can get a major home improvement loan, I will get additional upgrades to my home, and then to the yard. That’ll do it for some time, and by 2017, it’ll be looking to an electric car, if I’m up to driving some 20,000 miles a year, to make it pay off with no more costs of fuel. That’ll be good for a seven year loan at about $500 a month, and my new home will be set for then, with hopefully green energy, no or low maintenance landscaping, and tech all set.

Depending on my health, and will to survive, to climb, hike, and backcountry ski. The specter of a malware infection, bad happenings, and the unforeseen, still loom, but so far, it’s been O.K. Music is now mainly free, movies cheap and highly accessible, and perhaps I will work on my website, but offline. Few visitors, and I need to spend more time on the trails and the roads.

With some luck, I will pay off my home, and be back to being flush with cash, although by then I will be close to 68. For my old peak buddy, it was his beginning, with peaks for years to come, to his stopping it at about 77. He still stayed active, with some easy hiking, till he called it quits about last winter, then to go to his final rest, hopefully peacefully. I hope for similar, though I had hoped that he’d have gone on to about 94 when I’d have helped him to break the Mt. Whitney old age ascent record, set by Hilda Crooks, at 93.

You can only hope for the best. I hoped that my other peak companions, when they aged, would have been up for more peak bagging, even on their own retirement, but there’s been nobody. Mostly, I see far younger people, no one that I know, or that would ever be interested in an older aged peak bagger. Getting to be my retirement age hasn’t been too good for me. However, I’ll see how it goes!

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