Little Si, again

Destination: Little Si
Add on:  Capitol Hill Branch, Seattle Public Library
Distance: 6.7 miles, 10.72 km
Traveling companion: Son
Elevation gain: 1300 feet
My son is in town and we went on the first hike we've done together for more than 30 years. And it's only the second significant hike I took since my radiation treatments ended March 28. On April 11 I reached the summit in 4 fours; this time it took me 2. Since my normal time is 90 minutes, this is great progress.

After shopping at Costco we returned home and then hiked the 2-mile round trip to the library, even though I was tired and feeling a little sore between my shoulderblades. So, today was a worthwhile hike.

Total distance for the year: 145.68 km
Total elevation gain for the year: 2,900 feet

Wimping out

Destination: Fedex, Umpqua Bank, REI
Distance: 3.4 miles; 5.44 km
Elevation gain: Unknown; have ordered Casio altimeter

 

Results: Still feel moments of exhaustion as I hike

Walked to Umpqua Bank to deposit check; Capitol Hill Fedex to send Del Sol title to USAS; to REI to explore uses for annual rebate. Possibilities documented in attached photos. At Fedex got hot flash and expected to need a bathroom shortly. That passed. Deposited check at Umpqua bank and windowshopped at REI, breaking out in sweat there. Left for home, walking along Stewart and then up Boren. At boren and Pike stopped at columns for breather. climbed hill rest of way and walked home along Madison. Napped afterward. Energy level very unimpressive.

Total distance for the year: 134.96 km
Total elevation gain for the year: 1,600 feet

Photos of gear I may purchase follow:

Backsliding

After a few of my hot flashes and sitting at my desk most of the day I got stir crazy and hiked to Ivar's Fish Bar along Alaskan Way. It's 1.4 miles up and down Madison. Getting there was almost a breeze. Coming back was a disappointment. I had to cheat part way back and take the escalator in the Seattle Public Library. I walked a bit on the escalator, so I cheated the cheating. As slow as I was climbing Little Si last week, I thought I would have done better at this very short jaunt. Recovery is taking longer than I thought. I'm going to call it a 300 foot elevation gain. Not much.

Total distance for the day: 2.8 miles; 4.48 km
Total distance for the year: 129.52 km
Total elevation gain for the year: 1,600 feet

Little Si . . . and . . . and . . .

Photo by Sue Butkus of me near the crest of Little Si Mountain, North Bend

Today I made my first major hike since the first of the year -- Little Si, at North Bend. This is a departure of what I've been doing since radiation treatment. Until now, a 400-foot elevation gain from Alaskan Way to the crest of Madison Street was exhausting. This was exhausting as well, and at this writing my legs are feeling it and my knees are weak. But I did it, although it took me four hours to summit Little Si instead of my customary 90 minutes.
Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

Total distance for the day: 4.7 miles,7.52 km
Total distance for the year: 117.84 km
Total elevation gain for the year:  1,300 feet

Wednesday, April 12

Safeway:  Walked to the store to get some cranberry juice mixes to address a possible UTI. Bought four half-gallon bottles. Half mile there, and I was tired; half mile back, lugging 20 pounds of fluid. I will save the bottles, because they are such a convenient way to add 20 pounds to a conditioning hike.
Total distance for the day: 1 mile, 1.6 km
Total distance for the year: 119.44 km
Total elevation gain for the year:  1,300 feet.

Friday, April 14

A Del Sol similar to mine

Kaiser Permanente, etc.
Walked to pharmacy for sulfa drugs for UTI; then to Umpqua Bank for deposit; then home. And then, in pm, back to Kaiser Permanente and back home again for a different prescription. Then at night, an uncounted walking around looking for a stolen Del Sol.

Total distance for the day: 3.5 miles, 5.6 km
Total distance for the year: 125.04 km
Total elevation gain for the year: 1,300 feet

Chinatown tune up

Our destination: Jade Garden Restaurant

Today I walked to join my life-long friend, Jay Hastings, with whom I traveled to Cambodia almost three years ago. Jay was coming to Seattle for business, so I joined him for a dim sum lunch at Jade Garden Restaurant, 424 7th Ave. S. From there to the ferry terminal, for Jay to catch the ride home, and from the ferry terminals home. Total distance: at least 3.1 miles, or 6.56 km.

Significance: Probably the longest walk I've made since radiation treatments ended. I made it up Madison hill without having to do more than pause momentarily to catch my breath. Part of that was due to some strategic planning to make sure I didn't ascend continuously--but I didn't rely on the escalators I employed on my April 1 hike. When I got home I took a big nap.

Total for the day: 4.1 miles, 6.56 km
Total for the year: 110.32 km

Christ Our Hope Catholic Church

Monday, actually. I'm writing this after midnight.
Walked to Kaiser Permanente for my daily radiation, then to Broadway on Capitol Hill to deliver meals. On to Lost Lake Cafe for breakfast and to check it out as a place to direct people trying to stay warm at night, and then home. 2.3 miles.

In the late afternoon, down Madison to Bartells to purchase some Whitman's chocolates for the medical team. Then to Christ Our Hope Catholic Church for a meeting on possibly setting up a Web site for the homeless. Back home by way of AMC theaters. 3.4 miles.

Energy level not bad, but I didn't try the steepest streets. I will be doing more of this now that my radiation treatments have one more day to go.

This is the first good hiking I've done since March 8.
Total for the day: 5.7 miles, 9.12 km
Total for the year: 110.32 km

Week of March 6

March 6:
To the waterfront.
At about 8:30 p.m. I set out with four sack lunches in my backpack and no particular destination, with Ivar's Fish Bar being a possibility. I ambled my way to Broadway and Pine, giving two lunches to a young couple in a doorway; then meandered to Madison, heading for the bridge to the ferry terminal, where I left a sack lunch with a man sleeping on a chair next to a pile of belongings that dwarfed him; from there to the stairway that leads from the front of the terminal to the sidewalk and on to Ivar's Fish Bar; and from there, home.

The Seattle wheel, just off Alaskan Way.

Tonight, the salmon chowder was delicious.

At the start of the hike I felt energized. At the end I wondered whether I would be able to make it up Madison. I'm not sure whether it's the radiation treatments or the hormone suppressant, or just sitting around too much, but I was exhausted as I climbed the grade from the freeway to Boren. I had to pause a couple times. Once at the top I was able to make good time.
Total: 4 miles, 6.4 km.
For the year:  93.52 km

March 8: 
Three mini hikes to accommodate my fatigue: Kaiser Permanente for daily radiation and consult;  Italian Family Pizza for meetup; Ivar's Fish Bar for distance and elevation, stopping at H&R Block along the way for income taxes.
Map My Hike program showed trip to fish bar being 1.59 miles one way; Google said it was 1.4, making the Google figures 88% of the MMH figures. I'm using Google's figures and trying to arrive at a constant fraction to apply to MMH, to give me a more credible figure.
Fatigue:
Enroute home from the fish bar I had to stop for breath before 4th Avenue. I crossed the street and sat in the Seattle Library. Radiation may be causing my fatigue, according to the consult  with my radiologist. He said continued moderate exercise was advisable.
Total: 4.8 miles; 7.68 km.
For the year: 101.2 km