New Format...plus a juicy gem of a picture. Do you dare to find out more on the blog site? http://www.whatisaldoingfuntoday.blogspot.com/
<3
Al
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Winter? I think not...
Well, last week Denver got pummeled with snow while we here a little higher in the mountains were blessed with sweet sunshine and 50-60 degree weather. Now, while to many of you back East (or out West), that may seem mild and quite possibly cold; but, you have to imagine a) the dry climate and b) the higher altitude and proximity to the sun, and then of course c) that summertime highs don't go past 85ish. So to sum up, we have had some beautiful late fall/early winter weather that no one could have predicted but everyone can surely enjoy.
On that note, I have been quite busy inside but more so outside the last week. Last weekend (Halloween) was a blast. Raced in a bike race on Saturday (Halloween) and then had a killer time that evening with friends at the Wine Bar here in Gunny. We all were dressed in our Halloween-best...I as a cardboard box:) If you aren't on facebook, find someone who is and then you can see my costume. Quite original and highly unique, but most of all just fun.
The lab has been steady this past week...really just a busy day of testing and student research on Tuesday, otherwise I spent some of my hours researching potential graduate school programs for Student Affairs-my intended course of study. I've narrowed it down to 4 programs in which I'll apply to: Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO; Penn State, Appalachian State in Boone, NC; and Michigan State University. I feel these 4 programs would be a best fit for me...the first 3 being my top choices over Michigan-which has an outstanding program nonetheless. For those of you who have been patiently waiting to see what direction Al would pursue, well I'd say you can breathe a little more easily now; I'm definitely pretty solid on this choice and am anxious and excited to get my application materials in. I have my letters or reference in the mail to me and/or scheduled for a finish date of Nov. 20th. Last thing to do besides applying is for me to write my letter of intent and double and triple check things.
In other news, I have been doing a lot of volunteer work lately. Partly because I think it would look good on my resume but mostly because I believe it is the right thing to do...guess it's my mother in me. For those that know her, she definitely gives her self whole-heartedly and asks for little in return. With a role model such as she, how can I begin to not want to mirror that? Also, I find the return feeling volunteering gives me satisfies much more than possessions, etc. So what kind of volunteering? Well Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings this week I spent helping my friend Luke set up climbing routes in the fitness center for a bouldering competition held on-campus Saturday. Being that I am an intermediate climber, if I could on-site (climb a route on the 1st try) then the route was deemed intermdediate or recreational in difficulty. Also, I helped carry and clean things up after the route setting was done late Friday night.
Before that on Friday afternoon I spent 3 or so hours helping my friends Tim and Mike (also ESS students) set up a Cyclocross course on campus for their race Saturday and Sunday. To cap off the weekend, I spent a few hours this morning doing a clean-up of some of the campground/climber areas out at Hartman's Rocks with my friend Luke and some fellow student climbers. Again, it was great to feel productive and communal in helping with all of these things. Obviously I don't deserve the volunteer award of the year for this, but I think it's an ideal example of how we can be good stewards, good friends, and all around self-less individuals by helping others without expecting anything in return. My one arguement about popular religion is that too many people are under the false pretense that you just give money and you "secure your spot to heaven," whereas others give what they can-their time or genuine self and feel rewards intrinsically that just a donation of money wouldn't do. Anyways not to blabber on and convolute the good things I've mentioned...I think volunteering is a great way to help others and be a good person and of course find out more about yourself. End of story.
Hope things are well elsewhere. Hard to believe it's November 8th already. 2 weeks and I'm on the road for home for Thanksgiving. Hope to see many or all of you over the holiday period (including the Christmas holiday as well). Hugs, kisses, and stuff.
Love yous guys.
Al
On that note, I have been quite busy inside but more so outside the last week. Last weekend (Halloween) was a blast. Raced in a bike race on Saturday (Halloween) and then had a killer time that evening with friends at the Wine Bar here in Gunny. We all were dressed in our Halloween-best...I as a cardboard box:) If you aren't on facebook, find someone who is and then you can see my costume. Quite original and highly unique, but most of all just fun.
The lab has been steady this past week...really just a busy day of testing and student research on Tuesday, otherwise I spent some of my hours researching potential graduate school programs for Student Affairs-my intended course of study. I've narrowed it down to 4 programs in which I'll apply to: Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO; Penn State, Appalachian State in Boone, NC; and Michigan State University. I feel these 4 programs would be a best fit for me...the first 3 being my top choices over Michigan-which has an outstanding program nonetheless. For those of you who have been patiently waiting to see what direction Al would pursue, well I'd say you can breathe a little more easily now; I'm definitely pretty solid on this choice and am anxious and excited to get my application materials in. I have my letters or reference in the mail to me and/or scheduled for a finish date of Nov. 20th. Last thing to do besides applying is for me to write my letter of intent and double and triple check things.
In other news, I have been doing a lot of volunteer work lately. Partly because I think it would look good on my resume but mostly because I believe it is the right thing to do...guess it's my mother in me. For those that know her, she definitely gives her self whole-heartedly and asks for little in return. With a role model such as she, how can I begin to not want to mirror that? Also, I find the return feeling volunteering gives me satisfies much more than possessions, etc. So what kind of volunteering? Well Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings this week I spent helping my friend Luke set up climbing routes in the fitness center for a bouldering competition held on-campus Saturday. Being that I am an intermediate climber, if I could on-site (climb a route on the 1st try) then the route was deemed intermdediate or recreational in difficulty. Also, I helped carry and clean things up after the route setting was done late Friday night.
Before that on Friday afternoon I spent 3 or so hours helping my friends Tim and Mike (also ESS students) set up a Cyclocross course on campus for their race Saturday and Sunday. To cap off the weekend, I spent a few hours this morning doing a clean-up of some of the campground/climber areas out at Hartman's Rocks with my friend Luke and some fellow student climbers. Again, it was great to feel productive and communal in helping with all of these things. Obviously I don't deserve the volunteer award of the year for this, but I think it's an ideal example of how we can be good stewards, good friends, and all around self-less individuals by helping others without expecting anything in return. My one arguement about popular religion is that too many people are under the false pretense that you just give money and you "secure your spot to heaven," whereas others give what they can-their time or genuine self and feel rewards intrinsically that just a donation of money wouldn't do. Anyways not to blabber on and convolute the good things I've mentioned...I think volunteering is a great way to help others and be a good person and of course find out more about yourself. End of story.
Hope things are well elsewhere. Hard to believe it's November 8th already. 2 weeks and I'm on the road for home for Thanksgiving. Hope to see many or all of you over the holiday period (including the Christmas holiday as well). Hugs, kisses, and stuff.
Love yous guys.
Al
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Back at it
Hello again. Just a quick diddy about my trip this past week. As some and most of you may know I was over in the Colorado Springs (Front Range as it is called here) the past week for recruiting purposes at the college. Normally, a person such as myself does not attend such college fairs for highschool recruitment, but being that we are a larger department, I convinced my bosses to let me go. They paid the meals for the week and travel and living accommodations were courtesy of my friend Ben's admission travel budget. As you can see from the pictures (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3) we had a lot of free time between fairs to get into the outdoors! Most other admission counselors and recruiters at the fairs from other colleges opted to eat, drink, and be merry but Ben and I had other intentions. It was great to experience a handful of new areas in Colorado. Definitely hard to judge places until you try them. Found some beauty and so forth I wasn't expecting in the Colorado Springs area.
In other news, for those of you wondering how my "W" Mountain Race finished 2 Saturdays ago, I took 35th out of 90 or so racers. 23:50 was my final time. The course was 2.6 miles and gained about 1,000 feet over that 2.6 miles. Ben and I followed up the race morning with an epic mountain bike ride at Hartman's Rocks for the better part of 3 hours on a sunny, mildly warm, and beautiful afternoon.
It snowed here in Gunnison today! It was so exciting to see snow again. I know some of you are dreading it but the snow really adds another layer of beauty to the scenery out here-crested mountain tops, dusted sage brush, etc. Also, the presence of snow excites me for the ice hockey season, which started yesterday (Monday), though I didn't sign up till today because of monetary issues. My first game is tomorrow night. I am excited! Glad to get back on the ice and have some competitive fun.
Not too much else going on...looking forward to coming home for Thanksgiving and time with family (especially the Baker clan) and friends. Hope ya'll are doing well. Keep in touch if I don't hear from you or see you as this holiday season approaches.
Later ya'll
Al
As always, check out the photos online (link is above) if you haven't already seen them on facebook.
In other news, for those of you wondering how my "W" Mountain Race finished 2 Saturdays ago, I took 35th out of 90 or so racers. 23:50 was my final time. The course was 2.6 miles and gained about 1,000 feet over that 2.6 miles. Ben and I followed up the race morning with an epic mountain bike ride at Hartman's Rocks for the better part of 3 hours on a sunny, mildly warm, and beautiful afternoon.
It snowed here in Gunnison today! It was so exciting to see snow again. I know some of you are dreading it but the snow really adds another layer of beauty to the scenery out here-crested mountain tops, dusted sage brush, etc. Also, the presence of snow excites me for the ice hockey season, which started yesterday (Monday), though I didn't sign up till today because of monetary issues. My first game is tomorrow night. I am excited! Glad to get back on the ice and have some competitive fun.
Not too much else going on...looking forward to coming home for Thanksgiving and time with family (especially the Baker clan) and friends. Hope ya'll are doing well. Keep in touch if I don't hear from you or see you as this holiday season approaches.
Later ya'll
Al
As always, check out the photos online (link is above) if you haven't already seen them on facebook.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
News News
Hello again. Good news and an update real quick. I am leaving Sunday afternoon for a week-long trip to the Front Range (Denver, Colorado Springs, etc.) to do recruiting for the RESS (Rec. and Exercise & Sport Science) program here at Western, as well as the college in general because lord knows, not many high schoolers know what they want to pursue in college. I will be tagging along with my friend Ben Johnson from Admissions as he attends different college fairs all next week. It will be a nice outing from the lab for me. I am getting funding for food from my department and luckily I can stay on Ben's admission tab for lodging and transportation. Yay.
I'm really fairly excited about this trip. I think it will provide some valuable experience and definitely I always enjoy mixing it up with newbs (new people).
If you haven't seen my photos from God's Crag yet, do yourself a favor and give them a checking out! (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Hope ya'll are well as always. More to come after the trip. Tune back in a week or 2. Peace!
Al
I'm really fairly excited about this trip. I think it will provide some valuable experience and definitely I always enjoy mixing it up with newbs (new people).
If you haven't seen my photos from God's Crag yet, do yourself a favor and give them a checking out! (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Hope ya'll are well as always. More to come after the trip. Tune back in a week or 2. Peace!
Al
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Lovely Fall Friday
Hey guys. Just a quickie about the week about done. Had a day of surprise and fun yesterday (Thursday). Found out that I was runner-up for Best Waiter in Gunnis0n. It's called the Gunnison County People's Choice Award. I was completely surprised! I had no clue that was going to happen. Also yesterday had my very first mountain bike race at Hartman's Rocks. In the spring and fall the local Gunnison Trails Association does races at Hartman's to raise funds and to get people outside. This race last evening is the last for the season. Anyways, being it was my first race I entered in the short course with 2 other people. I probably should have entered in the long course under the Sport category (other category was Expert), but I wanted to smash it the first time I raced. Took 1st place by 10 minutes. No big deal though because everyone is just out to have a good time, free beer, and half-off pizza afterwards in town at Pie-Zans Pizza...yumm.
So that's my big day of news. Lastly, if you thought that I had myself straight...you were wrong! I am most likely not going to apply to the online Master's program. Reason being I feel I can save having to repay school loans by being a graduate assistant and thus going for virtually free. So look for updates as to where I will decide to continue schooling. Whew. I just can't make up my mind can I?! haha.
Catch ya'll around.
4. Best Waiter/Waitress
CHRISTIAN INGRAM, GARLIC MIKE’S Al Smith/Garlic Mike’s
So that's my big day of news. Lastly, if you thought that I had myself straight...you were wrong! I am most likely not going to apply to the online Master's program. Reason being I feel I can save having to repay school loans by being a graduate assistant and thus going for virtually free. So look for updates as to where I will decide to continue schooling. Whew. I just can't make up my mind can I?! haha.
Catch ya'll around.
4. Best Waiter/Waitress
CHRISTIAN INGRAM, GARLIC MIKE’S Al Smith/Garlic Mike’s
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Happy Roktober
Hey ya'll. Fall is here as is October...aka Roktober. So good to feel that brisk fall air and semi-warm sunshine. The nights are chilly (low 30's) but the days are gorgeous and ideal for being outside mildly clothed. Still into that wonderful mountain biking! Going again tomorrow in CB and then racing in a local race at Hartman's Rocks next Thursday! Woo!
Tuesday evening (this week) marked my last night of work at Garlic Mike's for the winter. We do the bulk of our business in the summer tourism months and being that I still work at Hertz rent-a-car, I've decided to give more time to that job. One justification for such is that I'd need to work 2 weekdays and 1 weekend at gmikes and that was difficult if I was going to work at Hertz as well. So, I decided if I couldn't do 1 day a week at gmikes to just let myself be unscheduled until busy season next summer.
In other news, there is of course the HAPLab video up. It is gaining popularity and probably at it's peak thanks to many of you. I have a new thing to share this time...an article written by my friend Luke who is a freelance writer as well as the Assistant Director of Public Relations at Western. The link to the article on Western's site is as follows: http://www.western.edu/news/training-smarter-not-harder-with-the-wsc-high-altitude-performance-lab Please check it out! Neat to read what someone else writes about the lab I work and try to flourish in.
As always, if you are on facebook (aka the book of faces, fbook, or just the book) be sure to add the HAPLab to your fan pages. More picture are being added slowly. I have new ones up from 2 weeks ago showcasing our equipment. Lastly, I am slowly preparing to apply to an online master's program at Cal-U of PA for a MS in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. Slated start date would be January 2010. The entirely online program lasts 12 consecutive months. I'll need to take out loans to pay for this, so if you have any advice with the federal loan process please let me know! I'd love any insight. Hope ya'll are doing groovy. Gotta go get the chicken out of the oven and and then go play some ultimate frisbee with students. Peace ya'll.
Tuesday evening (this week) marked my last night of work at Garlic Mike's for the winter. We do the bulk of our business in the summer tourism months and being that I still work at Hertz rent-a-car, I've decided to give more time to that job. One justification for such is that I'd need to work 2 weekdays and 1 weekend at gmikes and that was difficult if I was going to work at Hertz as well. So, I decided if I couldn't do 1 day a week at gmikes to just let myself be unscheduled until busy season next summer.
In other news, there is of course the HAPLab video up. It is gaining popularity and probably at it's peak thanks to many of you. I have a new thing to share this time...an article written by my friend Luke who is a freelance writer as well as the Assistant Director of Public Relations at Western. The link to the article on Western's site is as follows: http://www.western.edu/news/training-smarter-not-harder-with-the-wsc-high-altitude-performance-lab Please check it out! Neat to read what someone else writes about the lab I work and try to flourish in.
As always, if you are on facebook (aka the book of faces, fbook, or just the book) be sure to add the HAPLab to your fan pages. More picture are being added slowly. I have new ones up from 2 weeks ago showcasing our equipment. Lastly, I am slowly preparing to apply to an online master's program at Cal-U of PA for a MS in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. Slated start date would be January 2010. The entirely online program lasts 12 consecutive months. I'll need to take out loans to pay for this, so if you have any advice with the federal loan process please let me know! I'd love any insight. Hope ya'll are doing groovy. Gotta go get the chicken out of the oven and and then go play some ultimate frisbee with students. Peace ya'll.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
....Sucess!
Well, for those of you that are out of the facebook loop, I created, filmed, and edited a video highlighting what it is I/we do in the HAPLab here at Western State College and let's just say...great success!
If you'd like to see it, please follow this link to youtube and turn up your speakers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2gXxBI1FjE
Basically, I feel like a micro-celebrity now. I guess it's enough exposure that I feel highly content. I'm really just thrilled to get people's feedback praising me for my efforts and so forth. Very extrinsic. I posted the link to our campus-wide email and have had many people respond. This is inline with what I hoped for: exposure. I want to make the lab a place to come to. There is a lab of similar sorts somewhere in the front range (Denver) area, and they charge boocko bucks for their testing where as we charge nominal fees. Of course I'm always out to make deals with people (i.e. couples testing for $50) in order to get people in.
So what i'm asking, if you could or would, please promote us in ways that are comfortable to you. We do offer distance assistance for those that don't live here. Obviously it's limited by not having a true hands-on test, but we are available for consult. However, you are not expected to do anything if you don't want to. Just watch and enjoy. It will make you smile and perhaps laugh.
Love you all. Take care!
Alan
If you'd like to see it, please follow this link to youtube and turn up your speakers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2gXxBI1FjE
Basically, I feel like a micro-celebrity now. I guess it's enough exposure that I feel highly content. I'm really just thrilled to get people's feedback praising me for my efforts and so forth. Very extrinsic. I posted the link to our campus-wide email and have had many people respond. This is inline with what I hoped for: exposure. I want to make the lab a place to come to. There is a lab of similar sorts somewhere in the front range (Denver) area, and they charge boocko bucks for their testing where as we charge nominal fees. Of course I'm always out to make deals with people (i.e. couples testing for $50) in order to get people in.
So what i'm asking, if you could or would, please promote us in ways that are comfortable to you. We do offer distance assistance for those that don't live here. Obviously it's limited by not having a true hands-on test, but we are available for consult. However, you are not expected to do anything if you don't want to. Just watch and enjoy. It will make you smile and perhaps laugh.
Love you all. Take care!
Alan
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Back from Taos...
Greetings. I got back this morning from a short road trip embarked on this past Friday to Taos, New Mexico to see Erica, Ev, Elana, Elliot, Stephanie, Rob and Adelay. Rob's friend Paul (whom went out to the Pacific Northwest with us) also joined us for the duration of my weekend stay.
The short drive (4 hours on the way down, 3.20 on the way home due to a shortcut) was filled with awesome Colorado scenery. Be sure to check out my photos online (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3).
As of today, I am trying to update more via the blog so I can spend less time talking on the phone to people. That may sound very impersonal and rude but I often find that my free time is taken up doing something and that I am less apt at wanting to speak via the telephone. Sorry guys.
Thoughts from the trip:
The Smith family is moving in a new direction. I can't say I'm part of that but in many ways I am indirectly involved. We have shifted from one big unit of adults to a unit of adults with little ones pooping, crying, laughing, smiling, and cementing new memories. I love to see my little nieces and nephews smile and react to me but I can say that I don't yearn for a child of my own. I often wonder now if I will ever want one of those. I know I'm selfish in the basic picture of my life, but I just don't see myself moving too far past that to make time for a kid. In all respect sisters, too much time is wasted with those little darlings to have a functional doing/seeing/moving/etc family unit. I love my time with family but I miss the days past when things were more simple. The portrait has changed...for the better in some and many regards...for the worse (in the meantime) temporarily. Please don't take offense my emotionally loving sisters and brother in laws. I'm stating it how it is...from my perspective. Yours will differ, as will anyone else reading this.
On an ending note, enjoy your lives wherever they may find you and don't forget to cherish what you have. I know I love living where I am and I was very happy to be back in Gunnison this morning after being away. Hope any and all of you can make it out here to see what I mean. The simple life here goes on day after day...come join in.
Cheers and love,
Alan
The short drive (4 hours on the way down, 3.20 on the way home due to a shortcut) was filled with awesome Colorado scenery. Be sure to check out my photos online (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3).
As of today, I am trying to update more via the blog so I can spend less time talking on the phone to people. That may sound very impersonal and rude but I often find that my free time is taken up doing something and that I am less apt at wanting to speak via the telephone. Sorry guys.
Thoughts from the trip:
The Smith family is moving in a new direction. I can't say I'm part of that but in many ways I am indirectly involved. We have shifted from one big unit of adults to a unit of adults with little ones pooping, crying, laughing, smiling, and cementing new memories. I love to see my little nieces and nephews smile and react to me but I can say that I don't yearn for a child of my own. I often wonder now if I will ever want one of those. I know I'm selfish in the basic picture of my life, but I just don't see myself moving too far past that to make time for a kid. In all respect sisters, too much time is wasted with those little darlings to have a functional doing/seeing/moving/etc family unit. I love my time with family but I miss the days past when things were more simple. The portrait has changed...for the better in some and many regards...for the worse (in the meantime) temporarily. Please don't take offense my emotionally loving sisters and brother in laws. I'm stating it how it is...from my perspective. Yours will differ, as will anyone else reading this.
On an ending note, enjoy your lives wherever they may find you and don't forget to cherish what you have. I know I love living where I am and I was very happy to be back in Gunnison this morning after being away. Hope any and all of you can make it out here to see what I mean. The simple life here goes on day after day...come join in.
Cheers and love,
Alan
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Hear ye, Hear ye!
Well, it's been a while! If my math serves me right it's been...well, over a month. I am very sorry for that. Thanks Marge for dropping a line to see how I was. I totally didn't mean to forget. I have been really pretty steady with my summer life. Things to do, places to see, etc. Flying home to PA for a 8 day visit/getaway was the first I left the Gunny Valley for over 2 and half months. Been sticking it out; working a bunch, getting outside a lot, making some memories with new friends.
Anyways, a short intro in to my recent absence. I'm back at it though and been working in the lab (HAPLab) for 2 weeks now. Classes started and the students are back. It is great to have people flowing through the hallways again past the lab. I met a lot of students last semester and some of them are still here for another year or 2. Very nice to see familiar faces as compared to when I started in January and knew nobody!
I've made or enhanced new friendships this summer as well. My friend Ben, who is an admissions counselor at the college, has introduced me into the mountain biking realm out here. It is sick (no throwing up) as to how much land there is to explore and have a blast doing under your own power. Hartman's Rocks (where I ran the Sage Burner 25k race) is where we frequent often. Speaking of which, last night, myself, Ben, Jason, and a new guy Zack (both who work at the college) rode into the sunset of a sun and the moonrise of a full moon! No where else in my life have I ridden by moonlight and loved it. We had to break out the headlamps for one trail, but otherwise it was indeed epic!
Reading just some of the things that have been going on you can see how I'm busy with new experiences, new friends, and one hell of a beautiful and unique place here in Gunnison. It's captivating as mother and father can hopefully atest. You'd maybe think with the onset of winter nearing (it's now probably late late summer, early fall here now), that we would be bummed for snow but your wrong! Ice Hockey starts October 26th! CBMR (crestted butte mountain resort) opens for skiing in November, and after a hearty snow, the double track at Hartman's is groomed for XC skiing-of which I am going to get into more this winter!
Now you can see how it's addicting to stay here. In a way, it's not the money you make (or don't make) that keeps you here, but the beauty, serenity, and irreproducible experience of the Gunnison Valley.
I know I just spouted at the mouth via my fingers for a short bit about outdoor this, outdoor that but it's been my life more as of lately minus when I am working at the college, Garlic Mike's, or Hertz rental car. Hope ya'll are good. Live the life you long to live.
Cheers!
Alan
P.S. and of course do check out my pictures! Many have been added, some cool looking ones. http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3
Anyways, a short intro in to my recent absence. I'm back at it though and been working in the lab (HAPLab) for 2 weeks now. Classes started and the students are back. It is great to have people flowing through the hallways again past the lab. I met a lot of students last semester and some of them are still here for another year or 2. Very nice to see familiar faces as compared to when I started in January and knew nobody!
I've made or enhanced new friendships this summer as well. My friend Ben, who is an admissions counselor at the college, has introduced me into the mountain biking realm out here. It is sick (no throwing up) as to how much land there is to explore and have a blast doing under your own power. Hartman's Rocks (where I ran the Sage Burner 25k race) is where we frequent often. Speaking of which, last night, myself, Ben, Jason, and a new guy Zack (both who work at the college) rode into the sunset of a sun and the moonrise of a full moon! No where else in my life have I ridden by moonlight and loved it. We had to break out the headlamps for one trail, but otherwise it was indeed epic!
Reading just some of the things that have been going on you can see how I'm busy with new experiences, new friends, and one hell of a beautiful and unique place here in Gunnison. It's captivating as mother and father can hopefully atest. You'd maybe think with the onset of winter nearing (it's now probably late late summer, early fall here now), that we would be bummed for snow but your wrong! Ice Hockey starts October 26th! CBMR (crestted butte mountain resort) opens for skiing in November, and after a hearty snow, the double track at Hartman's is groomed for XC skiing-of which I am going to get into more this winter!
Now you can see how it's addicting to stay here. In a way, it's not the money you make (or don't make) that keeps you here, but the beauty, serenity, and irreproducible experience of the Gunnison Valley.
I know I just spouted at the mouth via my fingers for a short bit about outdoor this, outdoor that but it's been my life more as of lately minus when I am working at the college, Garlic Mike's, or Hertz rental car. Hope ya'll are good. Live the life you long to live.
Cheers!
Alan
P.S. and of course do check out my pictures! Many have been added, some cool looking ones. http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Happy Birthday??
Is it appropriate to post on my birthday? Sure, why not? Oh I can't even think of a good excuse why not. Perhaps I am just asking myself rhetorical questions to entertain myself at 2 in the am. Why up so late? Ohh, feel like burning the midnight oil because I can.
Been a hectic past week up until oh probably Friday. Testing is finally done in the lab and Scott is gone away on his honeymoon. I am happy they are getting away from the drag of the daily grind. If I sound like I'm complaining, please forgive me. I am merely expressing the dissatisfaction that came with the seemingly relentless testing we did the past 2 weeks. Granted it is the day of my birthday, 25 years to the day, but I in many ways am just updating the readers of this blog with some news from my life and some thoughts from a perceiving mind. Please pay no mind to what I say. I often ramble just to get thoughts out of here [my brain].
Work at Garlic Mike's otherwise, goes well. I work with a lot of fun people and we function as a team instead of individuals out for themselves like some chain restaurants may. I have learned much in the past 4 weeks of employment; though it feels like much longer than 4 weeks. One more month of busy business and the flow of customers should reduce. We shall see!
I continue to work at Hertz rent-a-car once or twice a weekday evening to do the night flight. Makes for a very tiny paycheck but it keeps me in practice with the computer system at work, and it's antiquity.
I will say I wish to get out into nature more, but in the past few days, I have found content with sitting in my chair on the porch and enjoying the nothingness of a daytime without work. Evenings are another beast entirely. Can't have your play without work though. On a side note, I have pork chops steeping in BBQ sauce and onions in my Crock Pot waiting for me to delight on upon the 'morrow. Sorry for the discontinuous thought; the smell of it invades every inch of my small but quaint apartment and spills out into the hallway. Away with you, you begging scoundrels! Haha. I am entertaining myself this late into the evening; or shall I say early into the morning? Moving on...
One thing I've noticed with this blog is that I tend to carefully choose what I say for fear of shocking you the readers with what I think about this or that. I take a decent amount of care to watch my language, and usually never disclose anything personal that would embarrass myself permanently. Does that bother you as a reader? In some ways it may, but then just think of all the secrets the government whispers behind pursed lips (just an example, nothing against the government). Do you feel so bad now?
I apologize, it is late and my mind loves to pour over things of non-related natures. Think of it as a small change of direction; like when the wind shifts and you are now faced with a bitter wind in your face instead of at your back. As much as we wish the wind to be on our back, carrying us on our way, we often inconveniently have to face the wind. It is the small, unnoticing moments like this that help shape us as adults in an ever-changing environment. Granted, we probably rarely take stock of the fact that such things occur, but when you stop to think [read: moments like this] we realize that, shit, we are adapting and dealing on a subconscious level. Welcome to yourself. Enjoy the ride. :)
Been a hectic past week up until oh probably Friday. Testing is finally done in the lab and Scott is gone away on his honeymoon. I am happy they are getting away from the drag of the daily grind. If I sound like I'm complaining, please forgive me. I am merely expressing the dissatisfaction that came with the seemingly relentless testing we did the past 2 weeks. Granted it is the day of my birthday, 25 years to the day, but I in many ways am just updating the readers of this blog with some news from my life and some thoughts from a perceiving mind. Please pay no mind to what I say. I often ramble just to get thoughts out of here [my brain].
Work at Garlic Mike's otherwise, goes well. I work with a lot of fun people and we function as a team instead of individuals out for themselves like some chain restaurants may. I have learned much in the past 4 weeks of employment; though it feels like much longer than 4 weeks. One more month of busy business and the flow of customers should reduce. We shall see!
I continue to work at Hertz rent-a-car once or twice a weekday evening to do the night flight. Makes for a very tiny paycheck but it keeps me in practice with the computer system at work, and it's antiquity.
I will say I wish to get out into nature more, but in the past few days, I have found content with sitting in my chair on the porch and enjoying the nothingness of a daytime without work. Evenings are another beast entirely. Can't have your play without work though. On a side note, I have pork chops steeping in BBQ sauce and onions in my Crock Pot waiting for me to delight on upon the 'morrow. Sorry for the discontinuous thought; the smell of it invades every inch of my small but quaint apartment and spills out into the hallway. Away with you, you begging scoundrels! Haha. I am entertaining myself this late into the evening; or shall I say early into the morning? Moving on...
One thing I've noticed with this blog is that I tend to carefully choose what I say for fear of shocking you the readers with what I think about this or that. I take a decent amount of care to watch my language, and usually never disclose anything personal that would embarrass myself permanently. Does that bother you as a reader? In some ways it may, but then just think of all the secrets the government whispers behind pursed lips (just an example, nothing against the government). Do you feel so bad now?
I apologize, it is late and my mind loves to pour over things of non-related natures. Think of it as a small change of direction; like when the wind shifts and you are now faced with a bitter wind in your face instead of at your back. As much as we wish the wind to be on our back, carrying us on our way, we often inconveniently have to face the wind. It is the small, unnoticing moments like this that help shape us as adults in an ever-changing environment. Granted, we probably rarely take stock of the fact that such things occur, but when you stop to think [read: moments like this] we realize that, shit, we are adapting and dealing on a subconscious level. Welcome to yourself. Enjoy the ride. :)
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy 4th
Sorry it's been so long...nearly a month. That will happen though in the summertime; or just any busy time such as this for me. For those still hanging on for the news, I did get the job at Garlic Mike's Italian Restaurant. I am actually headed off to work tonight in about 30 minutes. I'm a little bummed about giving up my July 4th evening and missing out on some fireworks but I did get to go enjoy a beautiful day and parade up in Crested Butte this morning so.
As always, there are pictures still being added to my Picasa site (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3). Please find yourself a few minutes to peek at life here in CO.
In other news, I'm waiting to hear about getting off work this next coming Saturday so I can travel to Champaign, IL to see Erica, Ev, Elana, and hopefully the new baby! Also, Mom, Amy and Andrew should be arriving as well. Hope to get to see them. Not sure of much other news here or there. Hope things go well wherever you find yourselves this summer. Take 30 seconds and enjoy life...it's a wonderful thing.
Later.
As always, there are pictures still being added to my Picasa site (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3). Please find yourself a few minutes to peek at life here in CO.
In other news, I'm waiting to hear about getting off work this next coming Saturday so I can travel to Champaign, IL to see Erica, Ev, Elana, and hopefully the new baby! Also, Mom, Amy and Andrew should be arriving as well. Hope to get to see them. Not sure of much other news here or there. Hope things go well wherever you find yourselves this summer. Take 30 seconds and enjoy life...it's a wonderful thing.
Later.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Summertime?
Hey guys. Why the question mark in the title? Well, being that it is my first summer here in Gunnison, I am getting used to this all. I grew up with Pennsylvania's hot and humid summer times and this just doesn't compare at all. Not only has it been lacking to reaching higher than the mid-70's, we have been inundated with rain and T-storms in the afternoons that last briefly and move on. People that have lived here for a while tell me that this is a non-normal summer thus far. All I know is I hope that a more "normal" summer comes soon! I swear I have more covers on my bed now then I did in the winter time! The heat in my building is turned off for summer; so it's all or nothing. No customizing how hot or cold. Not to worry, I am surviving fine. Just getting used to this. I will admit though, I do miss the heat and humidity of PA. Nothing wrong with taking a figurative shower just from going outside.
In other news, I had an interview today at Garlic Mike's Italian Cuisine here in Gunnison (check out their website! http://www.garlicmikes.com/). I was interviewing for a serving position. The restaurant in my opinion is the premier Italian eatery in the valley. If you were to transplant Garlic Mike's in a major city, it would do quite well. Anyways, there is 2 serving positions open and I was 1 of maybe 7 or 8 applying. The only good news I have on this is that Shawn, the manager, said I was towards the top of the possible candidates list as we were finishing our half hour interview. Of which I took up all 30 minutes of it. Yay! So, I am to receive a phone call this Saturday if I got the position or not. Now while I still work at Hertz and obviously the college, this job would allow me to work evenings and weekends outside of my job at the college and possibly still Hertz on non-working weekdays. We'll see. I can't make any choices yet till I know but it definitely is a step up in the work world from Hertz.
Finally got a Colorado driver's license and just transferred my PA title today for a Colorado one. Got myself some CO license plates too. Been busy busy otherwise. Not so much in one particular aspect, just in general. Have a new intern at the lab from Dakota State for summer and started working Tuesdays all day at Hertz to get some extra hours this summer. So between all of that and the personal life I sort of have, I have been hoping.
I'm out. Hope ya'll are enjoying your summers.
Oh and P.S., my parents are coming to visit this Wednesday for 3 days! Should be fun; looking forward to some visitors!!
In other news, I had an interview today at Garlic Mike's Italian Cuisine here in Gunnison (check out their website! http://www.garlicmikes.com/). I was interviewing for a serving position. The restaurant in my opinion is the premier Italian eatery in the valley. If you were to transplant Garlic Mike's in a major city, it would do quite well. Anyways, there is 2 serving positions open and I was 1 of maybe 7 or 8 applying. The only good news I have on this is that Shawn, the manager, said I was towards the top of the possible candidates list as we were finishing our half hour interview. Of which I took up all 30 minutes of it. Yay! So, I am to receive a phone call this Saturday if I got the position or not. Now while I still work at Hertz and obviously the college, this job would allow me to work evenings and weekends outside of my job at the college and possibly still Hertz on non-working weekdays. We'll see. I can't make any choices yet till I know but it definitely is a step up in the work world from Hertz.
Finally got a Colorado driver's license and just transferred my PA title today for a Colorado one. Got myself some CO license plates too. Been busy busy otherwise. Not so much in one particular aspect, just in general. Have a new intern at the lab from Dakota State for summer and started working Tuesdays all day at Hertz to get some extra hours this summer. So between all of that and the personal life I sort of have, I have been hoping.
I'm out. Hope ya'll are enjoying your summers.
Oh and P.S., my parents are coming to visit this Wednesday for 3 days! Should be fun; looking forward to some visitors!!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Hartman's Rocks
A video from up at Hartman's Rocks Rec Area. Just minutes from Downtown Gunnison. Awesome place to bike, hike, trail run, camp, dirt bike, off-road, and be outside in it! Only can really experience by being here. Video and pictures only do so much. Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to check out the photos as always.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Wow, I'm slow at updating, but...
I have a really good excuse because I have been busy, busy, and more busy! Most of my last month has been spent getting ready for my first mountaineering trip out to the Cascade Mountain range in the Pacific Northwest; namely Oregon and Washington. My brother in-law Robert and his friend Paul planned a trip to attempt summits of 3 separate peaks in the 9 days we had in the region. To give you the short and skinny, we only made summit to one :*(
Reasons: first attempt up Mt. Hood, was blunted by hard driving cross-face snow chilling us as well as taking our vision away beyond 30 feet in front of us; first and only attempt up Mt. Rainer (the grand daddy! and tallest peak in the Cascades) was halted a quarter-way into the morning of day 2 by constant snow all day the previous day and the conversion to rain in the night - which slowly was causing our snow cave to collapse, and thus freaking me out a bit. I'm not necessarily claustrophobic but I definitely wasn't comfortable with at least a foot of snow above me and the sounds of avalanches off in the distance above us in elevation on the mountain. Avalanches really do sound like a train coming, kind of funny in a non-humorous way to experience! So since avalanches would make it unsafe for further climbing upward, we decided at around 3 or so in the morning to pack up what we had packed in our packs and make trail for the van. Slept the remainder of the morning in the van until around 6 or so when we made the drive back out of Mt. Rainer National Park and to a Denny's! Thank goodness for 24 hour food service. I won't lie, we had some funny early morning, lack of sleep laughs at Denny's; some of which may not be suited to be discussed on this blog. haha. :)
Let's see...second attempt up Mt. Hood was successful! *(at least for Rob and I). Michael, the 4th member of our party, who is a good friend of Rob and Paul and who's father taught Paul and Rob pretty much everything they know about mountaineering also in turn taught me some things...yay. Anyways, we started off after sleeping in the parking lot either in the van or by the shelter, up the mountain at around 2 am. Michael started with us as well but turned around after about 10 minutes of hiking upwards because of difficulties with breathing due to his recently acquired acute sickness (which I eventually got and am just getting over now!). Fairly uneventful hike up the mountain...very quiet and the light from a half-moon was sufficient to light our way. I definitely prefer climbing/hiking in a calm evening/early morning vs. a blazing sunshiney day. Stops were made every 40-60 minutes either for clothing additions or subtractions, urination, or nutrition until we got to about 9,000+ feet, at which point the glacier started and crampons on boots happened! After said happening of cramponing-up, we came across a climber who had got hit by some chauce from above on the ice cliffs and managed to crampon herself in the leg somewhere in the series of being hit and falling a short distance; or something of that sort. Anywho, Robert, being Doctor Duty, rendered the climber and her friends with some first-aid assistance. Additionally, he helped fashion a foot harness for her to hold her legs up so sliding or "glacading" down the mountain would be a bit easier. After the short medical stop, Paul, Rob, and I continued up to what is known as the Hog's Back (picture in the upper left corner of the blog post). At said point, Paul was feeling severely dehydrated after lugging his 250 pound self and 40 or so pound pack up thus far, so he rested with us for a while on the Hogs Back (which is what we are doing in the picture...resting) and then proceeded to work his way down the mountain to safety and euhyrdration. At which point, Rob and I continued our trek onwards and upwards! I was a little bit nervous b/c the Hog's Back was definitively a razor-like edge that allowed little traversing except for with well-placed cramponed steps or in existing tracks the people before us had left. After reaching the top of the Back, we traversed left to approach the 'shooting gallery' as we referred to it as, because of the falling chauce and ice from climbers above. Are you loving the play-by-play yet? Anyways, steep-ish 60 degree or more of upward slope climbing and we made the top of the ridge, which was a razor edge as well with a thousand foot plunge down the other side of the mountain! Another 2 or so minutes of simple hiking to our right along the razor edge and we were on the summit! Summit time was approximately 9:20am. So a little over 7 hours of climbing/mountaineering/etc. to reach the top. Had there been less people perhaps we would of made it in faster time. A weekend with great weather made for a popular place on the mountain that day.
Our final story of a mountain for the trip was to be Mt. Jefferson. In between the attempts on the 1st two mountains, we stayed in Portland (for the Hood attempts) at Rob's friend from medical school Nicole's pad, and at McChord Airforce Base, in Washington because of Paul's job in the airforce. So anyways the Jefferson story...
Planned to hike into what is known as a base area called Jefferson Park the night before a summit attempt. Driving up to the trail head we were halted by deep snow on the road and were forced to park approximately 2 miles from the trail head and post-holed (hiking in snow while subsequently punching through it up to your ankles and often half-way up your calves) our way up to the trail head in shorts and tee shirts! It was a good 60 some degrees but the snow was stubborn and a few weeks off from melting completely. Arrived at the trail head after an hour and half trek upwards. Discovered shortly after that trail to Jefferson Park was not marked at all and our topo map only showed us following a creek. Furthermore, our trail was snow covered and required more post-holing to make any progress. After about a half hour, we decided a summit was g0ing to be impossible b/c the snow was too deep and our arrival was a few weeks early for the season. Also, J. Park was another 5 miles and the sun was starting it's decent to the horizon; so with a smiling disappointment, we made way back to the trail head for a night of camping, food, and fun campfire (our first of the trip!) stories, before tucking all 4 of us into a mega-mit (tent-like structure with no floor, designed to be set up/torn down quickly). The next morning found us hiking back the 2 miles to the car in 45 minutes and then back to Portland evenutally for our final evening together as a group. Tears :_(
Dinner that night was awesome and came thanks to a restaraunt called Henry's in downtown Portland. If you are ever there, do yourself a huge favor and check it out. Amazing food, huge, HUGE beer list :)
Okay so that's my story. Not much else to add, and I've been typing a shit-ton.
Final story while I'm blogging to update those that haven't spoken to me or heard from me in 23 some days since the last post.
Ran the 2nd annual Sage Burner 25k Trail Run here in Gunnison yesterday! There was a 50k version of it too, but I was not feeling up to attempting 31.8 miles of trail running, the 16.2 was plenty for me; especially considering the furtherest I've ever ran in a day was 6 miles! Had a fun time doing it, despite having tired and sore legs later last night and today; T-storms and showers held off and the temperature was nice. I'm proud to say I finished 46th out of 114 entrants for the 25k! Not too bad for my first ever race. I look to do more in the near future. Oh, my final time for 16.2 miles (approx. 25km) was 2 hours 52 minutes and some seconds.
Hope things are well with ya'll. Sorry for the long over-due post. Easier sometimes to save up all the big things to talk about. Keep on keeping on...love ya'll!
Al
P.S. check out all my photos from the trip at my website for pictures!!!! (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Friday, May 1, 2009
May 1st
Happy May. Sorry I don't have a lot to report. Been busy with the onset of classes finishing for the semester. Please redirect yourself to my blog for the HAPLab (http://haplabblog.blogspot.com/) to read about the fun exercise topics I've been discussing. I think you may all find the blog's contents informative.
Take care,
Alan
Take care,
Alan
Friday, April 24, 2009
Updates Updates
What's new out yonder you may wonder? Well, not a whole lot. Been busy socializing I will say. I have been making new friends and acquaintances exponentially the last few weeks. Doing such has kept me busy and away from spending time in front of this computer updating you all, or on the phone talking to those that I do talk with.
Biggest deal I suppose you could state is the recent date I went out on Wednesday night. The assistant Athletic Director Megann opted to take me to a bar & grill called the Trough over on/by the Dos Rios Gold Course. She is 24 like I and a graduate of Slippery Rock University back home in PA. Nice thing was that she knew of areas that were familiar to me...IUP, Pittsburgh, etc. I must say I was slightly intimidated by her physically b/c she is 6 foot 2. Ha. Cutting to the chase, do I see potential in a relationship? No. Do I see a good friend? Yes.
What else fun happened this week you may ask? Well, I have continually been afforded the opp to play ultimate frisbee with some students that play on the field outside my building multiple times a week. As recently as last evening, in the shadow of a capture the flag bust, we played a game of ultimate with a light up disc. Pretty awesome fun to get out and mix it up with slightly younger humans. I tell you, being around a college atmosphere makes you feel younger...at least for me. I'm not sure how Amy feels. Anyways, the more I talk to current faculty in my department, the more they encourage me to become a professor like them. I have received comments on how I interact well with students and seem to have a knack to teach subject matter. This is all very positive feedback. I am not 100% decided, but I believe that it will be my intended path of study...becoming a professor that is. One step at a time. Nothing new as far as graduate school yet. This month's top 2 choices are Chico State in California, and University of Colorado in Boulder. I hear the latter has a great Ex. Phys program.
What the crap else? Well, the weather here has been pretty delicious the past few days. Highs in the 60's, which to you back East may seem cold, but in reality it's quite warm here. Even summertime here only gets into the high 80's (if we are lucky) I hear. But being closer to the sun :) we feel warmer at lower temps than ya'll. Warm enough to be shirtless - as I can attest to yesterday during my run with Scott.
Lastly, no news yet from the Club at Crested Butte. My source Madelyn is dependable but its the folks that run the ship that are shifty. I think it's a stressful time up there b/c they are over budget on their renovations and so forth, so we'll play it cool till mid-May, at which point I will call hoping for answers. If I don't get that job, I'm not entirely sure what I'll do for summer work yet. I get paid I think approx. 50 percent less in the summer for my work here at the college so it could be rouggggggggh till work is found.
Training to go climb Mt. Hood, Jefferson, and Rainer still goes well. My running and hiking is going to help me for sure. As of this morning, I'm clean shaven in preparation to start growing my beard for the climbs! haha. Love that ability to grow facial hair.
Take care ya'll. Catch you when I do!
Biggest deal I suppose you could state is the recent date I went out on Wednesday night. The assistant Athletic Director Megann opted to take me to a bar & grill called the Trough over on/by the Dos Rios Gold Course. She is 24 like I and a graduate of Slippery Rock University back home in PA. Nice thing was that she knew of areas that were familiar to me...IUP, Pittsburgh, etc. I must say I was slightly intimidated by her physically b/c she is 6 foot 2. Ha. Cutting to the chase, do I see potential in a relationship? No. Do I see a good friend? Yes.
What else fun happened this week you may ask? Well, I have continually been afforded the opp to play ultimate frisbee with some students that play on the field outside my building multiple times a week. As recently as last evening, in the shadow of a capture the flag bust, we played a game of ultimate with a light up disc. Pretty awesome fun to get out and mix it up with slightly younger humans. I tell you, being around a college atmosphere makes you feel younger...at least for me. I'm not sure how Amy feels. Anyways, the more I talk to current faculty in my department, the more they encourage me to become a professor like them. I have received comments on how I interact well with students and seem to have a knack to teach subject matter. This is all very positive feedback. I am not 100% decided, but I believe that it will be my intended path of study...becoming a professor that is. One step at a time. Nothing new as far as graduate school yet. This month's top 2 choices are Chico State in California, and University of Colorado in Boulder. I hear the latter has a great Ex. Phys program.
What the crap else? Well, the weather here has been pretty delicious the past few days. Highs in the 60's, which to you back East may seem cold, but in reality it's quite warm here. Even summertime here only gets into the high 80's (if we are lucky) I hear. But being closer to the sun :) we feel warmer at lower temps than ya'll. Warm enough to be shirtless - as I can attest to yesterday during my run with Scott.
Lastly, no news yet from the Club at Crested Butte. My source Madelyn is dependable but its the folks that run the ship that are shifty. I think it's a stressful time up there b/c they are over budget on their renovations and so forth, so we'll play it cool till mid-May, at which point I will call hoping for answers. If I don't get that job, I'm not entirely sure what I'll do for summer work yet. I get paid I think approx. 50 percent less in the summer for my work here at the college so it could be rouggggggggh till work is found.
Training to go climb Mt. Hood, Jefferson, and Rainer still goes well. My running and hiking is going to help me for sure. As of this morning, I'm clean shaven in preparation to start growing my beard for the climbs! haha. Love that ability to grow facial hair.
Take care ya'll. Catch you when I do!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Hike to Signal Peak (behind the college)
So not the best video, but y0u can still see the vantage point and how here in Gunnison we are situated in a surrounding of mountains! Snowed a bunch on Thursday eve/Friday morning but tis almost all gone by today...at least down out of the mountains. Hard to tell in this video. Hope all is well! ttys
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
And....BACK
Hello peoples. I am back in Gunnison finally...well I have been since Sunday evening. As you may recall, this past weekend I was in Loveland (just North of Denver 40 minutes or so) for the Easter holiday with my cousins Renee and Lory, Renee's husband and children, and Lory's new friend Jason. It was nice to have some family time out West here because my family was doing the same back in Indiana (minus of course Erica, Ev, and Elana in Illinois).
I am excited to announce to you guys, my readers, a new Blog I started as part of my job at the college. It is a blog designed around exercise and sport science topics. So, each week I will post a new topic for discussion amongst any and all peoples interested. No log-in is required. Just visit the blog (http://haplabblog.blogspot.com/), read up, comment if you'd like. It will be a great source for exercise topics and almost mimic an exercise forum. Why is this good? Well, many of you probably wish you had a better handle on your exercise habits and/or lifestyle activity habits. This blog will be your chance to ask any questions pertaining to exercise/activity/nutrition and have expert feedback all free of charge! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, etc. It is my brainchild. I intend to maintain it every week...even better than this blog (no sad faces! haha). So yes...
I believe last post left you with the news that I was not being offered a job at the Club at Crested Butte. Well, after speaking with the lady that works there that I know, she stated that they are 99% sure that they want to bring me on-board for summer. So I am waiting for the day they call and offer me a job. We'll see!!!
Otherwise, things continue to go well. Today and yesterday have been sunny and in the high 50's. Can't complain...though there is a chance of snow tomorrow through Saturday I believe. Crazy spring-time weather. For those unaware, I set to go climb Mt. Rainer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier) in early May with my brother-in law Robbie and his friend Paul. To help ready myself for this experience I have been hiking around Gunnison with a 50 lb. pack of birdseed! Cheap training method. I look forward to it. Lucky for me though, I have altitude training on my side already...being that I live out here at 7,700 some feet.
Hope things are going well for ya'll...hurry spring time along if you can. Take care everybody.
Love,
Al
Oh and of course, new pictures have been posted from Easter as well as some sunset photos I took from the other day. As always, the website for my photos is http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3. Bye!
I am excited to announce to you guys, my readers, a new Blog I started as part of my job at the college. It is a blog designed around exercise and sport science topics. So, each week I will post a new topic for discussion amongst any and all peoples interested. No log-in is required. Just visit the blog (http://haplabblog.blogspot.com/), read up, comment if you'd like. It will be a great source for exercise topics and almost mimic an exercise forum. Why is this good? Well, many of you probably wish you had a better handle on your exercise habits and/or lifestyle activity habits. This blog will be your chance to ask any questions pertaining to exercise/activity/nutrition and have expert feedback all free of charge! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, etc. It is my brainchild. I intend to maintain it every week...even better than this blog (no sad faces! haha). So yes...
I believe last post left you with the news that I was not being offered a job at the Club at Crested Butte. Well, after speaking with the lady that works there that I know, she stated that they are 99% sure that they want to bring me on-board for summer. So I am waiting for the day they call and offer me a job. We'll see!!!
Otherwise, things continue to go well. Today and yesterday have been sunny and in the high 50's. Can't complain...though there is a chance of snow tomorrow through Saturday I believe. Crazy spring-time weather. For those unaware, I set to go climb Mt. Rainer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier) in early May with my brother-in law Robbie and his friend Paul. To help ready myself for this experience I have been hiking around Gunnison with a 50 lb. pack of birdseed! Cheap training method. I look forward to it. Lucky for me though, I have altitude training on my side already...being that I live out here at 7,700 some feet.
Hope things are going well for ya'll...hurry spring time along if you can. Take care everybody.
Love,
Al
Oh and of course, new pictures have been posted from Easter as well as some sunset photos I took from the other day. As always, the website for my photos is http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3. Bye!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Back in Gunny...for now.
Hello all. I am back from my Sacramento trip. All went well. The sunshine was quite a relief because with the sunshine, there was warm weather and not snow! (though it is all about melted again here in Gunny)
A lot was done in the short 3 days we visited. First off, we stayed with my cousins Shawn and Katie Claybomb. Be sure to check out my Picasa website pictures (follow the link to the left, or this one http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3). Secondly, I, Scott, and Tim visited Chico California (just north of Sacramento by about 80 miles) to see one of Scott's former classmates from his doctoral program at Univ. of Northern Colorado-Greely. His friend Chen is a Biomechanics professor at Chico State. The University is a lot like my alumna matter IUP. It is a division 2 school with about 15,ooo students; and the university resides in Chico, which is about 60,000+ residents. Very beautiful campus; in fact, much more so than IUP, possibly because of the longer warm months. I am seriously considering applying there for Graduate school. As I may have stated in an earlier blog post, I intend to apply for a graduate assitantship or teacher's assistantship to defray completely or partially tution. I know I just mentioned that I look to possibly go to school in North Carolina, but perhaps I can do my doctoral work there?! The key difference is the contact I now have in the Kinesiology program at Chico state in the form of Chen (whom is in a few of the pictures).
Not forgetting the whole purpose of our trip to Sacramento though. Tim's 50 mile (!) race was on Saturday. The race started at 6 am sharp so we all got up and ready around 3:45 in the morning! Whew, talk about early. If you follow the pictures in order, they take you through the course in a sequential fashion. Scott and I were crewing for him, so after each aid station we would hop into the rental car and rush off to the next station about 5 or so miles down the course to offer him food, gatorade, water, mental support, etc. Made for a busy morning. Cousin Shawn met me at the 2nd to last aid station (Rattlesnake Bar nature area) and got some photos as well. For those of you that keep in touch with him, feel free to email him for his take and perhaps photos. One nice thing about starting a race at 6 am is that it finishes decently early too! Tim finished 5th overall and was only 12 minutes behind the winner. He finished at 6 hours and 16 minutes! What an accomplishment. 650 people entered the race and an unknown amount probably didn't finish.
The wager for next year is that Shawn will pay for both Scott, Tim, and I's race registration costs, if we all enter it and finish it! Can you imagine me doing 50 miles in a day!? Haha, lucky for me I have a year to train...going to climb lots of mountains as a cross-training effect rather than purely running distances.
Other fun things about Sacramento: Shawn has gotten into Long-Boarding (a longer skate board), and taught Scott and I how to. I took a bit more passionately to the sport than Scott did but at least he tried it a number of times. I will try to put some videos up from our few skating sessions in Shawn's neighborhood. By the way, the pictures of his house and the houses around are quite beautiful. Do check them out please! (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Things continue to go well. I had 1 Lactate Threshold test in the lab yesterday; one today, and a VO2 max test later today as well as tomorrow! Thursday morning will find me off on a field trip to Denver with the college to tour exercise physiology facilities and sports-related businesses. The trip lasts till Friday afternoon, at which point I am planning to head to Renee Early's (my 1st cousin) house for Easter weekend. Her sister Lory, my cousin as well, will be coming into town Friday night as well. Should be a fun weekend with extended family; though I will be missing all of you back in Indiana for the first Easter in memory. Do take care this Easter season and cherish what you have; never know when it could go away.
Talk to you peoples soon.
Love,
Alan
P.S. Oh and before I forget, I did hear about the job at the country club in Crested Butte; they are still undergoing budget restraints - partially due to the economy, and their 2 million dollar renovation, so if I do get hired it won't be until late May before the grand-reopening. I'm not crossing my fingers on it, but I am hopeful. We'll see. ttyl.
A lot was done in the short 3 days we visited. First off, we stayed with my cousins Shawn and Katie Claybomb. Be sure to check out my Picasa website pictures (follow the link to the left, or this one http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3). Secondly, I, Scott, and Tim visited Chico California (just north of Sacramento by about 80 miles) to see one of Scott's former classmates from his doctoral program at Univ. of Northern Colorado-Greely. His friend Chen is a Biomechanics professor at Chico State. The University is a lot like my alumna matter IUP. It is a division 2 school with about 15,ooo students; and the university resides in Chico, which is about 60,000+ residents. Very beautiful campus; in fact, much more so than IUP, possibly because of the longer warm months. I am seriously considering applying there for Graduate school. As I may have stated in an earlier blog post, I intend to apply for a graduate assitantship or teacher's assistantship to defray completely or partially tution. I know I just mentioned that I look to possibly go to school in North Carolina, but perhaps I can do my doctoral work there?! The key difference is the contact I now have in the Kinesiology program at Chico state in the form of Chen (whom is in a few of the pictures).
Not forgetting the whole purpose of our trip to Sacramento though. Tim's 50 mile (!) race was on Saturday. The race started at 6 am sharp so we all got up and ready around 3:45 in the morning! Whew, talk about early. If you follow the pictures in order, they take you through the course in a sequential fashion. Scott and I were crewing for him, so after each aid station we would hop into the rental car and rush off to the next station about 5 or so miles down the course to offer him food, gatorade, water, mental support, etc. Made for a busy morning. Cousin Shawn met me at the 2nd to last aid station (Rattlesnake Bar nature area) and got some photos as well. For those of you that keep in touch with him, feel free to email him for his take and perhaps photos. One nice thing about starting a race at 6 am is that it finishes decently early too! Tim finished 5th overall and was only 12 minutes behind the winner. He finished at 6 hours and 16 minutes! What an accomplishment. 650 people entered the race and an unknown amount probably didn't finish.
The wager for next year is that Shawn will pay for both Scott, Tim, and I's race registration costs, if we all enter it and finish it! Can you imagine me doing 50 miles in a day!? Haha, lucky for me I have a year to train...going to climb lots of mountains as a cross-training effect rather than purely running distances.
Other fun things about Sacramento: Shawn has gotten into Long-Boarding (a longer skate board), and taught Scott and I how to. I took a bit more passionately to the sport than Scott did but at least he tried it a number of times. I will try to put some videos up from our few skating sessions in Shawn's neighborhood. By the way, the pictures of his house and the houses around are quite beautiful. Do check them out please! (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Things continue to go well. I had 1 Lactate Threshold test in the lab yesterday; one today, and a VO2 max test later today as well as tomorrow! Thursday morning will find me off on a field trip to Denver with the college to tour exercise physiology facilities and sports-related businesses. The trip lasts till Friday afternoon, at which point I am planning to head to Renee Early's (my 1st cousin) house for Easter weekend. Her sister Lory, my cousin as well, will be coming into town Friday night as well. Should be a fun weekend with extended family; though I will be missing all of you back in Indiana for the first Easter in memory. Do take care this Easter season and cherish what you have; never know when it could go away.
Talk to you peoples soon.
Love,
Alan
P.S. Oh and before I forget, I did hear about the job at the country club in Crested Butte; they are still undergoing budget restraints - partially due to the economy, and their 2 million dollar renovation, so if I do get hired it won't be until late May before the grand-reopening. I'm not crossing my fingers on it, but I am hopeful. We'll see. ttyl.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
April 1st...
Well I could start this off by saying it snowed last night...APRIL FOOL'S!!!! but then I would be disappointing in more than one way. Sadly, it did snow last night and is still currently putting down such as I write! I'd say there is an easy 6 to 8 inches on the ground right now, and it's increasing! So much for a good April Fool's day trick. Perhaps I'm getting too old...hmm...NEVER! Since I already broke the ice for the April Fool's thing, I feel it is too late to start with a new one so let's just move on.
For those of you that read this and had a chance to be in town this past weekend, then you probably might have gotten to see me. For those of you that live in Indiana but did not get to see me, I apologize. Even my family - Mom, Dad, Steph and Rob only got to see me for a good solid evening of dinner. You probably think I flew home right? Wrong; I had the grand idea to drive home...haha. The real reason was so I could switch out mom and dad's vehicle that I had used to haul out the uhaul, in favor of my small 4 door Mazda Protege. So I left here in Gunnison last Wednesday morning (the 25th) and traveled to Lincoln Nebraska to stay with Lory Baker, my cousin. After a delicious dinner, good conversation, and a few card games I went to sleep in order to wake up early to drive to Erica and Ev's in Champaign, IL. I was delighted to reach their house by about 3 pm local time. Getting there early allowed me time to visit and play with that beautifully cute niece of mine, Elana Kay. Not forgetting the important part either, I got to visit with Erica and Ev as well! Early Friday morn found me on the road again for good ol' Indiana, PA!
I arrived by about 3 pm in the afternoon eastern standard time, dr0pped my car off to be looked at before it's trip back West, and then had a wonderful evening with friends uptown. I did not get to see all the friends I would have liked to, but the most important ones I did get to see and that was fine with me. Can't please everyone. Saturday, I was invited to play in a wiffleball tournament at the Rose Inn with my good friend Adam, as well as some other friends from Indiana that I know. After which, I hung out with Rotten Robbie (oh how he hates that name, haha) and then eventually had dinner that evening with the fam at Steph and Rob's pad. Sunday morn found me up early packing and anticipating a delicious breakfast with mom and dad at home. I was sad to have spent so little time with mom and dad...next time you two!
I repeated the same route on the way back out except for one small detail. I first traveled to Erica and Ev's; slept the night, and then headed West on the same route as I had come East except that instead of staying with Lory I went straight for her sister Renee's house in Loveland, Colorado. Needless to say, after 15+ hours of driving, I made it! I wasn't exhausted as you might think; I think at that point you are beyond tired and just wired for survival! haha. That was Monday, and of course Tuesday morning found me driving from Loveland (which is just North of Denver aka the Front Range) to Gunny.
So I'm back into the swing of things. All in all I traveled ohhh easily 3,500 miles by car in 7 days!!!!! Wow, that seems a lot, and it's not terribly bad by yourself I think b/c at least you have no one to argue with when you get cranky...
So today is Wednesday and tomorrow obviously Thursday...well, where I'm going with this is that I'm actually headed back out the door tomorrow at noon time; this time though with Scott and our friend Tim Par. We first will be driving to Denver International Airport from which we will be flying to Sacramento International!! A little bit about Tim Par, 23 or so years of age, lean and muscular, exceptional distance runner. He is the reason for this trip further West. He is running, on Saturday, in the American River 50 mile race (http://www.run100s.com/AR50/)...check out the link to learn more! Lucky for us though, Shawn and Katie Claycomb are graciously offering their house and hospitality for the duration of our stay; which goes till Sunday afternoon. Scott and I are fairly confident Tim will do quite well and maybe/probably win the race, if his head is straight. He has been training hard for this race and Scott is pretty much his coach. I joke with Scott and say that if he's the coach then I'm the road manager...planning the trip, lodging, etc. And, lucky for us, since I am an employee of Hertz, we are renting a car using my employee discount for a mere 14 bucks a day! Lucky/fortunate us!
So, that is the news from the past week and the news yet to come for this week/weekend. Wow, the snow continues to come down...jolly good (hope you caught the sarcasm). Take care and would love to talk to any and all of you soon. Haven't heard from some people in a while. Oh well, Happy April!
Oh and P.S., as always, Pictures have been posted to my Picasa website...click the link that follows to view (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Alan
For those of you that read this and had a chance to be in town this past weekend, then you probably might have gotten to see me. For those of you that live in Indiana but did not get to see me, I apologize. Even my family - Mom, Dad, Steph and Rob only got to see me for a good solid evening of dinner. You probably think I flew home right? Wrong; I had the grand idea to drive home...haha. The real reason was so I could switch out mom and dad's vehicle that I had used to haul out the uhaul, in favor of my small 4 door Mazda Protege. So I left here in Gunnison last Wednesday morning (the 25th) and traveled to Lincoln Nebraska to stay with Lory Baker, my cousin. After a delicious dinner, good conversation, and a few card games I went to sleep in order to wake up early to drive to Erica and Ev's in Champaign, IL. I was delighted to reach their house by about 3 pm local time. Getting there early allowed me time to visit and play with that beautifully cute niece of mine, Elana Kay. Not forgetting the important part either, I got to visit with Erica and Ev as well! Early Friday morn found me on the road again for good ol' Indiana, PA!
I arrived by about 3 pm in the afternoon eastern standard time, dr0pped my car off to be looked at before it's trip back West, and then had a wonderful evening with friends uptown. I did not get to see all the friends I would have liked to, but the most important ones I did get to see and that was fine with me. Can't please everyone. Saturday, I was invited to play in a wiffleball tournament at the Rose Inn with my good friend Adam, as well as some other friends from Indiana that I know. After which, I hung out with Rotten Robbie (oh how he hates that name, haha) and then eventually had dinner that evening with the fam at Steph and Rob's pad. Sunday morn found me up early packing and anticipating a delicious breakfast with mom and dad at home. I was sad to have spent so little time with mom and dad...next time you two!
I repeated the same route on the way back out except for one small detail. I first traveled to Erica and Ev's; slept the night, and then headed West on the same route as I had come East except that instead of staying with Lory I went straight for her sister Renee's house in Loveland, Colorado. Needless to say, after 15+ hours of driving, I made it! I wasn't exhausted as you might think; I think at that point you are beyond tired and just wired for survival! haha. That was Monday, and of course Tuesday morning found me driving from Loveland (which is just North of Denver aka the Front Range) to Gunny.
So I'm back into the swing of things. All in all I traveled ohhh easily 3,500 miles by car in 7 days!!!!! Wow, that seems a lot, and it's not terribly bad by yourself I think b/c at least you have no one to argue with when you get cranky...
So today is Wednesday and tomorrow obviously Thursday...well, where I'm going with this is that I'm actually headed back out the door tomorrow at noon time; this time though with Scott and our friend Tim Par. We first will be driving to Denver International Airport from which we will be flying to Sacramento International!! A little bit about Tim Par, 23 or so years of age, lean and muscular, exceptional distance runner. He is the reason for this trip further West. He is running, on Saturday, in the American River 50 mile race (http://www.run100s.com/AR50/)...check out the link to learn more! Lucky for us though, Shawn and Katie Claycomb are graciously offering their house and hospitality for the duration of our stay; which goes till Sunday afternoon. Scott and I are fairly confident Tim will do quite well and maybe/probably win the race, if his head is straight. He has been training hard for this race and Scott is pretty much his coach. I joke with Scott and say that if he's the coach then I'm the road manager...planning the trip, lodging, etc. And, lucky for us, since I am an employee of Hertz, we are renting a car using my employee discount for a mere 14 bucks a day! Lucky/fortunate us!
So, that is the news from the past week and the news yet to come for this week/weekend. Wow, the snow continues to come down...jolly good (hope you caught the sarcasm). Take care and would love to talk to any and all of you soon. Haven't heard from some people in a while. Oh well, Happy April!
Oh and P.S., as always, Pictures have been posted to my Picasa website...click the link that follows to view (http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3)
Alan
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