6.11.2007

20070616 - Treadmill Conquers The Bad Boy!

We're anticipating an exciting Saturday, as treadmill attempts something that none of us has even come close to attempting: The Mt. Washington Road Race. The current plan is for tMail and me to support the MPM who is supporting Treadmill. What route? What plan? What The F0ck? More on this as things develop.

In the meantime, let's consider just how much treadmill has been running in the mountains: According to the USFS, Treadmill's mountain-goat antics have upset the balance of nature, as the male goats have re-focused their interest in her, and stopped concentrating on the usual goals of mating season. Apparently, the goat-herds in NH have placed their bets on her.

Treadmill could not be reached for comment, although a husky male voice answered the phone and said "baaaaaaahhhhhh".

Update 6/12: MPM has spoken: The Puppet Master has decreed that the ascent shall be via Huntington Ravine, known for it's steep, ass-puckerishly hand-holdicious exposed ledges. Once over the top, Mutha is veering south on the alpine garden for some serious photo ops with the mountain laurel, dwarf rhododendron and whatever else is in bloom. tMail will probably already be down the Ammo and back and will hopefully be just a little tired. The mPM will be scanning the horizon for his baby doll. As for g-$$$, well, if he can see out of his remaining good eye he may helicopter in and drop care packages on the runners. And what about what's-her-name? Oh yeh, the one who's actually going to run this little baby. Right. We'll get to the top first and set fire to a little voodoo thing I've been working on. It'll slow the other runners down a bit - especially when they hear the rabbit scream. I'll bring the herring.

23 comments:

  1. TREADMILL, TREADMILL, TREADMILL!!!

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  2. Up Huntington Ravine and down Tucks would be fun and a challenge. Only caveat is that it's no good when wet... despite what the family of four in blue jean shorts told me last summer.

    Nelson Crag might be cool - never been on it.

    Alpine Garden may be beautiful and drive the need for yodels and uncontrollable spinning whilst singing "The hills are alive with the sound of.... treadmilllllll..."

    Hmmmmmmmm, fucking decisions!

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  3. I was staring at the map and grooving on the Huntington Ravine trail. The weather forecast is looking pretty nice too. The one thing that caught my eye that I never noticed was that the HR trail hits the Nelson Crag trail near the auto road. The NC trail parallels the auto road for a bit and then terminates on the road more than 3/10 of a mile short of the summit. Would that mean running on the road? I seem to remember from the race photos that there are fences and other race-related things set up and we'd want to avoid the road - instead maybe approaching the summit from the south. It would add an extra mile, but perhaps we should blast south on the Alpine Garden to Lion Head and crank up the summit cone from there. What do you think? Alpine Garden loses about 80ft of elevation and the trail looks pretty fast from what I've seen.

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  4. I like the part about "crank" up the summit cone...I think going up the Huntington Ravine trail would make for an excellent outing, it would be a 2.1 mile shot to Alpine Garden. In doing some further reading "the tiny alpine flowers that grow here are best seen in the middle to late part of June". Sounds cool...as MPM said "fucking decisions!" whatever floats the boat I don't care...

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  5. Well as the PM knows, the HRT has been on my To-Do list long before my plan to hit the 4000 footers so that has my vote. So IF that is the chosen route and I join you guys...my thinking is that you guys will want to fly on to the summit. So from the Alpine Garden Junction I'll probably swing directly over to the toll road and cheer Treadmill from a bit down lower. Once she passes I'll make my way to the summit. I figure either you'll pass me on the way down or I'll get there at the top a little late to the celebration.

    M-Z, the Nelson Crag trail does end short of the summit but if the Road Race is anything like the two times I did the Bike Hillclimb there are parking areas for the last half mile or so and I don't recall any fencing or equipment other than on the final 50 yards of 22% pitch. Since you ought to be summiting that .3 mi well before the masses get there the only thing you might have to contend with is other support folks doing what you're doing or walking from their cars. It will be an insane scene....a ton of people packed on a pretty small portion of the summit cone.

    Right now I am a go but my health woes continue.. the latest freak thing is that my right eye is as swollen as Mad Dog's knee and about as pink, eh hem, I mean "Salmon" as MPM's jacket. The Opthamologist says I have contracted a viral infection and that is causing the irritation. Evidently Evan must have coughed or sneezed in my face while sick, resulting in my latest saga.....but what's a proud pop to do but go for a hike.

    Anyway, I know you guys are gearing for Jay so I'm okay with doing my own thing if this becomes into an ordeal.

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  6. g-$$$, thanks for the tip on the summit situation. i think from the photos of the race finish it was hard to tell how far the sidewalls extended. that makes sense though - as you point out, there will be hundreds of people milling around.

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  7. From VFTT: Huntington Ravine

    Date Hiked: 12/08/07 (?????)

    Conditions: Dry and beautiful.

    Special Required Equipment: Some good hiking buddies and a bit of will power

    Comments: I reccommend not climbing this path with overnight packs. While it did come out to be a phenomenal workout and a great hike, the lactic acid build up in my legs was enough to make me want to pitch tent on the headwall.

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  8. Okay fuckers...

    We dumped the dog and can be Huntington bound if need be. I would welcome the assualt. It's a great trail and provides some of the best excitement in the Whites (outside of being in a one person tent with 2 Swedish dancers, a can of tuna fish, and a wooden spoon. Meow.)

    Either way, meet at Pinkhams early on Saturday am?

    Trail conversation will be limited to Jay Peak and tax evasion strategies. Looking forward to it.

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  9. Excellent plan, oh master. I can meet any time after 5am. You name the time and I'll bring the herring.

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  10. I am taking sedatives until Friday to keep me calm...

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  11. good move. otherwise you risk having your interior drop out of your ass and become your exterior. PM, what time do we want to hit the summit?

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  12. Just spoke with G$ and 7AM is the start time at Pinkham Notch (you might have heard of it?)

    Up the trail to Huntington, hope it's drier than an old scab on an elbow, and then we punch up to the summit or across to the road for some Treadmill cheering.

    Actually, I am assuming that we'll be up Huntington by 10am so TMail may want to run over and tag Monroe. I expect Amy will be finsihing in 1:40-ish so I'm planning to be on the summit by 11:30am.

    I'll have my phone but it's 50/50 up in that region. If needed you can call the Moose Brook Inn in Gorham on Fri night.

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  13. I'll be at Pinkham Notch by 7am! If for some reason I'm delayed or parking is a problem or it gets to 7:05 and we haven't met up, head on up. I'll either catch up, meet you at the summit or just have my own goddamn party and cry myself to sleep in a pool of my own vomit.

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  16. no clue. i may resolve it by getting there REALLY early and chilling out. it won't make a difference. weekends are HUGE at pinkham no matter what. worst case, park along the road and walk a few hundred yards.

    i was going to travel light, but we should haul stuff up for treadmill, right? MPM, do you want us to haul anything in particular? if you bring the jetboil, i'll carry it. the forecast is looking a little more and more likely for precip, although it's still pretty unlikely. a few trashbags wouldn't hurt.

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  17. just got done packing my bag since Lisa has a date night planned for us tomorrow....but I'm so glad to be ditching the winter bag and breaking out the mold-laden water bladder. And even though my pack weight shrinks down to almost nothing I don't have anywhere the same speed as you boys.

    i'll send my cell phone number via email....not that this blog has tons of miscreants prowling for cell phone numbers but you never know.

    I found out one of my coworkers was planning on doing the pemi loop last week....solo and non-stop overnight. Shared this blog and stories of our adventures and he was amazed. He's like 20 years old, hyper-motivated, energetic and asks a lot of questions...sound like anybody we know??? Since I'm always up for having another whacko join in on the fun I may be bringing an unofficial sidekick on Sat.

    As for others hiking up the mountain to support friends/family, I know a lot of people do it....either because they didn't get in the lottery themselves but their friends did or they just want the good workout themselves. When I did the bike climbs I always saw at least a couple dozen folks hiking the rockpile for support. Add that to the usual weekend crowd like M-Z said and I'm expecting to park in the overflow lot.....

    see you Sat!

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  18. we do huntington ravine the easier way on sat...then the next time we step it up a bit:

    http://www.chauvinguides.com/pinnacleguide.htm

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  19. Ahhhh! I wasn't thinking! Thanks for the notice, g-$$$. I nuked my comment w/ the cell-phone#. Crap.

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  20. G-$$$ motivated asks alot of questions....uuuummmmmm Riley? That bastard talked my ear off on Moosilauke.

    MZ I am traveling very light...2 tech wick shirts one long and one short sleeve...rain paints...rain jacket (Precip)...water, treking poles...liners for gloves....hat....map....gels sandwiches that is it.....and camera...and my soul...

    probably a good move to stay off Tux going up since that will have the most traffic coming down it may be a line....

    i deleted my number....

    as I tell MPM..."at my signal unleash hell"

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  21. The weather is looking PRIMO for saturday! Low wind, no rain until maybe late in the day. Apparently the plan is for treadmill to head up the mountain, grab a few beers, start smashing some skulls and taking names.

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  22. out go the rain pants...pack got lighter....

    i want to see bodies laid out over the auto road....

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