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Friday Kimberly built a picnic table and taught me how to build one. I learned how to select lumber and supplies at Home Depot. I learned how to load them on the truck to get them home. I learned how to measure the pieces of lumber and saw how to cut them with a circular saw. Then I saw the order to assemble it and how to drill the screws in. Finally, I saw how to put bolts in and then trim the corners of the table and the benches. The thing weighed a ton! It was beautiful but I couldn't budge it. Somehow, we stood it up, slid it into the truck, and then trucked it up to the top of the yard where we wanted to put it. It is an 8-foot table. We got it off the truck and to its permanent location. It's really great to have it to sit on and to be able to have barbecues out in the yard. We will soon build another one to take to my lot in Rector and I will be more actively involved in building that one. I also want to build a 6-foot one for the yard that would be more mobile. There is still some debate going on about the materials for that one, because I seriously do want to be able to move it around. Now that I know we can get a big heavy one onto the truck and unload it, I'm willing to build another one like that for the lot in Rector. Anyway, it was very impressive. Kimberly had it built in a couple of hours, and I couldn't believe anyone could pick materials, build something like that, and transport it to its location in such a short amount of time.

Yesterday, we went to Keystone State Park. I just love it there! I again took my jog around the lake. Then I went swimming a couple of times and laid out on the beach. We did not take Angel yesterday. However, we did figure out the rules for taking dogs. There are a bunch of small trees planted on the grassy area above the sand. If you keep your dog even behind those young trees, the dog can come. One person even brings a cat on a leash and has a beach umbrella for the cat! A big mean park ranger with a gun enforces the rules. One person got their dog too close to the beach and the kids were petting the dog, and the ranger intervened. But you can still bring your dog, and if you keep it behind the small trees, you can still get plenty of sun. If we take Angel, however, Kimberly would have to stay on the beach while I jog (which takes about 40 minutes), and only one of us could go in the water at a time. Also, as I get more physically fit, I am going to take longer jogs before I swim. There are six miles of trails in the park. I can also extend my jog by jogging through the cabins and hillside campground. Another option is to jog around the lake twice.

This morning I did my old 5 1/2 mile jog around home. It was hard with the hot weather. I have to jog up two really steep hills, along with several other hills. It is really pretty though. The views are pretty and part of my route goes high above the Monongahela River and I can look down on the city of Monongahela.

Yesterday

I had a bowl of millet for breakfast yesterday, and I was able to do a fairly intense workout at the YMCA after that. I was impressed with the YMCA's new focus. They have come up with new programs to do something about the epidemics of obesity and diabetes, and they are also putting a lot of focus on children. They've hired new trainers and have new programs where each person will have a fitness coach they can see once a week. Also, they are promoting a 5K taking place in Charleroi on Sept. 6. I was going to do a half-marathon but don't feel prepared yet, so I signed up to do the 5K in Charleroi on that date.

At my TOPS meeting, they talked about eating out. I explained that I can't eat out at all without gaining weight, so I have to come up with various strategies, such as taking food with me, negotiating with anyone I go places with that they can stop for something to eat but I can't, or exercising if I am forced to eat out. I had to have french fries both days at the pow wow because there was no non-fattening food there, and we were way out in the boondocks. I had to exercise a lot to keep from gaining weight. One woman who is a KOPS says she can't eat out and has to take food with her. Another woman who has lost 50 pounds just point blank does not eat out.

Most of the people at TOPS are able to eat out and still lose weight. Strategies include sharing meals or going out one day a week and dieting the rest of the week. Some of the members have found meals they can have at various chain restaurants which are low in fat and calories.

I think the reason I gain weight when I eat out is more the lifestyle that goes along with eating out as opposed to the food itself. Usually, I eat out because I've spent the day sitting on my butt in the car going far away. Or, like at the pow wow, I don't have access to any healthy food. At the pow wow, I didn't want to carry a lot of stuff with me because I wanted to dance. So I only brought some Gatorade and water which I left in the cooler in the car. I should have brought some food rather than eat the french fries. Also, Native American dancing doesn't always burn up a lot of calories. In general, eating out occurs in situations that don't involve a lot of physical activity and reduce your control over your surroundings.

Quinoa

Well, I have started my project of making quinoa a staple in my diet. Yesterday I had corn quinoa pasta for lunch and I had a bowl of cooked quinoa prior to doing my run on Rostosky Ridge Road. It seemed to be a good thing to eat prior to the jog, but I'm going to have to experiment for awhile. I didn't overeat before I went and was still slightly hungry. However, it does seem to promote a fairly level and sustained rise and fall in blood sugar, which is what I need for an intense workout like this. After I had done all the killer hills, I was fine, and on my way back down to the park, I didn't feel hungry at all. I still had plenty of energy to jog back to the park and down to the end of the park at the Monongahela River where I stretch. I have been reading that the Incas, who ran long distances at high altitudes, used this food for endurance.

Dieting

I have decided to slow down on my weight loss and get back into eating mainly health foods for the time being. Quinoa is again going to become a staple in my diet. I got very inspired over the weekend learning at the pow wow how many nutritious foods are native to the Americas. Also, I've been emailing my friend Saorlaith a lot about health foods and plants. I may still lose as much weight or more, but right now I'm focusing more on eating whole grains, beans, and fresh summer vegetables, as well as a limited amount of fruit, nuts, and seeds. I'm still trying to control portion sizes and fat content and exercise. I can't go totally vegan, because I really can't go without a small amount of cheese and milk, but my diet is vegan for the most part.

Back to the Pow Wow

Kimberly and I attended the pow wow again on Sunday. We had a wonderful weekend attending the pow wow. Yesterday, I danced a lot in their intertribal dances. They had hired two drumming and singing groups, Muddy Creek and Friendly Voices. I loved the music and dancing. The land they have purchased is beautiful. It is near Eagle's Point, a cliff from which people hang glide, so we saw some hang gliders. I wore some of the bead work I had made yesterday. I enjoyed watching the people from the tribe and their costumes and just watching the people in general who attended. I think Kimberly had a good time also. I'm looking forward to attending more Native American events in the near future.

Delaware Pow Wow

We went to the Delaware Indian pow wow yesterday in Saltsburg, PA. It was held by the Thunder Mountain Lenape Nation. Delaware Indians refer to themselves as "Lenape." This nation has purchased land in Saltsburg and Indians who can't prove their ancestry can join their tribe. Kimberly is planning to join their tribe.

It was a chore getting to the pow wow, but after Mt. Davis and Mt. Mitchell, I'm used to this. The last couple of roads to their land, however, were pretty scary. Their land is very beautiful. They have a circle built in the middle of it. Most of the activities took place in the circle. Their costumes were really beautiful. They seemed very nice. I got to dance with them in the circle. Also, there were a lot of vendors there and it was interesting to see all the things they were selling. It was just fascinating to sit there and people watch. This tribe also sells herb tea for various ailments to raise funds.

I have a long history of hanging out with Native Americans, so I felt perfectly comfortable, although I don't think I've ever been to a pow wow.

One of the vendors sold the most beautiful bead work. His creations were not cheap, but it was beautiful to look at them. I'm just as good as he is at earrings, however, which made me feel good. I have made some beautiful Native American earrings, and this is not an expensive hobby. There was one vendor, however, who was much better at earrings than me. Also, there was a vendor from Michigan who actually sells jewelry making supplies to Indians who do this sort of thing in bulk. It was interesting to visit that booth.

It was very interesting to see all the various types of dream catchers on display. There was a tank top that said, "America. Love it or give it back." Of course there was a picture on it of a Native American who was willing to take it back. I wanted one but they were too expensive. No one was buying them because the price was just too inflated for anyone's budget.

Anyway, I really enjoyed going and would be happy to spend more time with these people if Kimberly joins the tribe.

On the way home, we stopped at Loyalhanna Lake. It's really pretty. It is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. It is very uncomplicated to camp by it, bring the dog, etc. Similar to Keystone State Park, it is really not that far from where we live, so it is an excellent place for us to pack up some gear and the dog at the last minute and go camping. It's closer and less complicated than places like Shawnee, Raccoon, or Tomlinson Run. Coopers Rock also seems less complicated, but it isn't by a lake. So I feel Loyalhanna Lake is the least complicated place I've discovered so far. It only costs $16 a night to camp there. You just show up, you pick a spot, you put your money in an envelope, your dog can come on a leash, and it's close by and easy to get to.

TOPS, etc.

Not much has been going on other than I have been jogging regularly on Rostosky Ridge Road. I do not have too much trouble getting up the very steep hills. I no longer have to stop in the middle of any hill. I am able to get up all of them, so it is just a matter of going faster. I enjoy parking at the riverfront park and getting to watch the Monongahela River where it is very wide and peaceful, just before the city of Monongahela. I enjoy all the dogs I see along the way and getting to meet various children and their cats. One gray and white cat, Zipper, meets me almost every day and lets me pet him. He is a beautiful cat. I got to hold some older orange and orange and white kittens and also got to hold a three-day-old orange and white kitten. I also work out at the Mon Valley YMCA.

I lose weight every week at TOPS. Fairly soon, I will reach my goal, hopefully, and be a KOPS. Last night I won the jackpot at TOPS and couldn't believe it! Everyone contributes a quarter per pound gained to a jackpot. There is a drawing every week. If the person is not there, they don't get the jackpot. If they are there but have gained weight, they don't get the jackpot. There has not been a winner in weeks. I was present and had lost weight and my name was drawn, so I won $31.75!!!!

Keystone State Park

Yesterday I spent some time at Keystone State Park. It is about 40 miles from where I live near Latrobe, PA. Kimberly and I had checked it out before and I was anxious to visit it. I've decided it is a perfect place for me to visit regularly during the warm summer months. I've been looking for just the right place, and this is it. It offers about six miles of trails, which is not a whole lot for someone like me. However, it offers a relatively easy, level jog around the lake and campgrounds. You can jog between two and three miles. It has a wonderful beach and bathhouse. The bathhouse is brand new, modern, and clean. The view is very soothing from the beach. I've been looking for a place where, on summer days, I can jog in a pretty environment and then swim. Now I've found the place! I jogged around the lake and cabin areas yesterday. I stopped at the park office and got some literature. The water was nice and warm in the lake. It wasn't a hot day, so I swam and then was able to lay out for awhile.

Rostosky Ridge Road

I haven't had much to report other than exercising and dieting all the time and trying to lose weight. I have now lost for a number of weeks in a row at TOPS. Well, now I am again conquering this super steep road in my neighborhood called Rostosky Ridge Road. Yesterday, I was almost in shape to jog up it again. I've been in shape to jog it several times. I only had to take one walking break on it yesterday. It has a bunch of steep grades, two of which are so steep I can't even describe them to you. I have never seen another person even try to walk this road. I'm the only person who jogs it. You do see people on horseback, ATVs, and dirt bikes on it. Vehicles can use it, but only a few people are brave enough to live on this road, because it is not easy to get up and down it in the winter. This road is so steep the mail truck will not deliver there. People have to ride their ATV down the hill about half a mile to pick up their mail. In any case, I LOVE to jog the hill. It is a great workout and I feel I have really conquered and achieved by being able to jog it without having to stop or take a walking break. A few years ago there was a big fly ash slide at the bottom of the hill. It was a very trying time because there is a whole neighborhood at the bottom. It is cleaned up now. I've become friends with the people at the bottom of the hill, as well as their dogs and cats. This neighborhood is right across from the Monongahela River, so I can also jog through a park by the river, park there, stretch there, etc.

Fort Ligonier

Yesterday Kimberly and I visited Fort Ligonier. I haven't visited it since I was a kid, and Kimberly has never seen it. Kimberly really enjoyed it and learned a lot about the Native Americans in the area. There are some very good books on Native Americans at the gift shop. We got one book which has given us a lot more information on the Delaware Indians. We are planning on attending a Delaware pow wow weekend after next. I got another book on bead work. I already have an extensive library on bead work which I brought with me from San Francisco. I also had purchased a loom there. This book will add to my knowledge and Kimberly and I will do some bead work during the cold winter days. I have a big supply of beads I accumulated when I first moved back to Pennsylvania. We also went to feed the famous feral cat at the Linn Run State Park cabins. I was told by the current occupant of the cabin where the cat lives that her name is Whinnie and she is 12 years old. She belonged to an elderly lady who died. We then got eight bottles of Grove Run Spring water. After that, we visited my lot in Rector. I came face to face with an adorable fawn hiding out in the trees who took off fast when it saw me. Well, now I am off to the Y. I have three days to work out so I don't gain weight at TOPS on Thursday night. Other than that, back to the daily grind after spending some time in the woods and mountains.

Weekend Activities

I checked out Coopers Rock State Forest on Saturday. I saw Cheat Lake but did not have time or fuel to explore it. I will have to do that soon to see if there are good places on Cheat Lake to take Kimberly and Angel. Coopers Rock State Forest was great! The first place I went was the Coopers Rock overlook. The view was gorgeous. You look out over the Cheat River gorge. However, you can tell the difference from Mt. Mitchell. I hiked the Raven Rock trail. It takes you to another overlook which might even be prettier than Coopers Rock, but it is undeveloped and out in the woods. It was about a two-mile hike, but it is very rugged and steep, so you get a lot of exercise for the two miles. In any case, I now have 7 miles logged for the Hiking West Virginia program. I also visited the small campground. It is nice and I picked up a lot more literature there. I now have a fairly complete file on West Virginia for planning trips there. Ohio is coming along, so now I'll have to accumulate some material on Maryland. Those are all the places close by. Places like New York, Ontario, Virginia, New Jersey, and Delaware are a bit less local. I used to have a ton of info on Quebec in French. I have made 5 trips to Quebec. It is about 600 miles to Quebec and can be driven in one day, because the entire trip is basically on highways which are not crowded. I would like to start visiting Quebec again. I go to Quebec more to practice my French and to be immersed in French rather than to hike, although I walk a lot when I go there. Montreal is 600 miles away, but if you're going to speak French you don't necessarily have to go to Montreal. About the closest larger town is Salaberry de Valleyfield. Crossing into Canada adds hassle to short trips, so with the exception of Mt. Mitchell, I'm sticking mostly to PA, Ohio, West Va, and Maryland.

Sunday I went to church. My friend Bobbie came on the bus with her scooter. So I decided to give her a ride home in the truck. It was interesting taking her scooter apart and loading it into the truck, but it all worked out and I got her and her scooter home. I'm going to take Bobbie to Coopers Rock because there is an accessible overlook. She can ride her scooter out to it, and that will give her a nice break from life in downtown Pittsburgh, where she lives. After that, it was out to the Redd Up Campaign to do my recycling and my usual tofu run to the food coop. Naturally, I couldn't resist the organic plantains, so I had Nicaraguan food for dinner!

Back from Mt. Mitchell continued

I'm still trying to catch you up on all that has happened. I had to take two additional trips on Monday and Tuesday. Kimberly had some red tape to get straightened out in Columbiana County, Ohio. They gave us quite the runaround, but it sure was fun visiting a number of parks along the way.

Prior to leaving, I went to CCAC and met with Felicia to start my math tutoring, which I will initially do at home by computer. I visited my old office and talked to my ex-boss and a coworker.

We then left for Ohio and first visited Beaver Creek State Park. I've been there a lot. It's really beautiful and is on Beaver Creek before it becomes a river. There is a reconstructed pioneer village and old lock there. I was able to obtain a number of pamphlets of things to do in Ohio. We also visited Lisbon and Salem that day. On the way home, we stopped at Tomlinson Run State Park, and Kimberly and Angel got their first tour of it. Kimberly was very impressed with it. I got a park bumper sticker for my car.

That night I checked out the literature I'd obtained and decided I would like to see Guilford Lake. Kimberly has been there many times. We had to return to Ohio on Tuesday for more red tape. Kimberly got her situation straightened out, finally, and we headed for Guilford Lake. Kimberly has been there many times. I obtained a whole lot more literature on Ohio and we visited the beach, campground, dam, and several places on the lake, which is very pretty. Angel went swimming in the lake and I went wading.

On the way home, we again went to Tomlinson Run State Park to pick out which lots in the campground we would most like to camp at. We're planning to camp there sometime before camping season is over. We also hiked along the summit on the Poe Trail. We then stopped at Raccoon State Park. We visited the lake and then went to the picnic area to walk Angel. After that, we went to the park office and I got more literature! Angel took a swim in Raccoon Creek.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I had to exercise a lot at the Y to lose any weight I'd gained on these three trips so I wouldn't be humiliated at the TOPS meeting. Luckily, I worked any excess off and succeeded in losing at TOPS!

Yesterday, I did yard work all day in hopes of continuing to be a loser. Today, I am going to check out the Coopers Rock State Forest in Morgantown, WV. Kimberly and Angel are too tired to go, but I will check out the place to see what might appeal to them in this area. Okay, I'm caught up, I think, and will write about Coopers Rock in my next post.

Back from Mt. Mitchell Continued

Anyway, I got back from the Dean's List Reception Friday night. The next day, I had to spend the entire day finishing my internet psychology course. I was busy all day. I had to read two chapters, take two quizzes, and take the last test. I got 78 out of 80 on the last test. So that course is over. I enjoyed it. My next class doesn't start until September 2, so I will now concentrate on math tutoring and studying for the ACE personal trainer exam. I was too tired from everything to do anything on Sunday, even go to church. Monday and Tuesday even got busier!