Hiking near Granite Falls

Hiking through trails,
Walking through forests,
What do you seek?

I seek to experience the nurturing hand of nature,
The hand that shows up as soothing sounds
of gurgling water in a nearby brook,
The hand that shows up as a bird singing it's song,
The hand that shows up as the beauty of mountains, valleys, and lakes, beckoning you forward.

I seek to become aware of the jarring noise of my thoughts
in the deafening silence of nature,
I seek to internalize the peace that I find in the forest trails,
I seek to put things in perspective by realizing
the ignorance of man in living life monotonously,
while nature beckons, as always.

Did a solid 4 hr hike in trails near a place called Granite Falls, around 40 miles from Seattle. I noticed a lot of logging going around this area and also heard a few gunshots. I came across a fence with a few horses idling around inside. I stood at the fence and the horses came around and said hello! As I reached my hand out towards them, they first thoroughly whiffed their noses around my hand before letting me touch them.
Also saw a coyote and a black bunny along the way. I wasn't hiking to any particular destination, just randomly exploring the trails nearby. I guess I walked the half-marathon distance of 21 kms today.. Pretty tiring!

An ode to Mount Si

Mount Si (pronounced sigh) is an extremely beautiful mountain located at North Bend, around 15 miles from Seattle.
This short poem was inspired by its beauty:

Oh Mount Si
Your beauty makes me cry
The breath taking views you offer
Will not make me defer
My pending trip until next summer
Coming soon, yes I am, to take back wonderful memories over and over

Last weekend, I made a trip to the Little Si, the younger sister of Mount Si. The views from Little Si are breathtaking too. The howling wind at the top made it a little difficult, but what the heck it was amazing all the same. Posted a short video below (not great quality):

Of snow, slippery roads and the cliched runs

Two weeks back was the first time I saw snow in my life..in reality. I was sleeping longer than usual and as I pulled the blanket closer and looked out the window, I wondered why the rain out the window was so thick and precipitating at a slow rate.
3 hrs later, wide awake, I couldn't stop looking out the window.

Black smoke
In the background
Buildings
all around
And pure white snow
gathering on the ground

My mounting fear abound
Could I run on the slushy ground
When the time came near
Could I withstand the cold weather

For I have missed runs in the past
With disastrous impacts
Not that I wished that happen again
I went out onto the terrain
Painful at first it was
Mangaeable when I avoided the white extras
And fun
When I realised I was indeed doing my regular run


Cliched ending:(Calling some thing cliched and mentioning it anyway, sounds cliched to me now[add loop for the cliched calling the cliched][infinite])

Before I knew
I had a bad flu
I summoned up my might
And took the last right
For the end was near
I had no reason to fear
A run of a kind
To be stowed away
In my mind
To be remembered
When I unwind
From a race of a stressful kind

Abstract/philosophical or 'plain shady' ending:
Consistency they say
Paves the way
For that sought after progressive state
Follow the path
Before its too late

Ah, but its never too late
The choice you make
Only delays the date
For as long as there is intent
Its manifestation is imminent
A time machine would make it easier I know
For I could look into the so called future you know
All said and done
A routine can sometimes be fun
As long as you can maintain one
In the markovian process called 'the run'


I dabble in poetry. That's about it.
Now to mention something about real running eh..

Briefly, I have managed 10 runs in the past 25 days..Not bad I say, but again I can invoke the last but one para of the shady ending to the above poem and say consistency.............

Basically been running 4-5 kms @ 8 min/mile (I must say I am adjusting well to living in america, for I can use kms and miles in the same breath). But as Henry Rono, who's competing in the masters segment, would say in the lets run forums....I am starting to feel less fires in my legs and more lightness...Meaning, my runs are getting better.
But the roads are not good. I repeat, they are not good at all. The gilman trail has some muddy paths, but that's beyond what I run. So I got to long, so that I run comfortable. So long.

Just do it

The inability in seizing the moment
has wounded thee in ways indescribable
What stops thee from plunging?

Plunging into the ocean with synergy,
A synergy arising out of the coming together
of faculties; of senses, of the mind, of the body
with an aim of merging with the ocean
Of an ocean once familiar,
once experienced with immense delight
But now a distant haunting memory

A memory that shows the entrance
An entrance to the path
A path that has to be walked
Not just talked about

Knowing very well the path
Has not made the exploration any easier
For, oh ignorant thee,
Thou has yet to take the first step,
The step to mark the victory
over the inital barrier

Beyond the barrier
Oh dear one,
lies what you seek
So, oh seeker of truth
fear not, and forget not
The old adage,
'Just do it'

It's 4 am in the morning
I can hear the birds start chirping

It's definitely going to be fun
If I am gonna go for a run

Oh! hear my plight
I haven't slept through the night

Even if I summoned up all my might
My leg doesn't feel all that right

There shall be soon someday
when I will have my way

Till then shall I make do
With enjoying the fresh morning dew

Timeless jottings

Was sitting behind me
Looking tired and weary
Looked at her and thought
Looks good, does she not?

Stop, the bus did thither
To give us the much needed breather
Watching an ODI, were many
While I took in the scenery

Last to get down was she
Heading out to have some tea
Approached her, I did,
And talked a few words, we did

Slept badly through the night
'casuse of the bus shaking me outright
But thoughts flooded my mind
Making the misery a memorable kind

These events happen seldom so I thought
And departed Koyambedu with a heavy heart
The same day did I record the meeting
Through pen and paper to produce this reading....