A story about "Walden"

Walden

by Henry David Thoreau

p 43: “Formerly, when how to get my living honestly, with freedom left for my proper pursuits, was a question which vexed me even more than it does now, for unfortunately I am become somewhat callous, I used to see a large box by the railroad, six feet long by three feet wide… and it suggested to me that every man who was hard pushed might get such a one for a dollar, and, having bored a few auger holes in it, to admit the air at least, get into it when it rained and at night… and so have freedom in his love, and in his soul be free.”

I’m still reading Economy, the first section of Walden. This snippet reveals an underlying theme in the book. Thoreau has a very narrow measure of what is necessary, against which he weighs everything he does: He wants to be free to do whatever he wants, and for him that does not overlap well with a paying job. He looks at every new purchase with an eye to how much this will really cost him in terms of freedom. How many hours of working for someone else, doing something he doesn’t care about, will this cost him?

As I expected, I find that Thoreau is a cranky man. Mainly, he complains about his New England neighbors. Apparently, they think life is too hard and that they must work from sun up till sun down just to survive. Thoreau sees it differently; he thinks that they are too consumerist, always wanting a bigger plasma TV, the latest model gas-guzzling SUV, and a McMansion to fill with stuff.

This is one of the things that I like about Walden; this attitude mirrors my own. I certainly have a lot more junk than Thoreau did, but I tend toward being extremely frugal. I often find work as unbearable as Thoreau did, and chafe at the need to make a living when there are so many things that I’d rather be doing (some of them are free, but some of them cost money, necessitating the job, and making me complain like Thoreau’s neighbors did). When I think of buying an item (for example, a GPS system, which tempts me mightily), I consider how much food the money would buy if I were to take on a backpacker’s lifestyle, and how I’ll probably just have to sell it eventually, when and if money gets tight. That kind of thinking puts the temptation in perspective.

See more about Walden

survey

survey
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I'd be amiss if I didn't mention the survey marks at Barre Falls dam. One is located just next to the little cemetery south of the dam, and the other is located just across from the dam building itself.

This one reads:

CORPS OF ENGINEERS - U.S. ARMY
SURVEY MARK
$250 FINE OR IMPRISONMENT
FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK
BOUNDARY
STATION DESIGNATION
BF-14
YEAR 1978
AGENCY
ELEV. 846.13 (??)

morning

morning
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I woke up at 6 this morning, but lay about trying to convince myself that leaving the tent was really necessary. Eventually, I roused myself up and went in search of the old pipe spring, three-tenths of a mile to the south. I had filled up my water bottles at a fast-flowing river up by Intervale Rd the previous day, but by now my water supply was almost gone.

Since I wasn't sure whether the spring water was potable, I popped iodine tablets in it, just as I had with the river water the day before. I am not keen on the taste these pills impart to the water, but better safe than sorry. I should mention that this section of the Midstate is abundant with water. It may be due to the heavy rains we've had all summer, but all the brooks, streams, and rivers were running with wild abandon.

From there on, it was just a matter of retracing my steps. The mosquito problem continued, generally unabated. My trip back was largely uneventful, with one exception: passing through a sunny, open area, I disturbed two moose. One had a small set of antlers and the other did not. They are very impressive, majestic animals, in my opinion. They were perhaps a hundred feet away when I saw them, and they were gone in an instant! Too bad I was unable to get a photograph!

On the way back, I had a brief chat with a woman and her daughter, as I passed by their house. The woman told me that her grandfather (in-law?) had done the entire Midstate Trail, piecewise, at the age of 80. That's impressive! But I'm glad that I'm taking the time to do it now. Despite all the bug troubles, I had a great time this weekend, and feel pleasantly exhausted now. I should sleep very well tonight!

tent and shelter

tent and shelter
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I guess I was the only person foolish enough to be hiking the Midstate Trail this weekend. I did not meet any other hikers on my trek. When I arrived at the Long Pond shelter, I found it empty, which was kind of pleasant.

It was not so pleasant to find the usual signs of partiers - beer cans, empty liquor bottles, and so on. And shortly after I arrived, the peace was broken by a couple of ATVs being driven down an ATV track close by. In addition, the mosquitoes seemed to be waking up just as I arrived. Fortunately, they weren't swarming! I was able to set up my tent without too much trouble, but I had to eat my dinner strolling around, or I'd become their dinner.

Since it was nearing sunset, I decided to retire to the relative comfort of my tent. I had brought Thoreau's Walden with me. I had a great plan to sit up reading till it got too dark. Instead, I read it lying down in my small tent, happily ensconced within the mesh. I had to wonder just what Thoreau - or indeed the native Americans - did when mosquitoes were out swarming as they were today.

I usually don't sleep so well when camping out - too many strange noises, the hard ground underneath, and a vague feeling of insecurity make it difficult to stay asleep. This night, I was waked a few times by the eerie calls of a hooting owl. It was very loud. Since I had kept the fly of the tent open, I was able to catch a glimpse of the owl sailing between the trees in the darkness.

memorial benches

memorial benches
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

After passing the small cemetery to the south of Barre Falls dam, I entered the woods again with some trepidation. It was justified. This area had the worst swarming of mosquitoes yet!

I got a break a mile later when the trail burst into a bright sunny area adjacent to a swamp. These two benches welcomed my weary body. And once again the mosquitoes faded away.

One of the benches is dedicated to Bob Elms, the other to Rolf Larsen, two champions of the Midstate Trail.

Barre Falls dam

Barre Falls dam
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This weekend, I took my first backpacking trip of the season.

I hiked the Midstate Trail from Rt 62, at mile 29.26^*, down to the shelter at mile 45.05, and back. In addition, I hiked from the shelter to the spring at 45.31 miles, minus my gear. Total miles: 31.5. Total hours: 12.5. Pace: 2.5 mph. Pack weight: about 22 lbs.

The first few miles of the trip were very easy, along flat, packed dirt roads, and I felt lighthearted despite my pack. After about six miles of hiking, though, I began to have trouble with mosquitoes. They were swarming, and alas I had neglected to bring bug spray. I would wipe five of them off my left arm, wipe another five off my right, and there'd be another five on my left again. Not to mention my poor legs.

I think I spent about half the trip fending off ravenous mosquito swarms. This kind of thing really takes the joy out of a hike!

To counter the attack, I kept as fast a pace as I could (which is not fast at all). At some point, I took to wearing my rain jacket. This kept them off my arms, so that they were free to focus on my face and legs instead. The best defense was waving my hat back and forth rapidly in front of my face. However, I'm still completely covered in bites.

The pests backed off when I hit the Barre Falls dam. Apparently, being vampirish in nature, they were afraid to enter sunlit areas and confined themselves to the depths of the woods. So I took a nice long break there, admiring the sunny blue sky and the big fluffy white clouds.

* If you plan to park overnight along Rt 62 as I did, be sure to notify the town police. It seems they have a thing about cars, or should I say "suspicious vehicles," parked for any length of time along the road. I don't know if this is true for all parking areas along the Midstate Trail.

Tank fifty-six

Total miles: 20741. Trip miles: 423.9. Gallons: 6.966. Price per gallon: $3.739.

Screen mileage: 58.0 mpg. Tank mileage: 60.9 mpg. Wow, really great mileage!

A story about "Walden"

Walden

by Henry David Thoreau

I read Walden when I was quite young – I’m guessing around the age of 12 or so. I enjoyed it, and it made a big impression on me, to the extent that Thoreau was one of my heroes for quite some time. I particularly liked his ideas about individualism and his adherence to the spartan lifestyle.

My recent visit to Walden Pond has prompted me to reread the book. With age, my memory of it has faded and my impressions have changed. I have a feeling that I won’t like it very much, and that I’ll think Thoreau is a big complainer, permanently stuck in his adolescent phase. We’ll see.

See more about Walden

A review of "The X-Files 2 [Theatrical Release]"

The X-Files 2 [Theatrical Release]

I was completely satisfied with The X-Files: I Want to Believe. The series was one of my favorites, and the movie was like watching a really good long, fresh, episode.

When I go to movies, I usually stay until the very last credits have scrolled. This time, my patience was fully rewarded! Be sure to stay all the way until the end.

See more about The X-Files 2 [Theatrical Release]

jellies

jellies
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

After our whale watching trip, we visited the Aquarium. They've got a great special exhibit featuring jellies right now. And as usual, the big cylindrical tank was captivating. We got there at feeding time, and it was fun to see these huge sting rays, fish, a sea turtle, and sharks being fed like so many pigeons at the park. The diver doing the feeding must have one of the world's best jobs.

whales

whales
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went whale watching with a friend this weekend. We booked through the New England Aquarium, and it was a good experience (first time I've been, so nothing to compare with, though). We hung out with several groups of humpback whales, and they did not seem to be bothered by our presence. This is something I'd like to do again!

the birthday cupcake

birthday cupcake
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Well, it's that time of the year again, the time to seek out a high place, provisioned with candle, matches, and cupcake, and sing a party song.

I had a hankering to visit the Midstate Trail, and I decided on this view of Wachusett. That is Wachusett in the background of the photo, but it's hard to tell because it was so hazy.

It took me all of seven minutes to hike to this spot. There was only a slight breeze, which was never enough to blow out the candle. After devouring the cupcake, I went for a sweet celebratory hike, about 4.5 miles in 1.5 hours.

Slackline yoga

My brother sent me an article from the Wall Street Journal, of all places, about a "slackline yoga" practitioner by the name of Jason Magness. Magness is a climbing bum with a difference; he performs yoga moves on a rope suspended above the ground.

Mr. Magness's father, Mark Magness, a retired Air Force lawyer, says he spent 23 years in a job he couldn't stand. So he avoids pressuring Mr. Magness to find traditional work. He admires his son's resourcefulness and spirit, but says he still struggles to accept that Mr. Magness lives in a van. "It pushes all these buttons," he says. "There was part of me that said, 'You need to be secure; security is important, happiness can wait.' Though watching him, that's become less obvious to me.

At the end of the article, Magness is quoted as saying there's a part of him that wants to live a normal life, with a family. I kind of wonder if he isn't lying to himself there... it sounds like he's doing exactly what he wants!

A story about "Angelina Jolie's: Notes from My Travels"

Angelina Jolie's: Notes from My Travels

by Angelina Jolie

I’ve just finished reading “Mission to Africa,” the first section of Angelina Jolie’s Notes from My Travels.

In the Introduction, she writes “I don’t know how this will be as a book, how readers will find it. I am not a writer.” You can tell that; her writing style is fairly simplistic, and this is not a standard travel journal. But she still does a good job at telling her stories from her unique perspective.

Jolie seems to be much more of a “feeling” person, not so much a “thinking” person. I don’t mean this in a bad way. There’s not a lot of introspection here about how she came to be interested in humanitarian issues. There’s very little historical detail or context provided. She’s telling you what she sees and feels, in a very raw and unprocessed way. She’s really very good at conveying her feelings and her horror at events going on in the world, and her empathy for the people suffering through them. The book seems to reveal as much about her as a person as it does about the situations she observes. So far, it’s an interesting view. I hope the book finds a wide audience.

See more about Angelina Jolie's: Notes from My Travels

sharks

sharks
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

My absolute favorite piece at the DeCordova is Pine Sharks, by Kitty Wales. They're like weird science fiction sharks, able to fly, circling in the air above you.

DeCordova sculpture park

tube thing
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

A friend is in town, so I'm doing the tourist thing. Yesterday, we went to the DeCordova sculpture park and spent almost the entire day there. I love visiting sculpture gardens.

This sculpture is one of my favorites, Reflex, by Michael Hansel. From this angle, it looks like an abstract horse creature rearing up on its hind legs.

Tank fifty-five

Total miles: 20317. Trip miles: 464.5. Gallons: 8.582. Price per gallon: $4.059.

Screen mileage: 58.6 mpg. Tank mileage: 54.1 mpg.

A few highway trips intermingled with short (about 10 minute long) commutes. This tank lasted three weeks, which is nice.

A review of "The Ophiuchi Hotline (Sf Collector's)"

The Ophiuchi Hotline (Sf Collector's)

by John Varley

Alien invaders evicted humanity from the earth, but the human race managed to survive by scattering to form societies on the moon and the other planets. They get a lot of help from highly advanced technological data streaming from the direction of the star 70 Ophiuchi. The advances in biotechnology are most noteworthy. People routinely restructure their body parts, and store the contents of their psyche in memory recordings which can be used to “reconstitute” a person who has died. It is in this universe that we follow our heroine as she becomes an unwilling participant in a mission to free the earth from the invaders.

I must have read The Ophiuchi Hotline the first time in my late teens or early twenties. I’ve read a good deal more science fiction since then, and this story holds up pretty well. The ending is a teensy bit weak because it seems to be setting us up for a sequel.

There aren’t a lot of female perspectives in science fiction, and this book does it so superbly that when I first read it I was convinced that “John Varley” was a pseudonym for a female author. I was wrong! Thanks again for writing this great story, Mr. Varley!

See more about The Ophiuchi Hotline (Sf Collector's)

is a weightlifting workout effective the day after a seven-hour hike?

I was sore and tired today, but I did my lower body workout anyway. I suspect there wasn't much point to it; that's not what they mean by a "pre-exhaustion" workout! However, I've got less time over the next couple of weeks, so I figure I'd better get my workouts in whenever I have the chance.

Midstate Trail end marker

Midstate Trail end marker
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I never found the Midstate Trail terminus marker. Well darn, where is it? I'll have to go back for another look soon, and allow more time for sight-seeing.

Instead, I found this odd octagonal marker. It reads:
"BORDEN 1834".

According to nhfours, it "was erected by Simeon Borden as a control station for the first accurate trigonometrical survey of Massachusetts." Very cool!

After taking the shortcut back to the Rt 119 parking lot at Watatic State Reservation, I retraced my path up until I got to Blueberry Hill. There I stopped to review the trail guide and find out if there were any more shortcuts that I could take. I decided to go over blacktop from Camp Winnekeag back to my car, following Rt 101 south and then Rt 12 southeast.

I didn't like the idea of road walking without knowing how much room there would be at the side of the road for pedestrians, how fast traffic was going, or how much traffic there would be. But I knew that my pace would be much faster over tarmac, and the route was relatively free of elevation changes. Also, I knew that even though the sun would set after 8 pm, it would still be pretty dark on the trail. It was already pretty dark at midday, at certain points. Finally, my knees and hips were complaining a bit on the hills and walking on the flat would spare them.

That little road hike went pretty well. I walked towards oncoming traffic, and put myself far enough out in the road so that drivers would see me from far away, only backing off onto the shoulder when they were closer. Almost every driver was kind enough to give me more than enough room, although there were a couple of dingbats who actually swerved towards me.

That last bit was about 4 miles long and my pace was 3 mph. I was back at the car around 7:15. By that time I felt like every part of my body was aching!

I guess I overextended myself, since I'm still feeling achy today. I'm glad I went, anyway! With this section finished, I've done the first 25 miles of the Midstate Trail, from N.H. down to Wachusett Mountain, as round-trips. I am hoping to do the entire trail this summer, but the Wapack Trail calls as well.

trail's end

trail's end
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

After passing over Mt Watatic, the end of the trail had to be near. Eventually I came to this confusing sign. It reads:

← Wapack Trail →
Mt Watatic ←1.2
MA. Rt. 119 ← 2.4
N.H. Rt 123/124 → 4-4.5

And there's a little sign pointing back towards Nutting Hill, too.

There are blue blazes running along the wall to the north.

And there is no mention of the Midstate Trail whatsoever.

So I sat there on the wall for a minute trying to figure out what to do. If this was the end of the trail, why wasn't there a sign saying so? And where were the two monuments described in the guide book?

My brain was fried and I missed the clue in the trail guide about the state boundary being marked by blue blazes. I wasn't expecting big neon lights flashing the words "You are now leaving MA, welcome to NH", but some sign that I was crossing the border was expected... So I kept going! I followed the damned yellow triangles for another 15 minutes before deciding that this corner must have been the boundary to NH.

I knew that the yellow triangles are used to mark the Wapack Trail in this area, as well, I just didn't realize that the Wapack Trail continues on into NH. Live and learn.

So I spent another 15 minutes trudging back (uphill, of course) to this stone wall corner. I re-read the guide book, and went 200 ft west of this point to look for the "original terminus monument." I found something, but I'm not sure that it was the terminus monument.

And then, given that it was 4:30 pm, I decided to take the shortcut back to the parking lot, rather than reverse tracks and go back over Watatic. Wise move! I probably saved about 45 minutes or so going that way.

geodetic

geodetic
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Although I did a very cursory inspection of the peak of Mt Watatic, I did manage to spot this geodetic survey marker. Score!

It reads:

reference mark
U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY
FOR INFORMATION WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON, D.C.
..FINE OR IMPRISONMENT FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK
WATATIC 2
MGS
R.M.4

view from Mt Watatic

view from Mt Watatic
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted at the summit of Mt Watatic. I will have to go back soon.

view from Mt Watatic

view from Mt Watatic
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

On the hike up Mt Watatic, you come to a clearing where there's a glimpse of another peak in the distance. I didn't check my compass but I think this view is to the south. So that could be Fisher Hill or Mt Hunger, but it could be any number of other hills in the vicinity.

pond at Mt Watatic

pond at Mt Watatic
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This lovely, still pond greets you upon entry to Mount Watatic Reservation. I would have taken my shoes off for a dipping if there had been time, and if it hadn't looked kind of, uh, icky upon closer inspection. I think the dusty looking stuff on the surface at the edges of the pond was pollen, but I'm not sure.

Old Pierce Rd

Pierce Rd
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is the view down Old Pierce Rd. It's a crumbling, poorly maintained road, but it does get a little traffic. Once you get here, you know you're closing in on Mt Watatic.

trail

trail
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a section of the Midstate Trail between Rt 101 and R 119. I think it's in the vicinity of Fisher Hill. When I stopped to check my pace here, I became even more concerned about the time.

I don't like hurrying while hiking. But it was pretty clear that I needed to hurry if I were to make it to the trail's end at the New Hampshire border, which I really wanted to do, and still be able to get back to the car before dark.

So I decided to stop for fewer photos and rest breaks, and to walk faster than I'd prefer on the downhills and straightaways. I kept a normal pace on the uphills, since I knew that attempting to power up those would be counterproductive and wind up slowing me down in the long term.

There's quite a lot of logging going on in this section of the trail. Heading over Blueberry Hill, the trail markers are scattered about poorly, probably due to the cutting. I had to stop and hunt around for a while to find out where the trail had disappeared to.

view of Mt Watatic from Mt Hunger

view of Mt Watatic from Mt Hunger
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

That's Stodge Meadow Pond in the foreground with Mt Watatic over on the left.

I did about 2 mph up Mt Hunger, hitting this lookout with a great view just around noon, in time for lunch. I ate my buttered bagel undisturbed, in the shade. I was fortunate in finding the place completely empty, since hikers usually like to lunch where there's a view. (Come to think of it, this section of the Midstate Trail was pretty empty. I didn't meet a soul until I came to Mount Watatic State Reservation.)

I knew that I had to pass over Mt Watatic before getting to the end of the trail in New Hampshire. From this point, Watatic seemed impossibly far. Could it really be only 5 miles away? Given my pace, I began to have some doubts that I'd get to New Hampshire and make it back before nightfall.

At this point, I began thinking about stashing my sleeping bag and tent somewhere to lighten the load. But I decided to continue on as is. I still felt very fresh, and I didn't want to lose the opportunity to get some training in.

blueberries

blueberries
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Yesterday's hike: 7 h 10 min | 16.1 mi | 2.2 mph

I went hiking on the Midstate Trail, from Rt 12 to the New Hampshire border.

I had a tough time deciding what kind of hike to do. Originally, I had planned to do a long hike with a partially loaded backpack to get some training in. Maybe even camp out. But the weather report said the temperature would be in the 90s and there was a potential for thunderstorms. Didn't sound like a good day for backpacking.

In the end, I buckled down anyway, and brought my backpack loaded with my sleeping bag, tent, and 4 liters of water. The loaded bag weighed about 21 lbs. I figured since I did so well (in terms of speed) last week, I would turn things up a notch this week.

By the time I got to the trailhead at Jewell Hill Rd, I had begun to have some doubts about carrying so much weight in the bag. I was starting later than I wanted to, around 10:30 am, and it really was beastly hot. I decided to take the bag as it was, anyway, and started down the trail. It heads northwest up Rt 12 here, and soon turns north into the woods, running over private property. The entire section of the trail between Rt 12 and Russell Hill Rd was pretty buggy and wet.

North of Russell Hill Rd, you pick up a little elevation gain. The air became drier, and the mosquitoes left off. There are a lot of blueberry bushes along this section of the trail. The berries in this photo are from a lowbush variety, and they were the biggest and most delicious berries I've ever tasted from a lowbush blueberry.

more Joss Whedon

Part II of Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is now out - get it while it's hot!

Joss Whedon alert

[Via my friend Maria]: Joss Whedon graces us with his godlike genius yet again!

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Starring Nathan Fillion, Neil Patrick Harris, and Felicia Day.

You do not want to miss this, scoot on over there now!

Lincoln

trail in Lincoln
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went on a hike closer to home today; 1.5 hours on the trails in Lincoln. The weather was splendid; weekends are too short.

Is flickr evil?

I used to have the warm and fuzzies about flickr, but these days I've begun to wonder if they're evil. Presumably they were turned into zombie brain-eating evil bastards after being consumed by Yahoo!.

I recently found that one of my photos that I had posted on flickr had been posted to a third party website to accompany an article. The website gave me credit and obeyed flickr's rules that they must post a link to the photo on flickr.

There's only one "small" detail that they neglected to consider: all of my flickr photos are copyright me, with all rights reserved. But they did not request my permission to use the photo on their site! It was only by accident that I discovered that they had violated my copyright. Presumably the copyright violation was unintentional, otherwise they wouldn't have posted my name right next to the photo. Ironically, it would have taken them half a minute to ask me for permission to publish, and I would have enthusiastically replied "yes!".

Jim Goldstein has written a detailed article describing what he feels is a malicious neglect of flickr to enforce copyright rules.

It will be an incredible nuisance to either nuke my flickr account or make my photos private. The whole point of uploading my photos to a site like flickr is to make it possible for me to share my stuff with the world (but not for the world to violate my legal rights!). It's not like I'm a professional photographer, with photos that knock your socks off, so the theft of my rights is not hugely damaging to me. But it still hurts, and there are other flickr users who feel much worse about the situation, as is clear from the comments in response to Goldstein's post.

I like the idea of photo-sharing sites, and I don't see why third parties find it such a problem to simply ask for permission to use flickr photos from their owners. I hope flickr does something to rectify this situation soon. I'm going to begin looking for a site that pays more than lip service to protecting the copyright of content owners.

Midstate Foot Trail

Midstate Trail sign
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is the trail sign just off Rt 12.

Next time I hike over here, I will probably hit New Hampshire, where the Midstate Trail begins. That's just under eight miles away from this sign.

overtime

overtime
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This little grave is adjacent to the farmland off Bragg Hill Road. The marker reads

OVERTIME
BORN 1979
DIED 2001

I wish I knew the story behind that!

field and bales

field and bales
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

The Midstate Trail crosses this little patch of farmland at around mile 13 (from N to S), just off Bragg Hill Rd. I think the crop was alfalfa. I love the way this field has a little roll to it.

I've noticed as I pass through the farms along the trail that the farm workers are active on the weekends. I hope they get to rest on some other days of the week!

truck wreckage

car wreck
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Apparently, people like to dump their autos along the trails in Massachusetts too.

memorial

memorial
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

When I arrived at Rt 12, I noticed a little plaque on a large boulder across the road, so of course I had to go check it out. It's kind of sweet. It reads:

THIS TABLET IS PLACED HERE
IN MEMORY OF
SARAH WHITNEY ADAMS
WHO WAS BORN AND LIVED
MOST OF HER LONG LIFE
IN THIS VICINITY
BY A DEVOTED SON
A.D. 1913

pickerelweed on Muddy Pond

pickerelweed
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

There's a lot of pickerelweed in Muddy Pond. It grows in patches near the shoreline. This shot was taken off the little pier near the open face shelter.

Muddy Pond shelter

Muddy Pond shelter
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Today's hike: 5 h 45 min | 16.4 mi | 2.8 mph

I did another stretch of the Midstate Trail today. I kept a blistering pace (I average about 2 mph), although it didn't feel like that. The elevation changs are small, which is what made the faster pace possible.

I started at the Schenck Property Trails trailhead in Westminster. That trail system looks pretty new. I went all the way out to Rt 12 and back.

I like this section of the trail. It's pretty quiet, even though you have to cross some roads and pass through some farmland.

There are tons of mosquitoes throughout this section; that may be because it has been a very rainy year so far. The mosquitoes are careless. I'm used to mosquitoes flying away when you swipe at them. Almost all of the ones that landed on me were killed with ease; they seemed oblivious to the breeze produced by my oncoming hand.

A review of "Wanted [Theatrical Release]"

Wanted [Theatrical Release]

Wanted tries to be The Matrix meets Fight Club, but lacks the soul of either. Our hero starts out as a neurotic, pathetic mess with poor judgment. He winds up a psychotic, pathetic mess with poor judgment. There’s lots of killing in between. The message seems to be that if you kill enough people unthinkingly, your life will have meaning.

I like action movies, and I will happily view movies containing tons of gratuitous violence. I don’t like that this movie tried to tack some deep life lesson onto a story that was developed in a very shallow way.

Someone should extract all the great action sequences from this movie and splice them together for viewing. The rest can go in the trash. Unfortunately that means we’d miss seeing Morgan Freeman, but this is not his most significant work.

See more about Wanted [Theatrical Release]

Tank fifty-four

Total miles: 19853 Trip miles: 506.7. Gallons: 9.489. Price per gallon: $4.159.

Screen mileage: 56.8 mpg. Tank mileage: 53.4 mpg.

Almost all highway trips; more attention was paid to saving time and less to gas (which means higher speeds). Now let's see if I can make the next tank last more than one week!

second tick this year

I was bitten by another tick today. This is the second this year, which doesn't bode well. I was able to remove it easily, and it wasn't on me for long, so there's not much risk for Lyme.

triangulation

triangulation
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This marker is hidden slightly off the Summit Trail, up near the modern fire tower at around 530 feet, at Moose Hill. Someone had laid a small rock and a reflective disk next to it, perhaps to make it more noticeable.

It reads:
MASS DEPT OF PUBLIC WORKS
TRIANGULATION STATION
MOOSE HILL
1886 1936

I love these things! It was a treasure to find; I almost missed it, since it was off the main trail.

bench

bench
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This picturesque little bench perches on the bluffs at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, where I went letterboxing at today.

I highly recommend the "Moose Hill" letterboxing set, both for the quality of the boxes and for the nice hike around the grounds. I spent 2.5 hours hiking, and quite a lot more time hunting, especially for the first box, which was tricky. And then I didn't have a map, and got all turned around, and wound up finding box #3 before box #2. I wasn't sure I'd find any of them, so it worked out well.

I was encouraged to become a member of Mass Audubon in order to avoid paying the $4 entry fee to Moose Hill. The cost of membership is $44, but I'm hopeful that I'll be using the Mass Audubon sanctuaries frequently. Plus I think it's a good cause. Lord knows the state of Massachusetts can use more conservation land, especially near Boston.

Why I want to consume "The Ophiuchi Hotline (Sf Collector's)"

The Ophiuchi Hotline (Sf Collector's)

by John Varley

I read John Varley’s The Ophiuchi Hotline ages ago, and it made a really big impact on me. I decided to give the man some props (and shekels) and revisit this novel.

See more about The Ophiuchi Hotline (Sf Collector's)

Tank fifty-three

Total miles: 19346. Trip miles: 384.1. Gallons: 6.258. Price per gallon: $4.159.

Screen mileage: 57.9 mpg. Tank mileage: 61.4 mpg.

Two longer highway trips of about 150 miles each, plus some short commuting. Excellent mileage, but far too much driving!

Why I recommend "Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty"

Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

by Muhammad Yunus

I’ll start by saying that I think Muhammad Yunus is a remarkable man, who has done some outstanding, commendable things.

Unfortunately, his book, Banker to the Poor, is not well written and could have used a strong editorial hand. It is disorganized, roaming from one subject to another without logical sequence. This makes the book hard to read, which is unfortunate, because I think the story is worth hearing.

Also, the book does not cover some topics that I’d expected to hear about. For one, I had once read that there is an Islamic prohibition against loans. Since this is a book about microcredit in Bangladesh, you’d think the topic would be given a few pages. Instead, it is given a few paragraphs which do little to explore how this affects microlending in Islamic countries. I felt like the subject was pushed under a rug.

From p 108 there is the following exchange between a conservative mullah and a woman who wishes to join Grameen:

...
“Go to the moneylender, he is a good Muslim [!], ” answered the confused mullah.
“He charges 10 percent a week! If you don’t want us to borrow from Grameen, then you lend us the money.”
...

And on p 109-110, there’s this:

We believe that Islam is not at all a hindrance to the eradication of poverty through micro-credit programs. Islam does not inherently prevent women from making a living for themselves or from improving their economic situation. In 1994, the adviser on women’s affairs to the president of Iran came to visit me in Dhaka and … she said, “There is nothing in Shariah law or the Quran against what you are doing. On the contrary, what you are doing is terrific. You are helping to educate a whole generation of children. And thanks to Grameen loans, women can work at home, instead of sitting around.”
Many Islamic scholars have also told us that the Shariah ban on the charging of interest cannot apply to Grameen, since the Grameen borrower is also an owner of the bank. The purpose of the religious injunction against interest is to protect the poor from usury, but where the poor own their own bank, the interest is in effect paid to the company they own, and therefore to themselves.

That’s about the entirety of the discussion on the subject in this book.

Another topic I would have liked to see explored in more detail is the difference between pure charitable giving and the microcredit system. Why is it that lending small amounts of money with interest works better than giving small amounts of money with no interest charge? We all hear about horrendous waste and corruption that leads charitable contributions to go into the pockets of those who don’t need it. Why doesn’t that happen in this case? Clearly, because Grameen workers meet directly with the people who are getting the loans, in their houses, and a direct evaluation is possible (and on a side note, Grameen workers are devoid of corruption, how does that happen?).

Where do these poor people store their loan money – how do they avoid theft? Why can’t a similar program be set up that is purely charitable in nature; why must it only work if the money must be paid back? I don’t think these questions are adequately answered.

I’d recommend the book despite its weaknesses because it succeeds in demonstrating that poverty can be alleviated and even eliminated. It’s interesting to read the last couple of chapters, in which the author’s social theories are examined (he believes in minimizing government and replacing its social functions with “social-conciousness driven business”) – even if I don’t agree with them.

I’d also recommend skimming the book, which would help to get over the bumpy parts faster. You can slow down and chew on the parts that spark an interest.

See more about Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

memorial

memorial
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I stumbled upon this memorial near Flint's Pond.

It reads:

AUREET BAR-YAM
Sept. 8 1957 - Jan 7, 1991
SHIVER TO THINK OF HER LIGHT, HER WARMTH,
FOREVER FROZEN IN THIS CLEAR COLD POND.
MAY ITS GLIMMER GIVE YOU PAUSE..
FOR ICE BROKE HEARTS THE DAY SHE DROWNED.

chimney

chimney
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I took a two-hour hike around the Lincoln trails system today. I didn't have a map, so I just followed one of the major bike trails.

My blistered heels didn't bother me in the least, fortunately. Instead, I suffered a bit of a cramp in my left hamstring, and decided to cut short the hike. I had planned on doing three hours.

cotton socks and hiking do not mix

I went on a short trail hike at Huntington with my sister, yesterday. Our plan was to go for an hour.

I was wearing cotton socks and a pair of low-top Merrells. I had a pair of Thorlo hiking socks in my car, but decided "oh just one hour, why bother changing?". Regrettably, this question was to be answered soon.

After about 40 minutes of hiking, we got ourselves a bit lost and it became clear we were going to be out for more than an hour. Just about an hour after we began, the skin above my heels began to feel chafed. By the time we got out, I felt like someone had been hacking at that area with a set of razor blades.

This morning, I noticed that one of my cotton socks had a nice big scary blood stain on it! I took a look at my right heel - no blood, but the top layer of skin had been rubbed off in a dime-sized area that was looking rather oozy. The left heel is wounded as well, but not as badly.

Cotton socks and hiking do not mix.

I guess it would be sensible to avoid hiking for a few days. But sensible is not my middle name....

gasoline expenditures over time

Part of the trend is due to the rising cost of gas, but I blame part of it on my family. Apparently as the price of gas rises, they become more fond of me, and clamor more loudly for me to visit. I'm pretty sure there's some direct correlation between distance and fondness as well.

Tank fifty-two

Total miles: 18962. Trip miles: 334.0. Gallons: 6.091. Price per gallon: $4.099.

Screen mileage: 56.3 mpg. Tank mileage: 54.8 mpg.

Same as last.

feet

feet
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

At around five hours, my body started complaining more bitterly. "Whose idea was it to take a @&# six hour hike!?" However, by that time my brain was fried from the heat, and it simply replied "Don't bother me, I'm too whatever from the thingy... la-la-la..." My body heaved a sigh, muttered under its breath "this is so typical" and carried my brain off to a stream, where it soaked its feet for a good 10 minutes. Thus refreshed, it staggered off on autopilot, sans brain function, back to the car.

I'm not sure why I hit the wall at four hours. Last week I did four hours without trouble. I think the main cause was a lack of sleep - I didn't get enough last night. And the extra weight of the backpack probably didn't help... plus, I didn't hydrate so well during hour four, when the mosquitoes were so thick that I didn't want to stop to get water from my pack for a good thirty minutes.

Despite those little difficulties, I wouldn't have spent the day any other way. What a wonderful day to be outside! Blue sky, little fluffy clouds, and a stream to soak your feet in!

farm

farm
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Once you exit Leominster, the Midstate Trail seems to be squeezed in on all sides by suburbia and farmland. It crosses a highway overpass, and at another point it goes under a railway underpass with no sidewalk.

At three hours into my hike, it was time to turn around. I felt good, not tired at all. It was a good stopping point, at the intersection of several streets - Bragg Hill Rd, Oakmont Ave, and South Ashburnham Rd - so I'll know about how far I got once I get the trail map.

At four hours, my body said "hey, we've been going for a while now, and I think it's about time we should end this hike." However, calling in an extraction team was not an option, so I told it to shush and keep going.

Midstate Trail

Midstate Trail
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I decided to do a longer hike today, planning on six hours. My daypack is too small to hold more than two liters of water, so I took my backpack; first use of the backpack this year. Good to get a little training effect, too.

I took the Midstate Trail, heading north from Leominster State Forest.

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty"

Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

by Muhammad Yunus

I started reading Banker to the Poor because I wanted to find out more about how microlending started, and how it works. So why did I stall out while reading the first two chapters?

The book unexpectedly begins in a very autobiographical way, talking about the author’s childhood and participation in the creation of the nation of Bangladesh. All interesting stuff that can stand on its own, but not what I set out to read. Further, Yunus has a pretty dry writing style. It’s almost like he can’t decide whether it’s worth writing about personal details or not. So we get autobiography, but in very broad strokes.

That being said, things get more interesting when Yunus addresses a subject that excites him. Here’s an example [p 35]:

...What I did not yet know about hunger, but would find out over the next twenty-two years, was that brilliant theorists of economics do not find it worthwhile to spend time discussing issues of poverty and hunger. They believe that these will be resolved when general economic prosperity increases. These economists spend all their talents detailing the processes of development and prosperity, but rarely reflect on the origin of poverty and hunger. As a result, poverty continues.

This is content which makes me want to stand up and cheer, and motivates me to keep whittling away at this book.

See more about Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

I wished to live deliberately...

I wished to live deliberately...
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived"

Thoreau

According to Katherine Lussen:

Thoreau's problem was with society and the direction in which it was heading. As society became more consumer oriented with the new and revolutionary technology of the late nineteenth century, Thoreau saw people losing sight of basic values. His call to "Simplify, simplify" (Walden) was not a request to save the wilderness, but a request to save society from the impending evils of an increasingly material culture.

The more things change, the more they stay the same!

love the earth

love the earth
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

be an individual

be an individual
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Some of the stones at the cairn on Thoreau's cabin are marked with little messages.

cairn

cairn
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Another look at the cairn on the site of Thoreau's cabin. It has been here a loooong time. Walt Whitman wrote that he dropped a stone in the pile in 1881. Wow, very neat!

Site of Thoreau's Cabin

Site of Thoreau's Cabin
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.