Category: Motivation
Pole Steeple, Michaux State Forest, May 2010
My first hike up Pole Steeple was in 2010, three months after I’d had my right knee lock. In between I’d had treatment with Euflexxa, a synthetic joint fluid, and a diagnosis that knee replacement was in my future at some point. I was cautious about what I could do, but determined to be active. I’d been sedentary most of my life, and I was too young to go back.
Somewhere I’d read or heard about Pole Steeple, the rock outcropping overlooking Pine Grove Furnace State Park. It might have been when I camped there in 2009. It might have been online, or in one of the many hiking guidebooks I’d consulted. But I’d come across it, read it was only a mile up, and longed to hike it. So on Memorial Day I arrived to join a group hike up the mountain. Our guide was a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Park Ranger; our group soon enough consisted of the two of us, the other hikers going at a faster pace.
The climb was tough for me, and I had to stop at a couple of places. I picked through some of the rougher spots. Soon enough I was on the switchback to the top. We chose the back way to approach the overlook, instead of the direct assault with the rock scramble.
And after coming through the trees we were on top. This was a big moment for me. I’d hiked before, but never so high. Nor had I ever reached such a place before on my own two legs. And the view! No wonder I held my poles in the air, looking as a friend said “like the god of lightning summoning the elements.”
But for all my bravado, I didn’t venture very far onto the rock outcroppings. I wasn’t as brave as these young women, for instance, sitting on the edge of the cliff over a 75 foot drop to the trail below. The second after I took this photo, the woman on the left screamed. She claimed she felt the rock move under her. I doubt it moved, but still, her scream made me nervous to be any further out on the rock.
The sky began to darken as we stood on the overlook. The ranger knew what was coming, and we turned around and headed back down the mountain, as the faster hikers fled past us.
We passed around the back of the overlook as the rain came down. And it wasn’t a gentle rain, but buckets. Streams formed on the switchback as we slowly made our way down. The ranger could have hiked out in no time, but he stuck with me as I picked my way down. As we transitioned from the switchback to the main trail I thought “I hope that’s the worst of it.”
Then the hail started.
The ranger tried to keep me engaged in conversation as we made our way down the slope. Had someone been listening, they might have found the conversation surreal.
“How much water did you get in your boots?”
“Too much,” I said. “My socks are soaked. And these boots are nearing the end of their life.” I stopped to clear water off my glasses.
“I got these at a sporting goods store, and waterproofed the heck out of ’em. You should try that before your next hike. Its an easy and cheap upgrade. By the way the slope over here is a little easier.”
Meanwhile hail is falling and water is gushing down the trail deep enough to reach my boot laces.
Eventually we reached the trailhead, just as the hail stopped. In the rain I turned to the soggy ranger and thanked him for helping me up and down Pole Steeple. It was his job, but he didn’t have to be as nice as he was while doing. it. His calm on the descent helped me stay focused despite the weather. As he got in his truck he said to me “you might think of yourself as a beginning hiker, but today you took everything the mountain could throw at you and came through.” And he drove off to the park office and a dry uniform.
In the trailhead parking lot a couple waited out the rain. I asked them to take my picture. Sopping wet, cold, water squishing from my boots, I wasn’t going to be denied my victory photo. After all, I’d taken everything Pole Steeple could throw at me and come through.
Neil Brennen / Hiking, Motivation /
From Mesopotamia to Peninsula – Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath, July 2011 and July 2013
During my Ohio adventures of 2011 and 2013 I did some rides on the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath in and around Akron. I’ll present them stitched together as one ride, starting south of the city and heading north to Peninsula, and written as a guide rather than an account of my experiences.
The official guidebook for the canal towpath called the area to the south of Akron “Mesopotamia” because it’s between bodies of water. But it’s also fairly barren, with no services until the Portage Lakes area. The scenery along the canal is pretty but the towpath itself is exposed, so don’t expect shade.
The trail becomes paved as you enter Akron, rubber capital of the world and crystal meth capital of Ohio. When the towpath trail reaches Summit Lake, tribute is paid to the canal builders. Faced with a swampy body of water to cross, the canal built a wooden, floating towpath for the mules. So the present day trail crosses the lake surrounded by water. Its an impressive view, and there are observation areas along the floating trail. I spent several minutes here one afternoon soaking in the scenery.
The trail rises from the river as it enters downtown Akron. At the time I rode it the north and south sections of the towpath hadn’t been connected. I understand the missing link is now in place. In 2011 I had to got up some nosebleed climbs onto city streets. The detour wasn’t well marked. I got lost a couple of times, but I eventually found the towpath again. The trail is an urban park as it passes through the downtown, and at times the detour used sidewalks.
The name Akron comes from the Greek words meaning “high place”, which explains the trail bridge leading out of the downtown and down a 5 per cent grade for a mile. The reason for the 5 per cent grade is the steep ascent the canal had to make. You get an idea of what the canal builders faced just north of the downtown in the area called “Cascade Locks.” The canal needed 15 locks in little more than a mile to get boats up and down from Summit Lake. Once past this area, you are back on gravel and amid nature, following the Cuyahoga.
On my 2011 trip I hung out a few minutes at the small park at the bottom of the 5 per cent grade. This park celebrates the flour and oat mills that Akron was famous for in the 19th century.
Heading north, the trail follows the river. The scenery is wooded, aside from a brief stretch snaking through a suburb of Akron. I tried to see things off the towpath as well, for the trail has a lot of connecting paths, for walking and riding, that are worth taking. There’s a small heron nesting site a few hundred feet off the trail at Bath Road. One trip I rode partway up the mile climb to the Hale Farm, a 19th century ‘living museum.’ The climb was too much, so I turned around and stopped at Indigo Lake for a couple of minutes.
A highlight on the trail is the beaver marsh. The mammals helped reclaim an old auto dumping area, and the towpath, like at Summit Lake, floats over the marsh. There’s a observation area with seating, and on various trips I’ve seen turtles, fish, heron, and yes, a beaver. On a future trip I’d love to get here at dawn, simply to experience the place at daybreak.
If you feel thirsty or hungry as you approach Peninsula, there is a nice farmer’s market that provides fluid and fuel on a hot day. Its only a block from the trail, but be careful, as its busy with cars and bikes coming in and out of the lot.
Riverview Road is flat for much of its length, and it makes a nice change of pace from the towpath if you’ve done the trail more than once. Drivers seemed to respect bikes even though the shoulders are narrow. Just past the farmer’s market is a road leading to the Everett Covered Bridge. The short trail bans bikes, but I didn’t realize it. I dismounted when I saw the horses and no trouble was caused. Anyway, its a short walk from the connecting road.
Turning around here on Riverview Road might be a good idea. While its rideable into Peninsula, the climbs are tough. Better to take the flat and scenic towpath, passing by, and sometimes through, canal locks. Soon enough you are in Peninsula. Take some time to see the small town, the locks, the river, the train, Century Cycles, and the main eatery in town, the Winking Lizard.
Mention of the Winking Lizard reminds me of my rides with my friend Aaron. We explored the towpath together, riding from Akron to Cleveland in segments, and our rides always ended with a trip to the Lizard. Those were among the happiest days I’ve spent on a bike. Aaron also rode with me on the brutal day to Mosquito Lake State Park, and he was coughing up blood the next morning. If our friendship can survive that, I think it can survive anything.
When I was very down after my knee replacement, my weight was ballooning and my activity level was at zero. When other ‘friends’ were abandoning me, Aaron told me “I believe in you” and stuck with me. So my memories of the towpath are always happy ones, knowing that my buddy was there…. and was there for me when I needed him. I hope everyone who reads this blog has such a friend.
Neil Brennen / Bicycling, Motivation, Ohio Adventure 2013, Ohio Adventures 2011 /
Cambridge Springs and Me, Then and Now
I recently returned to Cambridge Springs, spending two days with my friend Troy on his farm. I’ve been to Cambridge Springs before, and this small town in Northwest Pennsylvania has strong connections to my life changes in the past decade.
My first visit was in 2004. Cambridge Springs is best known for an international chess tournament held in 1904, and my visit was to coincide with the celebrations of the anniversary. I was 400 some pounds in the photo to the right, and was so fatigued from the drive the day before I couldn’t play in the amateur tournament. (Yes, I was too tired to sit at a table playing chess.) I remember sitting on the porch of the Riverside Inn and staring at the landscape and the nearby French Creek. I wasn’t part of that landscape, I wasn’t interacting with it, I was a spectator. I was living, sort of, but wasn’t alive.
Let’s move forward almost a decade. Nine years and a triple digit weight loss on and I’m outside. In the photo I’m riding along the very same French Creek that I once observed from a distance. (The photo is from the Ernst Trail in Meadville, not Cambridge Springs, but its close enough.) Cambridge Springs might be a small town and Meadville only slightly bigger, but they are surrounded by the wonders and glories of nature. I am a decade older but I’m alive in ways I’d never have imagined back in 2004. Cambridge Springs used to be associated in my mind with the living death of super obesity. Now its a place I go to when I want to get out.
Matty Rides! Cleveland, Ohio, July 2013
I’ve been nagging, as only I can nag, my friend Matty to get a bike. So has my friend Aaron. But Aaron is in Ohio and I’m in Eastern Pennsylvania, and we have little influence on a man in Michigan. So when we had the opportunity to meet in Ohio last month, in addition to walking around Cleveland and having lunch Aaron the mechanic met with my friend to get Matty set up on two wheels.
The result? Matty has a bike again for the first time in five years. And, unlike his old steed, it fits him! He’ll fine tune his fit, as every cyclist does, but in the mean time he has a bike that’s not hurting him every moment he’s on it.
Cycling is never a weight loss pill, but its a tool in both losing weight and building fitness. But first of all its fun, and if Matty sticks with it the fun will follow. Matty, when you are ready we can ride some of those Michigan roads and trails together….
Neil Brennen / Bicycling, Matty, Motivation, Ohio Adventure 2013, Weight Loss /
“To me, fair friend…” – Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath and Old Muskigum Trail, Ohio, July 2013
Our turn around was the bridge at Crystal Springs. We crossed the span, which is now restricted to cyclists and pedestrians, and rode back to Canal Fulton on the parallel Old Muskigum Trail. The trail surface was more dirt than gravel,and we had some mud patches to navigate, but it made a nice change of view being on the other side of the river. I saw a bald eagle flying low as we approached Canal Fulton, which only added to the good feelings I felt on the ride.
At Canal Fulton we crossed back to the towpath, and rode back to our cars. As rode, I realized Beverly was once again teaching by example. At an age when men and women are told they should stop being active, Beverly leads a life enriched by the outdoors. I was reminded of an elderly couple I knew a decade ago who explained their 62 year marriage was successful because “we always found something to talk about.” Beverly is successful because she always finds something to DO. That’s a lesson this “formerly sedentary man” is working to internalize so it becomes as natural as breathing. Perhaps, God willing, I’ll be riding again with Beverly when I’m her current age. I’m pretty sure she’ll still be riding then.
Neil Brennen / Bicycling, Motivation, Ohio Adventure 2013, Weight Loss /
Raven’s Horn, Golden Eagle Trail, Slate Run, PA
Neil Brennen / Caleb's Crew Hiking Club, Hiking, Motivation, Ohio Adventure 2013 /
Pyamtuning Ride, Pymatuning State Park, OH and PA, August 2010
One day on my 2010 tour of Western Pennsylvania my friend Judy and I headed to Pymatuning, Pennsylvania’s largest lake and the only state park that straddles the Ohio border. But it was more than just the lake I was driving towards. I’d planned a ride with another Clydesdale.
The idea for the meeting started on Sunday as I waited in Emlenton, at the end of the Allegheny River Trail, for Judy to pick me up. As I sat in an Internet cafe reading a bicycle message board I used to frequent I came across this posting discussing the eternal struggle of the fat cyclist with his weight:
“I need to tell you folks about all this so I feel accountable to someone besides myself. I kind of feel like this is kin to quitting smoking. Keep trying and eventually it will stick. I started quitting smoking in 1998 and it finally stuck in 2000. I have a renewed motivation from reading the posts on this forum, and you clydes and athenas are my support system whether you now it or not. I feel good knowing that I am not alone in this struggle. Special thanks to The Historian for his honesty and dedication as well….. if anyone wants to go for a ride with me, give me a shout. Thanks again for letting me get this off my chest.”
I was moved when I read this. I’d been called many things on that message board, some of them even complimentary, but I’d never been called “honest” before. Also the author, who went by the name “the stoutdog”, sounded like a riot to ride with. I determined to call thestoutdog and see if he’d join me at Pymatuning for a ride. Putting forth the hue and cry brought a telephone number, and we set a time for the ride.
We met about 1:45 at the park’s visitor center. Thestoutdog, also known as Aaron, and I hit it off immediately. Soon enough we were rolling down the road, stopping at the Jamestown campground entrance to meet Judy, who had straddled her upright bike to join us. She kept up with us for a couple of miles, but soon enough turned around before we crossed the Ohio border in our trip ’round the lake.
Pymatuning is split north to south by the state border, but its also divided north and south by a road. Its fascinating to observe the change as the roadway crosses this miniature inland sea; once the road crosses into Pennsylvania, it sprouts a shoulder and becomes PA Bike Route Y. Aaron played along with my childlike sense of fun, as we both posed with signs at the border.
After I’d returned home, and finally saw the photos my new friend took on the ride, I was shocked. I knew I was fat, and I knew I was knock-kneed. But SEEING it in the photo to the left was the catalyst for change, at least of the one thing I could change. I dropped 30 pounds until my knees became bad after my second 5k in December, and I had to give up activity while my joints recovered. Aaron helped me get through the stress my condition triggered. Isn’t it strange how friendships form? I wanted to help someone who was stressed about his weight, and he winds up helping me? All part of the miracle of friendship. None of this ride had to happen – and it did.
Neil Brennen / Bicycling, Knee Replacement, Motivation, Weight Loss, Westsylvania 2010 /
Thoughts on Shame
One of the blogs I read regularly, Chubbysuperbiker, has a celebratory post. The author is celebrating losing 300 pounds since he began changing his life in 2005. Please read his post, and come back. I’ll wait.
http://www.chubbysuperbiker.com/2013/06/a-big-goal-new-beginning.html
On reading his celebration, I was struck by this statement:
“I haven’t blogged a lot because I’ve struggled with in my head what to blog about. There’s a lot of stuff I want to, but it’s deeply personal, deeply revealing, and deeply the stuff that people struggle with but will never talk about. Varicose veins. What it’s really like to live when you’re morbidly obese. Clothes. Hygiene. Pain, the biggest one of all, pain. All the stuff I wish someone would have told me 15 or 20 years ago, but that I never would have listened to.”
True Grit: My Attempt to Ride Across Pennsylvania, June 2011
Neil Brennen / Bicycling, Bike Touring, Camping, Knee Replacement, Motivation, Ohio Adventures 2011 /