Clam Roll

We hiked three peaks in the White Mountains today, in beautiful 9-mile journey filled with sun and wind.

And when I got home, there were Trader Joe's canned clams.

I sauteed the clams in olive oil with some mushrooms.

The sandwich was:

ciabatta roll

spicy mustard

mushrooms

clams

spinach

mozzarella cheese

Toasted, and scarfed.

Hiking in the Spring

Today we went on a glorious hike through the White Mountains. It took:

9 miles

8 hours

three mountain peaks

lots of whining (and water)

and to me it was simply a glorious time. I was with some of my favorite people (Bean, Meeds, Grab, and Kras), and the scenic views abounded seemingly without end. And though it became apparent on the descent that my right knee has become semi-permanently damaged from so much running, it was wondrous. A perfectly sunny and cloudy day, and wind wind wind, and conditions so perfect I hardly think I broke a sweat all day, though the climbs were certainly present.

Bean, unaccustomed to such prolonged physical trials, was inclined to let me cook dinner (a very rare occurrence). I made a big pot of basmati rice, with some:

spinach

onions

shiitake mushrooms

thai curry spices

And for Bean, it was topped with a fried egg. Mine was wrapped in grape leaves and baked with the remainder of the mushrooms (and some pretty lil' pea sprouts).

And I rediscovered, as I always do, how a little bit of time in the kitchen allows me to revel in (and be, in a way, cured of) my wonderful weariness.

HIKING

Finally a beautiful day; finally nothing to do. I mapped out a route through the Catskills, and here is what I found:

10 miles of hiking

5 1/2 hours

1 protein bar consumed

3 water bottles quaffed

1 tin salmon + 1 Reeses cup given to somewhat starving bearded man with large pack and very slow shuffle

1 old couple met

(25*9) - 3 = 222 pictures taken

1 diner visited

1 feta burger, 1 million fries, and 1 diet coke digested

$10.64 spent

11 truck-driving songs heard

1 stomach a'rumbling at the end

2 calves very tight

1 forearm bruised (how?)

1 shin scraped

2 socks filled with mud

1 head of hair irreversibly mussed

It was the perfect day...