As good as any and better than some. And I’ve got the pictures to prove it (lots of them!).
I started the morning with day 3 of scouting Monday’s Hash trail. This time we did the Black Rock Ridge, which will constitute the second climb (after Easter Mountain) for the hard trail. The “easy” trail will go through the valley that runs parallel to the ridge and rejoin the hard trail on the other side. We walked it backward yesterday, so all the ups will be downs on Monday and vice versa. We’ll go back out in the morning to lay down the powder and chalk markings.
Scott joined Jim and me for the flat portion of the trail…his ankle wasn’t quite ready for the ups and downs of the Black Rock Ridge.The beginningof the end had us going up a long set of steps. Come Monday, we’ll be going down this way to finish the trail.And the leaves that are green turn to brownScott bailed, and me and Jim headed to Black Rock. We met up with Scott again on the other side.“That’s what is known as a tree, Jim. They grow all over these parts.”Where the name “Black Rock” comes from.The most challenging part of yesterday’s climb, practically straight up, requires hands and feet. I’m dreading coming down it tomorrow when we mark the trail.A nice view from there thoughPushing on to the highest point on the ridgelineLooking back down from hereat CalapcuanHad to navigate through some tall grass in this sectionAnd here’swhere everything will start on Monday, a climb to the top of Easter Mountain.And now to find our way down. We did, but I didn’t like it. I have to come back up to mark it in the morning, but I don’t expect I’ll voluntarily do this trail in the future.Reuniting with Scott in the graveyard. That sounds a little morbid, but that’s the way it happened.Through the flat valley on the “easy” trailLollipops for herAnd cookies for themSome more of those Good Friday backslappers“The beatings will continue until morale improves!”Back on the National HighwayThe great escapeHung out to dryDown the drain
That filled the morning hours. When beer o’clock rolled around, I decided to make Cheap Charlies my first stop of the night.
A flowering bush as I departed Alta VistaI brought along a batch of brownies for the girls to enjoy. Here’s Alma dividing them up.
Alma and Nerissa were my drinking companions, and a bit later, Jim also showed up. And then a parade broke out on the highway below us. It looked like this:
In the beginning…Jesus Christ standing tall and proud at the head of the paradeThe King of KingsNice ass you got there, Jesus!Hope floatsVictim of love?That’s quite a cross to bearNailed it!When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me…Let it beWaiting to be resurrectedI don’t want to be a doubting Thomas, but can these guys really help?Let the Son shine inDon’t worry, mama; the Son shall rise again…just give it a couple of days.And finally, the parade has come to an end.But the evening has just begun!Next stop, Sloppy Joe’s!
I started feeling hungry. Thumbstar has a Friday night special where everything is two for the price of one, including food. So, I did the math and decided two shwarmas and two beers to wash them down sounds about right.
Shwarma was tasty and hit the spot.
However, my math calculation proved to be erroneous because I failed to consider the “Ashley factor.”
It seems beer impairs my ability to say “.no”And then, I compounded my error by purchasing additional “two for one” items off the menu to share with the dancers.
So, my cheap meal wound up costing me around 1000 pesos. Oh, well.
I decided to make Whiskey Girl my nightcap bar. When I arrived and took my seat, Jenn came by to take my order. She declined when I offered her a drink because she was with another customer. Okay, well, at least I saved some money on lady drinks!
I went home early and alone as usual, but that’s just the way I roll these days. Most likely, more of the same is in store for tonight. What a life, eh?
4 thoughts on “A good Friday”
All those Jesuses and other statues made me feel as if I were watching a Buddha’s Birthday parade. It’s an old tension between Protestants and Catholics: Catholics have long been okay with statues and icons and other physical symbolism whereas Protestants have generally trended more toward a “low church” sensibility stripped of all the fanciness (perhaps fueled by a German sense of austerity). Personally, I don’t mind the statues and symbols; they give you something to focus on, and Protestants have long misunderstood these things as “idols,” i.e., objects to be worshiped in and of themselves when in fact they point beyond themselves to a perceived higher reality.
Tensions aside, those were fascinating pictures of the parade. And great pictures of the hike, too. I hope the Hash crowd appreciates your (collective) efforts.
The brownie-cutter is named Alma, eh? If I’m not mistaken, alma is the Spanish word for “soul.” (In French, it’s âme, so you can see a similarity.) This is not the same as the Latin alma in alma mater, which literally means “nurturing mother.”
Those two-for-ones will kill you, man. But I think that’s the purpose of such deals: to hook you in and drain you dry.
Great pictures of the hike and the “slice of life” pics of the neighborhood and its denizens.
Happy Easter John.
Thanks, Brian. Enjoy your Easter Sunday, too.
Kev, yeah, even as someone of little faith, I have no problem respecting demonstrations of faith by others. They certainly go all in here, that’s for sure. Now, it could be argued, I suppose, that those floats and statues are unnecessary expenses that create yet another burden on the poor, but if it brings them joy and comfort, then why not?
Interesting info on the origins of “Alma.” I think that’s only her bar name, though. At least on Facebook, she goes by Mhaya (a weird spelling, I know. Then again, most people here spell my name Jhon).
Yeah, those 2-fers are definitely fool’s gold for me. It’s not always about the money, sometimes it is just for the fun. Still, I’m better off drinking slow and moving on.
All those Jesuses and other statues made me feel as if I were watching a Buddha’s Birthday parade. It’s an old tension between Protestants and Catholics: Catholics have long been okay with statues and icons and other physical symbolism whereas Protestants have generally trended more toward a “low church” sensibility stripped of all the fanciness (perhaps fueled by a German sense of austerity). Personally, I don’t mind the statues and symbols; they give you something to focus on, and Protestants have long misunderstood these things as “idols,” i.e., objects to be worshiped in and of themselves when in fact they point beyond themselves to a perceived higher reality.
Tensions aside, those were fascinating pictures of the parade. And great pictures of the hike, too. I hope the Hash crowd appreciates your (collective) efforts.
The brownie-cutter is named Alma, eh? If I’m not mistaken, alma is the Spanish word for “soul.” (In French, it’s âme, so you can see a similarity.) This is not the same as the Latin alma in alma mater, which literally means “nurturing mother.”
Those two-for-ones will kill you, man. But I think that’s the purpose of such deals: to hook you in and drain you dry.
Great pictures of the hike and the “slice of life” pics of the neighborhood and its denizens.
Happy Easter John.
Thanks, Brian. Enjoy your Easter Sunday, too.
Kev, yeah, even as someone of little faith, I have no problem respecting demonstrations of faith by others. They certainly go all in here, that’s for sure. Now, it could be argued, I suppose, that those floats and statues are unnecessary expenses that create yet another burden on the poor, but if it brings them joy and comfort, then why not?
Interesting info on the origins of “Alma.” I think that’s only her bar name, though. At least on Facebook, she goes by Mhaya (a weird spelling, I know. Then again, most people here spell my name Jhon).
Yeah, those 2-fers are definitely fool’s gold for me. It’s not always about the money, sometimes it is just for the fun. Still, I’m better off drinking slow and moving on.