BATMAN and ROBIN

As you finish reading today's blog entry...You will better understand what the 1960's Batman TV Show Logo is doing here... First, I would like to let you know that another important piece of equipment for the HALF DOME October hike has been secured....

There are many advantages of planning an ascent up HALF DOME in Yosemite National Park with an experienced hiker who has done it before.  My brother, has hiked HALF DOME seven times. This tells me, that it must be a very worthwhile adventure.  I have heard it referred to as 'life-changing.'   This is easy to imagine. Simply attempting to prepare for a HALF DOME hike is life changing!

The group of 6 or 7 of us that are scheduled to make this climb on October 1st will be leaning heavily on my brother to share his experiences with us.  It is likely that we will avoid a lot of 'rookie mistakes.'   We WILL likely pack enough water, an extra pair of socks, gloves for the final ascent 'up the chains' and we will take his advice on many other details.

On Monday, my brother advised me that he had purchased a CAMELBAK backpack on sale at R.E.I.  I determined that this would be a good day for me to make my backpack purchase as well.  Not only did I buy the same make and model, I even purchased the same color. I guess we will look like brothers on the rock (which should work out well as we ARE brothers.)

This pack which has a retail price of $143.99 at backcountry.com was on sale at 25% OFF with FREE 2-Day SHIPPING and as this store does not have a physical presence in Illinois, there was no sales tax. My purchase of this extremely important piece of equipment (perhaps really the only equipment needed for a day hike of this sort) was $107.99.

CamelBak Fourteener 24 Hydration Backpack - 1280 cubic inches

Once again, this trip in October became a little more real.  I am no longer fearful that I will not be able to complete this hike.  This does not mean that I don't expect it to be a great mental and physical challenge - because I do.

TUESDAY MENU
breakfast Steel Cut Oat Meal w/prune,  two fried eggs, two slices turkey 'bacon'   505 calories
lunch       spinach salad w/hearts of palm, beets, mushrooms, tomato, artichokes
                56 almonds, two red delicious apples                                                        449 calories
dinner     spinach salad w/hearts of palm, beets, mushrooms, tomato, artichokes
                bowl MISO SOUP, cucumber salad, Turkey Burger, Corn on the Cob (2)  549 calories
SNACK  TWO APPLES, baked rice crisps, KIND ALMOND BA                           390 calories

total calories consumed  1893 calories

CALORIES BURNED

ASCENDING 25 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS 4:28 MINUTES         60 calories
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE 32 MINUTES                                  491 calories
DESCENDING 25 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS 3:25 MINUTES      20 calories

total calories burned  571 CALORIES

MONDAY NET CALORIES   1352 calories

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Originally I had imagined the last part up this mountain 'on the chains' being something akin to BATMAN & ROBIN as they used to climb skyscrapers in the 1960's TV Show.  My brother has assured me that that is not the case.  There are any number of photos on the internet which sure make it seem that way.   For example:

I think only a moron could look at these photos taken at HALF DOME and not be scared out of one's wits! From these photos it looks a little too much like the DYNAMIC DUO when they were scaling skyscrapers on the 1960's TV Show.

Batman and Robin (Adam West & Burt Ward) meet Sammy Davis Jr.

Apparently it is NOT quite this way.  My brother's friend Jimmy Ferguson took this picture.  In this photo, it appears that part of this journey could be accomplished wearing flip flops! And yet, I am guessing that that would probably NOT be a good idea!

THE CHAINS AT HALF DOME  photographer: JAMES FERGUSON

FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:  IS IT JUST ME?  OR DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A HIKE ON SOME DISTANT PLANET?