On The Fly

Happy Labor Day weekend. Just checking in from the trail, folks, where I have apparently missed the dress code, the social norms, and possibly the entire point of our neighborhood park. I arrived this morning, armed with my trusty hiking poles, ready to commune with nature and improve my fitness. Within thirty seconds, I realized I was the only person who hadn’t seen the instructions posted at our community mailbox. Apparently, there are rules out here. Obviously, I just don’t know what they are. Let’s meet today’s cast of characters: The Golden Years Poop Patrol: Retirees are everywhere, enjoying leisurely strolls tethered to dogs ranging from small cows to waddling cotton balls. But the humans all share one accessory: a fistful of small plastic bags. It really makes you ponder the American dream. You grind for forty years to finally earn your freedom, only to spend your golden years harvesting Labradoodle shit from the neighborhood landscaping. Congratulations , you made it. The Adre...

In this episode, Griffith's Glory and Electric Glee . . .   Welcome back to On the Fly, Lori asked me if I wanted to do something special for my weekend birthday (August 16th, 2024). My thought: Hmmm–It’s been over 35 years since we’ve had one of our Friday night dates at the Griffith Park Observatory. ” What if we spent the weekend in Los Angeles, had dinner at a historic diner, visited the Observatory, and hiked Griffith Park the following morning?” This was a regular occurrence when I lived in Glendale, CA., and Lori lived on Los Feliz Blvd; she could walk to the Observatory. So, we did. Now, don't get me wrong. We've been to LA many times since moving to Carlsbad for various reasons like Dodger games, my memorable 60th birthday trip to Guitar Center, our visit to Norman's Rare Guitars, the trip to Exposition Park to see the Space Shuttle, and yearly trips to pick up Lori's Mom for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. My blog is filled with such adventures, not j...

In this episode - A Controlled Fall . . . Summer is here; as you hit the hiking trails, let me suggest a technique you might find helpful or at least a challenge to try. I call it the PCF technique "Patrick's Controlled Fall." If you live near any larg e hills, I challenge you to at least try this technique. I stumbled upon this during my adventures wilderness backpacking in the Sierras a few years ago. Of course, this is not for everyone; falling gracefully takes coordination and skill. Me, I'm able to practice the technique when hiking Daley Ranch in Escondido, CA.  During a recent Saturday morning hike, my conversation with Lori went something like this, "This may sound crazy to you, but training for this year's High Sierra trip, I'm going to practice my controlled fall technique to improve my decent pace; on the mountain trails." Her response was, "I'll see you back at the truck." "I'll wait for you at the bottom of the h...