Hiking

Saturday and Sunday I went hiking. I didn't bring the camera with me, which in some ways was nice. To take a picture is a process. 1) Take off my gloves 2) Dig for the camera bag 3) Unzip and remove the camera 4) stow camera bag 5) power up camera and wait 5 seconds 6) take a picture or two 7) turn camera power on again because it turned off due to below freezing conditions 8) retake the same picture because it didn't take the first time 9) take out camera bag 10) stow camera 11) put on gloves 12) rub hands together until feeling returns.

It was pleasant enough to just enjoy the scenery. But I don't want to lose my readership. How many readers would read a newspaper without pictures-- and that's the news. Who is going to read a travel blog without pictures? Who is still reading? Case in point. I'll get some pictures soon.

After I climbed Gotchison the first time I blogged about how there is usually a reward at the end of climbs. Waterfalls, unique rock formations, incredible vistas... ect. I mentioned that at the top of Gotchison there is fixed workout equipment. I have hiked a few other trails 3 of 3 lead to more workout equipment. Dip bars, suspended elliptical, suspended twisting machine, pull-up bars, parallel bars, sit-up stations, push-up stations. There is a segment of this population committed to health/exercise/wellness.

I climbed Gotchison this time at a much faster pace thanks to my hiking partner Son Hyeong. He speaks mostly no English but was able to say things like, "Rocky Balboa," "No pain. No gain." "Goooooooooood." The courtesy of the people often times can be overwhelming. For example after the climb I was dusting off my shoes, because I did not want to get his truck dirty. Son Hyeong I think misinterpreted this by thinking my shoes were nice and I didn't want them dirty. He pulled out gloves, a frozen cloth, got down on his knees and started cleaning my shoes. I was embarrassed by this, but he was insistent. This is a typical gesture I find.

I happened to come across a deer-like animal. The head was more broad and it didn't give off any sense of cute like other deer I have seen. It was few hundred pounds, big. Maybe pregnant. It came down the mountain like a mountain goat, but less agile. Stumbled at the bottom 4 meters from me. Got itself together and ran. One other Korean witnessed this. Judging by his reaction it was a pretty big deal to see an animal like this, and this close. The Korean was hooting and slapping his hands together. Excited as a gorilla he was. I told my Korean friends about that, and they were very envious. My co-teacher who likes food quite a bit wondered if it tastes delicious.