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Technology is Everybody’s Responsibility / Green Energy Technology
Often, in social conversations, I listen to people saying that the solution to our Energy Crisis lies in discovering or creating new Technology that will enable us to be more efficient, greener, or produce safe/clean energy cheaper. More often than not these people are nor scientists or engineers. More often than not I get the feeling people think technology grows in trees.
On behalf of all of us Technical People (euphemism for Geek) I must say:
Scientists and engineers are doing what we can do to advance science. Some of us do it in green energy initiatives (yes, I am a software engineer and I am working on green energy initiatives also).
Unfortunately, We The Geeks can’t do it alone. Why?
- There aren’t enough of us. People aren’t studying the Geek careers. Maybe it is because they are difficult. Maybe is because they are out of fashion. But people don’t study them.
- Import More. Import more Geeks from other countries. Make the immigration policy flexible for those with Geek-ish careers.
- Produce More Geeks. Tell your kid that being a Geek is not too bad. We are not perceived as the sexiest, but our decent salaries make family oriented females chase and hunt us down until they get us married.
- Provide Grants / Scholarships. If a kid is going to college, he/she may be more interested in an easier career. The government / student loans will pay the same regardless of the career they choose. So why waste beer drinking time studying if you can avoid it. That’s why we need help from people in motivating kids to study science and engineering degrees. Let’s make more scholarships that motivate them to study these careers.
- We work for food. Yes, the non geeks have to pay out of their pocket so that the geeks can get pizza and caffeine. We can’t work without either. And we need to be paid if we are to buy them.
- We are proud of what we do. Try to say good things about the green products we build. Please, hug your closest Geek and tell him how much you appreciate the technology he/she builds for you. Even better: buy them – - so that they increase our salaries by 5% next year instead of the usual 4%. Sometimes the first generation of our technological inventions are a bit crude and a lot more expensive. But if they do not sell, they fire us – and we end up in less green, but safer jobs.
The moral of the story is: If you want more, green technology, you will need to help us find more geeks to create this technology!
Mount Isolation – 4005′
One of the farthest away White Mountains 4000 feet. 14.6mi, 3600 elevation change via the Rocky Branch Trail, Isolation Trail, and Davis Path. Some people do it as a long day-hike. We did it as a short backpack. The things I liked the most about this hike:
- Weather was great, the views at the top where even greater. There was a lot of wind at the top, as expected, but otherwise a clear day. No rain, snow or hail (like other times — we guess it is because Lina was not with us).
- Our first 4k this year. We haven’t been hiking too much.
- Adriana’s feet has healed — at least enough to hike one of these.
- We found an official campsite that was not documented in our maps. And was conveniently located at the time we got tired, with an unexpected water source.
Photos on the usual place.
Map:
Profile:
Other Links on Mt Isolation:
2007 Hikes – Almost Forgotten
I had the custom of keeping track of my hikes. Recently I have not been hiking as much as I would have liked, and I have had much less time to keep track of what I hike. I was browsing through my New England 4000 scorecard and I noticed that I had not entered 2007 hikes. Fortunately, I was able to keep record of some of this by keeping photos and maps. (Great thing photos record the date and time now). 4k Scorecard updated to reflect changes.
White Mountain Hikes:
Mt. Madison(photos) – September 9th, 2007
We climbed through the Air Line trail. This is marginally more difficult than the Valley Way, but has dramatically better views. It is a bit more exposed, however, and not the easiest one on inclement weather. It brings you to the Madison Spring Hut first, half a mile before the summit, but a great place to catch your breath, buy some snacks or warm up with the soup they make at noon.
The day was very cloudy, and by the time we reached the summit it had already started raining. Visibility was around 50 feet at best, and from there until the time we where able to get below the tree line (about two hours and a half later) it was a slippery, cold, wet way down through Watson Path (RMC). Once under tree cover it was a good day. On a sunny day, it is probably a great view of the northern part of the forest from the mostly exposed Watson Path. Few more than 7mi.
Hale and Zealand Falls – September 16, 2007
Great loop that ends in a very short road walk (less than a mile and very worth). We did Mt. Hale, which does not have any views at all and the fire tower is long gone. To reward ourselves in some other way than the traditional view, we went to the Zealand Falls Hut where we got the bottomless $2 soup (I love it), and enjoyed the Falls — which are a lot prettier than the view less Hale.
Hancock – Sept 02, 2007
Fairly easy, in/out hike with a nice loop at the end where most of the elevation and interest remains. A campsite close to the start of the road that could be great for people starting to hike but who want to get away from the car-camping campsites.
The Wildcats – Sept 23. 2007
Out of the Pinkham Notch area, and walking almost all the way to Carter Notch… but we turned back to our car the same way we went in – about 7 hours of a very, very steep climb, and ten a steady ride. Could have been combined into a great backpacking trip, but we where short on time that weekend. Interesting Ski area on the top – we have never tried it for downhill skiing. Photos/Maps.
Mt. Jackson – Sept 29, 2007
End of season hike (for us). Terrain is interesting but nothing out of the ordinary – strong hikers don’t have any issue. A little over 6 miles day hike. Mt. Webster views tend to be a lot prettier than Jackson’s, and we did it even if Webster was not on my peak bagging list. Very windy day. We couldn’t stay too long at Jackson’s summit. The hike is close enough to Pinkham notch that if you stay in that area you may want to combine the trip with other day hikes. Photos / Maps.
Other Hikes of Interest:
- Sugarloaf – May 27, 2007
- Windham – May 28, 2007
Nancy Pond – October 21, 2007
End of season hike to see the fall foliage.
Adirondacks 46s Scorecard
It seems that with our sister in law living in the Albany, NY region we may stop by the Adirondack region a lot more often. That is why I have created my Adirondack 46′er scorecard. It seems I have 44 more to fill out. Somewhat related to the New England 4K’s.
| Ranking in Height | Elevation (feet) |
Difficulty 1-7 (1 least difficult) |
When | With Whom? | Notes |
| Mt. Marcy | 5344′ | 5 | |||
| Algonquin Peak | 5114′ | 5 | |||
| Mt. Haystack | 4960′ | 7 | |||
| Mt. Skylight | 4926′ | 7 | |||
| Whiteface Mtn. | 4867′ | 4 | |||
| Dix Mtn. | 4857′ | 5 | |||
| Gray Peak | 4840′ | 7 | |||
| Iroquois Peak | 4840′ | 6 | |||
| Basin Mtn. | 4827′ | 6 | |||
| Gothics | 4736′ | 5 | |||
| Mt. Colden | 4714′ | 5 | |||
| Giant Mtn. | 4627′ | 4 | |||
| Nippletop | 4620′ | 5 | |||
| Santanoni Peak | 4607′ | 5 | |||
| Mt. Redfield | 4606′ | 7 | |||
| Wright Peak | 4580′ | 4 | |||
| Saddleback Mtn. | 4515′ | 5 | |||
| Panther Peak | 4442′ | 6 | |||
| Tabletop Mtn. | 4427′ | 5 | |||
| Rocky Peak Ridge | 4420′ | 6 | |||
| Macomb Mtn. | 4405′ | 5 | |||
| Armstrong Mtn. | 4400′ | 5 | |||
| Hough Peak | 4400′ | 6 | |||
| Seward Mtn. | 4361′ | 7 | |||
| Mt. Marshall | 4360′ | 6 | |||
| Allen Mtn. | 4340′ | 7 | |||
| Big Slide Mtn. | 4240′ | 4 | |||
| Esther Mtn. | 4240′ | 4 | |||
| Upper Wolfjaw | 4185′ | 5 | |||
| Lower Wolfjaw | 4175′ | 4 | |||
| Street Mtn. | 4166′ | 6 | |||
| Phelps Mtn. | 4161′ | 5 | |||
| Mt. Donaldson | 4140′ | 7 | |||
| Seymour Mtn. | 4120′ | 6 | |||
| Sawteeth | 4100′ | 4 | |||
| Cascade Mtn. | 4098′ | 2 | 20080525 | Jose, Adriana, Lina | Photos |
| South Dix | 4060′ | 6 | |||
| Porter Mtn. | 4059′ | 3 | 20080525 | Jose, Adriana, Lina | Photos |
| Mt. Colvin | 4057′ | 4 | |||
| Mt. Emmons | 4040′ | 7 | |||
| Dial Mtn. | 4020′ | 5 | |||
| East Dix | 4012′ | 6 | |||
| Blake | 3960′ | 4 | |||
| Cliff Mtn. | 3960′ | 6 | |||
| Nye Mtn. | 3895′ | 6 | |||
| Couchsachraga Peak | 3820′ | 6 |
New England 4,000 Footer Scorecard
A simple entry to keep track of our progress in the White Mountains (New Hampshire) 4,000 Footers.
On the table in this posting you will find the 48 goal Mountains and the date on which they where accomplished as well as who was with us (keeping track of the climbs for them). Click on the date for more information about that day’s adventure. Related to my Adirondacks 46s Scorecard.
| Rank | Name | Elev | Date | With Whom? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 6288 | July 3, 2006 | Jose, Adriana, Lina |
| 2 | Adams | 5774 | July 3, 2006 | Jose, Adriana, Lina |
| 3 | Jefferson | 5712 | July 1, 2006 | Jose, Adriana, Lina |
| 4 | Monroe | 5384* | July 3, 2006 | Jose, Adriana, Lina |
| 5 | Madison | 5367 | September 9, 2007 | Jose, Adriana Photos / Maps. |
| 6 | Lafayette | 5260* | September 03, 2006 | Jose, Adriana and Lina |
| 7 | Lincoln | 5089 | September 03, 2006 | Jose, Adriana and Lina |
| 8 | South Twin | 4902 | - | - |
| 9 | Carter Dome | 4832 | - | - |
| 10 | Moosilauke | 4802 | August 28, 2005 | Jose, Adriana |
| 11 | Eisenhower | 4780* | June 20, 2004 | Jose, Adriana, Eric, Zoey, Quique |
| 12 | North Twin | 4761 | - | - |
| 13 | Carrigain | 4700* | -July 15 2006 | Adriana |
| 14 | Bond | 4698 | - | - |
| 15 | Middle Carter | 4610* | - | - |
| 16 | West Bond | 4540* | - | - |
| 17 | Garfield | 4500* | - | - |
| 18 | Liberty | 4459 | September 02, 2006 | Adriana, Lina |
| 19 | South Carter | 4430* | - | - |
| 20 | Wildcat | 4422 | September 23, 2007 | Jose, Adriana. Photos/Maps. |
| 21 | Hancock | 4420* | September 02, 2007 | Jose, Adriana Photos / Maps. |
| 22 | South Kinsman | 4358 | September 10, 2005 | Jose, Adriana |
| 23 | Field | 4340* | June 25,2006 | Jose, Adriana |
| 24 | Osceola | 4340* | October 9, 2004 | Jose, Adriana |
| 25 | Flume | 4328 | September 02, 2006 | Jose, Adriana and Lina |
| 26 | South Hancock | 4319 | September 02, 2007 | Jose, Adriana |
| 27 | Pierce | 4310 | June 20, 2004 | Jose, Adriana, Eric, Zoey, Quique |
| 28 | North Kinsman | 4293 | September 10, 2005 | Jose, Adriana |
| 29 | Willey | 4285 | June 25, 2006 | Jose, Adriana |
| 30 | Bondcliff | 4265 | - | - |
| 31 | Zealand | 4260* | - | - |
| 32 | North Tripyramid | 4180* | June 12, 2005 | Jose, Adriana, Lina, Gabor |
| 33 | Cabot | 4170* | - | - |
| 34 | East Osceola | 4156 | October 9, 2004 | Jose, Adriana |
| 35 | Middle Tripyramid | 4140* | June 12, 2003 | Jose, Adriana, Lina, Gabor |
| 36 | Cannon | 4100* | October 11,2003 | Jose, Adriana |
| 37 | Hale | 4054 | September 16, 2007 | Jose, Adriana Photos / Maps. |
| 38 | Jackson | 4052 | September 27, 2008 | Jose, Adriana. Photos / Maps. |
| 39 | Tom | 4051 | June 25, 2006 | Jose, Adriana |
| 40 | Wildcat, D Peak | 4050* | September 23, 2007 | Jose, Adriana. Photos/Maps. |
| 41 | Moriah | 4049 | August 23, 2003 | Jose, Adriana, Eydie, Eric, Zoey |
| 42 | Passaconaway | 4043 | July 3, 2005 | Jose, Adriana, Lina, Gabor, Tamas |
| 43 | Owl’s Head | 4025 | - | - |
| 44 | Galehead | 4024 | - | - |
| 45 | Whiteface | 4020* | July 3, 2005 | Jose, Adriana, Lina, Gabor, Tamas, Eydie, Eric, Zoey |
| 46 | Waumbek | 4006 | - | - |
| 47 | Isolation | 4004 | August 31, 2008 | Jose and Adriana. Photos. |
| 48 | Tecumseh | 4003 | June 11, 2005 | Jose, Adriana, Lina, Gabor |
Vermont 4,000 Footers
| Vermont 4,000 Footers | ||||
| Rank | Name | Elev | Date | With Whom? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mt. Abraham 4,006 | |||
| 2 | Camel’s Hump 4,083 | |||
| 2 | Mt. Ellen 4,083 | |||
| 2 | Killington Peak 4,235 | |||
| 2 | Mt. Mansfield, the Chin 4,393 |
| Maine 4,000 Footers | ||||
| Rank | Name | Elev | Date | With Whom? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mt. Abraham 4,050 | |||
| 3 | Bigelow Mtn., Avery Peak 4,090 | |||
| 4 | Bigelow Mtn., West Peak 4,145 | |||
| 5 | Crocker Mtn. 4,228 | |||
| 6 | Crocker Mtn., South Peak 4,050 | |||
| 7 | Katahdin, Baxter Peak 5,268 | |||
| 8 | Katahdin, Hamlin Peak 4,756 | |||
| 9 | North Brother 4,151 | |||
| 10 | Old Speck Mtn. 4,170 | |||
| 11 | Redington 4,010 | |||
| 12 | Saddleback Mtn. 4,120 | |||
| 13 | Saddleback Mtn., the Horn 4,041 | |||
| 14 | Spaulding 4,010 | |||
| 15 | Sugarloaf Mtn. 4,250 |
Other interesting links:
Cats Always Land on Their Feet … but only have 9 lives
The fact that you have landed 9 times on your feet doesn’t mean that you will land the 10th time on your feet. The idea of a cat landing on its feet is what I feel every time I face difficulties, yet somehow I get out of them…. or do I?
Could it be that we tend to think a problem resolved itself into a happy ending when in reality we ended up at a worse situation than the one that we would have had if we haven’t met misfortune? Could it be that as long as we get out of a situation alive (landing in our feet and still breathing) we consider it a victory? Could it be that we are more ‘survivors’ than ‘winners’?
Cats are wise creatures, I believe. Although they do land on their feet, they do not like to throw themselves into the abyss voluntarily all that often. And if you throw them into the air, they clearly indicate you their discomfort after landing safely on their feet.
Hopefully I will land on my feet… this time. But the important question is not if I will land on my feet – but if I will be able to jump higher than the original position?
Why I Do not TGIF ??
Almost everyone is doing Facebook nowadays. High School classmates, college classmates, ex-workmates, partners, clients, friends, family (even my mom and my aunt) and a few others that I do not know how to classify. I love the status bar in Facebook: it lets me know the interesting things that people are doing or thinking. I do not want to see taglines like: “TGIF (Thank God Is Friday)”.
There are a few reasons I do not like to see such things:
- It doesn’t give me any more information. I know it is Friday. My calendar says so. I have been trusting my calendar for years, why do I need 40 people to remind me of it?
- What is so special about Friday? To me, it is like any other day of the week. I play if I want to. I work if I want to. I can also waste it if I want to. As a free person I choose what to do with it. As free persons, most of the people who write TGIF have chosen to work it off (they could have taken a vacation day, taken a job that does not require them to work on fridays, or gone into their own business and declared Friday off). They should be happy they are doing exactly what they asked — or do something to change their reality.
- Was it really that bad? The week, I mean. Has it been like that for months, and months. Do you feel so much stress? Are you overworked? Are you so devoid of fun? You need a life! You need a different job — maybe one with less pay (and less purchasing ability), but one that makes you happier. Or maybe the picture of your kids and wife on the big house, nice car, and private education makes you so proud that the week wasn’t so bad after all: was just a small price to pay for all the blessings you have got.
I feel happy today. Not because it is Friday. It could have been Monday, or Sunday. It is sunny out there. Spring has finally come. The flowers are blooming in my yard. (Hopefully the overworked Landscaper will come on Saturday – someone who could not say TGIF because he still wanted to work on Saturday). I may get to prepare my vegetable garden.
Life is good!
Mount Washington (6,288ft)
——– On a Wonderful Day
On Monday July 3rd, 2006 we climbed Mount Washington in the New Hampshire’s White Mountains as an expression and celebration of Freedom (it was the day preceeding the 4th of July – Independence Day).
We started the hike at the base of the Mount Washington Cog Railway ($5 parking fee) and climbed the Amoonoosuc Trail which crisscrosses the ravine with the same name. Along the 2.1 mile way up to the Lake of the Clouds we get to enjoy the beautiful falls of this ravine, worth the trip on their own. The trail is excellently maintained, and the carefully relocated rocks make for great steps for a good portion of the way. It was a lot easier than we expected, yet not for beginners.
At the Hut we had a hearty lunch consisting of split pea soup ($2), bottomless lemonade ($1), all you can eat baked goods ($1), and decaffeinated coffee/tea ($1). A great deal at 5,000 feet for $5 – considering we didn’t had to carry it up. We enjoyed the hut for about two hours before continuing our ascent of Mt. Washington via the Crawford Path. The Lake of The Clouds itself is a pretty sight, although we didn’t shared the joy of the Scandinavian people who where bathing on it.
The Crawford Path gets you to Mount Washington in about an hour through a very good and defined trail that has been softened for more than a century of adventurers and adventurers-wanna-be like us.
The summit of Mount Washington has the usual pile of rocks with the sign – great for taking the picture. Try to ignore the road, the weather station, the antennae, and the visitor’s center with two gift shops, one museum and two eateries. You may use the post office to send yourself a note from there. We quickly entered it and exited it before climbing down through the same Crawford’s Path to the Hut and deciding that it was such a nice day that it would be a pity not to do another high peak.
From the Hut we climbed up the nearby Mount Monroe to add another New Hampshire Peak tour list, since the hike only added about half an hour (roundtrip) to our adventure. We descended via the same trail we climbed it, through the Hut, and down the same Amoonoosuc Trail trail that we used for our ascent.
By the time we descended it was already getting dark, and on our way back we noticed the locals setting themselves up with their pickups on the sides of the road to enjoy the Mount Washington Hotel firework celebration. We ate in a local eatery that almost rushed us out of it to go and see the fireworks before heading back to the hotel for a solid night of sleep.
Photos are in the usual place. (send e-mail if you need to get the link)