Good morning gentlemen.

Went on another two hikes yesterday. One was a successful completion of a route I tried long ago, but kept losing the trail in a boulder field. This time, with GPS assistance, I made my way through. After that one I tied in to another route. Now at five hikes in my quest to get 70 in my 70th year. The mileage wasn't a lot, at 7 miles, but 80 percent of it was in deep snow and ice, so it was a lot more tiring than expected. Still a beautiful day in OIympic National Park.

Our historically dry and warm weather, after the cold of February has led to historically high pollen counts. Many of us in Western Washington are suffering from allergies. Sniff, sniff, cough, hack.

Hope the turning club responds, Steve. My club members would be all over it.

Air pollution concerns have really cut the number of wood-burning fireplaces and stoves around here. The firewood demand isn't what it used to be, at least in urban areas.

Saw a herd of 30 elk just across the river from me on yesterday's hike. Too many to get in one shot. Pretty cool.

Teehee yes Dave to get all those elk in one shot would be a masterful hunt for sure whether by bow and arrow or rifle. OK maybe a sick thought there. Gorgeous for sure.

Mike: hang in there. Like most things the nurse practitioners and other medical folks can't exactly tell us what will work best in our bodies with heel pain and activity. I have 1" long heel spurs on both heels but mostly don't suffer badly from my plantar fasciitis. I did get a heel cortizone shot one time (ouch), but mostly that allowed me to do my stretches and take care of my heel. I just don't walk barefoot in the house and wear my multidensity orthotic like soles in my shoes. Regardless of what I did it took quite awhile for the pains to subside. The right insoles/orthotics and not going barefoot helped my in my pains.
I would need the right insole to hike which in my case was made from a form fitted multi-density material.