Mountain View
Julia Hubbel, Walkabout Saga, Horizon Huntress
You're Fired! A Fitness Trainer Draws the Line. Here's Why.
Your trainer can't do the work for you, and why quarantine might have been a gift. Genuine Fitness is a growing gym in Eugene, growing now because so many of us are horrified at what eighteen months of reduced activity and/or imposed lockdown and perhaps too much snack food have done to our bodies. Ryan Fickenscher has been my trainer for more than a year now, starting before I bought my house here just over a year ago. I love working with him for his endless energy and enthusiasm, his work ethic and his stories, among other things.
A Celebration of Achievement in My Oregon Town
Zack Childers, bringing in on during the competitionJulia Hubbel. The audience rose to its feet as one. It was late in the day, and a great many of us were hoarse from shouting encouragement at the folks who were on stage. Our friends, our family, folks whose journeys we'd been watching.
It's That Time of Year. Now What?
It's classic. Right about the time I get all the brambles pulled out, I start thinking about blackberries and cream. The other day I was running from Timberline down to Bertelsen Road, a three-mile run, when I stopped at some big blackberry bushes for two reasons. One, they blocked the sidewalk. Two, well, berries.
It's Going to Be Very Different From Now On
If you're thinking about traveling abroad, be prepared to do a lot more up front work. Mask mandates have been pulled back, at least temporarily, and the airlines are starting to fly again. Earlier this year some smaller airports, like mine here in Eugene, were busier than before the pandemic:
What the Yard Needs Now Is Shade, Sweet Shade
While many if not most of us survived the heat wave that blistered the Pacific Northwest, parts of our yards may not have. Here's what I'm doing to make that better. As with many who moved to Oregon, I was chasing rain and cooler temperatures. Imagine my surprise when faced with 112 degrees just a few weeks ago. While I've been in that kind of heat before, sadly most of the plants around here haven't. Part of what I've done these last few weeks is do my best to figure out the best way to protect the bushes and trees I have, and where some aren't going to survive, replace them with a few which will. With the advice of my buddies over at Rising Sun, this is what my yard's getting as a makeover.
And Now For Something Totally Different
When coming out of quarantine becomes an inspiration to try something totally brand new and exciting. If you've ever dreamed of doing Cirque du Soleil moves in the air using beautifully-colored fabric, that dream might be a lot closer than you might realize. I had never really considered it. I've got plenty of time in the air, from skydiving to bungee jumping to hang gliding. This is different. This is air ballet. And I was in my first class learning how to do just that at 68. But I'm ahead of myself.
Pacific Northwest Adaptations to a Changing Climate
I moved up here for the rain. I got sun and heat. Here's what I'm doing about it for my house. Note to Dear Reader: I do not have a financial agreement with any of the companies listed in this article other than as a customer. Most are companies whose services were utilized by the previous homeowners of my property, and since they know the house I've continued with them. There are many available options; please do your own due diligence.
Just Do This. You Can Have Reasons and Excuses, or You Can Have Options as You Age.
Okay. I am sufficiently humbled. And I love it. Here’s why. Note to Dear Reader: I do not have a financial arrangement with Genuine Fitness. I am client there, and this is part of a series of stories I'm doing on folks as they prepare for a local steroid-free bodybuilding competition. There are many gym options and trainers in the Eugene area; please do your own due diligence.
How Can You Do That? I'm Half Your Age!
A treatise on Just Do It. Now. Because later you’re gonna need this. Note to Dear Reader: the local links below are to Eugene resources for your perusal. I do not have a professional or financial relationship with any of these facilities. They are offered for information only. Please do your own research to find a gym or facility that meets your needs.
Heavy Breathing is Making a Comeback in Eugene
Bodybuiling competitions are back. In a fine statement that the apocalypse that has been the pandemic might be waning a bit, my personal trainer pointed at a big, colorful poster on the wall next to the big workout mirror. I've been out traveling for a few weeks so I hadn't seen it.
The Eugene Fireworks Ban Means a Quieter Fourth, but Extreme Fire Danger Remains
A small mistake and fireworks aren't the only things we'll be watching burn. Some many years ago in the mid-1980s I ran into an old Florida boyfriend in, of all places, South Island, New Zealand. He'd long since left St. Petersburg and moved to Truckee, California. At that time Truckee was still a small mountain town where my ski-bum athlete friend spent his summers. He invited me up.
It's Too Hot to Leave a Living Thing in Your Car. But That's Just the Start.
In August of 2017, Oregon passed a law which effectively made it the eleventh state at that time to make it an offense to leave a companion animal or a child in a parked car in the sun. With temperatures in the triple digits during a time when Oregonians would otherwise be enjoying more balmy daytime climes, this is especially important. Both the police and private citizens have the right to do what it necessary to protect the life of a child or animal left unattended. If you see such a situation, here's how the Good Samaritan Law protects you if you choose to enter that vehicle:
Not the Time to Push Yourself: How to Work Out in Very High Heat
When I got up this morning here in Eugene, I knew two things: it would be close to 112 degrees this afternoon, and the 75-degree air that greeted me outside was as cool as it was going to get. That's the only time I can run, or else take the serious chance of heatstroke.
Triple Digits? No. Please Don't Jump in That Mountain Stream. Here's Why.
While it might be incredibly tempting to hurl yourself into a cool stream, lake or other mountain water source in the Pacific Northwest, please don't. If you're new to the high country, you may not realize that just because the air is hot, the water often is just as cold as it always is, which can mean shocking temperatures. We're struggleing to cope with the massive heat dome which is baking the area, and that means the likelihood of drowning may go up when folks leap or fall into what they think is going to be nicely-warmed water. It isn't.
Oh My God It's Hot .What Do I Do?
What you can to when the temps are triple digits. And please don't forget the animals. In less than an hour, or around 11 am local time here in Eugene, we are going on a dangerous heat advisory. It isn't that this never happens around here, it's that it doesn't happen until later in the summer. Having grown up in Florida, and traveled to some pretty hot places, surviving the heat isn't that big a deal unless you're not familiar with how to handle it.
How Our 100% is Always a Changing Goal
How two fitness pros advise us on reaching improved health. Ryan, my fitness trainer at Genuine Fitness here in Eugene, watched my form as I did some kettlebell squats. "Better, " he said. "I noticed you're not lifting your heel any more when you're all the way down."
For the Love of Horses: Discovering My Community Around Eugene
Note to Dear Reader: I do not have a financial arrangement with any of the outfits identified in this story. Their mention is a result of my personal research and recommendations from my contacts here in Eugene. Please do your own research based on your personal goals.
Avoiding the National Parks in Oregon? Try This.
This option might be a lot better. Wynona, the RV owned by JC Spears. Photo: JC Spears. Note to Dear Reader: I do not have any financial connections with the suppliers in this story. These are recommendations offered from my contact base.
The Two New Kinds of Post-Covid Pain and What You Can Do About It
If you're in the aesthetics business, your work could be a real pain right now. If you waited, like I did, for the restrictions to be pulled back before you got a hair cut, you're not alone. I can do that; my hair is long and braided. That said it was still a mess, and when I went into SuperCuts on Commerce Street right off West 11th, it felt like a small miracle to have someone else wash my hair and cut off all the split ends.
Car Break-Ins Up in the South Hills and Around Eugene, and What You Can Do About It
A rash of ransacking vehicle breakins means be more careful. Here's how. It's an unfortunate side effect of a tough economy, too many staying at home under quarantine and leaving our cars outside and easy access, but it was bound to happen.
Julia Hubbel, Walkabout Saga, Horizon Huntress
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Welcome home. You are HOME if you like irreverent, smart, funny, in-your-face writing. You are HOME if you like stories about interesting people of all ages, cultures, stripes, backgrounds, beliefs doing amazing things because they made different decisions. You are HOME if you wanna learn about aging vibrantly, being in the outdoors, getting and staying fit no matter our number. You are HOME if, on occasion, you like to laugh so hard you spew your drink of choice on your lap cat/dog/gerbil/centipede/soon-to-be ex. I work hard, ride fast horses, do lots of sports, fly high and still leap out of airplanes. Yeah, really, and I am 68. And yes I love, respect and appreciate feedback, including stuff that's hard. Because hard is the recipe for resilient. Wanna play? Let's. Please. Pull up a chair. There's room by the fire. In summer, there's room on the patio. (Okay so I don't have a patio. I made that up.)Get comfy. Bring a towel for your lap. Welcome home.
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