insomnolence

sleepless. but now that the tree plant is over and done, i'm only without sleep by choice. in the first case, so as to not simmer myself within my fine, metallic skillet and companion clifford, i elected to heed the meteorologist's warnings of the upcoming heatwave in southern saskatchewan and alberta by continuing on driving through the night to my destination. and, with the aid of chocolate-covered espresso beans and sunflower seeds (not chocolate-covered), twenty-three and a half hours after departure, i arrived here in cowtown. in the second case, mark and i had ventured to the foot of our weekend pursuit, mt. joffre. joffre is a pleasant monster of ice and snow rising to 3450 m (11 316 ft) in kananaskis provincial park, just east of banff. to get an early start, we woke at 0250 h and were on our way before 0330 h. for whatever reason, perhaps because of the diminutive half-section of half-centimetre yellow foam padding i was sleeping on, or the roaring glacial waterfall thirty feet from our tent, or the anticipation of the morning adventure; regardless of the reason, i didn't sleep a wink. but i laid there anyways, willing recovery and new energy into my barely initiated leg muscles, already nearly expended from the day's intense approach. sure, intense because we made it that way, but really, is there any other way? the climb itself was also made to be exhausting, but it was very necessary that we maintain our position far in advance of the eleven member alpine club group following in our hard-won kick-steps up joffre's snow-encrusted face. so, depending on how you look at it, not only was it our first mountain of the season, it was also our first time leading an alpine club of canada trip. but i don't know if they'll see it that way.

so, two sleepless nights in one week; one by choice, the other from insomnia (though it wouldn't have been much of a sleep anyways). the first was immediately followed by a respectable five hour nap; the second, by an intense thirteen-hour climb and return hike to the parking lot. before the painkillers and alcohol, i wished all mountains would crumble into the heart of the sea. but, we're already now working on plans for tomorrow and for next weekend. this is going to be a good summer.