DOUGH FLAT - CONDOR SANCTUARY

Welcome Back to Paradise!

Part of my motivation to lose 52 Pounds in 52 Weeks is to enjoy breathing and hiking in the outdoors once again.  Today, I journeyed two towns over to Fillmore:

Which way do we go???

Dough Flat / Condor Lookout - Fillmore, CA
Saturday February 6, 2016
My Tripometer:  3 Hours * 6 Miles * +400  Feet

Directions:
From Ventura, take the 126 East, past Santa Paula and keep going towards Fillmore.  Before you drive into town, turn left on Old Telegraph and follow that for about a mile, over the Sespe River bridge and then turn left at the stop sign.  This road is Goodenough, which you will follow through the neighborhood and then keep it going all the way to the mountain.  At the deadend, keep going.  The road shoots up to the right.  This becomes an on and off dirt road, watch out for fallen rocks.  The road is narrow, you will cross some water crossing but unless there have been recent rains, they are passable.

I will say this, the road was in great shape.  I have been up this way before when it was not.  However, the final 2.5 miles to the Dough Flat, was closed off!

***I've been back here before.  In fact, my first ever real hike in Cali started from Lockwood Valley, where we were dropped off at Johnston Ridge, hiked down to the Sespe Hotsprings and camped there for the night.  I remember Domino stepped in the hot water creek near the source where the water temp comes out at 198 degrees.  I used a water bottle to cool off her pads, which proved to be costly as on the next day, hiking over to the Dough Flat left us in thirst.  It was a 100 degree day and we all ran out of water.  We scrambled rocks along the Sespe, found our trail past Alder Creek and climbed 2500+ feet to finally make it to the Dough Flat.  It was an all day endeavor and honestly, I barely made it.

I tossed off my backpack on the switchback because I was too weak, and that's when I was strong.  I returned 2 weeks later during the Big Fires to retrieve it...

**But, this is about now, and from the fork in the road in the picture above, turn left and follow the road 2.5 miles to the Dough Flat.  Along the way you will see the waterfall off to the right; but if you go in the heart of summer, I am sure the falls are bone dry.

Before following the road to the Dough, Ayden and I hiked to the right, Tar Creek??  I still don't know much about this area other than there are oil wells, many roads going all different directions and that a guy, I think a firefighter, who was camping back here with a friend last year, wandered away from camp looking for his dog and mysteriously died.  I heard there are some cool spots, but we did not find anything immediate, so we turned back...

Dough Flat

Well, we made it to the Dough Flat and had intended to actually start here and hike up to Ant Camp.  Instead, just before the flat, we notice this little trail...

Condor Lookout Trailhead

 This was an easy quarter mile hike up to a lookout...

Grass on the trail - Not used Much

 ..Nor did we see a single sole back here the entire day.  Crazy - such a beautiful day and we had it all to ourselves...

The Dough Flat parking area (from above)

Condors: 10 foot wing span 

...yeah, but we didn't see any...

The Lookout

LUNCH!!!!

 About that.  There was no fire pit up here, nor should there be.  But, they closed the road, we were hungry now, so I made one.  We went to the lower lookout, where it was less windy.  Cleared out a spot, dug a hole, surrounded it with rocks, made a bench for Ayden and - Dinner is Served!

Smores!

Smores and Sauges!  So much for me losing weight - but nice reward.  I plan to come back out this way soon - I aspire to hike past Ant Camp into the unknown, find my way to the Narrows and come out in Piru.  It would appear to be totally doable, but then again, there is no marked trail and I know the elevation drop is intense so, hmm, Who is Ready?

I also have another neat one, to hike to McDonald Cabin and search for the Indian Caves.  Yes, they exist - but the forest ranger will deny that they do.  Perhaps this summer, in route to lose 52 pounds, I will make the journey...

Week 5: I'll Buy that one for a Dollar - (52 Pounds in 52 Weeks)

$ Ayden Money $

Well, it looks profitable but this week was anything but that.  The picture above reflects a few hundred dollar loss that we experience each month when we collect rent on our condo.  At least we get this to help offset the doom...

New Year's 2016 Weight: 240.9

Week Five Weight: 235.1

Total Weight Loss: -5.8 Pounds

Friday February 5, 2016 -- Week 5: 235.1 Pounds

 I really thought that I was going to come in heavy - like gaining weight for the week.  I was still down 0.2 pounds and just barely on pace to make the goal, but the effort was blah!

Saturday started great.  I ran the hills of Arroyo Verde with the dogs for nearly an hour.  Perhaps I legged in 2.5 miles and +450 feet of elevation.  For the next few days, I was quite sore!

Diet wise, heh, donuts and stuff.  Less beer, less burgers, but I am still not living right - at all!  I guess I was hoping for a weight gain to really jump start this process.  Patience...

And that's all.  It rained Sunday and I thought about working out a couple of times in between, but didn't.  Very long work hours - hmm, but today is Friday and I am not at work?  That's odd!

So, maybe not by choice I will not be at work for a few days.  Honestly, I think the stress of such is why I dropped 3 pound from Thursday to Friday -- pretty sure I would have actually reflected a gain.  It's an unhealthy way to lose and it depletes your energy so that working out or running is not possible.  Okay, I'm just Mental!!

Guitar Center - Oxnard

It was a cold -rainy - windy day.  We spent an hour at a music store in Ventura, where Ayden played on a new sax, piano and drums.  We then went to Guitar Center where he grabbed the mike.  We finally bought something at Frys, a dc adaptor for his electric piano, because I tripped over the original wire and broke it.  My wife and son sad that the only reason why it snapped was because I am fat and clumsy.  Well, they could be right - but not for long.  But then what - what about work and what about life.  I'm sure I'll figure it out, as others figure it out for me first. Hmm...

Week 4: Pour Out a little Liquor - (52 Pounds in 52 Weeks)

Day 418: Piedra Blanca

**Flashback -- January 6, 2012.  Click the link above for more details.

I shared this hike with you today because it was memorable: Domino :(

Piedra Blanca - Hiking Stick dedicated to Domino (1999 - 2012)

Saturday January 23, 2016: Due to the recent storm and 4 years of earth, Domino's blanket had sunken in quite a bit (pic above left).  I knew the time had come to place a warm comforter over top.  I was nearly in tears clawing with my finger nails in the soil to carve out a labyrinth for her stick to rest gently below the final layer.  One day I will need to sell this house and I figured Domino will be one with the land, with no trace, under the avocado tree.  But in our memories, she will be the angle on top of this  hill forever...


52 Pounds - 52 Days

New Year's 2016 Weight: 240.9

Week Four Weight: 235.3

Total Weight Loss: -5.6 Pounds

Saturday, January 23, 2016: It was my first "legit" in gym workout of the year.  I did 10 minutes on the elliptical, some chest, triceps and ab routines and finished off with a 15 minute cardio on the bike.  Hardly an intense workout, no free weights - take it easy, I have to pace myself...

...Of course, rather than eating protein or diet right, I took down a 22 ounce of my favorite IPA: Lizard's Mouth, from the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company -- Buelton, CA.

On Sunday I went back to the beach and ran along the promenade again.  This time I went for 3.75 total miles in 43 minutes.  So I am continuing to increase my distance and reduce the time.  I was able to keep a pace the entire time - No walking except for the final 1/8th mile stretch, cool down...

After the run, I enjoyed another Figueroa best; Hoppy Poppy!!  Thank you to Jay from work who introduced me to this brand.  It's a little more expensive than the Firestones I was drinking, which as well is brewed just north, but I have officially changed my taste.  So smooth, so great - and what better way to conclude a workout.

Eventually, I will mostly cut beer out of my diet.  A couple double deuces of IPA on the weekend, in two separate sittings, is not horrible - but I know if I'm going to continue to drop weight, I will not be able to keep this sip on.  Ha, but for now...

The neighbors dog came to visit.  Ziggy took the high vantage point, but was still not out of reach...

I had intended to get another workout in during the week, but between work and what not, I didn't.  I did overall eat a little better.  I lost 2 pounds for the week:

Week 4 -- Friday January 29, 2016: 235.3

I guess I can take it easy this week if I want to.  I am ahead of pace.  Until the next step...