Monday, March 30, 2009

CD Single and My Bad Genes


Well I finally went about uploading a couple of my songs to TuneCore and they are in the process of distributing them to Amazon, iTunes, and various other music sites.  Rather than put up my "less than spectacular" acoustic performances, I opted to simply publish a CD single for "Rat Race" with 2 b-side tracks:  "Agent No One", and a live performance of "Rat Race".

Sooo, In a few weeks, you'll be able to buy my CD-single on iTunes for 3 bucks.  I've also decided that any money I make from these music sales I am going to donate to the American Heart Association.  (see below for explanation).  I'll let you all know once everything is legitimately up for purchase.  


Bad Genes (AHA Donation):

I am in the unlucky position to have inherited some pretty crappy heart disease genes.  After my dad's passing a few years ago (at a relatively young age), I started to become very proactive about my fitness level and what kind of food I decided to put into my body.  Before going to Antarctica, I had a full blood test done in order to qualify me as "fit to deploy".  At the time, I had been running 4-5 days a week for over 9 months and by all intents and purposes, was in "great" shape.  Yet.....I still had elevated cholesterol levels.   Since early January while on the ice, the chefs had always made a vegetarian meal.  I started opting for these meals and I noticed that overall I just began feeling a little better.   Since then, I've been completely vegetarian (with a very rare splurge on salmon or tuna).  So other than dairy, chocolate, and a VERY rare fatty splurge (ie junkfood or pizza), I have pretty much cut out all cholesterol in my diet.   Well I recently had some new bloodwork done, and my cholesterol levels actually went UP since the last test!  How is this possible?  I am still running 4-5 times a week (30+ miles) and eat healthier than I ever have in my life.   I almost never drink anymore, I quit smoking years ago, and I don't feel I'm overly "stressed out".  Well the answer is simple......bad genes.  It seems that I will most likely have to deal with cholesterol and/or heart disease issues for my entire life.  The good news is that I am aware of it early in life and can start dealing with it.  I am a hardcore anti-pharmaceutical person and will fight kicking and screaming before I am forced to take any kind of medication on a regular basis.  In this case however, I may not have a choice.  I have some followup appointments, but I am very frustrated by all of this.  I would have no one to blame but myself if I sat on my couch all day, eating donuts and pizza.   But it annoys the heck out of me to be doing everything "right" and still have high numbers.  So, while I deal with this, I've decided to donate some of the profits from any sales to the AHA...maybe they'll develop some magic orange juice that you drink and it dissolves all the plaque from your arteries or something.   Guess we'll see.




Sunday, March 22, 2009

Springer Fever *sigh*

Springer Mountain Southern Terminus


Well it's officially spring...and you know what that means.  It means it's time for that little annoying hiking bug to start gnawing its way up to the surface again.  Kind of like that itch you get in the back of your throat that you just can't seem to scratch.  It's just there....festering.....growing....a small noise becoming louder and louder until it's all you can hear.  No matter what you might do to satisfy that hunger, it just never seems to be enough.  Images of long winding trails, steep rocky ascents, and the smells of the woods keep popping into your head.   That's right.  It's back, and it seems that it gets worse each year.  For the few of use who have spent weeks on various trails, and made our way thousands of miles by foot...we find it hard to explain this feeling to others.   Yet amongst each other, it is an unspoken knowledge that we all share.

It has a name.....and that name is:    Springer Fever.

On paper none of it makes any sense.  During the last 2 weeks of my A.T. hike I was, for lack of a better word, miserable on the trail.  I could think of nothing more desirable than not-hiking.  I couldn't wait to be finished.   This year, I have no reason to want to set out on any long distance hike.  I have set many other goals in order to satiate that "outdoor-physical-challenge" facet of myself.   Yet I sit here on a random Sunday night, and can think of nothing other than the 8.1 miles that I want to hike on the Approach Trail to Springer Mountain.  I guess it's just one of those things that I'm going to have to deal with every year.  Last year I was able to quench that thirst with a 3 week Colorado Trail thru-hike.  This year, while I did get a few weeks of New Zealand hiking in, I was still primarily in "winter-mode" and just wasn't feeling the springer fever itch yet.  Sure I would love to get up to VT and hike the Long Trail this summer, but I just don't know how'd I get the time.  ahhh what to do....what to do.


I'm open to suggestions people....I feel like a junkie in need of some kind of fix here.  Until then...I guess I'll just keep running, and training for my ultra-runs.  
 

....and dream of rolling trails, and dirty shelters, and dripping tents, and 100% DEET, and black fly bites, and blistered toes, and ......

It's amazing how I honestly miss it all.  yet i do. 

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

WAIS Divide Season Update PDF

So it was a very successful season at WAIS Divide this past year and we were able to reach all of our goals.  Here is the latest quarterly update detailing the season

WAIS DIVIDE SEASON UPDATE

I get a few mentions in here about my work on the DEP and with my physical properties samples.  Also, take notice of the person miniature golfing on page 3 :-)

Monday, March 16, 2009

Looks like I picked a winner.....Editor's Choice 2009

Brooks Cascadia 4

Looks like my trail runner shoe pick just won another award for 2009

Editor's Choice!

Friday, March 13, 2009

A Few Website Updates...

So I've finally added all my photos to Flickr (which apparently you have to buy a membership for now...grrr).  I've also completed all my trailjournals and youtube videos for New Zealand.  I'm still working on Antarctica videos, but the photos are also on flickr now.  Finally, I'm also doing a complete redesign of www.johnfegy.com.   I just purchased iLife '09 and iWeb finally allows for updating to an FTP website (as opposed to a MobileMe site only).  This means I can now create a nice website in iWeb, and upload direct.



Wednesday, March 11, 2009

More fun with iMovie and my New Zealand Clips...



The Antarctica Clips are coming along...slowly but surely.  It may be a few days...

Monday, March 9, 2009

New Zealand Slide Show! (Antarctica Slide Show to Follow)

Hey everyone.  Well I finally put together a New Zealand slide show of pics and video clips.  My 3 weeks there were jam packed with hiking and sightseeing.  I had an incredible time and will certainly never forget it.

The video highlights:
Christchurch
Cascade Saddle Track
Northwest Circuit Track (Stewart Island)
Kepler Track
Wilkin-Young Circuit (aka Gillespie Pass) Track
Fox Glacier
The Pancake Rocks



I should have an Antarctica Slide Show done soon, so check back! 

Saturday, March 7, 2009

What!?!?


What!?!?
Originally uploaded by John 'Lakewood' Fegyveresi
It's march 7th...still winter, and it's 70 degrees in central pa!!!
What!?!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Now Hiring....Fellow Ice/Glacier/Climate Folks!!!!



Just a quick news announcement.  For anyone who was following my Antarctica Blog about WAIS Divide, the application  for 2009/2010 core handlers has been posted.  If you are interested and meet the qualifications, you should apply!  I'm hoping to possibly get back again next year, so we might get to work together!