Cross Hair (CXX) - Uranium play where the moratorium is going away soon in Labrador. Also hold gold.
Great Western - Vertically integrated processing facility deposits are also good. - watch out because this is likely an emerging bubble but that will come back due to the Japan reconstruction efforts
First Majestic Silver - Good he owns in portfolio
CVR - has huge upside if awarded a Kuwait oil services contract. Already pre approved. The UN had granted Kuwait 3 billion to clean up the Iraq mess and although this contract which is only 210 million it could lead to a bigger contract of 3 billion. the company could easily increase by 2x or 3x just by the announcement if they win the contract or not.
Estralla (EEN) - at 80 cents. Central latin america Argentina / peru / Columbia - Fast growing areas - very cheap ex-schlumberger management.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Small cap stocks - BMO PM
Enablence - (ENA)
Copper Mountain - (CUM) great performer and still recommends the stock. Recommended it last time.
Quadra FNX (QUX) - says the growth prospects are great has a great portfolio of resources including copper but operational results are not very good. Great stock to own between quarters. Although the last quarter was great.
AAA - Allana Potash - they own this in their portfolio they like the Ethiopian assets and how they can be a low cost producer
Perseus Mining - West africa play that she recommended last time. Thinks that the Libyan crisis is giving it a higher risk premium and is trading sideways.
TOP Picks
Bear Creek Mining - Will get multiple expansion in 2012 as production and CF come online. Huge silver deposits in South America.
Eastern Platinum - ELR recommended at 1.47 - their demand is not only from Jewellery but from automotive cars so there is some industrial demand component. More of a takeover target than Bear Creek.
Copper Mountain - (CUM) great performer and still recommends the stock. Recommended it last time.
Quadra FNX (QUX) - says the growth prospects are great has a great portfolio of resources including copper but operational results are not very good. Great stock to own between quarters. Although the last quarter was great.
AAA - Allana Potash - they own this in their portfolio they like the Ethiopian assets and how they can be a low cost producer
Perseus Mining - West africa play that she recommended last time. Thinks that the Libyan crisis is giving it a higher risk premium and is trading sideways.
TOP Picks
Bear Creek Mining - Will get multiple expansion in 2012 as production and CF come online. Huge silver deposits in South America.
Eastern Platinum - ELR recommended at 1.47 - their demand is not only from Jewellery but from automotive cars so there is some industrial demand component. More of a takeover target than Bear Creek.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
WEBCAMS - Mountains
3 sisters:
http://www.canmorealberta.com/webcams/three-sisters
Canmore Nordic Centre:
http://www.canmorealberta.com/webcams/canmore-nordic-centre
Yamnuska:
http://www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/trailreport.aspx
Moose Mountain:
http://www.braggcreek.ca/weather/index.htm
Alberta (by U of Manitoba):
http://umanitoba.ca/environment/envirogeog/weather/remotevidall.html
AMA road cameras:
http://www.ama.ab.ca/road-reports/highway-cameras
http://www.canmorealberta.com/webcams/three-sisters
Canmore Nordic Centre:
http://www.canmorealberta.com/webcams/canmore-nordic-centre
Yamnuska:
http://www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/trailreport.aspx
Moose Mountain:
http://www.braggcreek.ca/weather/index.htm
Alberta (by U of Manitoba):
http://umanitoba.ca/environment/envirogeog/weather/remotevidall.html
AMA road cameras:
http://www.ama.ab.ca/road-reports/highway-cameras
Monday, March 21, 2011
Hailstone Butte - Sentinel Peak - Unnamed Ridge
We parked along the highway 532 parking lot for Hailstone Butte and started hiking at 9:30 am. There was enough snow melted on the actual trail that we could follow it for about a km. When we reached the area where the steep scree slope begins some of us put on our microspikes as the scree was frozen and a slip would be difficult to arrest. I lead this part on the way up and stuck to the connecting patches of snow as it was much easier to ascend this way then on the steep frozen scree. When we finally reached the ridge Shaun led the way up to the summit on the very hard packed snow. We probably should've had our ice axe out at this point as it would've been very difficult to stop a fall here. Once at the summit we took some group shots and rested for approximately 15 minutes. We then continued on the ridge down towards Sentinel Peak and just walked straight down the north end of the ridge instead of taking the trail that heads East (and then circles back around.) We saved approximately 1 km this way. It was a couple of km to the col of Sentinel and the unnamed ridge (that lies between Sentinel and Hailstone). We decided enroute that it would be nice to do the unnamed ridge on the way back instead of going through snow. Once at the peak on Sentinel we took a number of group shots. There were no technical parts, mainly just hiking to the summit. On our way back there was a very little amount of scrambling up to the summit of the ridge and then downclimbing. Once off the ridge we found the trail again and then headed back towards Hailstone. However when we got the area where we thought it would be easy connect to our initial path, we realized there were 2 options. Descend into the valley and then reascend the other side (crossing a potential avalanche gully) or continue east and head down a gulley with very little amounts of snow patches that lead to the 532 highway about a couple of km from where we had parked. We decided on the latter and descended down the gulley attempting to glisade but the snow was too slushy it was too difficult to move. We were back at the car by 5:30 pm.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Burnt Timber Lookout
This trip was with the COC and was coordinated by Barbara. I had never been on any of her trips before or any of the trip partners that registered. We met at the Edworthy Park at 7:30 am and then headed to the Burnt Timber Lookout together; 7 participants total and 2 vehicles. We finally got to the trailhead by 10:30 am and started hiking up a dirt path. It lead to an area in the trees where there was orange flagging tape. We followed this for a couple of km at which point it ended and intersected with the main atv trail. The snow was deep and we had to break trail until about a hundred meters from the ridge. Once on the ridge it was easy going and we made the summit quite easily. It was extremely windy at the top of the lookout (there was no physical structure up at this location. Curious if there ever was one in the past). There was a metal stake with some writing on it and that was about it. We took quite a lot of photos at the summit and was happy that my portable pocket tripod actually stayed stable in the fierce winds. On the way down, we traversed along the steeper part of the hill to avoid going through the deep snow and it saved us about 1.75 km which made the descent much quicker. We were back at the car by 5:30 pm. Was approximately 8.5 km with elevation gain of about 600 m.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Romance of the 3 Kingdoms Part II
XVII - Liu Piao and Chang Hsiu attack Tsao Tsao and try and sandwich him. Tsao Tsao sets an ambush in the pass overnight so they come try and chase him when they realize he has such a small army. They run into the trap and then are ambushed many men taken. They regroup, but Tsao Tsao is giong off to defend the capital Hsutu. They attack him together in the rear. They are unsuccessful. Tsao TSao mourns Tien Wei and his sons a year later. Tsao Tsao requests that Liu Pei help him destroy Lu Pu while Yuan Shao tries to destroy Kunsun Tsan. Lu Pu intercepts the message and then refortifies troops to prepare for battle. Some of Lu Pu's allies attack Liu Pei. Kau Shun and Chang Liao are the ones that fight Kuan Yu.
Liu Pei
- Mi Chu
- Fang
- Sun Chien
-
Lu Pu
- Kau Shun
- Chang Liao
- Tsao Hsing
- Chen Teng
- Chen Kun
Tsao Tsao
Hsiahou Tun -
When kau Shun and Chang Liao come to fight Kuan Yu says they are worth more than to deal with rebels. Chang doesn't attack as this is a compliment. So they go to attack Tsao Tsao instead who is approaching the area. Hsiahou Tun fights and wins against Kau Shun, but Tun is later hit with an arrow in the eye; he eats his own eye then kills Tsao Hsing who hit him in the eye. Kau Shun comes back and attacks them. They win then they head back to Liu Pei to attack him. Lu Pu arrives and Chang Liao too to attack them.
XIX - Lu Pu takes the city Hsaio-pei (Liu Pei's city) by attacking the rear. Lei Pei flees and leaves his family. Mi Chu pleads for Liu Pei's family to be spared. Lu Pu listens and transports that family to Hsuchou with Mi Chu taking care of them. Liu Pei flees and has nothing. he has no idea what happened to his brothers (they fled too). He goes to a town where Lu An wants to join them (a hunter). he can't find any game meat so he slays his wife and serves him and says its wolf. Liu pei is grateful. the next day he sees the slain wife and is grateful that Lu An did that for him. He eventually makes it to Tsao TSao' camp and he rewards Lu An for doing that. He also weeps with Yuante that he lost his brothers and family.
Teng advises Lu Pu to send grain and troops from Huschou to Hsiaopei. He leads the caravan to Hsiaopei but goes ahead himself and secretly talks to Chen Kung. He tricks Chen Kung to attack at night. (but also sends messages to Tsao Tsao). Teng goes back to Lu Pu and says to attack at night. Chen kung will fortify another area. Then at night they kill each other because they can't see each other. Then Tsao Tsao attacks in the morning. Lu Pu / Chen Kung set off to Hsuchou. Mi Chu has taken the city. They then went to Hsioupei and they met up with Kao Shun and Chang who were also tricked by Teng. Teng comes out from the walls and taunts him.
An army comes up from behind - Chang Fei
Another army appears - Tsao Tsao
Lu Pu flees
Another army appears - Kuan Yu
Lu Pu flees to Hsiopei and he still has it
Chen Keui, Teng 3 brothers and Tsao Tsao united. They fear Lu Pu will go to Yuan Shu and ally with him if they take the city. So commands Yuante to go south, Tsao Tsao goes to Hsioupei and Mi Chu stays in Hsuchou.
Armies camp outside Hsioupei while Lu Pu is in it. Lu Pu is advised by his camptain Chen Kung to go out and kill the provisioners that will be coming in to feed Tsao Tsao's camp. He does not listen for his wife weeps. He is advised to send for help from Yuan Shu and does not listen because his wife weeps. He starts drinking wine. Gets out of shape then sees himself in the mirror and orders a decree that no one can drink wine. He finally gets someone to ride to Yuan Shu and send for help. Yuan shu does not listen unless the bride is brought to his son personally. Lu Pu tries to flee the palace but fails and goes back in. TSao Tsao's troops become demoralized over time because there is no progress. They decide to drown the city out. The people betray Lu Pu. His Hare is captured his halberd captured while he is sleeping and then he is bound. Tsao Tsao's army comes in and executes Lu Pu (dies a coward); Chen Kung dies brave; Kao Shun executed; Chang Liao spared.
XX - Liu Pei saves Chang Liao from being executed and Chang Liao made an officer. Liu Pei will be rewarded with Hsuchou but needs the emperor's blessing first. Che Chou, a general of the Cavalry is given temporary command of Hsuchou. Liu Pei visits the emperor with TSao TSao and is recognized from the geneology archives as being a descendent of the emperor. He is made uncle to the emperor officially; and given the title of General and Marquis of Icheng. TSao Tsao is not threatened by him since Liu Pei reports to him. Hsun Yu is the advisor of Tsao Tsao that raised this point. He is more afraid of Yang Piao (relative of the 2 Yuan brothers). So he charges him with conspiring and he was arrested and imprisoned. He is banished instead after disagreement. Chao Yen tries to impeach Tsao Tsao for doing that. He is killed.
TSao Tsao recommends a royal hunt. The hunt takes place in Hsutien; Liu Pei kills a hare with one arrow shot; Emperor misses 3 shots on a deer; TSao TSao kills deer with 1 shot. Since he used the golden arrows and the emperor's bow he took credit and everyone shouts out long live the king. Kuan Yu is angry at him for being dishonorable. Yuante calms him down. Emperor grieves later to the Empress and Fu Wans says General Tung Cheng can help. The emperor hides a letter sealed in blood into the lining of his robe and summons Tung Cheng to help him. He says to look at the robe carefully when he gets home as a hint there is a secret. Tung Cheng runs into TSao Tsao on his way home, who pretends to want to take away the robe. He ends up giving it back after toying with him for a bit. Tung Cheng finds the letter when he gets home (but it is hidden well). He can't sleep as he thinks about how he can destroy TSao Tsao. Then eventually falls asleep with the letter on the table. Wang Tsu-fu finds it and reads it. Chung Chi and Wu Shi are brought in. Wu Tzu-lan is invited. Ma Teng invited.
XXI - Ma Teng recommends Liu Pei as well to join the rebellion. Tung Cheng visits him at night and shows him the decree. Liu Pei signs it. He takes to gardening to not be suspected. TSao Tsao summons him and talks about dragons. He compares dragons to heroes and asks Liu who are the current heroes of today? He answers
Yuan Shu because of resources (Tsao replies - Rotting bone in a graveyard_
Yuan Shao bc he has the highest offices of State for 4 generations (Tsao replies - a bully and a coward; devoid of decision; no forethought).
Liu Ching Sheng - mere semblance; a man of vain reputation.
Sun Tse - profited from his father's reputation; he is no hero.
Liu Chang - reigning family but merely a watchdog.
Chang Hsiu, Chang Lu, Han Sui - paltry people and not worth mentioning.
"Now heroes are mn who cherish lofty designs in their bosoms and have plans to achieve them, they have all-embracing schemes and the whold world is at their mercy." He says that they 2 are the only ones. He drops chopsticks but thunder roars; he blames dropping chopsticks on the thunder.
Man chung, sends a message that Kungsun Tsan was defeated by Yuan Shao. Tsan built a tower and a large wall around it for defense. He didn't help his soldiers and they defected to Yuan's side. He sent for help to Chang Yen; Yuan intercepted letter and ambushed him. Tsan killed his own family and committed suicide. Tsan's army joined Yuan's. Yuan Shu's people had risen up against him and he yielded the emperor seal to his brother.
After hearing this Liu Pei requests Tsao to give him an army to stop Yuan Shu. Tsao agrees. Gives him 5 legions and Chu Ling and Lu Chao help him. Upon leaving his brothers asked why he was so rushed. Liu Pei felt trapped under Tsao and now he felt free.
Cheng Yu and Kuo Chia (Tsao's advisors) tell him he shouldn't have let Yuante go because he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Tsao realizes this and orders Hsu Chu to get him back. Liu Pei refuses and Tsao agrees not to pursue since he gave the original orders.
Yuan Shu arrives at HsuChou. Chi Ling (Yuan's man) attacks and is defeated by Chang Fei. Yuan Shu with his own army attacks Yuante and loses. Bandits take his provisions and he flees. His army starves to death and so does he.
Hsu Chiu slew all the survivors of Yuan Shu's army at Luchiang and finds the imperial seal which he takes to Tsao Tsao. Yuante sends word he defeated Yuan Shu and then fortifies Hsuchou. Tsao orders to kill Liu Pei. Che Chou sent with Chen Teng's advice the set an ambush while Liu pei makes his way back. Teng with the advice of his father Chen Kuei rides to tell Liu Pei that he is goign to be attacked.
They trick Che Chou by dressing up as Tsao's men at night coming from a different city to help. Che Chou doesn't initially believe them so he says wait til daylight so that he could see them. He finally comes out to meet them. Kuan Yu kills him and decapitates him. Also takes the army. Chang Fei slaughters Che Chou's family. Chen Teng comes up with a plan to refreain Tsao from attacking.
XXII - Cheng Kang-cheng is whom Chen Teng recommends using to bait Yuan Shao to coming. Cheng was once president of the board under Emperor Huan but was exiled after the 10 Eunichs took control. He retired to Hsuchou. Cheng agrees to write the letter to Shao and Sun Chien is ordered to be the messenger.
Shao's advisor Tien Feng says because troops are tired of war to send information about the Kungsun victory to the emperor; if he is not told then Tsao Tsao can be blamed; within 3 years you can take him.
Shen Pei another advisor disagrees and says attack now.
Chu Shou says do not attack
Kuo Tu says attack
Hsu Yu and Hsun Shen say definitely attack. Shao listens and agrees.
30 legions put together to march on Liyang
A huge letter is written by Chen Lin with literary prowess. It is posted everywhere. Tsao Tsao initially reads it and is shaken by it. Then laughs it off and talks it over with his advisors. He decides to go to war after much debate. Liu Tai and Wang Chung lead 5 legions who is to attack Liu Pei. Tsao Tsao took 20 legions to attack Yuan Shao at Liyang.
Xuzhou = Pengcheng = Hsuchou
Tsao Tsao waits at the gates of Liyang and both don't make the first move for 2 to 3 months. Tsao TSao goes back to Hsutu and orders Liu Tai and Wang Chung to attack Liu Pei. They don't want to make the first move so they gamble. Both are eventually captured (one by Kuan Yu the other by Chang Fei) and their lives spared. They go back to Tsao Tsao and he orders their instant execution.
XXIII - The 2 were not executed but demoted as Kung Jung pleads for them. He has to wait til spring to attack. Chang Hsiu decides whether to ally with Tsao Tsao or Yuan Shao. Chi Hsu (who works for Chang Hsiu) rips up Yuan Shao's letter in favor of Tsao Tsao.
1) emperor is there and can restore peace
2) incremental help is not value added when compared to helping Tsao Tsao so will be more appreciated
3) Tsao will be chief of Feudal lords and will allocated according to merit not status.
Chang Hsiu becomes Prowess in war General ; Chi Hsu becomes Controller of Ways
Tsao then tries to invite Liu Paio to join him. He needs enticing from a good speaker. They invite. Mi Heng, who is a 24 year old philosopher. When Mi is summoned he does not win favor of Tsao because he makes fun of all of his high ranking men and says he knows everything under the heavens. He is made into a drummer but then plays for everyone and they are mesmorizing but then he strips naked. They drag him with horses. He sends him to Liu Piao to kill him so he doesn't have to displease the people as they might disagree. Huang Tsu kills him because he is insulted.
Tung Cheng and the physician meet in secret and the physician agrees to poison Tsao Tsao. When one of Tung Cheng's slaves is disciplined then he rats on Tung Cheng after escaping and Tsao Tsao hears of the plot by all that who swore to him and also of the physician. He encourages the physician to drink the poisoned cup instead of himself and when he doesn't he flogs him and tortures him even though he denies that he was tied to anyone. They go into Tung Cheng's place and find the silk with all the names. 4 of the names are imprisoned. He cuts off all of the physician's fingers to get him to tell the truth. the physican is beated to death.
XXIV - Tsao wants to assassinate the emperor and place a different one on the throne. His advisors strongly protest as many people would disagree with this. Tsao goes to the emperor and slays his Kuei-fei (Tung Cheng's sister). She was pregnant at the time. She was strangled to death. Ma Teng and Liu Pei are left in terms of names on the silk. He finally decides with his advisors to attack Liu Pei. He sends 20 legions. Sun Chien overhears from his scouts and warns Liu Pei and Kuan Yu. They decide to try and get help from Yuan Shao. Yuan is sad because his son is sick and is the only capabale heir to his throne. So he says he will not go as his legacy is as good as dead if his son doesn't survive. So news that Yuan Shao will not help at the current moment is brought to Liu Pei and Chang Fei sets up an ambush on Tsao TSao. Tsao Tsao realizes its a trap because the weather omens tell him that a night raid is coming. Yuante is to help from a different direction. Tsao is completely prepared and the brothers are driven off in all different directions with their armies crushed. They are separated and don't know each other's fate.
Tsao wants to trick Kuan Yu into joining him. Liu Pei flees to Yuan Shao and is accepted.
XXV - Kuan Yu makes three conditions to join TSao TSao (since he doesn't know whether Liu Pei is alive yet). Three faults if Kaun Yu dies in vain:
1) Swore a peach garden oath. If you die in vain and brother still alive he will have to die later too
2) In charge of brother's family
3) If he dies in vain the reputation of the 3 brothers dies in vain.
Kuan Yu then makes three conditions after much thought:
1) He submits to the Emperor and not to Tsao Tsao
2) suitable provision for the 2 ladies
3) If Liu Pei alive then he can go to him right away without delay.
Tsao agrees to first 2 easily. But says if he treats Kuan Yu well then he may stay. So he agrees to all 3 eventually.
Kuan Yu brought in and Tsao deeply admires his loyalty and honor. Tsao gives him many gifts and gold and promotes him and provides provisions for the 2 ladies. Kuan Yu gives as much as he can to the 2 ladies. Gives him a new robe. Gives him the red hare. Tsao realizes Kuan will never completely join his side. Yuan Shao sends some men and some of Tsao's men are no match. Kuan Yu slays Yuan Shao's men easily. Yen Liang a high general is killed by Kuan Yu.
Shao hears of this and suspects Kuan Yu is on the other side and Liu Pei is betraying him.
XXVI - Liu Pei is condemend to die but then is spared after he realizes that what if the man is not Kuan Yu. He sends Wen Chao to attack with 10 legions. Tsao puts food in the front and spare horses to bait Wen Chou. Tsao attacks them (Hsun Yu is the only one that recognizes it could be a trap). Wen Chou flees then is backed up by more men. Kuan Yu slays him by chasing him down with Red Hare. Yuan Shao hears and tries to execute Liu Pei again. Liu explains this is exactly what Tsao wants him to do and then Shao sees the plot and spares his life again. Liu pleads to see if he can get Kuan Yu back. He writes a letter and then Kuan Yu receives it. He tries to tell Tsao that he is leaving several times but Tsao makes himself unavailable on purpose. Kuan posts a letter on the door and leaves.
XXVII -Kuan Yu rides to Liu Pei and kills anyone in his way (he doesn' do it on purpose but they continue to not let him pass so he slays them).
XXVIII - Kuan Yu goes from city to city as he keeps barely missing Lui Pei and gets frustratred. He finally meets up with Sun Chien who goes into the city where Yuante is and tells him that Kuan Yu is still alive. Liu Pei agrees to leave the city and is reunited with his brother. Chau Yun also joins him and they find Chang Fei as well.
XXIX - Sun Tse is attacked while roaming around in the forest. He becomes very ill and needs to recover. Yuan Shao sends for him to ally with him to attack Tsao Tsao and he becomes very excited but he is still too sick. There is a wizard named Yu Chi whom he doesn't listen to and is very wise; Tse tests him by telling him to call the weather. He does so succesfully. Tse puts him to death and sees Yu Chi's ghost everywhere after that until he eventually dies as a result of this as bad omens and his mother tell him that he should not have done that. Sun Chu'an became ruler.
xxx - Yuan Shao does not listen to Tien Feng and attacks and goes to war with Tsao. He loses greatly
XXXI - Tsao attacks yuan Shao further and Liu Pei flees to Liu Paio and convince him to let him stay with him
XXXII - Yuan Shao becomes very sick and then his youngest son Yuan Shang takes his place while the elder brother is fighting elsewhere. The elder is furious at the younger. Tsao attacks the younger by flooding his city (small number of diggers by day and huge numbers by night).
XXXIII - inside the city, Tsao Pei (Tsao's son), takes a wife. Yuan Tan now isolated from his brother flees to Liu Paio. Lui Pei advises him not to help him as he wants to double cross his brother which is not ethical. Kuo Chia falls very sick and Tsao weeps when he passes. He awaits Kuo Chia's last piece of advice even though all of Tsao's soldiers don't believe him. He says wait and someone will send the heads of the 2 brothers Yuan Hsi and Shang since they had fled to a nearby city. Chia ends up being right as the head of that city is afriad that Tsao will attack him so he tricks the 2 brothers into coming into that city and beheads them and sends them to Tsao.
XXXIV - Liu Paio has 2 sons and the elder is weak. Liu Pei says don't pass his elder for the younger as this will cause strife afterwards. Liu Paio is very sad because he does not know who to give the throne to after he passes. The mother of the younger over hears this and tries to kill Liu Pei. and then later is invited to a ceremony where he is nearly killed but escapes on a tainted unfavorable cursed horse who jumps a river with heavy currents when some men (led by Tsai Mao) go after him outside the castle. Chau Yun who was distracted with other ceremonies is suspicious when his master is absent and then with 300 men scout around to look for him. He follows tracks to the river.
XXXV / VI - Pei meets a boy at a farm and then is led to his master who is an old wise man he says that if you can have FuLung (hidden dragon) or Feng-chu (Pheonix Fledgling), you could restore the empire. Chau Yun tracks Pei to the farm and then says that Tsao Jen is going to attack. Tan Fu, a wise man who is hired by Pei because he sang a song that attracted him to him becomes chief strategist. He is extremely wise and wins easily against Tsao Jen's attacks. Tsao tsao heres of this and gets Tan Fu's mother (who's real name is Hsu Shu) and asks her to write to her son. She says no way that Liu pei is a noble man and Tsao TSao is not. One of Tsao's men becomes friends with her and then learns to forge her writing to send Hsu Shu a letter. Hsu Shu receives the letter and weeps and then heads off to TSao Tsao. He and pei weep as they do not want to part.
XXXVII - Hsu Shu before he leaves rides back to Yuante and tells him to seek out Chuko Liang who is 10 x more wiser than he is in strategy. When HSu Shu arrives, his mother is extremely shamed and embarrassed that she raised such an idiotic son so she commits suicide. He falls in a swoon and doesn't take gifts from Tsao when he recovers. Pei goes to try and find Chuko Liang (Kung Ming). Pei meets all of Chuko's friends and family when trying to find him twice but has no luck as Chuko Liang keeps leaving and going when Pei is not there. Pei waits til spring to come back with his reluctant brothers.
XXXVIII -
Liu Pei
- Mi Chu
- Fang
- Sun Chien
-
Lu Pu
- Kau Shun
- Chang Liao
- Tsao Hsing
- Chen Teng
- Chen Kun
Tsao Tsao
Hsiahou Tun -
When kau Shun and Chang Liao come to fight Kuan Yu says they are worth more than to deal with rebels. Chang doesn't attack as this is a compliment. So they go to attack Tsao Tsao instead who is approaching the area. Hsiahou Tun fights and wins against Kau Shun, but Tun is later hit with an arrow in the eye; he eats his own eye then kills Tsao Hsing who hit him in the eye. Kau Shun comes back and attacks them. They win then they head back to Liu Pei to attack him. Lu Pu arrives and Chang Liao too to attack them.
XIX - Lu Pu takes the city Hsaio-pei (Liu Pei's city) by attacking the rear. Lei Pei flees and leaves his family. Mi Chu pleads for Liu Pei's family to be spared. Lu Pu listens and transports that family to Hsuchou with Mi Chu taking care of them. Liu Pei flees and has nothing. he has no idea what happened to his brothers (they fled too). He goes to a town where Lu An wants to join them (a hunter). he can't find any game meat so he slays his wife and serves him and says its wolf. Liu pei is grateful. the next day he sees the slain wife and is grateful that Lu An did that for him. He eventually makes it to Tsao TSao' camp and he rewards Lu An for doing that. He also weeps with Yuante that he lost his brothers and family.
Teng advises Lu Pu to send grain and troops from Huschou to Hsiaopei. He leads the caravan to Hsiaopei but goes ahead himself and secretly talks to Chen Kung. He tricks Chen Kung to attack at night. (but also sends messages to Tsao Tsao). Teng goes back to Lu Pu and says to attack at night. Chen kung will fortify another area. Then at night they kill each other because they can't see each other. Then Tsao Tsao attacks in the morning. Lu Pu / Chen Kung set off to Hsuchou. Mi Chu has taken the city. They then went to Hsioupei and they met up with Kao Shun and Chang who were also tricked by Teng. Teng comes out from the walls and taunts him.
An army comes up from behind - Chang Fei
Another army appears - Tsao Tsao
Lu Pu flees
Another army appears - Kuan Yu
Lu Pu flees to Hsiopei and he still has it
Chen Keui, Teng 3 brothers and Tsao Tsao united. They fear Lu Pu will go to Yuan Shu and ally with him if they take the city. So commands Yuante to go south, Tsao Tsao goes to Hsioupei and Mi Chu stays in Hsuchou.
Armies camp outside Hsioupei while Lu Pu is in it. Lu Pu is advised by his camptain Chen Kung to go out and kill the provisioners that will be coming in to feed Tsao Tsao's camp. He does not listen for his wife weeps. He is advised to send for help from Yuan Shu and does not listen because his wife weeps. He starts drinking wine. Gets out of shape then sees himself in the mirror and orders a decree that no one can drink wine. He finally gets someone to ride to Yuan Shu and send for help. Yuan shu does not listen unless the bride is brought to his son personally. Lu Pu tries to flee the palace but fails and goes back in. TSao Tsao's troops become demoralized over time because there is no progress. They decide to drown the city out. The people betray Lu Pu. His Hare is captured his halberd captured while he is sleeping and then he is bound. Tsao Tsao's army comes in and executes Lu Pu (dies a coward); Chen Kung dies brave; Kao Shun executed; Chang Liao spared.
XX - Liu Pei saves Chang Liao from being executed and Chang Liao made an officer. Liu Pei will be rewarded with Hsuchou but needs the emperor's blessing first. Che Chou, a general of the Cavalry is given temporary command of Hsuchou. Liu Pei visits the emperor with TSao TSao and is recognized from the geneology archives as being a descendent of the emperor. He is made uncle to the emperor officially; and given the title of General and Marquis of Icheng. TSao Tsao is not threatened by him since Liu Pei reports to him. Hsun Yu is the advisor of Tsao Tsao that raised this point. He is more afraid of Yang Piao (relative of the 2 Yuan brothers). So he charges him with conspiring and he was arrested and imprisoned. He is banished instead after disagreement. Chao Yen tries to impeach Tsao Tsao for doing that. He is killed.
TSao Tsao recommends a royal hunt. The hunt takes place in Hsutien; Liu Pei kills a hare with one arrow shot; Emperor misses 3 shots on a deer; TSao TSao kills deer with 1 shot. Since he used the golden arrows and the emperor's bow he took credit and everyone shouts out long live the king. Kuan Yu is angry at him for being dishonorable. Yuante calms him down. Emperor grieves later to the Empress and Fu Wans says General Tung Cheng can help. The emperor hides a letter sealed in blood into the lining of his robe and summons Tung Cheng to help him. He says to look at the robe carefully when he gets home as a hint there is a secret. Tung Cheng runs into TSao Tsao on his way home, who pretends to want to take away the robe. He ends up giving it back after toying with him for a bit. Tung Cheng finds the letter when he gets home (but it is hidden well). He can't sleep as he thinks about how he can destroy TSao Tsao. Then eventually falls asleep with the letter on the table. Wang Tsu-fu finds it and reads it. Chung Chi and Wu Shi are brought in. Wu Tzu-lan is invited. Ma Teng invited.
XXI - Ma Teng recommends Liu Pei as well to join the rebellion. Tung Cheng visits him at night and shows him the decree. Liu Pei signs it. He takes to gardening to not be suspected. TSao Tsao summons him and talks about dragons. He compares dragons to heroes and asks Liu who are the current heroes of today? He answers
Yuan Shu because of resources (Tsao replies - Rotting bone in a graveyard_
Yuan Shao bc he has the highest offices of State for 4 generations (Tsao replies - a bully and a coward; devoid of decision; no forethought).
Liu Ching Sheng - mere semblance; a man of vain reputation.
Sun Tse - profited from his father's reputation; he is no hero.
Liu Chang - reigning family but merely a watchdog.
Chang Hsiu, Chang Lu, Han Sui - paltry people and not worth mentioning.
"Now heroes are mn who cherish lofty designs in their bosoms and have plans to achieve them, they have all-embracing schemes and the whold world is at their mercy." He says that they 2 are the only ones. He drops chopsticks but thunder roars; he blames dropping chopsticks on the thunder.
Man chung, sends a message that Kungsun Tsan was defeated by Yuan Shao. Tsan built a tower and a large wall around it for defense. He didn't help his soldiers and they defected to Yuan's side. He sent for help to Chang Yen; Yuan intercepted letter and ambushed him. Tsan killed his own family and committed suicide. Tsan's army joined Yuan's. Yuan Shu's people had risen up against him and he yielded the emperor seal to his brother.
After hearing this Liu Pei requests Tsao to give him an army to stop Yuan Shu. Tsao agrees. Gives him 5 legions and Chu Ling and Lu Chao help him. Upon leaving his brothers asked why he was so rushed. Liu Pei felt trapped under Tsao and now he felt free.
Cheng Yu and Kuo Chia (Tsao's advisors) tell him he shouldn't have let Yuante go because he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Tsao realizes this and orders Hsu Chu to get him back. Liu Pei refuses and Tsao agrees not to pursue since he gave the original orders.
Yuan Shu arrives at HsuChou. Chi Ling (Yuan's man) attacks and is defeated by Chang Fei. Yuan Shu with his own army attacks Yuante and loses. Bandits take his provisions and he flees. His army starves to death and so does he.
Hsu Chiu slew all the survivors of Yuan Shu's army at Luchiang and finds the imperial seal which he takes to Tsao Tsao. Yuante sends word he defeated Yuan Shu and then fortifies Hsuchou. Tsao orders to kill Liu Pei. Che Chou sent with Chen Teng's advice the set an ambush while Liu pei makes his way back. Teng with the advice of his father Chen Kuei rides to tell Liu Pei that he is goign to be attacked.
They trick Che Chou by dressing up as Tsao's men at night coming from a different city to help. Che Chou doesn't initially believe them so he says wait til daylight so that he could see them. He finally comes out to meet them. Kuan Yu kills him and decapitates him. Also takes the army. Chang Fei slaughters Che Chou's family. Chen Teng comes up with a plan to refreain Tsao from attacking.
XXII - Cheng Kang-cheng is whom Chen Teng recommends using to bait Yuan Shao to coming. Cheng was once president of the board under Emperor Huan but was exiled after the 10 Eunichs took control. He retired to Hsuchou. Cheng agrees to write the letter to Shao and Sun Chien is ordered to be the messenger.
Shao's advisor Tien Feng says because troops are tired of war to send information about the Kungsun victory to the emperor; if he is not told then Tsao Tsao can be blamed; within 3 years you can take him.
Shen Pei another advisor disagrees and says attack now.
Chu Shou says do not attack
Kuo Tu says attack
Hsu Yu and Hsun Shen say definitely attack. Shao listens and agrees.
30 legions put together to march on Liyang
A huge letter is written by Chen Lin with literary prowess. It is posted everywhere. Tsao Tsao initially reads it and is shaken by it. Then laughs it off and talks it over with his advisors. He decides to go to war after much debate. Liu Tai and Wang Chung lead 5 legions who is to attack Liu Pei. Tsao Tsao took 20 legions to attack Yuan Shao at Liyang.
Xuzhou = Pengcheng = Hsuchou
Tsao Tsao waits at the gates of Liyang and both don't make the first move for 2 to 3 months. Tsao TSao goes back to Hsutu and orders Liu Tai and Wang Chung to attack Liu Pei. They don't want to make the first move so they gamble. Both are eventually captured (one by Kuan Yu the other by Chang Fei) and their lives spared. They go back to Tsao Tsao and he orders their instant execution.
XXIII - The 2 were not executed but demoted as Kung Jung pleads for them. He has to wait til spring to attack. Chang Hsiu decides whether to ally with Tsao Tsao or Yuan Shao. Chi Hsu (who works for Chang Hsiu) rips up Yuan Shao's letter in favor of Tsao Tsao.
1) emperor is there and can restore peace
2) incremental help is not value added when compared to helping Tsao Tsao so will be more appreciated
3) Tsao will be chief of Feudal lords and will allocated according to merit not status.
Chang Hsiu becomes Prowess in war General ; Chi Hsu becomes Controller of Ways
Tsao then tries to invite Liu Paio to join him. He needs enticing from a good speaker. They invite. Mi Heng, who is a 24 year old philosopher. When Mi is summoned he does not win favor of Tsao because he makes fun of all of his high ranking men and says he knows everything under the heavens. He is made into a drummer but then plays for everyone and they are mesmorizing but then he strips naked. They drag him with horses. He sends him to Liu Piao to kill him so he doesn't have to displease the people as they might disagree. Huang Tsu kills him because he is insulted.
Tung Cheng and the physician meet in secret and the physician agrees to poison Tsao Tsao. When one of Tung Cheng's slaves is disciplined then he rats on Tung Cheng after escaping and Tsao Tsao hears of the plot by all that who swore to him and also of the physician. He encourages the physician to drink the poisoned cup instead of himself and when he doesn't he flogs him and tortures him even though he denies that he was tied to anyone. They go into Tung Cheng's place and find the silk with all the names. 4 of the names are imprisoned. He cuts off all of the physician's fingers to get him to tell the truth. the physican is beated to death.
XXIV - Tsao wants to assassinate the emperor and place a different one on the throne. His advisors strongly protest as many people would disagree with this. Tsao goes to the emperor and slays his Kuei-fei (Tung Cheng's sister). She was pregnant at the time. She was strangled to death. Ma Teng and Liu Pei are left in terms of names on the silk. He finally decides with his advisors to attack Liu Pei. He sends 20 legions. Sun Chien overhears from his scouts and warns Liu Pei and Kuan Yu. They decide to try and get help from Yuan Shao. Yuan is sad because his son is sick and is the only capabale heir to his throne. So he says he will not go as his legacy is as good as dead if his son doesn't survive. So news that Yuan Shao will not help at the current moment is brought to Liu Pei and Chang Fei sets up an ambush on Tsao TSao. Tsao Tsao realizes its a trap because the weather omens tell him that a night raid is coming. Yuante is to help from a different direction. Tsao is completely prepared and the brothers are driven off in all different directions with their armies crushed. They are separated and don't know each other's fate.
Tsao wants to trick Kuan Yu into joining him. Liu Pei flees to Yuan Shao and is accepted.
XXV - Kuan Yu makes three conditions to join TSao TSao (since he doesn't know whether Liu Pei is alive yet). Three faults if Kaun Yu dies in vain:
1) Swore a peach garden oath. If you die in vain and brother still alive he will have to die later too
2) In charge of brother's family
3) If he dies in vain the reputation of the 3 brothers dies in vain.
Kuan Yu then makes three conditions after much thought:
1) He submits to the Emperor and not to Tsao Tsao
2) suitable provision for the 2 ladies
3) If Liu Pei alive then he can go to him right away without delay.
Tsao agrees to first 2 easily. But says if he treats Kuan Yu well then he may stay. So he agrees to all 3 eventually.
Kuan Yu brought in and Tsao deeply admires his loyalty and honor. Tsao gives him many gifts and gold and promotes him and provides provisions for the 2 ladies. Kuan Yu gives as much as he can to the 2 ladies. Gives him a new robe. Gives him the red hare. Tsao realizes Kuan will never completely join his side. Yuan Shao sends some men and some of Tsao's men are no match. Kuan Yu slays Yuan Shao's men easily. Yen Liang a high general is killed by Kuan Yu.
Shao hears of this and suspects Kuan Yu is on the other side and Liu Pei is betraying him.
XXVI - Liu Pei is condemend to die but then is spared after he realizes that what if the man is not Kuan Yu. He sends Wen Chao to attack with 10 legions. Tsao puts food in the front and spare horses to bait Wen Chou. Tsao attacks them (Hsun Yu is the only one that recognizes it could be a trap). Wen Chou flees then is backed up by more men. Kuan Yu slays him by chasing him down with Red Hare. Yuan Shao hears and tries to execute Liu Pei again. Liu explains this is exactly what Tsao wants him to do and then Shao sees the plot and spares his life again. Liu pleads to see if he can get Kuan Yu back. He writes a letter and then Kuan Yu receives it. He tries to tell Tsao that he is leaving several times but Tsao makes himself unavailable on purpose. Kuan posts a letter on the door and leaves.
XXVII -Kuan Yu rides to Liu Pei and kills anyone in his way (he doesn' do it on purpose but they continue to not let him pass so he slays them).
XXVIII - Kuan Yu goes from city to city as he keeps barely missing Lui Pei and gets frustratred. He finally meets up with Sun Chien who goes into the city where Yuante is and tells him that Kuan Yu is still alive. Liu Pei agrees to leave the city and is reunited with his brother. Chau Yun also joins him and they find Chang Fei as well.
XXIX - Sun Tse is attacked while roaming around in the forest. He becomes very ill and needs to recover. Yuan Shao sends for him to ally with him to attack Tsao Tsao and he becomes very excited but he is still too sick. There is a wizard named Yu Chi whom he doesn't listen to and is very wise; Tse tests him by telling him to call the weather. He does so succesfully. Tse puts him to death and sees Yu Chi's ghost everywhere after that until he eventually dies as a result of this as bad omens and his mother tell him that he should not have done that. Sun Chu'an became ruler.
xxx - Yuan Shao does not listen to Tien Feng and attacks and goes to war with Tsao. He loses greatly
XXXI - Tsao attacks yuan Shao further and Liu Pei flees to Liu Paio and convince him to let him stay with him
XXXII - Yuan Shao becomes very sick and then his youngest son Yuan Shang takes his place while the elder brother is fighting elsewhere. The elder is furious at the younger. Tsao attacks the younger by flooding his city (small number of diggers by day and huge numbers by night).
XXXIII - inside the city, Tsao Pei (Tsao's son), takes a wife. Yuan Tan now isolated from his brother flees to Liu Paio. Lui Pei advises him not to help him as he wants to double cross his brother which is not ethical. Kuo Chia falls very sick and Tsao weeps when he passes. He awaits Kuo Chia's last piece of advice even though all of Tsao's soldiers don't believe him. He says wait and someone will send the heads of the 2 brothers Yuan Hsi and Shang since they had fled to a nearby city. Chia ends up being right as the head of that city is afriad that Tsao will attack him so he tricks the 2 brothers into coming into that city and beheads them and sends them to Tsao.
XXXIV - Liu Paio has 2 sons and the elder is weak. Liu Pei says don't pass his elder for the younger as this will cause strife afterwards. Liu Paio is very sad because he does not know who to give the throne to after he passes. The mother of the younger over hears this and tries to kill Liu Pei. and then later is invited to a ceremony where he is nearly killed but escapes on a tainted unfavorable cursed horse who jumps a river with heavy currents when some men (led by Tsai Mao) go after him outside the castle. Chau Yun who was distracted with other ceremonies is suspicious when his master is absent and then with 300 men scout around to look for him. He follows tracks to the river.
XXXV / VI - Pei meets a boy at a farm and then is led to his master who is an old wise man he says that if you can have FuLung (hidden dragon) or Feng-chu (Pheonix Fledgling), you could restore the empire. Chau Yun tracks Pei to the farm and then says that Tsao Jen is going to attack. Tan Fu, a wise man who is hired by Pei because he sang a song that attracted him to him becomes chief strategist. He is extremely wise and wins easily against Tsao Jen's attacks. Tsao tsao heres of this and gets Tan Fu's mother (who's real name is Hsu Shu) and asks her to write to her son. She says no way that Liu pei is a noble man and Tsao TSao is not. One of Tsao's men becomes friends with her and then learns to forge her writing to send Hsu Shu a letter. Hsu Shu receives the letter and weeps and then heads off to TSao Tsao. He and pei weep as they do not want to part.
XXXVII - Hsu Shu before he leaves rides back to Yuante and tells him to seek out Chuko Liang who is 10 x more wiser than he is in strategy. When HSu Shu arrives, his mother is extremely shamed and embarrassed that she raised such an idiotic son so she commits suicide. He falls in a swoon and doesn't take gifts from Tsao when he recovers. Pei goes to try and find Chuko Liang (Kung Ming). Pei meets all of Chuko's friends and family when trying to find him twice but has no luck as Chuko Liang keeps leaving and going when Pei is not there. Pei waits til spring to come back with his reluctant brothers.
XXXVIII -
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Romance of the 3 Kingdoms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasties_in_Chinese_history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms
Wu - North
Shu - southwest
Wei - East
Liu Pei, legitimate heir to the Han throne (like Symba or Aragorn)
Kuan Yu - (Yun-chang) invincible knight - curved blade long - Black Dragon or Cold beauty
Chang Fei - impulsive giant - long eighteen foot spear
Chuko Liang - wizard and counselor
Ts'ao Ts'ao (also Meng-te) - blood thirsty and treacherous
Empires
Chou weakened
Ts'in next
Ch'u and Han fought for power
1st century - Han under Kaung Wu's rule
2nd century - Han under Emperor Hsien who divided the throne into 3 parts
- separated rule into 2 emperors Huan and Ling, Huan was not loyal to Eunichs and left throne to Ling. 2 generals under ling did not like eunichs meddling in state affairs so they plotted to rid of them. failed and eunichs were more powerful, led by Ts'ao Chieh. several bad omens cursed the land and the emperor wanted an interpretation; one of the eunichs Ts'ao Yung said the large amount of insects and changes of behavior in fowls were the result of feminine influence.
The ten - lead by Chang Jang
In Chulu,
- Chang family, Chio - eldest unclassed graduate in medicine - old man gave him 3 volumes of the Book of Heaven - the way of peace. The old man was Hsien of the Southern Land of Glory. gained powers to control wind and rain - the Mystic of the Way of peace.Could make potions and soon had disciples.
, Pao, Liang
Tung Cho (Chung-ying) was a general they saved in chapter 1, Chang Fei wanted to kill him because the general was ungrateful for the help that was bestowed upon him, but was held back by Yuan-te and Kuan Yu
- born in the west in modern Shensi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaanxi)
Chu Chien - received 3 heroes and they helped him in battle (Chang Pao used magic to scare them).
Huangfu (Tsao Tsau worked under him) defeated Chang pao and Chang Chio and took Tung Cho's place.
More battles with rebels and yellow turbans. Chu Chien defeated many of the rebels and was promoted to general of Cavalry and remembered the brothers. Except for the 3 brothers who got shafted. They were supposed to be demoted but Chang Fei lost his temper and beat the official. Order was sent and they were on the run. They regain their honor after a few short battles.
The Ten kept gaining power and overthrew Chu Chien and Huangfu
Ho Chin, was brother in law to the Emperor and became powerful because his sister was the Empress. When the emperor died , he wanted to rid the power of the eunichs, but they knew that and tricked him into coming into the palace after the emperor was already dead. He tried to overthrow the eunichs.
Tung Cho by this time had fallen from power bc of failure in wars against the yellow turbans. he bribed heavily to the eunichs and then eventually summoned by Ho Chin in his lowly state. Tung Cho expressed his objective to destroy Chang Jang and the eunichs from power. The eunichs hear of the plot and then lure Ho Chin to the castle by convincing the Empress to order them there. While not listening to several advisors he enters alone and is assissinated by the eunichs. Yuan Shao who is Ho Chin's right hand man burns the entrance when Ho Chin's head is thrown over the palace walls. They storm and kill mostly all the eunichs and drive Chang Jang out of the city who flees with the Emperor and prince Chen Liu. The boys become lost and then found near a farm and Tung Cho joins them. The prince Chen Liu speaks because the Emperor is distraught and Cho thinks the Emperor a coward and is not fit to reign; he supports the prince Chen Liuand tells others to do so or die. One opposes him named Ting Yuan, whos right hand man is Lu Pu. Tung Cho is afraid of Lu Pu as he is a great warrior. Li Ju, who is Cho's advisor knows Lu Pu and convinces him to smite his own master and join Tung Cho with a mighty horse, The Hare and gold and precious jewels. He beheads Ting Yuan and joins Tung Cho. Yuan Shao who was on Ting's side challenges Cho that he does not have the right to kill the Emperor.
IV
Tung Cho denounces the Emperor and says he is not fit to rule; he places Prince Chen Liu in his place and demotes Emperor to prince Hung Nung and retires Empress Dowager. Prince Chen Liu was known as Emperor Hsien. Tung sends Li Ju to kill the late Emperor and the late Empress and their Lady. Empress thrown out the window, Emperor forced to drink poison and Lady killed. Tung Cho becomes more of a tyrant and defiles virgins. He kills a village and takes the women and treasures saying that the village rebelled against him. Someone tries to kill Tung Cho and then fails and is slain. Yuan Shao hears of the abuse of power and talks to Wang Yu. Wang Yu fakes a birthday party to gather his people without Tung Cho suspecting. Tsao Tsao is there and is the only one not weeping and volunteers to kill Tung Cho. Tsao Tsao tries to kill him but becomes afraid at the last minute when Tung Cho sees him in the mirror; he gives the knife as a gift when Lu Pu walks in the tent. He leaves quickly. He flees home with a follower he meets along the way and then kills his own uncle and other family when he is paranoid that they are plotting against him when they actually weren't.
V
Tsao Tsao recruits an army by convincing his father's friend who is wealthy to fund an army. It becomes very large and one of the commanders eventually recruits the 3 heroes; under Kungsun Tsan. Yuan Shao is elected leader. Tung Cho hears of the rebellion and summons an army that Lu Pu was going to lead. Another warrior named Hua Hsiung volunteered instead. He kept killiing any warrior that would challenge him in battle. Kuan Yu finally defeated him. Lu Pu comes days later after hearing of this and then again defeats any man that challenges him. The 3 heroes take him on (initially lead by Chang Fei after their leader Kungsun Tsan is being pursued by Lu Pu). Lu Pu becomes fatigued even though he can fight all 3 and then flees.
VI
Tung Cho burns the capital, takes all the gold and jewels of the city and flees south Changan based on an old saying that when east and west meet go south. Tsao Tsao follows in pursuit while the rest of the lords stay at the capital and decide to do nothing. He gets ambushed and barely escapes with his life. When he comes back there the lords disagree on many things and disperse. Sun Chien hides the emperor's seal and denies he has it and heads in a different direction.
VII
Kungsun Tsan is tricked by Yuan Shao to attack a city that supplies food. When Yuan Shao takes the city for himself and double crosses Kungsun Tsan they end up going to war. Kungsun Tsan is chased out and then rescued by a warrior named Chao Yun. When Kungsun and Yuan go to war later it is Chao Yun that turns the tide to Kungsun's favor. However, when they go to attack the second time they are not strong enough and begin to lose; the 3 brothers come to help after hearing the news from afar (Liu Pei was reigning over another city at this time). And then Chau Yun and Liu Pei become great friends.
Sun Chien goes to war with Liu Paio (who tried to kill him for taking the seal earlier). He practically beats him but his flagstaff is broken by the wind and a bad omen starts. Liu Paio sends for help to Yuan Shao and has a crafty plan to send 500 men to do so, Sun Chien follows in pursuit of the messenger and is ambushed by archers and killed. Sun Tse (Sun Chien's son) pleads for peace and his father's body after it is captured in exchange for a valuable prisoner.
VIII
Peace is brought forth amongst Sun Tse and Liu Paio (later is said that Sun Tse becomes a great leader). Story goes to Tung Cho and his tyrannical rule in the South. He kills and tortures anyone who opposes him and also does the same to anyone trying to defect to his side. Wang Yun, uses one of his servants who is very pretty to marry Lu Pu and turn him against his master and also turn Tung Cho and his son against each other; he gets her to swear it that she will do this for him and she swears it. Her name is Sable Cicada. She does exactly that and Wang Yun invites both (on separate occassions) to meet her and they are seduced by her beauty. Tung Cho brings her into his household and becomes mesmorized by her and Lu Pu becomes jealous. She states her love for Lu in a garden and Cho sees it after coming home one night. He becomes furious at him and chases him out of his home.
IX
XIII - Li Ts'iu - becomes minister of War (self proclaimed) along with Kuo Ssu. These 2 remember were the original soldiers of Tung Cho before he was killed.
- Yang Piao plots with the Emperor to rid of Li Tsiu in favor of Tsao Tsao.
- Chia Tsu was part of Li's party but also wanted to rescue the emperor.
- Yang Feng and Sang Kuo betray Li Ts'ui by convincing Kuo Ssu's wife that Li is not to be trusted. She convincies her husband about Li by poisoning his drinks and then he begins to hate Li. They end up fighting each other back and forth until they agree to peace. They are both in a weakened state so Chiang Chi threatens to destroy both of them unless there is peace. Chiang Chi defends Emperor and brings him back to Loyang with Li Yueh (who is a briggand and betrays later), Hu Tsai Tung Cheng and Yang Feng.
XIV - They rebuild Loyang. Li Yueh fights with Hsu Huang; Chang yang helps.
Tsao Tsao is invited from the Emperor from Yang Piao to take court.
- Li and Kuo allied and wanted to kill the emperor and rule; Emperor's army is very small at this point.
- Tsao Tsao comes to defend the emperor at the advice of his advisors as they say this is an opportune time.
- Chia Hsu recommends the 2 rebels make peace with Tsao Tsao and not fight but surrender. They don't listen and attack anyway - Li Tsiu nephews both die in war; both of their armies are defeated and they retreat to the forests
- Yang Feng / Han Hsien flee because they are afraid of Tsao Tsao ; they go to Yuan Shu (whom we see these 2 again later)
- Tung Chao - tells Tsao to move the capital to Tsutu in Honai
- Wang Li an astrologer agrees and the stars say that earth shall defeat fire or Wei will defeat Han. Tsutu is full of good earth so Tsao Tsao thinks its a sign.
- Tsu Huang comes to fight him and is a great warrior; Tsao Tsao likes him
- Man Chung persuades Tsu to join Tsao
Mau Chieh - becomes chief of military stores
Tung Chao - becomes magistrate of Loyang
Man Chung - becomes magistrate of Tsutu
Tsao tries to set Lu Pu and Liu Pei against each other (1st attempt) - sent letter to Liu Pei to not help Lu Pu if he attacks. Liu Pei can't betray Lu Pu so refuses.
2nd attempt - by imperial decree he sends Liu Pei to attack Yuan Shu; which he listens as he feels he must. Chang Fei is left to guard the city and swears not to become drunk and is left on guard with another to make sure. He throws a huge party and then becomes drunk and smites Lu Pu's father in law. Lu Pu hears of this then takes the city for himself and protects Liu Pei's family. Chang Fei tries to kill himself.
XV - Lu Pu tempted by Yuan Shu with gifts and then is happy about this; he agrees to betray Liu Pei but decides not to carry it out because Yuan Shu will not send gold in advance. Liu Pei and Lu Pu become friends again Liu Pei is demoted; his brothers angry with the situation.
- SUN TSE under Yuan Shu's rule becomes very successful. He becomes best friends with Chau Yu as they are the same age.
- Lu Fan - advises Sun Tse to make his own destiny like his father before him and request an army from Yuan Shu in exchange for the imperial seal that his father acquired. Yuan Shu agrees.
- Sun Tse creates a large army over time
- Chang Chao joins / Chang Hung joins
- attacks Chang Ying later joined by some others
T'aishuh Tzu tries to attack Sun Tze after seeing him on a ridge; he is a great warrior that goes 2 on 12. He works for Liu Yu.
- Sun Tse defeats Liu Yu.
- Sun Tse defeats White Tiger / Chao Hsin / Wang Leng
T'aishuh Tzu joins them.
Sun Tse demands his father's imperial seal back from Yuan Shu
XVI
Yuan Shu sends Chi Ling to attack Liu Pei with 10 legions. Sends gifts to Lu Pu not to aid Liu Pei.
- Liu Pei finds out Yuan Shu is going to attack him and asks help from Lu Pu.
- Lu Pu arranges all 3 of them to meet in his tent and then says if he can hit his halbard with an arrow at a very far distance then both sides must make peace. Both sides agree; he hits the mark and there is peace.
- Yuan Shu annoyed by this is advised to make an alliance with Lu Pu by marrying his only son to Lu Pu's only daughter. They agree.
- Lu Pu is later advised by an old man that he is being used
- Chang Fei steals 150 horses from Lu Pu; Lu Pu means to attack Liu Pei
- Liu Pei flees to the help of Tsao Tsao who helps him and makes him head of a different area
- Tsao Tsao steals Chiang Hsiu's wife; Then later Hsiu's men steal Hien Wei's double edged sword so he is not invincible; they then pillage the land and then Hien Wei dies and Tsao Tsao's son dies.
- a certain Yu Chin stays loyal to Tsao Tsao and defends the city without talking to Tsao Tsao; later he says defence is more important than reporting; he is rewarded.
XVII - Yuan Shu wants to become emperor now that he has the imperial seal; he self proclaims the stars are saying so too.
- Goes around in an emperor's carriage, etc.
- Chang Hsun - 20 legions under him
- Chi Ling - given several legions
- they are going to attack Lu Pu because of the failed marriage. Lu Pu is advised by Chen Teng to try and get Han Hsien and Yang Feng back to the loyalty of the Han Dynasty. They convince them to betray Chang Hsiu and they are driven back along with Chi Ling and Yuan Shu.
- Yuan Shu asks for Sun Tse's help but he refuses. Tsao Tsao asks Sun Tse to attack Yuan Shu but says he will only as a back up if Tsao Tsao attacks Yuan Shu first.
- Liu Pei takes the heads of Yang Feng and Han Hsien as they were causing chaos among the new cities they were in charge of.
- Liu Ts'iu and Kuo Ssu are finally slain by Tien Wei and Wu Hsi.
- Yuan Shu starves them out by moving the army and leaving them with no food. The aggressors have no choice but wait til spring to attack.
They hear of Chang Hsiu (whom Chia Hsu works for) and Liu Piao are ravaging the country so they had to deal with them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms
Wu - North
Shu - southwest
Wei - East
Liu Pei, legitimate heir to the Han throne (like Symba or Aragorn)
Kuan Yu - (Yun-chang) invincible knight - curved blade long - Black Dragon or Cold beauty
Chang Fei - impulsive giant - long eighteen foot spear
Chuko Liang - wizard and counselor
Ts'ao Ts'ao (also Meng-te) - blood thirsty and treacherous
Empires
Chou weakened
Ts'in next
Ch'u and Han fought for power
1st century - Han under Kaung Wu's rule
2nd century - Han under Emperor Hsien who divided the throne into 3 parts
- separated rule into 2 emperors Huan and Ling, Huan was not loyal to Eunichs and left throne to Ling. 2 generals under ling did not like eunichs meddling in state affairs so they plotted to rid of them. failed and eunichs were more powerful, led by Ts'ao Chieh. several bad omens cursed the land and the emperor wanted an interpretation; one of the eunichs Ts'ao Yung said the large amount of insects and changes of behavior in fowls were the result of feminine influence.
The ten - lead by Chang Jang
In Chulu,
- Chang family, Chio - eldest unclassed graduate in medicine - old man gave him 3 volumes of the Book of Heaven - the way of peace. The old man was Hsien of the Southern Land of Glory. gained powers to control wind and rain - the Mystic of the Way of peace.Could make potions and soon had disciples.
, Pao, Liang
Tung Cho (Chung-ying) was a general they saved in chapter 1, Chang Fei wanted to kill him because the general was ungrateful for the help that was bestowed upon him, but was held back by Yuan-te and Kuan Yu
- born in the west in modern Shensi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaanxi)
Chu Chien - received 3 heroes and they helped him in battle (Chang Pao used magic to scare them).
Huangfu (Tsao Tsau worked under him) defeated Chang pao and Chang Chio and took Tung Cho's place.
More battles with rebels and yellow turbans. Chu Chien defeated many of the rebels and was promoted to general of Cavalry and remembered the brothers. Except for the 3 brothers who got shafted. They were supposed to be demoted but Chang Fei lost his temper and beat the official. Order was sent and they were on the run. They regain their honor after a few short battles.
The Ten kept gaining power and overthrew Chu Chien and Huangfu
Ho Chin, was brother in law to the Emperor and became powerful because his sister was the Empress. When the emperor died , he wanted to rid the power of the eunichs, but they knew that and tricked him into coming into the palace after the emperor was already dead. He tried to overthrow the eunichs.
Tung Cho by this time had fallen from power bc of failure in wars against the yellow turbans. he bribed heavily to the eunichs and then eventually summoned by Ho Chin in his lowly state. Tung Cho expressed his objective to destroy Chang Jang and the eunichs from power. The eunichs hear of the plot and then lure Ho Chin to the castle by convincing the Empress to order them there. While not listening to several advisors he enters alone and is assissinated by the eunichs. Yuan Shao who is Ho Chin's right hand man burns the entrance when Ho Chin's head is thrown over the palace walls. They storm and kill mostly all the eunichs and drive Chang Jang out of the city who flees with the Emperor and prince Chen Liu. The boys become lost and then found near a farm and Tung Cho joins them. The prince Chen Liu speaks because the Emperor is distraught and Cho thinks the Emperor a coward and is not fit to reign; he supports the prince Chen Liuand tells others to do so or die. One opposes him named Ting Yuan, whos right hand man is Lu Pu. Tung Cho is afraid of Lu Pu as he is a great warrior. Li Ju, who is Cho's advisor knows Lu Pu and convinces him to smite his own master and join Tung Cho with a mighty horse, The Hare and gold and precious jewels. He beheads Ting Yuan and joins Tung Cho. Yuan Shao who was on Ting's side challenges Cho that he does not have the right to kill the Emperor.
IV
Tung Cho denounces the Emperor and says he is not fit to rule; he places Prince Chen Liu in his place and demotes Emperor to prince Hung Nung and retires Empress Dowager. Prince Chen Liu was known as Emperor Hsien. Tung sends Li Ju to kill the late Emperor and the late Empress and their Lady. Empress thrown out the window, Emperor forced to drink poison and Lady killed. Tung Cho becomes more of a tyrant and defiles virgins. He kills a village and takes the women and treasures saying that the village rebelled against him. Someone tries to kill Tung Cho and then fails and is slain. Yuan Shao hears of the abuse of power and talks to Wang Yu. Wang Yu fakes a birthday party to gather his people without Tung Cho suspecting. Tsao Tsao is there and is the only one not weeping and volunteers to kill Tung Cho. Tsao Tsao tries to kill him but becomes afraid at the last minute when Tung Cho sees him in the mirror; he gives the knife as a gift when Lu Pu walks in the tent. He leaves quickly. He flees home with a follower he meets along the way and then kills his own uncle and other family when he is paranoid that they are plotting against him when they actually weren't.
V
Tsao Tsao recruits an army by convincing his father's friend who is wealthy to fund an army. It becomes very large and one of the commanders eventually recruits the 3 heroes; under Kungsun Tsan. Yuan Shao is elected leader. Tung Cho hears of the rebellion and summons an army that Lu Pu was going to lead. Another warrior named Hua Hsiung volunteered instead. He kept killiing any warrior that would challenge him in battle. Kuan Yu finally defeated him. Lu Pu comes days later after hearing of this and then again defeats any man that challenges him. The 3 heroes take him on (initially lead by Chang Fei after their leader Kungsun Tsan is being pursued by Lu Pu). Lu Pu becomes fatigued even though he can fight all 3 and then flees.
VI
Tung Cho burns the capital, takes all the gold and jewels of the city and flees south Changan based on an old saying that when east and west meet go south. Tsao Tsao follows in pursuit while the rest of the lords stay at the capital and decide to do nothing. He gets ambushed and barely escapes with his life. When he comes back there the lords disagree on many things and disperse. Sun Chien hides the emperor's seal and denies he has it and heads in a different direction.
VII
Kungsun Tsan is tricked by Yuan Shao to attack a city that supplies food. When Yuan Shao takes the city for himself and double crosses Kungsun Tsan they end up going to war. Kungsun Tsan is chased out and then rescued by a warrior named Chao Yun. When Kungsun and Yuan go to war later it is Chao Yun that turns the tide to Kungsun's favor. However, when they go to attack the second time they are not strong enough and begin to lose; the 3 brothers come to help after hearing the news from afar (Liu Pei was reigning over another city at this time). And then Chau Yun and Liu Pei become great friends.
Sun Chien goes to war with Liu Paio (who tried to kill him for taking the seal earlier). He practically beats him but his flagstaff is broken by the wind and a bad omen starts. Liu Paio sends for help to Yuan Shao and has a crafty plan to send 500 men to do so, Sun Chien follows in pursuit of the messenger and is ambushed by archers and killed. Sun Tse (Sun Chien's son) pleads for peace and his father's body after it is captured in exchange for a valuable prisoner.
VIII
Peace is brought forth amongst Sun Tse and Liu Paio (later is said that Sun Tse becomes a great leader). Story goes to Tung Cho and his tyrannical rule in the South. He kills and tortures anyone who opposes him and also does the same to anyone trying to defect to his side. Wang Yun, uses one of his servants who is very pretty to marry Lu Pu and turn him against his master and also turn Tung Cho and his son against each other; he gets her to swear it that she will do this for him and she swears it. Her name is Sable Cicada. She does exactly that and Wang Yun invites both (on separate occassions) to meet her and they are seduced by her beauty. Tung Cho brings her into his household and becomes mesmorized by her and Lu Pu becomes jealous. She states her love for Lu in a garden and Cho sees it after coming home one night. He becomes furious at him and chases him out of his home.
IX
XIII - Li Ts'iu - becomes minister of War (self proclaimed) along with Kuo Ssu. These 2 remember were the original soldiers of Tung Cho before he was killed.
- Yang Piao plots with the Emperor to rid of Li Tsiu in favor of Tsao Tsao.
- Chia Tsu was part of Li's party but also wanted to rescue the emperor.
- Yang Feng and Sang Kuo betray Li Ts'ui by convincing Kuo Ssu's wife that Li is not to be trusted. She convincies her husband about Li by poisoning his drinks and then he begins to hate Li. They end up fighting each other back and forth until they agree to peace. They are both in a weakened state so Chiang Chi threatens to destroy both of them unless there is peace. Chiang Chi defends Emperor and brings him back to Loyang with Li Yueh (who is a briggand and betrays later), Hu Tsai Tung Cheng and Yang Feng.
XIV - They rebuild Loyang. Li Yueh fights with Hsu Huang; Chang yang helps.
Tsao Tsao is invited from the Emperor from Yang Piao to take court.
- Li and Kuo allied and wanted to kill the emperor and rule; Emperor's army is very small at this point.
- Tsao Tsao comes to defend the emperor at the advice of his advisors as they say this is an opportune time.
- Chia Hsu recommends the 2 rebels make peace with Tsao Tsao and not fight but surrender. They don't listen and attack anyway - Li Tsiu nephews both die in war; both of their armies are defeated and they retreat to the forests
- Yang Feng / Han Hsien flee because they are afraid of Tsao Tsao ; they go to Yuan Shu (whom we see these 2 again later)
- Tung Chao - tells Tsao to move the capital to Tsutu in Honai
- Wang Li an astrologer agrees and the stars say that earth shall defeat fire or Wei will defeat Han. Tsutu is full of good earth so Tsao Tsao thinks its a sign.
- Tsu Huang comes to fight him and is a great warrior; Tsao Tsao likes him
- Man Chung persuades Tsu to join Tsao
Mau Chieh - becomes chief of military stores
Tung Chao - becomes magistrate of Loyang
Man Chung - becomes magistrate of Tsutu
Tsao tries to set Lu Pu and Liu Pei against each other (1st attempt) - sent letter to Liu Pei to not help Lu Pu if he attacks. Liu Pei can't betray Lu Pu so refuses.
2nd attempt - by imperial decree he sends Liu Pei to attack Yuan Shu; which he listens as he feels he must. Chang Fei is left to guard the city and swears not to become drunk and is left on guard with another to make sure. He throws a huge party and then becomes drunk and smites Lu Pu's father in law. Lu Pu hears of this then takes the city for himself and protects Liu Pei's family. Chang Fei tries to kill himself.
XV - Lu Pu tempted by Yuan Shu with gifts and then is happy about this; he agrees to betray Liu Pei but decides not to carry it out because Yuan Shu will not send gold in advance. Liu Pei and Lu Pu become friends again Liu Pei is demoted; his brothers angry with the situation.
- SUN TSE under Yuan Shu's rule becomes very successful. He becomes best friends with Chau Yu as they are the same age.
- Lu Fan - advises Sun Tse to make his own destiny like his father before him and request an army from Yuan Shu in exchange for the imperial seal that his father acquired. Yuan Shu agrees.
- Sun Tse creates a large army over time
- Chang Chao joins / Chang Hung joins
- attacks Chang Ying later joined by some others
T'aishuh Tzu tries to attack Sun Tze after seeing him on a ridge; he is a great warrior that goes 2 on 12. He works for Liu Yu.
- Sun Tse defeats Liu Yu.
- Sun Tse defeats White Tiger / Chao Hsin / Wang Leng
T'aishuh Tzu joins them.
Sun Tse demands his father's imperial seal back from Yuan Shu
XVI
Yuan Shu sends Chi Ling to attack Liu Pei with 10 legions. Sends gifts to Lu Pu not to aid Liu Pei.
- Liu Pei finds out Yuan Shu is going to attack him and asks help from Lu Pu.
- Lu Pu arranges all 3 of them to meet in his tent and then says if he can hit his halbard with an arrow at a very far distance then both sides must make peace. Both sides agree; he hits the mark and there is peace.
- Yuan Shu annoyed by this is advised to make an alliance with Lu Pu by marrying his only son to Lu Pu's only daughter. They agree.
- Lu Pu is later advised by an old man that he is being used
- Chang Fei steals 150 horses from Lu Pu; Lu Pu means to attack Liu Pei
- Liu Pei flees to the help of Tsao Tsao who helps him and makes him head of a different area
- Tsao Tsao steals Chiang Hsiu's wife; Then later Hsiu's men steal Hien Wei's double edged sword so he is not invincible; they then pillage the land and then Hien Wei dies and Tsao Tsao's son dies.
- a certain Yu Chin stays loyal to Tsao Tsao and defends the city without talking to Tsao Tsao; later he says defence is more important than reporting; he is rewarded.
XVII - Yuan Shu wants to become emperor now that he has the imperial seal; he self proclaims the stars are saying so too.
- Goes around in an emperor's carriage, etc.
- Chang Hsun - 20 legions under him
- Chi Ling - given several legions
- they are going to attack Lu Pu because of the failed marriage. Lu Pu is advised by Chen Teng to try and get Han Hsien and Yang Feng back to the loyalty of the Han Dynasty. They convince them to betray Chang Hsiu and they are driven back along with Chi Ling and Yuan Shu.
- Yuan Shu asks for Sun Tse's help but he refuses. Tsao Tsao asks Sun Tse to attack Yuan Shu but says he will only as a back up if Tsao Tsao attacks Yuan Shu first.
- Liu Pei takes the heads of Yang Feng and Han Hsien as they were causing chaos among the new cities they were in charge of.
- Liu Ts'iu and Kuo Ssu are finally slain by Tien Wei and Wu Hsi.
- Yuan Shu starves them out by moving the army and leaving them with no food. The aggressors have no choice but wait til spring to attack.
They hear of Chang Hsiu (whom Chia Hsu works for) and Liu Piao are ravaging the country so they had to deal with them.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Power Skating Drills
LESSON 1
- Warm ups - dynamic stretching - bend down, one foot glide with other foot dragging in one line, hands above, one skate each, flip stick on each side like a staff,
- hockey stance. legs shoulder width apart on flat of blades. hockey stick in front. legs bent, torso up
- Hop on two feet stationary
- Hop on two feet while going forward.
- Hop on one foot each side then switch at half way
- more power when legs are more bent. Use the entire blade. heel to toe (finish with the toe). then bring it back in underneath you (the toe almost dragging on the ice)
- Hockey stop practice. Go perpendicular to the long ice. Then power stride and slide with the other skate making snow. switch half way.
- 25% 50% 75% 100% at each corner. then do a full lap at 100% taking note that your strides should be heel to toe then almost drag the toe on the ice then bring it back up.
LESSON 2
- 25% 50% 75% 100% at each corner. then do a full lap at 100% taking note that your strides should be heel to toe then almost drag the toe on the ice then bring it back up. make sure hockey stick is going front back and not side side
- Hockey stops; find somewhere on the ice and practice 4 drills. The 2 foot stop - equal shaving of ice with both legs; 1 foot stop on outside leg, 1 foot stop on inside leg (you can do this 2 ways (i) outside foot and then stop as a T with inside foot in front of skate and then (ii) behind skate)
- Hockey stops diagonal across the entire ice
- Fall and then get up. Your weight should lean on the knee that is standing. The faster you get up the easier it is.
- One foot down on the ice at a time and keep switching looks like switching forward lunges - HARD
- One foot glide forwards (other leg tucked back perpendicular)
- Backward glide on one foot after getting speed. (did this in partners where one person grabs the others stick and skates forward the other goes backwards and then lifts one leg.
- Skate backwards in C cuts. Frog legs back wards and forwards. Then one sided c thrusts
- When doing fast turns most of weight is on inside leg and weight is over that leg and then the other leg goes around. Weight is on equal part of blade
- Warm ups - dynamic stretching - bend down, one foot glide with other foot dragging in one line, hands above, one skate each, flip stick on each side like a staff,
- hockey stance. legs shoulder width apart on flat of blades. hockey stick in front. legs bent, torso up
- Hop on two feet stationary
- Hop on two feet while going forward.
- Hop on one foot each side then switch at half way
- more power when legs are more bent. Use the entire blade. heel to toe (finish with the toe). then bring it back in underneath you (the toe almost dragging on the ice)
- Hockey stop practice. Go perpendicular to the long ice. Then power stride and slide with the other skate making snow. switch half way.
- 25% 50% 75% 100% at each corner. then do a full lap at 100% taking note that your strides should be heel to toe then almost drag the toe on the ice then bring it back up.
LESSON 2
- 25% 50% 75% 100% at each corner. then do a full lap at 100% taking note that your strides should be heel to toe then almost drag the toe on the ice then bring it back up. make sure hockey stick is going front back and not side side
- Hockey stops; find somewhere on the ice and practice 4 drills. The 2 foot stop - equal shaving of ice with both legs; 1 foot stop on outside leg, 1 foot stop on inside leg (you can do this 2 ways (i) outside foot and then stop as a T with inside foot in front of skate and then (ii) behind skate)
- Hockey stops diagonal across the entire ice
- Fall and then get up. Your weight should lean on the knee that is standing. The faster you get up the easier it is.
- One foot down on the ice at a time and keep switching looks like switching forward lunges - HARD
- One foot glide forwards (other leg tucked back perpendicular)
- Backward glide on one foot after getting speed. (did this in partners where one person grabs the others stick and skates forward the other goes backwards and then lifts one leg.
- Skate backwards in C cuts. Frog legs back wards and forwards. Then one sided c thrusts
- When doing fast turns most of weight is on inside leg and weight is over that leg and then the other leg goes around. Weight is on equal part of blade
Monday, January 10, 2011
Little Lougheed
Met Ali at 7 in the morning at Somerset. I was a little late due to a traffic jam on 6th street from the traffic coming off of 22X into Somerset station. Also had to get gas.
We initially drove passed the sparrowhawk rec area because we thought it was passed that sign but ended up backtracking when we realized we had passed it already. We were geared up and started the climb at 9:50 AM. We found a human trail from the highway and started on that. It was interesting to see the creek not frozen over at this time of year. there wasn't even a layer of ice over it at all. Curious how that had occured. The trail ended about 1/3 through treeline and then we started to break trail. Ali is faster than i am so he broke trail most of the way especially when we had our snow shoes on. We took a break for lunch around noon when we 75% way up treeline. And then made the summit at 1:20 pm. 2.5 hours essentially. We spent about 30 minutes at the summit. It was surprising that the weather at the summit was not windy at all especially when there were 60 kmh winds in calgary and -29 with wind chill. My thermometer read -10 C at the top and it felt like there was no wind at all. We also saw a full circle rainbow on the summit of sparrowhawk which was quite fascinating. Tried to take a picture but the sun was in the middle of the rainbow circle. After eating and photos, we pretty much descended the same way we came up. Ended back at the car at 3:30 pm. So a little less than 4 hours if we didn't include the break at the summit.
Great day and great weather especially after being frozen in the Ghost the 2 days prior!
We initially drove passed the sparrowhawk rec area because we thought it was passed that sign but ended up backtracking when we realized we had passed it already. We were geared up and started the climb at 9:50 AM. We found a human trail from the highway and started on that. It was interesting to see the creek not frozen over at this time of year. there wasn't even a layer of ice over it at all. Curious how that had occured. The trail ended about 1/3 through treeline and then we started to break trail. Ali is faster than i am so he broke trail most of the way especially when we had our snow shoes on. We took a break for lunch around noon when we 75% way up treeline. And then made the summit at 1:20 pm. 2.5 hours essentially. We spent about 30 minutes at the summit. It was surprising that the weather at the summit was not windy at all especially when there were 60 kmh winds in calgary and -29 with wind chill. My thermometer read -10 C at the top and it felt like there was no wind at all. We also saw a full circle rainbow on the summit of sparrowhawk which was quite fascinating. Tried to take a picture but the sun was in the middle of the rainbow circle. After eating and photos, we pretty much descended the same way we came up. Ended back at the car at 3:30 pm. So a little less than 4 hours if we didn't include the break at the summit.
Great day and great weather especially after being frozen in the Ghost the 2 days prior!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Mt. Collembola winter scramble
After we saw the forecast for wind speeds at the summits near King Creek ridge, we decided to change our objective to something closer to Calgary. The wind speeds were forecasted to be ~75 kmh in the afternoon near King Creek. I figured that would be risky to stay on a ridge for a few hours.
We arrived at the Nakiska North Parking lot 8:45 am and started hiking up the north side of Nakiska on what seemed to be a narrow groomed path for 3 to 4 km. We ran into a rarley used cross country ski path and decided to put our snow shoes on at this point since our feet started to sink. We followed this for another km and then once off the trail we started making our way north to gain the ridge of Collembolla by bushwacking through moderately covered trees and bushes. We needed to get on to the north side of one of the main drainages so we lost some elevation. Once on the other side it was elevation gain the entire way. We broke for lunch just at tree line and then stored our snow shoes under a well covered rock band. The snow shoes definitely help ascending in the grassy/icy terrain just below the first rock band when gaining the ridge. From there we ascended up snow covered scree which is always frustrating and difficult. This was by far the slowest part of the ascent. The wind speeds felt about 50 to 60 kmh at this point as we almost got knocked over a few times. The summit was snow covered so we were careful to take the route up where we could see rocks jutting out from under the snow. Also there was a large cairn with a summit register at the top. Rick Collier was the last to ascend this sometime in mid-November. The day was Jan 6th so quite a while before someone actually tried to ascend the mountain. We arrived at the summit around 2:45 pm. While trying to fidget with my camera my mitt got blown away and Christian thankfully went after it with great reaction time. Another few seconds and it would've been gone and i probably would've had a frostbitten hand as the winds were about 75 kmh at this point.
We stayed maybe 10 minutes at the summit taking pictures and then started to descend as the wind became stronger during the entire descent until tree line. The scree run down was definitely more of a friend than on the way up. When we got to the area where we saw our snow shoes we realized we had to cross some steep snow. It got pretty icy at this section even though it was only about 20 feet across. But if you slipped you would probably ascend a good 200 ft. So we kept digging our poles below our feet to keep it stable and gradually go across side ways. The consequences of slipping were completley safe it just meant you had to ascend on slippery terrain to reach the snowshoes again. So we both eventually ended up making it across. Once the snowshoes were packed we decided to glissade all the way down the icy snowy section. I could get a good grip with my ice axe on the way down so it seemed pretty safe. We saw a very very small avalanche beside us but there was barely any snow above us so we decided it would be safe as long as we stayed to the left of the very small avalanche (6 inches wide). We lost about 100 meters of elevation just glissading which was nice. Kept descending and the crossed the creek a few hundred meters below where we originally crossed it. We got a bit off track once we intersected and follwed a cross country ski trail and had to gain some elevation to get more south to the nicely groomed trail we ascended. Again a few hundred meters later we reached the trail and descned in the dark. since the ski hill was closed we descended on one of the groomed ski runs (by glissading down a blue run) and then got back to the car around 6:15 pm.
Great trip
We arrived at the Nakiska North Parking lot 8:45 am and started hiking up the north side of Nakiska on what seemed to be a narrow groomed path for 3 to 4 km. We ran into a rarley used cross country ski path and decided to put our snow shoes on at this point since our feet started to sink. We followed this for another km and then once off the trail we started making our way north to gain the ridge of Collembolla by bushwacking through moderately covered trees and bushes. We needed to get on to the north side of one of the main drainages so we lost some elevation. Once on the other side it was elevation gain the entire way. We broke for lunch just at tree line and then stored our snow shoes under a well covered rock band. The snow shoes definitely help ascending in the grassy/icy terrain just below the first rock band when gaining the ridge. From there we ascended up snow covered scree which is always frustrating and difficult. This was by far the slowest part of the ascent. The wind speeds felt about 50 to 60 kmh at this point as we almost got knocked over a few times. The summit was snow covered so we were careful to take the route up where we could see rocks jutting out from under the snow. Also there was a large cairn with a summit register at the top. Rick Collier was the last to ascend this sometime in mid-November. The day was Jan 6th so quite a while before someone actually tried to ascend the mountain. We arrived at the summit around 2:45 pm. While trying to fidget with my camera my mitt got blown away and Christian thankfully went after it with great reaction time. Another few seconds and it would've been gone and i probably would've had a frostbitten hand as the winds were about 75 kmh at this point.
We stayed maybe 10 minutes at the summit taking pictures and then started to descend as the wind became stronger during the entire descent until tree line. The scree run down was definitely more of a friend than on the way up. When we got to the area where we saw our snow shoes we realized we had to cross some steep snow. It got pretty icy at this section even though it was only about 20 feet across. But if you slipped you would probably ascend a good 200 ft. So we kept digging our poles below our feet to keep it stable and gradually go across side ways. The consequences of slipping were completley safe it just meant you had to ascend on slippery terrain to reach the snowshoes again. So we both eventually ended up making it across. Once the snowshoes were packed we decided to glissade all the way down the icy snowy section. I could get a good grip with my ice axe on the way down so it seemed pretty safe. We saw a very very small avalanche beside us but there was barely any snow above us so we decided it would be safe as long as we stayed to the left of the very small avalanche (6 inches wide). We lost about 100 meters of elevation just glissading which was nice. Kept descending and the crossed the creek a few hundred meters below where we originally crossed it. We got a bit off track once we intersected and follwed a cross country ski trail and had to gain some elevation to get more south to the nicely groomed trail we ascended. Again a few hundred meters later we reached the trail and descned in the dark. since the ski hill was closed we descended on one of the groomed ski runs (by glissading down a blue run) and then got back to the car around 6:15 pm.
Great trip
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)