The Last Full Week!

Reflections

1,000 mile mark ~ 500 this season 500 last season

Yes, as I sit here composing my words, on Easter Sunday, I can’t help thinking how short of a time we have here in Key West. My mind is racing of things we’ve done and things I wanted to do, but just couldn’t find a minute in the so called “Island Time” schedule. My biggest “to do” is to complete my bike odometer reading of 1000 miles. That’s actually 500 hundred bike miles here in Key West this season and 500 miles last season.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Happy Biker ~ 1000 miles in Key West

The last two days, I’ve been pushing hard on the bike. I’ve covered 50 plus miles in roughly four hours. I’m running out of time! The wind picked up late this afternoon. This is not the ideal biking weather. The wind did wonders to cool things down, but as for biking, well it would be great going in one direction, but not so in the other. If the wind is blowing at 20mph and I’m pedaling at 10mph that’s a 30 mph head wind.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Another early run on the bike. Started at 6:45am after breakfast. Goal for today another 50 miles which I completed by 9:15am. I can now see the finish line! The weather looks promising, at least in the wind forecast. By Friday, I should be up to and over my 1000 mile goal.
This workout is doing the trick, because after the 50 mile jaunt, I tackled some of the pre-packing chores without any lost of stamina. I took everything out of the truck, installed my homemade tondo cover, packed away the BBQ grill, stored a half dozen folding chairs, dismantled an old radio and many other little to do things on the check list. I was careful not to dehydrate and drank plenty of water. This afternoon, we went over to Truman Annex (Navy side) and walked the beach. The ocean water is getting perfectly warm to the touch! My kind of water to swim in. I collected more coral sample to bring home. Oh, on the way to the beach, Helen stopped in to Kino’s and finally got a red pair of sandals. She had gone there three times, but her size was always out. For those of you that don’t know about Kino’s, they make leather sandals right there in the store.

April 2, 2016

Air Show at Boca Chica NAS! Great air show, got interesting photos! On the down side, it was boiling hot! In the 90’s with a humidity to match. The skies were hazy white, not the best for a Blue Angle background. A crowd estimated at 36,000 endured the heat and watch the show. Besides the Blue Angles, several outstanding stunt planes performed unbelievable maneuvers in the sky above. My face got sunburned, even though I was wearing a large bream hat, but it was worth it.

Sunday April 3, 2016

Went to mass this morning and spent the rest of the day picking up odds and ends around the 5th wheel. Still recovering from sun exposure, but not in any discomfort. Went for a long walk in late afternoon around the permanent military housing area here at Trumbo Point. Watched videos on You Tube Sunday evening. Also watched our local, back home, TV stations on the internet. Time is really winding down.

Monday April 4th, 2016

Last Happy Hour at Thai Restaurant ~ Garrison Bight, KW

Programed our RV GPS for our trip home. This time I divided the trip into segments to better adjust more stops and options, in case we want to divert from our planned route. I’m still experimenting with the software.
We might be joining up with our camping friend Sally in Jacksonville and convoy North together for a ways up I-95. We might also divert to Columbia, SC to visit Helen’s aunt Simone and cousins Chris and Sandy. Ironically, we might visit with another KW camping friend, Joannah, who lives a mile and a quarter from Chris and Sandy. It’s not that we are not anxious to head home to New England, but as I type this blog update, the forecast for New Hampshire is 4 inches of predicted snow. No rush to get into shoveling!

Tuesday April 5th, 2016 (3:30am)

As I had planned a few days ago, we would be leaving mighty early and we did at 3:30am. The plan was to drive up through the Florida Keys before the invasion and exodus of hundreds of cars that come and go into and out of paradise everyday. I also wanted to make it all the way to Mayport Naval Station. Our friend, Sally, said she would be there and we could link up and possibly convoy home for part of the way.
The trip was 513 miles and took, give or take 12 hours. Upon arriving at the Naval Station, at Pelican Roost, we discovered that they were booked solid with no sites available. I asked what we could do and the office girl said that Walmart was available or we could drive out the main gate and take a left to the “Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park Campground” (City Park) next door. We did and were surprised at the 420 acre campground. Full hookups and needless to say happy campers tonight.
Sally, who was at her cousin’s home, 20 minutes away, drove over the next day and we got sites next to each other. That evening we ate at Singleton Seafood Shack down on the waterfront. The next morning, we headed out together for Fort McAllister State Park on the South side of Savannah, GA. The campground was well laid out with large, tall pine trees and live oaks trees. A large visitor center, with a historical museum was at the entrance to the Fort. This Fort was strategically placed along the Ogeechee River. From this location, the river bends back and forth three times in front of Ft McAllister. Its cannons could engage enemy ships three times before reaching Savannah.
The guided tour was long and a major drawback was the no-see-ams that attacked us tourist who were wearing shorts. We finally retreated to our campsites. After going to dinner and coming back to the campground, we all did some exploring down at the river, walked the many loops of the campground and finally hit the sack.

That is what we saw and did!

Band of Brothers & Sisters!

Biking our way to Fitness!

It just amazing to be here at a military campground and meet so many interesting people, all with different stories, but nearly all related to the military directly or indirectly through marriage. From enlisted ranks to officers, they all have a unique story. The common ground here is that we are all on the same playing field now that we are retired. Some, like Captain Troy, still have a direct active roll in the military. He is the Captain of a support ship (US Navy) here in Key West. He his not in the Navy at present, but under contract until July as the ship’s Captain. His ship goes out in the Gulf and does support work with Navy Seals. Can’t say what they do because I don’t know, but I think submarines are involved! Another guy is an instructor at the US Army Underwater Diving and Survival School, right next door on Fleming Key. Those are some of the active stories that I know of. I am curious to hear what Janet (One of the two camp host) story is. I’m told she was a Gunny Sergeant in the Marine Corps. It just fascinates me to meet these people and listen to their stories and of their careers.
John, a former helicopter pilot, flew Hueys in Vietnam. Dustoff (Medical evacuation helo.) Ironically he was stationed in place Fubuy, Vietnam (SP) in 1969. A buddy of mine, Dick, was wounded in Fubuy (SP) and could have been airlifted out, maybe by John?
Sally was a Navy (Operating Room) nurse and served in the Middle East. What great people we have met here in Key West! Their stories and accomplishments are of the unsung heroes of our great Nation!

Fitness

Needless to say, I have been lagging behind my expected exercise. Mainly, the cause is the unfavorable weather conditions. Wind and rain were the culprits. Nearly a month has expired with the weather not being in our favor. This morning was sunny, but cold. I showered early at the campground restroom and headed back to the camper. Helen followed a little after. I made a decision to up the ante a little with the bike portion of our exercise routing.
Instead of going around the island and having to stop for traffic lights, pedestrians and stop signs in our ten mile loop, we would instead cross the bridge over to Fleming Key and exercise with the Special Forces! Well, not exactly with them, but exercise on the same road that they jog on in the early morning. From the bridge, at the campground, to the gated compound on the far end of Fleming Key is a mere two miles. Going to and from four miles, times three would give us 12 nonstop hard pumping miles! Helen did the first round, but the incredible wind encountered put the muscles to the test.
Since I’ve started this routine I now feel I’m getting my duly needed exercise and finally starting to notice a little weight lost.
A little insight into Fleming Key route. Starting on the bridge that sits high above the channel that lets many charter fishing boats out into the Gulf, one can get a view of dozens of sail boats anchored just off shore. This view is on both sides of the bridge. Descending on the Fleming Key, the road takes a right and sharp left following the ocean. On the left, stands a barbed wire fence with an old ammunition dump with its bunkers separated by hundreds of feet between bunkers. Further down, the ammo dump appears to be still active. The road is paved and straight for the next mile and a half.

SGM Jerry Patton

About a mile down the road, sitting on top of an old telephone pole, lies a very large bird nest. It is a Hawk, who owns the nest and she is feeding her young. To the right, is a Navy materials testing laboratory. From this point forward, the trees narrow to the road for about a quarter mile. The next field of vision is the beginning of the United States Army Special Forces Underwater Training School. The road does an “S” curve and here on the straight-away is the memorial to a great soldier. SGM Jerry Patton! As I pedal by, I hand him a salute and say, “ Good morning Jerry”. My only wish was to have met him in person. Take a minute and read his memorial on the accompanying photo.
The locked gate is just ahead…the turn around point for me. The return ride is another two miles back to the starting point. On the return run, I often get to see six Hawks soaring thirty feet above me. If I wear a black hoody with the hood on, the Hawks will check me out a little closer. They will soar within 25 feet, with their heads definitely looking down on me. They give out a distinct chirp and move on, “no food here” is what they are saying to the others.

That is what we saw and did!

Our First Month…Snow to Sun!!

Yes, this week will mark our one month departure from zero degree weather to more favorable temperature down in the Keys of Florida. I can’t believe how fast the month has flown by! Our schedule seems to be busier than ever. That’s a good thing. I’m trying to get back on my routine of biking around the ten mile perimeter of Key West every other day.

Sunset on our evening bike ride

This morning, we did our ten miles and tonight we went to town on the bikes again, this time to buy batteries for my bike’s head and tail lights. It is incredibly wonderful to bike in the evening. We find many new little streets to explore. We are doing this relatively early evening, just after sun down. The breeze is light and the temperature is near perfect for the ride. Key West is a unique town with many small blocks of residential housing. Many of the streets are nearly passable by only one car at a time. This is where we enjoy riding and seeing what the different residences have for landscaping. All have trees of different species, that I would never be able to identify.

Another stop for an evening photo

The real-estate is tight, as there isn’t enough for all of the people on the island. This naturally brings the cost up to unbelievable amounts. This exploration is what we enjoy immensely in riding our bikes on the byways of Key West. 
Another thing we enjoy is finding nighttime locations to photograph. Key West is well lit and many of the mansions have landscape lighting that accentuates the mansions and especially the landscaping. I experiment with different camera settings to try and get the image I'm looking for. My Nikon D-7000 is capable of taking photos in nearly total darkness. I can make

Many of the street are perfect for an evening stroll

a totally dark scene turnout just about into broad daylight. So the trick is to try and reproduce the scene as my eye sees it, dark, with evening lighting accenting the mansions and landscape.
Now, a recent comment on Facebook about the lack of trees here at the Coast Guard RV campground has me thinking of all of the majestic trees we’ve seen here in Key West. I’m going to have a new tree photo each week on Facebook. Some of these trees are Nationally recognized. We’ve seen giant red wood trees that are 15 feet across at the base, but there are trees here that are 30 feet across. The difference is that the trees in California are hundred or so high, where here they are maybe seventy-five high.

Truman Annex next to the Truman White House

The first week of February was marked by steady wind and a few rain showers. This interfered with our Bocce schedule. You can’t play Bocce if the sand is damp. The sand sticks to the balls and it just doesn’t work! That meant that we tried something different. We volunteered at St Mary Star of the Sea soup kitchen. Yup, my first job was to make peanut butter/jelly sandwiches. I used 12 sandwich breads and one large bowl of peanut butter and plenty of jelly. The sandwiches are not part of the one four o’clock meal they serve. The sandwiches are for the next day’s breakfast. We actually worked from 11am to 12:30pm.

Our neighbors Jerry & Maxine are leaving
Key West for their home in Georgia

We left and did some shopping for our selves after that. We volunteered to come back at 3:30pm to help serve the four o’clock meal. I sort of had a pre-conceived notion that they were all homeless, drunks or on drugs, but this was not the case. A lot of people just run out of money each month. Nearly all were so thankful for the meal. We are going back later this afternoon to help serve another 4pm meal. Ninety three meals were served to these people in need.

And finally a photo of the full moon taken a few nights ago from our campsite at Trumbo point

I am ending this blog for today Sunday Feb. 8, 2015

That is what we did and saw!

Technorati Tags: Baby Boomers,Nature,Retired Military,Travel Adventure,Truck Camping,Health Workout,Culture

Key West…Blog Writing

Last year, it seemed that I had more time to blog about my travel adventures than this year. Some of this lag is due to a couple of reasons. The first is my new IPhone 6 picture uploads to the laptop. Data usage is one issue. I’ve been doing “Drop Box”, but that involves going online and to the cloud. The next inconvenience is that my laptop, I think, is on the way out. The top of the screen has a 1” black strip across the entire top. That makes it difficult to “X out” or minimize an application. I also have a more busy schedule this year. Bocce, Yoga and some Pickle Ball have taken up a good part of the week’s schedule. Meeting with friends for lunch or dinner also has cut into my blog time. All of the above are fun activities to do and so is blogging about our daily routine in the lower Keys.

Our private security Coast Guard Cutters in the background

Thursday, Jan 22nd                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Started late morning and biked over to have lunch at Martins on the corner block of Duval and Truman Ave. Martins’ is one of many restaurants that do half price appetizers if you mention that you are local. Now, the appetizers are large and getting a couple will more than satisfy

Paulette buying cigars for her son!

both of our combined lunch appetites. From the restaurant, we biked over to Truman Annex NAS (Naval Air Station) checked out what was playing for a movie, nothing we wanted to see and we peddled back over to Trumbo Point and visited with my classmate, Paulette Lowry and her sister Jeanette Morneau. Late in the afternoon, the four of us walked over to Mallory Square.

Sunset amusement at
Mallory Square 

The sunset didn’t materialize and actually we had a good shower. To escape the rain shower, we ran into “2 Friends Patio Restaurant” for Lobster Bisque. The rain soon ended and we walked back to our campsite at Trumbo Point.
Friday, Jan 23rd
This morning our bikes were on the road to the Bocce courts on the Atlantic end of White St. Some of the teams were milling around when we got there. George, in his 80’s, the guru of the Bocce here in Key West, said that the courts were too damp from last night’s rain showers. They postponed the game until Sunday night. Paul mentioned that we should visit the West Martello Tower Gardens. This is an old Fort that had been abandoned and had nearly been totally looted by locals for bricks. The site was taken over and converted to a partial museum and gardens. Admission is by donation. We strolled among the Fort’s many arched rooms and admired plants of every descriptions.

Rain Shower hideaway at
Two Friends Restaurant

My favorites were the Orchids growing high on the tree limbs. This garden has little nooks that some families were having a lunch picnic. The views from there are of the gardens and the ocean.This is in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings.
It was now a little past lunch and my tummy was calling. I wanted to checkout a bike shop downtown and hence would have lunch at “Five Guys”. The  “Little Burger with the works” is my favorite! It seems that I write a lot about eating in this blog, but we may eat, but we walk and bike off the pounds. So far, I’m five pounds lighter than I was before leaving the North Country.

No I'm not going to jail! Just a famous photo
opportunity!

My odometer has registered forty miles of bike riding and I haven’t really devoted any time to my power bike around the Island of Key West.
Saturday, Jan 24th 
This was a predicted day of sporadic rain. We spent most of the day reading in the camper. I’ve been reading Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Patton” a very interesting view of World War II behind the scenes. Later in the afternoon, I got a text message from Paulette who invited us to dinner in her luxurious motor home. We accepted!

Jeanette, Paulette, Helen and I walking
down on Truman Annex...Truman
White House

It was an enjoyable evening and dinner was first class. Paulette was in the army when she met her husband Richard. Richard made a career in the army and they both retired from postal service. He passed away and Paulette has carried on touring with her motor home when not home in New Hampshire.
Sunday, Jan 25th
This morning, I shuttled Helen, Paulette and her sister Jeanette over to church. St Mary Star of the Sea is a beautiful Basilica, as I have mentioned before in previous blogs. After mass, we took advantage of the coffee and donuts at the church Community Center. The next on the schedule was to drop Paulette and Jeanette  off at the corner of Eaton and Whitehead Streets for their walk

One never knows what you'll
see driving in KW

around the Arts and Craft Fair event. We would check this street event later this afternoon. We wanted to Skype the kids from the “Fly Navy” hotel. Lunch in the camper today and off on our bikes for the Arts and Craft Show. I’m always impressed with the quality of the Artisans crafts. The Artisans come from all over the country to this event. They have to be good to compete with others to sell their crafts. I took a few pictures to remember some of the items I’d like to try and duplicate when I get back home. Actually, who am I kidding! I usually get home and never think of doing those neat crafts.
Monday, Jan 26th

Bocce is the name of the game this morning. The camper is off the truck

The Meteor from George Town, S. Africa
is for sail $258 million asking price!
Any takers out there?

and we had to do grocery shopping and errands so the truck was our transportation to the Bocce courts on the other side of the Island. We each won a game and lost a game on different teams. Maybe, we will be good enough to eventually ask some local village Bocce players in Italy for a round or two (ha, ha!). After the game, we headed over to the Fly Navy Gateway Inn to upload, download photos into Dropbox  and publish a couple of blogs I had in the draft mode in “Live Writer”. I’m glad to report that I’m slowly improving in that department.

Tuesday, Jan 27th
The Yoga class this morning was skipped because our friends from Congress, AZ were here at the Fly Navy Gateway Inn.

My favorite biking partner!

Rex and Jodi, our neighbors picked up Dan & Jan Yochum and we followed them to Big Pines Key for lunch. This is about 30 miles north of KW. In Big Pines, they took a left and we followed them to “No Name Key” which is the location of the “No Name Bar”! Confusing isn’t it? This bar has good food and even on a Tuesday noon was packed! The walls, ceiling and just about everything else has dollar bills stapled to them. It is a neat place and we had a good time conversing for a good part of the afternoon. Two

Hockey in KW

Harley bikers from Trumbo joined us. It wasn’t too long before Ron told the waitress that his buddy John wanted to marry her. We all had a good laugh on that one. The party broke up mid afternoon and Rex told us to go across the bridge and checkout the deer on the other end of No Name Key. The deer are a species that only are found on this Key. The deer are small and as we approached their habitat, many signs said “Absolutely no feeding the deer”. Several deer were on and next to the deserted highway. We stopped and to our surprise they didn’t scatter. Helen held out her hand and the deer was soon were

Yes, It's on inline roller skates, Dede

licking her hand. I guess people don’t follow the regulations and must hand feed them.
Returning to Key West, I got a call from Paulette and Jeanette who were at the “Margaretville Bar” wanted us to join them at Mallory Square for the 6:08pm sunset. We left Trumbo Point and walked to the square just in time to catch the sunset. I got a few good photos.

That is what we did and saw!

Technorati Tags: Blog Writing,BabyBoomers,Retired Military,Travel Adventure,Truck Camping

 

Jan 18th to Jan 21st …Key West Life Style

On Sunday, the 18th, we headed over to the Navy Club House to watch one of many football games. Biking across town, we noticed that the street lights were off and Key West had lost power. When we reached the club house over at Truman Annex, the power returned, but all of the satellite feeds needed to be rebooted. This didn’t happen and many football fans were not happy. It’s sort of fun to watch all of the people pick teams. Remember, they are from all over the country and support many teams. The staff put on a movie, but the sport fans were loud and streaming football games on their cell phones. As it turned out, we couldn’t listen to the movie, which looked interesting. We called it a day and headed back to Trumbo and did some reading.
Jan 19th, Monday
Today we would be active as we both played Boccie for the first time! Leaving the campground at Trumbo Point, we biked about a mile to the Boccie courts.

Before the Boccie Start 

We were well greeted and introduced to the game. You pick a card and suit which puts you on a different team for every game. They do the score keeping and the rest is a very easy game. It turned out that we both did very well for the first time playing this sport.
Later in the afternoon, we toured our neighbors, Jim and Betty’s, fifth wheel trailer. Pretty roomy compared to the truck camper! This maybe putting a bug in our ear about upgrading. Still thinking about our travels abroad next fall.

Helen's first Boccie pitch!

Maybe, staying in Europe for a extended stay…who knows what the future adventures will bring to this energetic couple.
Jan 20th, Tuesday
Another first for me. Yup!  Yoga Class! So we walk-in and there are maybe ten guys and thirty women sitting on mats. I want to be in the rear so I can watch and copy the different moves. The instructor, a young girl, perfectly shaped body, wearing these tights with colored designs that make her look like she was tattooed. She got my attention when she started the class. I discovered that it is hard to follow just by listening to her. I had to watch the girl next to me to get the moves somewhat correct. After getting into the relaxed frame of mind, I started to stretch muscles that hadn’t been stretch for thirty years. After an hour of the Yoga class, my body actually felt in better shape. This may help my five bulging disk to get back into position.   

Peaceful Boccie Night in Key West!

Jan 21st, Wednesday
On this day, I conference called one of my last four Berlin Water Works Board Meetings. My term ends in April and I will not seek another term. It’s time to retire! It was sort of neat to have me in Key West, FL, Roland, the newly retired Superintendent in Homosassa, FL and the rest of the board back in Berlin, NH all conducting business so many miles apart.
On this day, Paulette Lowry, a former 1963 classmate contacted us. She was getting ready to check-in here at the military campground in Key West. I conveyed as much information to her and her sister as how to access the base and such. Later in the afternoon, we met up with them up at Sigsbee Naval Air Station. Let me say this about RV’s here in Key West. Because of cold weather across the entire US and the fact that gas prices have lowered this place is packed! They never refuse anybody, but they’ve temporarily been parking RV’s on the street for no charge.
We took Paulette and Jeanette on a walking tour of Key West, down by Mallory Square for the evening. We had dinner at the Commodore Dock Side Restaurant. The neat thing about a lot of restaurants is the half price appetizers between 4 and 7pm. It was an enjoyable evening for all of us. We walked back to Trumbo Point and I gave the girls a ride back to their luxurious motor home. 

That is what we saw and did!

Technorati Tags: Truck Camping,Baby Boomers,Retired Military,Travel Adventure

  

Marathon Day!…2:30AM to 8PM…It was worth the time!

 

March 23, 2014

On Sunday, the main road coming into White Sands Missile Range is closed at 5am. This is because the marathon course crosses the paved roadway at the underpass on route US70. Jerry could only get accommodations in Las Cruces and had to enter the base before the road closed. Well, normally that wouldn’t be a big deal, but remember, this marathon has 6,200 participants and the bulk of them were driving in the day of the event. I told Jerry and Cathy to knock on our camper door so they could warm up. They were on base at 2:30am, but the spot that I had reserved, in front of our truck, was taken by someone else. I was also up at 2:30am figuring they would come in anytime. What I didn’t realize was that the parked car in front of our truck wasn’t theirs. I called him and he was parked over towards the start line. We connected around 5am.

Now, for the unbelievable Bataan Death March Marathon... I’ve seen many events in my life, but this was certainly one that will be remembered for a long time. Here in front of my eyes, were 6,200 participants mostly made up of: Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Coastguard and even Marines, all of which were volunteers to participate in this remembrance of all the Bataan Memorial Death March  that occurred in 1942.

Jerry was psyched and ready! I still can’t imagine a guy, who never has run a marathon (26.5 miles) with a rucksack weighing 45 lbs. and walk over terrain that is several miles up hill, in desert conditions, from sand to rocky trails, to pavement. What a guy!

After the opening ceremony, the participants were released in different stages. The wounded warriors were first, followed by the heavy (rucksack) military and so on. Each walker/runner had a digital chip tied to their footware to record start, intermediate and finish times. We all cheered Jerry on his quest to complete the marathon. Some professional marathoners would complete the course in unbelievable time, of course with no rucksack. We left and drove to the first and only water station that would allow us to watch Jerry come by and encourage him. Jerry came by and a volunteer gave him a cup of water. Cathy also held a cup and I took a picture. I titled it “The Toast”.

It was some time after 8am when he passed the first water station with another 24 miles ahead of him. Helen, Cathy and myself went back to the truck camper for a rest and contemplation on what Jerry would now be facing. He had figured between 8 to 9 hours. He planned on stopping often to change socks to prevent chaffing on his feet. I took a nap and the ladies went for a walk and soon we were at the finish line. Some of the professionals were already crossing the finish line, but remember with no min 36lbs rucksack. After lunch, the young ROTC teams started to come in. The early afternoon saw more and more cross the finish line. The medical personnel were busy in their very well equipped field hospitals. They were set up to handle hundreds of casualties mostly from foot problems.

Around 4:30pm, Jerry came into sight of the finish line. I couldn’t believe this guy! WOW, I was fortunate to catch him (on camera)crossing the finish line with his left foot stepping on the electronic mat with a time of 9:9.21. I also was able to record them weighing his rucksack with a weight of 45lbs. He met the standards and most of all, did the run/walk in remembrance of the guys who did and didn’t make it back from the Philippines in WWII.

Jerry’s feet were like hamburg. He said he started to have trouble at the 12 mile mark. The medics took him into the first aid station and lanced his blisters. He was tired, but OK!

One has to think that the story doesn’t end with Jerry. Remember the 88 year young, who has run 323 previous marathons (from a previous blog). Well, he came in close to 8pm. What endurance! Burt is an inspiration to all of us! Untold numbers also had a very long day and must also be congratulated for their perseverance.

We are on the road again as I write this blog. I may visit this Bataan Death Memorial March Marathon again as my mind reflects on everything that we have experienced in five days at White Sands Missile Range.

That is what we did and saw! 

White Sands MR…Bataan Death March Marathon!

 

March 20, 2014

The Advance Party AKA Jerry’s Support Team has arrived! We were one of the first arrivals at the start/finish line and also the campground area. All of the hookup sites were reserved, but a large area was set aside for dry camping. Just up our alley! Restroom and shower facility just a hundred feet away.

One of the first RV camper arrivals parked just around the corner from us. It was a fellow named Duane with the nickname of “Poncho”. He had run the marathon at least three times, that I can remember him saying. He was very knowledgeable in telling us all kinds of marathon info. Poncho is also an excellent story teller and did so many times in the course of the day. He was a former Ranger and ironically served in Vietnam in my neck of the woods, or should I say rice paddy. We both enjoyed talking to him throughout the day.

Poncho had mentioned that one of his buddies would be coming later in the afternoon and he usually set up his tent right next to us. Burt was his name. Now, here is what is unusual about Burt. He is 88 years old, has run in 322 marathons of which 9 were international. Poncho said, “He only started running marathons when he was 57 years old”. Burt showed up a little later and we found him to be a wonderful character. Burt had come down from Minnesota about a week ago. He has been spending time here in the New Mexico deserts looking for rocks for his collection. He showed us two large bags of his quartz gems. He had some beauties and even gave us the choice of selecting and keeping one apiece.

Jerry and Cathy were still a few miles away at their hotel in Las Cruces. We decided to head over to the commissary for groceries. After the grocery detail, I said to Helen, “I’m going over to the base exchange and see if I can get a haircut”. Helen, stayed back to put the groceries away. I walked to the back side of the BX and spotted the barber shop. I walked up and looked inside. Who was sitting getting a haircut? Nobody, but Command Sergeant Major Jerry himself. Wow, what a surprise! Cathy was parked on the other side of the building and soon we were all reunited. We spent the day back at the campground talking to many people about the marathon course and its difficulties.

There are several classifications that walk or run the course. From individuals to teams. Everybody agreed that the most difficult class was the military heavy class. Some of requirements in the heavy military class…are to have a regulation uniform, carry a 35 pound rucksack for the entire 26.5 mile course. It is to be weighed at the end of the course. I put the rucksack on and let me tell you, you’ve got to be insane to think that you could carry this weight on your back for 26.5 miles! What class do you think Jerry will be competing in? Yup, the military heavy class! Go Jerry! Another important thing to remember is that the elevation here is 4,339 feet above sea level. Back home in Berlin, NH, the elevation is  980 or so feet above sea level. The air is thinner up here and breathing is more difficult. I can’t see how Jerry will survive. He has been training back in New Hampshire, but everybody knows it’s been snowing and the temperature has been below zero making it difficult to train effectively. We will do everything to support Jerry in his goal of completing the marathon.

That is what we saw and did!

 

Key West…The Aromas of the Keys!

 

March 2, 2014

One of the spinoffs of riding my bike around Key West is the “Aromas”. Yes, there is more than to the old saying “Slow down and smell the roses”. When riding my bike around the circle tour of the island, especially, if the wind is calm, I can smell a lot of different things. The first that I noticed was the different ladies pedaling on their bikes in the opposite direction. Most were going to work. The perfume really sensitized my nose. “What a pleasant scent from that lady. Oh, that one has suntan lotion”. These aromas were present all around my ten mile ride. This wasn’t the only aromas or smells encountered. The Burger King hamburgers were sizzling on the grill. (keep pedaling…nothing good for my body here) The smells coming from ocean next to North Roosevelt Blvd were picked up next. Not all smells were sweet and pleasant. Going by a Waste Management dumpster kept me focused on moving forward on my power ride. Soon, I was approaching the larger hotels. Here the sweet smell of flowers filled the air. On South Roosevelt Blvd, Smather’s beach was filling up with more sun bathers. Here suntan lotion rules in the aroma department. Great place to take a break and watch the creatures laying on the beach. Enough of a break, time to move on.

Approaching the downtown area, the aromas intertwine…some good and some not so good. Once in a while, a whiff of urine from a street person floats by. More restaurants and different cuisines produce appetizing wonders. The mopeds, buses, cars and trucks now billow their toxic aromas. I’m on the home stretch and back along the water front on lower Caroline street. The Coast Guard guard shack is now in site. Very little left to smell. Everything on the Coast Guard side is free from any smells at least at this moment in time.

Today marks a milestone for me here in Key West. My odometer, on the bike, has passed the one hundred mile mark! I am eleven pounds lighter than I was when we first got here! I am hoping to shed another 10 or so pounds before we head out to Utah in nine days. I don’t expect to be riding as much, if any, once we start moving again.  

That is what we saw and did!

Key West…The Exercise Routine

February 24, 2014
As you probably know from previous blogs, that we’ve been using our bikes as primary means of transportation. This is a healthy means by itself, but not necessarily a way to loose weight. Helen has started going to exercise classes three times a week. I have decided to use this time to power ride by bike around the Island. It is a ten mile circle and relatively flat terrain. My goal is to pedal in both high gears to get the best workout possible. The first two to three miles are in downtown Key West which means traffic, traffic lights and a lot of stop and go on the bike. The itinerary goes something like this: from the campground heading towards the man gate at the dock, taking a right onto Caroline St, all the way to Whitehead St. (more traffic lights and four-way stop signs), left on United St. now the going is getting better. All of the tourist traffic is behind me. The blocks are longer and I come to a rolling stop and look both ways. Next is a right on White St. toward Atlantic Blvd. Here begins the bike lane that runs the rest of the way around the Island. Now, I’m warmed up and pedaling hard. A guy about half my age, about the same weight and riding a mountain bike goes by me and is moving. I’m thinking of by old buddy Jerry D. and his story of leaving way after his troupes started their morning run. Jerry takes off and soon passes all those young guys. Back to me on the bike. The younger guy is now about a hundred feet ahead of me. I started to crank it on until I’m directly in back of him. He has no rear view mirror, but occasionally tilts his head left and right for a glimpse of me. He knows I’m there, but can’t figure out who or what I’m doing. A mile goes by, we are now on the very wide bike path along Atlantic Blvd. Finally he stops! I whiz by him and never look back. Two more miles down the road I come to a park bench and a stop for me and a well deserved drink of water. I just had my first real workout with the bike. Two minutes later, here comes the same guy. He’s booking at top speed, I get on my bike and start pedaling. He is continually pulling away. I stopped trying after he was 500 plus feet ahead. Hey give me a break, he’s about 30 years old and I’ll be 69 years old in a month and a half. I still feel good about my first hard workout.
On the back side of the Island, I stopped at the Home Depot for (cold water) a restroom break and especially an A/C break in the store. I walked the isles in order not to have leg cramps. It certainly is a nice place to walk and checkout what is new in the store. I am now only two miles from the campground. The new bike lane is 10 to 12 feet wide. I feel good and pour on the power. Stopping at the gate to show my ID and back to the camper. Total mileage on the odometer is 10.64 miles.

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Helen caught my cold and today February 26, we did the round island circle, but at a slower pace (because of her cold). We actually reversed the course and went the other way. We stopped at many places and enjoyed the ocean views, especially watching fish just swimming by and doing their thing. This afternoon it was very hot and humid. Time to sit under the canopy and hydrate.
That is what I did and saw!