Deep Travel & Way down upon the Suwannee River

I am preparing to paddle the Suwannee River!

On October 16, 2009 I posted a blog on my hike along the Suwannee River, Paddle Florida - Get Down on the Suwannee River, and Go with the Flow! A call followed from my friend Dundee saying he wanted to paddle the Suwannee. My response was, “If you organize it, I will go”. Well, March 22 through March 26, Dundee, John, Shaun (my son) and I are paddling 70 miles of the 266 miles of the Suwannee River.

We will do a five-day paddle on the Suwannee starting in Florida where the Suwannee flows under Rte 6. We intend to pull out five days later at Suwannee River State Park in Live Oak, FLA. We will camp 4 nights along the River.

Planning the Trip

For the past few months, under Dundee’s leadership, we Googled the "Suwannee River", read William A. Logan’s, Canoeing and Camping the 213 miles of The Beautiful Suwannee River, and watched Logan's DVD. My sister Barbara and husband Larry introduced me to the lore of the Suwannee River - and Barbara has provided contacts and maps from the Suwannee River Management District Department of Land Acquisition and Management. The White Springs water level is used to determine the water conditions. In my email correspondence with Edwin McCook, SRMD Land Management Specialist, he says, "I like to paddle the river between 50’ and 60’ at White Springs."

Last week Dundee and I went to Vermont to visit with his cousin Arthur. Arthur is a retired biologist who had responsibly in the Suwannee River area, and he readily shared sights of interest, warnings, and camping suggestions (i.e. firewood is plentiful, check the water level at White Springs before you start, "alligators will not bother you", etc).

Deep Travel

Interestingly, a response from my friend Doug to my Dreaming the Appalachian Trail blog post on January 29th suggested I look at David Leff’s web site http://www.davidkleff.com/. Indeed, I checked David’s web site, emailed him, and I now have an autographed copy of his book, Deep Travel: In Thoreau’s Wake on the Concord and Merrimack. So how does Deep Travel relate to my Suwannee paddle? Let me share a few paragraphs from David’s Deep Travel:

"At its simplest, deep travel is about heightened awareness. It is careful looking. It is paying attention to what is around you. Deep travel demands that we immerse ourselves fully in places and realize that they exist in time as well as space. A deep traveler knows the world is four-dimensional and can’t be experienced with eyes and ears only.


Deep travel is not so much a matter of seeing sights as it is sight seeking. It is a searching for the patterns and juxtapositions of culture and nature and delighting in the incongruities left by the inexorable passage of time. Deep travelers revel in the wild, inspiring call of a kingfisher as it flies over a couple of trolling anglers with Bud longnecks in one hand and rods in the other. They savor the sight of a tree shaded burial ground squeezed between big-box retailers on a traffic chocked commercial strip.


Deep travelers look not so much for scenery or enchanting objects as for a tapestry of comprehension woven from stone walls, retail establishments, street and topographical names, transportation networks, building styles, plant and animal assemblages, advertising signs, and other artifacts. Each element makes a statement about the landscape as a whole and the relationship of one part to another. Together, they tell a story. Deep travel is an ecological way of looking where everything we see has a function and all the parts are related, no matter how seemingly disparate or contradictory.


Like animals that remain intensely aware of their surroundings and any alteration to them because predation or starvation await the unwary, deep travelers work to be keenly conscious of their environs. They strive for the alertness and acuity of wildland firefighters or solders whose survival depends on their knowledge of topography, history, weather, vegetation, and the observance of changes in minute phenomena. Such mindfulness simultaneously enriches experience and makes the voyager worth of the journey."

I read David’s book, and in particular the above section, and realized the Suwannee was my chance to improve my deep traveler skills.  My friend Dundee is a deep traveler and he always “stops to smell the roses” and appreciate the moment of the forests, animals, flora and sky. Me, I need to remind myself to be a deep traveler, and as David says, “At its simplest, deep travel is about heightened awareness. …..A deep traveler knows the world is four-dimensional and can’t be experienced with eyes and ears only.”

I welcome your comments - certainly, there will be a follow-up post.  I never want to say, "I wish I had been a deep traveler on the Suwannee River."

Dreaming the Appalachian Trail

The Man - Brad Viles

I encourage you to read Brad Viles's book, Dreaming the Appalachian Trail. I write this blog in admiration for a man I have never met in person. We have corresponded via email, have chatted on the phone, and have exchanged books. Indeed, I have read many of his writings in the Bangor Daily News.

I was so enthralled with Dreaming … that I just had to have my wife Cathy listen as I read her two chapters of beautiful prose that reminded me of reading Robert Frost’s, “Two roads diverged in the woods, and I took the one less traveled by”. I pictured Brad reading to an intent group of outdoor enthusiasts by a campfire next to a river in Maine.

Snippets from Contents of Dreaming
Dreaming the Appalachian Trail is a fictional account of Brad’s Appalachian Trail (AT) hike from Georgia to Maine. Along the way he encounters violent storms, strange people, spectacular scenery and events that change his life. The trail itself is a major character in this story of imagination and wonder.

I absolutely loved Non-stop’s frog/tadpole metaphor. “A frog can’t explain to a tadpole what he will become when grown. The tadpole can’t understand about having legs, no tail and breathing air, even though a frog is exactly what the tadpole would become when it’s an adult. I could not express to anyone what it was like to walk over two thousand miles, so I was a frog, surrounded by tadpoles.” Gosh, I read that, and said, there is my answer when people ask me what it is like to paddle 100 miles on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

The Voice made me pause and feel Maine-tainer merge with the “AT”. I ask myself, hmm, so that is what it is like to have the AT talk to me.

Topo Man made my imagination go wild, and his appearance with Compass was unexpected and appropriate. I could see a person tattooed from head to foot with the map of the AT, and yet this person was always losing his way on the AT.

If you want a book to tell you directions and points of interest on the AT, as most AT books do, then this book is not for you. If you want to "feel" this man's connection to the AT, if you want to be absorbed and believe an AT hike, and if you want to read poetry, then buy Dreaming the Appalachian Trail.

I felt so moved after reading Dreaming the Appalachian Trail I posted a five-star(*****)review on Amazon.com

Purchase Dreaming the Appalachian Trail
To buy Dreaming... ($10.00 72 pages) go to Amazon.com

Brad writings include special outdoor enthusiast columns describing his personal exploits. You can read his outdoor pieces by Googling keywords, “Brad Viles Maine”.

Enthusiast passes on tips, stories, love of outdoors
In the January 16, 2010 issue of the Bangor Daily news, Brad wrote a book review of Outdoor Enthusiast titled, Enthusiast passes on tips, stories, love of outdoors. Click here to read it.

An Invitation to Hike Acadia National Park
Brad and I do plan on meeting in person. Brad has graciously invited me to join him in hiking his special trails in the Acadia National Park of Maine. In fact, as I shared Brad’s invitation with my own “characters’ in Outdoor Enthusiast, many have asked if they might join us. Maybe if Brad reads this blog he will smile like his AT trail name of “Maine-tainer”, and I can introduce him to three or four of my fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

My Maine Connection
In the process of interviewing me for his BDN article, I recalled my Maine adventures - after all this review is for "Mainers”. Gosh, I am really connected! Not only was my Dad from Maine, I have aunts and cousins throughout Maine, and we are doing a genealogy search to verify my great great grandmother was indeed a Penobscot Indian.

Moreover, Outdoor Enthusiast describes seven paddling treks in Maine including the Allagash, the Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race (with my TV dump at Six-mile Falls), Kennebunk Fireman Triathlon, Kennebec White Water Rafting, and the Androscoggin Trek to the Sea. My Maine club memberships are the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Maine Island Trail Association.

I trust my motivational presentation at the Naval Ship Yard Kittery encouraged sailors to enjoy Maine’s outdoor opportunities. Chapter Eleven of Outdoor Enthusiast has Places to Play in Northern New England - the Maine Way

Be sure to never say, “I wish I had spent $10.00 to read, Dreaming the Appalachian Trail

Let's Go Spinning!

“Do you want to go spinning?” my friend Dick asked. My first response was, “I do not do yarn”.

So what is spinning? For an outdoor enthusiast, spinning is a bicycle aerobic exercise that can either take place on a specially designed stationary bike-like device called (obviously enough) a spinning bike, or, you can put your own bicycle in a climbing block and stationary trainer, and pedal nowhere.

A perfect time for spinning is on a cold, windy, snowy night in the middle of a New Hampshire winter. What a great time to meet friends, get cardio exercise, learn the secrets of pedaling from experts, and adjust your bike’s hardware. I attend an evening one hour indoor cycling spinning class at Nault’s Cyclery in Manchester. (www.naultsbikeshop.com/)

First, let me stress this class is not for the novice bicyclist. The pace of the class is aimed at experienced bicyclists preparing for spring competition and long outdoor mileage. I use this class to be ready for my June triathlons (http://www.trinaults.com/).


The class is lead by Jack, a USAC Level III Coach (www.usacycling.org/). As we pedal with motivating beat music in the background, Jack talks us through a visualization of an outdoor cycling workout: "You're going up a long hill now, you can't see the top yet.…"

During the class you vary your pace -- sometimes pedaling at a high cadence, other times cranking up the gear level, and even pedaling from a standing position. We do routines that are designed to simulate terrain and situations similar to riding a bike outdoors. Some of the movements and positions include hill climbs, sprints and interval training.

Nault’s bike shop provides space for our twice weekly “bike ride”. The staff even helps with minor equipment adjustments, such as helping me when my cadence meter was not registering and assisting me when my handlebars needed a more efficient alignment. Without Nault’s continued support this class would not be possible.

Jack hardily encourages us to drink plenty of water. Indoor cycling is very energetic and causes a lot of sweating, and a person can easily get dehydrated. Spinning burns serious calories and offers an awesome aerobic workout that makes your heart pump fast. It also tones your quadriceps and outer thigh muscles. Because you stay in one place with the same basic movement throughout, spinning makes it easier to concentrate on your form than in an outdoor environment.

We follow Jack’s encouragement and instruction: “pedal with only your left leg for one minute, one minute slow pedaling both legs, and then pedal with the left leg for one minute.”

To get more information on spinning go to http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/diet-fitness/spinning-101.html and Indoor Cycling Tips and Training


What do I bring to the class?
• My bicycle and my bike shoes
• A water of bottle (I am definitely going to sweat.)
• Hat or sweat band
• Towel for wiping away sweat
• Power meters and heart rate monitors are encouraged
• Padded bicycle shorts

I now, never have to say, “I wish I had done winter spinning.”

Springer Mountain, Georgia - The Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail

Along with my sons Shaun and Tim, I visited Springer Mountain, Georgia, the southern end of the Appalachian Trail (AT). The Appalachian Trail Conservatory estimates the AT to be 2,175 miles, but yearly the figure changes with land ownership and route changes. I have no urge to hike all of the AT (at least at this time), but given I was spending a month in Georgia, and I have hiked a great deal of the trail in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, I could not resist hiking the Georgia finishing point of the AT to see the two rock-embedded plaques. Some folks believe the AT was an Indian trail. That assumption is not true. In 1922 Benton MacKaye, a forester from Massachusetts, had the vision of a continuous hiking trail from Georgia to Maine. A single AT was recognized in 1937 and is maintained by thirty-two non-profit organizations.

Less than twenty-five percent of through hikers - those who start from one end of the trail to the other - complete the entire trail. A thru-hiker can start at either of the trail's termini/starts - Mount Katahdin, Maine or Springer Mountain, Georgia.

The final mile of the AT passes through Forest Service Road (FSR) 42 near the top of Springer Mountain. From the small parking lot, you cross the FSR dirt road, and follow an AT wooden trail sign (with .9 miles engraved) and vertical white rectangular trail paint marks to its termination atop Springer Mountain. Visitors to the top of Springer Mountain can sign a logbook stored in a metal box encased in a rock holding one of the plaques.

Benton MacKaye Trail
As we returned to the parking lot, we encountered the Benton MacKaye Trail. This is a four and ½-mile spur off the AT that essentially brings you back to the Spring Mountain parking lot. In tribute to Benton MacKaye, we decided to take this trail to return to the parking lot.

Directions
It took many MapQuest searches, a few Google Earth reviews, and many Google Maps, before I found specific enough directions to Springer Mountain, the southern end of the AT. Click here see the Directions we took to reach the Springer Mountain parking lot from Kennesaw, GA. (note: There are other ways to get to the parking lot.) The Springer Mountain parking lot is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest nine-tenths (.9) miles from the top of Springer Mountain, where two rock-embedded plaques denote the southern end of the AT.

Ten point four miles of a Wildness Road
Our last ten plus miles to the Springer Mountain parking lot were on a one-lane rock infested and mud hole red dirt mountain road. Our bumpy ten mile per hour pace was jarring. We frequently had to pull off the road for on-coming cars. The road was literally cut into the side of the mountain with tall Georgia pines on each side. You surely need a four-wheel drive or SUV to use this route.

Resources for AT history, maps, planning and through-hiker experiences
A great resource to learn about the history of the AT, state by state trail maps, and how to plan the hike, can be located at www.appalachiantrail.org/
It takes the average AT hiker six months to finish the entire trail.

Never Say, “I wish I had…”
Shaun, Tim and I now, never have to say, “We wish we had been to the southern end of the AT.”

A Holiday Gift for the Outdoor Enthusiast

Give Outdoor Enthusiast: Never say, "I wish I had ..." as a special gift for the holidays. www.Amazon.com/

Give a Book for Your Holiday Gift

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Outdoor Enthusiast: Never say, “I wish I had…” provides outdoor places to go and things to do. Moreover, Steve’s stories and his “I wish I had…” truism, show individuals and families can, like the author, overcome self-made health, material, physical and mental barriers (e.g. “my knees are bad”, “ I do not have a bike”, “I am out of shape”, and “I am too tired”).

Throughout the book, the stories and “I wish I had…” demonstrate bonding and learning through outdoor exercise.

Steve’s stories and lessons make you want to put on your backpack, find your running shoes, borrow a canoe from the neighbor, tune-up the bike, and get ready for cross country skiing!

Chapters include: ‘How to be an Outdoor Enthusiast’, ‘A Guest in Nature’s Habitat’, ‘Running’, ‘Hiking’, ‘Team Relays’, ‘Triathlons’, ‘Marathons’, ‘Canoeing and kayaking’, ‘Eclectic Adventures’, ‘Places to Play in Northern New England’, and ‘Avoiding Injuries’.

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Do We Have Mountain Lions in New Hampshire?

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, NH is the place to go to see New Hampshire’s wild animals “up close and personal”.

The Sunday Union Leader announced a lecture at Squam Lakes on New Hampshire’s large wildcats. Certainly, a topic of interest to all outdoor enthusiasts.

My wife Cathy and I arrived two hours before the 1 pm lecture so we could hike the ¾ mile Gephart Exhibit Trail. The Trail features live native New Hampshire wildlife in natural settings.

Yes, I had seen many of the animals and birds previously in their native habitat, but it was always for a fleeting moment. Now, Cathy and I are in awe seeing this same wildlife in their natural settings, and in an area where we can take pictures at our leisure, and read all about their traits.

All the animals are in captivity, but in ecology close to their natural habitat and space needs. The animals were orphaned or injured before they came to the Center. Essentially, the Center is now their home.

So, are there mountain lions in New Hampshire? Hmm, maybe, maybe not?

Absolutely, plan a day at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center so you (adults and children) will never have to say, “I wish I had seen and learned more about wildlife of New Hampshire.”

ADVANCE NOTICE -A $pecial post next week will be a 28% discount for Outdoor Enthusiast: Never say, “I wish I had…” You can now give Outdoor Enthusiast as a special gift for the holidays. My book royalties are gone for this $pecial post so you can treat family and friends to a very personal gift. [Hint: use discount code SX7VP7Q9 at www.outdoorsteve.com/]

Paddle Florida - Get Down on the Suwannee River, and Go with the Flow!

Today, my sister Barb and her husband Larry, took my wife Cathy and I hiking at the Suwannee River State Park in Live Oak, Florida. Unexpectedly, we came upon a group known as Paddle Florida . Twenty kayakers were making a 123-mile eight-day trip from the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida to beautiful Manatee Springs State Park. We greeted them as they pulled ashore to prepare for a night of tenting.

We met Bill Richards, leader of the group. Bill enthusiastically answered my many questions about Paddler Florida. Moreover, Larry had just seen a huge fish jump in the middle of the river, and Bill identified the fish as the prehistoric Gulf Sturgeon.

Paddle Florida is held in cooperation with the Florida Park Service and the Suwannee River Water Management District. These two organizations have created the 171-mile Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. The Trail makes the Suwannee River accessible to paddlers, hikers, bikers, equestrian enthusiasts and other outdoor groups.

The Suwannee River trek sounds similar to the NH/ME Androscoggin River Trek to the Sea where participants can join the moving river celebration as a day trip, do a series of days, or paddle the entire 170 miles.

You can contact Bill Richards at bill@paddleflorida.org to learn more about the Suwannee paddle, as well as other great paddles of Paddle Florida.

Now, I never have to say, “I wish I had been to the Suwannee River, met a member of Paddle Florida, and learned about the ancient Gulf Sturgeon.”

Hmm, do you suppose a trek with Paddle Florida is in the future for Outdoor Steve?

My Son the Writer

Small Dogma Publishing has selected Shaun’s book, Decisions, as their showcase book of the month. You can order his book at http://www.amazon.com/Decisions-Shaun-Priest/dp/0981794238

A great Christmas gift for less than $14.

One reviewer of the book said: In Decisions, Shaun Priest gives the reader a look at the life of one illegal gambler in a way that brings home the reality of the world of bookies and their customers. Priest’s main character, Jack Fitzgerald, is a hotshot ex-jock and salesman for CM Solutions, a Boston-area company that specializes in selling software systems to hospitals. “Fitzy” is married, with a young son, plays basketball in an adult amateur league, and seems to have it all. But he has got a secret: he’s a compulsive gambler….At its heart, Decisions is a page-turner. It’s not a cerebral or contemplative tome, but it will keep you reading. This book would make a great movie.

Meeting a New Hampshire Good Samaritan

When you need help, a Good Samaritan appears.

My wife, Cathy, and I went to the Contoocook River to locate the kayak put-in and take-out for my Sunday triathlon, the Contoocook Carry (2 mile run, 5-mile kayak, and 14-mile bike). To scout together, we decided to use our Kevlar twenty-five pound twelve foot Lincoln canoe.

We came to a dead end road, and could not see the river, nor the put-in - yet the web site directions showed we were in the right spot. We spotted our Good Samaritan walking near a farmhouse, and yelled if he knew where Sunday’s paddle race put-in was. He said, we could park there and he pointed to a path toward the river. “Thank you.”

We paddled to the Contoocook Dam - three miles - and then turned around and paddled back upstream - the current was no problem and with both paddling hard, we returned to the put-in in one hour.

Hence our real memory of this trek started.

Cathy had a large hole in the middle of her cane seat. The first hour paddle was comfortable, rump wise, but as time progressed she had to continually reposition herself in the canoe to get the blood flowing.

We returned to the put-in, carried the canoe to the car and prepared to lift the canoe on to the carrack. It was then our Good Samaritan re-appeared.

The young man, looking to be in his mid-twenties and with dreadlock hair, who had kindly given us directions to park and get to the water, waved to us, and we yelled back our thanks for a great paddle. Mike, carrying his 1 ½ year blonde daughter, walked over and we introduced ourselves. He admired our canoe, and then pointed to the torn cane seat. We certainly had noticed the seat, and it had given us “pain”.

Mike commented, “I have a brand new caned seat in the barn, and you can have it.” I responded, “Certainly, thank you.” “Let’s measure the seat to see if it is the same, and if yes, I will cut and install it,” he said. He walked over to the barn, and returned with an identical seat!

Within ten minutes, he had the seat installed.

Who knew, here we were in a far-region of middle New Hampshire - near an old farm - and who should appear but Mike, our Good Samaritan, with an identical caned seat and the knowledge and tools to install it.

People helping people in New Hampshire. Thank you Mike for a personal experience of kindness we could never have foreseen. Now I never have to say, “I wish I had accepted the kindness of a total stranger”

2009 National Senior Games Association (NSGA) Triathlon is now complete

Wow! A year of training and anxiousness for the National Senior Games triathlon is now no more. On Sunday August 2, 2009 in San Francisco, I was the sole male representative for New Hampshire to do the Senior Games triathlon (1/4 mile ocean swim, 12-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run). I believe I did New Hampshire proud with a strong race in my age group.

Click NSGA triathlon results to see all results.

To qualify to compete in the 2009 Senior Games triathlon an athlete has to be over age fifty, and do two certified triathlons, or finish a State Senior Games triathlon in 2008. I finished second in my age group at the 2008 Maine Senior Games Kennebunk Fireman Triathlon.

Here are my 2009 Senior Games triathlon race highlights

• My wife Cathy was my support team and ardent fan.
• Coincidently, the Senior Games race director was Terri Davis, the same race director for the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, mentioned in my July 21 post. I introduced myself to Terri at the triathlon orientation session and encouraged him to visit this Outdoor Enthusiast blog.
• Elizabeth Bunce was the sole female triathlete from New Hampshire.

The Swim

The swim was in very salty 60 degree bay water of Port of Redwood City. I wore my shortie wet suit and was very comfortable.

• We did a deep-water swim start - meaning we jumped from a dock, and swam to a channel where a start rope waited for our wave. All my previous triathlons had started ankle deep in water, or from shore.


• My swim was comfortable with low waves and tasted very salty. Ugh. However, I had no effects of the few times I inadvertently swallowed the water.
  
• I lost about 30 seconds in the swim to bike transition as I had mistakenly locked my suit's pull string. I did a Houdini type move to remove my wet suit.

The Bike
Rather than pay $125 to fly my own triathlon bike to San Francisco, I decided to rent one in Menlo, CA for $50. Overall, this was a very good financial move. When I called to rent the bike two months earlier, I was assured by the sales clerk the shop could match my bike shoes - so I did not bother to bring my own pedals. This was a mistake. With not being able to pedal in my own bike shoes, I used the bike shop's toe straps and my running sneakers. I had not used toe straps for years, and I did not feel comfortable pedaling.

In addition to the pedal issues, the bike’s seat and handlebars were not perfectly aligned for me, and I could not efficiently pedal.

No excuses here, as my closest competitor was way ahead of my time, and even with proper shoes and bike fitting, I could not have made up this time spread.

The bike route was three laps around a circled industrial park plus a straight roadway. The whole route was flat and for the first two laps no wind. In the final lap there were strong headlong winds. Of course, the wind was the same for all competitors.

• During the bike component I saw three fellow bicyclists on the roadside with an ambulance by their side. One cyclist had hit a road divider, whereas the others I could not determine how they spilled.
  
• I did get frustrated a few times, as cyclists passed me on the left without saying “On your left”. “On your left” is a warning that you are being passed. Once I was ready to pull out to pass a competitor, and nearly hit a cyclist passing me. I reminded them with a yell, “Remember to say “On your left!!” when you pass.

The Run

• The 3.1-mile run was four laps around a flat quadrangle. Before the race, I thought this method might have been too confusing and have count problems, but as I made my laps, I found it nice to look forward to see my support team, Cathy.


• The age of each runner was on the left calf of each runner, so knowing the age of my fellow athlete got my competitive juices up whenever I passed or approached a runner in my age category. I dared not ask which lap they were completing.


• As I neared my final lap my thoughts turned to watching each stride to be sure I did not fall. I wanted to make sure the sole New Hampshire male finished the race!
  


• Unorthodox Training Schedule
  
  Two months before a triathlon I usually begin a mixture of a .8-mile weekly swim in Perkins Pond in Sunapee; two days per week of twenty mile bike rides immediately followed by one to two mile runs; and three to four five-mile weekly runs.
  
  My regular training regimen was not followed for this Senior Games tri. Due to other commitments, my training consisted mainly of hikes, white water canoeing, and distance paddling. These certainly are cardio-vascular workouts, but my concern was did I train the muscles needed for this tri.
  
  In case you crave more detail on my pre-race training
  
• I spent the third week in June in northern New Hampshire with three friends hiking the 4th Connecticut Lake, camping, and paddling five lakes in the Connecticut Lakes region. A week of zero running, biking and swimming.


• The 4th week in June in Standish, ME at Saint Joseph’s College teaching two classes six hours each day. I managed one five-mile run, and zero bike and swim.
  
• During the July 4th week I managed one swim on Perkins Pond and ran five miles twice. Zero biking.


• The 2nd week in July I spent eight days paddling lakes and white water in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (see July 31st post). A week of zero running, biking and swimming.
  
• 3rd week in July my grandkids joined us and we spent lots of time in canoes and kayaks. I did manage one swim on Perkins Pond and two five-mile runs. Zero bike.


• 4th week in July my two sons, grandson, nephew, brother-in-law, and two friends climbed Mount Washington (an exhaustive cardio workout!), and then spent two days canoeing Lake Umbagog and the Magalloway River. A week of zero running, biking and swimming.


• Four days before I left for California, I did one five-mile run, road my bike ten miles with my nephew, and mowed my lawn!


• Yes, I was concerned with my upcoming event.
  
  My Outcome in the National Senior Games Triathlon
  
  I felt strong the whole race, enjoyed it, and would not recommend my training schedule to anyone.
  
  I never have to say, “I wish I had done the National Senior Games Triathlon!"