I'm embarrassed....but honored. Please vote for the WOWSA Open Water Swimming Awards.

Greetings,

I learned recently that I was nominated for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.  Check out the list here.  The reason for my post is to get you all to vote.  Vote for who you think is most deserving but vote nonetheless.  Why?  Open water swimming needs your support and everyone's support.  We open water enthusiasts get nary a mention in any of the swimming news.  SwimSwam (a great site for swimming news) offers stories of dogs more than people and rule changes more than performances.  At least they mention open water swimming.  Sites that have less dedication to swimming but focus on sports in general don't even give open water swimming any credit.  

People do amazing things every year and scarcely anyone outside our little, awesome community pays much attention.  As Cheryl Ward (my coach and friend) wrote to our team "[v]oting ends in 2 weeks. I just did it and it took me a minute to register with open water swimming (it's free don't worry), then a minute to scroll down to the performance of the year nominees and put a checkmark beside..." the person who impressed you the most.  My wonderful coach Cheryl asked our team to vote for me.  I'm humbled by the support but I urge all of you to vote and vote for the person who you think really did the swim of the year.   Click here to vote. 

Permit me to offer a little insight into some of my friends.  First, Roger Finch - a Facebook friend and a person I met several times while I traveled the world - represents all that is good about this sport.  He was nominated for 2016 Open Water Swimming Man of the Year and I think he deserves it like no other.  No offense to the others on the list.  Roger is selfless and dedicated to the sport.  I have yet to hear one person mention his name without the words "awesome" or "terrific" in the same sentence - all without profanity mind you too.  I wish the same could be said for yours truly.  Second, you all need to read each and every nominee for the women.  These gals are fantastic!  I am not sure who ought to win but I can say confidently that they are all extremely impressive.  From professional swimmers, Olympians (medalists too) to full-time professionals who endure these swims, I found myself torn to endorse any individual.  Instead, I will encourage you to read about these fabulous women and to express may warmest gratitude for being included on the same page as these fantastic folks.  

So please vote.  If you don't know what I did, you will read about it on the page.  For convenience, here is what they said:

Patrick McKnight (USA) Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming

Professor Patrick McKnight made two attempts at climbing Mount Everest in 2014 and 2015, but then he turned his focus on completing the fastest Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in history. The 50-year-old had a target on a record set by a world-class 24-year-old from one of the hotbeds of channel swimming. He made his plans, he bought his airline tickets, and he left no room for going off plan. He started with a Catalina Channel crossing on July 12th in 11 hours 4 minutes; he crossed the English Channel on July 21st in 12 hours 54 minutes; he completed his Manhattan Island circumnavigation on August 15th in 7 hours 31 minutes to break the record by 1 day. For his eclectic interest in conquering challenges from tall mountains to tough channels, for taking on and breaking a record of an elite swimmer less than half his age, for flawlessly pulling off his 34-day plan en route to living a purpose-driven life, Professor Patrick McKnight's Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming is a worthy nominee for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.

Bottom line...VOTE!  Again, click here to vote. 

Thanks for following and thanks for your continued support.

My next post....about our next expedition to Antarctica.  Stay tuned.

Back from the UK and into a pool. Whew! Very hot. Last GMU practice tomorrow morning. Can't wait.

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Pushing off from London....after this pint.

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English Channel Recap - Part 2

Before I continue my recounting of the channel swim, I need to update and memorialize our day yesterday in London.  It was a spectacular day full of luck and surprises.  

Getting to London:  First, we caught the train from Folkstone just in time.  Most in the US would not be aware of much going on locally in the Dover area so let me fill you in.  After some recent terrible events and potential news of more, the French government decided to search each and every car, person, bicycle, or stroller as it came into the country.  Can't say I blame them.  What that did was cause a backup on the highways (motorways they call them here) from Dover almost to London (a 2 hour drive!).  Yes, it was a nasty mess.  Most of the traffic consisted of trucks (aka lorries) carrying cargo to cross into the mainland.  

Traffic backed up miles away from Dover.

Well, that tidbit wouldn't be terribly interesting if it hadn't affected our trip from Dover to Folkstone.  Our train was scheduled to depart at noon and we ran into gridlock after gridlock - even on the back roads.  I was getting a bit anxious thinking that if we missed our prepaid train, we might have to purchase another ticket and wait.  Ah, nothing to fret.  We have time.  Still, I was hot and not in the mood for waiting around.  We caught the train with seconds to spare - literally seconds.  Speaking of caught...I caught myself feeling like the ugly American as I watched the people in front of us purchase tickets for some train trip days in advance.  Many of us on line needed to pick up tickets for the train that was approaching.  No sense of urgency on their part but Kat and I were getting a little anxious.  

The train trip up was unspectacular.  A one hour trip seemed like nothing and next we were in St. Pancras to sort out our next leg.  Once we arrived, the AirBnB contact alerted Kathy that our accommodations would not be ready until 7pm - not 3pm as advertised on the app.  It was 1pm, hot (for some of us), and quite crowded at the train station.  Kat was not happy.  I figured we could just meander through the city along the path to our AirBnB - roughly 4.5 miles (7km) from St. Pancras.  

About 30 minutes into our walk and after a 20 minute stop to grab lunch, Kat's bag stopped rolling.  Patrick took over and just dragged it for a bit until we intervened.  Apparently cheap Amazon luggage doesn't hold up on the cobbles and odd surfaces of London's streets whereas Patrick's and my cheapo Costco roll aboard bags held up just fine.  The luggage fiasco caused a bit of a stir but we solved the problem by taking a cab to our digs.  Away we went!  Four hours too early but hopeful something would work out.  

Saved by luck:  And work out it did!  We rolled up to the AirBnB and a very nice Romanian fellow asked us which flat we rented.  He directed us to the one he and his compatriot were cleaning.  Somehow or another, we met the cleaning staff at the place at the right time.  I guess the stars were aligned for us.  We dropped off our bags and quickly headed out to explore the area - so happy we didn't have to lug around Kat's broken bag in the 80F (27C) heat.  All worked out in the end.  

More luck:  We walked out to a outdoor market.  For those of you who know me well, you know I hate shopping.  I don't shop; I buy.  And, when I buy, I buy online.  Walking down a crowded alley with people who are mindlessly hunting for knick knacks and chachkies drives me nuts (and makes me thirsty).  So, Patrick and I "offered" Kat some freedom to browse while we set off for some cool shade.  What better place to find cool shade than a pub?  

Bugger drank my pint!

While there, I figured I would send a FB message to my friends Sam and Alex to inquire about things to do while in London.  Shortly after the note, I got a reply from Sam.    Many of you know that Sam, Alex and I were climbing together on Everest in 2014 and 2015 when our expeditions were halted by circumstances beyond our control.  Since those trips, we stayed in touch and last year we even attended their wedding after my failed attempt to swim the English Channel.  Sam and Alex are great people and great friends.  I love their company and always like to hear about their adventures - and they have a ton.  Kat got to know Sam and Alex's parents as well during our fateful 2015 trip so we are now all well-acquainted.  Unfortunately, Sam and Alex live in Africa (Kenya and Ghana) now but I know they have many suggestions about what to do in London.  So, I asked.    What a great stroke of luck!  Sam was in London for 24 hours.  Even greater luck was that Kat booked our AirBnB just a 5 minute walk from Sam's parents house.  How cool was that?  I guess this trip is just full of luck.  

After we arranged to meet Sam and his folks at their place for some pre-dinner drinks, we grabbed another pint at a local watering hole (Kensington Park Hotel or KPH).  Apparently the place had changed operators and it was a shell of the pictures we saw online.  Oh well.  A quick pint and then off to our BnB to freshen up before more drinks.

Has my pint again!?!  Enjoying the KPH.

A great surprise indeed:  We sat around with Sam's family talking about all the goings on - some recounting of the swims but mostly talking about the current state of our respective countries.  It was a blast.  We loved hanging out and visiting with friends.  Talk about the stroke of luck.  During our chat, we found a ton of things to do while in London.  Mostly, I think Kat and I wanted to explore the areas while Patrick seemed quite keen on touring the museums (and catching up on his lost hours of sleep).  We departed after a few hours for a quick bite and then retired to our room for the evening.  What a great time!

From L to R:  Patrick, Sam, me, and Kat

Makes me smile just looking at that picture above.  Thanks Chappatte family for hosting us McKnights.  We look forward to returning the favor soon.

RECAP OF SWIM - PART 2 

I left off my recap about halfway across the channel.  By this point in the swim, I was feeling pretty solid.  Nothing ached and I knew the swim was well at hand.  The funny thing was that nothing went wrong.  Nothing.  Adventures start when things go wrong.  I guess this wasn't much of an adventure; well, read on.

Focus:  During this period, I focused on two things - drag and propulsion.  The drag comes from lifting my head, dropping my feet too deep, or any other odd things that most swimmers do when tired.  Swimmers don't want drag.  I focused on minimizing drag as much as possible.  On the opposite end is propulsion.  Propulsion gains and losses come from a variety of things including rolling my hips, entering into the water without creating bubbles, initiating the "early vertical forearm" catch, pulling with my lats as opposed to my triceps, and finishing my stroke by pulling through.  Many of these things are natural to most swimmers and they tend to be fairly natural for me.  When all swimmers tire though, some of them go away for many reasons.  I focused on these two aspects of swimming - constantly checking my technique to be as efficient as possible.  If I could shave off a few minutes here and there, I might be able to catch a favorable tide into the shore and gain valuable hours (yes hours).  

Time counts:  I mentioned in my recap of the Catalina Channel that time was not terribly critical.  The water was relatively warm in the Pacific Ocean (68-72F or 20-21C), currents minimal (neap tide), and my energy levels were high due to low exertion and the high frequency of feeding (20 minute feeding schedule).  Things were different for this swim.  For the English Channel, every minute counts.  I was swimming during a spring tide where the currents can be as strong as 4-5 knots (4.5 mph or 7.5-8 km/hr).  Yep, fast.  Those currents push the swimmer sideways.  I was focused on swimming efficiently and kicking steadily throughout my swim.  Doing so allowed me to keep a rhythm and keep a relatively strong pace.  Ever minute counted if I was to escape the channel without an adverse tide pushing me to Nova Scotia or Norway.

(Above):  TYR Socket Rocket 2.0 clear/blue

Darkness sets in:  The crew alerted me that night was coming and I needed to shift to my clear goggles and get myself lit up so they could see me.  I had a pair of clear TYR socket rocket goggles with a light threaded through the straps.  The combination proved perfect for Catalina so I opted to continue using what worked already.  Unfortunately, I lost my setup during the finish of the swim and ordered replacements without trying them out before jumping into the EC.  Not a huge problem since I use these goggles all the time BUT...still a bad idea.  Thankfully that didn't come back to haunt me.  What did haunt me was the strap of my daytime goggles - the same TYR goggles but dark tinted ones.  One strap drooped around my neck and kept rubbing.  It was annoying for a few seconds but I paid it no mind.  That kind of equipment problem can really cause people to concentrate on the wrong aspects of the swim.  I controlled what I could and kept pace.  

Oh, almost forgot.  The light I used was this one to the right.  That little light is bright, water proof, and easy to see - at least according to my crew.  I also stuffed a light stick into the fanny of my suit to light up my lower body.  Kat said she could see me well from her vantage point so I would recommend this combination to all.  I never felt either light during the swim.  

The Dark Hours:  Yes, the sun went down but as the sun departed, so did my optimism.  I had no clue how I was doing and I kept thinking that I was going strong - at least initially.  My kick felt strong, my stroke intact and efficient, my body position perfect, and my muscles felt almost no fatigue.  All was great and I figured this swim felt like a solid 10 or 11 hour swim.  As 10pm approached, I couldn't help feel discouraged that I wasn't within reach of the French coast.  I tried my best.  There were times when I started questioning the timing and trajectory of my course.  Was I going to miss "the cap" and add a huge amount of time to my swim?  I even inquired if the lighthouse was Cap Gris Nez (aka the point many swimmers finish).  Neil was honest and answered my questions with positive optimism; Kat and Sam Jones had similar responses.  I wish I were positive during that hour or so.  I just felt discouraged.  We all experience points in these swims (or other endurance activities) where we wonder when it will end.  In mountaineering and other high risk activities, the saying "Be Here Now" is an important one to remember.  Thinking about the future and forgetting about what you are doing at the moment is not a good recipe for success.  I didn't care about the time per se but I did care about being out there for 18+ hours.  Again, future thinking.  My fear was that I would run out of fuel and really start burning out.  More future thinking.  Just as a hit a peak in my worry and questioning, I said to myself..."forget about it"..."swim and control what you can control."  Controlling the controllables - that is what all of these endurance events call for before, during and after.  I let myself slip but righted the ship soon enough and got back on track.  Soon, I was back to being in the moment.  I was back.

Closing in and closing the deal:  Neil said to me during my frustrated inquiries that we missed "the cap" but he would find me a nice beach to land.  I knew I was in good hands and far be it for me to question an awesome skipper like him.  Kat yelled bits of encouragement and I pressed on.  He then instructed me that we would land either on a real beach or some bit of rocks for a touch finish.  I was good with either but wondered how treacherous the touch finish might be after my experience with the Catalina Channel finish.  Donating more blood to the sea didn't sound too appealing as I neared the finish.  Still, I kept my focus and pressed on.  

I peeked ahead and could see the lights on shore.  The end was near and I felt just as fresh as I felt when I started the swim with no muscle aches, no fatigue, and no worries.  Now I knew I would complete the crossing - not that I had much doubt to begin with but the closing bit is just a strong confirmation that I will accomplish this feat.  So I swam on until I got a flashing light from the boat.  Neil said that he lead me as far as he could given the depth and terrain.  The rest was up to me.  I had to swim the next 4 tenths of a mile by myself into shore, touch the rocks, and wave my light stick when I touch.  So, 4 tenths of a mile.  Was that a nautical mile, a true mile, a country mile perhaps?  I had these strange thoughts going through my head.  Then I figured out how many meters and how many strokes I had left.  My math was a little rusty at that point.  400 meters?  Nah, perhaps 800 meters.  Before too long, I was upon the shore.

Each stroke felt easy but I felt apprehensive about pushing too hard.  With the end in sight, I didn't want to plow into a rock and break a finger, hand, arm, or my head.  I proceeding cautiously - so cautiously toward the end that I swam breast stroke.  Yes Cheryl, I swam a bit of the channel breast stroke.  I even took my goggles off or rather put them on my forehead because I could barely see.  The rocks or break wall Neil mentioned was a giant stack of black rocks (probably granite) that sloped out of the depths of the water and up about 15-20 feet (5-6m).  I could barely make out the rocks at first and then they were crystal clear.  It was eery.  A small, gentle swell - perhaps 2-3 feet or 1m - lifted me up and carefully (almost as if the sea remembered its poor treatment of me last week) placed me on the second tier of the rocks.  Instantaneously, I was done.  No touch finish for me I guess.  I was completely out of the water.  The water then receded and I was left atop those rocks.  Then, I grabbed the light stick that remained steadfast in my fanny crack and waved it to the boat.  The boat crew immediately sounded the horn and I was done!  My channel swim finished in 12 hours and 54 minutes (I am not sure about the minutes but will correct it if necessary).

I felt relieved.  Still a bit spooked about sitting on top of some odd rock break wall in an unknown area of France, I waited for the next swell to carry me off and soon enough, one came.  I rode it off and settled into the deeper waters.  Once I was clear, I put my goggles back on and slowly swam out to the boat.  I wasn't terribly tired nor was I cold; I just had a huge sense of relief come over me that the fears and doubts I had before and during the swim were now over.  Nothing to worry about now.  

Final Thoughts:  I was in good hands all along.  My family and friends helped get me through the tough times.  The expert pilot and crew guided me toward success.  All along, I should have recognized it but that brief hour or so of going dark lead me to appreciate what I had.  These marathon swims require a team effort.  My friends told me about the importance of the team repeatedly and I generally nodded in agreement but didn't really appreciate the depth of that truism until after both channel swims.  These marathon swims require a team effort.  I could not and would not have accomplished what I did without my team.   The success is ours and ours to share.  So, in accord with that motto, we shared the victory with our signature on the wall of the White Horse pub in Dover:

If you visit the pub, you'll see my post just as you walk in the front door.  Look above the picture to the top left.  My handwriting is the sloppy stuff that is barely readable, Kat's contribution is a happy Snoopy, and Patrick added a line from "Talladega Nights".  

So, what is next?  Apparently, I might be able to swim around Manhattan Island in a few weeks making my triple crown (if successful) one of the fastest but not quite the record fastest.  One person did it in 35 days.  If I can squeeze into the August 15th start, I will tie the record of 35 days but if I cannot then I would be happy just completing the three swims within 40 days.  Not a bad summer, eh?

OK, more to follow.  Time to figure out what our plans are for this fine London Sunday.  Thanks for following.

English Channel Recap - Part 1

Avram Iancu and me - at the beach

Greetings from Dover.  We spent the day recuperating, drinking, eating, and relaxing yesterday after a long previous day.  I was sore - a bit from the swim and a bit from a restless night sleep.  Kat went for a dip in the harbor while I chatted with a few swimmers on the beach.  We had a total role reversal.  She swam while I watched, socialized (see picture to the left), and tended to her.  It was a good swap and one well-deserved.  The weather was perfect for both of us.  Relatively warm, calm waters allowed Kat to get in and swim solo around the harbor while I met new friends.  See Kat below in her seal suit?

Rough entry on those stones.  Good thing she had her trusty sidekick to hold her flip-flops.

Like I said, I stood on the beach, meeting new friends and talking about swimming (of course).  Above, you can see a picture of my new friend - Avram - who plans to be the first Romanian to swim solo across the Channel.  We got on very well and I feared our chat would ruin his opportunity to hop into a peaceful Dover harbor.  No need to worry, it was a spectacular day; too hot for me though.

My Swim Recap (Part 1 of 2 or more)

Enough about the post-swim relaxation, I want to recap the swim from start to finish.  Here is how it unfolded on Thursday, July 21st, 2016.

Morning (pre swim):  We woke up at our usual times; I got up to eat breakfast with the Churchill Guest House guests and hosts, Kat got up about an hour later, and Patrick slept until the last possible second (10am local time).  See picture below for photo proof of his position right before our scheduled departure.  I don't blame him, I would do the same - especially at his age.

Our plan was to meet Neil and the crew at the boat by 11am, assess the situation, and make a decision about whether to go then or wait until midnight.  We packed up our things, got a taxi to the Dover Marina, and hauled our stuff to the locked gate.  I knew we were early because I am habitually early and don't like to stress about time.  So, being early, we waited (see picture of Patrick...waiting but very patient).  Along comes a guy who kinda looks like Neil Streeter but way too clean shaven and tightly manicured to be him - at least not from my year-long recall.  It was him indeed.  We stared at each other as he walked down the gangway and then we connected.  It was a strange sensation just standing around looking out of place at a marina.  I almost felt like a displaced tourist.  After we confirmed our presence, Neil came back up and helped us with our bags.  It was nice to not have to haul our load down alone.

Deciding Factors:  Once on the boat, we made a quick decision to go.  The weather looked fine.  You need to understand what the word "fine" means for the English Channel.  For most waterways, fine would probably represent calm, warm waters.  Not so for the EC.  Instead, the word fine meant that the swell was about 2-4 feel (1m or so) and water temperatures hovering in the low to mid-60's F (15-17 C).  It was a fine day indeed and one that would shape up to be even finer as we progressed - at least that is what Neil predicted.  The forecast called for decreasing winds and a swell to subside throughout the day.  Neil asked me if I wanted to check it out and I said..."sure."  I really wanted to swim and I didn't care much about my time.  Donating another hour or so to the EC would be a small cost to just getting out there.  Seize the opportunity!

So we headed out.  The going was pretty rough at first - not in the harbor but as soon as we got outside the breakwater.  Things started getting a bit lumpy.  See Kat below not looking too keen on the idea of a whole day of lumpy seas.

The boat pitched back and forth due to our westerly heading and the seas and wind come from the SSE (hitting us in our port forward quarter).  That wind and wave combination - along with our heading made for some strange rocking and rolling for the first hour.  I grew up on boats so I those motions don't affect me at all but I know Kat and Patrick don't like the pitching motion.  

THE START:  We arrived at the beach roughly 40 minutes after our marina departure to a nice swell.  The waves were not breaking on the beach but it was pretty lumpy.  Between the wind, waves, and current (spring tide so lots of water flowing through the channel), I knew I was in for a good struggle.  The conditions didn't let me down.  Once we decided to go, I greased up quickly, had my final pictures, a quick kiss for good luck (from Kat, of course), and off I jumped into the churned up sea.  I swam to the beach where the beachgoers watched some crazy walrus-looking creature emerge from the ocean.  They may be accustomed to the sight but I got a chuckle as they all backed away when I approached.  Who would mess with a live walrus?  Just as Dover Harbor's beach offers an excellent foot massage with those large rocks, so too did Shakespeare beach  the west end of Samphire Hoe (see below aerial photo courtesy of Google maps).  

That beach looks nice and sandy from above but don't be fooled;  those rocks are tough on the feet.  I crawled out, looked like a baby giraffe as I finally stood, turned around, and then waited for the horn to sound.  The crew blew the horn and I was off!

EARLY SWIM:  I struggled to find my stroke for the first 2 hours.   The waves, wind, and chop interfered with my breathing - at least initially.  I am typically a bilateral breather but my fast side is breathing to the left.  The favored side for the boat and the conditions, of course, was to breath to the right.  OK, off I went to settle my stroke down and get into a rhythm.  That rhythm finally came but at about 2 hours - perhaps 3.  I was excited to be swimming across the English Channel.  How cool was that?  I thought it was pretty neat.

FEEDING:  My feed plan was to swim uninterrupted for 2 hours and then feed every 45 minutes.  It was a well-thought out plan given my experience during the Catalina Channel swim.  During that previous swim, I fed every 20 minutes and found that the frequency was too high and the feeds were not necessary most of the time.  So, I opted for 45 minute feeds during the EC and I think I chose correctly.  Also, I had fed for the entire swim in Catalina and, after consulting with many swimmers and judging from my own prior swim, I knew I could go for at least 2-3 hours without feeding since I almost always swam at home without feeding.  Many of those workouts lasted at least 2 hours if not up to 5 hours and I trained myself to conserve energy.  Again, I think that was a good call.  I swam consistently for the first few hours without any worry at all.  

SHIFTING OVER:  About 6 hours into the swim, I decided it was time for me to shift over to the other side of the boat.  I had enough of the waves hitting me in the face and my neck was getting a little sore.  Once I made up my mind, I asked Sam (the crew aboard SUVA) if Neil would mind me moving to the starboard (right) side of the boat to continue.  She said "yeah, OK with us."  I was really looking forward to getting back to my comfortable side and reducing the amount of sea water hitting me in the face.  The move was perfectly timed.  When I shifted over, I fortuitously hit the point of my swim where the tide changed and I started going out to sea - the Atlantic instead of the North Sea - and I could concentrate more on my stroke and less on my breathing.  That shift came at about the apex of my initial trajectory.  You can see it below:

 You can also see from the figure above that the dots got closer during that period - simply because I was no longer being pushed by a strong tide.  The slack tide happened right as I passed through the "separation zone" or part of the channel where the traffic shifts from one direction to another.  I now felt comfortable both with my stroke and my breathing.  Life was good.  

FEEDING ON THE GO:  Kat and Patrick mastered my feeding routine and I had all the faith in the world that they were looking out for my best interests.  Only one mishap occurred and it was so minor.  A bottle (water only) flew away after they tossed my feed toward me.  No worry but I did feel bad that we added more plastic to an already polluted sea of plastic.  Sorry ocean; I promise to pick out more than I put into you.  The combination of CarboPro, CarboPro supplements, plain water, and mouthwash (not mixed together mind you) sustained my energy and interest throughout.  My feeds were less frequent but perhaps not terribly quick.  The bottles we used - ones I posted about in a previous blog entry - had relatively small mouths so the fluid took a while to exit.  That delay created a much slower feed than I expected.  I would recommend a wider opening for anyone looking for tips on what to use for their swims.  More on those tips later.  

So at this point, I was about half-way through my swim, I was breathing on my "good" side, and I felt fantastic.  The wind and waves didn't really calm down and I still felt the push from my front right side.  Regardless, I felt fine and knew I was making reasonably good progress.  

END OF PART 1

We need to pack up now.  Our plan is to catch a train to London and tour the city.  I intend to post another entry either later tonight or tomorrow.  We have 5 days of non-swimming adventures ahead.  I'll post more soon.  Thanks for following.

English Channel Crossing - A simple thanks for all your support (pints to follow)

Family and friends,

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank each and every one of you who supported my swim(s).  The English Channel was a long haul and one made slightly harder by the sea conditions and jellyfish.  Otherwise, it was an unremarkable day.  I felt the love and support from all of you before, during and after the swim and that made me very happy.   When we returned at 4am from the boat, I was overcome with emotions from the outpouring of support via Facebook, Twitter, Email, and even voicemail.  Thanks to you all.  I am heading over to the White Horse right now with my crew (Kat and Patrick) to sign the wall, enjoy a pint, and take some pictures.  See you in a few hours when I begin recounting the swim.  After a pint, I may not make much sense so I apologize in advance for the word salad I may spread before you.

With Love,

Patrick

P.S.  Despite my objections, I may try for the Triple Crown in August and go for the record of shortest time to complete all 3 swims.  More (much more) on that later; for now, the siren call of a pint at the White Horse keeps yelling at me to visit.  

P.P.S.  Kat wants to swim.  Needless to say, I don't.  I am going down to the beach with her first so she can swim and then we hit the pub.  How's that for teamwork?

Off at 12:02pm

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The iceman cometh

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Getting ready to hop in

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Headed to the start.

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Wooo Hoooo!!!!! Swim time coming up.

Nothing definite but a ton more certain than before.  We either push off at 11am tomorrow or midnight (later tomorrow).  Either way, I'm going to be swimming!

OK, now that I have the news and a rough estimate for my start, I have a few options for following my trip across the English Channel.

Option 1:  You follow along via the blog, Facebook, twitter, and/or Instagram.  Yes, I went hog wild with social media so that each and everyone interested can follow with ease.  Kathy has my phone and will take pictures and post updates routinely.

Option 2:  Check out the track.rs website and see updates live on the map and see stats.  Thanks to Evan Morrison for the fantastic service.

Option 3:  Follow my SPOT locator map and see where I am on the Google map that the service uses to plot my progress.

Option 4:  Check out the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (CS&PF) webpage for tracking SUVA (my pilot boat).  Here is a quick link but you need to select the my pilot boat at the top and then select "Latest Track" below the picture of the boat.

All four will work just fine.  More options means that there are no chances that you will miss my swim tracking.  I have my own SPOT and SUVA has AIS (don't ask).  

I'm psyched...and tired.  More later.  Time for bed.  Remember, 11am local time is 6am EDT and 3am PDT - just for your reference.  On the bright side, if I start my swim at midnight tomorrow (25 hours from now), my American friends can follow along for most of the adventure.  Thanks for following; have a great night.

Waiting for the call.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/29O0HGD

Day 1 (travel) & 2 (waiting) in the books - my typical non-swim day

I left Fairfax in a flurry.  Unable to focus on anything but the swim, I slept most of Friday.  Naps rock!  The only problem was that I was not tired at all when we boarded the plane at 10pm.  So, I watched two movies and managed a paltry 1.5 hours of sleep during the tail end of the flight.  I was beat tired when we landed.  Kathy and Patrick had taken Dramamine for the flight so they passed out before the plane even took off and slept the entire 6-hour flight until right before we landed.  I was jealous.  Typically, I have that sleep pattern during long flights.  Not this time.  

We landed, cleared customs and gathered our things for our hired car trip down to Dover.  Initially, Kat and I were thinking of taking the "cheaper" route down via trains and taxi.  I did the math and in no way was it cheaper than a £110 (roughly US$150 at the time) - ride for the family. Plus, we were in no shape to grab the train from London - Heathrow to Paddington station, take a cab to St. Pancras, board a train to Dover, switch at Rochester, and then carry on to train station where we would lug our bags to the Churchill Guest House. Nope, no shape. Kat and Patrick were still a bit dazed from their drug-induced plane naps while I could barely keep my eyes open from sleep deprivation. We landed at 10am local time or 5am our time and thankful that our trip to Dover involved nothing more than greeting our driver, crawling into the car and crashing for the 2-hour ride. Without any sleep during the night, I needed to nod off.

Did I sleep? Nope. I spent the entire car ride down chatting up a storm with our driver - Rob. We talked about Brexit, the US presidential election, UK tourism, Ireland, and tourist destinations. All in all, it was a mighty craic. The time flew by and we were at the Churchill in nothing flat - at least that is what I recall. Toward the end of the trip, I was falling asleep while talking. Yep, I was beat and ready for bed. Unfortunately, it was only 2pm and I had no reason to crash that early. We headed out and grabbed groceries instead. It might be a long wait before bedtime calls.

A quick trip to the grocery store followed by a quick pint at the White Horse, and then an early dinner at Il Rustico ended our day at 9pm. Now, I was ready for bed. Really, I was and fell asleep about 20 minutes after we returned from dinner. That sleep lasted just 3 hours when I awoke from the slumber and felt totally rested. I have no clue why but I just couldn't get to sleep. I tossed and turned then decided to read email, check Facebook, and organize my photos. Some of you benefited from that last step. Once I got to 5am local time, I fell asleep and slept until our breakfast time of 8am. In total, I logged in 6 hours of sleep - not bad but not good enough to really feel rested.

Breakfast at the Churchill Guest House is an event. I hurried off to sit at the "big table" where we could meet other guests, strike up some good conversations, and talk about and with Alastair and Betty - the proprietors. Alex - their son - runs the place now because Alastair and Betty are getting older but they all have a strong hand in the day-to-day operation. Our interactions are similar to those observed in the John Cleese serial "Fawlty Towers." I posted this observation last year but this year just confirmed it. We have a great time. Well, 2 hours later, our breakfast time ended to give way to our swim.

Kat and I walked down to "the beach" at Dover Harbor where all the marathon swimmers congregate. It is a great event every day during the summer but particularly well-attended on the weekends. Today was no exception. We were met by countless people either training for, preparing for or waiting for their EC swim. Everyone rolls out the Dover welcome mat for any swimmer. The Dover harbor swims are truly one of the best parts of marathon swimming. The people, the location, and the conditions make it ideal for training.

I wasn't interested in training per se. Instead, I just wanted to get in, get a few strokes into the 17C water (sans cap today to boost the exposure) and restore my feel for the water. The harbor was warmer than I expected and quite choppy. All of the pilot boats were out with swimmers today. Despite that draw, I counted no fewer than 50 people at the beach. Kat and I swam for about an hour and then got out to socialize. It was great. We had a fun time chatting with the folks. I had the great pleasure to chat with the Honorable Secretary Kevin Murphy. We chatted briefly about my upcoming swim and my Catalina Channel swim. He is a lovely person - always supportive and interested in every swimmer who attempts or even dreams about a marathon swim.

Afterwards, we retired back to our guest house accommodations to nap. I was done eating and just needed some sleep. My nap lasted from about noon until 4pm - some nap, eh? I needed it. We topped off the day with a quick meal at Blake's of Dover and then a stroll down to the harbor beach to cool off with the sea breeze. The boats are still out so I don't have any news about my swim tomorrow. Tomorrow will likely follow the same routine as today. I'll keep you all posted as I learn more about the potential to swim. More than likely, if conditions hold, I will swim on Tuesday. Stay tuned for more updates as they come. Thanks for following.

Assessment swim done: Let the training...continue!

Greetings,

To make a long story short, my 6-hour qualifying swim is done and the paperwork is now finished - save for my physical.  Let me catch you up.

Last Thursday evening, I flew out to San Diego to complete the required 6-hour cold water "assessment" swim.  My friends Tasha and Anders live out there and they were kind enough to host me.  Also, my good pal from VA - Chris - is a graduate student at UCSD.  Both Anders and Chris are outstanding swimmers and offered to lend a hand for the swim.  I briefly contacted them a few months ago and said I would be out in late February to enjoy the upper 50 degree F water of the Pacific Ocean.  They were encouraged but not mandated to join me.  I know these guys well.  Just the invitation would be enough to lure them in the water.  Now, they may not be dressed like me or rather they may not be as undressed as me but they would join me for parts of the swim.  I knew I could count on their company.

So I landed late late late Thursday night and Chris came to pick me up.  Chris is an awesome guy.  He has plenty of work to do for his doctoral program and yet he squeezed in time to meet me at the airport.  Not only did Chris pick me up but he generously picked us up a "snack" en route to the airport.  Now, you need to know something about Chris; he is a professional eater.  No, he doesn't trifle in competitions.  There are few marathon eaters in this world but he is a champion sumo wrestler in the 6' 3" svelte figure who can out eat a platoon of hungry Marines. Chris picked up about 15 burritos.  Yep, that was not a typo.  He bought 15 burritos.  I told you Chris was awesome.  Here he is just so you can see that he exists and he enjoys life (permanent smile):

Chris Lee - lean, mean, eating, swimming, cycling, researching machine.

 We headed immediately over to Tasha and Anders' house to see their kids (twin 11-year old fun-loving boys) and the parents of course.  Our aim:  finish the "snacks" with them.  

I was beat and so were my hosts but we managed to stay up until 1am (4am my time and my usual wake-up time at home) drinking a few beers, eating burritos, and laughing about all sorts of things.  We hit the rack shortly after 1am because Friday was going to be my shake-down swim.  I wanted to look and feel my best and what better way than to deprive myself of sleep, drink a bunch of (great) beer, and eat 5,000 kcal of food.  Yep, I was ready.

Friday came way too early.  It was a struggle to sleep but my brain kept yelling at me to go back to sleep.  There would be no sleep because Anders and I had to get out for our swim before we had evening party plans.  You see, Tasha and Anders are wonderful hosts. They organized a bunch of social events, included me in all of them, and even had Chris and his wonderful girlfriend Bryn come along.  Bryn was busy with graduate student activities but she joined us from time to time.  Mostly, it was a social weekend with Tasha, Anders, Chris, the boys, and me.  

Anders and I swam from La Jolla Shores (sorry Graham, didn't know you lived there but will be back in July to tip back a few pints and talk about the old days) out into La Jolla cove.  It was a spectacular day by any standards.  I donned my old transparent suit that has tons of holes and barely covers me, slathered my body in Desitin, and headed out with Anders (fully clad in a wetsuit) for an hour or two swim.  I felt great.  It was like being home.  The "cove" is one of the most magnificent places on earth.  Sea life surrounds us as we swim in somewhat protected waters.  Typically, there are many swimmers out but the surf and winds were a little strong so Anders and I found ourselves alone for the entire outing.  We logged about an hour or so and decided to head back in because I got what I wanted out of the shake-down swim and figured I would save my energy for when it counted - Saturday.  
Afterwards, we hit a deli for some outstanding grub, headed up to this high point in San Diego while I tipped back a few malt pops and scarfed down the lamb sandwich recommended by the deli owner.  It was a grand afternoon and the fun was only beginning.

Anders - the real hero in this story - atop San Diego where we dined to our hearts' content.

Anders and I headed back to his place, took rather lengthy naps, and readied ourselves for more festivities.  Unfortunately, my body had enough.  I managed to go out for about an hour but raised the proverbial white flag - surrendering without much fight.  Chris and I talked science while kids and adults stood feet away from us.  The din inside was too much to bear and I couldn't hear Chris at all.  So, it was time to head out.  Tomorrow was a big day!

Saturday came quickly and I was really excited to get out into the water.  The previous evening, Anders and I were chatting about where to do the swim.  I figured the best place would be the "cove" but Anders rightly figured that Solana Beach would be more convenient because they have a condo on the water (but live in Del Mar).  The condo afforded us some amenities that would not be around for us in either the "cove" or La Jolla Shores.  So, in the morning, despite HUGE waves in the forecast, we opted for Solana Beach.  It was a great move in retrospect because we had access to a hot tub, pool, beer, and food afterwards and my support crew could easily manage the feeds and keep an eye out for me.  Anders did mention the previous night that Solana Beach was home to a recent great white shark attack - a little know fact I could have done without but it was fine.  I was ready to fight that shark to the bitter end.

Anders and I headed out early and hit the beach at about 9am.  My plan was to get out in the water before everyone else and warm-up for an hour.  I am a rare beast.  It takes me about 3,000m to warm up and that hour lead time gave me ample time and distance to where I felt "warm" despite the 58-61F water.  I jumped in at 9:26am PST dressed in my finest attire:

Looking rather whale-like and ready for a 6-hour swim in...er pretty cold water.  Here we go!

The surf was pretty big by the time we got to the beach but I managed to get outside the break without drinking too much salty sea water.  A half of pint managed to sneak into my stomach with one large gulp.  If it were not for my 4 egg breakfast, 5 pieces of toast, pop-tarts, and 5 cups of tea, I wouldn't have had anything to expel.  Boy was I lucky.  Lost a few eggs but no matter, I had more stowed away deeper in the recesses of my digestive system.  

I swam for the first hour unaccompanied but loving life.  A seal poked up right next to me and (s)he gave me quite a start.  I had no clue who was around or what was around.  Thankfully, I had my pal to attract great white sharks AND outswim me.  Hey, wait a second!  I had to extinguish that thought from my head.  Sharks were no doubt lurking about but what would they want with a rotund, pasty white human?  I was hoping not much.  That hour went by so quickly.  I was ready for a snack but not a Chris snack, a marathon swimmer snack would do quite nicely.  

Anders managed to paddle out through that ever-building surf and handed me my food.  If you have a vivid imagination, you can call a blue rubbermaid flip-top bottle of white, milky substance food.  I do, so join me in my delusional world.  The UCAN Superstarch actually tasted great because it helped me off-set the briny taste that settled into my mouth over that first hour.  I drank down about 200 calories and headed back into the great unknown, staying parallel to the shore for the entire time.  It was a glorious swim day.

Chris met us just as I finished that first feed.  He chose to wear a "shorty" wetsuit and soon regretted that decision.  The water was cold - even for my whale-like physique.  Chris immediately got cold but hung in there for about a 45 minute swim with me.  We had a blast swimming together.  Chris is a monster swimmer.  He blows me away in the pool.  In fact, I believe his breaststroke is faster than my freestyle.  For the days leading up to the swim, I kept telling Chris and Anders that the swims in open water were relaxing, non-competitive swims where we all adjusted our pace to stay together.  Thankfully, Chris' directions were a bit off so he managed to swim about 3x my distance as he zig-zagged his way up the coast with me.  We called it "tacking" from our days sailing together.  It was great fun.  Chris was a trooper staying out there for 45 minutes but the time came where he needed to warm up.  So off he went to see if Bryn was up for his kind of snacks.  I kept going but was soon greeted by Anders with another feed.

The feeds require a little more detail just so you get a clear picture of Anders' herculean efforts throughout the day.  According to surfline, the waves were 11 footers where we were swimming and they were every bit as large if not larger than that number.  Anders and I agreed that I would feed every 30 minutes.  The blue bottle contained my fuel (Superstarch, CarboPro, and sometimes a mix of the two), the green bottle had fresh water, and the red bottle held watered-down mouthwash.  Well, the surf gods deemed mouthwash totally inappropriate for this swim.  Gone was the red bottle after his first push out.  

Each paddle out, Anders had to deal with these huge crashing waves while he pulled out my bottles while managing his huge stand-up paddle board.  I couldn't believe he was getting through that surf but he was hell-bent for leather to keep me on my feed schedule.  Anders was the real endurance king that day.  I just swam.  He swam probably the same distance I swam but his distance was always against HUGE waves.  Each trip in and out got more perilous than the previous ones.  I was incredibly grateful that he was the brave soul who "volunteered" to help.  After a while, Anders could only manage to bring out the feed bottle because the others got washed away, ripped off the cordage holding them together, or breaking free from the carabiners that held them on his belt.  Needless to say, I got through the swim because Anders got through the surf.  

By this time, I was almost 4 hours into my 6-hour swim and felt great.  The little bit of cold I felt during the first hour went away completely and gave way to this wonderful, comfortable feeling of swimming in the most heavenly place.  During my alone time between 3 and 4 hours, I was approached by two dolphins who surfaced about 20 feet from me.  I just stared in wonder and felt very grateful for the chance to share their ocean.

Chris joined me for the last two hours in a full wetsuit.  He learned from his first outing that the cold water didn't agree with is new lean, mean body.  Chris also managed to stay more on a straight course while Anders paddled alongside us.  We swam up a mile or so, turned around, did that "lap" a few times and all of a sudden, it was nearing the 6 hour mark.  I was ready to get out, enjoy a real meal, and drink a nice cold beer.  The thought occurred to me that I was a little tired but felt good.  What also occurred to me was that the surf was still rather large but nothing compared to those 11 foot monsters that Anders laid to waste.  Chris, Anders, and I talked about our strategy to avoid the reefs and head toward sandy shores.  We chose wisely because the pounding surf and sand was all I could handle as I got closer to shore.  Standing on the beach after those hours in a horizontal position felt weird but peaceful.

As Chris and I got out, we were greeted by some of the local lifeguards.  They were keeping an eye on me as I swam back and forth throughout the day.  I enjoyed chatting with them but really wanted to get out of the sun.  That beer was calling my name.  So, off we headed to the shower and hot tub.  First, the shower where, with the help of baby oil, I removed the Desitin.  Then, burrito in the hot tub.  What better way to end a long swim that hang out with great friends, eat SoCal burritos, and drink down a few frosty cold ones.  The swim was over.  I was ready to relax and relax I did.

Still slathered in Desitin but hankering for that first cold beer.

It was a great day in the company of great friends.  I managed probably 11-13 miles in really rocking waves and big surf inside.  Glad I could share the experience with Anders and Chris.  They were the real adventurers.  I had been training in the pool by swimming 20-25 miles a week; those two were cycling, running, and doing land sports.  Yep, they rocked it and deserve the credit.  I swam.  I felt great, refocused after perseverating on sharks for a moment, and built a ton of confidence going forward in my training. 

Thanks for following.  I have more to discuss from that trip and a few new details on my climb in May.  Stay tuned for those details in a day or so.

Where did I go? A rather long update but one that will fill you in on where I am and where I am going...

I never left.  The past few months were noteworthy for me but not for the purposes of my blog.  Here are a few things that kept me busy since my last post:

1.  The loss of my mentor.   On October 10th, 2015 - 2 days before my last post, my graduate advisor Lee Sechrest died.  His death was both expected and devastating simultaneously.  I admired Lee for who he was not what his life's accomplishments say he did.  He was more than a set of accomplishments - often listed as a brand left upon those who survived him.  Lee had a profound impact on who I am today.  Here is a picture of Lee, Kathy and me sitting in our shared office space at the University of Arizona:

I celebrate the time I had with him and will forever pay forward the kindness he showed me throughout our time together.

2.  Working.  Yes, I work as well as play.  Over the past few months, I dedicated myself to a few projects that are now finally starting to pay off and produce more interesting results.  Many of you know that I am a professor and I love my job, students, and lifestyle.  What you may not know is what exactly do I study.  Well, here are a few things I am starting to work on that may prove to be quite ambitious but hopefully fruitful.

• Rapid prototyping of measures:  My students and I - along with my great friend and colleague Todd Kashdan - started developing several measures in a way that few if any have used before.  We brainstorm ideas, construct questions (or items), conduct cognitive think aloud sessions to refine the questions, and then (and here is the novel part), we deploy them on the web using Amazon's Mechanical Turk, Reddit, Facebook, or any other outlet that helps us collect data rapidly.  Once we get our initial data, we analyze the data to see if it provides us with what we expected or, better yet, something novel.  The latter is the most exciting.  After the initial data collection, we revise the instrument, go thought the entire process again, and keep doing so until we refine what we want and what we collect.  Pretty cool, eh?  This process would not be possible without the help of many people across many different disciplines.  Thanks to a great team, we have a few measures about to hit the academic journals and, perhaps even more important, to the public as useful instruments to gain insights where they may have been difficult to gain before.
• Naturalistic observations and the processes of behavioral change: We all want to know what works for us when it comes to behavior.  Think about the behaviors you wish to change - eating habits, exercise, time management, and the like comprise most of our new year's resolutions.  Despite our will to change, we rarely do or at least those changes decay quickly over time.  I am interested in observing behaviors in places where behaviors matter the most. Observation is not really my goal.  I want to learn how to observe these behaviors unobtrusively and learn what helps us change them the quickest way with the least amount of effort AND maintain those changes.  So, where are the place I refer to above?  Well, the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, office, and other "personal places" come to mind as the locations where behaviors matter the most.  Do you eat well, sleep 8 hours a night, brush/floss, wash your hands, focus on work when working, and remain reasonably active throughout your day?  If I asked you those questions, you would often say yes - especially if I asked you around others who watched you respond.  That type of response is what social scientists refer to as reactive responding.  I want to know and employ unobtrusive measures whereby the observation takes place without the person knowing they are being observed.  This observational process is not like "Big Brother" from Orwell's 1984 but rather a personalized approach to each person monitoring his/her behavior.  In our lab, we are setting up remote sensors to help people monitor their behavior and for us to observe these behaviors in more public places where they may be more indicative of health, social, and occupational functioning.  
• Tons of work with STATS.org:  As you all know by following my blog, I am interested in statistics, data visualization, and science.  I found a great home with kindred spirits in my own lab and with the folks at STATS.org - housed in my own university.  We review and comment on science reporting to help journalists accurately and fairly evaluate scientific contributions.  The journalists are wonderful because they are open to new ideas and readily learn the nuances of scientific reporting.  I learned a fair bit in the short time working with the group and look forward to more work in the near future.  Some of the pieces we worked on recently involved toxicology reports about BPA and various other projects kept all of the STATS.org folks busy for the past few months.  I have a few other posts coming that focus on "hot" topics you might find compelling including the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (specifically the PACE trial), the evidence about artificial sweeteners in humans, and the effects of salt on our health and well-being.  Please browse the STATS.org site and send us comments or suggestions should they arise. 

3.  Finally, sorting out the details of 3 adventures:

• ADVENTURE 1:  Denali.  I mentioned in previous posts that I planned to help out my friend Dave Williams on his quest to climb the 7 Summits by running from the sea to the base and then climbing the mountains.  Dave just successfully climbed Aconcagua after 2 previous failed summit bids.  He dedication to his cause is remarkable and admirable.  To show my respect, I volunteered to help him climb Denali this May.  I love his attitude.  He is a trooper and the climb should be fun.  Right now, we are finalizing plans.  I will post more details about the climb but for now, I will say that this is quite an adventure.  Dave had to coordinate the run from the sea to the Kahiltna glacier and that is just the warm-up!  After that approach, he will climb with me and several others.  Right now, we are bracing for some odd weather given the huge El Nino effects that seem to be affecting all parts of the Pacific Northwest - including Alaska.  
• ADVENTURE 2:  Catalina Channel and English Channel week.  Yep, I plan to do them one week apart.  I turn 50 on July 5th and there is no better way than to spend it swimming for the next few weeks.  Right?  My Catalina Channel swim begins on midnight July 11th, 2016 and my English Channel swim begins one week later (weather permitting).  Right now, I am in San Diego where I just completed my 6-hour qualifying swim in the Pacific Ocean - just off the shore of Solana Beach (more on that swim in my next update).  Now that I am done with that step, I can submit my final documents for both swims.  I am committed and ready after yesterday's awesome adventure.
• ADVENTURE 3:  Mountain Ride 2016.  My family and friends plan to ride our bikes form Salt Lake City to Denver (500-600 miles with 25,000 feet of climbing and 24,000 feet of descending) sometime in August.  I think we will do the ride over 8-10 days so only one week of vacation is necessary for those who actually work during the summer.  If any of you want to join us, feel free to do so.  Expect more details in the upcoming posts.  

So, there you have it.  I've been busy preparing for all sorts of things in life, work, and play.  Expect more frequent updates this year.  I have a plan to submit my posts every Sunday to keep me on track.  OK, more later....

Bucket list? Mid-life crisis? Nope, a reverse mortgage on my body....

Greetings,

Sorry for the silence.  I was busy losing weight.  Yep.  Got back from the UK after some nice swims in Dover harbor followed by an outstanding wedding in France.  Very happy to have such great friends.  Now that I am back, I wanted to post a few ideas over the next few weeks - ideas that remain stuck in my head and need to come out lest I forget them and move onto other ideas.  So here goes....Idea #1 for this series....Reverse Mortgaging my Body.

Reverse Mortgage:  Huh?

In the US, we have this (relatively) new way of keeping your head financially above water when you retire.  The banks encourage seniors to reverse mortgage their homes.  Instead of paying for your house, the bank pays you monthly installments to eventually own your house.  The trick is to start your reverse mortgage in time so that by the time you expire, you no longer need your house and you have collected every payment from the bank.  Timing becomes a key determinant for the payoff.

Reverse mortgaging my body

I realize I have only so many years to be vital.  Between sickness, accidents, and such, I figure I can remain active until I am in my early 70's.  Some of my friends are very active well beyond their 70's.  My dad, for instance, ran a 5K this past weekend at youthful age of 79 even though he battles pancreatic cancer and just underwent another round of chemotherapy a few months ago.  There are many exceptions but a conservative estimate of early 70's at least gives me some idea of my time left to wear this body out.

Every year and perhaps even more frequent than yearly, I plan to pay myself in installments of adventure.  Those adventures - both big and small - help me live my life as much as possible.  I enjoy the outdoors and aim to do whatever I can to enjoy life to the fullest.  So, when asked if I am checking off my bucket list, my new reply is...."no, I am taking advantage of my body's reverse mortgage."  Every adventure is a great payment.  Come join me.

If I spend my energy now enduring all sorts of fun adventures, I can retire from adventure in my mid-70's and take up a musical instrument, learn a foreign language, or read even more books than I already consume.  Heck, I might even enjoy golf.  Nah.....

Thanks for following.  Will post something else shortly.  I have some exciting news about next summer.  Should be a huge withdrawal from my body's reverse mortgage.  Stay tuned.....