My trip has been cut short

I need to get to take care of some issues so with Linda flying home tomorrow( September 3) I will start driving back and will be home on Tuesday.

I have a lot more to post form the trip but it may need to wait until I get home.

Yellowstone Continues

We went for our first hike in the Park.  The hike was up to a geyser called the Lonestar Geyser.  It was an ok hike and Linda had some foot issues but we made to the geyser.  On the way back we passed a group of hikers who said they saw a bear cub on the trail.  They said it ran off as soon as it saw them, but where the cub is momma is not far behind.  They asked if we had bear spray (we did not but brought some the next day).  So Linda and I were yelling "Hey Bear" and clapping the whole way back.  Below are some pictures from the hike.  Also Bison (buffalo) have a habit of blocking traffic and people (tourists) stop and take pictures tying up the road way for miles in each direction.

Bison (they make great burgers and chili.

Where is my gun when I need it!!

The first hike

A nice stream on the hike

The pause that refreshes

More of the stream

Lonestar Geyser

A Yellowstone stream

Yellowstone Part One

Linda finally made it out to Utah and we headed up to Yellowstone the next day.  Very limited cell and internet service in the Park (also no TV or radio).  We got to the campsite and got set up.  The next day we went on a full day bus tour call the Ring of Fire tour.  Most of the Park sits on top of a super volcano and there are lots of geothermal spots.  It will be some big mess when that one decides to blow.   It was a long day but we saw a lot of the Park (see the pictures below).

Yellowstone was a bit different then I had imagined and it takes a while to get into the flow of the park.  It is a really large park and you need to drive long ways to get get around the Park.  It also has many, many hiking trails.

Linda made it to Utah

We stayed at the Courtyard by the airport instead of a Walmart 

An Elk in Yellowstone

Hot Springs with Lake Yellowstone in the background

Yep another hot spring

And another one

Linda in front of a hot spring

Linda and I 

Old Faithful

Everyone taking the same picture of Old Faithful

And...you guessed it another hot spring

Our tour group!!

Stuck in Utah

I have been in Utah for three days.  I arrived on Thursday and went to Ogden to pick up my new pontoon fishing boat.  Whoops it was not ready.  Waiting around most of Friday and finally got the boat and worked on putting it together and taking it apart.  It is all good and look for pics fishing at Yellowstone in the coming days.  Linda was scheduled to arrive today around 1:30 PM.  Her flights got all screwed up so we have to stay over in Salt Lake tonight.  Hopefully we will get up to Yellowstone tomorrow mid-day.

Here are some pics from the trip



Campsite outside Salt Lake



Sometimes the light all shining on me...



Campsite outside Salt Lake



Utah Route 80 West

Route 80  West

Me hanging with the big boys oh yeah truckers

Go West !!

Horace Greeley's immortal words.

I started out on my new adventure on Monday morning.

Mostly driving so far with overnight stops in South Bend IN, Someplace in Nebraska and today in Rawlins WY.

Headed to Salt Lake City for a few days and then my wife Linda is joining me (she is flying out).  Linda and I will camp for a week in Yellowstone Park and then up to Grand Teton for a week (staying in two different hotels).  Linda then heads home and I go to Dubois, WY to fish the Wind River for a week.  Then to Yosemite for a few days and then onto the Grand Canyon.  After that down to Beau Bridge, LA to visit my friend Carl and then work my way home.

There will be lots of fishing and hopefully some fish.  Also hiking and lots of pics etc.

I will keep you posted.  Oh we also have a second mascot from my mom (see below).

Trucks lots of trucks

Picture in WY while driving!!

More WY driving

Oh no who is this new guy (gal), you know there not room in this camper for the two of us! 

You Can't always get what you want but if you try, sometimes you get what need

Lake Placid Ironman 2011

OK so I admit it.   It was not a great idea to try to do an ironman while on treatment for my cancer.  When I started training back in January I really did not think I would be able to get to the starting line.  However my training went much better than I originally planned.  By the end of June I was feeling pretty confident after my trip up to Lake Placid.  During July I started to lose some of my stamina and was definitely declining physically.

I got to the starting line and eventually the finish line some 15 1/2 hours later.  I am not really sure why it happened but I got very bad cramping in my legs and arms.  I think it was mainly due to the medication triggered by stress and the 3 week week taper leading up to the race.  Anyway the cramps hurt a lot and they slowed me down but I finished.  

Linda, Kelly and Jenny drove up to see me and Alex and Meg were there as well.  It was great to have them all cheering me on.

And that is all I have to say about that.

Campsite at Lake Placid

The Happy Finisher

Why is it so dark out??

On the bike going uphill

Yes of course Ironman was there with me

A Lake Placid Ironman training update

I have not posted an update since the FL trip ended. On the return trip I stopped off in the Jacksonville area and I had a very nice visit with my friend Jim Eddings and his family.

I did my 3 month medical stuff at the end of April.  The numbers were not great but also not terrible or unexpected, more wait and see.  I received a 3 month Lupron shot and an IV of Zometa.

Since returning my main focus of my free time has been spent on the preparation for an attempt at the Lake Placid Ironman triathlon.  I have held off on any updates until I made some significant progress in upping my distances.  Over the past two weeks I have ramped up some of my training distances.   It is now beginning to look to me like I have a shot at getting to the starting line on July 24th 2011.  In addition to the shorter workouts I have been able to up my long workouts as follows: swimming 3+ miles (approx 1.5 hours), biking 100 miles (approx 6 hours) and yesterday I did my longest run of almost 10 miles (approx 1 hour 20 mins).  On Friday I was able to put together a 100 mile bike ride followed by a 20 min transition run (this run is designed to get your legs to transition from pedaling to running) which for me is quite a milestone.  Still a long way to go to get to the starting line but this is certainly encouraging.  My goal for the race is to complete the swim in 1.5 hours the bike in 7 hours and then combine run /walk for the marathon and beat the cut off time of 17 hours.

The effects of the medications make the training difficult and is really has become a mind over body struggle for me.  It is difficult to keep up the mental energy necessary to force my body to complete these distances, but I am encouraged by this weekend's workload.  It will be one day at a time until July 24th.

Special thanks to Marc, Hope and Tracy for keeping my muscle and joints moving and flexible.  

I head out to Montauk for the Montauk Triathlon on June 11 and then up to Lake Placid to train on the course.

Thanks for reading

Last day of fishing and I score a keeper sea trout

Finally, I caught a legit fish on the fly.  A nice sized sea trout.  Fished in morning wind pick up in the PM and I headed back in a bit early.  I saw a school of small tarpon and I threw everything I had at them but could not get them to take a fly.

However, I neglected to bring my camera out with me so no picture of Tommy Trout.

Sightseeing with Linda tomorrow after a nice brick workout and I head back on Tuesday.

Livestong and thanks for reading.  I have a busy April with medical stuff and a few odds and ends back on Long Island.  I head out to Montauk for 5 days of Surf Fishing May 5-10.  Then the Jamacia Bay kayak fishing tourney May 12-16 (Camping out there).

April, May and June will also see some very serious triathlon training.  First half of June will be out in Montauk training and doing the Mighty Montauk Triathlon.  Second half of June will be up in Lake Placid working on the Ironman course.  July is all about the Lake Placid Ironman Race.

August will see me heading out West (Route to be determined).  Linda will be flying out to meet me in mid August.  Linda and I are camping in Yellowstone and maybe Grand Teton and then I will stay out visit with my friend Tom as he looks to take an elk with a bow.  I will also take some time and be hitting the big western rivers in search of Cutthroats and Steelies (Alex you better meet me out there for this).  I think I promised to be home by Columbus Day, but....

The last leg and I have a visitor

"What is she doing here I thought this was a he-man trip.  I always knew you you were weak." 

I am now on Pine Island (near Fort Meyers) and my lovely wife Linda has joined me for this part of the trip.  I have been concentrating on training the past week with only a couple of fishing trips on the Blackwater River (see photos below).  I will be fishing here on Monday (and possibly a short scouting trip on Sunday afternoon).  As for training I did four brick workouts this week ranging from 3 plus hours on the bike backed up with a 30 min run to riding 40 minutes to the Marco Island Y swimming 45 minutes and riding back.  I found a pool nearby this location and will be going for an hour swim and up and out early tomorrow for a long bike backed up by a run.  I have to say it is pretty amazing that with all this working out my body is not getting stronger (the result of the hormone treatment).  My rib problem continues to be an issue and I am trying to work through it.  The weather here is great 80's and sunny.

Pine Island KOA 

Ready for action 

Umm.. there is someone sleeping in my bed.  Help me Ironman!!

Collier Seminole Park Blackwater River

The River

More of the River

Peaceful nice place to meet a snake or a gator

Yes I finally broke down a took a picture of one of the little fish I caught

Collier Seminole State Park

Hi, I am here in CCSP which is very quiet and peaceful.  It is located just south east of Marco Island on the Blackwater River.  I got here on Monday and got set up.  Tuesday I went for a 3 hour bike ride followed by a 30 min run.  Afterward I took a short trip down the river.  It is very pretty and is a tidal river.  Today I went all they way down into the bay and fished there for a while.  It was about a 7 mile trip down and 7 miles back.  I caught a couple of ladyfish, but got kind of tired about half way through so it was more of a kayak trip then a fishing trip.  More training planned for tomorrow AM and then a short fishing trip in the river.  There is not enough of an internet connection to post any pictures but I will post them once I get more coverage.

The Wind , the wind and oh yes the wind

Listen I don't think you are ever going to catch me a fish to eat so let me shoot one these mini-deer and at least we will have some fresh food!!!

Ok so I have not posted since Wednesday, I have really like the place I am staying at in Big Pine Key.  They have Key Deer roaming around the entire island they look like miniature white tail deer.  I got here on Wednesday and did not fish but did my first brick workout of the year a 1 hour bike ride and a 30 min run.  Thursday I fished all day and saw more fish but the winds were brutal and basically kicked my butt.  I got back and did a 45 minute run.  Friday I bagged fishing but went for a 2.5 hour bike ride.  Today (Saturday) I fished from 8 AM to 4 PM I saw the most fish so far and lots of sharks!!  I caught one little nothing fish.  I had some good shots at bonefish.  I am learning and getting better.  Oh yeah the wind was blowing at 20 mph all day!!

Here are pictures:

Key Deer

Nice Place

Good bonefish spot ( I scared a bunch of them out of here)

More lots of casting but no fish

Miles and miles of this to fish ( it is like a desert)

My three sisters flew in to watch me fish

My sister Maureen left early Lillian and Teresa stayed to watch

There should be fish here!!!