Courtesy Wave

So what ever happened to the courtesy wave? You know, you let somebody cut in front of you in traffic and they give you a quick wave in the rear view mirror to say "Hey, thanks for the solid."

Sure, the wave is often abrupt and insincere, but really its only a gesture anyway so the technique in largely irrelevant. The key is the gesture, the recognition, the acknowledgement.

But recent experience suggests that the courtesy wave is a thing of the past. Extinct. Like Walkmans. Or customer service. Or tab-collared dress shirts.

Was there a memo that I missed, highlighting the demise of the courtesy wave? Or are people just too busy texting while driving to perform the courtesy wave?

I say bring back the courtesy wave! Carpe wave!

Last Chance for Boston - Half Marathon

Well, the Running Gods were with me yesterday during the half-marathon, and they allowed me to run the race largely pain-free. Nice! I intend to sacrifice a pair of old Saucony's on their behalf at the next full moon. Right calf is a little tight today, but surely a marked improvement from the past 6 weeks.

The weather was good for running, with temperatures right around 30 and only a light breeze. I ran the first 10.1 miles in a high Zone 2/low Zone 3 heart rate range (avg. BPM like 150 - 155), then picked it up a little over the final 3 miles. My final time was nothing to brag about, but I'm pretty pleased overall.

So now its time to focus on the 50K in April! Gotta get out on the trails and start stretching out my runs a bit more .... this will be my first "ultra" and my first trail run over 7 miles, so I've got some things to learn here for sure.

Also, my friend and sometimes running buddy, Bob, was doing the full marathon yesterday - he ended up with a PR by like a minute, so great job Bob!!!

Everglades National Park Photos

Mid-February in Ohio. Ouch. Got a wicked case of cabin fever. The past couple of years I'd be preparing about now for a trip down to south Florida to visit Everglades National Park. Nothing fancy, just a long weekend hiking around with the camera, enjoying the peace, and looking for critters (especially herps). Great time of year to visit the Everglades - temperatures in the 70s, its their dry season (so bugs are minimal for the most part), and plenty of wildlife. In fact, if you're a birder, this place is fantastic - birds are not necessarily my thing, but the variety of species present in the park is pretty amazing. They're all over the place, reflecting just what a unique ecosystem Everglades represents. Pretty cool stuff. I like getting to the park before the sun rises, and sitting in the pre-dawn light, listening as the park wakes up. All the animals combine for a pretty sweet symphony. So if you're like me and you're cursing the groundhog for his prediction of 6 more weeks of winter, you may want to consider a quick trip down to south Florida ... there are worse ways to spend a late winter weekend. Here are a few photos from past trips down to south Florida.

Remembering Jake the Great

Today would have been Jake's 14th B-Day. Sure wish he was still with us to celebrate it. Miss the boy like crazy, but very grateful for all the great times during his 13.5 years.

Super Bowl Prediction

Hmmm. I'm not strongly in favor of either team, nor am I rooting against either team. Pretty indifferent overall as to who wins. I am just hoping for a good game. Something close, with some exciting plays. Cardinals have been hot lately - defense has played surprisingly well in last few games, and the offense can be explosive. The Steelers have been pretty solid all year, with a dominating defense and an offense that at times is quite capable.

My prediction, which will surely be way off is ---- Steelers 24, Cardinals 17. I'm expecting a TD for the Steelers D which will be crucial to their victory.

Well, that's my guess anyway ....