And now back to the triathlon training

maybe for next year?
http://www.sheroxtri.com/overview-6567.html

but for now..
http://www.endurancemag.com/charlotte-home

http://www.anewtriangle.blogspot.com/

Longtail

In going back through my pics I realised that with the magic of just point and shoot with the digital camera I was in fact able to catch a picture of the longtail. 

There are great facts about the longtail which over the years I havent retained.  However, the Bermuda promoting web-sites always have a good reference handy for the facts.

Bermuda longtail

Yellow billed, white-tailed tropic bird, not indigenous but native. It is a national symbol and many souvenirs and pieces of jewelry are made with its image, some locally in gold and silver. The white-tailed tropic bird - or longtail as Bermudians know it - is Bermuda’s traditional harbinger of spring and one of the most beautiful features of our coastline during the summer months. Nesting from April to October in holes and crevices of the coastal cliffs arid islands - mostly in the Castle Harbour islands - where it is safer from human disturbance and introduced mammal predators, it is the only native seabird to have survived in numbers comparable to its primeval abundance on Bermuda. Once, up to about 1978, at least 3,000 nesting pairs used to breed along most of the coastline but the numbers have declined steadily due to coastline development, increased disturbance from an expanding population, and predation by illegally-stray stray dogs, cats, crows and oil pollution at sea. Also, they compete compete with pigeons for nests. Other factors include global warming and its higher sea levels that flood lower nest sites. Hurricanes Felix and Adrian in September 2004 destroyed many nests and filled others with rock.

Of course I always seem to think of the Bermuwjan Vurd definition of longtail.

LONGTAIL Young, unattached female tourists.

I do beleive that I was referred to as that by someone - jokingly of course.  I like to think that doesnt apply anymore.  Not because I am not young, but more so because I think I fall somewhere between onion and tourist... 

Another link of interest

I cant overlook a far superior effort at promoting the island by my friend, George.
Check out his web-site on Bermuda and all his other travels.

http://www.planetneptune.com/PN4/GeoTravels.aspx

BB Photos of my morning run

I had forgotten I had taken pics with my phone one of the mornings I went out for a run.
I just downloaded them to my facebook page as it seemed the easiest way to get them downloaded all at once.  I hope the link works.
To reply to this message, follow this link:


http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=684640008&k=4WAZ45W24T6B4EF1Q1442US2QQK134W&oid=1388167620254
 

dragon tatoo

at the suggestion of a reader i am trying to watch the swedish version of the girl with the dragon tatoo...  i think it is too soon after reading the book for it to truly capture my interest...
it is listed as a thriller which totally explains why some nights while reading it i got scared to turn off the light, walk across the room and get into bed...
figure since i need to be up tomorrow at 430am for the next venture it is best i turn it off now and try again later when scaredy cat nightmares wont interrupt my travel plans...
kentucky tomorrow - will be switching back to the other blog as i count down the days until the next triathlon

Miss It Already

2 years may be too long to wait for the next visit... just saying...
Anyone up for a traithlon in 2011??


have updated some links in the previous posts...  will try to upload pictures tomorrow... will require some editing however...

Flight home

I had some excitement with my excursion to the airport.  Put one of my bags down - the one with the Garmin and other electronics - and walked away leaving it on a chair.  However, it wasnt until a while later that I realised I was walking around without a bag.  And I lost my nerve....  I ran around the airport looking for the bag until they made the final announcement.  It wasn't until I was downstairs and at the gate that I actually found some security personnel to help me.  They found my bag - PHEW!!!  But let me tell you it took all the energy out of me.
I slept most of the flight back.

Action photos

When we went for that final walk through Spittal Pond, Miss Lesley took control of my camera and got some funny action shots of me climbing over the rocks.

Spittal Pond again

Les and I decided to get on out to do one last jaunt around Spittal Pond before returning my bike, packing and heading to the airport.
It was a nice morning walk.

Dinner with friends

Thankfully I did not have to ride my scooter in the rain to get to dinner. 
As with all the other dinners with my week - it was nice to catch up with friends over good food and wine and drink... 
A nice way to end up the week.

One last run

So I made it home from town and still had time to kick about before dinner plans.  Decided to give the run one last shot for the trip. 


I wish I could take the graphs from all 3 runs and overlay them to see how I differed from day to day.  I guess I will need to do some extra work to analyze.  It is interesting to retrace my steps - at the bottom of Collectors Hill you can see where I stop to wait for oncoming traffic.  Or when my cadence doesnt necessarily change but my heartrate does - usually means I am walking up a hill (and the not the barometric pressure anomoly of a hill:)  All pretty cool...  I do love the little toy.
FYI - all days are now open for review...   just in case you want to take a look. 

BDA - Collectors McGalls Hill - round 3 by delbda at Garmin Connect - Details

BDA - Collectors McGalls Hill - round 3 by delbda at Garmin Connect - Details

Town

So I left my visit to town to the last day.  Cant say I really know why.  Just the way things panned out.
I rode the scooter into town even though there was a threat of rain.  I mean there was a reason why I water-proofed my jacket last week, right?  I parked where the old Number 1 shed used to be.  Ahhh, ample bike parking... a nice change...  And walked down to Miles Market to meet a friend for coffee.  Not the best of mornings to sit outside with a coffee but it didnt rain on us so that's a plus.
From there I walked back into town and did some shopping.  I think I could say that most of my Christmas shopping is done and I helped the Bermuda economy.
I had lunch at Silk.  I wanted to sit outside but the waiter just wasnt keen on the weather.  So I sat by the window with some chicken panang and watched the activity below.
By the time I got downstairs the cruiseship was getting ready to leave... so I just hung out on Front Street and watched.  I have to say I dont know the last time I did that.  The cruise ships are so big anymore.  I suppose they are impressive from the inside but wasnt all that impressed from the outside.
It was a nice day in town.  I must admit I miss Triminghams and Aston & Gunn.  I was disappointed in the book selection at Phoenix - no Patricia Shaw books to add to my reading list.  Things were different and things were the same.  It makes me nostalgic and sad all at the same time.

There is a new bar in town called the Stuffed Olive.  I keep saying it sounds like it should be a martini bar.  It wasn't until I was walking down Front Street why I was thinking this.... The Pickled Onion.  Did not even cast a shadow in its doorway this time around.

Red Right Return

Walk around Dockyard.  It was crazy sweaty hot.  And the first time I came across tonnes of tourists off the cruise ships.  Took some photos of the new larger cruise ships.  Decided I dont really like them.  Probably wont find any inspiration to take a trip on one any time soon.

Somewhere else in my travels Faithful was in a picture.  I would have to go look for it.  Probably back in 2004 or so... one of the other times I remember being out on the water in Dockyard.  So I decided to snap a shot of it while I was out there.

Dockyard

I returned from Southside and had the last of the CrowLane Cheddar Cheese scones from the other day. 
http://www.crowlanebakery.bm/
MMMmmm....  yummy....  toasted with some butter...  It was a nice follow up to the morning's outing even though not at all healthy.  I washed it all down with an iced coffee with Silk.  That was tasty too.  I need to remember that for when I get home.
I hung out with Les and her dad for a bit.  It was nice to see him.  I had forgotten the friendly lilt of his Scottish accent.
From there I headed to Dockyard.  http://www.experiencebermuda.com/dockyard/

It was more for the ride than for any real shopping experience.
I went along South Shore through Paget, passed Southampton Princess http://www.fairmont.com/southampton and Gibbs Hill  http://bermudalighthouse.com/  Some construction work.  Some buses.  LOADS of tourists working their ways to Horseshoe and other beaches.  It was a long ride.  Could only imagine how it would feel if I was peddling instead of just using the throttle.
I got to Dockyard and man was I hot.  I walked through the stores in the little mall.  Decided to say my spending until I went to town tomorrow.  Walked through the Victualling Wall, out by the cruise ships, the craft fair...  and had some fish chowder and a tall black and coke at Frog and Onion.  http://www.frogandonion.bm/home

And by the time I left I did find some souveniers.
Hopped on the bike and headed on back home.
Contemplated going up to the lighthouse but didn't navigate the right hand turn correctly so didn't go. 
Was gonna go down Harbour Road... but when I got to the turn towards Riddells Bay I changed my mind.
I did take a turn up the hill to my old home.  The view was still vast and amazing.
And then made it home.
Cooled down a bit and went to J&J house for dinner.  It was good food, wine and conversation.  It was nice to see everyone.
And now I amjust sitting here.  Glad I left when I did.  In between the lightning flashes and thunder crashes..  Because right about now it is POURING down rain!!!!
aaaahhh vacation

Southside

Southside silly not Southsiders (http://www.southsiderswaxhaw.com/index.html) 
I finally got up amd moving in the right direction this morning.  That would be the direction of Southside...  commonly referred to as where the old base was...  also where the McDonalds used to be.  It has caught my eye for a while now as that is where the Escape to Bermuda triathlon (that does not seem to be happening) took place a few years back.  If my assumptions were correct it is a somewhat flat course.  It looks to be a popular location for races (the schedules list it as Clearwater).  So I rode on out past the airport, around the round about where the base entrance was and turned on to Southside.
this link gives a good overview of where i was
http://www.escapetobermudatriathlon.com/Assets/Escape+to+Bermuda+Triathlon/Bermuda+Shorts+Maps.pdf

 Some suggested I park at the market and run towards the beach.  I opted to park at the beach instead.  I covere a little over 2 miles in 35 minutes.  Walk 5; run/walk 1on 1off for 15 minutes; walk for another; walk/run 1 on 1off until the end.
Now the swim... well it wasnt much of a swim.  I was in the water for about 12 minutes.  But I didnt go over the top with distance and strokes.  The life guard wasnt there yet and there was only one other person in the water.  So I took it easy.  It was nice to be in the water no matter what.  Too bad I cant find a way to do some open water swimming closer to home.

Swizzle...Baileys... swizzle, ice cream

oops... i look like i may have been having more fun with the ice cream than greyson

Botanical Garden/Tuckers Point/Swizzle/Baileys

I was planning on heading to Soutside today.  Thought I'd try an open water swim and run.  But it was overcast and my motivation was minimal.  So we went to the Botanical Garden instead.  It was a nice mile walk or so.  As always I took pictures of flowers that catch my attention.  Pictures of flowers I have taken pictures of before.  But it was very nice to just walk around and take it all in.  May go back and check out the art museum on the grounds.  Havent decided yet.
From there we started to drive around - little guy had fallen asleep in the car.  We headed over Collectors Hill and through Flatts via Harrington Hundreds to go check out Tuckers Point.  The last time I had been up that way the golf course had just reopened and the building on the property was still a work in progress.  Perhaps even just an idea in progress.  Plus I hadnt been that far down South Shore just yet.  So we went for a nice ride and the napper appreciated it as well.  And wouldnt you know that as we were turning around at the club house there was AF checking out the sites as well.  We stopped.  Chatted.  And headed to the main lobby. 
http://www.tuckerspoint.com/
After some deliberation on my part.  I went home.  Threw on my suit and a sun skirt and headed back to sit by the pool and grab some lunch.  The clouds never cleared and the rain did spit on us a little - so I never did find that motivation to head out to Clearwater.
We had a nice lunch.  Split a bottle of wine.  Fish chowder - it is an obligation of mine when I visit - hopefully precludes the need for me to make some from scratch when I get home. Smoked salmon.  A nice light lunch.  And proceeded to sit by the pool some.  And swim some.  It was a nice afternoon.
I thought I would get a run in before dinner but again the motivation did NOT kick in.
I showered and had dinner at Swizzle Inn.  http://www.swizzleinn.com/
Again an obligatory thing - swizzles, chowder, conch fritters... follwed by some ice cream at Baileys.  It was a fun evening. 
MAYBE tomorrow will find me at Clearwater.  I really need to go and get it out of my system.  And then if I like it I can go back and take pictures.  WOW - what a great idea.  Glad I finally put that stress to rest.

week is more than half over

makes me kinda sad

Castle Harbor

On a sunny day I am sure the professional photographers catch more of the magic of  Tuckers Point than I did.  But it was a nice day.  We sat at the pool that overlooked Harrington Sound.

Flora... aahhh, the Botanical Garden

I do believe I still have pictures from the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden to download and post somewhere...  But for today, we will go with these pictures.

John Smiths Bay

I didnt have enough space on my bike to lug everything I wanted.  So I went home switched out a few things and headed to John Smiths Bay.  It may not be my most favourite.  It is the one I have visited most frequently and swim in the most.  Astwood Cove is most favourite - just doesnt have much for swimming...  Anyways... The bay is conveniently located and not overrun by tourists.  However there are people there swimming so I dont have to worry about my fear of swimming alone.  I met a friend there and her children.  I was planning on staying for 2 hours or so and ended up staying for FOUR!!!  Thank goodness the Target brand sunscreen worked....  Oh, we did spend a good portion in the shade as well but the sunscreen worked like a charm.

I managed to go in the water 3 times.  It wa lovely.  As with Spittal Pond, I managed to work some time in there out in the water to just relax.  Let the water carry me.  Let the waves choose my direction.  Just relax.  It was nice. 

We had lunch on the beach.  Good conversation.  And eventually headed home.

I showered and spent the rest of the afternoon running errands with Les.  HAH!!!  Ended up at Gorhams...

http://gorhams-ltd.com/
Tool Time even happens in Bermuda....  I did find myself explaining the finer points of how blades for reciporcatiing saws are painted...  RELAX grrl.
We drove down the Southampton and back for the little guy to take a nap.
Now the puppy and I are having some alone time.  I was reading the Dragon book but decided that this would be a good use of time as well.
What will tomorrow bring?

Almost forgot had dinner down the hill at Northrock Brewery...  Fish chowder and a salad...  Some alone time.  What did Chris call me for eating alone?  "City girl"  Well when you travel a lot for work all by your lonesome you get used to eating alone.  It is nice every once in a while.  Good for eavesdropping.
http://www.northrockbrewing.com/

Spittal Pond

Probably if you read further through the blog you will find that this is consistently one of my favourite spots.  Has been for years. 
So I opted against the McGalls Hill loop - although I was hoping for some consistency with that to track my pace - and headed to Spittal Pond.
I parked at the West entrance.  The first thing you notice is you are on the outskirts of a farm.  The cows were huddled up today.  Perhaps hiding from the sun and the heat - even in the early hours.  And boy can you tell they are there.  Man oh Man did is STANK.  And onward down the path I went.  At first you enter onto a trail that is shaded with flora and fauna.  As you progress you begin to hear the waves crashing on the shoreline.  One of the nicest aspects of the outing.  Just as you begin to see the ocean there is a side path that takes you to an "ocean overlook" or something like that.  I always make my way over there.  It is where I remind myself to take a seat and relax for the holiday.  Just take it all in.  I take pictures.  It gives me purpose.  But I try to remind myself - nope, no purpose, just sit.  I made it to about 4 minutes before getting antsy.  I did have the pleasure of seeing 6 longtails (the actual bird not the slang) while sitting there.  I hope I got a photo.  We shall see when I get home and download and post. 
I made my way back to the trail and into the official preserve.  You can work your way over the rocks to see more of the ocean and the waves and all.  I just love it.  I must wonder over the years if the various pictures I have taken while I have visited would show the erosion of time?  I can say when I lived here there was definite erosion from hurricanes and such.  I wonder how noticeable it would be.  Again I moved on.  I took more pictures.
I must admit this time I did not take the side path to Spanish Rock - recently renamed to Portuguese Rock.  I didnt feel like I had the time.  Other visits I have spent more time meandering and climbing and scaling the rocks.  Not so much today.  I made my way back out of the preserve and along the path back to the bike.
Got a better shot of VTLB as well. 

The Sand is Pink

Just in case you dont believe the ads from the Ministry of Tourism

SP - well you cant forget the pond itself