Walk Into the Future

Category: Travel

Articles on travel.

  • Running to Philly

    person wearing grey nike sneakers
    Photo by Karl Solano on Pexels.com

    “I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days”.

    (Ronald Rook)

    Decided early to make my Walk into the Future about setting goals and then putting in the work to meet those goals.  Very proud of my efforts so far in 2019 as I continue to cross things off my list daily.  One of my ongoing 2019 goals is to run a half marathon under 2 hours.  I’ve improved my best time twice this year for a total of 5 minutes faster than I ran in 2018.  My best time of 2:08:21 (2 hours, 8 minutes, 21 seconds) was run at the 2019 Nashville Rock n Roll Half Marathon back in April.  Very proud of this time and training used to get ready for Nashville.  Again, my 2019 goal is to run under two hours, so still have work to do.

    Miles, miles and more miles

    Determined the best way to run faster was to increase my training program with additional miles.  I had to put some thought into how this would happen considering I would be running during the summer in Florida.  The heat and humidity can be unbearable just walking around so running would be an additional challenge.  Set my running schedule to avoid the hottest times during the day—early morning runs allowed me to get out and back before the full heat and humidity of the day kicked in.  Weekend runs started a bit earlier since I leveraged this time for my long runs.  Learned quickly getting out and back before 9:30 am was ideal—anything past 9:30 am and the heat beats you up.

    Logged 50+ miles in June using this training method.  June also provided me with the blueprint on times to run, times to avoid and how to hydrate properly to pull this process off successfully.  Increased my training miles in July to 70+ by running two weekday runs of 5 – 6 miles each and then having a long run of 8 – 10 miles on the weekends.  Also, started carrying a hydration belt with Gatorade and water so I could replenish fluids while out for my run.  Hydration belts are not the coolest looking accessory, but it is very functional when you need something to drink miles away from water.

    I extended my training program and physical capabilities in August with a 100+ mile month.  My two weekday runs were extended up to 8 miles each and my weekend runs extended up to 11 – 12 miles.  My longest August training run was 12.65 miles.  Long runs were done to get the miles in, didn’t try to hit race pace since I wanted to build up my running base without trying to hit a specific time.  Ironically, my long run times were still better than some half marathons I ran a few years ago.  Looks like I’m getting faster just by adding long runs to my training program.

    Note:  I still made it to the gym for my normal workouts and extra cardio.  Running was the priority for run days, but I didn’t eliminate weight training, yoga or stretching sessions.

    Run Day view

    September is my taper month as I refresh my legs for the Philadelphia Rock N Roll Half Marathon on 9/15/19.  I logged 20 running miles in September to complete my training program prior to heading off to Philly.  This allowed me to mentally and physically get ready to run my best in Philly.

    The best part of being this close to a race is I get to carb load—all the pasta and bread I want! 😊  This will help my energy levels during the race and keep me moving fast.

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/carbohydrate-loading/art-20048518

    Cross Training View2

    (Leg day on the Pit Shark)

    Lessons learned

    Mixed in hills, intervals and long runs into my training program prior to Philly.  Felt I needed to incorporate more hills and intervals after my Nashville race.  Believe these added programs will give me the endurance, speed and mental toughness needed to get under two hours in Philly.  We will see!  If not, the next race is 10/26/19 in Boston, Georgia.

    You can follow my Philly progress using the Rock N Roll app:

    https://rtrt.me/app/rnra

    Off to Philly and looking forward to my cheese steaks after the race and sightseeing in a new city!

    How are you doing with your 2019 goals?  What adjustments are needed to ensure you meet your written goals?  Thanks!

     “A goal is just an awesome way to force growth on yourself”.

    (Deena Kastor)

  • The happy spot: Negril, Jamaica

    Curry Goats

    Made my annual pilgrimage back down to Negril, Jamaica in May.  Decided a few years back I would travel yearly to Jamaica to enjoy the sun, rum and reggae.  I’ve missed a year here and there but have been consistent getting my Jamaica passport stamp.

    The Jamaican Tourist Board (JTB) created the ‘Once you go, you know’ slogan in 2003 to generate tourism interest and get more people to visit the island.  I always thought about the slogan because I wanted to ‘know’ what Jamaica was about but thought it was beyond my price point.  A simple check on Expedia highlighted how affordable a trip to Jamaica can be—prices vary based on brand names (Sandals, Beaches, Palladium) to more economic options (Samsara, Legends, Rock House).  You can spend as much or little as you want based on resort brand, location and all-inclusive food/drink options.

    Samsara

    My preferred resort is Samsara which is situated on the west end of the island.  The unique feature for Samsara is the resort is located on a cliff.  The cliffs provide unique experiences for guest to ‘cliff dive’ while enjoying the water.  I don’t cliff dive but use the access to put my snorkel gear to good use.  I spend about 3 hours daily exploring underwater caves, following fish and watching Jamaican spear fishermen catch barracuda.

     

    Samsara is close to other west end resorts, so I have made a point to visit some of them while on the island.  This allows me to experience additional waterfront views, menu options and drink specials.  My favorite lunch spot on the island is the Rock House.  The Rock House has an expanded menu with a lot of traditional Jamaican food options.  Steamed snapper, peas and rice and callaloo is my go-to meal ‘every’ time I’m there.  Callaloo has a look and feel of collard greens but I will warn you, the Scotch bonnet peppers are smoking hot.  I spend more time pulling them out, but they do add flavor to the dish.

    Rock House

    I got a bit adventurous and decided to stop at a new spot on this trip.  I pass the Kool Vybes Bar and Jerk Centre every time I’m in Negril but never stopped.  Just assumed everything on the menu would be smothered in Jamaican jerk sauce but they provide the option to have the sauce on the side.  The food at the Jerk Centre was great and may be the best food bargain in Negril.  I will ensure to make it back to the Jerk Centre—recommend getting the jerk sauce on the side if you’re not into spicy food—Jamaicans like food with a kick!

    http://realnegril.com/koolvybes/

    Jerk Centre

    Samsara has a sister resort (Legends) on Seven Mile beach.  Guests have full privileges at both resorts which provides additional options while in Negril.  I can spend time snorkeling off the cliffs at Samsara and then trade for beach activities to include jet skis, catamaran excursions, shopping and dining.  This 2 for 1 resort option is a ‘hidden’ gem to enhance the overall enjoyment while in Negril.

    7 mile beach

    Reggae

    My go to spots to listen to live reggae in Negril are Alfred’s and Bourbon Beach.  I always ask the locals for places to visit and they all agree Alfred’s Ocean Place and Bourbon Beach are the best places to hear live music and catch the Irie vibe.  I’ve never been disappointed with the music or the vibes while at either place.  Both locations are right on 7 Mile beach so you can kick back with a cold drink, listen to the bands and hear waves crashing at the same time.  Very enjoyable experience!

    A new place I added to the rotation this trip was Roots Bamboo Beach resort.  Large stage with an impressive sound system with live reggae on Monday and Wednesday nights.  Roots Bamboo Beach is extremely close to Alfred’s and Bourbon Beach—went back and forth between venues when a band had to take a break.

    Negril’s uniqueness with cliff and beach access keeps people like me coming back year after year.  It’s always great to meet someone from Europe or Canada and hear they are on their eight trip to Negril—most are like me and stay at the same place every time.  They are in the ‘know’ about Negril.

    So, now you know—Negril is my happy spot and I plan to visit as often as possible.  Already looking forward to my next trip down.

    What is your happy spot to visit?  When’s the last time you were there?

    Sunset 1

  • Nashville & the Wildhorse Saloon

    Rock n Roll Half Marathon

    Made my way back to Nashville, TN for the 2019 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in April.  This race has become a favorite of mine because it allows me to run Nashville neighborhoods and catch amazing musicians at multiple music venues.

    My training approach for this half marathon and all others moving forward has improved tremendously.  The Walk into the Future approach has allowed me to increase my training efforts and logging ‘true’ long runs.  Long runs for me now routinely cover 10 miles or longer.  The longest training run I put in for this race was 15 miles—didn’t run this distance for speed but used it to build mental and physical toughness.  Turns out I needed all the mental and physical toughness I could display because somewhere in my love for Nashville I forgot about the HILLS there! 😊

    The first 6 miles seemed to go uphill with multiple degrees of incline.  My training runs incorporated hills, so I was better prepared than I initially thought.  Decided to just put trust in my training and have fun as I made my way up each incline.  Slowly found myself enjoying each step with a smile on my face—guess I finally got that runner’s high people always talk about.

    Fast forward a bit and I was able to finish in 2:08:21 (two hours, eight minutes and 21 seconds) which is my personal best.  Improved on my time from the 2019 New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.  I’m still a bit off from my goal of running under 2 hours but I’m making incremental progress towards the goal.  I will continue to take small bites from the elephant.  Next scheduled half marathon will be in Philly in September.

    Nashville after race

    Wildhorse Saloon

    The Wildhorse Saloon is a place I visit every time I’m in Nashville.  It’s a great place to hear live music, dance and get some of the best food in Nashville.  Made two visits to the Wild Horse on this trip and heard some great new musicians.

    Line dancing lessons take place when the musicians take a break and the dance floor was crowded with folks having a great time learning the steps.  The line dance instructor breaks each dance down with step counts and practice for the dancers before turning them loose.  It’s great watching people learn the dance and then actually perform what they learned—yes, I include myself since I first tried line dancing at the Wildhorse.  Believe this place is a must visit if you decide to head to Nashville.

     

     

    NFL Draft

    The 2019 NFL Draft was also in Nashville for race weekend.  This was an extra event to experience while in town.  There were over 600,000 NFL fans in attendance for the 3-day draft event.  Made my way down to draft central two days to soak in the excitement of the draft and enjoy the crowds.   Didn’t realize how many professional football fans were this invested in their team’s draft process.  The passion, excitement and team pride displayed was impressive and Nashville put on an excellent show for everyone in attendance.

    The Pittsburgh Steelers were the most represented team at the draft.  Their fans travel all over the country to show their support.

     

     

    My current Walk into the Future seems to keep bringing me back to Nashville and I love that fact!

    I plan to return to Nashville next April to enjoy the race weekend and live music again—great place to visit if you’ve never been!

    What’s your favorite place to visit?  How often do you get a chance to visit?  Thanks!

  • Running and enjoying the Big Easy (New Orleans)

    ‘Everything in New Orleans is a good idea’.

    (Anonymous)

    New Orleans Canal Street Trolley

    Made another trek over to New Orleans for the 2019 Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  This was race #2 in my 2019 goals for my running program.

    Happy to report my training program has gained me additional time off my personal best for the half marathon distance.  Was able to clock 2:10:39 (official time) which took three minutes off my previous best time.  I’m learning more about training, lactic acid thresh holds and pain management.  Slowing but positively heading towards my goal of running a half marathon under 2 hours—it’s coming!

    Was excited to get back over to New Orleans this year.  It’s a great place to visit—lots of food, drink and culture options available.

    Decided to stay a little more central this year on Canal Street.  The hotel was far enough away from the hustle and noise of Bourbon Street but close enough to walk there for entertainment options.  Made it down to Bourbon Street to watch the street performers (singers, drummers, dancers, etc.) and experience the crowds who flock there to experience this New Orleans tradition.

    What’s a trip to New Orleans without eating at The Original Cajun Restaurant, Mulate’s?  It has become a staple on the New Orleans trip because the food and atmosphere are that good.  Generous portions, plenty food options and cold beer are major draws for this restaurant.  Normally get there during the day so have never experienced the bands that play the main stage at night.  Will make it a point to get there for the bands on my next journey over.

    A pleasant surprise and ‘new’ favorite place to eat in New Orleans is the Creole House Restaurant & Oyster Bar.  The Creole House is right on Canal Street and was next door to my hotel.  The convenience was great since I was doing a lot of running and walking while in New Orleans but beyond that the food was fantastic.  Got a chance to experience multiple meals at the Creole House and the menu selection was great.  I will warn you, the ‘house mayo’ they use on the Po Boys (sandwich) is good BUT spicy.  They don’t tell you that up front, so it was a surprise to me—I don’t do spicy. 😊

    I would recommend the chicken and waffles they have on the breakfast menu.  Every meal I had at the Creole House was great, but the chicken and waffles took it to another level.  Best chicken I’ve had in a long time and the waffle was large and fluffy.  Wish they would have this all day long, but it is a great way to start the day.  Will get the chicken and waffles every time I’m back in New Orleans—it’s that good!

    New Orleans is a great place—recommend you get there for a visit if you haven’t been yet.  Also, recommend experiencing the great food and culture available.  It’s more than a place to collect beads on Bourbon Street.

    Creole House

  • Happy Trails—Running and enjoying new sights!

    My current Walk into The Future has allowed me to grow in multiple areas.  I have put an emphasis on my running program to expand my mental and physical capacities.

    This extra attention to running provides me with an outlet to explore new places to run, stimulate my mind and to a degree get some sightseeing in.  I have been creative when identifying locations to run to combat the concept of boredom.  I rarely run the same route twice in a week—I’m able to leverage my neighborhood and parks to keep my route from getting stale.  I’ve recently discovered and added local trails to my running routine in my efforts to get faster at the half marathon distance.

    St. Marks Trail

    My goal to run a half marathon under two hours provides an additional level of motivation to my runs.  My old running routine did not incorporate a ‘true’ long run as part of my training.  I would routinely get a couple 6-mile, or 7-mile runs in before a race but that was the longest distance I put in.  Most running programs identify long runs in the 10-mile to 12-mile distance.  I was introduced to the St. Marks Trail by friends who know this trail would provide me mile options to get a true long run in to help with my training.

    The St. Marks Trail is a converted railway that runs from Tallahassee, Florida to the Gulf of Mexico.  The trail is listed as 20 miles long and is extremely flat.  It provides an ideal place to build up mileage and is well marked to keep track of distances.  The trail is maintained by state trail rangers and there are facilities (bathroom, water fountains, rest areas) along the trail which makes it a popular choice for bicycle enthusiasts, runners and walkers.

    My longest run to date on the St. Marks Trail is 12 miles…6 out and 6 back.  Enjoyed the concept of not having to ‘map’ out a course and hope it meets the distance I needed for the specific day.  I have designated the St. Marks Trail as my go to location now for my long run days.  The long runs concept was instrumental in getting me ready for the New Orleans Rock and Roll Half Marathon in early February.  Putting additional effort into my long run process prepared me better to perform during the actual race.  I was able to reduce my personal best time down to 2:10:39 (two hours, ten minutes and 39 seconds) official.  Believe my mid-race and late race endurance was enhanced because I now have the capability to incorporate long runs into my training program.

    Projecting to incorporate 15-mile runs on the St. Marks Trail to continue to build my endurance, speed and mental approach for the other races I’m registered for later in the year.

    Lafayette Heritage_Alford Greenway

    The Lafayette Heritage_Alford Greenway (LHAG) trail provides a different challenge from the St. Marks Trail.  I can access the LHAG trail from home so don’t need to get into a car.  I simply lock my door and walk a little less than half a mile and I’m off and running on the trail.  The LHAG trail provides a lot of scenic views as you run through a neighborhood and public park to access the dirt portion of the trail.  This trail then allows you to run dirt trails next to lakes and ponds, so it is a great way to experience nature during a run.  I occasionally see rabbits, hawks and alligators as I work my way deeper into the run.  The terrain changes multiple times which makes it challenging and fun all at the same time.  There are inclines to climb on the trail which makes it a bit harder than the St. Marks Trail.  I normally can get a good 6-mile run in (out and back) for this trail but feel it more because the inclines are very steep.  This is good for building my endurance but does nothing for my speed. 😊  It also helps when I’m in a time crunch—I don’t have to drive anywhere to run—just go out and back and I’m done.

    There are other trails nearby to add to my running program.  Will do some additional scouting to identify distances available on these other trails and start running them soon.

    Will leverage trail running more as I expand my Walk into The Future!  More to come!

    Trail Running

  • Running Traveler

    traveler 2019

    2018 allowed me to develop a robust running program as part of my Walk into the Future.  I set an aggressive (for me) goal to increase the number of Half Marathons I would run in 2018.  This newfound aggressive scheduling allowed me to travel to multiple locations and experience 13.1-mile courses in fun and culturally significant places.

    Running a race allows you to experience a location in a more intimate manner than simply driving around.  Running provides opportunities to fully engage the city since you don’t have to worry about cars, traffic or obeying signs.  The course gives you the freedom to look around, admire architecture or even stop to take a picture of landmarks.  My goal is to run as fast as possible, but 13.1 miles provides a lot of sightseeing time.

    New Orleans, LA. (March 2018)

    My first 2018 race was the Humana Rock ‘N’ Roll New Orleans Half Marathon.  I’ve been to New Orleans multiple times, but this was my first time running a race in the city.  Running friends identified this as a fun race and a fast course since New Orleans is relatively flat.  The race and the course really lived up to the prerace hype.  Everything about New Orleans is festive and the course sponsors, volunteers and cheering crowd made sure all runners enjoyed their time in New Orleans.  New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras and having a good time.  A lot of runners use this race as an extended opportunity to get dressed up in costume.  You see all sorts of outfits for this race and beads are everywhere.

    The race starts downtown and winds throughout the city.  We spent a lot of time on tree lined St. Charles Avenue.  Residents, business owners, spectators and brass bands lined the street to cheer runners.  There are a few ‘beer stands’ available even though it’s 7:30 am—of course you have to get a beer in New Orleans.  The rest of the race winds through the Garden District, the French Quarter and finishes at the Fairgrounds.  The race after party is held at the Fairgrounds with music, food, beer, snacks and hanging out with runners from around the world.

    New Orleans is a great city and I’m happy to have experienced it as a runner.  Got to see the city from different angles and have a deeper appreciation for the culture there.

    Recommend visiting River Walk New Orleans (shopping), Mulate’s (Cajun Restaurant) and Bourbon Street (music) while in New Orleans.

    Nashville, TN. (April 2018)

    Nashville is one of my favorite places to visit because I love live music and some of the best music is generated there.  The St. Jude Rock ‘N’ Roll Nashville Half Marathon is one of the largest races in the series.  The Nashville entertainment draws a lot of runners from around the world to ‘Nash Vegas’.  The food, music and shopping in Nashville provides a convenient backdrop for runners to meet up and enjoy the city.

    A real treat for runners during this race is a different musical act EVERY mile.  Most of the acts are local talent (singers, musicians, bands) who are all very good.  The course starts downtown Nashville and winds through college campuses and residential neighborhoods before ending at Nissan Stadium.  A unique feature happens right at mile marker #6.

    Mile marker #6 is the entrance to the Westgrove neighborhood.  The unique and special feature of this part of the running course is the people who live in the neighborhood provide the entertainment to include sound stage, costumes and refreshments.  The entire neighborhood gets involved during the race and they have FUN.  My first encounter with this neighborhood came in my first Nashville Half Marathon in 2017.  I stopped running to soak in the entertainment and the energy from the people there.  Truly amazing experience to see so many people want to help entertain and energize runners.  This is my favorite spot on the Nashville course every time I run there.  I didn’t stop in 2018 since I’m use to the experience now.

    Running in downtown Nashville is a true treat!  The history, entertainment and music venues there make for a unique visual experience.  I always discover new things to view every time I run the city.

    Recommend visiting the Wild Horse Saloon (food, live music, line dancing), Crazy Town (live music), Tequila Cowboy (live music, food, cold beer), Jack’s BBQ, Opryland USA and The Hermitage (Museum).  There’s a lot more there, Nashville is a great place to Walk into the Future.

    Boston, GA. (October 2018)

    The Boston Mini-Marathon is a local race the town of Boston, Georgia uses to invite people to visit over the weekend.  Festivities include the Mini-Marathon (Half), Parade, Ms. Boston pageant, a Boston Butt BBQ competition and local vendors.

    This race had the smallest number of runners for my 4 races but was the friendliest place I’ve ever run.  Everyone in town seemed to enjoy the event and the runners who descended on their town.  The course was very flat and with the cool October weather provided an opportunity to run fast.  I signed up for this one as a ‘training’ run but ran my fastest half marathon ever.  Believe the cool weather and flat course were instrumental to my fast (for me) time.

    boston mini

    Amelia Island, FL. (December 2018)

    Decided to take a flyer and run the Reindeer Half Marathon on Amelia Island.  I had never been to Amelia Island and thought this would be a great way to see the beach and downtown areas.  The course was described as flat and fast and it lived up to the billing.  The run starts and ends right on the beach.  In between it winds through nature preserves, neighborhoods, downtown and the Fort Clinch state park.  Unfortunately, the weekend weather was not great, so I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted.  I spent a lot of time at SLIDERS which has a great menu and ice-cold beers. Was able to venture out on the beach the day after the race before the rain started again.  Will look to make it back to Amelia Island to get a better feel for the area.

    2019

    Looking to add a few additional cities to my Running Traveler program.  Will run the Philadelphia Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon in September—never been to Philly.  Also looking at running the Orlando Utility Commission (OUC) Half Marathon again in December after taking a year away from this race.  May add a few others to round out my running schedule for 2019.

    Currently committed to run:

    • Gulf Winds Track Club 15k (January)
    • New Orleans Rock ‘N’ Roll Half (February)
    • Winter Park 10k (March)
    • Nashville Rock ‘N’ Roll Half (April)
    • Philadelphia Rock ‘N’ Roll Half (September)

    Looking forward to catching up with friends and drinking beer at all these races!  See YA’LL soon!

  • Coffee Shops

    The past few months on my ‘Walk into the Future’ have allowed me to discover and immerse myself into the coffee shop world.

    Not saying I’ve never been in a coffee shop, but my current walk has me exploring coffee shops as an outlet for my creative flow.  Most of my previous blog posts were imagined, designed and written in a coffee shop.  I find the environment rich with audial, creative and visual stimulation to help generate ideas and then put them in some measurable format to share via blog.

    The people watching in this environment is first rate!  It’s amazing watching the people interactions within a coffee shop—regardless of the time of day.  The amount of business being transacted within coffee shops highlights the benefits of networking away from an actual office.  People bring clients or prospective clients out for coffee to discuss work product, marketing designs and mergers.

    Friendly get togethers are another large portion of the people who frequent coffee shops on a random Tuesday.  Friends meeting up after a morning yoga class or run occupy most of the seats today.  The demographics of these groups highlight a diverse crowd who really enjoy good coffee and conversation.

    I make a point to patronize multiple local coffee shops to experience interactions on multiple spectrums.  Some of the shops I frequent have a faster pace to patron interactions, tone of the conversations and the actual noise level within.  Others have the pace, feel and sound inflections like a library with the real or perceived ‘hush’ look from people.

    I find myself gravitating towards the quieter coffee shops because I can concentrate a bit more and research/write additional context.

    My favorite coffee shop so far is Lucky Goat.  Good coffee, pastries, atmosphere and the people are always friendly.  There are numerous coffee shop options available but Lucky Goat continues to draw me in.

    What’s your favorite local coffee shop?

     

    Luck Goat2Lucky Goat3

  • Kayak Adventures

    Decided to explore the Wacissa River today via Kayak.  Wanted to add a new adventure to my ‘Walk into the Future’ and did some research on local Kayak outfitters.  Discovered the Wacissa River Canoe and Kayak Rentals outfit was only a 20-minute drive from me and had very reasonable prices for their rental options.

    The owners and staff were very friendly and had great knowledge of the Wacissa River and the multiple channels that branched off from the main river.  They outfitted me with a sit-on kayak, life vest, paddle, map and final instructions for my adventure.

    Launching off was easy and the day on the river began with me exploring multiple local inlets close to the outfitters docks.  I realized it has been right at 4 years since I last kayaked so needed to get my balance and paddle rotations down again.  Took me about 10 minutes to get the hang of kayaking again and I was off.

    There was a lot off overhead cover (shade) on the initial part of my adventure.  The outfitters also rent cabins that sit right on the river, so I rode by several of them on my way out to the open waters of the Wacissa river.  There were a few other kayakers out but not a lot of water traffic or noise during the time out on the water.

    The wild life on the river was close by and amazing!  Saw several different type and shape turtles just hanging out and sunning themselves.  Of course, every time I tried to get close to take a picture, they immediately dove to get away from me.

    It took about an hour of paddling the river before I spotted my first eagle.  Very impressive birds but when experienced in the wild they can be awe inspiring.  I was able to float for a bit and watch one have a large fish for lunch.  Got a couple pictures of this without disturbing the eagle or making it decide to dive bomb me.

    What’s a kayak trip on a river in North Florida without gators?  Spotted my first one of the day swimming close to where I was observing my eagle friend.  Decided to paddle closer to the gator which was about 7 feet long to get some ‘up close’ photos.  This all made sense when I started paddling.  Luckily, I came to my senses before I got too close to the gator because I had no Plan B for what I would do if it took serious interest in me.  Decided to float a bit instead of heading towards the gator and freaking us both out.  I was able to get some pictures of smaller gators but didn’t linger too long to avoid disturbing them or freaking myself out.

    Turning to head back in allowed me to fully take in how far I had traveled on the river without really thinking about distance.  Still didn’t worry about distance but rediscovered kayaking is a great way to burn some calories.  The rotational paddle motion needed to move the kayak will really work your arms, shoulders and core.  Didn’t rush to get back, simply enjoyed the river and the views provided as I came back to the outfitters.

    Highly recommend getting out on a kayak or canoe and taking in a peaceful day on the river.

    Just don’t disturb gators!

    Check out my new friends if you want to kayak the Wacissa:  http://www.wacissarivercanoerentals.com/index.htm

    Kayak1

  • Philly Soul

    What comes to mind when you hear Hall and Oates?

    Group from the 80’s, blue-eyed soul, lots of hit songs or I remember them?  I’m guessing all those things crossed your mind when I mentioned them and yes, they are still around.

    I was extremely happy to discover Hall and Oates was touring the country again this summer.  I grew up listening to their music and watching the early videos on MTV and Night Tracks on TBS.  Turns out the Hall and Oates video for Family Man (H20 album) was the first video aired on Night Tracks.  It seems they were always churning out a hit or two that captured my attention and had me singing along with them.  (FYI:  Night Tracks aired June 1983 – May 1992).

    Sometimes you forget how many hits an artist has until you see them live.  The closest place I could see Hall and Oates was in Orlando at the Amway Center.  I’ve been in the Amway for college and professional basketball games but never for a concert.  Multiple outlets had tickets available but decided to use Vividseats.com since this site didn’t have the ‘extra’ fees associated with booking directly with the Amway Center or Ticketmaster.  I’m always looking for a deal!

    Train was the opening act for Hall and Oates.  I’ve heard some of their music but I’m not a fan.  I was pleasantly surprised to see and hear a lot of Hall and Oates fans singing along to every word of Train’s set.  Turns out the lead singer is from the Philadelphia area and has been influenced by Hall and Oates.  May have to give them another listen knowing this new fact.

    Hall and Oates started their set with ‘Maneater’ which was one of their largest hits from the 80’s.  Their sound and band were better than I expected.  The musicianship displayed was impressive and had everyone standing, singing and dancing along.  They covered about an hour and a half of their hits going back to the early days: She’s Gone, Can’t Stop the Music, Sara Smile, Rich Girl, Kiss on My List, Maneater, One on One and new stuff [Philly forget me Not with Train].

    Texted one of my Philly area friends during the show and asked for her favorite Hall and Oates song.  She gave me two:  She’s Gone and Rich Girl.  I texted back my favorite Hall and Oates song is:  Sarah Smile.  Of course, this changed as they played hit after hit and I loved each one of them.  Guess my true favorite Hall and Oates song is the most recent one I hear.   Their sound and music carry well, and they will be making audiences smile for years to come.  Their last encore song was You Make my Dreams Come True.  What an appropriate song to send fans home–well done Hall and Oates!

    Went back and watched their 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and they performed just as well there.  Hit after hit and making the crowd smile.

    What’s your favorite Hall and Oates song? When’s the last time you listened to it? I recommend going to YouTube and experiencing it again—enjoy!Hall and Oates