Author Archives: Al

Tour of California, Day 0-2

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Al

The Tour of California is a one week stage race – pro cycling’s equivalent to baseball’s minor leagues AAA (if the Tour de France and the Italian and Spanish grand tours were MLB.) The race includes 7 “stages”, each an … Continue reading →

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Going to Tibet, Part IV

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Al

Our scuba guide had promised all week a grand adventure on Friday – swimming with the seals. They liked to hang out and sun themselves on a large rock near the edge of the bay. They’d gotten used to the … Continue reading →

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“Getting Old Sucks”

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Al

Another exchange on the EN forum; this one started by a 61 y/o who had great success after starting up serious triathlon training about 5 years ago. The original post has been lightly edited for acronyms and jargon. …Back in … Continue reading →

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Going To Tibet: Loreto

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Al

Loreto was a small coastal town along the eastern edge of the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), two-thirds of the way from Mexicali to Cabo San Lucas. It also had been anointed by the Mexican government. Streets laid out, … Continue reading →

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Going To Tibet (Cont’d)

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Al

Reluctantly, we turned our attention to the Western Hemisphere. A beach vacation sounded nice. Especially one with a bit of exotic history as a chaser. We’d been to Mexico several times before. First, in the ‘70s, a rapid weekend to … Continue reading →

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Going To Tibet, Part I

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Al

“It’s a looooong drive to Seattle. I don’t know if I can do it every week.” I was complaining to Cheryl about the turn my job had taken. Instead of simply driving 15 minutes into an office or hospital in … Continue reading →

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Reamde

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Al

Pigeonholing Neal Stephenson might take as long as one of his recent novels. Starting with 1999’s Cryptonomicon, his most recent seven novels have averaged about 900 pages each. And we’re not talking large type versions. His debut effort, the sophomoric … Continue reading →

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Aguas Caliente

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Al

“This topography is … breathtaking, “ I wheezed. We were trudging along at about 8500 feet above sea level, on the Inka Trail. While the thinner air might have had a little to do with my breath being taken away, … Continue reading →

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EN Athlete To Attempt Kona on a Unicycle

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Al

I’ve been doing triathlons since the end of the last millennium, and this year will see my thirtieth attempt at the Ironman distance, including my sixth go-round in Hawaii. Things are getting a little stale, so I’m going to try … Continue reading →

Posted in Hawaii Stories, Triathlon Central | 2 Comments

Machu Picchu

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Al

“What’s this called again?” Cheryl asked. “It’s the Sun Gate. It’s where the Inka trail crested the pass, facing East, where the sun is, and travelers could see the city for the first time. But, really, I think it’s the … Continue reading →

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