Brian's Track Meet in NY City - Feb 8-10, 2008

Deb & I are flying home from a wonderful, long weekend in New York City, where we watched Brian and the U of I varsity track team compete in The New Balance Invitational. Between track events, Deb & I explored Manhattan & re-visited some of our old favorite places from the times I worked in the World Trade Center some 25 years ago. Besides the track meet, another highlight for Deb & me was visiting ground zero and the Tribute to the World Trade Center. That was quite nostalgic and moving for both of us.

Over a hundred colleges competed in the track meet, held at the Armory on 168th St in Manhattan. It was a very well run meet, at a very impressive facility that is home of the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame. Brian ran three events in two days for the Illini: He ran the 1,000m, the 1200m leg of the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) and the anchor leg of the 4x800m relay. He won his heat of the 1,000 meter with style…sat behind the leader for most of the race, then took the lead in the last 200-300 meters to finish with a new PR of 2:28 and change! Always impressive! There were five 1,000m heats and Brian ultimately finished 12th in a field of 50+ very competitive runners. Brian's teammate & friend ‘Shoes’ Masheto set a new USA collegiate record in the 500m…needless to say watch for him in the upcoming Olympics...he'll be running for Batswana. On the final day, the 4x800 relay team of Phelps, Robins, Murray (Brian’s apartment roommate) and Beaird had the best finish and points for the Illini, with a 5th place overall. Very cool especially considering they’re all sophomores.

Brian said he ran nearly 8 miles just warming up for his events so he worked hard this weekend. But in between events, he made time to sit & chat with us (thanks Brian!). From what we heard, he & his teammates had a good time off the track too…spending their per diem & visiting the cool spots (by subway). At times like that, I’m guessing his earlier years of family travels (which always included public transportation and doing it the locals’ way) really paid off.

We had a nice surprise while entering the Armory…ran into Chris Vasich, who was on Naperville Central HS’s 4x400m relay team with Brian. Their team had competed in the finals at the Illinois State HS track meet. Chris was here to run the 60m hurdles for Princeton. He came and sat with us for a while, and we enjoyed catching up with him on life as a college athlete and life in general. Chris went on a very interesting trip with the Princeton track team, to compete at several meets in China this past summer. He ran a good 60m hurdle at this meet and I took some photos but they were literally just a blur.

The visit to the World Trade Center area was both rewarding and painful. I had worked on the 97th floor of the WTC every day for over a year back in the early eighties, and Deb had come to visit & stay often during that period (We got engaged before going there and got married in Chicago after about five months in NY). We had not been back to NYC since 9/11 so this was an overdue visit and we were both looking forward to it.

Our visit to the WTC ground zero was very moving. Going there was painful but at the same time uplifting. Seeing the empty hole where the towers once stood was tougher than I expected. The last time we were there, the area was buzzing with activity…daily workplace to more people than a small city. I remembered being impressed daily at how efficiently the elevators moved people. And every floor had its own personality. The donut shops and the airline ticket counters I frequented on the ground floor. The 97th & 96th floors were all engineering offices and mine had a great view to the south, overlooking New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and Staten Island in the distance. The floor plan was very open and you could walk around and see for miles in every direction. The elevators and stairs were in a center ‘core’ section. Frankly we chuckled whenever there was a fire drill… there was really no way practical way out without the elevators. The building swayed and creaked a little during high winds but was generally well designed and built (for any ‘reasonable’ contingency) so no one really worried about it. It’s hard to think about what it must have been like on 9/11.

But the human spirit is an amazing thing and we realized Americans are particularly blessed with a huge capacity to turn adversity into a spirit of renewal. Seven years after 9/11 the rebuilding effort is still in progress, but it’s a huge project and when finished will be even more impressive than the original structures. And around the worksite you can feel the resolve in the people living & working there. And this time we found New Yorkers to be a little warmer and more open…maybe another positive outcome from such a tragic event. We’re looking forward to going back to see the finished product.

We also had a great time visiting the neighborhood of the old apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan. Deb had set us up in the Excelsior hotel at 81st and Columbus, across from the Natural History Museum) which was literally right around the corner from the apartment, so we had a great time exploring and re-acquainting ourselves with the ‘hood’. And of course the trip would not be complete without taking the subway. It felt good to get on the A train again, which was the best way to get to the meet and the WTC, and most of Manhattan. We walked to the Brooklyn Bridge (one of my favorite engineering marvels), around Wall Street, Central Park, and of course Times Square.

We also played one of our favorite New York sports…dining out. Realized we were the only English-speaking gringo’s in the Mexican restaurant near the Armory (including the waiters)…but this gave us a chance to dust off out Spanish and besides, the ‘whole chicken’ dinner was delicious and reasonably-priced…for NYC. Ate breakfast at an old deli on the upper west side. Lunches were pretty much eaten ‘on the run’.

Random thought about things that have changed in the past 25 years: Subway tokens are long gone…replaced by MetraCards (a big improvement); Cell phones & laptops everywhere of course; dress code is decidedly more casual (I wore a suit every day back then, you seldom see one now…also an improvement); cabs have video displays inside and they take credit cards! And the biggest change to me was…the skyline. The twin towers were a big part of the skyline’s personality as well as a great landmark for navigating the island. We really missed seeing the WTC. But I’m confident something even better will be in their place next time we visit.

All in all it was a great trip packed with great sport and great memories (old and new) and good times together. We’re already looking forward to going back.

Brian & Deb

Sailing the Leeward Islands - Jan 12 -21 2008

Some random thoughts about the Leeward Islands and our wonderful week of sailing there Jan 12 thru Jan 21…

The crew...was Nic & Lori, Brian & Deb, and Scott & Shelley. We did it bare boat, which means no hired crew members. We were it. We had sailed a similar week-long bare boat trip in the BVI together last fall and didn't kill each other then so we were excited to do it again. Nic says a sailboat gets a foot shorter every day, but this one didn't seem to do that. Plenty of shore leaves helped. Of course Brian & Nic have known each other since college and sailed together in Chicago years (decades!) ago. Lori & Shelly are sisters. Deb sailed during summers (ok, it was on a Sunfish) growing up in Door County and had converted to 'yachting' easily on the last trip.

Scott was the official skipper (there can be only one...which is good rule) but the crew operated most of the time as a democracy than a dictatorship (thanks Scott). Nic is also a very experienced skipper. Brian has crewed in several sailboats and his flying skills translate pretty well to sailing. The ladies are all very capable at sailing and traveling activities too, especially planning and applying common sense, which the guys often lack. So it was generally a well-balanced and easygoing crew.

The boat…was a terrific 44.5 ft Beneteau with 3 berths, 3 heads, and a galley and ‘salon’ in the center. Identical to the one this same merry crew sailed thru the BVI a year ago. The cockpit in back had lots of seating and a good collapsable table, a water-level transom (for easy swimming in & out), an on-board GPS, dual helms at the stern (which came in handy during serious heeling), and an ample bimini for protection from sun & rain. The dingy was a zodiac design with an outboard that we towed behind.

The Leeward islands…We sailed a lot of hours and covered a lot of ocean this trip…about 150 nautical miles altogether, in eight days. We quickly left the ‘Renaissance Islands’ behind (St Maarten, St Bart, and Anguilla...so named for their recent re-birth onto the social & economic scenes) and headed for the ‘Islands that Brush the Clouds' (St Kitts, Nevis, and Statia...so named for their steep green peaks that are always partially obscured by fair-weather cumulus clouds). During the briefing, we all found the ‘Brushing’ islands more appealing because of their smaller population, less-glitzy personality, and cool geology (formed from volcanoes).

The weather…was great for sailing early in the week. Around the Leewards, it’s pretty predictable, and the week of our trip was no exception. Winds were generally out of the northeast at 15 – 25 knots. Flying down from Chicago, Brian had photographed a series of parallel cloud banks that we later grew to understand as the rhythmic passage of squall lines. Sometimes we out-ran them and sometimes (late in the week) they caught us…enveloping the boat in gusts up to 25 kts or more, reduced visbility, driving (but warm) rain, and large (20’) swells that obscured the horizon.

Ambient temperatures were warm day & night…seldom did anyone want a jacket. The ocean currents were not strong, but undertows were an issue when we ‘dingied’ onto some beaches. There were times the wind got so high we had to reef the main and even then the gunwale was occasionally ‘buried’ (much to Nic’s delight!). These islands generally lie along a NW-SE line and there’s a steady NE wind, so most legs were long broad reaches. It’s notable that we didn’t tack or jibe once all week! Also, the waters near the volcanic islands are very deep, so we encountered few hazardous/shallow areas except in the harbors. In the open seas, we just had to see & avoid the well-charted hazards like Booby Island (appropriately named) and Cow Rock. Our longest leg was about 42 nautical miles covered in about 8 hours…from St. Barts to Nevis. And there were times we barely had sight of land. The Moorings people told us not to approach Nevis via the Narrows…so we did just that. The biggest challenge came while we were en route from Statia back to St Maarten, when a squall overtook us. The swells rose, the vis dropped to less than 1/4 mile, the on board GPS lost reception, and the hand-held (back-up) GPS battery went dead. All at once. That was interesting.

The seas…We all got our share of time at the helm…and we all got 're-certified' as dingy captain. Nic proved himself several times again as a master helmsman…the Cruise Guide warns the return into Oyster Bay will ‘put hair on your chest’ and they’re not kidding! Inbound was ‘downwind and downcurrent’ riding with the swells (trying to break over the stern and the bow). On that return leg to Oyster Bay, Brian went below to close the v-berth’s hatch (onto the bow deck). His best technique to stay standing was to brace off the ceiling! Even then he went airborne a few times. Deb gets the award for most comfortable below decks even during high seas and serious heeling (making lunch!) At times we thought she must be standing on the wall!

The sailing...A recurring debate ensued regarding how best to set the rigging & heading. Nic’s ‘happy boat’ theory gained some credibility, though it seemed to defy description. (In hindsight, I think it’s somehow related to zeroing the rudder trim). Then there’s the ‘happy navigator’ theory, which basically follows the shortest (but maybe not the fastest) course. Finally, there’s the sometimes-competing ‘happy boater’ theory, which is way too complicated to define. Each of us took the helm during the trip, & we each sailed our own way. Unlike the BVI, few harbors in the Leewards had mooring balls, so we got pretty adept at anchoring. When the anchor Windlass (electric wench) crapped out, we developed a manual procedure, which worked well but demanded more skill at the helm and some innovation and muscle from the anchor team on the bow. We all got better with each episode. Now electric anchor wenches are for pansies. ‘Diving on the anchor’ is always an adventure. This is a procedure Scott insists on to ensure he sleeps well knowing the boat will not drift away during the night. Ok that sounds reasonable. On one occasion, the water visibility was so good we could clearly see the anchor lying on the sandy bottom (but not grabbing into) in about 18’ of water. (No, Sandy Bottom is not a female crew member). Brian dove down and re-positioned the anchor so it could dig in. Then, while Nic at the helm ‘backed on the anchor’, Scott & Brian snorkeled above it and watched it slowly dig its way deep in to the sand. Textbook anchoring. Very cool.

Going Ashore...was full of intersting adventures but following are a few highlights.

St Maarten was half Dutch and half French...actually divided right down the middle of the island. Our home port of Oyster Bay (on St Maartens) was decidedly French. We enjoyed hiking around the bay and beaches and eating at the local restaurtants before setting out to sea.
The port of Gustavia (on St Barts) was similar in size and development to St Maarten, only more glamorous and glitzy with lots of mega-yachts...a popular place for movie stars & such (and priced accordingly). So we cleared customs as required but didn't stay ashore long.

Nevis and St Kitts were smaller, British islands with a much more laid back atmosphere, altho pleanty to see & do ashore. We loved them. On Nevis (my personal favorite) we enjoyed a challenging but rewarding 5 mile hike up the jungle-covered volcano to 'the Source'...which provides the island with all its drinking water. After the hike, we were welcomed by the owner of Golden Rock resort (1500 ft elevation) to take a dip in their pool and shower in one of their cottages. That was a very welcome treat! Then a gourmet dinner served in one of the old buildings of their former sugar cane plantation.
On St Kitts, our friendly taxi driver (and part-time local politician) Ozzie spent the afternoon driving us around the island and providing colorful commentary. Seems the local government closed its sugar cane industry 3 years ago (which had been the islands' leading industry) in favor of developing tourism. Ozzie is not convinced.

Statia was a unique and less-popular island, which is one reason we found it intriguing. 200 years ago it was a bustling open-trading port, and now it is the petroleum shipping hub of the Leeward islands (their electric powere is all produced by diesel generators). So we saw some BIG tanker ships and terminals, much to Brian's interest

I wonder what these big tugs are for...

What big tanker?

Oh my...THAT big tanker!

The ascent to 'The Source'...on Nevis island was a notable adventure. Deb, Brian, Shelly & Scott made a 5 mile trek about half way up the volcano on Nevis to the island's water source. Along the way, we encountered steep & slippery up's & downs, great views of 'the Narrows' we had sailed through (including Booby Island visible in the Narrows) and interesting plants & flowers.

Contrary to common sense, Brian & Scott seemed to acquire the same odd attraction to anything with the words 'at your own risk' in it, so they both went to the source, which included an old 120-rung ladder at the end.

It was a challenging day for us all, but our reward was worth it...back at Golden Rock Hotel near the trailhead, we enjoyed a cool dip in the pool , and a round of Rum punch, and a hot shower in one of the resort's cabins (no charge!).

Back on St Maarten again (but this time at Grand Case on the north side) we found a great beach-front restaurant with a sand floor...and enjoyed great French food again. Very cool. Here we were encouraged to lock up the sailboat and the dingy and outboard motor whenever we weren't on them...Piracy (nowadays more like petty theft) is apparently still alive & well in some parts of the Carribean!

Life on the boat…was a pleasant mix of busy sailing times, quiet napping & reading times, cooking & eating (& drinking) time, plus sports time for swimming & snorkeling. Everyone pitched in, so there were never really any 'chores'. We each were capable at most of the sailing tasks, so we all did a little of everything. We settled nicely into a ‘division of labor’ (wrong word) that we were happy with. Everyone typically rose soon after sunrise and turned in for the night by 10pm-ish. Breakfast at anchor was always a pleasant experience, and sunsets from the boat were breathtaking. Coffee was brewed the old-fashion way…in a percolator. The food was wonderful (thanks to good planning and provisioning and several very capable chefs on board). Usually made and ate breakfast and dinner on the boat, while at anchor. Things got busy at times while under sail (especially getting in & out of the harbors)…but we still managed to serve up some tasty lunches en route, like hot pizza. Dress was decidedly casual (but we did dress…we’ve encountered plenty of ‘al fresco’ sailors down there!). There were times we wore nothing but a swimsuit and maybe a T-shirt all day. Going ashore was more formal…shoes might be required. Our dinner at Golden Rock on Nevis was actually in long pants and dresses...fancy! Sleeping onboard was best in the calmer harbors. The guys seemed to sleep better on average, but we all managed to get enough quality rest.

The island people and cultures…were very diverse and friendly (except the French customs officers, the French Moorings staff, and the French… ). The taxi drivers honk often…not to complain but to just say hi to their many friends. Flexibility was a valuable attribute for visitors. Inhabitants of St Maarten include over 130 nationalities! Speaking to strangers was always interesting because everyone had a different accent and it was fun to guess their origin. Since we sailed to French, Dutch, and British islands, many inhabitants spoke those languages. But we also encountered Jamaican, Australian, Spanish, American and lots of ‘Other’. Names were often…unique. Taxi drivers had interesting handles like Percy, Walthrop, Ozzie, and ‘Smile on Me’. That was his name. Also, there were several different currencies including Eastern Carribean Dollars, Euros, and American Dollars. Electrical power sources might be either 220V (two separate types of plugs) or 110 V (American plugs). Flexibility…

The wrap-up...There’s lots more to say, but don’t want to bore you (whomever you are) so will just end it here. In general, it was a great trip (as if you couldn’t tell) and I'm confident we all are look forward to doing something like it again!

Brian & Deb