Training Log Archive: JanetT

Temp in low 20s (that's -5 or -6C) and very light snow. Glen wanted to XC ski but we hadn't made any tracks in the 1-2' of soft snow, so Glen went out first on snowshoes and made a couple of passes and then I followed also on snowshoes. Only had energy for one time around. FR to follow.

He's out on skis now (waxless ones that were my dad's).

with NB 704 trail shoes

Tight, tight right hip bothered me throughout class. Will continue stretching gently.

No aerobics today, but I did do adductors and pulldowns and a bit more stretching after class.

Yesterday was a travel day as we returned from Florida. Not looking forward to the weekend's arctic blast.

Myakka River State Preserve/Park near Sarasota. On last hurrah before we head back to the frigid snowed-in north. Considered renting kayaks but after yesterday's rain it was cooler and breezier, causing whitecaps on the Lake when we first got there. While the breeze died down some, it still didn't look it would be fun kayaking. So we did a few hikes here and there.

New bird: glossy ibis
New animal: armadillo
New turtle: peninsular scooter (sunning on a log, with back legs extended into the sun)

Pretty sure saw a green heron, plus several great blues, great egrets, snowy egrets, little blue herons, white ibises, lots of vultures, etc. And alligators.

Madfish Grille in Sarasota was another good restaurant (though my fish was a bit overcooked).

Oscar Scherer SP, in the light rain (while Glen runs). No scrub jays spotted but perhaps heard. I heard a number of cardinals and doves. Saw a snowy egret and a cardinal near nature center.

I had both a park trails map and part of an O map, but not for the part I eventually hiked on...would have helped because the parks map was missing a few key trails.

It's been supposed to rain harder later today so nothing else scheduled.

Almost forgot...along the onramp to the freeway there were two sandhill cranes! First sighting in FL.

At Robinson Preserve in Bradenton, FL. Saw a wide variety of birds, but no more than about 7 or 8 of any one species. In addition to the ones mentioned in Glen's log, there were vultures, some kind of hawk, and some medium-sized bird that crossed the trail in front of us but disappeared in the brush. Lizards and fiddler crabs galore, too. Fortunately we saw no snakes, venomous or otherwise, and no alligators in the preserve.

We did the main loop trail including the side trail to the tower, plus the extension of the Tern Trail, labeled 0.48 mi on the map but actually 0.7mi, each way out and back. The tern trail was less busy and more shaded, but had a few head-bashing branches if you were looking the wrong way.

Busy Sunday afternoon with runners, bikers, and other people like us, walking.

Forgot to mention, it was sunny, 73-75, and mid to low humidity. Lovin' it.

And not looking forward to heading back home.

Dinner tonight in Bradenton on the Manatee River, though we didn't sit outside. Pier 22: recommended. (There's a Catch 23 restaurant around here, too. I like the name.)