The Book of Daniel

Cheyenne Mountain in the Morning.

2006-07-15T11:07:00.000-06:00

Last Monday I was getting my stuff together for my trip back East when this scene outside of my window caught my eye. I have been trying to dry out some equipment from the trip to RMNP but we have had more rain during June, in Colorado Springs, than we have had in the last year. Unfortunately that does not make drying out equipment easy. However, the heavy clouds settled low across the valley and around the mountains creating the beautiful picture that you see above.

Rocky Mountain National Park: Part 3

2006-07-09T22:58:00.000-06:00

This is going to be short and sweet. I will be on the road again tomorrow. I'm heading in to Pittsburgh for one night to see the Home Run Derby with my buddy Jim. I'm in Columbus the rest of the week, back to Pittsburgh for the weekend then up to Buffalo for sectionals. If things go well I'll get to meet up with Danny V. when I'm in Ohio.

Swimming in a fifty-degree lake at 11,000 feet wasn't enough for one day. Russell and I were catching football at the campsite when he decided we should try to find the "Lost Falls". They weren't really lost they just didn't have a trail leading to them. We made our way through the woods and were rewarded with a truly amazing sight: a three or four tiered waterfall they went fell close to vertically for about 50-75 yards then continued on for another 50 yards at a less severe angle.

Seeing the falls was amazing but climbing up and down the sides was breathtaking. You could feel the power of the water as it crashed on the rocks and sent a fine mist up into the air. We had been able to hear the falls from our campground a mile away but the waterfall was deafening when you were right next to it. When Russell and I shouted at each other we could barely make out the words.

When we finished the hike we had our last camp meal and went to bed. Despite all of the activity for the day neither one of us slept well. We got up around six; packed up camp; ate some breakfast; and hit the trail. It took us about 2-1/2 hours to get to the trailhead and into the car. When we added it all up we put in about 30 miles of hiking for the weekend.

It was a good thing that we were able to put this weekend together. In the next two months we'll both spend more time out of Colorado than in it. Please take the opportunity to visit RMNP if you get the chance. It's an amazing park and I have some ideas for future trips. Let me know if you want to come!

Rocky Mountain National Park: Part 2

2006-07-05T21:11:00.000-06:00

After hiking in to RMNP on Saturday Russell and I spent the rest of the day setting up camp, scouting the trails and taking pictures. After a fitful night of sleep (our camp was at 9,700 ft.) we set out for Lost Lake on the Lost Lake Trail.

The area we were in was a huge valley. Mt. Dunraven was to the south and a fantastic ridge loomed over us to the north. Once we reached Lost Lake (below) we decided to press on to the end of the valley. The trail ended after we passed Lost Lake so we set out cross country for Lake Louise and Lake Husted which sat at about 11,000 feet above sea level. The terrain was boulder-strewn tundra and some pine trees. Our progress was halted for about a 1/2-hour as we sat out a hail storm.

When we finally reached the top of the valley we were treated to two beautiful, glacier fed lakes. Of course one of our goals was to swim in one of the lakes. We chose to get in Lake Husted. The water felt like it was around fifty degrees and it made me gasp when I went underwater. We were able to stay in the water for a couple of minutes before our joints began to get really tight. The water was about two-feet deep but dropped off to an unknown depth after wading out about 50 feet. The picture below of me on the rock shows the glacier in the background and the north ridge. I'm sure the rock I'm standing on will disappear later in the summer when the melt-off is complete. In Russell's picture you can almost see the ridge where the drop-off begins.

After drying off and warming up we set off back for our camp. We accidently ran into a moose grazing and were able to follow him/her for a bit before it became completely spooked and ran away. We had an awesome meal (dehydrated Tomato Chipotle Pasta) and caught a little football before we decided to head back out to try to find the Lost Falls.

As usual, both Russell and I are posting pictures and stories from the weekend. If you want to see more pictures visit his site at Russell's Wild and Crazy Adventures.

Rocky Mountain National Park: Part 1

2006-07-03T21:02:00.000-06:00

This past weekend Russell and I celebrated our time off from work hiking and camping at RMNP. If you look at the map below; the trail we took starts at the northernmost section of the park. Actually it begins in Roosevelt National Forest at the North Fork Trailhead. We followed the Lost Lake Trail to our campsite; keeping our activities within the ridges to the north and south and no further than Lake Louise and Lake Husted which sit right below a glacier. We also had an opportunity to take a side trip to the Lost Falls which were amazing.

Once we set our base camp at the Lost Falls camps we spent the weekend swimming in glacier lakes (as cold as it sounds!), tracking moose and climbing waterfalls. Please check back for more pictures and details.

DVD Recommendation: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

2006-06-27T21:53:00.000-06:00

The only thing I regretted about watching this movie is that I didn't see it in the theaters. This is easily the funniest movie I have rented in a while and definitely the funniest of 2006. The movie is part detective pulp fiction, part romance and part comedy. Whoever cast this movie did a brilliant job. Imagine having Iceman (Top Gun), Julian Wells (Less Than Zero) and Roger Dorn (Major League) all on the screen at the same time. Of course I am talking about Val Kilmer, Robert Downey Jr. and Corbin Bernsen. Michelle Monaghan, who I am not familiar with, played the smoking-hot love interest of Downey Jr.

There was so much to love about this movie; even the names of the characters were awesome: Gay Perry, Harry Lockhart, Harlan Dexter and Harmony Faith Lane. The humor is primarily dialogue driven, so pay attention! There is some physical humor; if you don't fall over laughing when Harry discovers the corpse in his shower you have no sense of humor (or I am particularly warped).

Be aware that this is an R-rated murder mystery that definitely earns its rating. The film is less than two hours, weaves in and out of plot lines and makes many attempts to confuse you. It's quick moving and totally entertaining. If you get the chance rent it this weekend.

Blodgett Peak

2006-06-25T19:48:00.000-06:00

Today we finally made it to the summit of Blodgett Peak after talking about it for a couple of months. We gathered our crew at about 9:45 AM and started up the trail. Russell, Amy, Brady, Annie, John, Ellen and JB all made the summit in about an hour and fifty minutes.

The hike up and down was the highlight of the trip. The view was nice but not anything we haven't seen before. I suppose I am starting to get spoiled now. I did get a pretty sweet picture (below) of the Air Force Academy which we overlooked from the summit.

I really enjoyed the scrambling we did on the boulders and the sliding on the skree we did to get up and down. The hike was not bereft of scenery though. When we were just about to the bottom we came across this really beautiful cactus flower. It was good to get back out on the trails and I hope to get a few more in before I head out on the road again in two weeks.

The Last Victory

2006-06-25T19:25:00.000-06:00

As most of you already know I have been in the office two days out of the last twenty-five. As soon as I finished my last trip I was headed back east for a visit to Pittsburgh and Rochester, NY. One of the highlights of my trip was going to the Pirate game with my dad. We went because I was home, it was the week before Father's Day and I am a huge Bucco fan (yes, I still am). However, it was amazing to go to the game with my dad when a year ago to the date he was barely recovered from the worst physical ordeal of his life. The credit for his recovery has nothing to do with modern medicine but his will to live.

We went to Del's for the pregame where we ate up all the pizza and pasta they put in front of us and washed it down with a couple of brews. We walked across the Roberto Clemente Bridge and got in our seats by the bottom of the first. The game was fantastic. The Pirates beat the Cardinals 9-7 in an exciting game that featured little in the way of pitching. Zach Duke did have three RBIs and Jose Castillo continued his push for the All-Star game with his glove and his bat. Unfortunately that win would be their last; they have dropped 11 in-a-row since.

Annapolis-Baltimore-Chicago

2006-06-14T14:11:00.000-06:00

I'm back! I'm sorry about the hiatus. I had some computer problems on the road and I hate trying to update on Wi-Fi because it is so slow. Anyway, I had a great time time. When I got to Maryland I drove to Baltimore to meet Dragon and Russell on the tail end of their six-city baseball tour.

The rest of the weekend was great. Russell, Miss Sue Anderson and I went to the Eastern Zone Select Camp in Annapolis. The picture above is of the harbor beside the Naval Academy. I thought the town of Annapolis was sweeter than the academy grounds. We had some great meals and even better discussions.

The Da VInci Code

2006-05-27T09:51:00.000-06:00

I went to see The Da Vinci Code last night. I have been waiting for this movie for three years and was intrigued to see how Ron Howard brought it to the screen. I was wary of the casting of Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon; and with good reason. Robert Langdon is a very smart and cerebral character. However he is neither charming or interesting. I think using Hanks was actually a waste of his talent. It forced him to tone down his personality and the life he brings to his characters. Hanks did the best he could with the role but it was by no means a stretch of his acting talent.

I applaud the decision to cast real French actors in the appropriate roles instead of trying to populate the movie with more big names. I adore Audrey Tautou and recommend Amelie and Dirty Pretty Things to anyone who would like to gain a greater appreciation for her acting. She worked for me as Sophie Neveu. Jean Reno did an excellent job of bringing Captain Fache's character to life. As usual, Sir Ian McKellan stole the movie. Who else could possibly of been cast as the Grail scholar Sir Leigh Teabing?

The movie itself was good enough. I think the screenwriters had a very difficult job trying to get the novel into a 2-1/2 hour film. Unfortunately for me they left out what I consider to be the most intriguing parts of the novel. I was never spellbound by the religious controversy. The Da Vinci Code, for me, has always been an opportunity to bring the work of the most brilliant mind of the last two millennia to everyone who read the book. The filmmakers barely touched on the significance of the Fibonacci Sequence and did not even mention its importance to Leanardo's paintings. In the film we were shown the painting of the Virgin of the Rocks but what about the controversy surrounding the two versions of the piece? I was sure when Teabing had The Last Supper up on the screen he was going to explain the significance of the throat-slash gesture made by Peter across Mary Magdalene's/John's throat. And the upward pointing finger beside Christ. Nope....Nothing.

I suppose I am guilty of bringing my own agenda into the theater. However I do feel safe in saying that they sacrificed some extremely interesting tidbits to focus on the "Search for the Holy Grail" exclusively. If you have not read the novel by Dan Brown I suggest you do even after seeing the movie. The intricacies of symbology, the mystery of ciphers and codes and the brilliance of Leonardo enhance the religious theories explored in the novel. I suppose something had to be chopped when creating this film unfortunately I feel it was at the expense of the final product.

The Peaceful Warrior Movie

2006-05-24T22:51:00.000-06:00

I know there are a number of huge summer blockbuster movies on the way. None of them have me as excited as the big screen adaptation of "Way of the Peaceful Warrior". The author, Dan Millman, was on board with the project from the beginning so I expect the translation to film to be right on.

I have either recommended the book or given it to a number of you. I hope you still pick it up and read it from time to time. The movie will be opening on June 23rd. Visit the website for cast information and the trailer. Remember, there are no ordinary moments.

http://www.thepeacefulwarriormovie.com/

Pandora

2006-05-16T22:34:00.000-06:00

Before I give you the results from the Incline Race last Friday I thought you might be interested in Pandora.com. The site recommends songs to you based on a band or song you tell it to search for. You can create up to 100 different stations. According to the site they use the "Music Genome Project" to discover music that you like. It is interactive; so if you don't like the music it recommends you can let it know.

I'm going to keep my incline update short. Basically I got smoked! I went three minutes slower than my best time and really felt terrible the whole way. Russell did an excellent job encapsulating the race on his site. If you want to read more about it go to http://musclerark.blogspot.com/.

Updates and Corrections

2006-05-09T21:57:00.000-06:00

Since a "whole lot" of nothing has been going on I thought I would post some updates, corrections and one more picture from Pike's Peak.

Our second summit of Pike's Peak this past weekend did not take place. Between the questionable weather all week long and a bunch of fatigued USA Swimming employees we decided that a summit attempt would be less than a wise decision. However, the big Incline Race this Friday is on, rain or shine. In a way I'll be glad when it's over so I can be done writing and talking about it.

I have a correction on my post about Jim's Ford Ironman Arizona race. He let me know that he has broken the one hour mark before in the swim. I mention this for two reasons. First of all my post was incorrect but also because he went 57 minutes at Ironman Wisconsin when he was swimming for me during my short stint as a Master's coach. My apologies to Jim and myself!

Finally, if you haven't noticed my pictures from Pike's Peak seem to be of a lesser quality on my posts. I am now using photobucket.com to store my pictures instead of cluttering my hard drive. If you click on the pictures you will see that they are actually of higher quality and much larger than my other posts. The picture up top is on the way down from the summit.

Life Goes On....

2006-05-03T21:52:00.000-06:00

I know. I left the Pike's Peak post up too long. I am too into the pictures to let it slowly slide down the page. Additionally, things have been a little slow lately; the only movie I have seen is "Stick It" and I have been catching up on magazines instead of reading books. Fortunately things will change this weekend and continue to get more exciting as we move through May.

On Sunday, the 7th, we have a full expedition planned for summitting Pike's Peak. Russell and I raved about the hike so much we have got a whole group of people anxious to do the climb. As long as the weather holds, Sunday is the date.

I have included a picture of the incline at the top of this post because the "Big Race" is coming up on Friday, May 12th. What started out as a fun challenge has turned into a USA Swimming employee race to the top. The training has pushed everyone involved to best times over the last two weeks, especially Russell who beat his best time by almost three minutes after plateauing for three years. There is a whole slew of us between 31-34 minutes. I'm using the same advice I always gave my athletes, "Do your best time and see where that places you."

After the race it will be time for me to hit the road again. Salt Lake City and Annapolis are on my calendar for May and early June.

Just Like a Prayer

2006-04-24T22:05:00.000-06:00

On Friday night Russell and I decided that we had enough information from our maps and a few websites to turn a hike to Devil's Playground into a Pikes Peak summit. The 11.3-mile (roundtrip), 4,000+ vertical climb (one way) turned out to be the best one-day hike I have ever done.

The hike up was a constant "heart-in-your-throat" lactate festival. Fortunately we were distracted by the frequent amazing views. The terrain went from a snow covered forest path to muddy switchback to glacier covered mountainsides to wind-blown, wide-open valleys to a boulder-strewn final approach. Sometimes we were moving so slow we had to stop and laugh at the effects the altitude and terrain were having on our speed.

Russell and I made it up in about 3:45 and down in 2:45. We hung out at the summit long enough to eat a little, get our picture taken and talk to the few folks who either drove or took the Cog Railway up to the top. We saw a skier and ice climbers during the trek up and down to add to a completely surreal day. There are not enough words or pictures to truly convey how amazing this hike was. You need to come out and do it with us to understand.

Once we got down we hopped in the truck and drove to the only appropriate destination, Chipotle, for a much needed dose of calories in the form of burritos. I was fried, literally, from the UV rays at altitude and metaphorically as I dragged myself home to the couch to crash until Sunday morning and another hike.

Amazing!

2006-04-23T10:33:00.000-06:00

Skirbs Blisters Course in Arizona

2006-04-20T21:19:00.000-06:00

Jim raced the third Ironman of his career this past weekend at Ford Ironman Arizona. Despite what he called a difficult bike leg he posted a time of 12:34.01. His swim leg was his best ever getting under the one-hour mark for the first time. Congratulations to Skirbs and The Trizilla Triathlon Company!

Ormes Peak

2006-04-18T22:07:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we made a trip to the Rampart Range area of Pike National Forest to hike Ormes Peak. At 9700 feet Ormes is not a particularly difficult climb. However the lack of a trail and a poor sense of direction made this venture slightly more adventuresome. Russell and Pete from USA Swimming, joined me, Alicia and two interns from the USOC, Beth and Christine for the hike.

As you can see the view from the top is awesome. The body of water pictured is Rampart Reservoir, which has 14 miles of shoreline. If you look into the distance you can see some faint peaks as the Rockies fade into the western landscape.

We had to go about five miles of rough off-road riding in the Ford Ranger to get to the base of the peak. We started the trip with two cars but we had to ditch the Dodge Stratus once the roads turned into Jeep trails. Our goal was to catch a glimpse of old plane wreckage which is rumored to be in sight from the summit. Unfortunately for us it is located off of the northwest side of Blodgett Peak not Ormes as we originally thought.

It was a beautiful day so the setbacks were easy to deal with. As a matter of fact we had the opportunity to do some scrambling to get to the summit and took some sweet pictures. My favorite is above. You can see that Alicia and I were having a disagreement on direction while being haunted by a Russell dwarf.

We took the dirt road all the way back to Colorado Springs. The rocky 15 miles of winding, rutted roads were the price you paid for a panoramic view as you came down from the mountains into the city.

Green Mountain Falls

2006-04-13T22:03:00.000-06:00

On Friday night both Susan and Deb offered to have a barbecue at their house. Because it was a little chilly we went to Deb's where there was a little more room to warm up inside. The food was great, the beer was cold and everyone had a great time. After visiting one of the local pubs we called it a night and rested up for the hike on Saturday.

Russell was set to join us Saturday afternoon for our hike at GMF. Unfortunately he took a dive down Barr Trail coming back from the incline. On a side note another friend, Alicia, did the same thing on Sunday; joining Russell and Larry on the IR. Russell's ankle was too swollen to make the trip, so the four of us headed west.

If you doubt me ask one of the guys-this was a great hike! The uphill scrambling to start held your interest but the iced over waterfall crossings gripped your heart. Webbie almost took a 100-yard Slip & Slide down a frozen waterfall. The hike included water crossings and an awesome canyon called the Garden of Eden.

The goal was to get to the reservoir before we turned around. As you can see from the above picture we made it to the turnaround and were treated to a magnificent view. The hike back took us down the same trail for most of the trip. Eventually we did split off and took the switchbacks down the mountain instead of challenging the ice again.

Later that night we made the 60-mile trip north to Denver to visit some buddies who came down from Boulder and Loveland. We topped the evening off with a late-night viewing of the Steelers Superbowl XL DVD. It was a great day.

Wednesday and Thursday

2006-04-11T21:30:00.000-06:00

Once the guys got here on Wednesday it was too late to go to the office so we headed over to Garden of the Gods. It was an absolutely beautiful day so we went for a hike and did a little low altitude rock climbing. Afterwards we stopped by Chipotle and picked up some burritos and spent the rest of the evening preparing for their meetings at the OTC.

On Thursday Webbie, Lucas and George spent the day meeting with some of the most knowledgeable people in their field in the country. Once the workday was done we made a quick stop home then hit the incline. If you have not read my previous post about the incline take a minute and review it. In brief, the incline is a 1-mile hike up a set of pseudo-stairs that gains about 2000 feet in elevation producing a 45-65 degree angle.

Lucas won rookie honors by climbing the incline in 29 minutes. George posted a totally respectable 38 minute assent and Webbie and I took our time climbing the beast; favoring completion over speed. All of us enjoyed the run on the way down and the awesome scenery that it offered. Afterwards we chowed down some Buffalo Burgers at Deweys and reviewed the day.

What a Great Weekend!

2006-04-11T08:03:00.000-06:00

As you can see last weekend was a super weekend for me. Webbie, Lucas and George all came out to Colorado Springs for the weekend. The trip was primarily an educational opportunity for them. They met with USA Swimming staff to discuss everything from biomechanics and lactate clearance rates to club governance and team development. Of course it was not all business. We took some time out to do the incline, scramble on the rocks at Garden of the Gods, hike at Green Mountain Falls and enjoy a sweet barbecue at Deb's house. I'll document our main activities in separate posts so you can understand my disappearance from the blog site last week.

I Got You!

2006-04-08T09:49:00.000-06:00

Too many of you fell for the April Fool's post. I was in Seattle and I did eat at Salty's. Everything else with a 4/1/06 connection was obviously a hoax.

What a week

2006-04-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last week in Seattle, Washington. It has been a really great week. We started off Monday night with dinner at Salty's. It was primarily seafood but better than I expected. Being an employee at USA Swimming has its privlidges. On Wednesday I had nothing to do between sessions so I time trialed the 400 free. My goal was to break 4:00 but I had to settle for a 4:01.06; not too bad.

Thursday was a really busy day but on Friday I had some free time so I decided to get in a quick hike at Mt. Rainier. The park rangers advised me not to go because the weather is still very unpredictable during this time of year. I decided to go anyway. I was barely able to get up and down the 14,106-foot peak between sessions but I got back to the pool just before finals began. Believe it or not Mt. Rainier is an active volcano and had me pretty spooked. Between the ridiculously icy conditions and the steam shooting up between the fissures I was running, jumping and twisting for my life sometimes.

We will be at the pool all day today, the first of April, for the miles. I am looking forward to tomorrow though. I have signed up with a tour that takes you out into the sound to swim with the migrating whales. Despite the chilly water (41.6 degrees) I am looking forward to the outing. Check back for details.

Congratulations Genny!

2006-03-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

GPAC Swimmer Genny Szymanski qualified for the finals in the 200 back (2:18.77) at U.S. Spring Nationals in Seattle, Washington on Wednesday evening. Genny is the first GPAC swimmer to place in the top eight at any U.S. National Championship. She will be swimming the 100 back and the 400 free on Friday. Go to www.usaswimming.org for coverage and results.

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

2006-03-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

This is another book review. I promise I'll get some good outdoor pictures for you soon. I've been traveling often lately and I haven't had a chance to get around Colorado. Anyway, Manhunt is the true story of the search for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated President Lincoln. The author is James L. Swanson. I use the term author loosely because Swanson was more of a compiler. He researched just about everything that was written during those 12 days and chronicled the chase in an exciting fashion.

I would especially recommend this book to those of you that found history class boring but love watching the History Channel. I told my dad if I was still teaching, my students would definitely be reading this book. It reads like a good novel, has plenty of twists and "soap-opera" subplots and is full of facts that could lead to all kinds of cool classroom discussions and activities.

On a sidenote. If you are into historical novels and dig the Civil War you have to read The Killer Angels. I've read this book a number of times now and it is a really chilling and accurate picture of what the Battle for Gettysburg was like. It is a war novel and full of interesting facts like troop movements, battle plans and soldier's journal entries.

GPAC Rocks Annapolis

2006-03-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Dan Taylor brought seven swimmers to the Naval Academy this past weekend for the Eastern Zone (Southern) Sectional Championships. Kegan Borland, Steve (Kus) Kustra, Andrea (Shubee) Shuba, Morgan Stoner, Anna and Genny Szymanski and Andrew Zaydak put together one of the most solid performances the team has ever had.

GPAC scored someone in every single event except for the 50 free. The ladies put three swimmers in the final heat of the 200 back and Steve and Kegan went one-two for the Men's High Point award. The team placed sixth in the meet with only one relay swim.

As most of you know GPAC was the last place I coached before I began working at USA Swimming. I am extremely proud of the job that Dan and the swimmers put together. Those of you old-timers I have coached in the past at WHAT and TPIT should be equally proud of these guys. None of them swim high school and understand the "way" that made the programs you were on so special.

Congratulations GPAC on a fantastic meet and your place amongst some of the best.

Sensory Overload

2006-03-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

This has been an amazing last three days for me. Pitt made an exciting run in the Big East Tournament (and then got screwed with a fifth seed); the phone lines are burning up across the USA Swimming world; the Soprano's began with a jaw-dropping first episode; and I survived driving around the greater Chicago area with Randy. He seriously almost took out the gate/arm at a toll booth without realizing it.

My weekend was nearly ruined by United Airlines. They lost my luggage (again) and I was forced to show up at the Chicago Sectional meet wearing the same clothes two days in a row. That is three out of my last four trips that my luggage has not arrived with me. Ridiculous.

I have occupied my down-time with an intriguing book. The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier. I enjoyed reading it but it left me a little uncomfortable. It is based on the premise that once you die on earth you are not completely dead until everyone that remembers you is also dead. You live in an earth-like place (Purgatory?) where you remain the age you were at death until the final memory of you fades from the living world. That is a pretty heavy undertaking for a novel; right? Well add in a raging pandemic on earth and you have the beginning of this story. I will recommend it because it was good enough that I got through it in a couple days and I am still thinking about it long after I forget most other books I read.

If you are not a fan of the TV show LOST then the rest of this post will be meaningless to you. I called Russell on this because the Brockmeier book got me thinking. What are the chances that everyone on the island is really dead? What if the island is a place where they are "living" out their Purgatory/Limbo sentence until they can move to their final destination? They cannot escape and they all seem to be suffering from something they did early in their life (or before they died). It's a credible idea. If you watch the show let me know what you think.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

2006-03-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night I went to Manitou Springs for the Banff Mountain Film Festival. They showed 10 movies during the three hours. The longest was 39 minutes and the shortest was three minutes. All of the movies were very cool but two stood out. One of the longer movies was about a guy who flew a paraglider over the Grand Canyon and filmed it from his view and one of the best shorter films chronicled the short history of the Red Bull Rampage (a downhill mountain bike race in Utah). The link will take you to the tour schedule. If it is coming to your area, see it; you will not be disappointed.

The sweet picture up above was taken in the Banff Mountain Photo Competition. The photographer was Mead Norton of New Zealand and the picture was taken at Namtso Lake in Tibet. The white silk scarves are katas which pilgrims leave as offerings to Buddha. According to their beliefs, as the winds unfurl the scarves their prayers are released to the heavens.

No Way!

2006-03-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure how old my audience is but for anyone that was a fan of Van Halen this should be an amazingly disturbing picture of Eddie Van Halen.

My Turn: The Incline

2006-03-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

The Incline in Manitou Springs, CO is part staircase, part obstacle course and 100 % challenging. The incline used to house the tracks for a cable car that took its occupants up to Pike's Peak. The upper part of the tracks were destroyed in a rock slide which forced the company who owned the transport to shut down and dismantle the tracks. What was left was 5000 railroad ties that ascend one mile up Mount Manitou at an average grade of 40%; with a heart-pumping 68% grade right in the middle. For those of you reading from Pittsburgh it would be very similar to the layout of the Mon and Duquesne Inclines, except 4700 feet longer and 5-23% steeper.

What was left after the shutdown was quickly adopted by the citizens of Manitou and Colorado Springs. Despite the "NO TRESSPASSING" signs, hundreds of people a day will grind their way to the top for a leg workout that few exercise protocols can match. Local legend Matt Carpenter has been rumored to make the trip up in 18 minutes. Some of the best athletes in the world who reside at the OTC or visit Colorado Springs look to complete the trip in 20-30 minutes. The truth is whether it takes you thirty-minutes or an hour and thirty minutes, getting to the top is a very fulfilling accomplishment.

This is a view of Manitou and Colorado Springs that I took when I was about half-way to the top. If you look in the center-left of the photo you can see some of the outcrops at Garden of the Gods.

A look down from the top of the incline.

You do have to come back down. The Barr Trail is a 25-30 minute quad-blasting run down an incredibly scenic series of switchbacks that will take you back to the bottom. This picture is South of the trail across the valley.

Not the most attractive picture, but it is my blog! That's me at the top of the incline before the run back down.

DVD Recommendation: St. Ralph

2006-03-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, let me give credit where credit is due. My buddy Jim (owner of Trizilla-the only place to go for all of your Triathlon needs) told me that St. Ralph was a must see movie. Since we rarely ever screw up in our movie recommendations to each other, I got it that night.

St. Ralph is a story of a high school boy trying to create a miracle to bring his mom out of a coma. He decides that winning the Boston Marathon would be that miracle. He is at an all-boys Catholic high school and has zero running experience. It was funny and the training scenes were very cool.

I have already told everyone I have talked to about it. Jump on the bandwagon and rent St. Ralph. You will enjoy it.

Best Dunks Ever

2006-03-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

This link will take you to the top 10 dunks in a game ever. They are all pretty sweet but #1 is slightly controversial.

Garden of the Gods

2006-02-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day in Southern Colorado. I happen to be lucky enough to have the The Garden of the Gods Park in my backyard. GOTG is a National Natural Landmark, but because it is not far from the city of Colorado Springs it serves many purposes. Of course it is a huge tourist attraction, but it also serves as a local park for those of us that live nearby. For every visitor with a camera there is someone walking their dog or running the trails. I went on a little hike this morning and collected some pictures for you.

This formation is called Kissing Camels. I don't think this is what the ancient Ute tribes called it though; considering that camels aren't indigenous to North America!

Well you know me, safety first. I guess we'll have to turn around. No way! I bet they're just hiding the really cool views for themselves.

This is starting to get pretty narrow and rather icy. I wonder where it goes?

That has got to be a 100 foot drop. I guess the trail ends here. Maybe if I can scramble up to the top I can get a good picture of Pike's Peak before I leave.

There she is! Pike's Peak dominates the landscape in Colorado Springs. During all of the previous pictures I had been traveling south. The peak was off to the west (my right) and hidden by the formations in the park. However, once you reach the top the view is amazing.

The Genographic Project

2006-02-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

I came across this in an issue of National Geographic. NG has teamed up with IBM to create a huge database of human DNA. Through the DNA samples they will be able to chart the migration of the human population across the globe. The tradeoff is you get to find out where your DNA came from. There are a couple of catches though. First of all you have to buy a kit ($99.95 plus shipping and handling) and you have to collect your own DNA sample. You collect DNA by swabbing the inside of your cheek and sending it back to their lab. The second issue is that your DNA history is revealed only along gender lines. Males will be able to see their paternal history and females their maternal history. So if you want your whole history someone of another gender in your direct family has to get a kit also. Once you have mailed in your DNA swabs you will be given a number to use to check your history; no names or addresses. Go to The Genographic Project web site for more information.
I'm planning on ordering my kit next month; I'll keep you posted on the results.

The end of the Trip

2006-02-19T21:40:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately for you I continue to forget to take my camera when I go out to do cool things. I did get to spend two great nights in downtown San Francisco. Greg and Kristina were great hosts and I made a couple of new friends through them; that's always cool. After the disappointment I had with Phoenix I wasn't expecting too much in San Fran but I was pleasantly suprised. I was lucky enough to be there after three weeks of rain had ended and a sustained week of sunny and 70 degrees began. The picture is from Point Pinole Regional Park. It was built over an area that used to be a dynamite plant. It was a nice park but far from mesmerizing.
I have to relay three observations from my trip. First of all, San Francisco is quite a melting pot of nationalities. When we went out in the Haight-Ashbury section I couldn't tell you who was the majority or minority. This was really cool coming from an area like Colorado Springs where ethnic diversity is minimal.
My second observation is about a team I visited while I was there; the Oakland Undercurrent. Keep in mind I have already visited 30 clubs since I started my job. Very few of them stick out; OU was one of them. The program trains out of Laney College in Oakland, California and has produced excellent swimmers on a consistent basis; unfortunately they have to deal with adults in the community who do not see the extraordinary inportance of having a top-notch swim team located in the inner city. I spent a day with the staff and it is formidable. Ben Sheppard is the head coach, and he is assisted by Kris Babylon, Alex Silver and Cameron Mull. All four of these guys were excellent to ridiculously good swimmers during their careers. Please visit their website and learn a little about their program. If you are ever in the area visit these guys and you will walk away with the feeling that something really special is going on there. I can't say enough good things.
I hate to end on a negative note but it had to happen. I had my worst flying experience ever on the way home. I am not going to bore you with the details but I got to the airport at about 6:30 AM for an 8:00 AM flight and I pulled up to my apartment at about 9:30 PM without my luggage which arrived at my doorstep at 2:30PM the next day. A combination of cold-weather problems in Denver and a massive amount of people flying into Colorado to ski were the root of the problem. I could go on a rant about United, but you know what, they all blow.

Happy Valentines Day!

2006-02-14T00:51:00.000-07:00

Since I won't be home for VD this year I am going to miss out on all the cards and gifts I received; no worries. Feel free to post your Valentines wish or email me at dmccarthy@usaswimming.org. OK that was a totally shameless attempt to stock up on Valentines. Anyway I encourage you to go out of your way to build my self-esteem; I promise I'll make it up to you. Happy Valentines Day!

San Francisco...err, I mean Richmond

2006-02-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

I arrived in beautiful Northern California on Wednesday night. There are a number of beautiful cities to stay; Sacramento, Napa Valley or even San Francisco itself. However, with the help of our amazing travel agent I am staying in Richmond, California. I didn't know much about Richmond until I made a point of talking with some of the locals. Despite the heady company of cities they keep, Richmond has a number of famous citizens. Coach Ken Carter was an inspiring local basketball coach who's story was told in the Samuel L. Jackson vehicle, Coach Carter last year. Master P. was also born and raised in Richmond; I couldn't imagine a world without Master P. And of course Divine Brown called Richmond home during her early years. I am sure you remember Divine Brown, she was the young lady who was caught in a love triangle with Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley. Unfortunately Richmond has had more than it's share of gang problems and recently snatched the title of California Murder Capital away from Compton. I was also informed that there is room for more inmates in the local jail than there are seats in schools. Great job Governorator! Oh yes, one last thing, none of the schools have libraries or sports teams! Don't let the door smack you in the ass on your way out Coach Carter! Despite all this I am enjoying this little town. The local community college is a nice place to run and Magic Johnson teamed up with 24 Hour Fitness to build a great gym across the street from my hotel that is serving as an anchor for a recently completed mall. Check back soon for details on my evening in the Haight-Ashbury section of San Francisco and my visit to a park built on top of an old dynamite plant.

The Best Movie Trailer Ever?

2006-02-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of 80's new wave demi-gods New Order, the French Revolution and Peter Parker's girlfriend (Go get'em Tiger!) then this movie trailer will turn your world upside down!

VICTORY PARADE

2006-02-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

This sweet picture was taken by John Beale of the Post-Gazette during the Steelers victory parade today in downtown Pittsburgh. I was already back in Colorado Springs but I was able to watch streaming live video courtesy of WTAE-TV. According to reports more than a quarter-million people turned out for the parade. This is a huge turnout for a city with less than 500,000 citizens. Troy Polamalu crowd surfing, Joey Porter leading the fans in the Steelers locker room cheer, "We ride" and Hines Ward's ridiculous cowboy hat were my personal highlights. Coach Cowher was more animated than I have ever seen him.

Steve Mellon from the Post-Gazette captured this photo of the city's finest straddling the line between being a fan and guarding the public safety.

STEELERS WIN! STEELERS WIN!

2006-02-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

You just wouldn't understand.

2006-02-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

That's what I have to say to my friends who aren't from Pittsburgh. I know most cities are passionate about their teams but the Steelers are a ridiculous part of Pittsburgh's fabric. Today was such a great example of that passion. I saw businesses shut down so people could have pre-game parties. Everything in the city that could be decorated has been, including the public transportation (see the picture). Good luck trying to have a conversation about anything other than the game. Their are two conversations going on right now: 1. Should the Steelers come out running or passing and 2. How is Troy Polamalu's ankle. Tonight is kind of a chill night before tomorrow when the real preparations will begin.

I'm headed home for Superbowl XL!

2006-02-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

This is the gate I flew out of at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Anyone who travels through Chicago knows the fear I felt when I saw us taxiing up to the F4 gate with the knowledge I was flying out of the C gates in terminal two....and I had 25 minutes to get there. Anyway, it was a great flight until Joe from Beaver announced that he had heard that Troy Polamalu broke his ankle in practice. We were crushed. Fortunately, when we landed we found out that he only "tweaked" his ankle. As a matter of fact he practiced for 30 minutes on Friday. The day was saved and the Steelers Nation was descending upon the capital city of Pittsburgh in good spirits.

My Favorite Books of 2005 (cont.)

2006-01-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize putting these sites together took so much time, especially when I have never used html before. By the way all of the book titles link to sites where they can be purchased. Let's finish the books up so we can really begin concentrating on the Superbowl.

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt

This was the last book I read in 2005 and it was a great one. McCourt was the author of the amazingly depressing Angela's Ashes. It was a true story of his life growing up in Ireland. McCourt uses his life story again but as a way of engaging students in high school English and literature classes. He is never really able to shake the depressing undertones but this is a far more enjoyable story. If you have ever worked with high school athletes or students you will be motivated by his dedication to the job. If you ever had a teacher that you'll always remember this book will bring back memories. His methods are unusual and weren't in any of the text books I read about how to be a great teacher. My friends who grew up in NYC tell me that he is a legend in the public school system there. Not only did this book reinforce my own personal commitment to being a teacher/coach but it was also really entertaining.

The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century by Thomas L. Friedman

I have to admit I walked by this book a number of times and didn't read it until a friend lent it to me at work. The book blew me away. If you think the Wal-Mart franchise is just an evil, small business killing corporation you need to read this book. If you think out-sourcing is a cold-hearted approach to business and is just a way for corporations to squeeze an extra penny per hour out of their customer service divisions you need to read this book. I thought both of those things before I opened The World is Flat. Please don't get the idea that I ditched all of my social values after reading a few pages of type by Friedman. Instead I'll say that the business practices that we howl about are inevitable and actually ahead of the curve (in the Wal-Mart example). The book was an investigative and fair portrayal of what business will be like in the 21st century. Read the book then we'll talk about it.

1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam with the West by Roger Crowley

I love it when a book gets you fired up about a subject and you search out other books. The Historian contained a number of subplots that dealt with Islam and Turkish rulers. Perhaps the most famous of those rulers was Mehmet II. This book is non-fiction but it is written as a story. It chronicles the last days of Constantinople; the last Christian outpost in the Eastern world. Mehmet II was determined to conquer the great city even though it had withstood brutal attacks for centuries and never fallen. This is a great history book that doesn't read like a text book. The military maneuvers and deceptions by the two armies are incredibly entertaining and have become staples of war colleges around the world.

Honorable Mention

The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl; Blink by Malcolm Gladwell; Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling; and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

My Favorite Books of 2005

2006-01-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

Recently, Dan Taylor asked me what my favorite books were in 2005. I decided to run with the idea and create a list of the books that I most enjoyed reading this past year. I am sure you have heard of some of them. I had to pare the list down to six books. Five wasn't enough and ten was too many. They are not ranked in any particular order.

Dualessence by Bob McCarthy

Anytime your dad writes a book you had better
put it on your "best" list for the year. Nepotism
aside, this was one of two books I read this year
that I could not put down. If you combine
religious mystery, a Pittsburgh backdrop and a
ruthless rapist you have the ingredients for an
intriguing story. Mix in an old-fashioned sense
of morality in a contemporary setting and you
have a great read.

The Journeys of Socrates by Dan Millman

Hopefully a number of you who I have

given a copy of or recommended Way

of the Peaceful Warrior still pick up

the book and reread it occasionally. I

try to re-read it once or twice a year; I

always find something I missed.

Anyway, if you have ever wondered

where Socrates came from and how he

became Dan's mentor, then you must read

this book. Let me warn you though; "Journeys"

is far more violent and disturbing than any of

Dan Millman's other books. It was necessary to

show how Socrates became the man he was.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This was the other book that I could

not put down this past year. It was

written in the same style as The

DaVinci Code. The end of each chapter

layered on a new smattering of clues

which forced you to turn the page

instead of putting the

book down. This book combined two

interesting stories; the Medieval history of

Eastern Europe and Turkey and the Dracula

legend. I believe it is called Historical Fiction.

The heroine of the story follows a trail of clues,

in search of her mother, left by her father in

diaries and old letters. Of course her travels

give the author plenty of opportunities to provide

richly detailed portrayals of the Balkans and Istanbul.

Three more books tomorrow!

Good Morning!

2006-01-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

This is the view I have every morning when I am eating breakfast. Cheyenne Mountain is the second most famous mountain in Colorado Springs; Pikes Peak is of course the celebrity summit in town. I can see Pikes Peak from my little community but I have to go to the other side of the building. Cheyenne Mountain is the home of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their main duty is to "Deter, Detect and Defend" American and Canadian airspace. Their second and possibly more famous responsibility is to track Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. NORAD did receive some additional noteriety during the past hurricane season. After everything that could go wrong did go wrong during Hurricane Katrina. Our President and his advisors made the bold decision to send the Commander in Chief to NORAD to watch Hurricane Rita approach the Gulf Coast. This was a less than brilliant decision by the administration. They made a 1,664 mile trip from Washington D.C. to watch a storm take place 1,384 miles away in the Gulf. Washington D.C is 1,085 miles away from New Orleans. What amounted to nothing more than a 3,328 mile round-trip photo-op inside Cheyenne Mountain took place the same day the president asked Americans to conserve energy.

GO STEELERS!

2006-01-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome!

2006-01-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

After much consideration I have decided to join the blogging world. For my friends and family in Pittsbugh and places other than Colorado I hope you visit often. I plan to update at least weekly so you can keep up with what I am doing, what I think (everyone is entitled to my opinion!) and any other interesting tidbits I can find.For my fiends at the base of Pikes Peak I hope you visit often also. Even though I see you regularly I have enjoyed reading your posts and hope you find mine at least entertaining.

Breckinridge!

2006-01-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

On Monday the 23rd I celebrated the HUGE Steelers win over the Broncos by taking off work. I went snowboarding with my friend Russell from USA Swimming and a friend of his, Brooke. It was cold and windy but we managed to get 14 runs in before we left. It was my fourth time boarding and I am getting better. I had only one potential concussion inducing fall. We made the most of our day by only stopping twice. Once to warm up and grab a snack and a second time to check on the status of Superbowl tickets. The only unfortunate event was getting a speeding ticket on the way home. I was going 39 in a posted 25 mph zone. Believe it or not I got pulled over in South Park, Colorado (Yes! That South Park). Officer Barbrady was very nice but still gave me a $65.00 ticket.

Phoenix....It's a polluted desert!

2006-01-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

My job took me to Phoenix, AZ for almost two weeks in January. I was looking forward to the weather (which was beautiful) but I was shocked at the air quality. The Phoenix/Tempe area has a huge problem with pollution. The locals gave me many reasons for this, including: 1) So many people move here in the winter and create a problem 2) The lack of wind in the desert keeps the smog cloud hanging over the city and 3) Shut up! It's 80 degrees in January you idiot! I did get to enjoy a hike in South Mountain Park on my last day there. I have included some pictures from the hike. Unfortunately the coyotes I ran into earlier in the week were nowhere to be found.