Round 2 Week 7 P90X Plus
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: P90X+ Kenpo Plus & Hog Run Mtn. Bike (4 X Loops) + Light Swim
Monday: P90X+ Upper Plus & Abs Core Plus + 18 mi. ATT Trail Ride + Mow Lawn
Tuesday: P90X Plyometrics
Happy post-Memorial Day people. A special salute to everyone in uniform, and esp. to all who died to keep us free. Regardless of how how you view the political start to these conflicts and their continuance, the men and women of our armed forces, past and present, deserve our respect and a heart-felt thanks. Here's mine --> Thank you.
It was a banner long weekend at Chez NC McLain... went to our new Lila Jones Memorial Pool in Apex for the first time on Sunday. Night and day vs. the ol' Cary YMCA.
New Pool = family community pool, 2 X diving boards, can bring toys and floaties and diving sticks, swim laps or hang out in the kiddie pools, throw balls to people as they jump high off the boards, and have a blast. 2 X lifeguards always alert, test the water every hour, gentle reminders not to run, and they let the family fun atmosphere run its course. Can dive in anywhere its deep, and 4-6 X families who live around us are members so Will have lots of ready-friends to play with. Deep breath while we relaxed and realized what were missing all these years.
Cary YMCA = Nazi lockdown overcrowded anti-fun pool of doom. (What does Tim really think of the Cary Y?) No floaties, keep your toys at home unless you want to hang out in the infant pool that's 1-2 feet deep and always warm (wonder why?), get harassed by the lifeguards who keep all fun down to a dull DULL, forget using the arm floaties or anything the Caryities designate as not worthy of the pool or things people have trained their kids to swim with for years. Don't ever, ever dive in anywhere, even the deep end, because they're watching, be sure there's no diving boards/OMG lawsuit, don't get out of line or question the crazy rules cuz the guards carry 'tudes with their designer teen shades. Be sure to overbook the whole business so you can't get a seat or move in the cattle-like family area. And, with the crowd/haphazard access Will's friends were there only a handful of times all summer long. Don't mess with the biggest part of the pool where to crazy peeps lap swim all day long or... else. And at the end of all the hassle, $83 per month and no drive to go because of all of the above.
The costs are about the same, but the atmosphere is 180 degrees different at Lila Jones Memorial Pool in Apex. It's going to be a great summer in Apex!
Got a surprise call Sunday morning from my neighbor Chris to go ride the Harris Lake Hog Run Mountain Bike Trails. I'd been telling him about my forays, and Deb said go for it and we hit 'em hard. He was anxious to break in his bright blue $1K? monster trail bike, and I handed him his butt -- we were both ready to head home after two hours of solid riding through the beginner, intermediate, advanced (found a whole new area that made it twice as long)... then the intermediate a second time.
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: P90X+ Kenpo Plus & Hog Run Mtn. Bike (4 X Loops) + Light Swim
Monday: P90X+ Upper Plus & Abs Core Plus + 18 mi. ATT Trail Ride + Mow Lawn
Tuesday: P90X Plyometrics
Happy post-Memorial Day people. A special salute to everyone in uniform, and esp. to all who died to keep us free. Regardless of how how you view the political start to these conflicts and their continuance, the men and women of our armed forces, past and present, deserve our respect and a heart-felt thanks. Here's mine --> Thank you.
It was a banner long weekend at Chez NC McLain... went to our new Lila Jones Memorial Pool in Apex for the first time on Sunday. Night and day vs. the ol' Cary YMCA.
New Pool = family community pool, 2 X diving boards, can bring toys and floaties and diving sticks, swim laps or hang out in the kiddie pools, throw balls to people as they jump high off the boards, and have a blast. 2 X lifeguards always alert, test the water every hour, gentle reminders not to run, and they let the family fun atmosphere run its course. Can dive in anywhere its deep, and 4-6 X families who live around us are members so Will have lots of ready-friends to play with. Deep breath while we relaxed and realized what were missing all these years.
Cary YMCA = Nazi lockdown overcrowded anti-fun pool of doom. (What does Tim really think of the Cary Y?) No floaties, keep your toys at home unless you want to hang out in the infant pool that's 1-2 feet deep and always warm (wonder why?), get harassed by the lifeguards who keep all fun down to a dull DULL, forget using the arm floaties or anything the Caryities designate as not worthy of the pool or things people have trained their kids to swim with for years. Don't ever, ever dive in anywhere, even the deep end, because they're watching, be sure there's no diving boards/OMG lawsuit, don't get out of line or question the crazy rules cuz the guards carry 'tudes with their designer teen shades. Be sure to overbook the whole business so you can't get a seat or move in the cattle-like family area. And, with the crowd/haphazard access Will's friends were there only a handful of times all summer long. Don't mess with the biggest part of the pool where to crazy peeps lap swim all day long or... else. And at the end of all the hassle, $83 per month and no drive to go because of all of the above.
The costs are about the same, but the atmosphere is 180 degrees different at Lila Jones Memorial Pool in Apex. It's going to be a great summer in Apex!
Got a surprise call Sunday morning from my neighbor Chris to go ride the Harris Lake Hog Run Mountain Bike Trails. I'd been telling him about my forays, and Deb said go for it and we hit 'em hard. He was anxious to break in his bright blue $1K? monster trail bike, and I handed him his butt -- we were both ready to head home after two hours of solid riding through the beginner, intermediate, advanced (found a whole new area that made it twice as long)... then the intermediate a second time.
Banged up the bike pretty good and really went 2 X faster than the last time around. Fun, fun, fun and right down the road -- 20 minutes away from our houses, too much fun for grown men to have. Period.
The next day Dave and I hit the American Tobacco Trail at White Oak Church Road right at 8 a.m. We headed left first to the Chatham county line and across to the semi-unfinished portion/green on the map. It was dry -- no mud like last time -- sooo we went all the way up to the train tresle, had a blast bouncing on the rock areas and staying in the pair of paths with higher grass.
The next day Dave and I hit the American Tobacco Trail at White Oak Church Road right at 8 a.m. We headed left first to the Chatham county line and across to the semi-unfinished portion/green on the map. It was dry -- no mud like last time -- sooo we went all the way up to the train tresle, had a blast bouncing on the rock areas and staying in the pair of paths with higher grass.
We paused to check out the tresle, then turned around and hauled it back to Olive Chapel Road, then back up the parking area at White Oak Church, about 16-18 miles in all with our twists and turns. Always great to chat with Dave, and push him to his max.
For once I'm the one setting the pace with the guys and wearing 'em out a bit. Very, very cool.
For once I'm the one setting the pace with the guys and wearing 'em out a bit. Very, very cool.
Mowed the ol' lawn, kept the P90X+ going, and am feeling pretty physically wasted today. Nearly wanted to go back to sleep at the breakfast table with the warm sun shining on me.
Back to work! I have a video studio to finish setting up and some on-camera scripts to write for SIRS Researcher. Crazy cool stuff this short week... Bringin' it to all aspects of the Tim McLain experience.
Back to work! I have a video studio to finish setting up and some on-camera scripts to write for SIRS Researcher. Crazy cool stuff this short week... Bringin' it to all aspects of the Tim McLain experience.
2 comments:
Hi Tim,
Glad that you are enjoying the Chatham County portion of the American Tobacco Trail.
Our organization, the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy manages and maintains this 4.6 mile section (actually you rode on about 1 3/4 miles of it, on a completely volunteer basis.
We've done all the ditch digging and cleaning, as well as clearing of downed trees and limbs - usually on our regularly scheduled workdays from 9 to noon on most Saturday mornings, but other times too - on this section. This has made the trail ridable by most folks, though there are some areas which still get muddy, particularly after heavy rains.
Its always a good idea NOT to go riding on the ATT, or any other unhardened surface (no asphalt or cement) immediately after a heavy rain.
As you may have noticed, the section of the trail that you rode had not been mowed in awhile. The reason for this was my trailer that I haul our organization mower (Thanks Carolina Tarwheels!) had lost its tag and had a flat tire among other things. I got those fixed and the mower ready to go by this past Monday.
However, after mowing the first quarter mile or so, the mower slipped its secondary drive belt. A inspection showed the belt ragged and torn. I thought I could fix it, but I found a pulley bent, and another off its guide, so it was done for the day.
I did use my trusty string trimmer and cut the long overgrown grass north to within a quarter mile of New Hope Church Road. However, I was very sore that night!
This kind of thing is par for the course in this kind of work. It is amazingly difficult to keep equipment operating on the difficult conditions of the a several mile long rural trail.
One bit of news. This section of the ATT should be under construction by the end of this year. The advertisements for bids should have been in the May 21 edition of the Cary News Legals. However, for the life of me, I can't find it in the electronic listings at their site.
And while I have you all here. Please let me emphasize that all trail users, especially those on bicycles should slow down, and be prepared to stop if necessary, and catch the eye of those working on the trail. The volunteers will happily stop and let you pass.
The presence of trail workers are a construction zone! Those working on the trail may not see trail users.
For a cyclist to come up unexpectedly, and to especially not even slow down, is a major safety concern for especially the cyclist.
We've had cyclists come barrelling through a work area when we've had volunteers with chain saws actively cutting trees! Its freaking amazing how some cyclists can be so brazen and inconsiderate! It won't hurt them, or slow them down much to slow down to pass maintenance and construction volunteers.
Keep in mind that volunteers mowing, string trimming or chain sawing are wearing ear and eye protection so they can't hear or see trail users.
That is why you often see so many transportation workers apparently not doing anything at work sites on the highway. They are the lookouts.
Please, Please, Please, SLOW DOWN when passing volunteers, or in Wake or Durham, staff, working on the trail.
Please catch the eye, attention or call out to the worker closest to you. They will stop what they are doing - usually cutting off motorized equipment - and motion you to pass.
And while I'm here, always call out "On your left" or similar, when passing slower trail users. We don't do this enough around here.
Shared use trails are comparatively new to the Triangle and users don't follow proper etiquette. We all need to work to educate trail users on proper etiquette particularly as trails and greenways, like the ATT become more and more popular.
Thanks for letting me pontificate a bit!
Thanks also for using the ATT!
Happy Trails,
Bill Bussey
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
www.triangletrails.org
Sounds like a great weekend. I'm trying to fix up my bike for some riding this summer. Been a long time since I've been riding.
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