There’s a First Time for Everything

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

I didn’t intend on the year of my 50^th birthday being a year of firsts, but it sure has turned out that way! This has been a year full of firsts; our first time visiting Washington, D.C. and my first time seeing Chicago, for starters. But, more than anything, it has been a year of fun firsts as a U.S. Masters swimmer. What a blast! But, first, before I get into that, there is another first I am very excited about…

In my July 1, 2012 post, I wrote about Cullen Jones, one of my favorite swimmers who I admire and respect not only as a swimmer, but more importantly,as a person. If you watched the Olympics on August 3, you saw him in action, winning his first individual Olympic medal; a silver! He even beat sprint great, Cesar Cielo, current world record holder in the 50 meter freestyle. In addition, he won silver in the freestyle relay and gold in the medley (he swam in the preliminary heat). Congratulations, Cullen Jones, now a medal winner in two Olympics!

My firsts in swimming are, ummm, extremely modest in comparison, but they are my firsts:

In February, I decided for the first time to sign up for the maximum allowed individual events in Auburn’s two-day short course (25 yards) meet; eight for that particular meet. They were all 50’s and 100’s, besides the 200 yard breaststroke. But, it was a lot for me at the time; especially since I was also placed in two relays. I ended up with personal best times in three of my events, so I was happy! And, encouraged to try it again…

I did it twice in April; once at my very first Senior Games. Yes, at 50, I’m officially a geezer, so I now call Senior Games “Geezer Games”, since I am one of them and can get away with it now. So, I entered five events at Gwinnett County’s Geezer Games and ended up having to swim them all in 1:15! I won a gold and four silver medals for my efforts and enjoyed every minute of it.

I also signed up for five events at the one-day short course Georgia Championship Series meet, at Georgia Tech, hoping to have a shot at winning high points in my age group. I also swam in two relays. I ended up with another personal best time in one of my events and won the high points trophy.

At that point, Walter, our team relay coordinator, had a talk with me at the post-meet social and said, “As high points winner, you are now in the lead to win the Georgia Championship Series trophy for your age group. So, you need to swim in two of the next three events in the series to qualify and be in the running.”

Well, I had already planned on swimming in the Athens long course (50 meter pool) meet, in June, as well as the short course meters meet at Georgia Tech, in December. “But, what if you get sick or hurt and can’t make it to the meet? You need to swim in the open water meet just to make sure you get your three events in and qualify!” Walter was very convincing…

As you can see by my last post, I entered the open water swim at Lake Acworth and swam the 3k for a silver medal, immediately followed by the 1k, for the gold. And, yes, it was another first; I had never competed in open water before and ended up winning high points. (I also won high points the month before, in Athens).

So, without having to include December’s meet at Georgia Tech, I won the Georgia Championship Series for the first time. (I still plan on entering the meet at Georgia Tech, though, and going for high points.)

That high points thing really got me thinking. High points awards aren’t necessarily won by the fastest swimmer, because some of the fastest swimmers only enter their core events at meets to focus on getting their best times. But, I don’t fall into that category. Not only am I not the fastest breaststroker in my age group (I rank in the top 35-40%); I haven’t been able to beat my best time in quite awhile. (Perhaps aging is working against me here!).

I’m in this for FUN. And, as much as I love swimming breaststroke, beating my head up against the wall trying to beat my best time is getting to be NOT fun. So, I’m trying new events and entering a lot of them at meets to see where my other strengths (if any) may be. Having goals and working towards achieving them is what keeps me motivated and if I win a high points trophy along the way, all the better!

Two of the hardest events in swimming are the 400 IM (Individual Medley; 100 of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle) and butterfly. I had avoided them like the plague, because I didn’t think I had enough strength and endurance to tackle that much butterfly. Besides, I’m a sprinter! But, it was time to put my body to the test and see if I could prove myself wrong…

In my quest to see if I could swim 200 yards “fly” without needing lifeguard rescue, I actually kept going and ended up swimming 900 yards continuously. Here it is: http://youtu.be/4fmP1szg4mo . Two weeks later, I decided to try it again and swam 2,000 yards of continuous fly. I was so slow and the digital camera file was so large, the camera stopped at one point to write to the file. So, the swim is in two files: http://youtu.be/4PJouksr3wI and http://youtu.be/BfKKZa3uUYM .

At that point, I realized something it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out: If I could swim 2,000 yards of continuous butterfly, I surely could swim 200! It may be slow, but I can do it! So, that little exercise in endurance was a whole bunch of firsts that made June an exciting month of swimming for me. And, at that point, my coach, Mike, declared me a “distance swimmer”; a very different pill to swallow, considering I was a breaststroke sprinter who walks fast, talks fast and basically does everything like a hare, rather than a tortoise.

For my next meet, I decided to enter a full slate of events at our regional championships, “Dixie Zone Long Course Championships”; 10 events in two days, in addition to getting recruited to swim in two team relays. My new events on Saturday included 100 meter butterfly and 400 freestyle. Sunday’s new events included 200 fly, 400 IM, and 800 free. The goal: SURVIVE. Knowing there would be a bunch of fast swimmers at this meet, I knew I wouldn’t win high points. And, I knew it was too much to expect of myself to get any personal best times, considering the circumstances; especially since my 400 free event didn’t go off until 7:30 PM, we didn’t get to the hotel until 9:00 PM (and still needed to eat dinner), and had to be back in the pool at 8:00 AM the following day for warm-ups. To make matters worse, the indoor/outdoor “climate controlled” pool facility was not exactly climate controlled. The huge doors were rolled up and it was very hot and humid in Greenville. The only air conditioning to be found was in the locker room. The locker room became my friend- as was the shower turned on COLD.

In the end, not only did I survive last weekend’s meet; I had a blast. A swim buddy of my on the U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums posted this about me and Bruce: “Elaine had a great meet! She boldly took on the toughest events in the pool, including the 200 fly, and the 400 IM, and the 800 free, all on the same day! At the end of the day, she was still full of energy, bouncing up & down on the deck, saying, “Let’s do it again!” It was fun hanging out with Elaine and Bruce.”

And, after looking at my times in the 400 and 800 free, my coach, again, declared me a “distance swimmer”. I will never give up sprint breaststroke, but it looks like I will be wearing a new hat (swim cap?), as well.

So, it was a weekend full of firsts! And, it has been a year full of fun firsts. I love firsts; it’s what makes life exciting, inspiring, and sweet. But, I also learned something from all those firsts: Always write your goals in pencil- and leave plenty of room at the bottom of the page to add more!

GinaBarber,ElaineKrugman,CherylAyers,NanaWhalen

These are my 400 Women’s Medley Relay teammates: Gina Barber, Cheryl Ayers, and Nana Whalen. Nana is 75 and won high points in her age group. She swam butterfly in our relay and also swam the 400 IM and 800 free!

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After swimming my first 400 IM, I celebrated with my Georgia Masters Teammates: David Miller, Malena Hankins, and Mike Stilles. Malena and I swam on the 200 Mixed Freestyle Relay together. The previous week, she swam in a 10 mile race!

This is my buddy, Mark Rogers, immediately following the 800 free race. He was in the lane next to me and made up for coming in after me in the 1k open water swim. He beat me in this race by :45!

Our team won the high points award against all teams who were from outside of South Carolina. The only reason I’m holding the trophy was because Walter (far left) asked Bruce to shoot the picture!

No Lane Lines, No Black Line, No Walls: Georgia Games Open Water Swim

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

Today, I went back to my roots in swimming; open water. As a kid, I used to swim the bay and ocean of Long Beach Alamitos Bay Peninsula, long before I made my way into a swimming pool. The first time I had been in a pool with lane lines and a black line on the bottom was when I joined the swim team at Lakewood High School. Pool swimming was all new to me then, but all I have known ever since- until I competed in Georgia Games Open Water Swim, today.

I decided to register for today’s event, because it was what I needed to compete in, to clinch the Georgia Swim Championships in my age group. After winning the high points award at the short course meet, at Georgia Tech, back in April, I was told by my team’s relay coordinator that I was in the lead for the championship trophy in my age group. And, to win it, I would need to earn the most points in my age group in three out of four designated swim meets: The short course yards meet at Georgia Tech, the Long course meters meet in Athens, today’s open water swim, and the short course meters meet. Since I won high points in the first of the series, I was determined to win high points, again, at the long course meet, in Athens. And, I did. So, I signed up for the open water swim, just to make sure I got three of the four events in the bag, in case I miss the St. Nick’s meet, at Georgia Tech, in December. (You never know if a bug is going to strike the immune system that time of year…)

Today’s event included a 5k, 3k, and 1k swim at beautiful Lake Acworth (http://www.acworth.com/attractions/lake-acworth/), north of Atlanta. I decided to challenge myself and sign up for both the 3k and 1k swim; a total of about 4,300 yards. A few swimmers did all three swims, but I figured I needed to leave that challenge for next time- maybe.

The expected conditions concerned me way more than the distance of the swims; I knew the 3k and 1k would present no problem at all. But, I have Meniere’s, an inner ear disorder, and I just didn’t know how I would do swimming in a lake with no visibility- and no black line to follow! I didn’t have this condition as a kid, so it was a new challenge for me as an adult swimmer. Would I get dizzy? Would I lose my sense of direction? Would I have to sight constantly to keep my eye on the three buoys I would have to turn around on the course?

The other concern was the heat and water temperature; both expected to top 90 degrees. Fortunately, we had cloud cover for the first 2k of my 3k swim, and, at 85 degrees, the lake water was the coolest it had ever been for the Georgia Games. (You call 85 degrees cool? Yikes!). Competition pools are set at 78-81 degrees, so 85 degrees was warm! But, as it turned out, swimming without a cap was just what I needed to stay cool (enough) to swim hard.

On paper, the odds were against me having a successful day, or, for that matter, even having an enjoyable day. But, I had my heart set on it and I was going to give it my best! Besides, my buddy, Mark (another open water newbie), decided to swim it, as well, so he could clinch the Georgia Championships in his age group. Mark always calls me “Champ!”, so I couldn’t let him down!

Several of my other teammates participated, too, and I was happy to see them on the beach. Mike, for one, was on one of my relay teams at Nationals, in Greensboro. As an experienced open water swimmer, Mike had been very helpful and supportive in getting me prepared on what to expect today. I was so happy to see him after his 5k swim! And, his encouragement fired me up.

Sunscreen on, Blistex on my lips, Vaseline around my eyes, goggles firmly in place; I was ready to swim. And, we were off!

01-3K Start.jpg My main objective in my first ever open water race was to stay on the outside of the pack (to keep from getting kicked and clawed) and keep from getting dizzy and seasick from my Meniere’s. The first couple hundred yards or so were tough; I was disoriented and starting to feel nauseous from the dizziness. Panic started to rear its ugly head, but I took a good long look at the buoy, put my head down, talked myself into a relaxed state of mind, and settled on a good, steady pace, frequently sighting the first buoy to stay on course. After a short time, I was good to go for the remainder of the swim.

The swim felt great and I felt strong. Rounding the final buoy, I decided to pick up my pace, knowing I was almost home- at least for the first of my two swims. My goal was to reach the finish line before the start of the 1k, so I could do that swim, as well. The two races were set to go off one hour apart; no problem if the 3k had been a pool swim. But, with being a newbie at sighting and having no walls to push off of every 25 yards, I knew not to expect too much. But, as I reached the shore and stood up to run to the finish line, I saw a large group of green-capped swimmers facing the water, ready to race the 1k. The 5k group was orange-capped (except for me, Mark, and a few others who opted to go sans cap), so I knew I had made it in time.

WoooHOOO!

1:1:24.14 was my final time; less than two minutes past the 1k start time. And, lucky for me, they held back the 1k start for a few more minutes; just enough time to get a high-five from Bruce, grab a gulp of Powerade, and join the pack for the next race.

Mark had come in three minutes ahead of me, so we headed out for the 1k together; the last time I saw him until we both rounded the buoy together and I looked up and said, “Hi Mark!” After that, I put my head down and swam hard for the beach. Little did I know until I saw the photos Bruce had shot, Mark was right behind me at the finish line. He had tried to catch me (according to Bruce), but ran out of real estate.

As it turned out, I ended up beating three other gals in my age group for the silver medal in the 3k. In the 1k, there were only two of us in our age group and I ended up beating my competitor by 11 minutes to win the gold.

Another day, another challenge! And, another day of pure joy.

Congratulations to Cullen Jones!

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

I have had my eyes glued to the computer screen and TV, watching the Olympic Trials in swimming. Although there were more than a dozen U.S. Masters Swimming members who made cuts and were competing in Omaha, I was cheering the most for Cullen Jones. Although Cullen won a gold medal, along with Michael Phelps, as a member of the freestyle relay team that won gold in 2008, he had just missed making the team in his two individual events: 50 meter and 100 meter freestyle.

I had the honor of meeting Cullen, in April, 2010, when I competed in my first U.S. Masters Swimming Nationals meet, at Georgia Tech. It was only my second USMS meet as a newbie and I was a bit intimidated by the level of competition at the meet that included Olympians, such as Rowdy Gaines- and, Cullen Jones. But, that quickly melted away when I met Cullen face-to-face…

While warming up in the dive tank, Cullen was in the next lane and we turned towards each other when we both reached the wall. Recognizing him, I introduced myself and wished him luck in his 50 meter showdown against Nicholas Brunelli. Cullen was friendly, humble, and gracious, while flashing his trademark HUGE smile that could melt any heart.

After the race (which he won), he was kind enough to pose for this photo:

And, he honored the request of everyone else who either hoped for a photo or an autograph from the star swimmer. He never stopped smiling…

Fast forward to USMS Spring Nationals, this past April, in Greensboro, NC, and there was Cullen, warming up in the lane next to mine- again. Sure enough, we both came in at the wall and were face-to-face, just as we were back in 2010. I said hello, again, and reminded him of that time two years prior when we first met. Again, he was as friendly, humble, and gracious as could be. And, when I asked him if I could get another photo taken with him (because the one in 2010 wasn’t as clear as I had hoped), he said, “Sure!” So, I hopped out, ran up to the bleachers, grabbed my camera from Bruce, and high-tailed it back to the warm-up pool. One of the volunteer staff members was kind enough to take photos for me, so I quickly gave him the camera and started towards the edge of the pool, so I could hop back in and stand next to Cullen. But, before I could even get close, Cullen hopped out in a flash, threw his arm around me and flashed this million-dollar smile:

He insisted on knowing if the photo came out and asked to take another one, just to make sure:

Now, at this point, going above and way beyond, you would think he would have either hopped back in the pool to complete his warm-up or continue on his way to prepare for his big race against teammate Bryan Lundquist. Instead, he started asking me questions about my camera and about the attachment (Flip Back) that I had on the back. And, all the while, he was the nicest guy.

He did eventually get back in the pool and won his race. Here is the post-race interview:

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What impresses me about Cullen Jones is where he has come, since almost drowning as a child, because he didn’t know how to swim. Not only has he become an Olympian; he has done this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a80uWqrkivE It’s a short video and well worth a look.

Now, in 2012, he was making another attempt at earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic Swimming team; this time, hopefully, in individual events, as well as the relay. Many had some doubts whether he would make the team, saying he was spending too much time with Make a Splash and not enough time training.

Cullen Jones proved his doubters wrong. Not only did he earn the second spot on the team in the 100 meter freestyle (from an outside lane, no less); he beat out the entire field and WON the 50 meter freestyle! Cullen Jones will be heading to London to compete in 2 individual events, four years after placing 3rd in both of those events, at the trials.

Cullen Jones may not come home from London with a gold- or even a medal- but he is good as gold in my book. Good luck in London, Cullen! I’ll be cheering for you from across the pond!

(For more info. about Make a Splash: http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=2093&Alias=rainbow&Lang=en )

Gorgeous Galena

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

I woke up this morning feeling great; no soreness at all from yesterday’s 2,000 yard butterfly. But, I truly am a Butternut; I am watching the Women’s 100 meter butterfly preliminary heats of the Olympic Trials, on live streaming, split screen, while I am writing this post.

Our arrival day in Crystal Lake was a relaxing and enjoyable one. After a wonderful lunch in downtown Crystal Lake and a stop at Trader Joe’s (love, love, LOVE!), so Laura could shop for dinner groceries, I got in a much-needed and much-craved-for swim workout. Jeannie had recently treated Wayne to a membership at an amazing fitness club (http://www.healthbridgefitness.com) and got me in on a guest pass. I should have brought my camera; this place was phenomenal!

Laura, a gourmet cook, treated us that evening to one of Wayne’s favorites: Spaghetti and meatballs. It was Father’s Day, after all!

The following day, we were off to Galena (www.galena.org ). Laura had told me what a gorgeous and charming place Galena was. I figured it had to be, to warrant 2 ½ hours of driving each way. Wayne likes to drive; especially his new Ford Fusion Hybrid. But, this place must be outstanding to make that kind of drive for a DAY TRIP worthwhile. It was.

Galena was love at first sight. Actually, I was already in love before we got there, because the drive through the countryside was so beautiful; much like New Zealand. It was so green, and, as we drove further north, there were rolling hills dotted with farms that included those classic red barns you see in coffee table books and wall calendars.

Having never been to the Midwest (I had visited 21 states; mostly around the coasts and southern border, but nowhere in the Midwest), I only had a preconceived image in my mind of what the perfect Midwestern town would look like. This was it. Check out this photo on the cover of “The Galenian”: http://galenianonline.com/main.asp?sectionid=2&subsectionid=31 . I could easily imagine spending a month there with Bruce (during the best weather, of course) staying in a rented cottage and spending our days kayaking on the river or exploring the surrounding areas.

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Spending the day in Galena was fabulous, though. After a delightful lunch at Golden Hen Café (http://www.goldenhencafe.com ), we browsed the shops lining the main street of downtown. Laura and I both splurged at Galena Garlic Company (www.galenagarlic.com), falling in love with their incredible aged balsamics. We each ordered bottles to be shipped to our home; I couldn’t resist the Wild Blueberry Balsamic, Mango Balsamic, and Cinnamon Pear Balsamic. These flavors, as well as about 25 others were available for tasting and we tasted many of them- straight. Honestly, these were good enough to sip straight! It was almost impossible to resist so many of the other flavors; coconut being one of them. Maybe next time…

(Look at the above photo carefully… What’s wrong with this picture???)

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Our plan was to have dinner at One Eleven Main (http://www.oneelevenmain.com) , but we had plenty of time to enjoy before then. So, Wayne took us to the West Street Sculpture Park (www.weststreetsculpturepark.com) ; an interesting collection of found object sculptures created by John Martinson. I will let the pictures speak for themselves…

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Questioning Wayne about the location of Galena, in relation to Wisconsin and Iowa, led to something I never expected; a drive to state #23 on my list: Iowa! It was just a 20 minute drive away to see the northernmost section of the Mississippi and Iowa, so off we went! We drove through more beautiful countryside, before continuing by bridge over the Mississippi River into Dubuque, Iowa. Just over the bridge, a short drive, was Riverwalk; a beautifully landscaped coastal sidewalk along the river. There was even a small beach I could walk down to, so I could stick my finger in the Mississippi River water. I was in Iowa and the Mississippi River! (Well, sort of; they didn’t allow swimming or wading…)

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We returned to downtown Galena to enjoy a delicious dinner at One Eleven Main. I chose the totally decadent dish of Gnocchi with spinach, onions, mushrooms (extra; hold the bacon), cream, and Romano. Delicious and definitely decadent!

The drive back to Crystal Lake, during the golden light of sunset, could not have been more beautiful.

The farms I had enjoyed on the drive in now took on a golden hue and they just sparkled. And, to our surprise and delight, after it got dark, something else sparkled (or sparked!), as well: Fireflies!

I had only seen one firefly before; out on our community golf course, after picking wild blackberries. (Shhhh, don’t tell anybody; we weren’t supposed to be out there!) And, let me tell you what a delight that was!

Being a Southern California girl, I had never seen real fireflies before. My only exposure to “fireflies” was the fake ones at Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride. And, honestly, I thought those were fakes, as in, FAKE. Yes, of course they were fake, but I thought the entire idea of fireflies lighting up like that was fake! I didn’t think they did that!

So, our visit to Crystal Lake and Galena ended in the most spectacular way; driving by fields of fireflies putting on a show for us. It was the perfect end to a wonderful visit; just like the fireworks show that concluded our visit to Chicago. And, the flight home was no less beautiful…

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P.S. Thank you for joining me on this journey; I have appreciated your kind comments! If you would like to see more photos from this trip, view the last album at: www.ExquisiteCards.Fototime.com .

Until November, I will be staying fairly close to home; just a short trip to Greenville, SC, to swim in the USMS Dixie Zone Championships. But, don’t be surprised if I pop in now and again with posts on past travels that have yet to appear in my blog!

I am Definitely a ButterNUT!

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

Before I fill you in on what happened at the pool today, it occurred to me that you deserve my THANKS(!!!) for reading my blog. Surely, I have worn out your patience by now… And, surely, you must be wondering when I am ever going to get back to Illinois in my blog! Soon. Really. I promise.

But, first, I would like to share an e-mail I received from Sally, the owner of Gold Coast Guest House B&B ( www.bbchicago.com ):

“Wow, Elaine…..you are so talented!

Between the gorgeous photos & the copy…you should TEACH blogging.

With your permission, I would like to forward it to the Chicago Tourism Bureau. (they send me Travel Writers & other Media people).

I think they would enjoy the photos & commentary.

Thanks again to you & Laura for choosing the Gold Coast Guest House & for your nice comments in your blog.

42 years shows a wonderful friendship!

Warm regards,

Sally”

Sally’s e-mail made my day! I have greatly appreciated the comments you all have sent via e-mail or on this blog, but, you are my friends and family; perhaps a bit subjective in your assessment. But, this one came from somebody who barely knows me. It really made me feel that perhaps you weren’t just being subjective after all.

So, off to the pool I went, feeling jazzed about Sally’s comments; just the extra spark I needed to inspire me to… fly.

For those who don’t swim, butterfly is more commonly known as “fly” to those of us who compete in swimming. And, it is known as the most demanding stroke; especially racing it at the 200 meter distance. But, that was definitely not what I did today. Endurance fly is a completely different animal (insect?) than racing the stroke. It’s slow-going; keep the kick easy and the glide long. And, breathe every stroke; a necessity to survive swimming butterfly for any distance.

So, today, I set out to break my personal best of swimming 900 yards of fly non-stop; a mark I hit two weeks ago, after I realized I really could swim 200 yards of the stroke and perhaps race it someday. This time, I placed the camera on a tripod, so Bruce wouldn’t have to hold it for 20 (or more…) minutes. And, this time, I gave him my dive slate, so he could keep track of my yardage for me; something I neglected to do last time. (If I had known it was 900 yards, do you think I would have stopped there with only four laps to go to make it to 1,000? It was only after viewing the video that I realized I came up short. But, I was still ecstatic at having made 200 yards, so what the heck?)

The camera started and off I went, keeping a watch on deck for a quick look, now and then. The first 200 yards was a bear, but once I got over that hump, it was starting to feel good. When I hit the 900 yard mark, I took a quick look at the watch: 20:00; thirty seconds quicker than last time. Cool! Only four more laps to go to make it to 1,000!

Little did I know, shortly after the 1,000 mark, the camera decided to stop recording and write to the memory card, instead. Perhaps the file got too big? But, Bruce started the camera up, again, a few strokes down the pool. So, I have two videos of my swim;

Part 1: http://youtu.be/4PJouksr3wI

Part2: http://youtu.be/BfKKZa3uUYM

The camera on the wall was keeping track of my swim, too, though, and the time stamp on my videos was, as well; just in case you have any doubts about me actually doing this. Besides, Bruce was my witness! And, we all know what an angel he is, right?

At this point, I decided to keep on going, because I still felt good; no pain in the shoulders and plenty of energy left in the tank. Maybe I could make it to 1650 yards (known as “The Mile” in swimming competition)? Yes, I could- and, I did! From what I can tell between the two videos, I reached the mile in 37:39; slow, for sure. But, I did it! And, I kept on going…

At the 2,000 yard mark, I saw two legs right in front of me on deck, just as I touched the wall. Uhhh-ohhhh! Bruce came over to tell me the memory card was full and stopped after 1,825 yards. @*#%!!! Yes, I really did say it. Loudly. (I hope the kids at the outdoor pool didn’t hear that nasty word.) But, I could have kicked myself in the *&@ (butt) for not having my larger memory card in my camera. So, feeling like the butter was taken from my fly, I quit. I know I could have kept going, too. I was feeling goooood! And, as I sit writing this post, I am not even feeling sore.

When Dr. Braun, the surgeon who operated on my shoulder read that I had swum 900 yards butterfly, he sent an e-mail with this reply:

“Elaine,

Amazing!!! When I want to go 900 yards//// I take the car!

Dick Braun”

I wonder what he’ll say about me swimming 2,000 yards of fly… Surely, he is thinking I am a NUT. And, yes, he would be right. Officially, I am a “Butternut”, qualifying as a swimmer who has swum 500 yards of butterfly (or more) continuously. This is my t-shirt:

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And, with that, I now leave this loooong post, once again, nowhere near Crystal Lake (or anywhere else in Illinois).

Soon. I promise. Soon.

All Aboard! And, We’re Off to Crystal Lake

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

What I enjoy most about writing this blog is reliving my travels. Between editing my photos and writing these posts, it just feels like my vacation never ended. So, these last several days, since my return, has been pure nirvana. Take Friday, for example; the perfect day to me. It started with a swim workout with my friend (and coach), Mike, over at the Steve Lundquist Aquatic Center. Since I usually train alone (except for Mike’s September – May, Tuesday & Thursday, adult swim program at the same pool), I have to rely on 100% self- motivation to push myself hard. So, getting in the lane next to Mike is the extra push that I need to make those intervals and “keep on swimming”; just like Dory pleaded to Nemo, in Finding Nemo. Mike is faster than me, but I know just how far to allow myself to fall behind him to keep up and not let him get completely away. If that distance grows, I’m in trouble.

I had recently completed a self-challenge to see how far I could swim non-stop butterfly, just to prove to myself I could swim the most difficult race in swimming: 200 meter butterfly. I was so happy to just to make it to 300 yards that I lost track of my yardage after that; I just kept going and going… But, Bruce was shooting video, so I knew I could count up the yardage while watching it later. I was shocked to I made it to 900 yards! Hrummmph; if I had known I only had 4 more lengths of the pool to go, I would have listened to Dory and kept on swimmin’. But, Bruce had given me that “if looks could kill” look, so I stopped. He was tired of filming me and worried about my shoulders; especially the one that was operated on for thoracic outlet syndrome. I was fine, though, and never got sore at all. So, two weeks later (today), I will be making another attempt, as soon as the pool opens; this time for 1,000+ yards.

Anyway, back in the pool with Mike, he said, “Well, now, the next step would be to see if you can swim a broken 500 butterfly and see if you can increase your speed and make the intervals.” By “broken”, he meant swimming it in increments of 25 yards on a set time interval. But, the intervals get shorter as you go, which means that the rest periods get shorter. And, that means you have to swim each 25 yard increment faster, just to make the interval. So, he set the intervals at 4×25 yards @ :45, 6 @ :40, 6 @ :35, and the last 4 @ :30. Since I had already swum half of my yardage before I attempted this set, I was so whipped by the end that I swam the last four continuous, just so I could make the interval. But, I DID IT! And, did it again on my other slowest stroke; backstroke.

That 3,600 yard workout was one of my best ever; it felt great! So, I kept the feeling going by editing my photos and writing my blog, after I returned home. Nirvana! Writing is like swimming; I get in a zone and time just slips away…

My perfect day continued with a visit from my “twin sister of a different mother”, Melody, and her husband, David, who is our next door neighbor’s son. They are the friends we stayed with in Virginia, during last month’s trip to Washington, D.C. We have grown close with the two of them; always a lot of great conversation and tons of laughs. So, our evening was wonderful; enjoying conversation, drinks, and Bruce’s “Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pizza”. (I was supposed to swim in the Georgia Games the following day, however, the meet was canceled. So, I enjoyed what has become a rare occurrence: Drinking more than one glass of wine.)

The following day, yesterday, was more of the same: Swim, edit photos, write blog, and dine with Melody & David, while they are still in town. And, today? You guessed it: Swim, edit photos, write blog, and dine with Melody & David. I could get used to this!

But, I digressed…

Why were we going to Crystal Lake, anyway? Laura’s step brother, Wayne, and his wife, Jeannie, invited us to stay with them at their home. I had heard so much about them over the years and was very much looking forward to finally meeting them. So, we planned on spending two nights at Crystal Lake, before flying home…

…It seems as if the train has had a delay. And, in reality, it did. It was only a couple of stops before ours that the train came to a stop on the tracks. After a 70-minute delay (if memory serves me correctly), we found out why: A fatality on the tracks by the previous train. When we were finally allowed to proceed, we passed by a tarp on the side of the tracks; a covered body. And, a little bit further, at the intersection, a cluster of police cars and an ambulance. What a heart-wrenching sight that was; especially since we later learned the victim was only 18 years old.

Rather than leave you with something so tragic, though, I will at least try to brighten it up with a brief look at downtown Crystal Lake; a very small but charming city center oozing with small-town pride. And, finally, what we are convinced is the house of The Seven Dwarfs.

I’ll be back with more, after my swim!

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Striking Gold in the Gold Coast

Posted on June 23, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

The Gold Coast Historic District, where our B&B was located, is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country. So, rather than take the most direct route to visit the Saturday organic farmers market, we opted for the more scenic route along Deerborn Ave. Wow; what a gorgeous leafy residential street of mansions, row houses, and pricey apartment buildings.

Green City Market’s ( www.greencitymarket.org ) mission is one that Laura and I could really get behind, “Green City Market’s mission is to improve the availability of a diverse range of high quality foods by providing a marketplace for purchasing sustainably grown food and to educate, promote, and connect farmers and local producers directly to chefs, restaurateurs and the greater Chicago community. We also support small family farms and promote a healthier society through education and appreciation for local, fresh, sustainably-raised products.”

This market was perfect; outstanding organic produce, wonderful cheese, beautifully baked breads, tempting freshly prepared crepes and dishes, gorgeous flowers- everything; even plenty of cute dogs to pet!

The quality was outstanding, so it was unfortunate our travels prevented us from buying a bag of produce to take home. Instead, I opted for a pretzel roll, just like the ones I bought at bakeries in Germany, during my river cruise. It was perfect match for the Goose Island Matilda Belgian Pale Ale that I sipped at Old Town Social (www.OldTownSocial.com), while cooling off with Laura.

Before we continued on to Old Town Social, though, I couldn’t resist a quick stop at my coffee shop (But, I don’t even drink coffee!):

Saturday in Chicago was another burner, so the crowds were large down at the shore; our final stop before throwing in the towel and heading back to the B&B to cool off.

For our final dinner in Chicago, we landed at the India House ( http://www.indiahousechicago.com/ ), where we enjoyed outstanding Indian cuisine, before heading to the Navy Pier for a spectacular firework (and lightening!) show. We had noticed (very) dark clouds off in the distance, while we were at the beach; the same clouds, I would assume, that erupted during the fireworks display. It was quite a sight! And, wouldn’t you know it? As soon as the fireworks ended, the clouds burst open above us. Thankfully, I had decided to bring my umbrella at the last minute…

So, that is where the Chicago leg of our Illinois journey ends. The following day, we were off to Crystal Lake aboard the Metra train. Standby; the train will be departing soon!

The Art Institute of Chicago: Cool in More Ways Than One

Posted on June 23, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

We happened to be in Chicago during a heat wave; not the best of circumstances, but it sure beat having rain everyday! The temperature peaked at 96 degrees during one the days and it was 86 degrees the day we took the architectural boat tour and wandered through Millenium Park. So, The Art Institute of Chicago was a welcome relief, by the time we reached the air conditioned lobby, later in the day.

Rather than browse the entire museum which was huge, we chose a few exhibits to enjoy for a couple of hours, before heading back to our B&B to change clothes for dinner.

Marc Chagall’s American Windows was the first stop on our list. Inspired by Chagall’s mosaic The Four Seasons ,an installation outside Chicago’s Chase Tower, American Windows was created in response to the enthusiasm Chicagoans had for Chagall’s work. The windows were designed to commemorate America’s bicentennial and celebrates the country as a place of cultural and religious freedom, detailing the arts of music, painting, literature, theater, and dance.

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After viewing exhibits that included everything from photography to Tiffany glass to Stickley furniture, we found a fascinating exhibit:

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When I brought this photo up on my screen, I asked Bruce what he thought it was. “Is that your bed and breakfast?” Well, no, not unless we were only one inch tall! This is one of 63 exhibited miniature rooms, conceived by Mrs. James Ward Thorne, and constructed between 1932 and 1940 by master craftsmen, according to her specifications. The rooms, displayed behind glass windows, depict European interiors from the late 13^th century to the 1930’s and American furnishings from the 17^th century to the 1930’s. The scale of these amazingly detailed miniatures ranges from one inch to one foot.

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By the time we finished viewing the miniature rooms, we were ready to head back to the B&B for a rest and to freshen up for Laura’s birthday dinner at Frontera Grill, a Mexican restaurant owned by chef Rick Bayless. Best known as Bravo’s Top Chef Master, Bayless has written several cookbooks and has a popular PBS show, “Mexico- One Plate at a Time.” In addition to being awarded numerous personal awards by the James Beard organization, Frontera Grill won James Beard’s prestigious Outstanding Restaurant award, in 2007.

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Laura and I could definitely see why; their food was outstanding! After sharing the Fresh Corn Tamales appetizer, as well as the Smoky-Creamy-Spicy Wild Mushrooms appetizer, I savored my favorite Mexican cuisine of all: Mole. My Mole Trio consisted of mole poblano enchiladas, lamb in black mole (my favorite mole sauce), and roasted vegetables in Queretano green mole. It was the best mole I had tasted since Bruce tackled Rick Bayless’ tamales and mole sauce recipes- completely from scratch; an all-day endeavor.

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For dessert, we shared Frontera’s homemade ice cream and sauces, opting for half-and-half, since we wanted to sample it all: Mexican vanilla bean with Torres brandy ice cream topped with homemade cajeta (goat milk caramel) and Oaxacan chocolate raspberry ice cream with bittersweet hot fudge sauce. Exquisite!

The following day, we rode the bus out to the northwest part of town to enjoy a couple of neighborhoods: Wicker Park and Bucktown. Although it was interesting to see the varied architecture and experience the vibe in both neighborhoods, it was the hottest day of our visit, making our afternoon stroll quite uncomfortable.

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The evening made up for it, though; it was spent with some swimming buddies over a huge pan of deep dish pizza at Lou Malnatti’s! Michael and Skip (who happen to know each other), both swimmers with U.S. Masters Swimming like I am, are fellow “Forumites” from the U.S.M.S. Discussion Forums. Although Michael and I finally met up at Spring Nationals, in Mesa, Arizona, in 2011, as well as 2012 Spring Nationals, in Greensboro, North Carolina, Skip and I hadn’t yet met in person. And, Laura met them for the first time. It turned out to be a fun evening with the four of us, while I got my deep dish pizza fix. I wish I had remembered to take some photos, but it completely slipped my mind…

The following day, our last full day in Chicago, is coming up next; check back soon as we visit a wonderful organic farmers market and more!

Have You Been to “The Bean”?

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

After disembarking the architectural tour boat, I couldn’t wait to get over to Millennium Park to see Cloud Gate; affectionately known as “The Bean”. The stroll through downtown was lovely, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw a thick stand of trees, just up ahead. We were almost there and I couldn’t wait to get my camera out and start clicking away…

Cloud Gate, a huge bean-shaped stainless steel sculpture, designed by Anish Kapoor, was constructed between 2004 and 2006. It is the centerpiece of Millennium Park; Chicago’s largest rooftop garden that takes up 24 acres of Grant Park. Millennium Park is a 24-acre rooftop garden, you ask? Well, yes, because it sits atop a parking garage and the commuter rail. What an amazing use of public space! And, it has become Chicago’s second-most favored attraction, after Navy Pier.

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I could have easily stayed at The Bean all afternoon and into the evening, thinking of various other ways to photograph that magnificent sculpture. I could only imagine what fun it would have been capturing the city lights, at night! But, I tore myself away, so Laura could show me the park’s fountain. WOW! How cool is this?

Crown Fountain is a video sculpture named in honor of Chicago’s Crown family and designed by Jaume Plensa. The fountain is composed of a black granite reflecting pool placed between two transparent glass brick towers that use light-emitting diodes behind the bricks to display digital videos.

Other highlights of the park include Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most amazing band shell I have ever seen:

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Lurie Garden was a lovely addition to Millennium Park. The 2.5-acre public garden is a combination of perennials, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and trees. It is the featured natural component of the world’s largest green roof.

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After strolling through the garden, we ended our day at The Art Institute. Stop by shortly for highlights of the exhibits we enjoyed , before wrapping up the evening with dinner at Frontera Grill!

Winding Our Way Through the Windy City By Boat

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

Before I travel, I do a lot of research on my destination; because it is something I really enjoy doing as part of the entire travel experience. But, this time, I chose a different approach, because I was traveling with Laura. She had been to Chicago before and had ideas in mind about what she wanted to see, this time around. I was excited about going along for the ride! And, we were meeting up in Chicago more to celebrate her upcoming 50^th birthday, rather than mine, which had already been celebrated in California. So, aside from finding our accommodations on Trip Advisor, I had only glanced a time or two at Chicago’s tourism website and quickly checked out “Things To Do” in Chicago, on Trip Advisor.

There were only a few things I knew I really wanted to do in Chicago; my must-see, must-do list. Otherwise, I figured I would enjoy anything Laura would want to see and do; after all, she has been my best friend for 42 years! So, what topped my list? First of all, “Cloud Gate”, the huge sculpture in Millennium Park affectionately known as “The Bean”, because of its bean-like shape. I knew it would be a hoot to photograph, so I had my heart set on it. Meanwhile, I had my stomach set on sinking my teeth into a Chicago-style deep dish pizza. In my mind, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. In Chicago, it’s deep dish pizza! And, speaking of food, which Laura and I do frequently, I wanted to treat Laura to dinner at Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill, for her birthday ( http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/grill.html ). Finally, I was sure Laura and I would agree on this one: An architectural boat tour to learn about downtown Chicago’s varied architecture. (And, if we made it to the Art Institute, it would be a bonus!)

Thanks to Laura scoring a Groupon, we got a great deal on that architectural boat tour that we were both really looking forward to doing. So, we set out on foot after enjoying our first night and breakfast at our B&B, heading down Michigan Ave. (“Magnificent Mile”) towards the river.

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Wow! What a gorgeous avenue; the most beautiful I have ever seen in a large U.S. city. Gorgeously planted and maintained mini gardens surrounded each tree, along each side of the street, and there was no litter or graffiti to be found. Chicagoans sure take pride in their city; at least in that part! (We never ventured out to the south side…) But, the Magnificent Mile is also one of the wealthiest miles anywhere. Sak’s, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany’s; the list goes on. It it’s not there, it doesn’t exist. Needless to say, my wallet stayed firmly in waist pack as we soldiered on (with blinders).

We arrived at the Wrigley Building early for our boat tour, so it was a perfect opportunity to take a stroll along the river and take in the sites of downtown. What a fabulous surprise! There was a point to me explaining my lack of research preparation for this trip, detailed previously; I had no idea Chicago had a river located right in between the skyscrapers of downtown! Having skipped over any of the photos posted on the tourism website or Trip Advisor, I had no idea what to expect. And, honestly, what I thought I might expect was something more like Manhattan, in New York City. I figured downtown to be located on Lake Michigan and our boat tour cruising along the shore, to take in the sites of the skyscrapers. After all, that is what our N.Y. boat tour was like. Reasonable, right? Noooo; it wasn’t like that at all! A river runs right through downtown Chicago with skyscrapers and cafes lining each side of it. And, beautiful bridges (all unique) cross the river at each block. WoooHoooo! It was love at first site. And, at the very moment I laid eyes on this scene, I declared Chicago my favorite large city in the U.S.A ; other than San Diego, that is!)

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The twin towers above are “Marina City” (aka “Corn Cobs”); a mixed-use residential/ commercial building. It was designed in 1959 by Bertrand Goldberg; an architect who seemed to have an aversion to right angles. When it was completed in 1964, they were the tallest reinforced concrete structures in the world.

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Trump International Hotel and Tower, named after The Donald, is a condo-hotel designed by Adrian Smith. At 92 stories (1,389 feet), it is one of the tallest buildings in Chicago.

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The tallest building in Chicago, at 108 stories, is the Willis Tower, formerly known as the “Sears Tower”. At completion, in 1973, it was the tallest building in the world. Today, it is ranked 7th.

This is why I enjoy modern downtown skylines:

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See you next at “The Bean”!