Sitka & Ketchikan

Overcast yesterday in Sitka but beautiful this morning in Ketchikan. Staff tells us it has rained the last five weeks but this week not a drop. Very lucky.

I'll do some easy running/skipping today as I plan to vault on Monday morning. I have done nothing else at all as I wanted to be totally fresh and healed from any aches and pains. Feel great and ready to go.

My two new 14' 7" (4.45m) poles came in yesterday. It may be a few weeks before I attempt them but at least they are here. I added these so that I could start on them rather than transfer during a meet from my 14' 1"s (4.30m) poles. They are all built on 15' 1" sailpieces so I should get a better response off the top and picking me up at take off. I'm very active umping up off the ground and that works well with a longer sailpiece. It better as I now have nine 14' 7s and have yet to jump on one. Not to worry, I jumped on some 16' 1" poles (4.90m) the last time I was near this level.

The first three photos are Ketchikan and the last two are Sitka.

Photos From Juneau

Haven't figured out how to get this order down. I took this one with my left hand from our deck as we left Juneau. Click to enlarge.

From the Mt. Roberts tram. Our ship is on the left.

Nancy making friends again.

More from the tram.

The tram coming in to get us.

A half blind bald eagle being cared for at Mt. Roberts.

Juneau Today - Sarah Palin's Old House Down the Street

Woke up in Juneau this morning. Overcast but comfortable. Here are a few photos from yesterday. Later we will do a tram ride and get some good photos and may walk down to the Governor's house. Have a great day. Bubba

Glacier Bay

Perfect day in the 70s. Beautiful. Bubba

On the High Seas

Long day yesterday heading to the airport at 5 AM and seeing sunset at 8:50 (10:50 CDT). Seattle could not have been more beautiful as you see from the photos. Click on any to enlarge.

We're at sea all day today and will be at Glacier Bay, Alaska in the morning. Haven't yet worked out but I've been through the gym a couple of times to see what I can do.

After breakfast at 7, Nancy and I took a nap about 8:30 and woke up at 11:45, just in time for lunch. Pretty funny. You know how hard I jumped and did trampoline before I left but I was really buried in business responsibilities as well and Nancy helps out with that so we were both just dead.

Tonight is the first of two "Formal Nights" so we have to dress up. I think Nancy "gets to dress up" but I "have to dress up". YUK!! Have fun day. Bubba

PS - this is my 300th post to this blog.


View of the water from inside our veranda suite.
Seattle against the row of verandas.

Nancy on our veranda as another ship pulls out of port.

The marina we were parked next to in Seattle.

Good Day Went As Planned

Of course the main goal was to go on vacation healthy since it will be a forced 11 days away from jumping. I will do the lifting/cardio on the ship to get that soreness out but jumping today went as planned. Started on the 1362 and made 9' 6" (2.90m) and very nearly 10' (3.05m) which would tie my pole PR. BUT, it was too small so I moved up to the 12' 6"/165 and made 10' and was super close to tying my 2 step PR of 10' 6" (3.20m). I made no attempt to go to the 1365 because it would have been too big of a risk feeling as flat as I knew I would. Technically I had much better control of my jump and did not try to overpower or finesse any jumps.

I'm very pleased with the last eight days. I will enjoy the vacation knowing that on the Thursday after I return I will be at 4 steps on on my regular 13' 1" (4m) pole series.

I'll be taking an posting photos here as well as reporting when I have an Internet connection. Have a great weekend and thanks for your support! Bubba

Pretty Beat Up

I did trampoline and as planned kept it pretty short. I mainly worked on things off of my back to save my legs for tomorrow. I go on the cruise Sunday so tomorrow my only goal is to finish uninjured so I will be taking it very easy. I'll just jump on the two small poles and make no effort to get to the 1365. It will also be my last day from 2 steps or 12' (3.66m). Since last Saturday, eight days tomorrow, I will have vaulted four days and done trampoline two days so I guess I'm well. Yahooooooooooooooooo!!

On the cruise I will lift a day and do cardio the next to get that soreness out and get some serious stretching in. I will have three rotations of this. We aren't as much on the touring as relaxing and enjoying the views so there will be plenty of downtime to get to the gym. I guess everyone's idea of a vacation is different but we're just glad not to have a schedule or plan.

Speaking of plans, I will get back and get to my regular training. The Texas Senior Games will be Sunday 10/24 so that's my first meet. We go to Maine on October 1-9 and I have good training there as well. There's great hill in front of the house (70m) and I join the YMCA for the other days.

As far as vaulting I need to get the most technically out of each run so that means starting on poles that are very manageable and ending on poles and grips that I would normally use from a stride or two further back. From 2 steps I'm already up two poles and expect even more from the other successive runs.

In August I will try and stay at 4 steps but if I get between poles I will allow myself to move back a stride. Whenever I do that I seem to be able to use it from one stride closer the next time out. Hopefully I will easily be on my 14' 7" (4.45m) poles by the time I'm at 10 steps.

So if the plan is to jump 14' 7" (4.45m) from 16 steps that means I must be able to do the following;
14' 1" (4.30m) from 14 steps
13' 7" (4.15m) from 12 steps (have done 13' 6")
13' 1" (4m) from 10 steps (do that all the time and have made it from 8)
12' 7" (3.85m) from 8 steps (very regular)
12' 1" (3.70m) from 6 steps (PR is 12' 6")
11' 7" (3.55m) from 4 steps (PR is 12')

I'm expecting to be better so hopefully that means I can hit these marks from one stride closer and have a shot at 15' 1" (4.60m) from 16 steps. We'll see but you have to have a plan that makes sense and this does. The furthest I have run in two years is 12 steps though I always ran from 14 and 16 the years before. I simply did not want to move back if I couldn't carry the technique with me. Now I feel I can.

I said before I went on the field at Sydney that I don't think I could have done anything to better prepare or condition. I'm way past that fitness, speed and power now; I just need to jump in a methodical fashion while not getting hurt. I think I have learned quite a bit about that this year off, but only time will tell. Have a great night! Bubba