Walking through Brooklyn

Welcome to Brooklyn

 On my recent trip to New York City,  I decided it would be a great adventure and a little bit of exercise to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.  I knew from past experience of a great pizzeria called Grimaldi's just on the Brooklyn side of the bridge.  Jodi and I planned our route from the Columbus Circle subway station near Central Park to a subway stop, which according to the map looked to be right at the Manhattan side entrance to the bridge.

Our journey seemed to be going well as the subway headed towards lower Manhattan.  Then suddenly, the train exited the darkness of the tunnel and headed out accross the East river towards Brooklyn.  No problem, we thought, we would just reverse our trip, have pizza and then walk back accross the bridge to Manhattan.  However, the train reentered the darkness of the subway tunnel and did not make another stop until we were two miles into the heart of Brooklyn.


520 calories of donut goodness

After climbing the subway stairs to the bitter cold, we checked the Iphone map and quickly realized the long trek we faced  just to get to our original destination, Grimaldi's Pizzeria.  We headed down the mean streets of Brooklyn towards pizza paradise and soon realized we did not have enough nourishment to make it to the pizzeria. Fortunately, the area had a small, little known oasis, called Dunkin Donuts. We stopped in and I enjoyed a delicious coconut donut, all 520 calories worth while Jodi enjoyed 270 calories of chocolate goodness.



Reinvigorated after our tasty treat, we thanked the locals running the donut shop and headed down what appeared to be one of the main shopping streets of Brooklyn.  We took our time and stopped in a few stores for some shopping and also to try and stay warm. 

The employees of the baseball cap store must have been very amused as the large pasty white man from Utah tried on their caps while the store security guard kept a close eye on these two supicious strangers. 

Walking the streets of Brooklyn

We soon understood what it must feel like for someone with a little color in their skin to

walk the very white streets of Heber City, Utah. We were definitely in the minority as we walked down the street enjoying the sights and smells of Brooklyn.

Grimaldi's, worth the walk and the wait

We finally arrived at the pizzeria and took our place in the line to be seated. After a few tense moments interacting with the Tony Soprano in charge of seating, we were in and ready to eat some delicious pizza. We suddenly felt more at home when two young out of place missionaries entered the restaurant. Of course, Jodi could not resist and was soon engaged in conversation with an Elder from Tooele and an Elder from Richfield.

 

Mormons everywhere

Yum O!

The pizza was delicious and worth the trouble but now it was time to return to Manhattan. We found our way to the walking path accross the bridge and after a slight stumble going up the slick stairs we were on the Brooklyn bridge.

Once on the bridge, the sun broke through the clouds and we began the trek across the great Brooklyn bridge.  The wind was blowing which added a real sting to the already cold temperatures.  It had snowed the night before which made the wood planks on the bridge a little treacherous.

As we began the crossing, it was very difficult not to stop every few feet to shoot another photo.  The bridge is so beautiful with many great views and all of the cable lines which frame different views of  Manhattan.

 

Thrilled to be in Brooklyn





Statue of Liberty





Brooklyn Bridge tower



Waiting for the subway

We made it across to the chaos of Manhattan after a very successful and enjoyable trek and made our way to the subway for the final leg of our journey back to Columbus Circle and the comfort (bathroom) of our temporary home in the Time Warner building.







Are they f$@)?/&! insane?

******WARNING!******

This blog post contains simulated language which may not be suitable to kids. Unless of course the kids are from Jersey and then they are used to it because they hear it every day coming out of their parents mouths.

Broadway Chaos

I recently attended the musical "Jersey Boys" on Broadway in New York City. The show is based on the music and life of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. "Jersey Boys" is a fun and entertaining show with great music which had the audience cheering for more. However, if the show were a movie, it would be rated "R" due to the abundant use of profanity. Every word from d?&* to s&;@ to f@&$ was used very freely, in combinatons and perhaps excessively. It was the kind of language you may expect from four young men growing up in "Jersey".

In the spirit and language of  "Jersey Boys" I would like to talk about the f@&$/!? tiny theater seats I am expected to squeeze my fat a$$ into to enjoy a Broadway show. I am using this language because the only time I really want to spew profanity is when a ref blows a call in a big game or when I have to sit in tiny f@&$!?/ theater seats. Have you seen the size of f&@$/?! theater attendees these days. They are all so d&$@ fat from eating f@&$/!? Steak Tartar and creme f@&$?!/ brûlée at f@&$?!/ Sardi's before the show and then a d&$@ Dunkin donut and caramel f&%$*$# latte on the way home. And to make matters worse, I am f@&$!?* fat and tall. The f&$!?&@ theater seats are not only not wide enough for our fat a$$&$ but they also have less leg room than a s$)&%%@ coach seat on a budget f&$@!/¥ Chinese airliner.

I guess the d@&$ theater owners make more f@&$!?& money by putting as many fat a&&$& in the seats. As for me, I will sit my f@&$!?& fat a$$ in my extra large lazy boy recliner and wait for the d@&$ movie to come out on f@&$!?$ DVD. Unless of course my wife gets more d@&$ theater tickets and then it is anything to make her happy.

Secretariat Moments

I see a new movie is about to be released about the greatest race horse of all time, Secretariat.  Seeing this movie on the horizon, reminds me of my own experience with this great race horse and how the horse has had a life long influence on me.

When I was a seven year old kid, my family lived in Louisville Kentucky where my dad was serving as President of the Kentucky/Tennessee mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  During the first week in May of 1973, my dad let the family know that anyone in the family choosing to could attend the Kentucky Derby coming up on Saturday.  Being the intelligent seven year old that I was, I reasoned that I would never give up a Saturday of play to spend all day in the crowded infield of Churchill Downs just to watch a two minute horse race.

I do not quite remember, but I believe my parents left me home alone and took the rest of my family to the race.  I later learned a horse named Secretariat won the race in a record setting time.  Secretariat then went on to win the Triple Crown and become widely known as the greatest race horse of all time.

It was later as I grew older that I realized my stupidity as a seven year old cost me the opportunity to witness one of the greatest sporting performances of all-time.  This leads me to the influence this single event has had on me throughout my life.  I call them "Secretariat Moments".

You see I am very happy just to sit at home and let life and all of its excitement pass me by.  However, when opportunities present themselves to travel, participate in an activity or view an event, my first strong inclination is to pass and just stay home.  However, almost immediately, the phrase "Secretariat Moment" pops into my head usually put there by my wife.

If I pass on this trip or event, will it be something great that I should have and could have done.  The phrase "Secretariat Moment" has caused me to travel to places I never thought I would travel such as Fiji, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden, Spain just to list a few.

The phrase helped me attend events such as the NBA All-Star game which went into multiple overtimes with John Stockton and Karl Malone winning the MVP award together.  I was there when Michael Jordan made his last shot as a Bull to win the NBA Championship over the Utah Jazz.  I have crammed into a subway to Yankee Stadium to witness a baseball game during the last season in the "house that Ruth built."  I have attended a Bear's\Packer's  game in December which turned out to be Brett Farve's last game as a Packer.

The phrase "Secretariat Moment"  has also made me do things I either could not afford to do or did not want to do.  Things such as golfing at great courses in Hawaii, shooting automatic weapons in Russia and river rafting in New Zealand.  Visiting palaces, museums, coliseums and churches.  Eating local foods like pickled herring, and borscht.

It does not always work, I still regret not bungee jumping off a bridge in New Zealand but for the most part I just have to think is this going to be a "Secretariat Moment" and I am in.

Tour of Utah

I love bicycle racing.  I spend my summers on the treadmill watching bike racers compete in the Tour de France.  They inspire me to work harder and longer in my workouts.  Do not tell Jodi, but if I could watch the Tour de France in person, I may actually travel to Europe with her for a vacation.

Utah's version of the Tour de France is not the Tour de Donut but rather the Tour of Utah.  You have no idea how cool this race is until you stand inches from the pavement as the peloton races past.  It sends chills up and down your spine.  In seconds, they are gone but then come the support vehicles.  Subaru's, Volvo's, Audi's etc all carrying thousands of dollars worth of racing bikes, spare tires and support crews all chasing their riders ready to offer help if needed.

The race is an awesome spectacle which should not be missed.  I hope you enjoy my photos below.

1/2 mile from the start, just outside Park City

Levi Leiphemer wearing the yellow jersey in the middle of the pack

Break away group making the turn at Deer Creek.

Multiple exposure shot at the Deer Creek turn.

Leiphemer nearing the summit with Timpanogos in the background.

What a grind!

Dog Days of Summer

Just a quick note to let you know that IT IS HOT!!!  With the heat in mind, I convinced Jodi to brave the man eating snakes which inhabit the tall grasses surrounding the Middle Provo River and head for the cool refreshment of the water.  So we grabbed some snacks and Sammy the Yellow Lab. 


On our short hike to the river, I saw eight or ten snakes but managed to scare them off before Jodi saw them.  Please do not mention the snakes to her because she believes there are none.

When we arrived at our secret swimming hole, we stripped off our heavy coveralls down to our swim suits.  By this time, Sammy was about to die with excitement if we did not throw a stick into the river.  As soon as I saw how much fun Sammy was having, I decided to get my own stick and join in the fun.

Two Hot Dogs Swimming in the Provo River

I never realized how much fun it was to play stick.  The game only ended when Jodi tired of throwing two sticks over and over again and we headed back home.

71 is the new 30

My fitness challenge for this week was to ride my bicycle from an unmarked elk camp on the road to Cascade Springs to the Summit Trail Head at the top of the Alpine Loop. 

Bike Cam - Nearing the summit

The ride is only about  1.5 miles but it is all up hill and very difficult.  After stopping to rest numerous times and pushing my heart rate to above 200, I finally made it to the Summit Trail Head parking lot. 

Summit Trail Head

While enjoying my fig newton snack and marveling at my just completed amazing accomplishment,  an older gentleman approached and began to ask questions about my recumbent bicycle. 

After a few minutes of bike chit chat, the man (I did not get his name) mentioned how he was frustrated with the full parking lot at the Timpanokee trail head.  His plan for the day was to start at Timpanokee and run the Timpanogos trail.  I asked how far he would run on the trail.  He somewhat humbly said that he was planning on running to the summit.  Now he had my attention and I had to hear more.

He said it takes him about 3 hours to run the approximately 9 miles to the summit and that he runs the route frequently.  He once hiked it with his grand daughter but hiking was too slow and he just wanted to run.

Finally, he let it slip that he had just turned 71 and he had been running for over 40 years.  Suddenly, my little ride up the hill was looking pretty embarrassing. 

Due to the crowds at Timpanokee, he had changed today's plan and was headed along the ridge line trail to Mill peak which he told me was about 10 miles.  He then put on his camelback and headed down the trail.  I wished him luck as he headed into the aspen.

I then mounted my rolling recliner for the 11 minute ride of shame back to my truck with my thoughts of someday hiking to the summit of Timp modified to someday running to the summit of Timp.  Perhaps when I am 71.

 

Art in the Barn

During this long holiday weekend, I decided it would be a good idea to have an art show in the big red party barn on Casperville Road. I gathered some of my best recent photos, some of my dad's most recent watercolors and a couple of wildlife photos from my friend Andrew. It is all currently on display through Monday the fifth of July. I think we have a great display and would love to have everyone stop by to enjoy the art.

Because of the show, my dad and mom came to Heber Saturday to spend the day enjoying the art and the beauty of the Heber Valley. We had a great time visiting, eating lunch with Devin's family, driving up Snake Creek to see the progress at Devin's cabin and just sitting around visiting.

One of the highlights of the day, other than my mom's detailed explanation of the rules of sudoku, was the walk down into the river bottoms behind my house with my dad. At this time of year, with the moist spring and early summer, the grasses in the river bottoms are six or seven feet high in some places. With the possibility of snakes, raccoons, skunks and millions of bugs crossing our path unexpectedly, a simple walk can be quite exciting. For protection, we enlisted our Cabelas knee high galoshes and the services of my borrowed dogs, Polka Dot and Sammy. Polka Dot runs ahead and scares everything in our path and Sammy stays close behind to watch our backs.

When we made it safely to our destination, Spring Creek, it was time to reward the dogs. Polka Dots reward is to be allowed to stand in the shallow water for hours with her nose fractions from the surface and patiently wait for the one in a million chance that the dumbest fish in all of Utah will swim past her waiting jaws. She will then snatch up the fish and haul it out of the water where she probably will not eat it but rather just look at us with the satisfaction of thinking in her dog brain, "I told you I could catch one".

Sammy's reward requires a little more effort from my dad and I and a lot more effort from Sammy. Sammy is a yellow lab and lives for two things, retrieving and water. After finding an acceptable stick to toss into the creek, it is time to start the contest to see who will tire first, those throwing the stick or Sammy. I happen to know Sammy is undefeated at 347-0 in this competition. During the game, my dad said watching Sammy inspired him to define the length of time eternity is, it is half as long as that dog will play fetch before getting tired.

We finally tired of the dog antics. Polka Dot failed again at fishing, but I am sure she thinks she came close enough a couple of times that she will return another day to keep trying. Sammy improved her record against the humans to 348-0 and did not stop playing fetch until I threw the stick over the fence. I am sure she is home right now trying to think of a way over that darn fence so she can retrieve her stick.

On the hike back, we saw a nice buck and doe at the edge of the beaver pond. If I could read their minds, I am sure they were thinking, "We sure love living down here in the river bottoms but could you leave those dumb dogs home".

We sure love living in such a beautiful setting. Come up and visit anytime but if you want to head down into the river bottoms, wear your waders and call ahead to schedule the dogs. They are very busy fishing and retrieving.