Swiming Backwards

Earlier this week I was out in LA for professional shindig, IPDPS. From my hotel room I had a fabulous view of a ventilator exhaust. Wednesday night I drive up Pasadena-way to see Cindy and Robin.

Ventilator View

Thursday, in my rush from the rental car shuttle, I must have tweaked my spine. A few minutes later, as I’m getting my boarding pass at the kiosk, I have this awful pain in my back and can barely walk. I go straight for the “Naproxen and Tonic” in the RCC.

On the plane, friendly flight attendant Becca helps me consider the caffeine-alcohol trade space. Several hours in, and suffering quite a bit despite both the caffeine and the alcohol, I notice two of my cabin mates stretching out. Really stretching out, like impossibly so. And, I thought, “I sure would feel great if I could do that”. So I hobbled up to the galley where I met Galina and Sasha. They were teaching Becca some yoga pose. I explained my malady. Soon I was trying to “swim backwards” out the galley service door at 30,000 feet. This felt great! This went on in various gyrations for quite sometime, only interrupted by the captain having to pee, twice. I’m still hobbling around as I write this; but know that I can fix it a bit by “swimming backwards”.

I'm so clueless; I didn't figure it out until I got home why Sasha knew her stuff!

Port Henry Run

The five hour jaunt was Hakka country. Not just for the snow, but I think the higher profile tires saved some rim damage on the twisty but sometimes ill-maintained roads. The Hilton at Lake Placid felt a bit tired and overpriced. Good wookie entertainment. Had breakfast this morning at the Mirror Lake Inn. Bisco was "on" last night! Morgan served dinner (yum pizza) the night before at Mint Milano North.

The Disco Biscuits in the Herb Ritz Arena

Fresh Snow at 6 AM from the Hilton

snoe.down 2007

The last time I spent any significant time in the Adonrondacs was in the 70's for one of our explorer canoe trips. This time we are back for moe. and `bisco (snoe.down). The tired looking ice rink, and I'm writing of the 80's Herb Ritz arena and not the one from before WWII, was not quite filled to half-capacity.

Stellar drive through VT and NY

Waterville Wind-Down

This Waterville season was compressed. Four half-days of six runs apiece. Susan and Tina both bailed on me this morning, so I was solo. Both Waterville and Telluride close on 8 April.

Rolled "Ballroom Flat"

The Odd Way of Things

Mid-March and there are summertime lapse rates as the snow melts. It is 70 degrees on the hill; yet a winter storm watch is in effect. Freaky stuff. Officially New England Ski "day 1.5" as we got in a few runs yesterday morning, our third morning out this year.

The Look of Seasonal Dispair

Wall of Wires

February brought a quick jaunt out to Monterey for FPGA-2007. The highlight was dinner with Heidi at Foreign Cinema. Back in New England, March rolls in with record cold. And thoughts of closing out Telluride in April.

Telluride Web Cam
Telluride NOAA Weather

Wall of Wires