I rarely shop for clothes. In Washington, half the time I went out intending to buy clothes, I ended up at REI and bought a micro-fiber garment of some sort. Still, I needed to buy some sandals and shorts, because it is a bit warmer here in Florida. Also, I could use a few more shirts.
I was going to do all this sometime in the future, but I heard on the radio that the state of Florida is running a special deal - for this week ending Sunday, there is no sales tax on clothes or school supplies, as a back-to-school break for parents. The school year begins early here - next week. I decided to take advantage and visit some stores.
So far I bought 3 pairs of sandals, 5 pairs of shorts, and 3 shirts. I plan to get a few more items over the weekend, especially since most stores are also running sales on top of the sale tax amnesty. I may very well wind up spending more on clothes this weekend than I have in the past year!
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Car Insurance
An update on the ongoing effort to becoming a Florida resident: I got my Florida issued car insurance, after only two hours with the agent!
It took so long because he had to call my agent in Washington, wait for some faxes, and so forth. Various tasks are more cumbersome when your bank doesn't have any branches in your new state, and your car/home insurance company doesn't write policies in the new state. For me the involved companies are Wells Fargo and Metropolitan Life.
My agent was helpful while we waited. It seemed most of this was due to verification - he showed me various options in the insurance database, and what happens to your rate when you can't prove you had insurance for the past six months, and so forth. What was intersting is that sometimes, carrying a higher liability limits is cheaper! One company would give a lower rate for 100/300 liability rather than 50/100 liability, even though 100/300 is better coverage. The reason has to do with statistics and risk - people who carry 100/300 coverage are usually safer so they get lower rates. He showed me the worst category is some minimal coverage at 10/20, where the rate is nearly double.
With that all set, it was time to pay. They had an EFT option, but charged a service fee for doing that. There was also an option to pay 6 months at a time, and get a 15% discount. So that's what I did, because I'm all for saving a little bit on insurance.
Now that I have Florida issued car insurance, I have the honor of battling it out with the DMV and try to get Florida license plates. I hope to take care of that tomorrow, because with Florida plates I can sign up for the E Pass and zip through the quick lane instead of fishing around for change at all the dang tolls on the highways in this area.
It took so long because he had to call my agent in Washington, wait for some faxes, and so forth. Various tasks are more cumbersome when your bank doesn't have any branches in your new state, and your car/home insurance company doesn't write policies in the new state. For me the involved companies are Wells Fargo and Metropolitan Life.
My agent was helpful while we waited. It seemed most of this was due to verification - he showed me various options in the insurance database, and what happens to your rate when you can't prove you had insurance for the past six months, and so forth. What was intersting is that sometimes, carrying a higher liability limits is cheaper! One company would give a lower rate for 100/300 liability rather than 50/100 liability, even though 100/300 is better coverage. The reason has to do with statistics and risk - people who carry 100/300 coverage are usually safer so they get lower rates. He showed me the worst category is some minimal coverage at 10/20, where the rate is nearly double.
With that all set, it was time to pay. They had an EFT option, but charged a service fee for doing that. There was also an option to pay 6 months at a time, and get a 15% discount. So that's what I did, because I'm all for saving a little bit on insurance.
Now that I have Florida issued car insurance, I have the honor of battling it out with the DMV and try to get Florida license plates. I hope to take care of that tomorrow, because with Florida plates I can sign up for the E Pass and zip through the quick lane instead of fishing around for change at all the dang tolls on the highways in this area.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Ironman Lake Placid
Jen's day is here - after all the work and training, her event has arrived! I'm excited for her, and also am happy to spectate instead of participate. As Francesca said to me before IMCdA, doing the swim would be fun, if you could skip the bike and run. ;) She has been thinking of this event for a long time - last year I ran a July 4th 5K with her, and as I remember, she told me she was planning to sign up for Ironman Lake Placid 2005 when the registration opened up.
My hotel is very close to the transition zone, so I got up comparatively late but still made it in time to find Jen and Duncan near the swim start at Mirror Lake. The water temperature was 76 degrees F, so wetsuits were allowed, but that is getting on the warm side. Jen looked relaxed while suiting up, and left to get in the water. Unlike IMCdA which had a beach start, IMLP was a water start - all the athletes are already in the water when the race begins.
Ready to Rumble!
This event is the pro women's race (the men's pro race was Ironman Coeur D'Alene). Since some age group men are as fast as the pro women, the pros were given a 35 minute head start, so they would be done with their first swim lap and well into their second lap before everyone else took off.
The Swim Field
Duncan spotted Jen at the midpoint of the swim, where the athletes get out and cross a timing mat before swimming a second lap. She was doing well and a bit ahead of her expected finish time. It was difficult to see or get close since the barricade was placed 15 or 20 feet away from the chute, so we split up and I went to wait near her bike in the transition zone. She came by and I yelled and waved, and then went to the bike start. She hit her swim time target perfectly, finishing in 1:29:51.
Starting the Bike Course
The bike start is tricky: a downhill into a hairpin turn, then a 90 degree turn into a sharp descent. The race organizers warned athletes to take a really easy starting out - no use crashing into hay bales less than 5 minutes into the bike!
Nice Shirt!
Jen arrived at bike special needs (just short of halfway through the bike course) about 12:30 pm, looking a little tired but in very good spirits. Duncan and I talked to her while she reloaded nutrition, and she was energetic and having a good time out there. This station was far more crowded than IMAZ or IMCdA, because it wasn't as spread out. Because of this, bikes were stacked up two or three or more deep and I hope there were no collisions.
At Bike Special Needs
I went off to watch the pro women and top age group men finish. Tony Delogne managed to make up the 35 minute head start the pro women received, and finished first. After watching Karen Smeyers finish, I waited by the bike course for Jen to arrive. Duncan called about 4:40 pm and to ask what the cutoff time was and if I had seen her. I said she's still got 45 minutes and I hadn't seen her either, but that I could always check for her bike in the transition zone.
Less than 10 minutes later he called again and said she just went by special needs. She rounded the corner next to the Olympic Center and I took a picture. This is great news, she made the bike cut-off. Privately, I was a bit concerned about that, because the bike course at IMLP is difficult. Making the cutoff is a tradeoff: go "too hard" and making the cutoff might result in no energy left for the run; go "too easy" and not making the cutoff... then your race is over. At least, this is tradeoff for those of us that take nearly all the allowed time on the bike course. ;)
Almost Done...
... with the bike course.
I caught her attention at the run start as she started the marathon. She waved, pumped her fists, and then was off down the road. She was on the run course right around 5 pm and thus will have a full 7 hours to finish the marathon.
At 7:30 pm, I went to run special needs to wait for her. As it turns out, she spotted me since I was looking at the wrong side of the road - she had already been through and was heading out for lap 2! Right the Duncan called and I updated him and was able to relay messages between them. After Jen turned the corner and ran off, Duncan and I met and ate dinner, and I calculated that Jen should be back to that spot around 10:15 to 10:30. He left to get Jen's mom, while I milled around the finish chute for a bit before going back to the hotel.
Starting lap 2
At 10:20 pm, I made my way back to the run course and waited. Less than 5 minutes later Jen passed by to the final out and back. She smiled and complained briefly "I want to run but they put all these hills on the course". I moved closer to the finish area and when I spotted Jen again I called Duncan and told him she was on the oval and would be finishing in seconds.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of her in the finish chute. I ran around but couldn't get there in time due to the crowds. Jen looked woozy and headed off to the medical tent, but soon afterwards she was walking back while sipping a drink. I helped pick up her bike and then she took off with her family for some well deserved rest.
Jen finished in 15:48:58 - a great day!
Later, I went back to the finish area to cheer the last 15 minutes of athletes. A small group of us hung around the start of the oval, on the other side of the stands. Here it wasn't as loud and we could call out to the athletes with just a few hundred yards to go. These were the people digging really deep in order to finish. I called out to a woman as she passed and on hearing her name, she looked up with a very startled expression. Then she smiled as I clapped for her. Another guy must have crashed on the bike course - his knee was heavily wrapped and he was limping and clearly hurting big time. He made it with minutes to spare.
Finally, one athlete finished 30 minutes after the cutoff. She had to surrender her timing chip at midnight, and despite the fact people were taking down run course barricades, she turned to do the final out-and-back before entering the finish area. Racer #1915, Jennifer Dennis, officially DNF'ed but finished all 140.6 miles in roughly 17:30. That is gutting it out!
My hotel is very close to the transition zone, so I got up comparatively late but still made it in time to find Jen and Duncan near the swim start at Mirror Lake. The water temperature was 76 degrees F, so wetsuits were allowed, but that is getting on the warm side. Jen looked relaxed while suiting up, and left to get in the water. Unlike IMCdA which had a beach start, IMLP was a water start - all the athletes are already in the water when the race begins.
Ready to Rumble!
This event is the pro women's race (the men's pro race was Ironman Coeur D'Alene). Since some age group men are as fast as the pro women, the pros were given a 35 minute head start, so they would be done with their first swim lap and well into their second lap before everyone else took off.
The Swim Field
Duncan spotted Jen at the midpoint of the swim, where the athletes get out and cross a timing mat before swimming a second lap. She was doing well and a bit ahead of her expected finish time. It was difficult to see or get close since the barricade was placed 15 or 20 feet away from the chute, so we split up and I went to wait near her bike in the transition zone. She came by and I yelled and waved, and then went to the bike start. She hit her swim time target perfectly, finishing in 1:29:51.
Starting the Bike Course
The bike start is tricky: a downhill into a hairpin turn, then a 90 degree turn into a sharp descent. The race organizers warned athletes to take a really easy starting out - no use crashing into hay bales less than 5 minutes into the bike!
Nice Shirt!
Jen arrived at bike special needs (just short of halfway through the bike course) about 12:30 pm, looking a little tired but in very good spirits. Duncan and I talked to her while she reloaded nutrition, and she was energetic and having a good time out there. This station was far more crowded than IMAZ or IMCdA, because it wasn't as spread out. Because of this, bikes were stacked up two or three or more deep and I hope there were no collisions.
At Bike Special Needs
I went off to watch the pro women and top age group men finish. Tony Delogne managed to make up the 35 minute head start the pro women received, and finished first. After watching Karen Smeyers finish, I waited by the bike course for Jen to arrive. Duncan called about 4:40 pm and to ask what the cutoff time was and if I had seen her. I said she's still got 45 minutes and I hadn't seen her either, but that I could always check for her bike in the transition zone.
Less than 10 minutes later he called again and said she just went by special needs. She rounded the corner next to the Olympic Center and I took a picture. This is great news, she made the bike cut-off. Privately, I was a bit concerned about that, because the bike course at IMLP is difficult. Making the cutoff is a tradeoff: go "too hard" and making the cutoff might result in no energy left for the run; go "too easy" and not making the cutoff... then your race is over. At least, this is tradeoff for those of us that take nearly all the allowed time on the bike course. ;)
Almost Done...
... with the bike course.
I caught her attention at the run start as she started the marathon. She waved, pumped her fists, and then was off down the road. She was on the run course right around 5 pm and thus will have a full 7 hours to finish the marathon.
At 7:30 pm, I went to run special needs to wait for her. As it turns out, she spotted me since I was looking at the wrong side of the road - she had already been through and was heading out for lap 2! Right the Duncan called and I updated him and was able to relay messages between them. After Jen turned the corner and ran off, Duncan and I met and ate dinner, and I calculated that Jen should be back to that spot around 10:15 to 10:30. He left to get Jen's mom, while I milled around the finish chute for a bit before going back to the hotel.
Starting lap 2
At 10:20 pm, I made my way back to the run course and waited. Less than 5 minutes later Jen passed by to the final out and back. She smiled and complained briefly "I want to run but they put all these hills on the course". I moved closer to the finish area and when I spotted Jen again I called Duncan and told him she was on the oval and would be finishing in seconds.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of her in the finish chute. I ran around but couldn't get there in time due to the crowds. Jen looked woozy and headed off to the medical tent, but soon afterwards she was walking back while sipping a drink. I helped pick up her bike and then she took off with her family for some well deserved rest.
Jen finished in 15:48:58 - a great day!
Later, I went back to the finish area to cheer the last 15 minutes of athletes. A small group of us hung around the start of the oval, on the other side of the stands. Here it wasn't as loud and we could call out to the athletes with just a few hundred yards to go. These were the people digging really deep in order to finish. I called out to a woman as she passed and on hearing her name, she looked up with a very startled expression. Then she smiled as I clapped for her. Another guy must have crashed on the bike course - his knee was heavily wrapped and he was limping and clearly hurting big time. He made it with minutes to spare.
Finally, one athlete finished 30 minutes after the cutoff. She had to surrender her timing chip at midnight, and despite the fact people were taking down run course barricades, she turned to do the final out-and-back before entering the finish area. Racer #1915, Jennifer Dennis, officially DNF'ed but finished all 140.6 miles in roughly 17:30. That is gutting it out!
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Lake Placid
I went to the expo and merchandise tent, and was able to get out after only buying two shirts: one generic IM Lake Placid shirt, and a green "off the couch" sub17 shirt.
After meeting Jen and Duncan for breakfast, I made a sign at "inspiration station" and then attended the volunteer meeting.
I saw a woman with a great shirt that read "Dontcha wish your girlfriend was fast like me?". But by the time I thought of asking to take a picture, she vanished in the crowd.
Hanging like ripe fruit...
at IMCdA they just had the transition bags on the ground.
It is exciting being here, Lake Placid is a small town in a beautiful setting. It is a bit warm and humid, but that doesn't stop the city from having some "real snow" available for kids and dogs to play in.
Now, as for the signs I made:
Front of Sign
Stretching the limits of my artistic abilities...
Back of Sign
Eve or Brian (I can't remember) began to refer to our training group as the "supah hero crew" after Eve wore a tutu at Chilly Hilly. So no, I didn't misspell. The athlete depicted is supposed to be Jen, with blue eyes and frizzy blond hair (orange was the closest color available) wearing her "Critical Speed" training outfit and lightning bolt cape. The green polka dots are there for decoration. Use your imagination and it will look better! ;)
I drove the bike course, and I must admit it is very scenic. The course passes through rustic towns, follows rivers (I saw several fly fisherman) and has views of forested hills.
After meeting Jen and Duncan for breakfast, I made a sign at "inspiration station" and then attended the volunteer meeting.
I saw a woman with a great shirt that read "Dontcha wish your girlfriend was fast like me?". But by the time I thought of asking to take a picture, she vanished in the crowd.
Hanging like ripe fruit...
at IMCdA they just had the transition bags on the ground.
It is exciting being here, Lake Placid is a small town in a beautiful setting. It is a bit warm and humid, but that doesn't stop the city from having some "real snow" available for kids and dogs to play in.
Now, as for the signs I made:
Front of Sign
Stretching the limits of my artistic abilities...
Back of Sign
Eve or Brian (I can't remember) began to refer to our training group as the "supah hero crew" after Eve wore a tutu at Chilly Hilly. So no, I didn't misspell. The athlete depicted is supposed to be Jen, with blue eyes and frizzy blond hair (orange was the closest color available) wearing her "Critical Speed" training outfit and lightning bolt cape. The green polka dots are there for decoration. Use your imagination and it will look better! ;)
I drove the bike course, and I must admit it is very scenic. The course passes through rustic towns, follows rivers (I saw several fly fisherman) and has views of forested hills.
Upstate NY
One thing about Ironman Lake Placid (and Ironman Canada) is the locations they are held are a bit remote, compared to IM Coeur D'Alene and of course IM Arizona. Lake Placid is in the middle of the Adirondacks, a huge park in upstate NY. There is a small airport inside the Adirondacks at nearby Sarananc Lake, but the service is very limited and expensive - no flights on the weekend and only a few during the weekdays. I haven't seen the airport, but I get the impression it exclusively handles smaller airlines, for example Fielding Airways, based in Scranton, PA. ;)
Albany looked like the next best location to fly into, about 140 miles away. I arrived about 9 pm, and discovered I had somehow forgotten to arrange for a rental car beforehand. After surveying the various choices, I went with Enterprise, largely because the clerk was very friendly and very helpful.
Due to this screw-up of my own making, I sped away from Albany a few minutes before 11 pm. There is a group from Orkut camping in Massachusetts and I briefly considered a visit, but reality set in - to be in Lake Placid before noon would essentially require pulling an all-nighter and about 7 hours of driving for 4 hours of visit. So I nixed that and drove north.
There was a full moon and I could tell I was driving through a forest, but I couldn't really see much. The road to Lake Placid was rolling hills and windy (perhaps I drove part of the course!) and I fell in behind a car with a bike rack. I noticed plastic bags tied onto the bike protecting the drivetrain and brakes, so it was clearly a race bike. I thought to myself that I would HATE driving into the venue for Ironman after midnight the day before the event. That person should be getting a good night's rest!
Albany looked like the next best location to fly into, about 140 miles away. I arrived about 9 pm, and discovered I had somehow forgotten to arrange for a rental car beforehand. After surveying the various choices, I went with Enterprise, largely because the clerk was very friendly and very helpful.
Due to this screw-up of my own making, I sped away from Albany a few minutes before 11 pm. There is a group from Orkut camping in Massachusetts and I briefly considered a visit, but reality set in - to be in Lake Placid before noon would essentially require pulling an all-nighter and about 7 hours of driving for 4 hours of visit. So I nixed that and drove north.
There was a full moon and I could tell I was driving through a forest, but I couldn't really see much. The road to Lake Placid was rolling hills and windy (perhaps I drove part of the course!) and I fell in behind a car with a bike rack. I noticed plastic bags tied onto the bike protecting the drivetrain and brakes, so it was clearly a race bike. I thought to myself that I would HATE driving into the venue for Ironman after midnight the day before the event. That person should be getting a good night's rest!
Friday, July 22, 2005
Daylight versus Standard Time
It looks like Congress is extending Daylight Saving Time, although the House and Senate didn't quite agree on how much of an extension.
I'd just like to drop it altogether. I mean really, rather than monkey with time why not stick to the same clock all year, and just get up earlier. I'm not a morning person, but I'm also not dumb enough to believe that setting the clock back and forth actually buys me anything. It would be easier to businesses to have "summer hours" than introduce all the extra "daylight" time zones.
Arizona has the right idea!
I'd just like to drop it altogether. I mean really, rather than monkey with time why not stick to the same clock all year, and just get up earlier. I'm not a morning person, but I'm also not dumb enough to believe that setting the clock back and forth actually buys me anything. It would be easier to businesses to have "summer hours" than introduce all the extra "daylight" time zones.
Arizona has the right idea!
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Neighborhood Welcome
This evening a lady rang my doorbell and introduced herself as a neighbor, and also as the official welcome person for the subdivision. Wow! I thought the "welcome wagon" was an ancient tradition that died out long ago. ;)
She introduced herself as Sharon and asked where I moved from, and we chatted for a bit. She gave me several pamphlets: information on how to get a driver's license (heh, my realtor beat her to that!), local physicians and dentists, several coupons for local services like haircuts and vets, discounts from local restaurants, and a $25 gift certificate to the Macaroni Grill. She talked about the homeowner's association, where and when they meet, and who to call to get my name in the directory at the gate. She also gave me a business card and said to call if I had any questions.
My most pressing question was if the pedestrian gate had a key, because I want run on the trail that passes outside the neighborhood. She told me that gate isn't kept locked. All the same, I'm going to take a walk over to it and see if there is a lock that my house key or another key I received fits.
I've unpacked a bit more, but my study and master bedroom are still cluttered with all sorts of things. I'm trying to be good and pack away or throw away things I don't need out, so it is going slowly.
Now that the furniture is here, I am convinced this home is bigger. Of course, I already knew that from the square footage - this home is around 300 square feet bigger. But it felt smaller, and I think the reason for that is this home is single story whereas my Kirkland home was tri-level. So that was an illusion I fell victim to. I was worried all my bedroom furniture wouldn't fit, or my desk and bookshelves wouldn't fit, but now everything is here and I have more space in the bedroom and more space in the guest bedroom I turned into a study. Or I will when everything is packed away and the floors are clear. ;)
She introduced herself as Sharon and asked where I moved from, and we chatted for a bit. She gave me several pamphlets: information on how to get a driver's license (heh, my realtor beat her to that!), local physicians and dentists, several coupons for local services like haircuts and vets, discounts from local restaurants, and a $25 gift certificate to the Macaroni Grill. She talked about the homeowner's association, where and when they meet, and who to call to get my name in the directory at the gate. She also gave me a business card and said to call if I had any questions.
My most pressing question was if the pedestrian gate had a key, because I want run on the trail that passes outside the neighborhood. She told me that gate isn't kept locked. All the same, I'm going to take a walk over to it and see if there is a lock that my house key or another key I received fits.
I've unpacked a bit more, but my study and master bedroom are still cluttered with all sorts of things. I'm trying to be good and pack away or throw away things I don't need out, so it is going slowly.
Now that the furniture is here, I am convinced this home is bigger. Of course, I already knew that from the square footage - this home is around 300 square feet bigger. But it felt smaller, and I think the reason for that is this home is single story whereas my Kirkland home was tri-level. So that was an illusion I fell victim to. I was worried all my bedroom furniture wouldn't fit, or my desk and bookshelves wouldn't fit, but now everything is here and I have more space in the bedroom and more space in the guest bedroom I turned into a study. Or I will when everything is packed away and the floors are clear. ;)
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