The Last Nature Walk

I was not sure if I would be healed enough to participate, but my feet were ready for the last Curves group nature walk/hike on September 17.

We started out at 8:30, just as the fog was clearing up, at the Shoreline Preserve Scenic Vista Trail on Mare Island.  The drive there was past rows of decaying brick warehouses, and at the very end, a group of military men and women out for a morning jog.

Front row: Faith Munn, Brita Winslow, Martha Maher and Amy Ratuita
Back row: Jill Menicucci, Jean Menicucci, Cindy Dahlgren, Janet Thomas, Diane Terry, Karen Gonzales, Clarice Bradley, and Sylvia Amen

The trail wound up the hill, but it was mostly a pretty gentle ascent, and as we rose higher, the views became more breathtaking. 

The first interesting spot we passed was the old Naval Cemetery -- the first on the Pacific Coast -- founded in 1858. According to the informtion at the cemetery, the daughter of Francis Scott Keye, composer of the National Anthem, is buried here.  

Even from this small distance up, you can see all the way to the Carquinez (Al Zampa) bridge.

A little further on, we came upon the ruins of the groundskeeper's cottage, which still had many of the landscape elements , even though they were very overgrown.  Here are Clarice and Dolores at the groundskeeper's garden.

And another fantastic view across the Mare island Straits to the old Sperry Mills building in Vallejo

A little further up, we came upon a pond in a deep hole.  You can see how far the water is down by looking at the dock on the right.  This was used for fire suppression back when the base was active.

As we climbed higher, the views became even more spectacular.  Looking south , you could see all the way across to the oil refineries along San Pablo Bay.

The group's fabulous photographer, Sylvia (right) and her sister, Karen 

And finally we were at the highest point of Mare Island, where you could see for miles and miles and miles. 

Jill, Jean, Cindy, Faith, Brita, Martha and Amy

Beyond the highest point was the radio tower, and a monument sculpture dedicated when Mare Island was decommissioned by the Navy.  Called "The Spirit Ship" it is a dedication to the long history of ship building that went on here at Mare Island.  When first built in 1996, there were a number of "dog tags" hanging from the rings along the outside of the hull, but these have disappeared over time.  Beneath the Spirit Ship is a thick rusted metal plate into which the outline shapes of the many tools used in ship building were cut.

 

Just a little further up, we came to the end of the trail.  Beyond this point was a pretty nice golf course, but it was on private property.

Brita, Martha, Janet, Faith, Diane, Amy, Clarice, Jill, Jean and Karen 

The walk back down the hill seemed WAY shorter than the climb up!  Before we went into the Visitor's Center for a look around, and lots of hugs goodbye (with a promise to meet for the last time on Friday September 23 at Gaia), we all posed for one last picture, including Rocky the chihuahua. 

  Back row: Sylvia, Clarice, Cindy, Karen (with Rocky), Janet, Diane, Faith, Jill.  Front row: Brita, Jean, Martha and Amy. 

Great weather, great place, great exercise, great views, and best of all, great people!!! 

Susan G Komen 3 Day Story

I am a 64 year old overweight ex smoker who smoked for 47 years before I quit on July 1, 2010.  I have never been very athletic, and once dislocated both of my knees trying out for cheerleading when I was 15. In March of 2010 I was so sick that I had to be taken to the doctor in a wheelchair because I could not breathe well enough to walk from the parking lot to the door of the Kaiser clinic in Napa.

On September 11, 2011 I completed the most grueling, exhilarating, exhausting, inspiring, challenging, and spectacular thing I have ever attempted -- the Susan G Komen 3 Day for the Cure walk in the San Francisco Bay Area.

For seven months, I have been training -- walking at least twice a week, losing some weight (though not nearly enough), fundraising (THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY SUPPORTERS -- YOU TOTALLY ROCK) and pulling together my gear and equipment for this event.  Many thanks to Vicki Thayer for the fanny pack, and to Ann Muzzini for the mattress and egg-crate mattress pad.

On Thursday, September 8, Rod and I. along with Mary and Peter Steinert, went out to dinner in Napa at Ubuntu, our local upscale vegetarian eatery, then headed out for San Francisco, where we stayed overnight and departed at 5:30 am for the Cow Palace in South San Francisco for the kick off for the Three Day.

Here is the link to the website for the complete event highlights:

http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SF_Info_2011

Energy was high as we left the Cow palace for our first day's adventure.

Rod and Peter parked and took some shots as we headed out of South SF toward San Francisco.

The first day took us through Pacific Heights, down through the Presidio, and eventually to Fisherman's wharf, where ferries waited to take us to camp on Treasure Island.  Though it was foggy most of the day, it was clearing up as we made our way from the ferry to camp.

There were celebrations as we came into camp at the end of our first day of 20 miles!!!!

Because both Rod and Peter had volunteered to be "Camp Angels" we were lucky enough to arrive with our tent set up and our gear all unloaded.  Even our beds were made!  

Mary's bed on the left, mine on the right.  We were in row E-65 amid a sea of hot pink pup tents.

Peter in his volunteer T-shirt displaying our ALOHA banner. 

It was so wonderful  to have our significant others there to greet us!   We were able to get big warm hugs and even have dinner with our husbands!   First night dinner was penne pasta with tomato sauce, meatballs, sausages and pepper, macaroni and cheese, two kinds of green salad, mixed veggies and carrot cake, brownies, and apple pie for dessert choices.   I save my carbs for dessert -- the chocolate brownies were heaven. 

Also at camp were tents where you could take a picture and so many people did.  Here are a few of our compadres .

                                                                And finally ............

There were also places where you could charge your cell phone or laptop, buy commemorative clothing and other gear, and of course the medical tent where blisters were attended to and chiropractors were volunteering adjustments for out-of-whack backs and strained muscles.

After dinner, we went to get our towels and off to the shower trailers where those hot showers felt like heaven.,  especially after waiting in line so long to get one!   Back in camp, there was karaoke and entertainment, but we did not participate.  We collapsed into our tent, and all lights were out by 9:00 pm, because next day we were up and at 'em at 5:30.

This day we were dropped at the Berkeley Marina and walked up Shattuck and through the campus at UC, where a cheering section was gathered at the campanile.  We were there when the gongs struck 11:00 am.
Then on through Oakland, downtown at City Center, and to the ferry launch at Jack London Square.  This was a perfect location because it was right next to a restaurant and bar, so Mary and I could have a glass of wine before we boarded for camp.  MUCH better than the day before, where we waited in line for the ferry at Fisherman's Wharf with no place to sit!!!  The weather this day was mild and not foggy like it had been the day before.  By the end of the day, my blisters were pretty hot, and I felt like I was walking on shoes full of sand.

That night, we went to the showers FIRST and there was hardly any line.  So we ate dinner in our pajamas  -- broiled chicken breast, browned potatoes, peas and carrots, green salad, and another one of those luscious brownies!!!    That night, I was asleep before it got dark!!!!!!!  The worst thing about camping out was the long chilly trek to the portapotties in the middle of the night - brrrrr!!!!!!   Although it was amazing how CLEAN  those portapotties stayed with so few men using them  :o) !!!!!!!!

Day Three was the hardest on me.  By then, my feet felt like I was walking on broken glass, not just sand. I made it from the ferry dock to the first pit stop in Tiburon, but there were so many walkers at the medical tent that I took the shuttle to the second pit stop.  When I took off my shoes, I was amazed to see brand new blisters not only ON my toes but BETWEEN my toes, to go with the ones I already had on the sides of my feet at the big toe where my bunions lay.  I got taped up and felt pretty good walking to the next pit stop in Mill Valley.  But just to make sure I could make it across the Golden Gate, I took the bus to lunch at Fort Baker.  By this time, the weather was super spectacular -- clear and breezy and just mild enough so that we were not sweat covered loonies.  At Fort Baker we were met by cheerleaders from the local high school, and  had our last lunch.   I had called Rod the day before, and he and peter had gone to camp and folded up our tent and took our gear, so that was one thing we didn't have to worry about.  At lunch, I called him and he and Peter were at Marina Green.  They drove down to the visitor center at the foot of the bridge so that they could greet us as we crossed.

At the foot of the bridge, we had a rest stop with potties and beverages. We needed both .

From this point, although Mary, accompanied by Peter, walked on another 2 miles to the holding area at Fillmore and Marina, Rod and I drove.  This is where we met the walkers coming through, including the woman I trained with in Napa, Monica -- who was nearly delirious with fatigue

Cheering them Home!!!!! 

 
                                                     Mary at 60 Miles YAY!!!!!!

 
                                             I picked up my T shirt and my Rose

                                             And then I took care of my poor ravaged feet

And one last shot of Mary and I together at the end of a long and exhausting wonderful once in a lifetime journey together.

To all of those who supported us, cheered us on, made donations, kept us in your hearts and prayers and warm loving thoughts, we cannot thank you enough.  All 1500 San Francisco walkers were there to make a difference and help wipe out the terrible scourge of breast cancer, and we were so happy to do it with humor (SAVE SECOND BASE, F**K CANCER, FIGHT LIKE A GIRL, HELP THE HOOTERS), passion and love.

Concours D'Elegance

Last post was about the most FUN car show, but this one is about the most ELEGANT car show -- the Concours D'Elegance in Hillsborough.  Of all of the high end classic car shows, this one is the oldest, having gotten it's start back in the early 50's.

This is the one that highlights some of the classiest of the classics and showcases the ones that Rod works so hard on for his customers.

  Owners often come in the costume of the era in which their cars were the stars, like this one

This is the show that has hospitality tents with dim sum, sushi, and the like.  The breakfast hospitality tent had croissants, mini muffins, orange juice, and fruit BUT NO COFFEE!!!!! Of course, you could stand in line for a half hour (like I did) for your coffee which was available in cappuccino, mocha, latte and (for good old plain coffee ) Americano.  Oh, well -- at least it was free until 10 am.

This Packard is one that Rod restored for Norm Buckhart, one of his best customers.  I really love that
                                                          beautiful eggplant color

                                    And here is the 1925 Lincoln  that Rod restored as well

Another of Rod's good customers (and a good friend as well) is Gene Daly, who always does up wonderful lunches and libations.  This year, her had a margarita machine and two choices for lunch.  I had the bowtie pasta salad lunch with dolmas - YUM!!!

                                                   Cindy and Mikie at the lunch table .
                                                       Note those Cadillac Chairs!
Gene was also concocting mimosas, bloody marys, and (best of all) bellinis -- those delicious champagne and peach nectar concoctions.Needless to say, I drank several of those bad boys.

Gene icing down the champagne for mimosas and bellinis 

All through the day, the announcer (who had a melodic British accent) made announcements and reminded people to vote for the "people's Choice" ward -- I voted for a mint green 1954 Kaiser that had matching mint green upholstery and was a very classy fun car.

The 1929 Cadillac that Rod restored for Norm Buckhart DID win second place in it's class.  This is such a pretty car!

Love that rumble seat!!! 

Here is the '29 Cadillac getting in line to go to the Winner's Circle at the 2011 Hillsborough Concours D'Elegance

At the Podium on the Red Carpet 

All in all, nice cars, nice food, nice company and nice day!!!!