Getting Greener

Greetings! I keep saying I'm getting greener and greener. I moved up another notch recently as I plunged into the electric car world. I've been driving a hybrid for 10 years. Without reservation, I'm quite pleased with the Toyota Prius. The vehicle gets great gas mileage and assists in my effort to be environmental friendly. For some time, I've given a lot of consideration to going totally electric. Most of the information suggests electric cars keep getting better, and by 2017 the market will have a number of options that get 200 miles to a full charge.

My timeline got moved up as I purchased a 2015 Leaf with only 300 miles for about half the sticker price. It was a deal too good to pass. So far, I really love the car, though I confess I've had a few bouts of range anxiety. I've learned how to best drive the vehicle to get optimum miles per charge. That has increased my deep appreciation for the Leaf.

Charging stations are a different story. The electric car movement has not caught on yet. Thus, there are few chargers available. Even worse is the people who drive gasoline cars tend to park in front of the charging station, so rude.

If you can't get there by running, use an alternate fuel vehicle.

Tom

Key West Treasures

Key West draws a terrific amount of tourist attention from a Presidential resort, Hemingway’s House, Jimmy Buffet’s Restaurant, Mallory Square and outlets for every nearly every musical taste. Many runners know that the island is also fantastic for jogging. When I went out for a run in the main tourist district around 5:30 am, several other were out on the street.

Sea level coupled with beautiful surroundings gave way to a fabulous running environment. I realized I wanted more time out on the road. In that our schedule was flexible for the day (a rare occasion for us on vacation), I added an extra thirty minutes to keep running around the city highlights and in neighborhoods.  It was a grand time.

Enjoy Life. Run.

Tom

Another Ode to the Desert

Right smack in the city, a university town at that, much of the first line of vision looked like any town in the U.S. Other senses were not so easily fooled. Dry air on the skin, baked sand under foot, and for me, something only describable as an inner connection to the land. Of course, I knew full well I was in the desert. Even in the dark I could make out cacti and other arid plants sparsely populating the increasing concrete filled landscape. Desert, ah the desert.

Spending time in the desert works on me psychosomatically. I did not lament heading out in the 40 degree morning for an early run as I had for the last month or so in Atlanta. Upon my return I walked around soaking wet from the perspiration and didn't tell myself I would surly freeze to death. Yet, another fabulous quality of desert life is I seem to ignore physical and psychological concerns of elsewhere in the world.

Afterwards a very fast run in flat lands of Tempe, I cleaned up and joined the group. That morning we delightful in a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. If you are interested in organic architecture or Wright's work, this place is certainly worth a visit.

Love the landscape. Run.

Tom