Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
Rebreather Trip (Aug 20-22 in Morehead City, NC)
Long considered the province of the well-to-do and dare-to-do, the closed circuit rebreather (CCR) has become a more common sight both at sea and in cave country. Ten years ago, the CCR was the Aston Martin of scuba diving: expensive, exotic, and ostensibly dangerous. Its users were pioneers in a sport that has had no dearth of risk-takers. But with at least 11 commercial models available today, the CCR is more like a Corvette or a 7-series BMW. No longer considered a “death machine”, it is drawing interest from wider circles of recreational and technical open circuit divers. Nonetheless, CCR divers do not normally congregate in large groups, so most dive operators have not yet oriented their operations toward this audience.
It was therefore significant when 16 CCR divers assembled on August 20th at Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, NC for three days of silent diving. Olympus had never hosted such an event. As with any group of soi disant pioneers, there was much talk of being ‘on the cusp’ and ‘getting in at the right time.’ One diver likened the CCR scene to gearheads, who have little interest in the automobile as a transportation alternative: they seek to maximize performance for its own sake. Likewise, the CCR is not for those who wish to simply go underwater. It is for the enthusiast who craves long, deep, quiet dives. These parameters often preclude fellowship with ‘the OC crowd’, hence the incorrect perception of ‘rebreather arrogance.’ This label is often incorrect. CCR divers pay enormous sums-most of them hit the water with more than $10,000 in equipment-to liberate themselves from the sucking and gurgling noises of open circuit scuba. The ‘aluminum-80 diver’ renders this investment worthless, hence the annoyance at his presence.
Half Marathon World Record Broken This Morning
This morning I ran in the RAK Half Marathon in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE (about three hours from Abu Dhabi). H.H. Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi gave 1 million dirhams (about $350,000) to fund the prize money, instantly making it the world’s richest half marathon. Accordingly, an exceptionally fast elite field entered the race. Sammy Wanjiru broke Haile Gebrselassie’s world record, finishing at 58:53 on the flat course. I also achieved a personal best, breaking 1:30 for the first time (1:29:49). Several other luminaries were present including the Shaikh and this unassuming dude, who was chatting with Wanjiru:
That’s Paul Tergat, the world record holder in the marathon. Our exchange went as follows (my thoughts in italics):
Me: “Hello Mr. Tergat. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” (greetings, god of running)
Paul: “Hello Spence, how did you do today?”
Me: “Fine. May I have a picture with you?” (yes, I’m shameless, O god of running)
Paul: “Certainly.” Placing a long slender arm around me, we take the photo above. (Chatting briefly) Then grasping my neck as I step away, “It was a pleasure to meet you.”
Me: ????? Uhhh. ????? “Thank you so much Mr. Tergat.” (I’m a fan for life.)
Backpacking in The Drakensberg, South Africa
14-18 Jan 2007
The Greyhound gate was staffed by an obese, indifferent woman who punched tickets mechanically with absent regularity. Conversely, I was in both excellent condition and an elated state, for I was to start a five-day, 75km hike in the Drakensberg this afternoon. But I was late, and although my ticket had been punched and my seat reserved, I couldn’t board the idling bus outside. With characteristic carelessness, I had forgotten my camera, and had sent my friend Carl racing off to his house to retrieve it. I paced anxiously, observing seconds becoming minutes, and minutes accumulates in groups of ten and twenty. As the last person passed through the gate, the attendant looked up and assessed me grimly. “You’s responsible,” she said, before hoisting herself from a burdened stool and shuffling off. I mumbled anxiously, calling down curses on myself like Peter at the Gate, as the last porters loaded bags into the bus’s little cargo trailer. Suddenly, Carl burst through a crowd of people, clutching my camera and grinning mischievously.
