Thursday, January 29, 2009

Day 29

OK, on Day 24 I started going through my daily routine out here. I think I got through waking up, tooth brushing, and breakfast. Then what?


After breakfast, it's time to actually get ready to row and get out there without wasting too much time. It usually goes something like this...breakfast over, wish it was bigger so I guess I'll have an energy bar after I've rowed for half an hour. Lie down, wish I didn't hit my head on the hatch so many times (average 3) while eating breakfast/brushing teeth. Need a playlist for the ipod that will last a minimum of 4 hours, hopefully 5. Guh, not easy with only 5GB of music on here. Go through and add to a playlist anything that looks moderately interesting and/or like it will keep me awake. Always include Al Pacino's "inches" speech from Any Given Sunday (YouTube it, it's good...watch out for bad words). Usually cover all genre's...Kanye, Kenny, maybe some Christmas music, an episode of Car Talk from NPR, part of a book on tape (should have brought more of these), plus some random songs here and there that look good -- that would be a typical playlist.


Playlist done, it's time for a "shower." Anti-bacterial baby wipes used to bathe head to toe, with special attention to hands, feet, and anywhere that I've scraped or blistered in the last few weeks (even little things take forever to heal out here). Anti-chafe creme. No need for more detail there. Then time to pick out the rowing shorts I'll wear for that shift. Choices are blue or black -- both are covered in salt and so have many white highlights. Pretty gross. Both are also still wet from hanging to dry overnight from my navigation light on top of my cabin. Better there than inside the cabin with me!


Shorts on, where's my shirt? I've been wearing the same blue and yellow short-sleeved shirt from Coolibar since Day 1 (think it's in the picture Joy posted), which means the same shirt all day every day for a month. Also pretty gross and covered in salt. Oh, well, put it on anyway. Ok, I'm ready. Lie back down for a second. Do I really wanna do this? Another whole day of rowing?....Yup, just get out there! I tell myself "its always better outside the cabin than inside"...and it is. Out I go!


Thanks to all who have supported this expedition and the important research going on at Yale Cancer Center with a donation to Row for Hope. If you haven't donated, or if you would consider donating again, it would be much appreciated. To donate online, use the link in the upper right-hand corner of this page or visit www.rowforhope.com. Thanks!


Paul

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guess you do not have to do the peek on Liv, huh? I think that Dave really misses the peek.

Anonymous said...

Paul,
I'd imagine by now you've got a nice head of hair growing. I'll give you some styling tips when you get back.

R. Pace

Unknown said...

I also imagine your hat looking something like John Wetteland's hat during the 1996 world series. Well at least you will never have to buy salt for the rest of your life. Just scrape some nice natural sea salt off your rowing clothes!

Anonymous said...

Paul,
Wow, and I thought I had it tough with a little 90 minute bikram yoga class today. Keep up the good work. I love reading the updates and especially hearing about the wildlife. Can't wait til you see a whale altho guess it would be preferable to see one from a distance.

Anonymous said...

Paul, Keep the faith! Since you are a Car Talk fan....
As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door.

The trucker lowers the window, and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load."

The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the window.

Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they've never spoken, the blonde says brightly, "Hi my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"

Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street.

At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, knocks on the truck window.

The trucker lowers the window. Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"

When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde. He knocks on her window, and as she lowers it, he says...

"Hi, my name is Kevin, it's winter in Minnesota and I'm driving the SALT TRUCK!"

Cheers, Buddy! -- ETS

Anonymous said...

Hi Buddy - Great update today. Everyone has an idea of 'what it's like' - now we have a better idea. It's not so different - don't invite too many people to the Pity Party. What's for breakfast? Oatmeal or oatmeal?Dress for work? Blue suit or grey suit?Shirt?You know it's gonna be white...You get to lie down in between decisions? Can't happen when you have a train to catch, a car to clean off, kids to get to school.In short, Tough Love, baby. The view from where you are is 100% better than the view from my cubicle. You're at the front of the dog pack - the rest of us are at the back - and you know what the view is from there! Realize that by just being out there for another day you are doing great!And you are one day closer to being home - extra, extra, xxoo's

Unknown said...

Dear Paul,
Here we are in the ice and snow while you are in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
We've been reading The Gingerbread Man and working on subtraction facts, when the students asked "How's Paul?" We looked at the GPS tracker and we can see that you have gone about 1000 miles using the map key on our Smart Board. You would have loved having a Smart Board when you were in school. Amazing technology!
THE STUDENTS WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT On Monday, our class is celebrating 1/2 way there day on Feb 2nd because the school year is half over.
By the way Dan figured out that you hit your head about 21 times a week!
Mrs. Black's 2nd grade class

Anonymous said...

Hey Paul,

For what it's worth...
In regards to the load on your oars, try moving the collar (loosen set screw & move) to get a lighter load for the light wind days and put it back to full load for the surfing days. Mark were you have it for heavy and light days for easy reference. I have 2 sets of oars one for racing on flat water and a set for open water with lighter load. Makes a big difference on your upper arms & shoulders.

If that doesn't help tie those fish together by the tails and make a sled dog team, I mean shell fish team out of them. Of course tell them which way to go!

In regards to keeping your hull clean this can be done by taking a piece of line (like your drouge)from one side going under the boat and up the other. Pull the line from side to side going up and down the boat. This way you don't have to go in for a swim. Be careful of your rudder when going near the stern, don't get it jammed in between the rudder and the hull or you will be going for a swim...

Hopes this helps you to go faster easier.

Row Hard - No Excuses

Bill R.

Anonymous said...

I am sure that you wanted to hear about a SALT truck!! This is my first post to your blog and I think what you are doing is amazing. Keep the faith.