Up Sheets Creek

Yup ... I walked up Sheets Creek today.  Sheets Creek East that is!  Sheets Creek is on Manhasset Isle ... and it's a pretty little spot where it looks like someone has built lovely condos.

Here's what you see just beyond Sheets Creek:

LaMotta's Restaurant and ...

another marina!

I like this marina because there are really nice little houseboats here. (See them on the rightish?)

I decided not to do the training walk to Governor's Island today.  I thought I'd give my poor foot and the old plantar fasciitis a break.

I was out for about two-and-a-half hours ... so let's call it 6 miles today (allowing for slow walking and stopping to get water and a Planters Peanut Bar...DELICIOUS!)  The heel feels ok.  I know that wearing flip flops is a BIG mistake ... so I'm going to order some special sandals today as a gift to myself ... and to my poor feet!

...

WOW Burt's Babes ... and Sandy's Sistahs ... I meant to put this on my blog!  Sorry!
Instead of deleting it, though, I'll leave it here for you to read.
This is what I did today!
I'll walk with y'all next time!
Promise!
Roberta 
www.j2sf.blogspot.com

Sandy takes a few of Burt's Babes to the New York Botanical Garden

Are we "Burt's Babes" or are we "Sandy's Sistahs"?

Four walkers met at the Botanical Gardens Saturday for a training "stroll".

The day was overcast and cool (which, to me, was great after a killer heat wave last week!)

It was perfect weather for enjoying a beautiful New York spot.

Red Riding Hood (aka Lesley) ...

Shannon ...

Fearless leader, Sandy ...

and Roberta (who approved this picture, thank you Shannon!)

were the walkers.

I have to say, my three training buddies were very patient with me.

You will not be surprised to hear that I took 70 pictures.  I couldn't help it.  It was gorgeous!

The pictures above were taken in the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden.

Unfortunately, the "Eyes" sculpture that we all love so much was not installed in the Garden ...

however ...

we did enjoy these sculptures:

 Sandy has a better picture of the sculptures (my picture has Shannon ... making it much more interesting!)  Sandy might be able to tell you what the sculpture is as she was reading about it in the background.

We walked through forests and past waterfalls ... we walked through rock gardens and past planting gardens.  We ended at the conservatory just taking it all in.

It was a great day.

Shannon, Lesley (my tent mate in Atlanta!!!) Sandy, and Roberta

I look forward to seeing y'all soon!

Roberta--Atlanta 2011

(www.j2sf.blogspot.com)

34th to Inwood and back ... June 5th

Here we are walkers... posing for that Vogue photographer someone snagged on our training walk from 34th to Inwood and back on Sunday.  It was a beautiful day ... a great day for a 20 mile training walk.

We started at 34th ... our usual spot ... and walked up the Hudson.

I asked someone to take this picture of me at the Intrepid.  It's not a great picture of me, and that is disappointing, but doesn't that ship look great?

At this point, you were still happy with me and didn't mind stopping for a picture.  By the time we got to Grandpa's Pizza you were beginning to change your mind ... yes?  You have to admit, this is a GREAT shot of Burt and his Babes!

We were supposed to walk straight past the water treatment plant ... but hit a detour!

Eventually we arrived at "Sandy's Garden" where she took time out to smell the roses.  (Look at Burt in the background ... I don't think he wanted to take time out!!!)

The only TRUE FRIEND at this point was Monica.  When I wanted a nice picture of the bridge in the background, everyone else continued to walk.  Thank you Monica.

We finally made it to the bridge and to the lighthouse.  Burt took this picture.  I like!

We turned off here ... on our way to pizza.  

Now, I don't want you to think I was whining ... no walkers ... I was just sharing information about my feet ... and that hill ... 

We did NOT stop at the Cloisters ... but I wanted to be able to say I saw the Cloisters. 

Finally ... after a while ... we arrived in Inwood and walked on Broadway until we made it to our lunch destination.  This is where I left you after around 11 miles.  

And this is the lunch crowd at Grandpa's Pizza:

and ...

Thank you Burt ... for another great walk!

(Hope y'all finished the trip blister free!)

Penn Station to Coney Island ... May 22, 2011

Hello fellow walkers.

I finally joined Burt ... and his babes (and boys) on a long overdue training walk.

Today was the first (I'm assuming) of 2 walks to Coney Island.  That's around 20 miles (give or take) from Penn Station to Nathan's Original.

 Here we are ... yours truly ... and your leader Burt.

(My feet were feeling pretty good when this picture was taken ... but then ... we hadn't started our walk!)

We took the regular route Penn Station--upper, Amtrak, level, in front of TGI Fridays, right near the 8th Avenue, 33rd Street exit.Then west on 34th Street to the Hudson, down the River to the Seaport, over the Brooklyn Bridge, through downtown Brooklyn, across the Gowanus, through Prospect Park, then down Ocean Parkway to the ocean, and along the boardwalk to the Original Nathan’s Famous. 

Please don't be too disappointed with me.

1--I forgot to charge my camera battery (yeah ... I hear some of you cheering!) but I was able to get 2 fabulous shots in before the camera died.

 I don't remember seeing this lovely statue of Ulysses last year ... and how could I have missed it.  I noticed that a number of cameras came out to get a shot of this fine specimen of a Greek god!

And then ... of course ... I found a great photographer to catch us at "Eyes."

 (By the way, I learned something new today, Sandy does NOT like this sculpture. She's a good sport, though, and posed with the group!)

2--I did NOT make it all the way to Nathan's.  I punked out just over the Brooklyn Bridge and took the subway back to Penn.  My dogs were barking ... and I had to give them a break. (I am not whining ... I am only sharing important information.)  I do NOT, as a result, have a picture of us celebrating at Nathan's ... but, perhaps, someone who made it all the way can post their picture here. 

I want to thank the group for a GREAT walk.  I enjoyed meeting the newbies and reconnecting with old friends. And, of course, thank you BURT!  You're the greatest!

I look forward to seeing y'all NEXT TIME! (and there WILL be a next time!)

Roberta--Atlanta 2011

(www.j2sf.blogspot.com) 

It has been a L-O-N-G time! Burt's Babes Lesley, Sandy, and Roberta take a walk.

Hello Burt's Babes!

It has been some time since a post has been made on our blog ... so I decided it's time ... and here we are!

I have missed this year's training walks with Burt.  So I have tried to make up for it by taking the LIRR in to Penn to meet my training buddies.  Pictured above is Lesley, Yours Truly, and Sandy.  We met yesterday to walk up the Hudson as far as 145th Street, where Sandy (our training leader for the day) had found an unexpected garden near the water treatment plant.

Let me take you on our route:

We started off at Penn and walked up to the water.

Our first stop (for me to take a picture) was

The Intrepid.

We liked this little bottle ... that turned out to be some sort of submarine thing ...

... and I made the girls pose ... of course.

We walked through Riverside Park, mixing in with the usual bikers, runners, walkers, soccer players, dog walkers, etc.  I did not take pictures ... but I will tell you that Sandy reminded us to stop to hydrate and ... you know ... use the facilities.

I think we were somewhere in the "hundreds" when I took this picture:

Lesley and Sandy were reading the signage and deciding where to go.

What do I know?  I'm an Island girl.  I was happy to be along for the walk!

We finally did reach the Water Treatment Plant and the gardens that Sandy had found on another walk.

It's the unexpected beauty in this city that makes it so wonderful!

We walked on through Riverbank State Park ... a fantastic recreational facility... back to 134th Street, where we stopped for a picnic lunch (purchased at Fairway).

Sandy found this "Footsteps" sign on her last walk.  Appropriate, eh?

After lunch we started back. We walked through some breathtaking areas ...

...with lots of steps! (But who's complaining?)

We saw this license plate near Grant's  Tomb and I couldn't resist a picture:

I was excited to see Grant's Tomb ... and wondered ... "Who's buried there?

 (That's an old joke ... I think)

 We found our way back ... We were out for 5-6 hours ...

Sandy's pedometer said 15.3 miles ... Lesley's said 13.7 ... I didn't wear mine.  All I can say for sure is ... it was a lot of walking ... and a wonderful time.

I look forward to meeting you newbies and reconnecting with old friends next week when I finally meet up with Burt and y'all.

Keep walking!

Roberta

Atlanta, 2011

www.j2sf.blogspot.com

Burt's Pictures!

Walkin' on Sunshine ... and in a lotta heat!

Here we are ... the beginning of our walk.  I really thought these were live birds.  Duhr!

Rose told me that she felt fine ... and LOVED the heat.  I'm not sure I believed you, Rose!

I've seen this spot before!  What a great looking group of walkers!

Liz ...

Jodie ...

Kaitlin ...

Ashley ...

Cynthia and ... her husband ... (we were introduced as "and this is my husband!) ...

Rose ...

and our fearless leader BURT!

(I usually take these pictures during lunch ... I think I had a feeling my lunch wasn't going to be at Adrienne's!)

Here's what y'all looked like to Rose and me! (Har!)

And this ...

...is  just about where I decided I was walking cross town.  (Thanks for joining me Rose!)

We finally reached 5th Avenue and it looked GREAT!

We also saw this ...

Rose really wanted to go in ... but I said "No, no, Rose ... we have to get to ...

... LINDY'S for lunch!

...

Rose and I last looked at the GPS at 11.8 ... we figured we did at least 12 miles walking to our trains.  You are HERO's for doing the walk back ... and reaching 19 miles!  PROUD OF US ALL!  It was a beautiful but HOT day!

Thank you Burt for getting us out there and training for our walks!

GOOD LUCK CHICAGO WALKERS!

See y'all when you get back.

Roberta