Cozumel Ironman 2010

It was a tough decision this weekend - should we go to the annual jazz festival on the beach in Playa Del Carmen or see the second annual Ironman Competition from the beginning here in Cozumel. From the pics, you can see what we decided! Oh, and if you're confused, the photos are not of us!

The Ironman competion consists of a 2.5 miles swim, a bike course of 112 miles, and then a full 26.2 mile marathon. The swim began at 6:45AM and the winner finished in slightly over 8 hours. The competition finally closed out at midnight.

For the second morning in a row, we got up before 5:00 AM (this Mexican life is so demanding!) and biked with Lynn and Bob down to Chankanab to see 2300 competitors take off swimming portion of the race. We had fun talking to some of the athletes before they started and then to the families and supporters who were along the road for the biking and running portions of the competion.

After the horn was sounded, the thousands of arms starting pumping and splashing the water. The safety personnel were on boats, surf boards and scuba and they all had difficulty keeping up with the pace of the swimmers.

The first swimmer was out of the water in 40 minutes and running through a "drive thru" shower to his bicycle.

After over a 112 miles on their bikes pedalling around the southern half of the island 3 times, the competitors hand off their bikes, kick off their bike shoes and run to their bags of running attire. Then they run through large tents and come charging out the other side lathered with sunscreen alternately drinking and dousing themselves with liquid.

After more than 8 hours of flat out swimming, biking and the last leg of a marathon run, the winner crosses the finish line. Some athletes wouldn't finish for another 9 hours. There are competitors who have prostheses and another who was paralyzed from the waist down. What a truly inspiring event!

Here's the winner, Andy Potts.

Sunrise on the other side

We just experienced our first sunrise on the other side of the island. Like so many other happenings here, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time yesterday when our friends, Becky and Desiree were talking about making the trip. Next thing I knew, Ed and I were picked up at 5:15 this morning and got to Mescalitos just as the sky was showing the first tinge of light. We watched as the color was brushed on the sky's pallette and the waves started working up to daytime zeal. Six of us (Becky, Steve, Bob, Lynn, Ed and I) quieted down as the day came alive.

After the sun was up and running, Becky, being the good Catholic girl that she is, said that it was time for penance. We sure like her kind of penance! She pulled out 3 humongus lawn bags for us to use to pick up garbage on the beach. In a matter of less than an hour, we had them all filled and up by the road. As providence would have it, we saw Rita and Robert in their pickup with their 3 dogs. They were happy to take the bags to the closest receptacle.

Our friend, Kathy, started a Facebook group called Trashy Little Group. In that hour with teamwork, we have increased the bag total by a third. YES!


On the way home we stopped for a breakfast of fish tacos. It doesn't get much better than this.

Photos to follow!

Thanks to good friends

Last week, Bob and Lynn, stopped by for a visit. Lynn used the downstairs half bath before getting ready to leave. Then Ed went into the bathroom. We heard Ed turn the knob after he was done but did not hear the door open. The next thing we heard was a little more frantic knob twisting and pushing on the door. Then, some minor screaming as Ed is slightly claustrophobic!Bob immediately got to work using a screw driver to pry the bolt back - to no avail. The bolt had actually broken off and was not moving at all! The knob turned, but no movement of the bolt. Stuck tight. Mo door movement at all. The next thing Bob did was take the hinges off the door. Ed started applying increasingly more pressure - still no give. Finally, Ed was able to, with some pounding and slight damage to the door, get out. Bob then went home to get their convertible Mustang and came back with the top down. Over to the carpenter, the door went as it suffered some splintering. It has become part of our daily routine to check on the door at the carpenter and always "manana". Manana turned into well over a week. On this day of Thanksgiving, we give thanks for the good ventilation in the bathroom and to Bob and Lynn for getting Ed out the toilet and for taking manana with good humor.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a fine day this is. We hope that you all are finding much for which to be grateful. Our day started with an unusually loud chorus of birds as we opened our eyes - the mockingbirds trying out their various choral arrangements, the parrots' rush hour to work down south and the banana quits squeaking as they made their first fill-up of the day at the feeders and the Birds of Paradise.



Rode my bike down to Yoga by the Sea. Our practice today was focusing on the people we love and cherish - the ones who can't be here in Cozumel with us, the people who can't be with any of their loved ones today and the people who have passed on. With a heart full of gratitude, I stretched and strengthened and meditated. Then into the water for a swim with my mask and fins - sand dollars, puffers, needle fish, juvenile angels, flounder, stoplight parrot fish and lots of blue tangs. The grand finale of the morning was Blue Angel Resort's banana pancake breakfast. Yes!



I got to do all of this wonderful stuff while Ed worked on door sweeps and re-directing water that drains from the roof when it rains. I am so thankful for him - that he makes our living here possible with all of his work and planning. And we are so thankful for our family and friends. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your lives.

Baby turtles everywhere!

Our friends, Lynn and Bob, took us to see baby turtles digging out of their nests on the other side of the island when we first arrived. A experience we'll never forget, even with our impaired memory! We're not going to say much or show you much here because friends have said it more eloquently in their blog -dickandgwenreporting.com- and shown it more dramatically -see a wonderful video by Lynn on my facebook page.

The very short story of it is that biologists over the last 6 months watched mother turtles dig 4300 nests, 3 meters down in the sand about 50 feet from the ocean. The biologists marked the nests with dates. After the gestation period was up, the scientists together with volunteers went back to some of the nests and helped the hatched baby turtles (green and loggerhead) make their way to the surface. It takes three days for the turtles to reach the surface. Then, they take off instinctively for the sea gaining speed and strength as they go. To see their little heads at the surface in the surf and to know that 1 in a 1000 will survive to return and lay their own eggs here in 17-20 years is ........well, fill in your own adjective!

Stopped By to Say Hello or Incredible Journey?

Our early morning visitor

Happy Reunion

We've told you in the past how we enjoy having friends here drop in for a visit. Well, it rained pretty well this morning and we were awakened by it as well as the constant meowing by one insistent cat. Peggy got up to close the north windows and was greeted by the cat who walked right in as she opened the door. It was clear that the cat had been here before! The cat belonged to Jake and Sara, our tenants who vacated the house in October. Within an hour of texting them, the reunion occurred. The cat had been gone for about a week - Cozumel's mini version of the Disney movie "Incredible Journey"!

First Days in Cozumel

Peggy D's bougainvilla

Elephant ears soaring to new heights over our heads!

Emerald hummingbird waiting his turn at the feeder

The wonders of tropical rain storms and what they produce

We came back to find our house and garden in great shape. The bougainvilla, hibiscus, the baby palm, the lipstick plants, elephant ears and so many of the cuttings Ed "borrowed" last year are thriving. Ed lost no time planting the heirloom tomato seeds gleaned from our farmer's market purchases this summer and some scarlet runner beans with a flower that the hummers love. The feeders are up and the banana quits together with the hummers are draining them daily.

Grandkid tour - final stop

Our last stop before flying to Cozumel was in Hempstead, Texas. Grandson Cody at age 7 leads a dream life for little boys. He gets to spend a good amount of time ATV'ing (is that a verb, really?), fishin', shootin' (with alot of supervision, y'all!) and wrestling with his four big dogs. He loves school and it shows on his report cards.

Target practice

Jamie is an intent instructor and Cody is trying to hold steady.

Grandpa will do if the dogs aren't around!

Grandkid tour - stop 2

Nothing much better than Charlie's grin!

Who needs a trampoline, a bed works just great!

Pals with wheels!



It's almost as hard to get a picture of Adrienne and Damian as it is to get their kids to stay in one place long enough for a snapshot.

First of all, happy birthday to Adrienne! Hope you won't be reading this until mid-morning after sleeping in. We're sure that you will have two very willing little ones to help you unwrap your presents.

The Hirst household continues to be high octane - with singing, peels of laughter, clanging of impromptu instruments and banging of whatever can be found to be used as a tool. Ellie at age two and two thirds squeezes the most out of every waking moment. Charlie at one and one sixth years of age is following in his sister's footsteps - climbing whatever can be found to climb and tumbling about with seemingly few to zippo nerve endings.

Tour of the grandkids - Stop 1

Yes, we are back in Cozumel! After a perfect summer in Cedaredge doing the things we love to do including a fun and crazy visit from our Plano and Broomfield daughters and grandkids, we are settled back in on the island. On our way here, we wanted to spend some more time (there's really never enough time!) with all of the grandkids. The first stop was Broomfield on Halloween. It's a great place to be, with busloads of kids trick or treating. Jamie found the perfect costume for Alex - a combination of her favorite colors and her favorite animal. Alex, at age 4, is a true Halloween marathon athlete - even after being sick in the days leading up to the event! Aubrey, 8 months old, is the sweetest little lamb who could win any billiards championship with her trajectory calculations. To explain, when she sees an object that she wants to play with, she simply rolls to it making corrections along the way.

I asked Jamie if she could get a picture of her family that wasn't the typical posed set-up.