Walking club members assembling for the 12/1/07 adventureSaturday morning the first of December. It is bright and early, about 7:15 I would guess. Nice balmy morning and another opportunity to take a pleasant stroll with friends. Cars are pulling up along the Brandon Parkway walking path. Looks like a good crowd today. Let's see: there's Bob; Tony and Mary; Julie, Marie, Deborah. Here comes Joan and Dale. Wow, here's Bonnie and Bonnie. There's Keith...Val had choir practice. Cindy and Jean just drove up. And of course there is me, Gary. I'm here too.
We all start out along the trail at about the same time and pace. Good walking conditions and a fair sampling of walkers and others on the trail. Not by any design, the nameless are beginning to split into several groups. The group in front is moving along at a fairly good clip, I would guess 14/15 minute miles. The group to the rear is taking the course a bit more leisurely...maybe 17/18 minute miles. Both groups seem to be enjoying themselves. Dale and Joan brought their dog....what a beautiful dog and just as mellow as can be. I'm walking with the more leisurely group, telling stories and trying to be amusing. I look ahead and notice Julie. Wow, that lady can walk briskly. Deborah and Marie are right up there too. Everyone seems to be enjoying their time out of doors.
We spot a nutria, then another. I think they are bad, Mary says they are herbiv
orous. I don't know but they look weird and I'm not sure whether to be alarmed or not. Make a mental note....look up nutria when I get home. We finish our walk...about 2 miles per walker. Nobody has been carried off by man eating nutrias. Many smiling faces, lot's of "see you next week" farewells. Bonnie tell's us we won't see her until after the New Year. Some are off to Golden Corral, Bob and I have to paint. A new week beginning. A new chance to get it all right, but this third week is now officially complete.
Bob and I will not be at the walk next week. We will be running in the Reindeer 5K Run on Saturday (12/8) morning starting at the St. Pete Times Forum...Wish us luck. Mary and Tony are walking in the Jingle Bell event for Arthritis at Lowry Park Zoo on the 5th. Good luck Mary and Tony!
I got home and did some research on Nutrias. The good news is that they don't eat people and Mary was right,
they are primarily herbivores. The bad news is that they eat about 3 pounds of plants a day and have been known to devour entire marshes in a matter of months. They are not indigenous to Florida (or the US). They are from South America and have no natural enemies here. They are declared a harmful pest in the State of Florida and apparently can be treated with all the same respect as any other rodent. Read more at: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7720/nutria.html . This is the "we all love animals version" not the "where's Luke when you need him" version.
Later
We all start out along the trail at about the same time and pace. Good walking conditions and a fair sampling of walkers and others on the trail. Not by any design, the nameless are beginning to split into several groups. The group in front is moving along at a fairly good clip, I would guess 14/15 minute miles. The group to the rear is taking the course a bit more leisurely...maybe 17/18 minute miles. Both groups seem to be enjoying themselves. Dale and Joan brought their dog....what a beautiful dog and just as mellow as can be. I'm walking with the more leisurely group, telling stories and trying to be amusing. I look ahead and notice Julie. Wow, that lady can walk briskly. Deborah and Marie are right up there too. Everyone seems to be enjoying their time out of doors.
We spot a nutria, then another. I think they are bad, Mary says they are herbiv
orous. I don't know but they look weird and I'm not sure whether to be alarmed or not. Make a mental note....look up nutria when I get home. We finish our walk...about 2 miles per walker. Nobody has been carried off by man eating nutrias. Many smiling faces, lot's of "see you next week" farewells. Bonnie tell's us we won't see her until after the New Year. Some are off to Golden Corral, Bob and I have to paint. A new week beginning. A new chance to get it all right, but this third week is now officially complete.Bob and I will not be at the walk next week. We will be running in the Reindeer 5K Run on Saturday (12/8) morning starting at the St. Pete Times Forum...Wish us luck. Mary and Tony are walking in the Jingle Bell event for Arthritis at Lowry Park Zoo on the 5th. Good luck Mary and Tony!
I got home and did some research on Nutrias. The good news is that they don't eat people and Mary was right,
they are primarily herbivores. The bad news is that they eat about 3 pounds of plants a day and have been known to devour entire marshes in a matter of months. They are not indigenous to Florida (or the US). They are from South America and have no natural enemies here. They are declared a harmful pest in the State of Florida and apparently can be treated with all the same respect as any other rodent. Read more at: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7720/nutria.html . This is the "we all love animals version" not the "where's Luke when you need him" version.Later
1 comment:
Great blogg this week. I have just one comment. You stated that Bob and Gary would be running in the Reindeer run next Saturday.. .
I think running is taking it a bit too far. More like huffing and puffing and dragging our asses around the course. But, it will be fun and it sure will tell us where we stand for Gasparilla.
To all of our walkers who have joing us this week--great jog. It was a lot of fun taking a somewhat liesurely walk and socializing a bit too.
Hope you all have a good week this week and on Saturday and we will be back to the course on the following week. If anyone has another course that you thinkwould be good, please let us know.
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