Walkers June 30 2008

Monday, June 30th 6:45 PM on the Parkway Trail
Bob - 3.1 miles
Gary - 3.1 miles
Tony - 3.1 miles
Mary M.- 3.1 miles

Total = 12.4 miles

Year-to-Date Total = 1467.75

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 540.25 miles

From Mary M. about Monday, June 30th's walk on the Parkway Trail at 6:45 PM -

It looked like we might get rained on as we started out on the trail but we did get out to Route 60 and back with just a few sprinkles. It was warm, but not unbearable. We did see a few other walkers. Tony got some great pictures of three Sandhill Cranes and the Osprey. He is trying to get them loaded to the blog before his computer goes in for an upgrade early tomorrow.

We saw a lot new litter on the Parkway,.that hopefully the Expressway maintenance crew will pick up on Wednesday.

We talked about the write up for Liane about the Nameless Walking group. Gary is working on it and hopes to have it done by Saturday, July 12th.

We talked about new T-Shirts. I will put something out about new T-Shirts after I talk to Susan at Image Depot next week. The color discussed was florescent yellow. I am not sure the tag less shirts come in that color there was some interest in getting a moisture wicking shirt. I do know that the moisture wicking shirts are more expensive than the Hanes tag less ones like we have now. Gary is working on a small design to go on the left front of the shirt that will include something about the Parkway trail. My guess is with the addition of the new front design and the fact we will probably will not have 36 orders for T-shirts that the T-shirts will be at least $20.00 a piece, but I will know more after I talk to Susan. We also talked about the Susan G. Komen walk in October and if that could be put on the new t-shirts. We would have to obtain permission from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to do so and it looks like we will may have to abandon that idea for these t-shirts, but I will do some checking on it.

We also talked about using our Cash Cow money for a tail gate party when we hit 2008 miles. We currently have about $100.00 in her. I think we will probably be there some time in September or October. Summer time has seen a real drop off in walking participation, since it is so warm.

Walkers June 28 2008

Saturday, June 28th 7:15 AM on the Parkway Trail
Bonnie F. - 3.1 miles
Marie - 3.1 miles ( Still Perfect Attendance)
Julie -.6 mile (Still Perfect Attendance)
Bob - 3.1 miles
Gary - 3.1 miles
Pam 3.1 miles
Susan - 3.1 miles
Bonnie P. - 2.2 miles

Total = 21.4 miles

Year-to-Date Total = 1446.35

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 561.65 miles

From: Bonnie P.

Saturday morning was beautiful with a nice clear blue sky. Was comfortable when we started out but by the end of the walk the humidity and heat were upon us. I made the comment I knew it was hot when my eyebrow started sweating.

I was able to get a few shots in during my part of the walk. There were our resident osprey and rabbits along the way. There was also the addition of an object of the rodent species.

On my way back as I looked on the bank of the pond just before Pauls Drive I thought I spied paper on the ground. When I zoomed in with my camera it turned out to be mushrooms.

06-25-08 Rained Out

Our First Rain out.

Wednesday, June 25th walk and mileage update
To: All
From: Mary

Bonnie called me at 5:00 PM and asked if we were walking. We decided that we would meet there and if it was raining we would go to the mall. Tony a took a picture of Bonnie and I by her car in the parking lot at the Trail getting rained on. We jumped into our cars went and to the mall. We met at the Food Court and went to the Five Guys hamburger place and had a burger and fries. We sat around and talked until after 8:00 PM and then came home.

Gary e-mailed me and said that he was going to come to walk tonight but it was raining at his house he decided no one would be at the the Parkway Trail to walk in the rainy weather.

This is the first time we had a total rain out on the Wednesday night walk, since we started doing them on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008.

I did receive an e-mail from Joan that she walked on the Trail on Saturday evening after the clean up to the mile marker on Lakewood Drive past the Main Street Traffic light which is 2.2 miles round trip. Joan commented on how nice the trail looked.

With Joan's miles we have -

Year-to-Date Total = 1433.95

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 574.05 miles

Brandon Parkway Cleanup

Nameless Walking Group's Trail Clean-up Event 6/21/08

To: All
From Mary

Here is the mileage for Saturday, June 21st -

Julie - .6 mile
Marie - 2 miles

The Clean-up Crew went to the storm sewer drain just before the Oakfield Drive intersection on Lakewood Ave.
Bonnie F. - 2.8 miles
Mary M.- 2.8 miles
Christine - 2.8 miles
Amanda - 2.8 miles
Deborah - 2.8 miles
Susan - 2.8 miles
Gary - 2.8 miles
Bob - 2.8 miles
Tony - 2.8 miles
Lori & Tristan in his stroller - 1.75 miles

Today's Total = 29.55 miles

Year-to-Date Total = 1431.75

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 576.25 miles

Today was Brandon Parkway Trail Clean-up Day. Mary, Tony, Deborah, Bonnie F. and Marie left the Weight Watcher Meeting right at 7:00 AM to make sure they were at the Brandon Parkway Trail parking lot before 7:15 AM. When they arrive at the parking lot, Nancy Marino form the Expressway Authority was there waiting at the handicap ramp near the new trash can. I introduced myself to Nancy. She was there with a photographer and her little dog. I have a lapse in memory and don't remember the photographer's or the dog's names. You can see them on video and slide show that Tony took and put on the blog. Tony did video as Nancy talked to the group about what the Expressway Authority is doing to keep the Trail in good shape. Nancy gave us these neat "Be Seen" yellow and orange vests to wear. She also gave me water bottles, coasters and key chains as monentoes to distribute to our clean up crew after we were finished. We put on our vests and rubber gloves, and picked up our plastic bags and pickup sticks. Nancy's photographer took a picture of everybody by the handicap ramp wall. After that photos we walked down to beginning of the trail and Tony took the usual walk start photos. Julie did her usual trip to Pauls Ave. and back to the start. Tony and Bob went along the grassy area by the parking lot. Mary, Bonnie, Susan, Christine and Amanda walked along the trail. Nancy joined in the walk down the trail for a bit of the way with her little cute dog.

Adventuresome Deborah crossed over the Parkway median and started picking up there. Deborah won the award for the most unique piece of trash picked up. She found a red metal rear rack from a bicycle in the median of the Parkway. Deborah also was our only injury on the clean up crew. She scratched her leg and when we were at the dumpster at the end of the clean up I notice the blood. Of course as a good Trail Mom, I had a first aid kit in my fanny pack. Bonnie F., our resident nurse, cleaned the wound and put a band aid on it. Deborah's injury would not prevent her from going to Disney World this weekend.

Gary, aka Pole Man, arrived a little late and had to catch up. He brought his pool net that was on a long pole. He was able to snag a snack bag from the big pond. It is too bad that we did not see the fish frenzy, maybe he could have caught one in his net and we could identify what type of fish they are.

Bonnie P. was not with us today with her camera to catch the wildlife. When I called her this afternoon , she said that she over slept. So much for Sally getting her morning coffee today. In Bonnie's absence Tony did get some photos of the Osprey. In one of the photos is also a para glider. We did see a bunny, the morehens and a great blue heron. There were no sightings of Suzie, the Nutria.

The most common item to pick up was cigarette butts. They seemed to be almost every where, especially on Lakewood, after the intersection of the Parkway. Bonnie F.'s husband parked his truck at Main Street and met us. He needed coffee, so he left us and went to Dunkin Donuts. Tony, Gary, Bob, Christine, Amanda, Bonnie F., Susan, and I went all the way to the storm sewer drain just before the Oakfield Drive intersection on Lakewod Ave. The trail has a railing along there because there is a steep drop off. At the bottom of that steep drop is a grated storm sewer, filled with junk on top of it including the dinning room chair. At that point it was about 8:30 AM and we could hear thunder in the background and were experiencing some light precipitation. We started to head back. I will send an e-mail to Nancy and ask about who maintains that area on Lakewood. If it is the Expressway Authority, they will need to come and do some serious clean-up there. If it is not them, I am sure Nancy will know who we need to contact to get something done about it. On our way back we found some litter we had missed on the way out. We also met up with Lori and Tristan just after the round about.

When we got back to the parking lot, Al ( Bonnie's husband) was parked and sitting in his truck, I am not sure if had finished his coffee when we arrived. Deborah was waiting for us at the handicap ramp with her bike equipment and a large bag of trash. Tony took some photos when we got back to the start of the trail and again after we put our trash in the Mercantile Back dumpster. After that I gave The Clean-up Crew their water bottles, coasters and key chains.

After we were all done Tony, Mary, Bonnie F., Al, Bob, Christine and Amanda went to Golden Corral to celebrate a job well done! Tony took his camera to the restaurant to take photos but forgot to take any. We all left around 10:15 AM. We all had a nice breakfast and enjoyed talking.

Tony and I will be gone Wednesday, June 25th and Saturday, June 28th. Bonnie and Christine are not going to walk at the mall on 25th, both are busy with other stuff to do. Bob will no be at the Wednesday night walk on June 25th at the Trail. It is his Wedding Anniversary and he is taking his wife out for dinner. There are still plans for the 6:45 PM walk at the trail on Wednesday. I am not sure exactly who will be there. The Saturday walk on June 28th will go on as usual at 7:15 AM on the Trail.

06-18-08 Walkers

The Fearsome Foursome Walk Brings our Distance over 1400 Miles!!!!

Only Bob, Gary, Tony and Deborah walked on Wednesday. That added 12.4
miles to the mileage.

Year-to-Date Total = 1402.2 miles

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 605.8 Miles

Reminder: Saturday, June 21st is Trail Clean Up Day

To: The Nameless Walking Group of Brandon, Florida
From: Mary

This is a Reminder that Saturday, June 21st is Brandon Parkway Trail Clean Up Day. This is a strictly voluntary event. If you just want to walk on the trail on Saturday like you usually do that will be fine.

If you want to help clean-up and have pick-up grabbers you might want to bring them along. Tony and I will bring trash bags, extra sun screen, a cooler of bottled water, hand sanitizer, paper towels and two grabber tools. The other Bonnie is bring rubber gloves.

We are scheduled to meet Nancy Marino from the Expressway Authority at 7:15 AM for our Clean-up instructions by the new trash can near the parking lot. Be sure to wear your Nameless Walking Group T-Shirts. There are going to be photos taken for the Blog and for the Expressway Authority. As it stands now we are only going to clean on Saturday from the start of the trail to Brandon Blvd. The Trial also continues across Lakewood drive all of the way to the sidewalk out side the Brandon Mall. Since we do not normally walk there we will not be picking up on that part of the trail.

It will be warm, so you probably will want to bring a change of shirt along and maybe a towel. For those interested Tony and I will be going to Golden Corral for breakfast after we are finished picking up trash. We want to celebrate the sucess of all of our efforts to make the Brandon Parkway Trail a more beautiful place to walk. Everyone is invited to join us.

JDRF Celebration

To: All
From: Mary

Deborah hosted a brunch on Saturday, June 14h at her home to celebrate the success of the Nameless Walking Groups Juvenal Diabetes Research Foundation Walk back in April that raised $1320.00 for the charity.

Deborah has a beautiful home in Valrico and she is a wonderful cook and a great hostess. Everyone had a wonderful time. We were all so pleased that Liane joined us after she finished her 8:00 AM Weight Watcher meeting was over. "Betty the Banker (aka Cash Cow), was opened after Brunch and her money was counted. It was difficult for Betty to give up the money. The bills got caught in the her hole and quarters got stuck in her hallow hooves. We persevered and were able to get all of the money out. Our quarters and dollars added up to almost $90.00. We are well on our way to a great 2008 Party.

I do know for Tony and I the Nameless Walking Group walks has helped us in our efforts to maintain our weight, since we are Weight Watcher Life Time Members. To us the most important aspect of our membership in the Nameless Walking Group is the support the group gives us in our efforts to live a health lifestyle. The friendships we have developed from the group have truly enriched our lives. It is seeing and talking to our friends when we walk that makes the Nameless Walking Group an important part of our lives.

Liane has asked that we do a little writeup about the group for her to submit to the Weight Watcher editors for consideration for publication. Gary, The Nameless Walking Group's leader, is working on the a 400 word essay about the group, our walking, weight loss, and fund raising successes.
I keep track of the miles but have not logged weight loss. Please, if you have had weight losses since you have joined the Nameless Walking Group please e-mail Gary at gablack05@gmail.com, he will need these figures for his essay, as soon as possible. You can look at your Weight Watcher Membership Books. The Group's first walk was November 17th, 2007. Gary should have the essay finished by Saturday, June 21st.

The JDRF Walk was the Group's second Charity Event. Back in March we did the "Run for Your Life" Cancer Run/Walk in Valrico. Our next Charity Event will be the Susan G Koman 5K(3.1 miles) Race for the Cure at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, FL on October 4th, 2008. We hope there is enough interest in this event that we could possibly order new Nameless Walking Group T-shirts. There will be more information about this event later in the summer, but save the date and mark your calendars now.

Walkers June 14 2008

From: Mary

Saturday June 14th 7:15 AM Parkway Trail Mileage Update
Mary M. - 3.1 miles
Marie - 3.1 miles ( Still Perfect Attendance)
Julie -.6 mile (Still Perfect Attendance)
Bonnie P. - .6 miles
Bob - 3.1 miles
Gary - 3.1 miles
Tony - 3.1 miles
Pam - 3.1 miles
Bonnie F. - 2 miles

Total = 21.8 miles

Year-to-Date Total = 1389.8

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 618.2 miles


Our walk on Saturday, June 14 began as usual at 7:15 AM. It was around 75 degrees when we started. We all remarked that there was a noticeable reduction in the litter on the grounds around the paved trail. The Ponds were very low and so all the trash that is in them is now visible.There were no sightings on the surface of the ponds of the fish frenzies. Bonnie P. thinks that the fish are some type of cat fish. Bonnie got some good pictures of the Osprey. Gary had hustle to catchup with the lead group, since he was just getting back from taking his brother to the airport. We did see some bunnies and Pam, Marie and Mary saw a little animal that looked like a rat. The little Morehen birds were there and an over protective mother chased us and a passing jogger down the trail away from her babies. The same jogger took a picture of the group, so Tony was in the picture at the finish.

Trail Clean-up Day on Saturday, June 21st

We have been authorized by Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority to pick up litter along the Brandon Parkway Trail on our Saturday, June 21st walk. No one in the group has to participate in this effort unless they want to. This is strictly volunteer. You can walk on the 21st just like you always do or you can take part in the clean-up effort.I will send out an e-mail next week with our plan for the the Clean Up and the Expressway Authority's rules. We are scheduled to have a representative of the Expressway Authority to meet us at 7:15 AM at the parking lot before we begin the clean up efforts on the 21st.

June 11 2008 Walkers

From: Mary

Since I last updated the mileage we have accumulated another 48.5 miles. That brings our Year-to-Date Total to 1368.0 miles . We only have 640 Miles to go to make our goal of "2008 Miles in 2008". We are am amazing group of dedicated walkers!

Our walk on Wednesday, June 11th, was a little different than usual. The attendees were Mary M., Bonnie P., Deborah, Lori and little Tristan in his stroller, Bob, Tony, Luis with his iPod and no hat, and Gary. Gary was a little late but joined us at the second parking lot ramp. The sky was filled with rain clouds as we started out it on our walk. It was amazing that everyone got back before the down pour started. Bonnie, Mary and Deborah strolled to the round about and Bonnie got some great pictures of the Osprey at the corner of the Parkway and Lakewood. Then they quickened the pace on the way back in case the clouds opened up. The wind picked up so we knew the rain was not far behind. The rest of the gang went to Route 60 and back before the sprinkles started. Luis was going to walk home (20 minutes down Lumsden), but Mary was able to convince him he should accept ride from her and Tony since it wasn't out of their way to drop him off and otherwise he would get really soaked. Just we were getting to our cars it started raining a lot harder. Louis was very appreciative of the ride. Bonnie and Deborah had not had dinner, so they went out to get something to eat after the walk.

Walkers June 4 2008

We are over 1,300 Miles!!!!!!

On the Wednesday, June 4th evening walk last night we saw 2 of the "unidentified wildlife forms in the pond". Tony got great video. The consensus from Mary. Tony, Gary, Bob and Christine is that it is multiple fish in some type of eating frenzy. We ave no clue on what type of fish they are. The investigation will continue to identify what type of fish they are. We also saw a nutria that might be Suzie. It was big and from a distance Christine thought it might be a rabbit, but as we got nearer and saw how big it was we realized it was a nutria. Tony got pictures of it, too. We were sorry that Marie and Bonnie P. weren't with us to see these wildlife sightings first hand.

There there were 6 of us walking. There women and 3 men. Luis called Bob and said he was afraid that it might rain so he, Cherry and Yuisa would not be joining us. It did not rain and it was pretty warm. We were all sweating by the end of the walk. Lori, who works with Christine joined us for the walk. She is a speedy walker, so she was way out in front of the rest of us and had to wait for us at the finish. Lori also missed seeing the Pond Monsters and Suzie or her look alike.

Mary and Tony will be in Manhattan for the weekend. Bob and Gary should be at the Saturday walk. Betty (the Cash Cow ) will not be there, but she will be around for donations on Saturday, June 14th.

Please be sure to let me know about what Saturday (June 21st or June 28th) is best for our "Nameless Walking Group Cleans up Brandon Parkway Trail Day".


Mileage update as of Thursday June 5th-

Wednesday June 4th 2:30 PM Mall Walk - 3 laps
Bonnie F. - 3.1 miles
Mary M.- 3.1 miles

Wednesday June 4th 6:45 PM on the Parkway Trail - Brandon Blvd. and back
Bob - 3.1 miles
Gary- 3.1 miles
Loris - 3.1 miles
Christine - 3.1 miles
Mary M. - 3.1 miles
Tony - 3.1 miles

Grand Total = 27.6 miles

Year-to-Date Total = 1319.5

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 688.5 miles

May 31 2008 Walkers

There were no sightings of the "Pond Monster" on our morning walk on Saturday May 31st. The baby Morehen birds are getting bigger. We saw a lady throwing the little birds bread to eat. We saw a couple of the bunnies, but not much other wildlife. The grounds from the Trail start to the round about look much better than usual. There was still litter in the ponds but the grounds were pretty clean. The new trash can by the trail start is helping. However, from the round about to Brandon Blvd. that was a different story. There was obvious trash thrown from cars on the sidewalk and the street along Lakewood Ave. I assume it was some of our younger generation doing it, since it was McDonald's meal bags and drink cups.

Dale and Banjo were late, but did walk to the round about and back. Keith, Val, Deborah and Pam were at the Weight Watcher meeting., but did not join us to walk. Bob and Gary had to do stuff at home and didn't make it to walk. Bonnie P. is still in the Dominican Republic. We have not seen Cindy or any of her gang since Timothy was born. Next Saturday Mary and Tony will be in Manhattan.

Mileage update -

Saturday May 31st 7:15 AM Walk
Bonnie F. - 3.1 miles
Marie - 3.1 miles
Mary M.- 3.1 miles
Pat - 1.4 miles
Faith - 1.4 miles
Julie -.6 mile
Mary D. - .6 mile
Susan -3.1 miles
Dale - 2.miles
Tony - 3.1 miles

Grand Total = 21.5 miles

Year-to-Date Total = 1291.9

Miles to go to hit "2008 miles in 2008" - 716.1 miles