Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2014

One of the benefits of living in DC is taking advantage of days like today.  I had never been to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial since it was erected.

What better day to visit for the first time than on his birthday.  I went after work and snapped some pics.  Luckily, my timing was perfect as I got there just at sunset.

Alabama race day

1:42 to start the year.  I'll take it.

The morning started sunny in the upper 40s.  It was a flat course and I felt good in the end.  My next race is in six weeks in Oxford, Mississippi so I'll be working to get back down into the 1:30s.

More to come soon.

Alabama weekend

I wish I could say my 2014 race calendar kicked off on a high note but it was anything but that.  I flew out early yesterday morning (Friday) and prior to boarding did something I normally don't do.  I volunteered to check in my carry on to make for more overhead room.  They were asking so I said why not.  Big mistake.

The airline of course lost my bag.  I was first told it would arrive at my hotel Saturday afternoon.  I made it abundantly clear as "nicely" as possible that I needed my bag delivered Friday evening.  In an effort to ensure I did not miss its delivery, I twice informed the hotel front desk to call me on my mobile.  My bag finally arrived at 11:30 pm.  Do you think anyone called me?  Nope.

It sat at the front desk for two hours until I finally called at 1:30 am.  I of course had to go down and pick it up.  None of this is the end of the world by any means, but for someone who has pretty good travel luck ... this was pretty bad.

Today I picked up my bib and did a little walking tour of Mobile.  It was 67 and sunny here.  That's pretty crazy considering two days ago I was braving record cold in DC where the high - yes the high - was 0.

Tomorrow is race day.  Let's see if I can keep my time in the 1:30s.  More pics to come.

Dauphin Street

Spot of Tea for breakfast

Bienville Square

No comment

Expo

Mobile Spanish Plaza

A little Confederate history

Oakleigh House

Classic Southern architecture reflecting an antebellum lifestyle

I like historical cemeteries

Creator and first inhabitant of the Oakleigh House from above

I failed to investigate who this was but did you know Mardis Gras began in Mobile and not New Orleans?

Ribs, collard greens, field peas, mash potatoes, and corn bread ... heaven