Bill and Cathy McArthur on the Road 2010: 1

  This is the first report of our winter travels for 2010. Friday, January 1 found us leaving Katie and Tom's home in Chapel Hill, NC to head back to Rock Creek RV Resort in Naples, FL. See "Happy Holidays 2009" to see what events preceded this departure. We awoke at 6:00 AM and got our breakfasts. Then Bill finished packing the car and windexing windows. By 7:10 AM, only Rachel had made the scene in the kitchen, so we gave her something to eat and drink, wrote a thank you and good bye note and left at 7:20 AM. We drove back roads amid light traffic until we arrived at I95 at South of the Border. For the rest of the day, traffic was moderate to heavy. We encountered rain for a few hours in South Carolina and Georgia, but managed to make very good time. We stopped at the same exit near Savannah where we stayed on the way north. We ate from the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday's. We listened to the Penn State/LSU game in the Citrus Bowl. The game went back and forth, but Penn State prevailed. We talked to Son Bill after the game, as we neared our motel for the night, Sleep Inn in Ocala. We arrived at about 5:00 PM. We set up our laptops and Bill took a shower. We went to Carrabbas for dinner. After we got back, we finished watching the Rose Bowl and started on the Sugar Bowl.

  Saturday started with a crowded breakfast at our motel. The meal was very mediocre and Bill could only down one small cup of the lousy coffee. We were on the road by sunrise and had basically light traffic on I75. We arrived back at Rock Creek at 10:45 AM. Bill went to the office to check-in and pick up a couple of packages. We received a nice gift of coffee from around the world from Don and Bern Ernakovich. We went to lunch at Grouper and Chips and enjoyed the very fresh grouper there. We went to Starbucks and Publix to replenish our stores and headed back to the RV. Cathy did a massive laundry session. Bill went out on a very easy medley workout: 5K bike, 5K walk, 5K bike, 5K walk. Cathy went to the bridge. Bill cooked his quinoa dinner and grilled a chicken breast for Cathy. We viewed a pretty good action movie, "Eagle Eye" and then watched the first half of the Alamo Bowl on DVR. We ran the heater for a few hours before heading to bed around 11:00 PM. We were both still coughing.

  Sunday morning, we slept in until 7:10 AM. For the second day, we didn't get our Naples Daily News, so Bill emailed customer service after breakfast. We kept the heat on as the temperature stayed in the 40s most of the morning. Bill solved the Sunday Times crossword in his usual workmanlike way. It took a couple of hard hours. After lunch, we drove to the Regal 20 theaters and saw a very good "Up in the Air". The story line and acting were interesting and realistic. We stopped at Target for a cappuccino and some items on the way back to the RV. We turned the heat back on and stayed inside the rest of the afternoon. We watched the Eagles/Cowboys football game, which the Eagles lost 27-0. We watched our newly purchased "Vicki Christina Barcelona" - a very humorous, near chick flick with a great cast and a very meaningful setting. We ran the heat all night due to the cold wave.

  Monday started out at 40 degrees. Bill had planned a medley workout and had mixed Cytomax and set out multiple layers of clothing so he could get an early start. After breakfast, Bill did the Times puzzle and the Naples Daily News puzzle. Then he got dressed and did situps and pushups inside of the RV. Around 8:10 AM, Bill set out on his bike with 3 layers up top (Oneil antichaff shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, fleece), 3 layers on the bottom (tights, skins, running shorts), a wool cap, and gloves. As the workout progressed, Bill got rid of layers and items until, at the last running leg, he was down to one layer up top with no hat and no gloves. Here are the statistics for Bill's workout:

10K bike (11.4 mph), 5K run (9:07 min/mi), 10K bike (11.0 mph), 5K run (8:57 min/mi), 10K bike (11.3 mph), 5K run (8:56 min/mi). 9th mile was fastest @ 8:43 min/mi.

Bill had intended to go to the gym for a 1:00 PM yoga class, but decided that it was at the wrong time of day. After lunch, we hung around the RV with the heat on. Bill did another crossword puzzle. He also researched running tights and decided to order a pair of CW-X Stabilyx Tights. He had been happy with the way his legs felt during the medley workout with his old tights and skin shorts and decided that good running tights would be a great training and recovery help. We enjoyed a quiche dinner and viewed "Nobel Son" - a black comedy with several plot twists.

  Tuesday morning was in the 40s again and windy. Cathy went to her exercise class. Bill did a couple of crossword puzzles and then revised the Coombs/Douglass brochure and emailed Joe and Zack to ask for corrections or comments. Then, Bill worked on putting 2010 races in Naples and South Jersey into CapeMayBeach.com. When Cathy returned from class, we drove to the Naples Botanical Garden. We hadn't been there for a couple of years and were amazed at the improvements. We did some walking around and talking with some of the many volunteers. It was chilly and windy, but the sun felt good. We headed back to the RV for lunch. After lunch, Bill donned his wetsuit and headed out for a pure paddle. The north wind was strong, but the occasional rays of sunlight were warming. Bill paddled down to Gordon Pass on the west side of Naples Bay. The trip was a great workout that went for 10.7 miles and 3 hours. Bill was chilly when he got back. Cathy was taking a step class at the gym, but had put on the heat and the hot water heater. Bill took a long hot shower. We dressed warmly and headed out for dinner. Bonefish Grill was busier that we had ever seen it, so we ate at Sushi Thai Too, where Bill ordered everything "hot" to help him warm up. When we returned, we viewed "Code 46" which Bill liked and Cathy thought was boring.

  Wednesday was another chilly and windy day. There was ice on the windshield of the XTerra as the temperature dipped to 36 degrees. Cathy went to her exercise class. Bill did a couple of crossword puzzles. We went to Starbucks and Publix for some shopping. After lunch, Bill left on the bike and rode to the beach at 15th Avenue South. He spent two hours walking on the beach with hiking poles. The north wind was strong and cold. There were few people on the beach and almost none on the fishing pier. Bill stopped at Bad Ass Coffee on the ride back. We left around 5:00 PM for the fitness center with a stop at the library to return a book. Cathy did a step class and part of a Zumba class. Bill did a yoga class and then enjoyed a long hot shower. Our heater in the RV was on almost constantly as we suffered through the cold weather. We viewed a very stupid Nick Cage movie, "Bangkok Dangerous".

  Thursday was slightly warmer, but still felt chilly enough. Cathy went to her exercise class. Bill got ready, donned his new running tights, and did a medley workout: 10K bike (12.3 mph), 5K run (8:40 min/mi), 10K bike (12.2 mph), 5K run (9:02 min/mi), 10K bike (12.1 mph), 5K run (8:59 min/mi), 10K bike (11.7 mph). He was tired afterward. Cathy had done laundry, so Bill carried the laundry basket and clothes back to the RV. After Bill did some stretching, we had lunch. The temperature reached a sunny 62 degrees, but it still felt cool to us. We left at 4:00 PM to go to the fitness center. Cathy had a 4:30 PM step class. Bill took a quick shower and then soaked in the whirlpool bath for 15 minutes. After another shower, Bill went to the lobby and waited to enter Room 1 with our two mats, which he set up near the side wall. Cathy came in after her class and we both did a strenuous Pilates class. Bill decided that he'd had enough for the day, so he didn't stay for the yoga class at 6:30 PM. Bill took a third shower and then we drove to Bonefish Grill, where we sat at the bar and had a good dinner. When we returned to the RV, we watched the first hour of the BCS Championship game of Alabama Overnight, it wasn't as cold, so we slept without the heater from 1:30 AM to 5:15 AM.

  Friday was one warmer day amid a train of cold waves. Cathy went to exercise class at the campground and later to a step class at the fitness center. Bill got organized early and was on the water in his kayak by 8:30 AM, wearing his shortie wet suit. Bill's goal was a three hour endurance paddle. The morning was beautiful, except for the cool air. Bill headed down the very calm Naples Bay on the west shore and headed in to the lagoon in Port Royal. Bill paddled the three arms of the lagoon and enjoyed looking at the opulent homes and boats in there. By the time Bill got back around 11:30 AM, the south wind had started. Bill took a shower and then we ate lunch outside for the first time in many days, basking in the warm sun. After lunch, we walked to Starbucks on 5th Avenue. We each used a warm layer to put on and take off as the sun dodged in and out of the clouds. By the time we got back, it was totally cloudy and cooler. Bill cooked his quinoa meal and grilled chicken in the rain for Cathy. We viewed "Finding Forrester", the kind of film that Hollywood has forgotten how to make. Bill had seen it before, but it was Cathy's first viewing.

  Saturday was a cold, rainy day. We decided that a long movie would be the best thing to do. After an early lunch, we drove to the Regal theaters and saw "Avatar" - Bill's second time. We had ordered our tickets online in the morning and had an easy time picking them up from the kiosk in the theater complex. Cathy enjoyed the movie and Bill enjoyed it again. We stopped at Target (for Starbucks) and Publix on the way back. We watched NFL football during the rest of the afternoon. During dinner, we watched "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" - no mystery about why we had never heard of it. We watched the first half of the second NFL game before calling it a night.

  Sunday morning set records for coldness. Bill wanted to do a "Half Medley" workout, but the 35 degree temperature, the cold north wind, and the cloudy sky made it hard to want to leave the RV for any reason. Bill worked on the Sunday Times xword puzzle and struggled to get it finished with 3 errors. By then, Bill decided to start his workout at 1:00 PM to try to get the warmest (least cold) part of the day for his training. After lunch, Bill put 5 layers on his top, running shorts and tights, two pairs of gloves, and a hat, and headed out on his bike. He had decided to leave his watch at home and just try to complete the workout. Each of the legs of the workout were 1/4 marathon length (approximately 6.6 miles). The two bike legs were very cold, the two running legs were sweaty and chilly at the same time. Bill's legs were very tired when he was finished. Bill stretched and elevated his legs outside and then took a long, hot shower. We went to Carrabbas for dinner and sat at the counter as usual. We met a couple from Toronto who had lost power in their RV park on Collier Boulevard. They anticipated staying in a hotel overnight. When we returned, we watched the VT/UNC basketball game that was attended by Katie and Tom. Bill wore his Skins shorts and leggings to help recover from his workout.

        Bill and Cathy