Mike and Paval's Excellent Adventure To The Knicks / Lakers Game On Friday February 11, 2011

Paval, with our host for the evening, Phil Weber, Assistant Coach, NY Knicks.

Amar'e Stoudemire powdering up to start the game!

Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant, (number 24 in the purple and gold shorts). was "in the zone" and poured in 19 points in the first quarter, finished with 33... and he didn't even play the 4th quarter. The seats were great. It was an EXCELLENT adventure but the Knicks were humbled by the defending world champs.  Enjoy the pictures -- they were taken with a regular Canon digital camera or an iPhone -- NO Giant Zooms!

We were so close, we were almost on the court during the game! By the way, how many times can you spot Spike Lee in the pictures above?

Paval and Mike with our "Family" Passes... how else did you think we got to walk on the Garden floor?

We even "hitched" a ride in a limo to get home to Huntington... but before the Limo Ride, we did get to say hello to  Walt "Clyde" Frazier at center court on the Garden Floor. We both shook his hand and thanked him for all the great basketball he had given us -- an EXCELLENT Adventure indeed!

Swim Sal Swim: Huntington Y Indoor Tri 2/6/2011

Huntington Y Indoor Tri: Instructions For the Swim Portion

Spinning at the Huntington Y Indoor Tri

Running at the Huntington Y Indoor Tri

Huntington Y Indoor Tri Swim Start Heat 5

Huntington Y: Indoor Tri 2011

Sunday, February 6, 2011: Some might remember this day as Super Bowl Sunday -- but in Huntington, NY a whole bunch of people will also remember it as the day of the Huntington Y Indoor Tri which has become an annual and fun event! 

Nothing like doing a Tri in the middle of one of the worst winters we've seen in years. What's more, even the weather outdoor had a spring feel to it which just added to the great mood. Congrats to all who participated and THANKS to all those who put it together and the volunteers who helped make it run so smoothly. Here are just a few pictures... more to come!

A Few Underwater Pictures From Bob's Latest Snorkel Excursion In Mexico

I always seem to enjoy warm-water pictures more in the middle of winter than any other time of the year. Thanks Bob -- the only thing that would have been better would have been to actually be there taking them myself! But this isn't too bad. Not too bad at all!

Rob's PINK Speedo: Maybe It's a Good Thing That the Picture Is Blurry

This picture is for those of you who have not been following the saga of Rob's Pink Speedo on Facebook -- and if this doesn't get you join us on Facebook, what will? (OK, Kids and Grandkids -- but a Pink Speedo -- that's gotta be worth something!). And as for exactly why the picture is blurry... it wasn't done on purpose... I put it down to amused camera shake! As to WHY Rob has a Pink Speedo? That's a question that only Rob can answer!

5 Degrees? 5 Degrees! I Want the Summer... I'll Settle For Spring!

Above is the "Official" Weather for Huntington, New York on Monday, January 24, 2011. At 7:56 AM it was 5 Degrees! Not exactly outdoor swimming weather but it certainly made the temperatures in both Y pools very welcome... like a quick Caribbean vacation. See you in the pool!

And don't forget to sign up for the INDOOR TRI. It's just TWO WEEKS AWAY -- on Sunday, February 6, 2011 at 8:00AM. All three events -- Swim, Bike, Run -- are completed indoors, using the pool, stationary bikes and treadmills to complete each event. For more information or to sign up, call the Huntington Y at 631-421-4242.

Blast From the Past: September 1997, John Daly One Mile Ocean Swim, Long Beach NY

Long before blogging or facebook, your's truly had a little digital camera that held all of 8 pictures -- and it was remarkable! The question is, did I actually have that camera when I took these pictures of the 1997, (or was it 1998), John Daly One Mile Ocean Swim in Long Beach, New York? If not that first digital camera, then where did these digital pictures come from?

Oh, I know where I found them -- they were on a treasure trove of old Memorex 2SHD, (two-sided, High Density), 1.44 MB Diskettes. The pictures are small. The pictures are grainy. But they're more than a dozen years old! To realize just how long ago that was in "computer years" you'd have to understand that in 1997 I would have needed to carry over 75,000 of these Floppy Disks with me just to start to come close to the memory on my cell phone in 2011! Be that as it may, enjoy this blast from the past! And better yet, it was SUMMERTIME and it was WARM enough for outdoor swimming!

A YouTube Video From Today's Swim (January 15, 2011)

Winter Outside... SUMMER Inside!

Saturday. January 15, 2011 at the Huntington Y:

"Oh the weather outside is frightful... but the pool is so delightful... and so long as we're going to swim (inside), let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

OK, so actually the weather today wasn't so frightful at all. In fact, it felt almost balmy walking out of the Y -- if you can call 25 degrees balmy. But with no wind and a bright blue sky overhead, it really didn't feel bad at all. Looking at the mounds of snow everywhere... well, that's an entirely different issue! So my feeling is that one "snow-filled" picture (above) is more than enough. Let your eyes wander down to pictures from Norton Pool -- like a little time machine to Summer!

Margot, Don, Paul and Sal line up in swim-speed order. 

What are Harry and Margot so happy about? I'm guessing it's because the workout has been over for about 20 minutes already and this is just "cool down" and "fun swim" time. In my book, the yardage still counts!

Joe makes sure to stay hydrated. 

 The water was so warm and blue, Sal thought he was in Hawaii!

Ahh, a boy and his kickboard!

First Sunday Swim in 2011 (January 2nd, 2011)

Sorry for the poor quality of the photo but the window in the hallway that looks in on the pool is not exactly crystal clear. And, with a cell-phone camera from that distance... Oh, and about the action OR lack of it, (lots of standing, sitting and gabbing) -- the workout was pretty much over by this time with most swimmers logging 3,000 or MORE yards (Paul was probably pushing 5,000 yards) -- OK for a Sunday morning after the big New Year's celebrations. 

Christmas Eve 2010: Last Minute Shopping OR Last Minute Swimming... Which Would Be More Popular?

Well, I'm gonna have to say that it looks fairly obvious that virtually ALL Huntington area swimmers were extremely efficient in their Christmas Shopping this year! 


December 24, 2010 turned out to be one of the biggest swim turn-out days we've had in a LONG, long time! The group pictured below is but a fraction of the swimmers who graced Norton Pool with their presence this morning, (I suppose because they had taken care of all their "presents" well before Christmas Eve Morn). 


The Christmas Eve Swim started at 5:30AM and was still going strong, (although with longer "chat" breaks), when I shot these pictures around 8:20AM! A few potential swimmers, who will remain nameless, on peering in the windows at the pool and seeing the crowd, turned around and headed for home -- perhaps for some last-minute shopping! 


So, non-swimming spouses and significant others who are reading this and seeing the smiles on the faces of the swimmers below can rest easy that all the last-minute shopping has already been done -- for who among us would put swimming ahead of Christmas shopping? Merry Christmas to All

A Saturday Morning Swim Winds Down

This iPhone photo was taken Saturday, December 18, 2010 looking thru the water-splattered window of the hallway door just outside the lifeguard office. Not too many swimmers left... and those that are still in the pool seem to be doing more talking than swimming!

Morning Workout? Should You Eat Breakfast BEFORE or AFTER Exercise?

The Benefits of Exercising Before Breakfast
Click the link above to go to the New York Times 12/15/2010 news story.

Cold Weather Cure 2: Open Water Swim "Art" From West Neck Beach

Can't you just feel the warm Summer sun on your shoulders? 

Cold Weather Cure -- Open Water Summer Swim Pictures (Brooklyn Bridge)

If I was an artist, above is how I'd like to paint the "Pre-Race Instructions". 

Above: Swimming under the Brooklyn Bridge and past the Coast Guard Cutter.

Below: The first wave lines up, ready to start the race.

Editors Note: Photoshop is a lot faster than actually doing the painting!

Christmas Brunch 2010 Edition: Best Ever?

Some people say that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is the "kick-off" to the Christmas Holiday Season. Some say that its the lighting of the tree in Rockefeller Center. (Some stores seem to think that the Christmas Season starts right after Labor Day!) But for the last 25 years or so, if you were a Huntington area Swimmer, (or married to one!), the REAL "kick-off" to the Christmas Holiday Season was, is and hopefully always will be the Annual Swimmer's Christmas Brunch.


Was 2010 the Best One Ever? Based on turn-out and calories consumed, maybe it was. 

Plates were piled high and many went back for seconds... some for thirds!

Carole is the artist... and she, along with everyone else, enjoyed how the light shone through on her original stained-glass "To The Sailboat And Beyond" work of art.

Before the food and during the drinks, there was a lot of ernest conversations going on. Some of us get together nearly every day but for many others, the brunch is a great time to get caught up in what has been happening with friends not seen on a daily basis. Facebook is good but it's no substitute for "face-to-face"!

And sometimes, the "Fast" Lane and the "Slow" Lane never get to talk to one another... but at a brunch, swim speed is never an issue -- talk is king! And, if we didn't have these occasional "out-of-the-water" get-togethers, when would we ever get to use the ever popular "I didn't recognize you with your clothes on" line!

Y Parking Lot Is Open For Business... Including the Jackson Avenue Entrance!

Mark this day well -- Friday, December 3, 2010 -- the day that the new upper parking lot was opened and we were able to park in peace. So, Bring on your rain. Bring on your snow. We won't be walking through mud, mush and gravel -- we've got ASPHALT!

Happy days are here again. And, oh yeah, I can stop taking pictures of construction and concentrate on parties and swimming! See you in the pool... and Sunday at Black & Blue Restaurant for our annual Swimmer's Brunch (a yearly tradition since the 1980's!).

Asphalt is DOWN -- Jackson Ave. Entrance Gate Is Still UP!

It's true. As of 8AM Thursday, December 2, 2010 the asphalt in the Huntington Y parking lot(s) and driveways was totally down and looking good. I guess we're lucky that it didn't all wash away in yesterday's rain! Though cars still couldn't get in via Jackson Ave, pedestrian traffic was "clean & green" walking into the Y from Jackson Ave on our nice, new sidewalks! Sunshine is supposed to rule the weather for the next few days so we should be parking in style real soon. We can't wait!