One more spin around the reservoir

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Central Park reservoir
If the Dawn Jogger had arranged it better, she could have arrived for the earthquake and stayed for the hurricane. But this trip will feature just a one natural disaster. It’s back to reality day, so important to take the last jog around the reservoir and through Central Park. Now off to museum before lunch. She’s not quite done with New York yet…

Posted in Dawn jogging, On the road | Tagged | Leave a comment

Lunch time stop with Richard Burton

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Richard Burton bench in Cental Park

Feeling the pull of the reservoir, the Dawn Jogger headed out to join the pre-work crowd for a spin around that body of water in Central Park, then back via 72nd, making it a decent if not great workout.

She took the obligatory photo from the top of the reservoir, as she’s done numerous times before. But it was a serendipitous lunch stop, that revealed yet another reason why she loves New York.

Picking up a couple of sandwiches at the Public Fare cafe near the Delacorte Theater, she and her walking companion climbed the steps up toward Belvedere Castle. They stopped at a bentwood bench on the Castle’s west side. Like many benches this one had a dedication placard. How many people get to have a picnic lunch with Phillip and Richard Burton…

Posted in Dawn jogging, On the road, Other life | Tagged | Leave a comment

Where she was about 1:51 EDT today

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Public art in 14th St. subway stationThe Dawn Jogger has been so many places today, she’s not sure exactly where she was when the “East Coast” earthquake hit. But she thinks she may have been taking a photo of the public art that is scattered around the 14th St. subway station. There are a couple a dozen whimsical bronze “people” at this station, quite a surprise when getting off the train.

She and her walking companion were on their way to the High Line, a fabulous elevated walkway that stretches for a little over a mile from 12th and Gansevoort to 30th and 10th Ave. When they emerged from the subway station, a guy with a video camera asked “Did you feel the quake?” Negative, and not really surprising, once she learned the facts that the 5.9 magnitude (a real jolt if truly local) was centered near Richmond, VA. To listen to the cell phone chatter along the High Line you would have thought the world was about to end.

Back to important things like the weather, which remains truly marvelous. Only sensible to take full advantage today. Walk around Central Park and the Central Park Zoo (she couldn’t help but think of the male DJ when she say the penguins). Lunch rootop (23rd floor) over looking midtown. Then down to the High Line. And tonight a Yankees game! 

Posted in On the road, Other life | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

10K kind of a morning filled with new and favorite sights

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Turtle Pond in Central Park

sailboats on the Hudson RiverThe Dawn Jogger decided to explore a new park at a walking pace this morning, heading over to Riverside Park, which runs along the Hudson River on the far west side of Manhattan from about 72nd to 125th St and beyond. To get there meant crossing Central Park past two of her favorites, Turtle Pond (pictured) and Belvedere Castle. She never ceases to be amazed at how many turtles there are in Turtle Pond, even though it makes sense.

She followed 81st St. to Riverside Dr. and took the steps down to the palisades walkway. There’s a boat harbor at this end, with most of the sailboats moored on a workday Monday. Walking along the West side is a great morning activity as it’s shady, and on this day, quite pleasant temperature wise.

She came back along 110th St. (always thinks of the Springsteen), entering Central Park again with a detour to The Wright, the Guggenheim’s restaurant. for lunch. Her route map registered six plus miles, a good outing. Planning dinner on the terrace tonight and wishing it was less breezy…

Posted in Dawn jogging, On the road | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Out with the dogs and the real runners

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

dog in Central Park

On a morning that the not-used-to-it Dawn Jogger found sticky, to say the least, she was rallied on her Central Park loop run by the hundreds (thousands?) who had turned out for a training run for the New York City marathon in October. As it appeared some of them were doing the six- mile loop three times, she figured she could manage it once. While she managed to pass one or two people, most went whizzing by here, some at near blinding speeds.

As it was before 9:00, the dogs were always having their day, so to speak. Tonight is supposed to bring “severe weather.” She remembers the night the DJs were in Ohio and the sky turned an ominous green, so will be on the lookout…

Posted in Dawn jogging, On the road | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Morning jaunt to the Brooklyn Bridge

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Brooklyn Bridge

The Dawn Jogger took advantage of “Summer Street” this morning, jogging from her digs to the Brooklyn Bridge, an accomplishment she was prouder of until she mapped it and found that it was only 5 1/2 miles – and sort of downhill at that. For four Saturdays in August, the city closes Park Ave all the way downtown, turning into Lafayette, then Centre until reaching the foot of the Bridge. She did it relatively early  – the streets are closed from 7 am to 1 pm – so it was fairly uncrowded and, with clear skies, not much humidity. As short as the distance was, it’s still fun to say, “jogged to the Brooklyn Bridge today”…

Posted in Dawn jogging, On the road | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Flip flop day = pm walk in the park

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

lake in Central Park August 2011

When the Dawn Jogger boarded her already three hour delayed flight yesterday, she was congratulated on flying 1,000,000 miles with United. That milestone did not help her get to NYC any faster. Instead a thunderstorm kept her and her fellow passengers in the air an extra two hours circling because JFK was closed, and she got into the city just before 11 pm.

All this to explain that with an early lunch date planned, there was no dawn jogging this morning but rather a lovely walk in the park just before sunset (which seems a lot early in NYC than the Bay Area). Tons of European tourists and families were out enjoying the nice summer weather in advance of yet another thunderstorm. Almost needed a traffic cop on the lake…

Posted in Dawn jogging, On the road | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A look inside the belly of the beast

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

A return of grey skies prompted the Dawn Jogger to abandon her plans for a Arastradero run (no golden hue of first blush possible) and she instead opted for the DJs traditional spin around the Stanford campus. She remains fascinated by the construction of the new performing arts center. Today, it was a peak inside the belly of the beast…

Posted in Dawn jogging | Leave a comment

Morning of neighborhood sights

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Playborhood house in Menlo Park

The Dawn Jogger selected the four-mile neighborhood route this morning and was greeted with changing scenes. About five years ago, a large house was constructed down the street from her but the front steps/wall were never completed. Better late than ever, the work is now in progress.

She also noticed that for the first time this year, there is no water flowing in San Francisquito Creek under the San Mateo bike/pedestrian bridge. Usually the creek dries up much earlier but June rain kept it filled.

The cheeriest sight was the decked out Playborhood front yard on Yale. Looks like some kids are having fun this summer…

Posted in Dawn jogging | Leave a comment

Got the sun in the morning and the moon, too

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Another cloudless morning showed off not only the sun’s rising but the moon’s setting. The Dawn Jogger has weathered so many foggy dawns this summer that she continues to be startled when it’s all clear. But it was all sparkling today when she did her Monday Big Dish up and over route. And so, so blue…

Posted in Dawn jogging | Tagged | Leave a comment