RobbieTunes

Wilmington is something like 4,120 miles from Barstow, CA, via I-40, which runs all the way. The Wilmington area is known for wanting tourist money but being rather hostile to tourists who do not have ample money. And racist a long way back. There was a riot there a long time ago. The very left NPR station there, WUNC, focuses on it over and over, as if it was just yesterday. But I still listened.

The most exclusive comunity there is Landfall, or it was when it declined Michael Jordan. Couldn't have him golfing there with his friends, you understand.

The beaches are owned by the citizens of NC, but the parking is not. As such, you have to walk forever to get to the beach, and the parking they do have is metered.

People are hit fairly often trying to cross over the final street. Laid back, it ain't. It's the rich's way of, you know, keeping the public off of the public beaches.

Not far away is the island where John Edwards and Al Gore live, which has a public beach, but accessible only by boat. Surfers paddle over there and then smoke and drink on the beach. Drives the rich residents nuts, and they often call the cops to report surfers on "their" beach." That never makes the news, but its a good human interest story.

The area has a history of mismanaging events, going back to the early triathlons, which had the swim events in the harbor, reeking of diesel. Probably why they can't get a decent golf tournament.

One marathon ended "near" a mall entrance canopy, only someone forgot to tell the mall...we weaved our way through the parking lot, and many arguments ensued as to who actually won.

One marathon scheduled to be to the beach and back was instead run with 4 laps around Greenfield Lake, in the dark, due to gale warnings. 36 degrees and rain, and when I stopped after 3 laps, I was one of 5 left, though I have no idea where they were, not having seen anyone all day.

A 10k was no different, from a registration area with no bathrooms, to no water on the course.

In another, I was leading by a wide margin when the lead patrol car pulled over and said he was lost. I looked back to see half the field turning L and half turning R, about 2-3 blocks back. Though I'd led at the 5k point by a good 100 yards in about 15:30, the winner was declared with a 10k time of 25:something (world record!). When I asked him about it, he said "that's what you get for not knowing the course." I reached down and took his trophy and gave it to a little kid. He said not a word.

I won a race there and one of the awards was a free condo the next year for the weekend. Alas, it had no AC, in July, the next year.

The battleship is the USS North Carolina, and on the Ironman-distance tri, you run from it and to it. That event has had its share of fiascos.

On the other hand, two of the most unique trophies I've won were a driftwood pelican sculpture and a smoked glass sculpture from the same event, the Seaside Shuffle.

A good race was the Tri-span 10k, across the 3 bridges that span the Cape Fear Ruver. I had chest pains on that, the week before my heart attack. Fittingly, we retired to Burrito Bob's , where the AC was out, so Margaritas were $5/pitcher . I ended up at a woman's house, only to be driven out in the wee hours by her parrot.

I doubt I'd race there if you paid me to show up.

There is an alligator in a pond there near Carolina Beach. A lady didn't believe it, and it ate her dog.

There you go, Pat.