Sunday, March 21, 2004
Battan Memorial Death March
Today my son Jared completed the 26.2 mile Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. It was dusty and sandy in the southern New Mexico desert, and hot once the sun came up. He has never walked that far before, but he is in good shape.
In the spring of 1942, thousands of American and Philipino prisoners of war died in a days-long forced march through hot Philippine jungles. The Bataan Memorial Death March is to remember that event, 62 years ago. Jared learned about the memorial march in a magazine article and decided to go.
It took him 8 hours to complete the march, an average time for most participants. There was one uphill stretch that is several miles long and it really took it out of the participants. By then the sun was up and it was getting warm. The route doubles back on itself. At one point, Jared was about 8 miles and 2 hours into the walk when some people started going by the other direction that had already covered 20 miles in the same 2 hours. Some of them had 50 plus marathons to their credit, one in each state. A few had completed at least 3 marathons in each of the 50 states.
One of the real challenges is that part of the route is sandy, like walking or running on a sandy beach - very tiring. For true marathoners, times are slower than on a more usual course. Most people in the event were there to walk however. Many of the military who participate in the march carry small or heavy packs to remember their comrades of 60 plus years ago. Everyone was pretty well worn out by the end.
One of the highlights for Jared was meeting several survivors of the original Bataan Death March. About 10 showed up for the event today. They lined up at the end of the course and greeted every one of the participants who finished.
It is interesting how a magazine article triggered an idea that ended up with my son driving two days to walk 26 miles in the desert - and glad he did it. Now he will drive two days to get back to work.
You can find Jared here (Place: 854, Number 2232). Over 3100 started the march/walk/race.
Read more about the memorial march here.
What interesting idea is floating around in the back of your head? Why not go for it?
Today my son Jared completed the 26.2 mile Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. It was dusty and sandy in the southern New Mexico desert, and hot once the sun came up. He has never walked that far before, but he is in good shape.
In the spring of 1942, thousands of American and Philipino prisoners of war died in a days-long forced march through hot Philippine jungles. The Bataan Memorial Death March is to remember that event, 62 years ago. Jared learned about the memorial march in a magazine article and decided to go.
It took him 8 hours to complete the march, an average time for most participants. There was one uphill stretch that is several miles long and it really took it out of the participants. By then the sun was up and it was getting warm. The route doubles back on itself. At one point, Jared was about 8 miles and 2 hours into the walk when some people started going by the other direction that had already covered 20 miles in the same 2 hours. Some of them had 50 plus marathons to their credit, one in each state. A few had completed at least 3 marathons in each of the 50 states.
One of the real challenges is that part of the route is sandy, like walking or running on a sandy beach - very tiring. For true marathoners, times are slower than on a more usual course. Most people in the event were there to walk however. Many of the military who participate in the march carry small or heavy packs to remember their comrades of 60 plus years ago. Everyone was pretty well worn out by the end.
One of the highlights for Jared was meeting several survivors of the original Bataan Death March. About 10 showed up for the event today. They lined up at the end of the course and greeted every one of the participants who finished.
It is interesting how a magazine article triggered an idea that ended up with my son driving two days to walk 26 miles in the desert - and glad he did it. Now he will drive two days to get back to work.
You can find Jared here (Place: 854, Number 2232). Over 3100 started the march/walk/race.
Read more about the memorial march here.
What interesting idea is floating around in the back of your head? Why not go for it?
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
IN MEMORIAM
Captain John "Hans" Kurth and his son John Aleksander
Saturday, March 13, Captain Kurth was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Tikrit, Iraq. Also killed was Kurth's driver, Spc. Jason Ford.
Capt. Kurth was one of my son's friends. They were at West Point together and graduated in 1995. More recently they were stationed together in Schweinfurt, Germany, and they both served in Kosovo.
Capt. Kurth had been in Iraq less than a month. You can read more here and here and here.
Let us remember the families and friends in our prayers.
Photo by Steve Liewer/S&S. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Sinclair, and Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Pallister salute two fallen comrades from their unit: Capt. John “Hans” Kurth, 31, and his driver, Spc. Jason Ford, 21. They were killed early Saturday as they patrolled in Tikrit.
Captain John "Hans" Kurth and his son John Aleksander
Saturday, March 13, Captain Kurth was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Tikrit, Iraq. Also killed was Kurth's driver, Spc. Jason Ford.
Capt. Kurth was one of my son's friends. They were at West Point together and graduated in 1995. More recently they were stationed together in Schweinfurt, Germany, and they both served in Kosovo.
Capt. Kurth had been in Iraq less than a month. You can read more here and here and here.
Let us remember the families and friends in our prayers.
Photo by Steve Liewer/S&S. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Sinclair, and Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Pallister salute two fallen comrades from their unit: Capt. John “Hans” Kurth, 31, and his driver, Spc. Jason Ford, 21. They were killed early Saturday as they patrolled in Tikrit.
Friday, March 05, 2004
Zoo Quotes
A keeper was filling a black rhino's water tank with a hose from safely behind bars. The rhino was snorting, pawing dirt, and bluff charging the keeper. A young boy said, "That is the coolest animal ever." The same boy moments later: "I bet it is as big as a T-rex."
Man to a girl riding on his shoulders, "Megan, you ARE getting HEAVIER."
A girl to her mother: "Mom, the gorilla slapped the glass window and everyone jumped back except me." I didn't understand the true significance of this quote until a few minutes later. A big silverback gorilla watched more and more people gather against a large plate glass window at an observation area. Lots of people were pressed up against the glass with cameras or carrying small children. When the window was packed with people, the silverback ran across the enclosure, jumped and grabbed a rope and swung toward the window. He let go of the rope and went splat against the window with his whole body as he slapped the glass with open paws. The startled and somewhat frightened crowd jumped back as the whole window shook. I don't know how gorillas think, but I think he looked pleased. I watched for a while, a new crowd gathered and he repeated the performance. Out of sight and from several exhibits away, we again heard that distinctive slap and the squeals of the crowd and we knew he had done it again.
At the lion exhibit, a small girl said, "Mommy is that Simba?" And the mother said "Maybe it is Scar." The girl didn't like that, so that mother said "It is probably Simba."
At one of the primate exhibits "Mommy, I just saw a monkey butt."
At another primate exhibit the species on display had irridescent pastel blue and pink colored bottoms. A young boy said: "What's up with that?"
Small child watching two animals mating. "Daddy, what are they doing?" . . . . . . No answer from the father.
Several times from lots of children: "I'm hungry."
One of my favorite quotes of the day from a small youngster: "Why did God make it look like that?"
A keeper was filling a black rhino's water tank with a hose from safely behind bars. The rhino was snorting, pawing dirt, and bluff charging the keeper. A young boy said, "That is the coolest animal ever." The same boy moments later: "I bet it is as big as a T-rex."
Man to a girl riding on his shoulders, "Megan, you ARE getting HEAVIER."
A girl to her mother: "Mom, the gorilla slapped the glass window and everyone jumped back except me." I didn't understand the true significance of this quote until a few minutes later. A big silverback gorilla watched more and more people gather against a large plate glass window at an observation area. Lots of people were pressed up against the glass with cameras or carrying small children. When the window was packed with people, the silverback ran across the enclosure, jumped and grabbed a rope and swung toward the window. He let go of the rope and went splat against the window with his whole body as he slapped the glass with open paws. The startled and somewhat frightened crowd jumped back as the whole window shook. I don't know how gorillas think, but I think he looked pleased. I watched for a while, a new crowd gathered and he repeated the performance. Out of sight and from several exhibits away, we again heard that distinctive slap and the squeals of the crowd and we knew he had done it again.
At the lion exhibit, a small girl said, "Mommy is that Simba?" And the mother said "Maybe it is Scar." The girl didn't like that, so that mother said "It is probably Simba."
At one of the primate exhibits "Mommy, I just saw a monkey butt."
At another primate exhibit the species on display had irridescent pastel blue and pink colored bottoms. A young boy said: "What's up with that?"
Small child watching two animals mating. "Daddy, what are they doing?" . . . . . . No answer from the father.
Several times from lots of children: "I'm hungry."
One of my favorite quotes of the day from a small youngster: "Why did God make it look like that?"
Monday, March 01, 2004
LOTR: 11 Oscars
Lord of the Rings picked up 11 Oscars at the Academy Awards last night. Quite an impressive showing. Even if the LOTR trilogy didn't pick up any Oscars, you should see the movies anyway. I am not a movie critic, but I do recognize the telling of a great story in an epic style. As a child of the 60's, I was entranced by Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia and 2001. These movies do the best job of strutting their stuff on the widescreen - the bigger the better, and with the best sound systems.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is no exception. Buy or rent the first two movies and head for whatever friend has the best home movie system and enjoy (not on the same night - they are long). Then go to the theatre and catch the third movie. Like many others, I thought the Return of the King had too many endings (you think the movie has reached its grand finale - and what's this?! - another grand finale), but it is still epic story telling at its best.
The evocative power in this series comes from J.R.R. Tolkien's wonderful set of novels. They are filled with vivid imagery and life images, flavored by Tolkein's religious and moral concerns. Peter Jackson and company spent 7 or more years bringing them to life in a way that is both faithful to Tolkien's books and a stunning cinematic tour-de-force.
You can learn more about Tolkien from the Tolkien Society.
Lord of the Rings picked up 11 Oscars at the Academy Awards last night. Quite an impressive showing. Even if the LOTR trilogy didn't pick up any Oscars, you should see the movies anyway. I am not a movie critic, but I do recognize the telling of a great story in an epic style. As a child of the 60's, I was entranced by Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia and 2001. These movies do the best job of strutting their stuff on the widescreen - the bigger the better, and with the best sound systems.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is no exception. Buy or rent the first two movies and head for whatever friend has the best home movie system and enjoy (not on the same night - they are long). Then go to the theatre and catch the third movie. Like many others, I thought the Return of the King had too many endings (you think the movie has reached its grand finale - and what's this?! - another grand finale), but it is still epic story telling at its best.
The evocative power in this series comes from J.R.R. Tolkien's wonderful set of novels. They are filled with vivid imagery and life images, flavored by Tolkein's religious and moral concerns. Peter Jackson and company spent 7 or more years bringing them to life in a way that is both faithful to Tolkien's books and a stunning cinematic tour-de-force.
You can learn more about Tolkien from the Tolkien Society.
