Breeze

Gusts to 60 knots today.  I took the camera out for a look, also to check on the Hope, having no intention of rowing off aboard but I suppose I could have if I’d wanted to (living on an island it’s important to think that you could get somebody to the mainland in an emergency).

I’m also checking out this mini-laptop that I’ll be taking to Ecuador next week.  I’ve put the camera’s SD card into the computer, and if I can upload photos directly to my blog, life will be swell.

Here goes with the photos.  The Hope, like Where’s Waldo, shows up in most of them.

View from the bait shed at the Co-Op. Like a wind tunnel in there. Bend the knees.

View from the Learys’ porch

Stefanie, Under Pressure, and Joanne Louise

Toward sunset. Much quieter.

The back beach around noon. The old coast guard station is somewhere beyond the salt spray. Not a good environment for a camera.

It seems to have worked. Any suggestions for blogging in the bush will be welcome.  I think the photos are too large (nearly 5 megabytes each) for the Ecuadorian web, so I’ll change the settings on the camera.  Like many things, it’s nice to think I can do something if I have to.

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The real excitement in Washington

President Obama’s inauguration gets bumped to second page, with Great Cranberry Island’s Gary Allen storming the Capitol steps this evening.

Gary began his 700-mile run two weeks ago, on the top of Cadillac Mountain here in Acadia National Park.  It’s hard on the knees running downhill from 1600 feet to sea-level, and harder still with 695 miles to go.  But Gary did it—not quite in time to steal the show from the president, but there will be more photos and interviews tomorrow, so stay tuned.

And he’ll meet with both of Maine’s senators tomorrow, after  a few beers and a good night’s sleep.

Meantime, read in the Bangor Daily and view a slide show:  http://bangordailynews.com/slideshow/maine-marathoner-running-to-d-c-for-charity/

Why in the world would Gary do this?  50 miles a day for 15 days?  Well, if you’ve known Gary for as long as I have, or run a few miles with him, you’d have your answer.  It’s something like climbing Everest:  because it is there, and because he could.

And since he was doing it anyway, Gary has been raising a few bucks for worthy causes:

— American Cancer Society

— Wounded Warriors

— Sandy Hook victims

You can pledge right now by going to http://www.maine2dcrun.com/ and choosing at least one of these worthy causes.  And get more news of Gary while there.

Next stop the Today Show?  or maybe Letterman…  But Gary will still have time to come back to Cranberry Island and spend time with the rest of us.

Gary Allen arrives in Washington on Inauguration Day after 700-mile run from Bar Harbor, Maine. President Obama no longer in the news.

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