Out of the Box List

The Bride Jane and I were cruising on a dream vacation in 06 to celebrate 30 years of wedded bliss. Two college sweethearts that met on a blind date. We were on a 15 day cruise to such ports as Barcelona, Florence, Naples, Venice, Rome, Athens, Mykonos, Istanbul and several other places. It was an intoxicating thrill each and every day. Intoxicating because of the sensory overload due to seeing so many incredible sites....historical and biblical. It was the trip of a lifetime.

One day we were lounging by the pool on the cruise ship.

Bride Jane

"We should both make our own Out of the Box list". She blurted out.

Dense Husband

"Huhhh" I cleverly shot back.

Very Clever Bride Jane

"Yeah. Things we always wanted to do but are afraid to even think about doing"

So we did. The rule for me was I could not just name all these endurance things I have wanted to do. I will provided the "Endurance list" later, but she was serious in wanting us to think "out of the box".

Fast Forward to late 07 and early 08 and Jack and Morgan and the movie "The Bucket List".

Two guys trying to experience things..outrageous things before they "Kick the Bucket".

I will only divulge one thing from the Brides list because she would kill me if I spilled the beans. One thing was to learn to dance all those hot dance techniques we saw on "Dancing with the Stars" So that was on her list and also on mine.

Here are a few "Non Endurance Sports" items on my list.

1. Smoke a Cuban cigar in Havana

2. Ride a train through the Canadian Rockies.

3. Speak Spanish fluently. (smart, as I interview many Latin American ballplayers)

4.. Run with the Bulls in Pamplona

5.. Read all of Shakespeares works

6. See the village where my Grampa came from in Slovenia

There are many more on the list. I admit I have a huge part of me that wants to explore as much of the world as possible. I love to read about all cultures, and religions. My love all things about the globe was spawned when I was little. I was always reading. Somewhat shy. Much apart from the guy who makes his living talking to people on the boob tube. But, if I could make a living writing about world travels like Colin Thubron, I would. In a heartbeat.

http://www.amazon.com/

Colin might be the best adventure writer on the planet. Read the book "Shadow of the Silk Road" and you'll be transfixed. He journeys the greatest land route on earth, the Silk Road. Out of the heart of China,,westward to Kurdish Turkey. 7,000 miles in 8 months. It was a veritable "Tour De Chance". Sidestepping government goons and showing the real people of the various countries . Its not just the adventure. Its his prose. He turns a phrase like I turn an ankle.

In some ways, those of us who compete in demanding sports like triathlon, cycling, running, swimming are world travelers. But the world we travel is ourselves. We explore the depths of desire to win. We climb mountains of emotions. We hop a train on the express to endorphins and we never, just never are satisfied that we have totally tapped the reservoir of our beings.

Ahh, but that Endurance List???.. I will write down my alltime #1 and in succeeding posts, I will reveal more.

1. Race the Ironman at the Mecca. (Kona) 3 Ironmans in non-dot-m races might be one thing, but getting to Hawaii would be the ultimate. Can anyone rig the lottery so I can get in???

Whats your Bucket List??? eundurance or otherwise??