Maui and Las Vegas Trip Report

 

Maui was the right fit this year.  It's my only  remaining US bucket list trip that is doable in Winter.  Escaping the cold and snow for Hawaii is certainly not a bad idea.  However, for reasons that I will explain later, I recommend visiting Hawaii sometime between April and October.  In Maui, temperatures topped out in the upper 70s with a water temperature around 75.  That's a little cooler than average.  That's fine when it's sunny and calm but it's a little chilly when it's overcast and windy.  I actually needed a light jacket when I went out in the evening.  Also, finding rideable waves can be challenging in the Winter.  There were a few passing showers but nothing to wreck the trip.

2/16- 5AM flight out of Birmingham with a connection in Dallas.  Fortunately, I had enough time for a sit down breakfast.  No complaints about the flight.  I picked up my rental car and arrived at my hotel around 3 PM local time.  The flight and hotel were reasonably priced but the car was a rip off.  If possible, get a car off-site from the airport.  

My hotel was on a beach, but not a great place for swimming as it was near the harbor.  I took a quick dip then had dinner in the hotel and it was mid.  Still adjusting to the time change, I was in bed early.  

2/17- Woke up well before the sun came up and hit the Road to Hana by 6:30.  First stop was Twin Falls followed by the Garden of Eden.  

I arrived in Hana and stopped at a park then eventually found the trail to Red Sand Beach.  I was told that the trail was dangerous.  Not so much.  I've been to others that are much more treacherous.  I was told that the land was considered sacred to the locals and was asked not to post the pics on social media.  I will respect their wishes.  These pics are from the public park.

 

Yes it is possible to do the Road to Hana and back in one day but most people recommend an overnight stay in Hana.  I understand the reasons for that.  There are many one lane bridges with sharp turns.  The 36 mile road will take you nearly 2 hours and the drive is somewhat stressful.  You need reservations for the Black Sand Beach, so I was turned away.   I'm not sure if that beach is good for swimming and surfing and if not, I only would have stayed for maybe 20 minutes.  I do know that there is another beach nearby and I missed out.  Too bad.  My time in the surf was limited anyway as I will explain later. In the end, I had time to take a dip at Baldwin Beach on the way back.  

I HATE KEY FOBS!!  If you get them wet, they are ruined and it's very costly and time consuming to replace them.  This one didn't fit in my dry fob case!  My only options were to leave it on the beach and hope nobody steals it or ask the lifeguard to hold it.  I'd only trust him if it's behind a door because it could still be unattended at times.  Honolulu is a bit suspect but I don't think Maui is a high crime island.  Still, I was NOT chancing it! 

 Normally, I am not one to shy away from big surf but if I see waves taller than me breaking directly on the shore with rip currents, I will stay away.  Nobody else was in the water so that told me enough.  Most beaches were either like that or had no surf at all.  I likely would have had better luck finding rideable surf in the summer.  Still a nice day overall.

2/18- Slept in a bit then embarked on a strenuous hike.  It was a 4.6 mile route and I cut it off at about 2.6 to get more time at the beach.  That proved to be a good call.  On the way to the beach, I stopped at a surf shop and explained my dilemma with the key fob.  They sold me a plastic case with a magnetic seal.  A ziplock sandwich bag won't work but this did keep the fob dry.  Yes!  

From there, I went to Kaanappali Beach, which has sparkling clear water but not much surf.  I still enjoyed it and was still a little gun shy about the key fob.  Next was Highway 340 going north.  I had no idea but it was MUCH MORE DANGEROUS than the Road to Hana.  There was about a 15 mile stretch that was largely one lane with blind curves and no guardrails.  A collision would not do much damage but backing up on that road to let another car get by?  Very dangerous.  Thank God I never had to do that.  It's not worth it.  Turn around and take the long way after this spot.  

2/19- Morning at Fleming Beach.  Yes, there was high surf and rip currents but it was safe enough for a cautious surf session right in front of the lifeguard.  I didn't go after the big ones further out but enjoyed the shore break.  The beaches on the south shore had no surf.  

 

Next stop was the National Park, which reached an elevation of 10,023 feet.  Temp dropped to 40 degrees F and snow has been recorded here.  I was treated to exotic scenery and an epic drive through the clouds.

2/20- A bit more of a chill day.  Went back to Baldwin Beach and found it to be safe enough for a cautious session.  By the afternoon, it was cloudy and breezy.  I was tired so I didn't mind cutting it a little short.  I needed extra sleep anyways.

2/21- 6 AM flight to Vegas with a stop in Honolulu.  With the long flight and 4 hour time change, you can't get back in one day without a red eye.  I decided to break up the jet lag.  I arrived right around sunset at Trump Hotel.  After dinner, I took a walk down the strip with a brief stop at Caesar's Palace.  I bet $2 at the slots and left with nothing.  I've never liked casinos but there is plenty more to do in Vegas.  Just be prepared to spend money. Better than expected.  

2/22- Drive about 1 hour northeast to Valley of Fire State Park with a stop at Lake Mead.  Unfortunately, I had time for nothing else but this was awesome. Incredibly, there was a trace of snow on the mountain tops.

Final thought:

Maui was good but not one of my all time favorites while Vegas was better than expected.  I will go to Kauai in a couple of years to complete the Hawaiian Islands but will shoot for a late Spring trip.  I may go back to Vegas for a baseball game as a stand alone trip rather than a stop over from Hawaii.  

Training 2/9-2/15

 2/9- AM- Opened with a poor 1:46 for a half lap (10:36 pace).  Simply hoped that I wouldn't slip further on Zinc.  Surprisingly, I clocked a 1:34 (9:24 pace) for a SIGNIFICANT improvement.  ADHS brought me down to 1:11 (7:06 pace) and felt "almost pretty good" in doing so.  Next goal is to close the gap, which currently stands at 3:30 per mile.

PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 23:17 (9:19 pace).  I'll take it.  Only gripe was that I faded down the stretch.  Splits were 11:23-11:54.  Felt like I needed more ADHS but I'm sticking with 6 of those pills.  Definitely under 30 for 5K but likely still over 29.

Distance-3.0

2/10- Split decision today.  Opener was MUCH BETTER at 1:32 (9:12 pace).  Floor rose by 1:24.  

Then, I had nothing in the real workout.  Turned around at 0.42 at a pace over 10 and slow jogged it home.  I suspect that I can tolerate Coke but Red Bull will trigger withdrawal that starts 24 hours after consumption.  It usually lasts 24 hours.  Yesterday, I had a Coke.  Today, I am caffeine free but not sugar free.  Let's see what happens.

Distance-1.0

2/11- AM- Another split decision.  Opener is down to 78 (7:48 pace) but it left me gassed.  Even if the ceiling is 50 (5:00 pace), the gap is shrinking.  My best guess is that the ceiling is 58-60, which is a 2:00 gap, give or take.  That's a lot better than the 3:30 just 2 days ago.  

Again, I struggled in the real workout.  Vestavia Mile in 8:48 and felt very overstimulated. Splits were 4:17-4:31 so it gets uglier as the distance increases.  A lot better than yesterday but not as good as Monday night.  Energy drinks MUST be avoided like the plague but it's still unclear if Coke is tolerated or not.

PM- New Lakeshore 1.84 miles in 18:09 (9:51 pace).  I suspect that the positive effects of the ADHS begin to fade after several hours.  I may be correct but this wasn't a disaster.  I nearly doubled the distance and lost just over 1 minute on the pace.  A step backwards but in the same ballpark.  Decent pacing (9:02-9:07) but very little power.

Distance-3.0

2/12-AM.  No opener.  I wanted to be fresh for a sprint trial with the full dosage.  Clocked a 58.5, which is just about what I expected (5:51 pace). Added a warm and cool.  The gap is definitely under 2:00, maybe closer to 1:00 as I'm sure the floor rose as well.  That said, I am a LONG way from being able to hold a respectable pace over any distance without pills.  Gradual but STEADY improvement is the goal.

PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 22:54 (9:10 pace).  Better than last time but the improvement was a modest 9 seconds per mile.  Again, I started strong but became tired and breathless early.  Splits were 11:09-11:45 so the pattern was similar.  Both halves were slightly faster than last time.  My sprints have improved much faster than my distance.  Not sure what to make of that.  

Distance-3.0

2/13- Vestavia Mile in 8:20.  Splits were 4:04-4:16.  After a good start, I tired quickly and settled into an 8:30 pace but held it.  From 600 to the finish, my pace stayed about the same but didn't have much kick left.  I am clearly on the right track but early progress is slower than I would like. Maybe I will try Thym Adren this weekend.  That's it for today.

Took 2 extra Zinc at work (total of 3 pills) and it was a bad call.  Yes, it did calm me down but left me very sore.  Extra Paramin did mitigate some of the damage.  Stand alone Cal may have totally reversed it but I'm not going back down that road again.  2 pills may have been okay but 3 is clearly over the limit.  

Any other ideas to speed up my progress?  Increase the ADHS or maybe switch to Thym Adren. I have been energy drink free but not caffeine free this week.

Distance-1.0

2/14- Bad day but it was a risk that I was willing to take to get answers.  Extra Zinc plus mega Thym Adren is NOT the answer.

Took only 1 Zinc and clocked a half lap in 83.0 (8:18 pace) at about 3/4 effort.  Not bad.  Took a 2nd Zinc and it was initially a non-factor as I improved marginally to 81.8 (8:11 pace) with the same effort

Went to the track for the real workout and it was obvious that I had nothing and knew it before I started.  It seems like it took about an hour or so for the Zinc to fully kick in.  

Managed just a 73 for the first 200 (9:44 pace) and was already fading.  I did a little better on 3 Thym Adren and improved to 68 (9:04 pace).  2 more Thym Adren actually made things worse than ever with a 76 and I just slow jogged the remainder.  Did feel a discernable improvement after just 1 ADHS.  Not sure what cocktail I will try next.

Distance-1.0

2/15- Junk workout in the rain but it told me enough.  Cocktail was 2 Zinc plus ADHS.  After a warmup, I did a half lap at Montreat in 89 (8:54 pace) at 3/4 effort.  Probably was sustainable for a Mile but definitely could NOT have matched the 8:20 that I did on Friday.  2 Zinc is too much.  It's gotta be either 1 or zero.  

Drank a Mountain Dew and slipped to 95 (9:30 pace) with the same effort.  Added a cool down jog.  Not a collapse but even low dose caffeine is indeed hurting me.  I bet I can go sub-8 without it and may not be as dependent on ADHS.  I also suspect that it affects tolerance for Zinc.  I will experiment again when I am off caffeine but my gut tells me to stay the course with LOW dose Zinc plus ADHS, not Thym Adren.

Distance-1.0

13 miles on the week 

Training 1/30-2/8

 1/30- 1 Mile at Vestavia in 10:25.  Ugly as expected but I think I've found a winning formula.  Stay on the Cal and increase the Zinc and adrenal support (ADHS rather than Thym Adren).  Doses will probably have to be tweaked.  Good news is that I finished relatively strong with a much less anemic 2:22 (9:28 pace) for the last go round 

Distance-1.0

1/31- Repeated the 1 Mile distance this time at Oak Mountain.  Merely hoped for a sub-10 but improved all the way to 8:45 in tough conditions.  Very cold and windy.  Last lap was a 2:04 and I wasn't all out.  Very encouraging 

Distance-1.0

There will be some tweaks ahead.  I must be judicious with the Cal.  No more than a 2:1 ratio with Mag.  In fact, it's probably better to shoot for 1:1.  The more Cal that I take, the more Zinc that I will require.  Should the adrenal support be Thym Adren or ADHS?  I hope it's ADHS.  I'm taking 6 pills now but hope it will go down.  How much Zinc is necessary?  All the questions should be answered this week.

2/1-AM 3 sprint trials at an even effort. Still below freezing so I didn't push too hard.  Estimated distance is slightly more than 200 meters out and back with a mild incline/decline.  

No pills- 71.6

Thym Adren- 67.7 (6-7) MINUS 3.9

ADHS- 63.1. MINUS 4.6

With everything equal, I would have preferred to go with ADHS instead of Thym Adren and this confirms that it's the right call.  In both cases, the improvement was enough to be considered significant but more than 1 pill is needed for it to be a game changer.  The rate of improvement was slightly higher with the ADHS so that's what I am going to take.  Moreover, with a modulator, at least in theory, it won't hurt to take too much.  Too much of a suppressant does hurt.  The only remaining question is how much Zinc do I need?

PM- 1.5 on New Lakeshore in 13:12 (8:48 pace).  A little disappointed but I'll take it.  Expanded the distance by 50 percent without a significant slow down. Even pace but not much left at the end. Perhaps I would have done a little better in a morning session because it's right after I took the pills.

Distance-2.0

2/2- FAILURE!  Horrible without the Zinc (5:34 half mile).  Not much better on the normal dose (5:19) and the overdose made things WORSE.  It seems that the order is important.  Zinc must be taken BEFORE the ADHS, not after 

Paramin should arrive tonight.  That contains less Calcium.  Thus, the Zinc may be less important going forward.  NUTS!

Distance-1.5

Paramin did arrive.  There's a decent chance that it will be a difference maker.  It will allow me to reduce the Calcium, which may allow me to reduce the Zinc.  Is the extreme need for ADHS really an adrenal spike or an unbalanced Zinc/Copper ratio.  Could very well be the latter.  That would explain why the ADHS is more effective than the Thym Adren 

2/3- Cut the Cal from 500 to 300 mg and may reduce it further.  Hopefully, that means Zinc will be less crucial.  It went from bad to worse on the Zinc this morning.  Got the idea to try Liver (loaded with Copper) and was only slightly better.  Only the ADHS is the game changer.  I will cut the Zinc dose in half starting tomorrow.  Afternoon session will likely be rained out.  I want to see if I feel a discernable difference on Vitamin C.  

Distance-0.5

2/4- Horrible again.  I'm definitely less dependent on Zinc thanks to the Paramin but may now be intolerant.  Good news is no discernable reaction to sugar at lowered Calcium dose 

PM- Confirmed.  The Paramin will be enough to prevent bad reactions to sugar.  I was actually marginally faster after a forbidden drink.  Good news.  Felt a discernable improvement after just a small amount of Cal then a discernable step backwards after more Zinc.

Sensitivity to Zinc and Copper may be Autism related.  I MUST lay off the Zinc for at least a few days then hope to gradually re-introduce it at a lower dose.

Distance-1.0

2/5- 1 Mile on Lakeshore in 11:06 with splits of 5:41-5:25.  Just hope for modest improvement tomorrow.  No Zinc this morning.

Distance-1.0

2/6- Only slightly better.  Improved to 10:43 this time at Vestavia with splits of 5:17-5:26.  This isn't working and changed must be made.  

Increasing the Paramin seemed to help but stand alone Cal immediately triggered a need for Zinc.  

I must either increase the Paramin or go with Cal plus Zinc and tweak the doses.

Distance-1.0

2/7- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 18:46 (9:23 pace).  Solid improvement.  Splits were 9:26-9:20 and I probably had another Mile in me.  I'm going with the increased Paramin and will try to add back Zinc early next week.  I will not mess with stand alone Cal.  This could be the winning formula.

Distance-2.0

2/8- 1 Mile in 10:44.  Started off pretty well and was ahead of yesterday for the first quarter but the power cut off after that.  In fact, I knew that I was in trouble before the 0.2 mark.  Splits were 4:59-5:45.  Ill- effects of Zinc are less severe but still there.  Added a half mile cool.

PM- Interesting.  Took extra Zinc and expected to be much worse.  Nope.  I was actually marginally better (76 vs 73).  Took extra ADHS and improved to 69.  Extra Paramin got me down to 64.  That is a significant gain.  I'm sticking with this formula.  High dose Paramin and ADHS and sticking with low dose Zinc.  The problem this morning was likely caffeine withdrawal but even that was less severe than in the past.

Distance-2.0

13 miles

Calcium Tolerated Again

 I have done minimal training this month.  Good news is that I have found the solution to the Calcium issue.

I have not done a hair test in almost a decade but I am nearly certain that I have a low Ca/Mg ratio AND a high Na/K.  That's a common pattern after solving a major problem such as heavy metal toxicity.  

My sudden intolerance to Calcium was NOT an autoimmune reaction.  Excellent news.  Too much Cal depletes K and worsens the Na/K ratio.  Sugar worsens the Ca/Mg ratio.  

Fortunately extra Zinc is the ticket.  Zinc raises Potassium and thus, allows tolerance to the Cal that I need.  It has spiked my adrenals but hopefully, that's a temporary reaction.  

New Orleans Trip Report

 My first overnight trip with a woman in a long time.  I prefer not to discuss relationship details on this blog.  I will say that it's going well and I will leave it at that.  If in the unlikely event that it ends badly, I will NOT trash her on this blog either.

I've been to New Orleans 3 times with some good and some bad experiences.  Aside from the parking, this was a pretty good trip.  I'd rate other cities higher, but it was the right call for this weekend.  I'm not ready for more than a weekend or a fly away so that left us with several options within a day's drive.  Nashville and Memphis were freezing cold so going south was the only option.  Even New Orleans was colder than normal.  Temps were in the low 50s on the first day with wind and didn't get out of the 40s the next day.  We took the short route going down with a quick stop in Hattiesburg then had lunch in Slidell.  We arrived about 1:30.

Day 1:

Our first stop was St. Louis cemetery.  I got a nice compliment about my teeth from the woman who sold us tickets.  Our tour guide was interesting but long winded so we put off the hotel check in and went straight to Vue Orleans, a 34 story tower with views of the skyline and the Mississippi River.  After dinner, we chilled at the hotel then went out to Bourbon Street.  Questionable call there.  It was a zoo scene.  Should have gone to a different bar and saved Bourbon for Sunday.

Day 2:

Got up for a river sunrise.  I showed the pics to a bartender that night, who thought it was Florida.  LOL.  After breakfast at the hotel, we made it to church at the cathedral.  From there, it was just a few blocks to Louis Armstrong Park.  We made a quick stop at the Voodoo museum then found to our horror that the car was booted.  The machine was broken and the payment never went through.  I'm fighting it and expect to win.  

After lunch, I went to the Jazz museum and the French Market.  Interesting even though I never heard of most of the artists.  I took Bourbon Street on the way back and found it much more enjoyable than last night.  After a good seafood dinner, I went out for a quiet drink then called it a night.

Day 3:

Took the long way back.  Got a quick taste of City Park then headed east on the interstate.  We got off at Gulfport and took a scenic 13 mile ride along the MS Coast to Biloxi.  We got some delicious fried chicken in Mobile before picking up 65 back to Birmingham.

Final thought:

Overall, a successful trip.  In the future, New Orleans is not a destination city but I do expect to be back someday.  If I go to Houston or Grand Isle, it's a good overnight stop to break up the trip home