Walks, fires and teamwork

In the past week + I have worked pretty darn hard and long, and also doggedly fought to have a little time to train. (A Little). My partner Myriam is celebrating her birthday with a much needed vacation back east. We have several listings coming up and a couple we still are managing that are either closing or waiting for an offer.  It would be next to impossible to walk in the 3 day without the support of my partner... and I think and hope she feels she is able to relax knowing I am on the case when she is away. Team work... it is important.

 

I could see it at work on my walk on Tuesday.

America's Cup....



The sights and sounds of big money on water 

 

Kiwi's on vacation 

 

 

 



 

Artemis and Luna Rosa

An old AC boat....
 

Teamwork at Corte Madera Creek

I took a walk to San Anselmo after an office meeting in Greenbrae. Along the way I saw an otter. Their very presence is a kind of team work. Cleaning up the water in and around the Bay has brought back many animals and fish that I had not seen. Otters in the creeks, dolphins on the bay, steelhead in the creeks.

 

 

Another kind of team work when I can call Glenn and ask him to meet me for lunch and give me a drive back to my car! At Bubba's Diner I saw how one person can make another person's life better. The waiter here showed great sensitivity and patience when tow blind people came in to dine. He helped them to their seats (up a stair, with their dog). he read the entire menu to them (and it was long). They weren't insisting on that he just did it. He was a good person. And even though he brought me fries instead of my salad..... I was impressed.

 

Fire alert and Teamwork in Tam Valley

 

The other day I got back from work. I got out of the car and smelled smoke. Like a campfire or something along those lines. I could see any smoke. I got a text just about at that exact moment and it was my neighbor telling me there had been a fire upwind from us. It brought out not one firetruck, but the federal firefighters, state, county and local. 5 air drops later within an hour it was extinguished. Now that is teamwork.

 

 

  

This weekend Glenn and I went to find out where it was exactly. It took some doing but we found the orange flame retardant at the base of our neighborhood.. It could have gone so wrong. This hot spot was far from the original fire. Our afternoon breezes although moist are strong. 

 

 

 

 

When we found the original fire site we also found the ground to be smoking in this dry creek bed. We called our fire department and suggested they come take a look.

Sunday's walk.

The schedule for our Atlanta training says to walk... 12 miles. I decided to walk 17. Starting off from Mill Valley I headed first to the Sausalito Ferry and then off to SF to walk back. 

It is between the semi finals and the finals for the Louis Vuitton Cup (the race series that selects the challenger for the America's Cup). This time I looked more at the events and facilities the city have made possible by teamed up with the Cup organizers.

 At the America's Cup Village there is entertainment, shopping, several lounges, big screen TVs, docking for yachts and it is all free attendance.

 Some buildings will morph into cruise terminals after the event is over.

Some things like Larry Ellison's yachts may seem like a solo venture.... Or at least somewhat of an ego venture...But from the yacht designer, to the builder, to the person who figures out the electronics to the crew, to the interior designer, it takes a village to build and use these yachts.

Walking while working is an exercise in multi tasking. I call clients they call me, I call our service providers, they call me. I walk and I talk. I take pictures and I walk.

 Even on a non race day there are races being shown on the big screen TVs. There are lounging sail bags to just hang out and enjoy the village.

 What does an AC boat look like... it isn't your father's boat.

 Walking on I saw an Iguana on a leash

 Tourists on bikes and foot.

Outrigger canoes displaying their team work (all a part of the America's Cup events).

 The Marina Green venue with a Nescafe Cafe

 And of course the Bay. The three sailed ship in the distance is the a replica of the original America's Cup winning boat "America".

 Along Crissy field people look at The New Zealand boat out practicing. There is a kite boarder in the background. The schedule  had them racing later in the day.

 The old and the new. New Zealand and America.

 A tri - Raced in the 02 America's cup off Spain.

Heading back to Sausalito, I saw a sign from the Southern Marin Fire Department saying "Prepare  for Wildfire." Guess they know what they are talking about.

We can all each of us as individuals do a whole heck of a lot. But the most important thing we can do is be a part of something bigger than ourselves. The 3 day walk has taught me how much difference a group of people can make. Each and every walk I participate in is a confirmation of the power of a team of people with a common goal. Our goal is ending Breast Cancer. We don't do this for any self serving reason (besides keeping the ones we love save). We don't do it for a shiny trophy to put in our yacht club. We don't do it to prove we are faster or richer. We do it because we must. We walk 60 miles in 3 days because EVERYONE deserves a lifetime. Until we find ourselves in a world where Breast Cancer cannot steal another life we walk. We will ever give up. This team... will not be beaten.