Manatee Monkey Mentors SHUT (Poptart or pet pic bribes considered) (Page 39)

Thanks, that is one of the things I'm looking at.  I'm also looking at a snorkeling excursion, but so far can't convince any of the roughly 30 family members going on the trip with me that they should join me.  Big babies think it will be cold!

Speaking of motion sickness (and back to tri stuff - sorry, everybody!), I was told that if I don't do bilateral breathing, I'm likely to get motion sick when doing OWS.  I've also heard ear plugs help.  What's your experience been with OWS and motion sickness?

I don't get motion sick so can't help much with that. I suppose it's worth a try, if you start to feel ill.

 At my OWS last week the water was choppy so I had to breathe left to the first buoy, right from the 1st to the 2nd buoy then I could bi-lateral back to the start. Nice practice for all three options I suppose.

Inner Passage? How Long? What cruiseline? 

We did Alaskan Cruise for our 25th Anniversary, along with my sis and BIL. Added on a 4 day Alaskan bus ride from Fairbanks through Denali to Anchorage, then a train to the port, then the cruise to Vancouver, then an extra day wandering aimlessly around Vancouver. It was ALL GOOD!!!! So, we did this as a once in a lifetime deal, so we tried to hit as much as we could. Excursions were:

• Ann went on the glaciar/helicopter ride with my BIL. It ROCKED!!!!
• Denali bus ride, if you are there, DOOOO EEEETTTT!!!
• ATV rides in Denali
• Horseback ride in Denali
• Zipline in Skagway. TW loves zipping, so that one was ultracool until my sis ran over her fingers.
• Bikes and Brew tour in Juneau. Also went trail running there with my sis. Ask the staff on the ship, someone can help.
• Zodiac boat tour in Ketchican

I may have missed a couple, but all of them were good. PM me and I'll get you in touch with TW for more details. 

Bilateral breathing is "supposed" to help a few things, but haven't heard of it helping motion sickness before. Ideas go towards balance out your development for each side. And more towards open water it's so you have the option to breath to either side in case one becomes difficult due to the sun, waves, other swimmers, etc. Motion sickness would be more from the rocking of swell waves or spinning too much. Ear plugs can help with cold water as that seems to bother people some if it gets in. Not as much with warmer water. I use them for every swim as my ears do catch water and it can take days to come out. Risk of infection and I can't hear anything when it happens. Something else with the open water is that taking some in can just make people a bit sick or queasy as it's often not as clean as drinking or even pool water.

I don't do the bilateral breathing thing, but depending on how choppy/cold the water is... I got HUGELY motion sick in Lake Michigan last year, even with ear plugs - but the swells were 3-5 feet or more and I was pretty much the only idiot in the water.   

I don't ever swim without earplugs, even when swimming in a pool, mainly because I really hate the feeling of water in my ears and it becomes painful and tends to give me small bouts of vertigo, which usually leads to people at work thinking I'm drunk if I've been swimming during lunch... 

The cruise line will "encourage" you to use their approved excursions. That's a crock of cr@p.  We did a few on our own and they were just as good, if not better. 

Thanks!  Yes, it is the inner passage on NCL. 7 nights.   I'm not getting there early enough to go to Denali, my sister and her boyfriend are though and I hate them!

Right now I'm thinking of doing the world's fastest zipline in icy point; I've got nothing in Juneau, so would be interested in hearing more about the bikes and brew tour; Skagway, i've got nothing; and Ketican is where I want to go snorkeling.  Pretty much everyone else has picked their excursions and since we are aren't tied to each other's hips, there are a number of different excursions to choose from if I want to stay with them.  I also want to do hiking and trail running while there.

Oops, just read about the PM part!  

ehem...

I can get motion sick just floating in the water, but have not had any issues to date with it while OWS.  I too don't normally do bilateral breathing, but can if the waves/sun demand it.  

I only breathe on one side.  I've never worn ear plugs, either.  Not to say that learning to breathe bilaterally is a bad thing, it's a useful skill.  I just don't like to do it if I can help it.  I guess I could always take the time and build up a comfort level.

Do they think it, or do they know it?

The cruise line will "encourage" you to use their approved excursions. That's a crock of cr@p.  We did a few on our own and they were just as good, if not better. 

No problem. Bikes and Brew was fun. Rental hybrids take you about 10 miles, to the Mendenhall glacier, then you finish at a local bar doing a tasting of local brews.

A few items that will spin your head even more. There is way more to do in Alaska than anyone would think. Kayaking, ATV's, Whale watching, glaciers, helicopters, yada, yada, yada. Icy Point is the smallest port you'll see in the trip, Juneau is probably the biggest. I grabbed a few items to help make you more confused  

Skagway - https://www.alaskaexcursions.com/site/excursion/zipline_sk

Juneau - http://cycleak.com/tours/bike-brew/

Icy Point - http://www.icystraitpoint.com/Plan/Excursions

Ketchikan - http://www.visit-ketchikan.com/Things-To-Do/Tours-Sightseeing.aspx

If you want relaxing, it is there. If you want adventure, it is there as well. TW and I went over stuff a lot, it really took a while to whittle down our choices.  So enjoy the whole process before hand, during and after!

Thanks!  Now I have some stuff to look at if I have time to goof off at work!

I'm going to install my speed cadence sensor over the weekend, and get TrainerRoad up and running.  I'm looking forward to jumping into one of their 40k TT training plans and start building my fitness even more.  I also have an eye on a fall century, so I'll have to start building for that as well.

Man, I stayed up late last night watching the NBA finals.  I didn't get enough sleep to wake up early and get a run in.  Missed that opportunity for the day.

Sooooo, Friday the 13th, everybody!  What are you scared of most? 

I'll start:  Bigfoot.  It even creeps me out to see the signs for Great Divide Yeti beer and leaving a campfire in the woods gives me anxiety attacks.

I am so afraid of the thing I am afraid of that sometimes, like now, I can't even talk about it. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

I should get some help because unlike Bigfoot, this thing is real and everywhere. But I'm too scared to get help.

Spiders are very high on the list, as is being trapped somewhere dark and unknown, like if I'm in the backyard shed and the door swings shut I get a little freaked out.  I used to have a similar fear of the walk-in refrigerator and freezer when I worked at a restaurant and would constantly kick the door open so it wouldn't be closed while I was in there.  One day a co-worker decided to help me with this fear and outright closed and latched the door, telling me just to hit the knob/button thingie to get out and I was fine after that.  Not sure the same logic will work with the shed, mainly because there are spiders and other creepy crawlies in there..