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 ...from Marina del Rey along the marina and ocean then up the steep hill in Playa del Rey.

I took advantage of a window in between storms #1 and #2. Our first storm this afternoon dumped a lot of rain on Los Angeles, and we're expecting at least two more,stronger, storms tonight and later this week.

Lots of heavy storm clouds off the coast tonight, with huge waves. Much of the strand had been washed over earlier, leaving a heavy coating of wet sand to have to run on.

But it was a good run!



 
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My Vietnam visa finally arrived today, firmly attached to page 15 in my passport.  I'm looking forward to accompanying former Governor Joe Kernan and Maggie on Joe's first return to Vietnam since he was shot down in 1972 and held as a POW.

Shot down on a reconnaissance mission over the famous Thanh Hoa bridge, which spans the Song Ma river 3 miles north east of Thanh Hóa, the capital of Thanh Hoa Province in Vietnam, Governor Kernan -- then a young Naval Flight Officer -- was badly beaten and held for nearly a year at two of the most notorious prisons in Vietnam: "The Zoo" and the "Hanoi Hilton".  His return will, no doubt, be full of emotion.

Shortly after President Clinton re-opened Vietnam to travel for U.S. citizens in 1995, I spent a week traveling from Hanoi, down to Hue and then Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) <see map below>. I have vivid memories of the wonderful people who were so hospitable and generous. They loved Americans, most being too young to remember the war twenty years earlier. The majority of the population in 1995 was under the age of twenty five. I remember one bus driver who was proud to show us the scar from the bullet wound he suffered fighting the Americans, and the sense of joy in his voice as he explained how happy he was that Americans could finally visit his wonderful country.

Vietnam is a stunningly beautiful country which I'm certain has changed a great deal since my visit 15 years ago. There was no internet or WiFi back then. I spent more than one night in a hotel room with roaches on the walls, or which lacked hot water -- and they were the best accommodations in the places we were.  Now, our hotels include hot water and WiFi. I hope to be able to post photos, videos and updates on my blog throughout the trip.



 
Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California, but girl don't they warn ya
It pours, man it pours


With nearly 1,000,000 views the following video of Albert Hammond singing his "It Never Rains in Southern California" is a hit.
 
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A quick update for my friends who run or hike, and who use Macintosh computers: the Rubitrack® software I just purchased works great.  It quickly imports data from my Garmin 305, splits out laps and lays my route over a Google map. Perfect for jogging or walking.

After a Super Slow® high intensity workout this afternoon, including legs, I ran a 5K along the ocean at 33:31 (10:49/mile average). For an old slow-poke like me, I'm happy with that speed -- especially after an intense leg workout.

I really believe that running in Vibram Five Fingers® makes a difference.  I've gone 4 days wearing only Vibrams this week, and today when I put on shoes for the gym, it felt odd. Afterwards, when I got to the beach and put my Vibrams back on, they felt so natural. Running 'barefoot' in Vibrams feels light and fast. (Interestingly, I saw two young women jogging totally barefoot today -- on the concrete strand!)

Click the image below to enlarge to see how Rubitrack® details my jog today.

 
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IMPORTANT: As people are searching for ways to help in Haiti, there is a surge of Tweets and Facebook posts mistakenly sharing a rumor that UPS will ship for free any package under 50 lbs to Haiti. UPS is reporting that the destruction of roads and communications networks has forced UPS to put their shipping services in Haiti on hold.

The UPS Foundation has committed $1 million (USD) in cash and in-kind aid to help the people of Haiti, and is suggesting several options that are available to offer your own help. Details here.

In addition to aid from The UPS Foundation, UPS has committed to contributing their knowledge and skills to disaster response through warehouse, transportation and distribution management, working with the World Food Programe's Logistics Emergency Teams (LETs).

 
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"You've got unprecedented numbers of the people roaming the streets at night with no place to sleep. They haven't had any sleep in two days, they don't have water, they don't have food,"… former President Bill Clinton speaking on CNN about the Haitian situation.

Many thanks for all the replies to my post on Haiti. Most came to my personal email, with 3 friends responding with comments directly on my blog. I learned that options for giving to help Haiti are many and varied.

The most important aspect is knowing that your donation is not diluted and goes nearly 100% to helping Haitians. One of Indiana's former First Ladies told me that she gave through the Clinton Foundation (To which I made my own $10,000 donation.) Another friend revealed that she made a $100,000 donation through the Clinton Foundation.

President Clinton said this morning that "…we need large numbers of people giving small amounts of money so we can get food, water, medical supplies and shelter there," Note: The Clinton Foundation also allows for quick texting of small amounts. Just text "haiti" to 20222.

One friend gave through Catholic Charities -- named the top provider of social services in the USA by Charity Navigator. Their International "Catholic Relief Services" has extensive coverage and ways to help. Just click here!

Another friend, who was in Oxford thirty years ago when the "Oxford Committee for Famine Relief"  (OxFam) was created has given through this amazing organization which has a huge response underway. Learn more here.

One of my sisters in Montreal reported that her family has given through Medecins du Monde, which they support annually.  Montreal hosts a Haitian population of over 130,000 people and Medecins du Monde has a massive presence in Haiti already. More here.

Another of my sisters, a medical doctor herself, said that her family has given through Unicef Canada, primarily because of their expertise with mothers and mothers-to-be, especially critical experience for helping the thousands of Haitian children now orphaned due to the earthquake. They have a wonderful program for how you can get involved -- details here.

Another former Indiana First Lady reports that she has given through the Fuller Center. This amazing organization, started in 2005 by the late Millard Fuller and his wife Linda of Habitat for Humanity fame, is dedicated to ending poverty housing worldwide -- so important in the rebuilding efforts in Haiti. Read more here.

 Many excellent choices -- amazing organizations! Please give as much as you can however you want.









 
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Outraged is an understatement when describing the response of Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh to the greatest human tragedy in Haitian history this week.

One could not be blamed for possibly thinking that men like Robertson may be simply inherently evil purveyors of bigotry, cloaked in a thin veneer of Christianity, spreading their twisted ideas and interpretation of the Christian bible for their own financial gain and heady power trips.

Robertson, well known for spewing bizarre messages based on bent, deviant reasoning in the past (he once claimed that the terrible hurricanes along our country's eastern seaboard were the direct result of this nation's acceptance of gays and lesbians), now claims that the worst Haitian tragedy in history was caused by a 'pact with the devil' that Haitians made when they supposedly 'asked the devil' to help free them from French domination two hundred years ago.

Limbaugh has taken to our nation's airwaves and simply said we should not help the Haitians by donating money to the effort to save lives.

So let our nation send a message to these misguided men.  Instead of listening to them, do the opposite.  GIVE!

Give and give again and again to the American Red Cross in its effort to help Haiti during this terrible tragedy. It is so easy to do. Just text 90999!  No texting? Just click here, it's quick and easy! A meager $10.00 will be added to your phone bill.  Do it over and over until you feel comfortable.

If you'll join me and the many others around our nation who are texting and giving as we speak, then together we can help save one frightened and shivering child still buried in the rubble of a collapsed building tonight hoping that the voices he or she hears above them know where they are, and how to get them out.

The good people of Haiti deserve and desperately need our help tonight. Don't allow personal complacency to keep you from acting. Do it right now! Go to sleep tonight knowing you make a difference.
 
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Pressing business caused me to trade the serenity and beauty of hiking in the mountains, for a different kind of beauty today -- a 7.5 mile, 1 hour 40 minute jog/walk from the hills of Playa del Rey down to the Pacific Ocean and back. All along the beach, high surf created crashing waves and a deep thundering sound with massive plumes of salt water spray.

One of the advantages of a jog along the beach is that you can let your mind wander without worrying about falling off a ridge trail like could happen during a mountain hike or trail run. During my run today, my mind wandered to the tragedy in Haiti, causing my heart to ache for the Haitian people who struggle for survival under normal conditions, but must now have to contend with the worst natural disaster in their history.

I hope everyone reading this will consider even a small donation to the American Red Cross, directed to their help in Haiti.

 
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For my friends who like to track their walks, jogs, hikes, etc, -- and who use Macintosh computers, I've discovered a software program that imports the data from my Garmin Forerunner 303 (data can be imported from nearly every brand of similar devices, including the iPod/Nike devices), and then creates a page containing multiple data windows and cool Google maps of where I've walked/jogged/hiked. Many thanks to the brilliant people at the Austrian-based Rubitrack company for this fantastic piece of software wizardry!

 

15 minutes from my home,

on the west end of the Santa Monica Mountains at Sunset Blvd and Temescal, is a trail head to a fantastic hike along the Temescal loop. A steep 1,000 foot assent along a narrow, rocky path of switch-backs has you gasping for breath while looking at stunning views of the Los Angeles Basin and Pacific Ocean, followed by a steep decent to a waterfall, small foot bridge, and down onto the canyon floor where the path continues along a creek bed under the cool moist shade of huge oak and sycamore trees. An additional half mile incline hike up to Skull Rock adds to the experience.

The near-silence of walking in Vibram Five Fingers® shoes allowed me to get close to rabbits and birds foraging just off the trail and, alone, I sometimes would make noises when the trail became a narrow path through brush and trees, so I could let the rattle snakes and mountain lions know someone was coming. :-)

The fresh air and fragrant foliage reminded me of my childhood on the farm, when we used to play and work in the fields and the woods and along the creeks and river nearby. Today's experience, in the middle of the country's second largest city, felt surreal.

My lungs told me that today's hike was a good workout. Tomorrow, instead of a jog along the ocean, I'm going back to run part of the Temescal loop trail. Though I ran part of it today, I stopped so often to take pictures that the run was disrupted.

Nice memory. But, now, I have to attend to the email, snail mail and other demands that were neglected for a wonderful hike!


The video below is a minute of footage shot while driving back home along PCH -- with Elton John on the radio.