Dawn patrol

I had to fly to New York the other day which meant I wouldn't have to leave the house until 8:45 am. I could have gone for the 8 millionth bike ride. Instead, I went for a sail in the Laser.

To rig up and suit up at 6:00 am is an odd feeling. To ride a bicycle early in the morning feels normal. To put on a wet suit does not.

To sail a Laser is very similar to going for a swim. But I figure a lot of people go surfing in the morning, so why not go sailing?

A fresh South Westerly greeted me, and I got to practice tacking, gybing, and S curves. To be immersed in salt water is a good feeling. President Kennedy said it best, when he addressed the competitors at the America's Cup in September of 1962:

"All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea -- whether it is to sail or to watch it -- we are going back from whence we came."

The session was exciting and productive, but I tweaked my back a bit. This is the challenge of the aging athlete, to train without injury.