Flagstaff

It's winter here in Flagstaff. 
Sunny days and freezing at night, early this morning it was -5 Celsius. 
I went running, 14 km....

End of January I will be flying to Athens, Greece. I will be there until end of April.

Thanksgiving in Flagstaff

 

Running Everywhere-update

 Latest update, still to come: running in snow and running in Athens, Greece in Febuary.

Flagstaff

 I updated a Flagstaff running video. Added footage shot with an Insta360 camera...

Flagstaff

Beautiful weather in Flagstaff.
I took the train from Los Angeles to Flagstaff on Thursday evening.
Arrived in Flagstaff on Friday at 07.15. Thursday night I slept about 1 hour.
I took a city bus halfway to the house and walked (4.5km) the rest.

I slept 10 hours on Friday night. Saturday morning I did a 6km hike.
Today, Sunday, I rode my touring bike on St Mary Road, a distance of 19km

So, I'm back on schedule....

San Pedro - Flagstaff

My time as a dog/cat sitter in San Pedro has come to an end.
Late afternoon I am taking the train from Los Angeles (Union Station) to Flagstaff.
12 hours in the train, arriving in Flagstaff around 05.00.
It is warm in San Pedro, but I have to dress warm for the over night train. It will be freezing in Flagstaff.

San Pedro

 Using an Insta360 X5 camera. Still getting used to a camera that shoots in 360 degrees. Also getting used to the Insta360 desktop editing software. In the software, setting keyframes, you can manipulate the angles...

Running Everywhere

3 days ago I was supposed to go running, but I did not because of too much fog.
This morning, with clear skies, I waited for the traffic to lessen and drove to Manhattan Beach. 

Running and filming on Manhattan Beach, with a Insta360 X5  camera and a Hover X1 drone.

I updated my "Running Everywhere video

San Pedro

 I left the house at 06.45, to go to Venice Beach. The plan was filming and running along the beach there. It did not work out, too much fog.

I decided, instead of Venice, to go to the valley to the Sepulveda Basin park. A lot of cars and closed of lanes on the highway. Even more fog.

So, I decided to, after making a stop at a Korean Supermarket in Gardena, to go back to San Pedro and run there. 

No fog in San Pedro, I ran 8km. On the right side of the track it is all containers. No fog now....

San Pedro

 Running with the dog along the boardwalk

San Pedro

After sleeping for 8 hours straight (luxury), at 06.30 I went running. 
Same route I did 20 months ago: 6km along the boardwalk.

As I went along, I remembered the route pretty well. The past week in Flagstaff, I had my winter running clothes on, here I am back to summer running stuff...

Traveling: Flagstaff-San Pedro

I am going to dog sit for a friend of mine who lives in San Pedro, the Port of Los Angeles

Tonight I am taking the night train that runs from Chicago to Los Angeles.
It pretty much takes the same route as Route 66.

So far it has 30 minutes delay, (pray it does not get more...)
Leaves Flagstaff at 20.45, arrives at Union Station in Los Angeles around 08.30.

I did the same a year ago. Ran a lot: in Venice, the Valley and San Pedro.

Update: the train ended up 1 hour late. I think I slept 1 hour during the night. Arrived at Union Station in Los Angeles at 08.15                                   

After arriving in warm and humid San Pedro, I walked the dog (Rufus is his name) for an hour. Later in the day I slept for 2 hours....

Drone videos: Flagstaff

 2 more videos shot with a DJI Flip drone

Running in Flagstaff

Walnut Canyon and Forest Service Road in Flagstaff.
Depending how far I go on Walnut Canyon, I run either 6, 8 or 10km

Drone video: Flagstaff

I have been busy making drone video.
The Videos below are edited.
I used a DJI pocket camera and a Hover X1 drone.

Bike riding in Flagstaff

 This morning I drove on Lake Mary Road to the RV Park. 

My longest bike ride, so far, 25km

Fall Flowers in Flagstaff

 

I filmed both videos with my new drone: the DJI Flip. It has a controller with a video screen. A lot easier than with my other drone where I have to attach a phone to the controller.

Flagstaff Cycling

Cycling today! 
Second ride on my new bike.

I got up at 05.45. Started riding at 06.15.
It is Sunday today, no traffic, yet.
So, I can do my Flagstaff route (previous route was on Lake Mary Road).

My new bike is a touring bike. That means a metal frame and front and rear bag carriers.

This bike is bigger than my other bike, I had a lot less leg fatigue. Also a lot easier control in turns (better weight balance)
I decided to run, instead of hike, if hiking falls on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. 

Tomorrow running, I will have to see how my legs will feel...

Flagstaff-Cycling

Last Monday I went cycling.
19km on Lake Mary Road in Flagstaff.

First time cycling in 14 months, on my racing bike. This bike is a bit too small for me.
On Tuesday I bought a touring bike, the previous price was $1400, I bought it for $800.
Next Tuesday will be the first ride on this bike

Here is a bike review: https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a26988977/co-op-cycles-adv-review/

Bike rack

I have a road bike and a car.
A couple of days ago, I bought a bike rack on Amazon.
Yesterday I spent 4 hours assembling it.

Now I have to go the internet, to find more road bike trails in Flagstaff....

Summer

 It has been hot in Flagstaff. Could be worse, I could be in Phoenix, where it is 42-45 degrees Celsius....
My running times are, since a month, slower. Anout 30-45 seconds per km slower. 
Bitch, bitch, complain, complain.
Higher humidity and higher temperatures have something to do with it.
And..........I am getting older. Bitch, bitch, complain, complain.
But...if I can run the present times at 80 I will be oke...

Julie's Homeschool Retirement Party

 

Wylan's Graduation

 

Flagstaff Home Educators

 Last Tuesday was the 2025 Highschool Graduation ceremony.
I filmed all of it, the videos are now posted to my YouTube channel.

Here are 2 videos.

Summer

 Summer is here! Yesterday it was 24 Celsius outside, inside the trailer it was 30 degrees at 16.00hr.
Last night I kept the trailer doors open.

This morning it was 11 Celsius and I ran 8km in shorts and short sleeved running shirt.....

Flagstaff

 It was supposed to snow yesterday, but it did not. Rain instead...
Still, spring is here!

Flagstaff

 10 days ago a snow storm in Flagstaff, but now there is spring!
The nights are still cool, good for sleeping, but during the day the temperature climbs to about 20 degrees Celsius.

I rented through AirBNB in Athens, Greece for 4 years in the winter, 2017-2020. I do not want to be in Flagstaff for the coming winter, I checked what the prices are for similar apartments in Athens: 80-100% higher. 

800-1200 dollar for an apartment, to expensive.... 

Flagstaff

 The snow storm finished around 10.00 hr yesterday morning.  Lot's of snow melted during the day.
But, in the evening, another storm front moved in on the heels of the one that just finished.
Dropping another 15 centimeter of snow, it finished around 23.00hr.
Today melting snow and sunshine....

Flagstaff

 Another snow storm. It started thrusday afternoon and ended Friday morning.

I did run 8km over an icy, bumpy road..

Flagstaff

 It hadn't snowed all winter, but last week Thursday and Friday, it did. 20 centimeter

Tomorrow another snow storm is on the way from California....

Staying healthy: exercise

 I run and hike

Day 01: Running
Day 02: Recovery
Day 03: Hiking
Repeat this cycle indefinite.

On a running day I run 6km / 8km / 10km in sequence.
On a hiking day I walk 6km through the forest (up and down)
On a recovery day I walk 2.5km using roads.

In the USA there is a Silver & Fitness website that I signed up up for recently.
It enables to have free membership to Health clubs. There are quite a few here in Flagstaff!
I became a member of Planet Fitness.
I now go there on my recovery days doing the following:

• 2.5km walking on a treadmill. Varying the speed from a slow to a fast walk.
• 1km on a rowing machine
• upper body and arms weight resistance training (45min total)

Flagstaff

 After 10 days in January of cold nights with temperatures between minus 8-13 degrees Celsius, the past 8 days have been warm: at night plus 3-7 degrees Celsius and in the afternoon plus 17-20 degrees. 
Warm enough to sit outside in the sun wearing shorts.....

Running is goes well, this morning, over a distance of 6km I averaged a time of 6.44min per kilometer.

In In 2024 I ran a total of 764 km in 2024 I did 825 km running, total activities (running/hiking/cycling/walking) of 1942km

Ma

 

Ria

 

Flagstaff

Well, we're in 2025.
I did my New Year run this morning: 14km, more traffic than I expected....

Happy New Year!