Countdown to Triathlon - 222 Days, 31.71 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 36 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

The Empire State Building at sunset.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

An optimist is someone who falls off the Empire State Building, and after 50 floors says, 'So far so good!'

       
The training and dieting are going well.  I just have to remember that 31.71 weeks will be here before I know it and to not falter in my training.

The Journey - Installment Thirty-Six


             
         We decided to do the tourist thing and go up to the top of the Empire State Building.  We bought tickets then were directed to an elevator.  We had been told that we would get off the elevator at a certain floor then had to stand in line to get on another elevator.  When we got off the first elevator, there was a long line snaking around that floor of the building.  I remember thinking that I really didn’t want to stand in line.  A guard directed us directly onto the elevator which took us right to the top of the building.  I remember asking him if Meg Ryan was at the top (Sleepless in Seattle) but he didn’t get it.  We were incredulous as to why we hadn’t had to stand in line.  I thought that maybe the guard mistakenly thought we were some VIP group, which of course we weren't.  I just remember all those people in line glaring at us and wondering why we got right on the elevator and didn't have to wait.   It is only now at this writing that I may have the answer.  Cindy wore her medal around her neck all day and I wonder if that was why we were ushered directly to the elevator without waiting.  It is the only explanation I can come up with. 

    
           After arriving at the top of the building, we were amazed at how strong the wind was.  There was a fence all around the building.  You can see in the below photo of Cindy and I just how strong.  It felt as if we could have been blown off the building if there had been no fence.  Check out some the photos we took from the top overlooking the New York City skyline.  Sorry, I can't tell you which part of the city we're looking at in the photos.

I wonder what ever happened to that jacket of mine (shown in the picture of me on the right.)
 I always enjoyed wearing it and haven't seen it in years.

        In the picture below, we were really on top of the Empire State Building.  The background was a drop-down screen.  I wonder why they didn't use the Empire State Building rather than the Statue of Liberty.


Me (Barb) on left, Patti, middle, Cindy on the right
WOW!  Nine years sure makes a difference in appearance, at least in my case.