The JimAnna Chronicles

The first stop on the day’s itinerary was to a very pretty bird sanctuary. While there are birds on Guam (contrary to the common misconception that the Brown Treesnake has eaten them all), but not large preserves like this.



Next destination was a latte stone quarry. This site has a number of unfinished latte stones. The bowl shaped piece goes on top of the rectangular base. If these were completed, they would have been some of the largest in all of Micronesia. However, most likely, these would have been used symbolically instead of for construction. It’s also possible that construction was halted by the Spanish when they subjugated the area in the 16th century.



We headed back to the water on the other side of the island. This is a popular swim hole. As you can see, the surf had picked up a little from the previous day. Fortunately, we were in a relatively protected location.

The ancient Chamorro people often used caves and karsts for shelter. One enterprising family made use of one and turned it into a small museum. While the displays were inelegant, it was interesting nonetheless.


Here’s an example of a sling stone. It’s the first that I’ve seen. The shape is prominently displayed on the Guam flag.

Here are some unique artifacts from the time of the Spanish.

Mark is manning the WWII Japanese guns…

Here’s what the erect latte stones look like. Of course there is no building on them, but it’s a good example at least.

Next up was a trip back to the run course to show the girls the view from the course and stop by another scenic overlook.

Putting another WWII Japanese gun to good use.



Back to the village our hotel was in and up the hill nearby to get a better view. Here’s what it looks like.

Here’s our hotel (the large building in the center).

Well, that whirlwind tour took us to just about all the high points on the island. So, it was time to load up our gear, and head back home.

Just a short flight and our condo was in view. Ours is the medium size white building in the center of the photo.

It was another great weekend trip. If you ever want a great quiet little tropical island to get away to, Rota is your place. 🙂
So, until the next adventure…
–Jim

This morning we woke up early and got our gear positioned in the two transition areas.
The Olympic distance for my race was a 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K bike. To put that in English units, it was about a mile swim, a 25 mile bike, and a 6+ mile run. Even though I have done a number of triathlons, this was my first Olympic distance race. So, I set my goal for the day to break 3 hours and if things went well to go under 2:45. Oh, and I didn’t train for the race at all. Anna and I ran a 10K race the weekend before, but that was all the athletic activity that I did for the 2 weeks leading up to the race. Not very smart, I know, but I’ve found it challenging to break away from my current job and hit the gym.
Anna, as part of the team, supported Mary and Lorena in their events but went all out for the bike course.
Here we are getting our gear setup:

The race started at 6:30 when it was light out, which was nice to be able to see, but made for a very hot finish.



The race started in the water, which was a good thing since it was VERY rocky. With all 150 or so people going out of the harbor mouth at the same time, it got a little tight. I can’t imagine doing a race with thousands of other people.
Here’s a shot of what the swim course looked like. It was beautiful water … crystal clear and fairly flat water. There were 3 divers that I saw underwater taking pictures. I smiled for them, but never saw the results. Oh well.

Here I am exiting the first transition area … off to go on a bike ride. After my 30 minute swim … I had a little trouble swimming in a straight line after the last buoy. Oops.

Mark right on my heels out of the water and on his bike.

Since Robbie had to do 2 laps (as opposed to our one lap) on the swim course, he was a little way behind, but going strong.

The bike course was quite simple … follow the main road around most of the island, turn around and come back. I felt pretty good on the bike and finished in about 1:13.
Here I am starting out on the run.

With Mark still on my heels…

The run course was simply beautiful. I’ve heard there’s an even better run course on Saipan, but I have yet to do the Xterra Triathlon there. Anyway, here’s a shot of the view from the run course.

So, about 8 kilometers into the run the heat became almost unbearable. Fortunately, there were people along the road with water hoses and drinking water. Without that, it would have been even worse … anyway, my run was by far the most challenging event. That was partly because it’s not normally tough, partly the heat and partly that I didn’t train. I finished the run in under an hour, but not by much.
My overall time for the race was 2:44. So, I beat my goal! Yea! I was pleased. Plus, I know I can do better next time.
As for placement, I finished 8th out of about 80 competitors and 1st in my age group.
Lorena, Anna and Mary combined for a 3rd place finish in the team event…and the only all girl team. Go girls!
Here I am very grateful to be finished.

Mary in the finishers tent.

After the race, we went back to the hotel to clean up, then out to get a little food. While we were doing that, Robbie was still out on the course. Just as we paid for our food, Robbie ran by on his last stretch.
We caught him at the finish line. He came across in 5:51. Quite a feat for his first Half-Ironman. That earned him 10th place in the Half-Ironman race. Good job Robbie.
That night we caught a ride from someone in the mayor’s office who was giving rides to athletes who didn’t have transportation to the race party.
Here we are enjoying some of the local drinks.

The mayor was quite a character and gave a very impassioned speech about the greatness of Rota. In fact the climax was:
“Rota is … beautiful!”
“Rota is … great!”
“Rota is … delicious!”
After the speech the 1st and 2nd place finishers from each age group were called up to receive their certificate and small prizes (I got a hat and inexpensive pair of sunglasses).
Here I am shaking the hand of the mayor.

The Guam Group.



That ended our race day. We then had the whole next day to explore the island. Our flight didn’t leave until the mid afternoon.
So, I will explain more in the next post…
–Jim

Last weekend was a first. It was the first time we had been to the small island of Rota and the first time we took our bikes on a plane.
First, since anywhere we go I like to find out as much as I can about the culture/people/geography/etc, here’s a little background.
Here are a couple of maps of the area for your reference:


Rota is one of 3 inhabited islands (there are 14 total islands) that make up the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). Rota is the closest island to Guam at 40 nautical miles. Saipan (the largest island) is about 120 miles from Guam. In fact, on clear days you can see Rota from the northern side of Guam.
Here’s the flag of the CNMI:

The latte stone in the middle is one of the significant cultural symbols for the Chamorro people indigenous to the region. It was used as a foundation for building structures. We visited a latte stone quarry later in the trip.
The people of Rota were very friendly. In fact, it had the feel of a small town in the US. Everyone waves at each other as they pass on the roads. There are less than 5,000 people living on the island and it’s about 32 square miles (about 10.5 miles long by 3 miles wide). For comparison, Guam is about 7 times larger with a population of 160,000. So, suffice it to say, Rota does not have the same infrastructure as it’s larger neighbor. However, we found it very endearing. There were 8 of us from Guam that went, so we had our own fun.
The economy of Rota is based on tourism (as is the rest of the CNMI and Guam). Agriculture is also important and the most significant products are sweet potato (a purple variety), breadfruit, coconut and cattle. That said, Rota and the rest of the CNMI benefit from a substantial infusion of money from the federal US government (on the order of hundreds of millions year).
The CNMI is a commonwealth in political union with the US. As such, it enjoys certain benefits, such as financial assistance and US citizenship for its local residents. However, since it is not a territory of the US, it is allowed more freedom to govern itself in areas like immigration, taxation (no federal income tax), and labor laws. Basically though, the government is modeled after the US.
We thought the pace of life was laid back in Guam…its hectic chaos compared to Rota though! There is very little to rush for….there is no movie theater, a handful of restaurants, and no fast food. There are plenty of beaches, crystal clear water, spectacular terrain, and perfect weather (most of the time).
So, with all that said, let me get on to the trip.
We took off Friday afternoon for the 15 minute flight up to Rota. We found out that even though a box for a bike is less than 50 pounds and slightly larger than a normal suitcase, it costs an extra $30 each way. Since we had 2 bikes, for the privilege of riding, Anna and I had to pay an extra $120. Oh well, just frustrating I suppose to pay for this “handling” that got us nothing special. I know, I sound bitter, but Continental has a stranglehold on the airline market out of Guam.
The eight of us were: Anna and me, Mark and Lorena, Mary, Dennis, Robbie and another Jim. Robbie was the only one brave enough to attempt the Half-Ironman distance. Mark, Jim and I each did the Olympic distance. The girls teamed up for the Olympic distance: Lorena swam, Anna biked and Mary ran. Dennis was our group photographer. 🙂
Here’s our first close look at the island.


You can see here just how clear the water was…

Mary proclaims, “We have arrived!”

Here’s our Guam contingent.

Welcome to Rota.

That evening, we went to sign up for the race, checked into the hotel, inspected our gear and prepped the bikes for the ride. We headed to bed pretty early to get a good night’s sleep….
Tomorrow will be the race.
–Jim