RowBobRow Website - 2008 Row Thoughts

Doctor's Report and What It Means.
The 2008 Panhandle of Florida Peace Row is small and just beginning. Much of the waiting is now over. My doctor has said that while my blood counts are certainly somewhat abnormal, my body does not seem to be reacting in a negative way. So there you have it, both my blood counts and my body are whacked out. Surprise, surprise!!!
So if my doctor says RowBobRow then what does this mean? First, it means I better get training more vigorously. I know my rowing partner Cork is out running mile after mile with his dog and best friend, Diggler. I, on the other hand, am walking "Chillin" a mile while he stops and sniffs every bush, flower and light pole. Second, its time to tell people where we are rowing. One person has emailed me inquiring, "what and where is the Florida Panhandle?" OK, so this is for all our friends who might be curious. Go to a Florida map and look up in the far left corner. You should see Pensacola. Then if you go east about 175 miles you should find Carrabelle. The reason we are stopping at Carrabelle is that is where mile marker #1 for the Intracoastal Waterway is located. We started at MM #1 in Key West in 1998 and we are wrapping the long distance rowing adventures up at MM#1 in 2008. I'm putting this in writing so Sue will believe me. (Apparently I've said this before)

What Does The Future Hold.
In the future we envision shorter more friendly rows with cookouts and B&B's. Trips that we all could enjoy and be absent of pain and blisters. We won't just be thinking of rowers but also kayakers, sailors, heck, anyone who wants to join us on the water, see some beautiful places and have some fun. We will be easy to contact at the website www.rowbobrow.com
Do you think you have the most beautiful place for an outing? Then just let us know and see what we can make happen. Notice how I am already trying to forget the minor point of living through another 175 miles of rowing in November.

Big Title, Big Opportunity.
The Florida Panhandle Peace Row, World Peace Through Inner Peace. That is not only a mouth full, but also a GRAND idea. It came to Cork and I while on the Melbourne to Jacksonville row. It was a perfect morning with just Cork and I on the waterway and our only thoughts were thoughts of gratitude. How fortunate we were to be able to live like this. I don't know which one of us said it, but it was so profound, "If all world leaders could start their day like this, we'd have no wars". That's where it began and by the end of the day the peace theme was part of our next row. We came to this conclusion, war does not end war. Let me say here, we are not anti-military. We just want to make the military's job easier. We believe in the power of mass consciousness. If each one of us spends a little time each day thinking thoughts of peace then those thoughts will spread through our friends, communities, states, country and around the world. Yes, Big Title, BIG OPPORTUNITY.

What I look forward to the least.
The pain. Oh the pain! I don't care how much you train for one of these, you can't really prepare your body for the inevitable blisters (I'm talking everywhere), muscle fatigue and exposure for repetitive 8 hour days of rowing in open water.

How I'm training for the 2008 Row.
Well unlike many previous marathon rows, these days it's all about physical therapy and body strengthening. I used to simply row for as many hours a day as time would afford 5 to 7 days a week.
Now it's taking the efforts and expertise of a couple very special people to make this happen for me. Dr. Todd Narson my chiropractor and sports physical therapist, and my Pilates guru Maria Forrest. Honestly without these folks this would not be possible for me to do now.

Expectations for the 2008 Row for World Peace.
I would like for this row to raise record money for cancer research and even greater awareness of a disease that few have even heard of. The faster we do this, the sooner Bob and all people with Waldenstrom's can live cancer free. I'd also like for this to be the start of an annual international event spreading the word of inner peace. If for one day, every year we could spend a few hours doing something that takes us away to a special place of peace, that would be a great accomplishment.

What I look forward to the most.
I look forward to being out on the water, away from the pace of my everyday life. Until you do this, by rowing, biking, swimming, climbing-what ever your desire, you don't realize how much of your day, your life you take for granted. It's exercise, peace, perspective, nature, meditation and mental therapy. What I look forward to the most is spending a week on the water with one of my favorite people in the world, Bob Lynch. Imagine smiling and laughing all day long for 7 days, even when your body wants to quit and you're in excruciating pain. What a great lesson for life. Everyone should do this at least once a year. Call a good friend, call your brother or your mother, and spend a couple days experiencing peace out on the water or in the mountains. You, and the world will be better for it.