Levy

I walked on the Levy Trail and around Levy's Better Homes district (the official name of my section of town) this morning for 49:34.
I didn't see a cat. I did, however, see two uncollared stray dogs wandering around a house whose formers occupants may have abandoned them, I suppose.

QUESTION OF THE DAY
Does anyone who loves pets think its a good idea for everyone to spay and neuter their dogs and cats and to otherwise pick up all the strays and do the same for them?

Ouachita Trail

I alternated four-minute walks with one-minute jogs for 1:57:49, out and back from the spillway on the Ouachita Trail this morning. I started with a group of seven, organized by the running store Fleet Feet-Easy Runner. I'm guessing I went about seven and a half miles.
I tried to adopt a cat on Thursday, but the guy at the pound said the one I wanted, an approximately six-month-old gray tiger cat, was already promised and about to be shipped to Michigan. He, the cat, wanted me to take him home. I'm sorry I couldn't, kind of like I'm sorry they wouldn't give me Chuck. Yesterday, I drove by three dog pounds and two Pet Smarts and saw a total of two cats eligible for adoption, both of whom seemed disinterested in me. It seems as if there is a shortage of eligible cats in the greater Levy metropolitan area, which seems crazy to me.

Levy Trail/War Memorial Golf Course

I alternated four-minute walks with one-minute jogs to complete five miles late this morning on the Levy Trail in 1:13:34, with splits of 14:49, 14:35, 14:40, 14:59, and 14:30.
Late this afternoon and early evening, I played War Memorial Golf Course with a delightful 28-year-old man named Weston Weeks. I'm not sure what Weston scored. He's new to the game and wasn't keeping it, though late in the round he was doing fine; he probably played the back under 50. I scored 81, with nines of 43 and 38. I had 1 birdie, 5 pars, 9 bogies, 3 triples, and used 34 putts.
Weston is a Hendrix grad who works as an analyst for a credit union. His wife is a third-year medical student. He sounded eager to play again. "I had so much fun," he said, twice.

Original Levy Loop

I walked the original Levy Loop early this evening in 33:20.

Pam's Path

I walked Pam's Path this morning in 1:00:57, with splits of 15:46, 15:20, 15:14, and 14:37.

War Memorial Golf Course/Levy Trail South

Ed and I played War Memorial Park this morning and early afternoon. We each scored 87. I had nines of 42 and 45, used 36 putts, and had 5 pars, 6 bogies, 6 doubles, and 1 triple.
This evening, I walked Levy Trail South in 33:06.

Levy Trail Loop/NCAA

I walked the Levy Trail Loop this afternoon in 32:57.
After two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Pam is in a five-way tie for eighth with 48 points in the 2019 DemGaz Office Pool, six points behind the leader, Phil Martin.

River Trail/Hash

I walked on the River Trail early this afternoon for 36:21.
Late this afternoon, I walked and jogged for 49:59 on a Hash run from Allsopp Park to Knoop Park and back.

Oaklawn Park

HOT SPRINGS—After a long but fruitful day at Oaklawn Park, I walked around the barns and track parking Saturday night lot for 34:23.
I lost a total of $4 and am now down $10 for the season.
At last, finally, I went an entire day without a single thought in the present tense about the great Jo. That thought occurred to me about 10 minutes from Levy. For the first time, I did not once consider whether she would run from our yard to the car or from a windowsill to the front door when I arrived home. It took me thirty-four days. Jo's pleased, I'm sure.*
*yes, I hoped that last sentence would crack someone other than Jo up

Levy Trail/War Memorial Golf Course

I walked about three miles on the Levy Trail today in 49:09. This morning is cool, dry, sunny, and wind-free. John said Tim (Tiny Tim) Biggs will join us for golf today. He's been out for over a year with a bum shoulder. I guess we'll see.
Timmy didn't make it. He said we started too late for him. John, Ed, and I played War Memorial Golf Course, and Ed scored 83, I scored 93, and John scored 102. I had another goddamn 10, with nines of 49 and 43, and used 36 putts.

Levy Trail

Several other Geezers and I walked about five miles on the Levy Trail this morning in 1:25:30.

Camp Robinson Round Trip

I walked and jogged the Camp Robinson Round Trip this morning in 1:27:05. I added a loop of Orange, 47th, Maple, and 45th Streets to increase the trip total from 5.4 miles to 6. I spent a total of approximately half an hour talking to a guy named Chris Fiat, who at least posed as a city official of sorts, who said that for by-god certain the Levy Trail would by the end of the year be paved and lighted all the way to Camp Robinson, and to Steve Allan and Mike, who both live about 150 yards up Orange Street Hill from my house, and who both assured me that the TV show Bonanza is funnier than two motherfuckers to anyone who has eaten a THC-laced gummy bear.*
*they also both told me that if I was ever handed such a gummy bear from Colorado, to eat only half of it, that an entire Colorado gummy bear was entirely too rich in THC. God, I love the cultural diversity of this neighborhood. The University of Michigan should recruit solely between 47th Street and I-30 in North Little Rock. I mean, if that's truly what it's looking for, cultural diversity rather than people who merely look different from one another (though they'd get a nice dose of that, too).

Levy Trail North

I alternated four-minute walks with one-minute jogs to complete Levy Trail North this afternoon in 29:36.
Late this afternoon, I played eight holes—Nos. 11-18—at Hindman Golf Course in 42, with 1 par, 5 bogies, and 2 doubles. I used 16 putts.

OVERHEARD
"Man, I'm sitting here in my front yard with the sunshine on my face, and I ain't got no time to listen to your goddamn what's-going-on bullshit."
—old man speaking on a cell phone as he sat in a lawn chair cattycorner across 35th Street from Pete's house

Levy Trail Loop/War Memorial Golf Course/Levy Trail South

For the time being, my legs are livelier than two motherfuckers. I walked the Levy Trail Loop this morning in 29:36, and every step was easy. I hope this carries over to War Memorial Golf Course.
John, Ed, and I played War Memorial this morning and afternoon. Ed scored 88. I scored 90 and John 92. I had nines of 46 and 44 (with a pentagonal-bogie 10), used 36 putts, and had 4 pars, 9 bogies, 1 double, 2 triples, 1 quadruple, and the aforementioned pentagonal. I played the final five holes in 2-over, and my legs remained livelier than the two aforementioned motherfuckers.
And the liveliness persists. Just before dusk, I walked Levy Trail South in 32:29.

Pam's Path

I walked Pam's Path late this afternoon in 1:05:19. Once again, my legs felt dead. They have for the last week or so.

Oaklawn Park

HOT SPRINGS—I walked around the infield and the barns at Oaklawn Park this morning and then did an out and back along Central Avenue for a total of 1:04:22, which puts me up to 16 miles for the week.
I had a unique career experience today and tonight when I wrote two stories for the paper about the Rebel Stakes, the third of Oaklawn Park's four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. The race was split into two divisions (two races), and as a consequence, I was asked to write two Rebel Stakes stories. Both required nearly identical explanations and backstories. Here are excerpts from each, combined to display the trickiness of the paper's request:*

PETE PERKINS

HOT SPRINGS — The early race of the two-division Grade II $750,000 1-mile-and-1/16th Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday virtually wrapped up a spot in the Kentucky Derby for a horse loaded with local connections.

Owned by Willis Horton of Marshall, ridden by long-time Oaklawn jockey Jon Court, and trained by nine-time Oaklawn training-champion Steve Asmussen, a colt named Long Range Toddy improved on his previous success at Oaklawn with a late move to win the Rebel over a field of seven other three-year-olds, each with sights on racing’s pinnacle.

Long Range Toddy, at 8-1, completed the race in 1:42.49 before a crowd estimated at 45,500.

The Rebel was split into two races by Oaklawn officials to make room for shippers, particularly those from the west coast burdened in their pursuit of Kentucky Derby qualifying points by Santa Anita Park’s closure, which led to the cancelation of the San Felipe Stakes, a Derby prep that was to offer 85 qualifying points

When the season began, the Rebel — as one race — offered a purse of $1 million and was designated to distribute 85 Derby qualifying points. After Santa Anita’s self-imposed suspension on March 5, which followed the deaths of 21 horses injured on its surface, Oaklawn decided to raise the total purse of a split Rebel to $1.5 million, or $750,000 for each race. By Derby qualification rules, qualifying points for each race were reduced by 75 percent from 85 points to 63.75.

PETE PERKINS

HOT SPRINGS — Mike Smith spent seven seasons at Oaklawn Park early in his career. Now a 53-year-old member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall Fame, Smith makes periodic returns to the track as a racing superstar.

They rarely disappoint.

Smith rode Fox Hill Farms’ Omaha Beach to a photo-finish win over top-ranked and 1-2 favorite Game Winner in the late division of the two-race Grade II $750,000 1-mile-and-1/16th Rebel Stakes in 1:42.42 before a crowd estimated at 45,500 on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Game Winner, owned by Gary and Mary West, was shipped by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert from the disastrous aftermath of Santa Anita Park’s recent tragedy. A total of 22 horses have been euthanized since mid-December after they were injured on Santa Anita’s racetrack near Los Angeles.

Smith, a longtime Santa Anita veteran, said he remains hopeful for racing in California and nationwide.

“It’s such a sad situation for such an iconic place,” Smith said. “It’s a huge a black eye for horse racing, but we in racing are a huge family. I think we’ll pull together and pull through this. We all love horses, and we want to do what’s best for them at all times. Without horses, we wouldn’t have this life that we’ve been so blessed to have. We just need to make sure they’re well protected, and we’ll get ourselves back on track.”

Two Rebels were offered by Oaklawn officials to help West Coast three-year-old horses and their connections in search of another avenue to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Their local opportunity was lost with Santa Anita’s closure and the subsequent cancelation of the San Felipe Stakes, which was to offer 85 points toward Derby qualification.

The Rebel, as planned, would have offered a purse of $1 million and hand out 85 Derby qualifying points to the first four finishers. With the split, Oaklawn added $500,000 to the total purse. To meet Derby qualification rules, the two split Rebels distributed a total of 63.75 points, down 75 percent from the original designation.

Omaha Beach, in his first stakes attempt, picked up 37.5 Derby points with his Rebel win, enough to virtually assure his qualification for the Derby, scheduled for May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. No horse has reached 33 or more points and failed to qualify for the Derby since the points system was established for the 2013 race.

*having read this, I am reassured that I did a job adequate to fulfill the paper's request. I feared excessive redundancy (and in fact submitted a brief argument for one big fucking story rather than two smaller ones. I still believe that would have been a wiser choice, but I'm pleased this worked out OK)

By the way, home now at 11:56 p.m., I now think I know why I complained so much last Saturday about Jo's death. I think my favorite times with her were after long, gut-wrenching days at Oaklawn Park. She was usually a joy to return to and usually seemed as pleased as I was. You know, most times, and I think maybe that's it. We'll see.

Pam's Path

I walked Pam's Path at lunchtime today in 1:05:25.

Levy Trail North/War Memorial Golf Course

John Czarnecki, Ed Pennington, and I played War Memorial Golf Course this morning and afternoon. Ed scored 88. I scored 97 and John 102. I had nines of 51 and 46 and used 36 putts.
I think Beto O'Rourke will be our next president. His start reminds me of those of Presidents Clinton and Carter. I know he seems perfectly unqualified, but lack of experience didn't keep our last two presidents from office. He'd be a fucking lock if he had a real first name, but I have already begun to explain to friends the commonality of the nickname Beto among people of obvious Hispanic origin (even after they ask, "If it's so common, then why hadn't any of us ever heard of it until last year, motherfucker?").

Levy Trail Loop

I walked the Levy Trail Loop tonight in 33:29.

York Gary Loop

NASHVILLE—I walked the York Gary Loop, plus about a quarter-mile detour through Nashville City Park, this afternoon in 36:00.

War Memorial Golf Course/Levy Trail South

Ed and I played War Memorial Golf Course this morning and afternoon. Ed scored 85 and I scored 88, with nines of 45 an 43. I had 1 birdie, 1 par, 10 bogies, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 quadruple, and used 33 putts.
Afterward, I walked Levy Trail South in 35:12.

Ghetto Cat Loop

I alternated four-minute walks with one-minute jogs to complete the Ghetto Cat Loop at lunchtime today in 28:40.
By the way, I think my long whine about Jo last night helped. I feel much better today.

Oaklawn Park

HOT SPRINGS—After I turned in stories to the paper about the Hot Springs and Honeybee Stakes, I walked around the Oaklawn Park facility and grounds tonight for 35:40.
It's been twenty days since Jo died, but I once again looked for her when I got home. Please don't worry; I'm sleeping fine, eating well, and remain interested in—and, in fact, somewhat passionate about—my hobbies and work. Nevertheless, I miss Jo so much. I'm fine, truly, but man, this sadness is getting old.

Levy Trail North/War Memorial Golf Course

I walked Levy Trail North through more mist this morning in 34:02. I took it easy to save my legs for a round of War Memorial Golf Course with John Czarnecki. My goal is to break 110.
I'm pretty sure I have never improved more from one round of golf to the next than I did today. I scored 85 at War Memorial to improve by 25 strokes from the 110 I scored last week. John scored 96. I had nines of 45 and 40, used 33 putts, and had 6 pars, 8 bogies, 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 quadruple.

I PLAN TO STAB...
...the person who decided to run the Nugenix ad with Frank Thomas exactly 1,000,006 times every fucking day on every single fucking television and internet channel

Poplar Street Loop/Levy Trail South

I walked and jogged two laps of the Poplar Street Loop this morning in 44:11, with big-hill splits of 15:01 and 14:12. Mist fell throughout, but it's no longer cold. Crazy, but we just went through our coldest few days of the year—you know, one of those weeks where global warming stabs you in the fucking back.
This evening, beginning at about 7 p.m., I walked Levy Trail South in 31:25.

Cooks Landing Loop

Five other Geezes and I walked the Cooks Landing Loop this morning in 2:06:26.

Poplar Street Loop

I walked two laps of the Poplar Street Loop in 47:49, with hilly mile splits of 16:12 and 15:50. As long as I plan to run the Full Moon (Midnight) 50K, I wish I could do this loop at least once or twice a week. Mostly, I forget about it. It was a last-second thought today. I was pleased by how easily the long walks up 33rd Street went.

Levy Trail 5K

I walked the Levy Trail 5K at lunchtime today in 46:39. I went through three miles in 45:12.

Downtown Little Rock/Levy Trail Loop

Late this morning, right after I interviewed a handful of Little Rock Marathon fucks, I walked for 49:49 around downtown Little Rock. Late this afternoon, right after I wrote those fucks' stories, I walked the Levy Trail Loop in 32:02.

33rd Street Loop/Oaklawn Park

I planned to walk the entire 33rd Street this morning but was interrupted for about fifteen minutes at the four-mile mark by my mailman Keith, a big racehorse and sports fan. We talked about the Fountain of Youth Stakes, a Kentucky Derby prep at Gulfstream Park scheduled for this afternoon, and Amy's Challenge, a potential world-class four-year-old filly, who runs in today's Spring Fever Stakes at Oaklawn. Point is, I was a bit short on time so just walked home down Orange Street Hill. I went four miles in 1:05:02.
I bet $6 to win on 4-5 Amy's Challenge today. She won, and I got a return of $11.80, which puts me exactly $3 in the hole roughly one-third of the way through the season. In other words, my original $40 voucher is now worth $37, so I'm in good shape.
By the way, I had two new-cat ideas today that two longtime pressbox women confirmed as very good. One was to ask the trainers I know if there are any cats around their barn they'd like to find a good home for. The other was to just show up at the barns a couple of days after the season ends. Mary told me there would be at least several cats and kittens left behind. In fact, she said it's a problem at racetracks everywhere, which makes perfect sense. These people have to leave in a hurry. I'm not sure why it took me two weeks to come up with this. For years, I have maintained that barn cats are the friendliest, most sociable I have been around. They're used to lots of people and horses, so nothing seems to make them skittish. They're almost always pickupable. We'll see.

Downtown Little Rock

I walked for 34:22 en route to and back from picking up my press pass for the Little Rock Marathon this morning from the Little Rock Convention Center.