My LSW at the ROM!

   According to my schedule (rough as it is) today was supposed to have been a cross training day and my plan had been to head to the gym and do a weight circuit. It was, however, also the last day of summer holidays for the boys and we had planned on a special outing.
   Early this morning, Doralyn and I, two of our boys, Callum and Quin, one of their friends, Matt, and another of our friends, Louise, all hopped in cars and headed for ROM, in Toronto.
   If you're not from these parts, ROM stands for the Royal Ontario Museum. The boys had never been there and it had been ages for Doralyn and I so there was a fair  amount of excitement in the air. Our friend Louise actually has a membership at ROM so we were all able to get in for free! Thanks, Louise!
   There is a TON of stuff to see at ROM and the place is huge so you walk a lot. A LOT! And because you don't really want to miss anything you walk slow and a lot of the time you're just standing there. Hence, it became my LSW training day---Long Slow Walk!
   Okay, here is one of the best parts---PICS!
   The architecture inside the ROM is magnificent!

   Some of the human sights are awesome as well! My wife, Doralyn, seated and then standing in front of a Buddah.

   Louise, our ROM benefactor on this day, with the boys, in order, Quin, Matt and Callum.
   We saw dinosaurs!
   Here's a T-Rex!
   And a mastodon!










   On to gems and minerals!

   Such a waste of Pillsbury dough--- several packages, right down the tubes (or should I say "out of the tubes"?)

   This is actually about four feet tall, and it's amethyst. Very striking!

   I should break open boulders a little more often...

   Doralyn and Louise, unbeknownst to them, had a man with a camera spying on them as they examined gems. Thank God for a lack of ROM security staff....

   I could have literally taken thousands of pics today, just so much to see. But there is a lot of very slow walking and we all feel like we got a pretty good workout.
   It is a little hard to keep teenaged boys interested in a place like this. According to them they saw all the interesting stuff in the first hour (we were there for about four) so we asked them to show us what they liked the best. They took us to see all the ancient weapons and armour. We looked at the same armour and noticed that you could see spear and lance gouges on the headpiece. As soon as we mentioned this to the boys, they rushed right back to more intently inspect something they'd only given the "once over" their first time around. Ah, the benefit of looking at something with an experienced eye...!
   All in all, it was an awesome but very long day. If you ever happen to come and visit Toronto, this place is a must-see! If you do go, mention that Brian from "Strides" recommended the place. They won't have the slightest idea what you're talking about but go ahead and give it a try anyway!
   In the meantime, happy and healthy running to you all and I guess I'm back at it tomorrow!