The Book Tour Continues

Starting the next phase of my book tour tomorrow but I wanted to reflect upon for a moment, upon the old friends and new friends that I've met along the way, who make this journey really extraordinary. There are people who I have mentioned in the book that become three dimensional, and appear at the book signings, and it's so exciting to have them there when I tell their stories, knowing that they will be inspiring. And then there are the new people who I meet along the way who share the same passion. They are people who are dreaming of doing great things with their lives and they are doing them! The energy level and excitement at these book signings is so high. And it is really fun when someone hands me a book to sign and tells me what he or she is doing and why they can't wait to read the book, or how they have already read it and connected with it. This is really a highlight of the book, getting to see how people absorb the information and how they apply it in their own lives with their own goals. It is really exciting!

1. John York one of our greatest channel swimmers who has mentored and coached so many swimmers and water polo players, and started the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation at Pages Bookstore with Lynne. / 2. Niece, Lynne, John and Beth inside ice cream shop Manhattan Beach / 3. Lynne Cox, Thomas Johnson, triathlete, Barbara Held great channel swimmer and mentor and Kendra Kaufman swimmer and naval aviator meeting at La Jolla Cove discussing swims and listening to great stories from Kendra about flying for the US Navy and the parallels between flight and swimming. / 4. Kathy Kent and Karhleen Fessenden workout pals at booksigning. Kathy is a professional photographer and high school photo teacher who edited photos for the book. And Kathleen was one friend who listened to ideas for writing the South With the Sun for the past seven years. She purchased the book for her daughters to inspire them with their sports: track, soccer, and lacrosse. / 5. Kevin Anderson, Lynne Cox, Dan Simonelli, and Barbara Held above the beautiful waters of La Cove. / 6. The Simonelli family with Lynne at Warwicks bookstore in La Jolla, California a family of swimmers and runners!

You're seeing Howard mastering the dog paddle as Betty his coach watches and jumps into the water to show Howard how to retrieve two tennis balls and hold them in her mouth. Howard has just mastered one tennis ball and is working on two. They are big tennis fans. With out tennis players there wouldn't be any great tennis balls to retrieve! Tokie their human is proud of Howard getting over his fear of the water. He is s great swimmer now!

Had the chance to meet with Tokie Shynk, my friend who is a triathlete and we watched Howard, her yellow lab, who is more white than yellow, swim across the back yard pool. We analyzed his dog paddle as Betty, his adopted yellow lab mother, watched him swim. She taught Howard how to swim and how to capture tennis balls. She jumps into the water and carries two.

Also had the chance to see UCSB Alumni Swim Meet this weekend and talk with Coach Greg Wilson, who I assistant coached for years ago, and meet Assistant Coach Tim Siciliano.  It was so much fun to watch UCSB men and women swimmers race across the pool as if they were propelled by jets while their parents and friends and Nick the yellow cheered them on!  It was wonderful to see Gaucho great swimmers that I remember from my time at UCSB. They were still swimming and looked very strong.

Head to Capitola tomorrow (Wednesday) to begin the next phase of the book tour and Thursday San Francisco for the South Rowing Club and Dolphin Club Booksigning:
Wednesday, Oct 5 
CAPITOLA, CALIFORNIA
7:30 pm -- Capitola Book Café, 1475 41st Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010

Thurs, Oct 6 
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
6pm-8pm -- South End Rowing Club and Dolphin Club will co-sponsor the event 500 Jefferson St, SF Ca 94109

Sunday, October 9 
BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON
4 pm -- Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

Monday, October 10 
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
7 pm -- Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155.