CAN Redux

TOP: The women-folks hanging out lakeside at the Weidrich cottage

2nd: Ever watch a Pole try to work with a pole? Watching Koz put his sail up for the first time was, in a word, priceless!

3rd: The waves breaking over the buoys, just in time for the swim

Bottom: Dave and Carl still happy at registration...they haven't seen the lake yet!
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Last weekend a group of us signed up for the National Championship 2 mile swim at Canandaigua Lake. I was really looking forward to it, as I've got a long history with the lake (first to swim its' 17 miles back in 1984!) and felt like I was finally starting to get some swim fitness back after a long layoff.

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We got down to the lake, and, low and behold, there were significant waves breaking on the beach, 20+mph winds, and massively threatening storm clouds coming over the surrounding hills. After a registration snafu, the organizers got the swim start late, and we all headed out into the waves.

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I was having a pretty good swim, just rounding the buoy at the 1 mile (for logistics, the course was 4 x 1/2 mile course) when everyone started blowing horns and yelling. I just figured that it was for me, they were so impressed with my performance. Well, turns out it was because lightning was sighted just a mile or so downlake, and they wanted everyone out of the water NOW!!!! So, the swim was stopped at that point, everyone had to race to shore, and it was all a chocolate mess...but, in their defense, the correct call by the organizers. Safety has to win the day.

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They were unable to restart due to the conditions, so they called it there. So, off we headed down to the Weidrich cottage for our annual CARP party. That turned out to NOT be cancelled, and we had a great time (as usual!) with booze and food nonstop for the rest of the day. One of the highlights was Koz taking out his newly purchased sailboat for it's maiden cruise. This was especially funny, as Koz has never sailed before, didn't know which end of the sail went up, and didn't realize that if you start downwind, it's pretty hard to ever get back to your starting point with gale force headwinds. Luckily for him, "Skipper" Tom Miller went along, and took the reins, and all turned out well.

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It was especially noteworthy to see Jane in such great shape, as she had just had a heart stint put in the week prior. Pretty darn spry for an 85 year old! Don't know how many more years we'll get a chance to do this party, but I have to say over the last, oh, 20 years, it's certainly spawned some great times and memories.

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"Maybe I can get a colon stint" Lumpy out