Author Archive Hops

Respect is earned, not given

DATE: 2023-02-24 AO: Centurion Q: Hops PAX: Snuka, Point Break, Emoji, Pilgrim, thunder_road, vanpelt, purple_haze, snowflake, lorax, Big Tuna, Black Flag FNGs: None COUNT: 12 Veteran crew this morning, which is to say 9 of the 12 us have earned “Respect”; No sense describing what we did other than lots of shoulder work and running Tartarus. Did some rock work, too. Instructions proving difficult for Emoji at times. Haze ran in, and VanPelt did his 5K before posting (he’s running a 5K everyday, did so in 2020 and 2022 as well). Skipped 2021 as he had Covid and the “science” told him his heart could explode if he exercised. #faucinews Also, VP said he hadn’t done a bootcamp in eons…and he immediately refusniked the first call of mine which was just to simply plank. #warrior Anyway, it was a fun morning. Haze said we went 1.637 miles. You’re welcome. #makebootcampsgreatagain Do you know anyone who needs F3? Then invite them. Changed your life, at least somewhat, right? Passez un bon weekend mes amis.

Don’t piss me off, Art

16 mumble chattering elves showed up in the dense Area51 gloom to light the Yule log and fix the newel post.  Puddin’ Pop came bearing malodorous gifts, and several of the other elves didn’t exactly hitting Santa’s productivity quota.

Seeing that only Thunder Road was wearing reflective gear, YHC decided to dial down the mileage and stay out of the working class neighborhood of OP.  Who are we kidding, we were never going to run through the neighborhood on my Q.  Apologies for going over 2 miles, as per Brandi, on my bootcamp Q.  I’ll do better next time.

Here’s a little bit of Yuletide Moleskinny:

Some noteworthy moments this morning, not the least of which was YHC splintering one of the picnic table benches on the first step-up.  Put down the egg nog, Hops, and pick up a KB.  Skip rope and skip dinner!  Cobains.  The bench was already splintered.  True story.  Check the video tape.  All of the OP posse promised to fix it via a scout project.  OR  Motorboat will pick it up and torch it in Spackler’s burn barrel.

Other tidbits worthy of mention:

Site Q and gentleman Jet Fuel actually refuseniked quite politely — asking what he should do in lieu of burpee’s.  Spackler et al did not ask, he had already grabbed his tiny bag of nicotine #chemicalcrutch and his Yeti at 6:11am.  #warrior

Walthar N’Djaiye’s were a bit dodgy this morning.  Read the disclaimer, men.

We went 2.03734 miles apparently.  Messed up the paver wall for the Methodists.  Lessened the outdoor lunch seating capacity by 3.  Did some other stuff, too.

Thanks to Jet Fuel and Slingshot tapping me to Q, even if it was because Ickey knew he’d be too hung over from Wednesday night bowling league.  True Story.  Glad I could help.  Do I get a team shirt with my name in cursive, Ickey?  #earlanthony

Remember: it’s only 15 days until the Gasparilla Bowl.  Alabama is not in the CFP.  And Baker Mayfield is starting for the defending Super Bowl Champs.

 

Even if you don’t really celebrate Christmas, this song is worth a listen.  I think it’s powerful.  Pay attention to the lyrics.  This song was actually a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who among other tragic events in his life, watched his wife burn to death in their home.  So how could he write about right prevailing?  What was his hope?  He wrote this in 1864, while our country was tearing itself apart and his son lay in a hospital, badly wounded in the war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F756Mjxxrvc

“Then rang the bells more loud and deepGod is not dead, nor doth He sleepPeace on Earth.Peace on Earth.The wrong shall fail, the right prevailWith peace on Earth, good will to men.”

 

 

 

61 cents for your services.

yep.  a backblast.  remember those?

there was a shovel flag, too…God bless Snowflake, Centurion, and the USA, of course.  The only SF in Area51 that I’m aware of. Let’s plant a few more, men.

there were also 6 Respect’s and two forty-something’s…Lorax being the younger of the two – War Baby for the first time in his long, illustrious F3 career.

Snuka rightly called me out on Thanksgiving asking why I don’t post anymore.  It hurt because it was laden with truth.  The dude’s 61 and posts 4-5 times per week.  Just don’t ask him to swing a KB…..he’ll hurt himself.

Chelms returned to his old grounds and tracked exactly 1.94 miles, mostly uphill according to him.  He also said something for the first time at an F3 workout: “I’m focusing on form.”  True story.  His words….not his actions.

Snowflake is 2 weeks older than Snuka, but 3 inches taller…or 4.

Erin Brokavich was almost War Baby for the first time….if only Lorax hadn’t decided to start posting again himself.  Don’t call it a comeback.

Runstopper, broken wrist and all, was putting in the work….not sure the burpees, normally his forté, were happening though.  He wore more than just tights, and we gave thanks for that.

Emoji was all smiles of course; but he was complaining about the wall being too smooth for Walthar N’Djaiye’s as well as the additive nature of the burpees.

Pax stayed in the parking deck, aka Cerberus, for 35 minutes…then did some rock work and some Mary.

good to be back at Centurion, the best Friday Area51 bootcamp in southwestern Mecklenburg County.

All in all a good morning.  No one was held up at gun point.  YHC found 61 cents in the parking deck.  Chelms offered to watch it for me at one point…not the kind of accounting I was looking for.  And no one got hit by a car crossing Route 51.

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”   You’ve likely heard that around F3.  It’s an ancient Hebrew saying.  There’s a lot more good stuff written by the same dude and several others.  If you want to check out some of it, I’d be glad to make a few suggestions.

Thanks to Snowflake for taking us out in prayer, and for tapping me to Q.

 

Do you like my concert t-shirt?

Quick Moleskinny from this morning’s “Respect Q” for YHC at Hydra.

One of the first to greet and notice my F3 “Respect” t-shirt (Snowflake gave it to me yesterday) was Site Q Jet Fuel.  The quick-witted Respect himself said: “I see you’ve already got the t-shirt.  That’s like wearing a concert t-shirt at the concert itself.”  Hilarious and true.

So we worked out.  Nobody sang happy birthday or brought cake.  M. Hops threatened to do that several years ago.  Cupcakes actually…but I feared a re-name.

Did 50 burpees.  Well, I think about 10-12 of the 26 pax did 50 burpees.  Did some partner rock work & runs; and some other standard fare for a bootcamp.  No SSH’s, of course.

1.65 miles according to Geraldo.  I’ll do better next time…which is to say less mileage.

Spackler was nice enough to not pull a group of pax out to go for a run.

Foghorn & Veg-O-Matic were flying on the runs.  Runstopper did his 50 burpees in 1 minute and 13 seconds.

Cobains to Huddle House for calling him Waffle House…to which he replied, “I’m his uglier, nastier cousin”.

Semi-Gloss rubbed his schweaty self up against YHC at one point….oh the humanity!

Clover was exactly right on the 1972 price of gas per gallon:  $0.36  #rainman

Pop Tart tore up the asphalt at OPES when pulling out in his hotrod.  Thank you very little.

Some other stuff happened I suppose.

Thank you, men, for posting.  Grateful for the friends the Lord has put in my life.   Grateful for the F3 fellowship we have.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t encourage all of you again (as I did in COT) to make the 3rd F a priority in your lives.  We all know we’re on this Earth for a limited time.  Do you have peace in your life?

Not sure who will read this obviously, but I mentioned my mom’s passing from cancer in 1995 as the event that triggered the 3rd F importance in my life.  After hanging up the phone with my dad who gave me the news, I went and found an old, barely-used, dusty Bible, and randomly flipped it open.  The page that I “landed” on were words from a man named Jesus of Nazareth, as recorded by one of his top lieutenants named John.  These very words, as I read them through blurry eyes, rescued me and give me great peace and assurance; and I know they always will:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”  John 14:1-6

Mike Tomczak comes to Falcon Nest

Q:  Who did Paul Bear Bryant defeat in his last game as head coach of Alabama in the 1982 Liberty Bowl?

What does that have to do with this morning’s events at Falcon Nest (née Hawks Nest, née Falcon Crest)?  You had to show to know, but because you’re wasting unrecoverable time in order to read this…I’ll tell you.

YHC threw out some 1980’s Big Ten Football trivia (more specifically 1983-84).  What do Jim Everett, Jim Harbaugh, Chuck Long, Jack Trudeau and Mike Tomczak have in common?

They were all Big 10 quarterbacks (Purdue, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State) in 1983…though Harbaugh didn’t start until 1984.

Some fact and fiction about these illustrious pigskin slingers from the heartland (actually Trudeau grew up in California and Everett in Albuquerque….but I digress as usual).

Fiction: Jack Trudeau is related to famous cartoonist Garry Trudeau of Doonesbury fame.   Siri & Clover were wrong.  Garry is married to Jane Pauley, however.

Fact: Jim Everett remains the only quarterback to defeat Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame in the same season.

Fiction: Jim Harbaugh owns non-pleated khakis.

Fact: Michigan leads all Big 10 schools with 9 football national championships, Ohio State has 8, Minnesota (yes, Minnesota) has 6 and Illinois has 5 (2 more than Clemson).

Fiction: Alabama leads the nation in football national championships with 16.

Fact:  Yale leads the nation in football national championships with 18.

So we did some exercises, and some of the pax, of course, didn’t do many of the called exercises.  Spackler, STOP TRAFFIC, did 5 burpees, which were the first he’s done in 4+ years #augustmiracle

Runstopper took his shirt off before the workout.  One of the pax asked YHC after teaming with the Stopper for the rock work if I was sufficiently shamed by my shirtless partner and the fact I couldn’t do tricep extensions with the rock Stopper chose.  I was, indeed.

Emoji begged for LBC’s, so YHC obliged at 6:12am.

Jet Fuel knows his college football.  He asked the question at the top of this backblast.  The Answer:  Bear Bryant defeated the Fighting Illini of Illinois by a score of 21-15 in the 1982 Liberty Bowl.  Bryant died less than 4 weeks later.

T-claps and praise God for Veg-O-Matic’s newest 2.0.

Floor Slapper was on time, and was also getting legal advice from Brokovich during the 6 minutes of Mary.  He returned the favor of free expert advice by giving Erin a “turn your head & cough” test prior to Brokovich’s doughnut run for the family.

Brokovich is also a geographical genius.  The capital city of Bulgaria is Sofia, and he answered it in a “Rainman-like” 0.87 seconds.  Impressive…and also a bit frightening.

Motorboat suggest monkey humper’s in front of the windows at the newly opened gym next to the Lodge.  We did a drive-by but no humpers.  Next week, perhaps.

T-claps to Slingshot & Bootlegger for running in.  Huddle House did not join the OP posse this morning.

War Daddy Snuka put in the work as usual and his olfactory toughness was on display during 6 MoM as the only pax within 15 feet of the rotting refuse in the dumpster.

Grits took us out with prayer after COT; he also was doing a myriad of his own exercises throughout the workout. #trifusenikwannabe

Clemson alums & devotees Deep Dish and Marge kept mumbling something to the effect that they thought the only team in the Big Ten was Ohio State.  #erroneous

According to Puddin’ Pop, we went a “legit” 1.65 miles.  You’re welcome, boot campers.

We did work in some burpees, some Makthar D’Jaiye’s (did you catch when we did them?), and his brother Walthar.  No CCV’s though I did give Erin a demo after the workout.  We’ll do them at Hydra on 8/25.

Have a great week, fellas.  Go encourage someone as you’ll likely be the only person who does so today for that person.

“encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone” – Saul of Tarsus in a letter to the pax in Thessalonica (modern day Thessaloniki, Greece)

 

 

 

 

Cleaning the Rat Traps

YHC arrived somewhat early…site Q Magoo was first in…not including the dude cleaning out the rat traps around SCMS.  Next on Mike Rowe’s “Dirty Jobs”.  Looked like the rat cleaner’s bucket was fairly full; apparently the deluge last night chased the rats into the traps.

Rousey was LIFO…after pulling into the wrong lot initially.   No disclaimer needed for the veteran crew.

Didn’t recognize Hammer’s vehicle…took him a while to disembark; though the 3 identical Clempson stickers across the back window were a dead giveaway.  Question for the pax: Have you ever seen just 1 Clempson sticker/emblem/etc on a vehicle?  I haven’t – it’s always 2 or more.  YIPTAY!

Anyhoo, we launched, and below is a bit of Thang but mostly Moleskinney.

COP at the daycare at corner of Strawberry/51.  Ironically named “Cadence”.  Speaking of Cadence:  exercise movements of the pax and Q should actually match the cadence.  Hence the name.  #freeadvice    Snuka, you listening?  #cadencematters  Counting cadence actually helps your breathing, too…true story.

We then headed towards Davie park, stopping for some pain stations along the way.  Thunder broke out the workout hankie.  It’s summertime, men.   Speaking of workout hankies – who else in SCLT employs such accoutrements besides Thunder & Frehleys?  Seems like Haze, Jet Fuel…maybe High Tide?  Others?

Did some burpees a few different times.  Also explained why wide-arm merkins are aka Larry Craig’s.  Don’t google it.

All were pushing hard.  Macarena was purposeful…as he’s getting married in 3 weeks!  Congratulations and God’s grace and blessings to you and your fiancée.

Limey was out front a good bit, sporting his John “Bluto” Blutarsky shirt.  Outstanding.

No idea how much ground we covered…probably 2.27 miles; did the aforementioned burpees and other stuff.

Also, reminisced about how stupid we were when we used to forage through the woods from SCMS to Davie Park.  I think Joker or Callaway started that silliness.  Yep, Callaway.  Remember him?  If so, call him and re-EH him.

Speaking of EH’ing….who have you not seen in a while?  Call him, too.  Generally not a good thing when a man fades from the pax.  Slow fades can be lethal.

Reminds me of an old Hebrew saying: “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”

Praying for all you men to draw near to God, and to pursue those that need friends and brothers.

Thanks to Magoo & Thunder for tapping YHC to Q.

It’s Monday. Smoke up!

YHC was the first to arrive at the AO known as The Lycan this morning, followed by Posse, Dunkin, Chainsaw, and Ghosted at 05:30:21 – LIFO.  Dunkin planted the shovel flag – bless you brother!

No disclaimer given to this crew…not necessary…and they were fully aware this was YHC’s first post at The Lycan…what could go wrong? Did a quick drive to the bus lot at the back of the school before parking…that was the sum total of recon conducted.

We launched at 05:30:47, having waited for Ghosted and thought there was another pax in his car; but turns out that was a Waxhaw Elementary employee deftly navigating the small print of the “No Smoking” on campus….while school is in session/students are present.

On our first run around the back towards the bus lot, there were apparently a couple other employees exercising the right to darken their lungs before first bell.  Also may have been an illicit exchange of some kind going on back there…but this report was unconfirmed at the time this backblast went to print.

So a little Thang to go in this Moleskinnage:  We did some 7’s on the hill with burpees & hand-release merkins.  The AO was pretty well-lit (it’s no SCLTMS – darkest AO in all of South Charlotte).  Posse suggested headlamp, which I grabbed but never turned on and ultimately put on top of my truck during a run-by.  We never left campus….it’s a bootcamp workout.

Anyhoo, Posse also corrected and educated YHC on the difference between 7’s and Jacob’s Ladder.  During some People’s Chair, he screamed: “Check the Exicon you jack wagon!”

Gave Ghosted some grief for his NY Jets lid, but did add that the Jets are much preferred to the Giants.  Posse was surprised Ghosted didn’t retaliate with a colorful New York retort or two.

Was going to call some jump ups on the benches in front of the school, but that would have meant an immediate F3Waxhaw service project opportunity this weekend.  Add that to the list, men.  Seriously.  I’ll join you.

Speaking of PSA’s:  Blood Drive this Saturday at Weddington UMC – 11am to 3:30pm.  Sign up (don’t have link?) because it’s the right thing to do.  Scratch that…it’s the loving thing to do.  “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – Jesus of Nazareth

We did some other stuff including some inclines, derkins and dips on a the ‘little baby wall’.

The last 4-5 minutes of the downpainment got a touch dangerous with all the smoking educators rolling in.  Breathe deeply, men!   Love the faint, distant smell of a pipe or cigar….cigarettes not so much.  Nothing like plankorama and 6 MoM with a Marlboro Red burning the nostrils.

One last thing, T-claps to Posse for following YHC about 12 miles north after the downpainment as my truck was laboring greatly.  No Man Left Behind….my Silverado might not be so fortunate.

Good being with you, men.  Thanks to Dunkin for the Q-tap.

Go EH some guy.  He needs it, and so do you.

10 Years of F3, a reordering of the 3 F’s, and gratitude.

10 Years of F3.  Wow.  I’m old…Respect just around the corner.  Suppose I didn’t want to stay fat into my 40’s, so I tried this F3 thing at age 39.  My belt and my shoes were screaming.  A pax named Longhorn EH’d me at a Christmas party in between bites of my third red & green M&M cookie.

And while I dropped about 35 pounds (have added 20+ back!), my F3 journey has not really been about the 1st F pursuits.  Sure – there were the  5 or 6 mud runs (lost track, and I don’t spreadsheet everything in my life a la Mermaid, Bugeater, etc. – ha!), 3 BRR’s (4th one I drove which was, by far, my favorite), several 5K’s…in which I always finished just behind Prohibition as well as countless others..

F3 South Charlotte didn’t fully exist 10 years ago.  There were whispers of Joker, Tiger Rag, Stone Cold and others starting an AO or two, but frankly the first few AO’s were farther from my home than several of the Metro workouts – so my first’ish year in F3 was spent in Cotswold, MPHS & Freedom Park.

Launched The Rock, DMZ and Hawks Nest with Runstopper, MallCop (remember that guy?), Skywalker, and Doc McStuffins.

All that being said, where God really impacted my life was in the 2nd & 3rd F categories.  But you know what, category is a bad characterization.  Fellowship & Faith should impact all of our lives.  They are not compartments or pie pieces, rather, they should be at the center of everything.  More like the hub of a wheel if that makes sense.

But God surprised me.  I came into F3 knowing I needed to “skip rope” and “skip some dinners” – the 1st F.

I was selfish.  I thought to myself, I already have plenty of friends but I do love meeting new guys and hearing their stories, so “OK” to the 2nd F.  And I certainly didn’t think I had anything to learn in the 3rd F category.  Boy was I wrong!

He inverted the order of F3 in terms of importance for me.  Faith, Fellowship & Fitness.  Thankfully, that’s still now the case for me.  God expanded my view of what His kingdom is, and my role in it.

I love writing backblasts.  I know…that’s weird.  And I could write a lot (aka too much) with respect to F3 and the impact you men have had on me and my family.  I should thank all of you individually, and I’ll do so in time.

I’ll close with this prayer:

Father God, thank you for F3 and the men who have become my dearest friends.  Thank you for the lessons you’ve taught me and the truths you’ve impressed on me in and through F3.  Give me and these men continued courage to invite other men to what we’ve found in F3, and to point them to you.  Thank you that you are our ultimate Hope, and that while this world seems to spin out of control, yet you promise to never leave us.  Make us thankful for the Giver more than for the gifts as the gifts can and often are taken away, but You will not be taken away from us.

May the exhortation spoken by your son centuries ago become life-giving reality for all of us: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind….and love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Lou Ferrigno comes to Centurion

YHC pulled in to the launch lot after circumventing the massive faux-fireworks tent.  12 other pax, including 1 FNG – “Bixby”, awaited the morning’s downpainment.  The shovel flag was planted by Snowflake with care.  A disclaimer was given, a bit more thorough than normal with an FNG among us.

Puddin’ Pop was there, eschewing the Friday morning frisbee match now that it’s at 0515 and lasts an hour.  T-claps.

Mildew, Area51’s favorite Ecuadorian, also posted and was getting after it.  Good to have you back in the gloom, brother.  Of course I say that, but he’s probably posted to Centurion much more often than I in recent months.

So below is some Thang and Moleskinny all stirred together:

Frogger over 51 to the Wells Fargo branch for COP.

Called out Ickey for not getting into the starting position for flutters…Dredd paused 3 times a few weeks ago when YHC refusenik’d the SSH’s.   I finally caved to his unique brand of encouragement.

Anyway, we did some normal stuff in COP excluding SSH’s, of course.

Then the pax jogged down to the double rock quarry for some strength work consisting mostly of Thrusters and one set of bicep curls since Grave Dancer is heading to the beach today.  Also, Snuka heading to Florida today.  Incidentally, Snuka who shares a birthday with Hopper (who knew they were twins?) corrected his twin on Civil War History during Name-o-rama.  And who says Yankees don’t know their Civil War History?!  #rememberthehunley

Jog over to the natatorium for some hill stuff including bear crawls, fore/backwards lunge walks, burpee broad jumps, etc, etc.  du Hoc informed me of the derivation of his nickname on the way over.  If you’ve met YHC at a workout for the first time, I’m sure to have asked your nickname derivation at some point.  Ever heard of Pointe du Hoc? If not, READ THIS: https://armyhistory.org/rudders-rangers-and-the-boys-of-pointe-du-hoc-the-u-s-army-rangers-mission-in-the-early-morning-hours-of-6-june-1944/

du Hoc served our country as an Army Ranger.  Stop and give him T-claps right now.  On the heels of Memorial Day, Flag Day and with 4th of July coming up – brush up/read for the first time some of our country’s military history.  Also – with many veterans among the pax – should we not have a shovel flag at every AO!!!!  Centurion, Hawks Nest and Kevlar plant the flag.  What about your AO?  Bet the frisbee throwers don’t have a shovel flag…

During the natatorium segment, Ralph (his name’s derivation is exactly what you think it is – and Mighty Mite named him) gave YHC some pro tips on watering holes to visit in Jackson, Wyoming.  Much obliged, brother.  I’ll bring you back a cardboard coaster.

Now over to the small, inadequate rock quarry adjacent to one of the three Hospice & Palliative Care facilities around Centurion…kind of weird.  Anyway, some more rock work including some flutter presses and Louganises.

Then over to Tartarus (that’s the parking deck for the uninitiated) for some wall work, not the least of which was introducing the Australian Mountain Climber to the Area51 pax.  You’re welcome & many happy returns.

Mr. Magoo just quietly gets after every workout #silentassassin  He is not Australian, however.

Couldn’t help but give a quick Q-school lesson on the Carolina Dry Dock.  Underused, underappreciated and poorly executed.  We all got better….I think.

Back over to the launch lot for some CCV’s (Cumberland County Viaducts).   Puddin’ modified to the lesser known RCP’s (Robeson County Pikes).

5 burpees to finish.  Ickey never even moved.

That’s it.

As for Bixby’s nickname – can’t remember how Hopper got the idea…something about Mark’s hometown rhymed with something or other.  But Bixby, Ferrigno….if you don’t know those two names – look them up.

Prayers for continued healing for Jennings Palmer who is home now – praise God for that!

Also prayers for the Thompson family who lost their dad to a heart attack at age 51 on Fathers Day weekend.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”  – Jesus of Nazareth talking to his closest followers/dearest friends

Do you know the way?

Thanks to Flake & Preschool for tapping YHC to Q.  Even all these years later, I still count it a privilege and great fun to lead you men in a workout.  Grace, much grace to you fellas.  Thankful for you.

Sign Up to Q at Centurion – one of Area51’s finest AO’s: SignUp

Hello Mr. Turtle!

YHC was the first to arrive at the jet black launch lot at the far end of the Stonecrest shopping complex…prompting a quick text to Theodore to make sure Circuit City and management hadn’t moved the mustering point.  Can’t remember the last time I was first to a workout even when Q’ing.  BTW, pro tip: workout Q should be first to arrive and last to leave. #doasIsaynotasIdo  Was also uncertain as to launch point as no shovel flag was to be found.  Time to reestablish that lost tradition.  Pretty sure only 1 AO in A51 still has a shovel flag.  Any SOB AO’s still practice that tradition?  ….alas.

10 others pulled in to the unlit lot.  We launched about 75 seconds after 0530 as Circuit City informed the pax some dude was rummaging through cars yesterday at The Maul, so YHC actually locked the car and hid the keys.  Hadn’t done that in months.  Pretty sure the dude stole something out of Loogie’s NCState-mobile…hopefully not his concealed firearm.

Below is some Thang and a decent helping of Moleskinnage:

We jogged over to between the Wells and BofA ATM’s for COP.  Teddy was with us for a bit, but exited before COP started as he had an urgent Code Brown.  He returned quickly….meaning he couldn’t find a place to do his paperwork…then left again for what appeared to be a trip behind the bushes up the hill behind Firebirds.  “Hello Mr. Turtle!”

COP included the standard fare, but no SSH’s, of course.

Kotters to Prohibition who posted for the first time in 2 months.   Hadn’t seen a lot of the pax….but that’s due more to not posting in SOBland in a while.  Long Haul was there…and his name came to mind just yesterday as I was listening to Ian Munsick’s “Long Haul”.  If you like country music (it’s ok to admit you like it), check out the song.  And speaking of the south, YHC did call Yankee aggressor and Southern gentlemen during some plankorama.  Might have offended some with that one, but did not call them Rebel gentlemen…so there’s that.  You’re welcome.

Mr. Magoo did not ask YHC if he was fully vaccinated.  Apparently, Kirby got 2 doses of the burpee vaccine.  We did some of those during the ‘cash dash’.  Before calling the dash, YHC asked if anyone in the pax worked/had worked for Wells.  YHC was the only one!  And only one pax rose his hand when asked the same question about BofA.  Think that was Happy Meal though not sure…maybe Frankie?  Thought everyone of us were bankers or recovering bankers.  So after called exercises with AYG runs between the ATMs, we headed over to the Murderhorn.  Having finished his paperwork, Teddy rejoined the pax at this point.  Frehley even offered Teddy his workout hankie to clean up any remaining debris.  What a guy that WD is!

Crockett, who YHC had not seen in years since he was posting and working at SCMS (he’s now at MPHS), was out front with Long Haul on the Murderhorn modified triple nickel.  BTW, he had brain surgery 2 years ago!  True story.  Great to have you out with the pax, brother.

At some point during the rock work at bottom of hill (thrusters) & burpees at top, Circuit City tapped Long Haul to Q.  Not next week though, Hoover is off the DL and will Q the festivities.

Stopped on the way back for some Mary and some dry docks, with a small tutorial.  Couldn’t help it.

Not sure what else we did, but we made it back to the launch lot on time.

After COT, Frankie was checking out YHC’s ride.  He asked if I was selling it, but no – it’s a loaner from the Hyundai dealer while my 2.0’s car is in the shop.

YHC was hurting, largely due to not posting since last Friday at Centurion.  But the pax got their money’s worth as far as I could tell.

Announcements included the Beer Run this Saturday.  See slack and/or Tuck for more details.  Tuck is the Beer Run Czar.  YHC can’t make it this weekend, but love the event!  You should go.

Also some kind of Ruck event or GoRuck or whatever on August 6.  See one of the Rucktards for more info – but something about buying a $300 backpack and paying another $200 to have Dredd yell at you for 12 hours…or is it 24 hours?  Ready to sign up now?!

Thanks to Circuit City for tapping YHC to Q.  Good to be back among the gracious pax of SOB.