- When:03/11/2020
- QIC: TR, Stone Cold, Joker
One Last Mosey
Death Valley – Nov. 9, 2011* – March 11, 2020
Pax List: Callaway (Original DV Site Q, R), Stage Coach (past DV Site Q), Smokey and Dollywood (current DV Site Q), Floorslapper (wannabe DV Site Q), Runstopper (Q-jacker, respect), Tweetsie, Smokey (R), Point Break, Cheese Curd, Brautwurst (SP?), Bounty Hunter, Bomber, Snuka (R), Spackles, powered by Tito’s, Hops, Lorax, Red Card, Marge, Stone Cold, Ocho Cinco, Pinstripes, Mermaid, Kuechly, Far Side, Good Hands, Strawberry, Puddin’ Pop, Pop’s Gray Shirt (R), Clover, High Tide (R), Checkpoint (R), Hoover, Geraldo, Alf, Hairball, Icky Shuffle, Wild Turkey, Voodoo, Mighty Mite, Witch Doctor, Bananas, Hopper (R), Sanka, Wanker, Sensei, Slim Fast, Busch, Dollywood, Jet Fuel, Bounce, Uncle Leo, Hammer, Deep Dish, Gummy, Cottonmouth, Baracus, Lois, Bugeater, Bug 2.0, Bug’s work gloves, 49er, 49er’s water bottle.
* memories are hazy on the exact start date. This was before the internet, when BB’s were shared by email or group text. Callaway says a couple of months after A51 launch, which was Sept. 2011. The Shore says Jan. 2012. Stone Cold remembers Spring of 2012. Joker narrowed it down with laser-precision: “I remember it was a bit chilly in the morning.” I can verify it was before Feb 2012, cause that’s when I started, and that’s where I posted. So some time in Nov. is as good of a date as any.
Thang:
Gopher Loop around the dirt road, round back of the baseball field to the haunted trail over to Davie. COP on Dragon Lady Field, minus the Dragon Lady. Back through the woods because 1) it wouldn’t be a DV sendoff without a trip through the woods, and 2) it wouldn’t be a DV sendoff if we spent it at Davie.
Pax-led Mary while the 6 comes in, then Stone Cold leads an homage to Donkey Kong with various ways to touch the ground and other Pax and Jack Web 1-10.
Quiz time with Joker, 4 corners, mosey to front lot at school, lay down on the asphalt and talk to the guy next to you while Joker does Mary alone in the middle.
Ball of Man, Lord’s Prayer, lights out.
Old Moley:
For better and/or worse, it was 2013 all over again. Actual cadence counts, ill-advised nature walks by moonlight, partner wheel-barrows, bear crawls, unruly mob of 50+ chattering school girls. A dysfunctional family reunion, but a fun one. Special shout out to Callaway, the original Death Valley Site Q and founding co-father of A51, for making his way out to the gloom again. He and Joker just wanted to lead workouts closer to home but because of their leadership and unselfishness, A51 and all its daughter regions were born.
On the surface, DV can be summarized thus: Hundreds of men worked out at a nondescript middle school at 0530 for 8 years. That’s what we did, but that’s not what happened. Today was about celebrating What Happened but also a reminder to enjoy What’s Happening. Love on your wife, tickle the kids, call your parents, wrestle with the dog, ignore the cat.
And play with your friends at 530 in the morning.
Tiger-Rag author
Well done Smokey and Dollywood, we asked you guys to market for a big farewell to DV and you delivered. TR, SC and Joker provided the nostalgia, trivia, and a lot of effort to bring out the old school PAX as well. Also, I’m not sad that Tunnel of Love and awkward partner activities were left of the weinke.
New AO’s will continue to rise and old ones will fade. That’s just fine as the needs of the PAX change over time. I hope this morning was an encouragement to you all to continue to post and even add in one more F3 day to your regimen wether that’s 0 to 1day or adding a 6th day.
T-claps, indeed, for this sendoff for DV. Great to see many of the OG’s, along with pax that are new to A51. Frankly, it’s a miracle that DV lasted 8 years. Not because of the site Q’s or workout Q’s, but it is probably the worst AO in all of Area51. Dark. Spongy field. No walls. No equipment to use. Cheese grater parking lot, etc., etc. But DV was unquestionably one of the best workouts in A51 history. Why? Because of the Q’s and the pax and the quality mumble chatter. Farewell DV….but the wooly vest lives.
What a morning! Really great to see all the OG’s and the new guys mingle. Great energy throughout the PAX and a solid beat down. So many memories at this site- good and bad. I know this was not the best AO, but this morning brought back what initially hooked me on F3. We workout outside- rain or shine (under the moon and stars) and push the man next to you to be a better person both physically and mentally.
If it helps the time line, I started at the Rock the day the site was opened- check the Shovel Flag for the date and within the month I was finally mentally prepared to “try” a 5:30 post. Eight years later and I began the morning (along with Stone Cold, Joker, Slim Fast, Sensei, 49’er, Tiger Rag and Hairball) with a 3 mile prerun at 4:50. Personal shout to all of the past site Q’s for always having someone to set up to lead. Also, thank you to Bull Dog for allowing us to call him Wanker for the morning!
So, I can’t find that original DV backblast, but in my search I did come across the following gem on my hard drive… see below for an agenda from a “strategy discussion” from May 19, 2012… this was likely a phone call with me, Tiger Rag, Callaway, and maybe one other person. This is some serious strategy work!
Area 51 Strategy Discussion
Agenda
May 19, 2012
1. Death Valley re-location options
a. Scout any other sites other than Davie Park?
2. Growth/marketing of existing workout sites
a. June 2 Rookie Day
b. Appoint a “Growth QIC”?
3. Site expansion for Saturday workouts
a. Providence High?
4. Approach for Saturday McKee workouts
a. Leadership rotation
b. Veteran vs. newbie workouts?
5. Summer schedule
a. Same start times?
b. Shift Death Valley to Thursday?
6. Weekly emails
7. Other??
Great to see a big group at DV. Even better to see men who have stopped posting. T-claps to those who got them out this morning. Keep that momentum going by encouraging them to continue posting. Further T-claps to the site-Q’s at DV over the years and to today’s Q’s. Pretty solid run for DV.
Put the above on Slack yesterday. What I did not share was that I left with a solid parting gift from DV. Bunch of fire ant bites on the ankles and lower legs. Did not even feel the bites at the time. Do feel the swelling and itching now. Good times.
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