Call any vegetable;
Pick up your phone
Think of a vegetable, lonely at home
Call any vegetable; and the chances are good
That the vegetable will respond to you
Rutabaga, rutabaga, rutabaga, rutabay-y-y-y-y… – zappaOne thing about this blog is that when I get a chance to gather around a table with friends that I’ve not seen in months, I have nothing new to say. My brain says, “Hey, I want to tell them about this. . “, or ” We got this new toy” or whatever, but because of the journal they already know. So, I have to learn to just shut up. I’m going to be like that old guy who keeps telling the same stories over and over. So my New Year’s resolution is going to come from Frank Zappa. . “Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar!”

I can’t tell you how many people showed up this year, I’m not one to attempt a head count. All I can say is it seemed like there were a lot more paddlers than last year. And lots of new faces which was great. The water was especially hot, already being 70f at the launch! The warmer January day made for a pretty comfortable event.

Russ from Kenosha, who is founder of the Southern Wisconsin Paddlers Forum, joined us with his new (as I just read) Valley Nordkapp. What a beautiful boat. I caught him a couple times shrouded out in the fog working on his rolls. It’s great to see people out working.

Alex Pak and I spent quite a bit of time upside down as usual. Mary says I have a habit of rolling over just when she starts to tell me something. She’ll start a sentence and then all of a sudden, there I go. . right over. But I swear I never miss more than a couple words. Really!

This year Rutabaga of Madison was well represented. Nancy, Jon S., & Jeff Weidman (who is one of the owners or Rutabaga, btw), all joined us. I guess I could include myself in the Rutabaga contingent, but I feel more like the temporary help. Nancy who is the Outdoor Programs glorious leader is in the photo above. So of course I had to be on my best behavior. .

A large number of paddlers made the 3 hour drive from the Appleton, Green Bay, Two Rivers region. Tom K, even rolled his boat! Wow! Tom, we’re still waiting for that off-side hand roll. . . Mary did her best to catch Nannette off guard with the camera but it couldn’t be done. She looked perfectly posed in every shot! Now why can’t I pull that off??

Don Hynek introduced Mary to a really funky cookie. An hour later she was still tasting it. I passed up the opportunity to try it. I figure I’ll just go visit the Corpse plant at the arboretum in Madison next time I want to enjoy that aroma.

Paddlers were on the water a good part of the day. In fact when the majority of us were heading over to the Cactus Club for lunch and libations, we passed quite a few cars loaded with boats heading toward the lake.

This year a few of the women took time to sneak into the men’s room of the Cactus Club to see the one-way glass that allows men to look out into the bar while taking care of business! By early in the afternoon everyone had to head off in their various directions. We said our “goodbyes & see ya laters” and soon it was just Mary and I sitting alone in the back corner finishing off the cold sandwiches we couldn’t manage to eat when we were talking too much.

Oh, I think I caught that the Packers won on the big screen. That can’t be right. Maybe I was just inebriated??

Click Here For the Photo Gallery. (top choice)

* btw thanks everyone on the wishes. I’m like that old guy in “the Holy Grail”. . “He’ll be stone dead in a moment.”, “I’m feeling better. . .”, “I feel happy!, I feel happy!”

Related Posts:

1. Fog bowl 2008
2. Fog Bowl 2010
3. good books, diverse music, aromatic coffee
4. Rain & Snow On Devil’s Lake
5. so there was this guy. . .