Parting Thoughts

Well, it's all over 'cept for the crying.  We all made it back to Greensboro in one piece, and all of our luggage came in as well.  The only almost-snag we had in out plans was a miscommunication of when our connecting flight was boarding in Chicago.  As we were getting ready to migrate towards our gate for boarding, some fargin' someone told us that they weren't boarding for another 14 minutes.  So we hung out.  When we noticed some folks going through the doors for the ramp, a few of us headed over to see what was up.  About that time, we heard, "Final call for flight 7377 to Greensboro."  We frantically waved the rest of our group on, and made a dash for the jetway.  Close call, but we all made it.

The flight only had some minor bumps, and we arrived back in Greensboro right on time.  Gathering around the baggage claim carousel, we reflected on the trip.  I think everyone had a good time, and the new guys were appropriately impressed. After collecting everyone's photos during the trip back, and in thinking about the two and a half hours of video we shot, I think my spare time will be spoken for in the coming days (weeks).

So, just to sum up our experience:  the over 30 team went 1-3 this year (for a lifetime record of 1-6-1), while the over 40 team was 0-4 (for a lifetime record of 1-6-1).  Of course, the over 40 team will point out that they are still the only team to have a victory in a regulation pond hockey game, but us over 30 guys will take our Teal and White victory for all its worth.  Maybe we can at least end up with a top draft pick out of it. 

I lead into this year's blog sharing some doubts I had about returning to Eagle River for a second time.  Last year was just such and amazing experience, I was worried this year might be a letdown.  It wasn't in the least.  True, it lacked some of the unplanned elements that spiced up our trip last time, but it was still nothing less than a fantastic time, spent with a great bunch of friends.  As one very wise member of our group put it, "It was just like last year, only different."  As we left the airport, amid the light snow and sleet coming down, we were treated to a beautiful sunset.  A fitting end to our journey, I think.

Waiting In O'Hare

We got off on time this morning, with no major hitches. I think we only lost one equipment item over the weekend, and it was a stick. We stopped in at McDonalds on the way to Wausau. We were in and out pretty quickly, as no one attempted to order "off menu". The plane from Wausau left on time, and we were landing in Chicago about an hour later. After locating some lunch at various establishments, we are now sitting and waiting for our 2:30 flight back to Greensboro. Of course, everyone has their own way of killing time.

An Evening With Lumpy

After watching the long, drawn-out finish of the Daytona 500 on TV, we headed out for dinner. This evening’s choice was a bar/grill called Lumpy’s. To clarify, “Lumpy” is the bartender, and it is an appropriate name. This bar’s claim to fame is that it is an old brothel, built in the early 1900’s. If you can imagine the layout of the typical saloon in about any western you’ve ever watched, you can easily picture this place. An open common room below, surrounded by a wrap-around balcony, complete with door to the upstairs rooms. They claim the rooms are no longer in service. We’ll take their word on it. The review on the food was mixed. The appetizers (fried brats – because we haven’t had enough sausage this trip – fried cheese curds, and calamari). The pizza that some of the group ordered was really good. The rest of the fare was acceptable, but not remarkable.

After the meal, one car left for the hotel, while most of the others lingered at the bar. For some reason, the jukebox malfunctioned and kept playing “YMCA” over and over again. Kent found a new buddy outside. He even had her eating out of his hand. She was really cute, but when Kent started getting a little handsy, she took off. (Okay, she was the bar’s mascot, a brown bunny.) After getting shot down by the bunny, Kent tried to lift his spirits by telling the bartender, Lumpy, some jokes. Big mistake. Never try to tell a bartender a joke – they’ve heard them all.

See if you can guess the joke that goes with these punchlines:

"Pussywillow?  Hang on, I'll get my hat."

"I'm just taking a look around."

The bartender returned the favor by systematically insulting the entire party one at a time. Ahhh…good times.

Following our bar experience, it was back to the hotel to pack up the gear. Following some last minute shenanigans by the Tres Amigos (Mac, John, and Doogie), the photographic record of which may or may not see the light of day (it’s just not right). I’ll have to make a judgment call on that. I can tell you, in order to protect innocent eyes, they won’t be posted on the blog.

Our departure time for tomorrow morning, 6:15am.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

We woke up Sunday morning to a light falling of snow. Nothing had accumulated overnight, so it had just started. Our plan for breakfast was to head to Lief’s, the diner we ate at last year, and really enjoyed. We called the place ahead of time to give them a heads up that they had a group of 14 coming. By the time we got there, they had a table ready to go. I don’t think there was any doubt what Mac had in mind for breakfast – the smoked kielbasa – but the rest of us took some time to peruse the menu. They took just enough time in getting our orders out for me to finish the summary from yesterday (which I uploaded later, after we got back to the hotel). The food was great, once again, and feeling pleasantly full, we went back to the hotel to prepare for the now traditional Teal and White game.

 The smack talk had started the night before in the bar, but was really ramping up at breakfast. As we loaded the vehicles, the snow began to fall harder.

When we arrived at the rink, we discovered a couple inches of snow covering the rinks. They had collected the nets, but they were still accessible, as were the shovels, so we went to work preparing a game-ready rink. We decided to play by the same rules of the tournament, including the time limit of 15 minute halves. Then we dropped the puck. The over 40 team scored first, which drew its fair share of taunting, directed mainly at Doogie, but the over 30 team quickly evened thing up. The teams traded goals for the first half, and ended up tied 4-4 at the intermission.

In the second half, the over 30 team picked up a couple goals for the lead. As the over 40 team’s arthritis kicked in, it sealed their doom. Even as they emptied the bench in the final moments, they were not able to overcome the impressive firepower of the young guns. Final score, 8-5.

We said our goodbyes to Dollar Lake, shook off the snow, and returned to Eagle River Inn.

"Saturday Night's Alright"

As we braised in the hot tub, we discussed the possibilities of the evening. There were two basic contingents: one group planned on eating in the hotel restaurant, then moving on to the Dome to see Eagle River play Fond du Lac (a major local rivalry); one group planned on trying a new restaurant, THEN going on to the hockey game. I, unfortunately, can’t account for all the incidents that took place with group A, since I chose to try out the new restaurant, but I do understand there were more than a few “Ice Hole moments”. Now, as for group B, we had an excellent meal at the Old Stag. It’s a predominantly German menu, with schnitzels and brotens galore. With five different duck dishes, their menu was quite diverse. If you find yourself there at any time, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Sauerbrouten.

After stuffing our gullets, we rolled on over the Dome to join the rest of the party. Since Fond du Lac is a rival of Eagle River, we expected a much more spirited game than we saw on Friday night. We weren’t disappointed. A rowdy game, a rowdy crowd, and plenty of cheap pitchers kept everyone’s mood high. There was a collective holding of breaths as the Mullet Cup made an appearance during the intermission. Would Kent repeat his antics from the previous year? Yes, he would. I am pleased to inform our readers that not only did Kent head down to the ice, but the Keeper of the Cup recognized him from last year and actually called him down. He made us proud, and did not fall on the wet spot on the way off the ice.

Following the game (Eagle River ended up losing), we chugged back to Eagle River Inn, with the intention of breaking out the Ice Hole. We even bought some disposable shot glasses for the event. What we found in the bar, would shock us to the core. Missourians. Freakishly funky Missourians. Let’s say these folks thought the “Show Me” state motto meant “let me show you”. The display was entertaining, albeit at bit uncomfortable to watch. Kind of like an automobile accident, or someone pulling the wings off of flies. We do have this crowd to thank for one of the funniest lines of the trip. One inebriated lady Missourian was talking to Vrettacos and telling him that she had a single sister that she was trying to set up with someone. She then asked Chris, “Are you an American citizen?” We erupted with laughter.

The delegates from Missouri soon vacated the bar, and after a couple more barflies exited, we were the only ones left. We then broke out the butterscotch Ice Hole schnapps. If you are a fan of the sweet, intense flavors that this type of liqueur holds for the drinker, this variety was alright. It’s very flavorful, with little bite. I would compare it to drinking a Wurther’s.

We nursed our beers, downed shots of Ice Hole, fell over backwards in our chairs (okay, just one fall, and one chair – and he is an American citizen, I think), then helped Donna as she had to get on her knees to scrub up the carpet. The good times were had by all, and the evening seemed to be headed for its denouement, when certain individuals heard the call of the Village People. As the unmistakable intro for “YMCA” rolled, the dance floor was filled with revelers. One dancer, however, was clearly in a different league, surpassing even the greatest expectations of barroom choreography. As he strutted his stuff, the others struggled to keep up with his flamboyant, yet graceful moves. I now have a much clearer understanding of how this individual, with his seemingly limitless agility and imagination, is able to accomplish such incredible saves while defending the pipes on the ice rink. Well done, Fagan, well done.

"You can't always get what you want"

“But if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need.”



Sorry about the delayed updates – yesterday was a busy day. As you’ve already learned, the over 40 guys had a disappointing first game, even with their trade acquisition. To elaborate, there was a midnight hour phone call made between the GM of the over 40 team and the GM of the over 30 team that resulted in an additional player being added to the over 40 guys. The move was an attempt to move the over 40 team into a prime position to make a run for the playoffs. The terms of the trade were not made public, but the morning game saw Kent suiting up for the over 40 team. (We figured it was okay – he is over 40, after all). Unfortunately, the trade didn’t have the full effect that was intended, but we reckoned the additional player may have saved some folks from suffering coronaries, or in the very least, a stroke on the ice.

As the over 40 team caught their breath, and tried to regroup for their afternoon stint, the over 30 guys took to the ice for their last shot at glory. Kent was a bit winded, but after plying him with some Gatorade and Powerbars, we felt like he might have another 30 minutes of ice time in him. The over 30 team’s final opponents of the day were Altanta St Pats. We figured, “hey, another team from the south – how good could they be?” We had actually met the guys the night before at the Dome, and found out that this was their fourth year coming. Not a good omen for us.

After my stellar performance in net on Friday, I resumed my role between the pipes. Unfortunately, I had either lost my mojo, the other team was much better than the teams on Friday, or we just gave up too many breakaways. Regardless of the reason, we fell behind early. Needless to say, I got pulled from the net, and Kent resumed his duties there, to a much better effect. We played a better game in the second half, and even outscored them, but couldn’t dig out of the Hole (ha ha) that we dug in the first half. Final score was 10-5. No wins for the over 30 team this year.

So all hope for a victory fell to the over 40 guys in their final game versus the Outlaws. Another last minute trade deal was executed. Kent was traded for Doogie. And yes, we know he’s not over 40, but the other team had a kid that looked like he wasn’t even shaving yet. At least Doogie has to shave his chin once a week. The boys got a jump on the other team right out of the gate, and even had a nice three-goal lead at halftime. Then the other team let their “Doogie” off the leash. His unchecked efforts in the second half allowed the other team to catch up and tie the game. With the final seconds closing, the other team scored to go one ahead. The boys fell 10-9.

I was a bit of a letdown for everyone, but we had a great time skating again, and, at least for myself, felt like we made a better showing than last year. There’s nothing like the cold-hearted tutor of experience to sharpen your skills. Should the Holes make another trip to the northwoods, perhaps the third time will be the charm.

And all was not for loss on the ice Saturday. We were introduced to a schnapps called, appropriately enough, “Ice Hole” by a charming wicken woman, who took a special interest in one of our party, who will remain nameless in order to protect the innocent. I hope she didn’t cast a spell on him. The liqueur we sampled was a mint variety, but we later discovered (as we stopped at the store on the way home to stock up on the stuff) that they also had a plum flavor and a butterscotch flavor. We, of course, had to get all three. Some of them might even make it back to North Carolina.

Mac got a little miffed at Phil when he made too many "old man" comments.  The good new is, Phil's okay, but it was touch and go there for a while.

Tough One

The over 40 guys are now winding down from a tough game this morning. The good news is, they won the second half, 3-2. We won't talk about the score of the first half. So as they are rehydrating and downing some energy bars, the over 30 guys are gearing up for their showdown at 12:15 versus Atlanta Saint Pats. We have an abundance of confidence that we will walk away with a win. Gotta go lace some skates up.

Round Two

10:45 Saturday morning, and the over 40 guys are taking the ice against the Original Six Plus One. They've got high hopes that with a midnight hour trade last night they will turn their fortune around. More details on the roster addition later.

Friday's Pictures