Aug 16, 2009

Spooge Ball World Championships

This is Spooge. And this is the story of his 2009 Spoogeball World Championships.


We've been playing SB for a few years on camping trips. It's gotten intense. Especially late in the evening. Traditionally I get eliminated in the first round, often by my wife, then wander off to get firewood to illuminate the championship round. My point is not about being a pyro but that Spooge Ball is the real deal, with a real trophy and real drama.

This year however, there have been some changes. Camping is out due to an overall increase in head count and all the crap that would need to get packed to go with each of the new little heads. If we all went camping this summer we'd need a tour bus!


So the tourney starts with Olympic style pomp and circumstance. First by picking the starting order. Each player writes their name on a commemorative ball before being professionally mixed, drawn and entered into the bracket.



As the festivities continued to gain momentum, players; -nay, athletes, were treated to energy foods and performance beverages within the athletes village.




For the uninitiated, Spooge Ball is a game of ball tossing skill in which each competitor tosses their balls across a designated distance to a goal. Points are rewarded for where the balls land on the goal rack. Some people toss their balls further, some not far enough, and some even get their balls to land on various rungs of the rack for 2,3 or a single point. Each pair of balls are connected via rope and each player gets 3 pairs of balls. Unlike the Tour de France where one could win 7times with only a single ball.



Simply put,Team Newmaforma wanted victory. However, one member has a bed time that fell well before the second round of play. Another member managed through to the semi-finals and after finally being eliminated took this photo of the bracket board before the final championship round. Had said player been collecting firewood instead of progressively conquering competitors in each round of the tourney, the photo might have been a little brighter and of better quality. But I think Spooge would frown upon a bonfire in his yard made out of his neighbors decking.



In the end, I cannot report on the championship round or the winner for that matter as Team Newmaforma rushed home to get someone to bed nearly 3 hours past his bedtime.

Aug 9, 2009

Bridge Pedal


Got an early start today; riding downtown for the biggest, most chaotic event in Portland. A took all the pics.


There was a little trouble with the helmet-on-helmet situation. What looked like a a broken neck ended up being a bad combo of hoodie and helmet straps forcing the helmet(s) to lilt to the right. While waiting for the show to start, we took the time to make adjustments before the fuzz took much notice.

Fortunately while training in front of the TV, watching the Tour de France last month, Gavin mastered drinking from a 'real' water bottle. No sippy-cups on this voyage!

Here is the view from the Ross Island Bridge.

So confidant in his water bottle skills, G got a little upset when the water ended up his nose.


At the finish, after flirting with 20,000 people Gavin sneaks in one more smile when he was supposed to be looking tough for the photo.

Alas, 4 hours and 25 miles door-to-door, our little Viking has plundered his own reserves.

Aug 4, 2009

worth a read