Pull-Up Deficient - and bitter about it

As the Sinatra song goes, "regrets, I've had a few...." Well, one of my regrets is the topic for today. Queue the way back machine to 1978 where Mrs. Sadowski's 5th grade gym class participated in the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. I honestly thought it was a local deal with our school system but it turns out it was a program created in 1966 by President Johnson (looked it up). I don't think it exists today as I brought it up to my 20-something physical therapist a few months back and got the "I have no idea what you are talking about" look. 

The tests consisted of (might be missing one): sit-ups, a shuttle run, standing broad jump, a 50 yard dash, a 600 yard run and last but not least, pull-ups; my White Whale. I could dominate all of the categories except the darn pull-ups. I don't know if it was my big melon weighing me down but could not do the 10 needed to capture the coveted Presidential Award (you even got a patch with the award!). No, falling short in that category left me with the crappy Achievement Award in 5th, 6th 7th and yet again in 8th grade. 

I'd call for a re-do but doubt I could do five today.

"bitter" Trail Head       

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

Trolls

Can't we just get along? No. Never. Ever. 

The trolls are out there and loving every chance they can get to trash any program hiccup that U-M or MSU experiences. A local news website allows viewers to comment on articles and I think I get more enjoyment reading the comments versus the actual article. I picture some trolls just trolling for the fun of it trying to stir things up but on the other side of the spectrum, I also picture some deranged fans actually losing sleep based on these priceless comments. "He hurt my feelings." Relax Walmart Wolverine, it's a game. 

Trail Head

Floating Along

Global warming or whatever we have going on out there put a kink into the annual ice fishing on Super Bowl Sunday tradition. I did see one moron on Walled Lake the other day sitting on a crate on about an inch of ice. Silly. Rather than that, I kept the fishing tradition alive via kayak (and bicycle!) on the only open water I could find locally, the Huron River. The bicycle was also thrown into the  kayak process for the first time. Dump the kayak upstream at Island Lake Recreation Area, take the truck and bike downstream, bicycle back to the kayak, lock the bike and float downstream to the truck and pick up the bicycle on the way out. It worked like a charm.  

No fish to report so I have kept that Super Bowl tradition alive, besides one fluke walleye a decade or so ago. The sun was out but the water was cold cold. My fear was a down tree would require me to navigate over down wood. I had to bunny hop over one log that was a heart stopper for a bit but thankfully had enough booty push to make it over on the third try. 

At the bottom is a short video of the views. Good day. 

Go team in the red jerseys tonight in the Super Bowl.

Trail Head

the bicycle/.kayak combo