IronOnline Bash 01

Thursday, July 12, 2001

I'm startin' a day early, because that's when it all started for me. I'll pat myself on the back for a sec and say that my behind-the-scenes planning went pretty good and by Thursday, all I had left to do were the things that couldn't be done in advance. I knew that Dr. Ken was coming in by mid-afternoon and that he and Dan Martin (one of the Garage Gym moderators and a fine fellow who slipped easily into the role of head cook) were coming to our house for dinner on Thursday night, so my goal was to have the non-perishable Costco run done before 3pm.

'Round about 3:15, I left the sand-colored 4-Runner parked in front of 120 Dubois Street, Santa Cruz, packed to the roof with plates to paper towels, olive oil to sliced olives, 64oz cans of tomato sauce, garbanzo beans and everything you might mix with these ingredients. Trotting in the door nearest the front counter I see a few people sitting at the protein drink bar, I see Dave standing there, mid-workout no less, and I *hear* the voice I'm expecting

I've never met Ken Leistner at this point, but we've been emailing for a couple of years, and, hey! he sends me stuff. I see the guy who's making the East Coast sounds and hug him from behind. Last time we saw him was via a video tape wherein he did his now-infamous 23 deep squats with 405 at some sort of low bodyweight, 165 or some-such, with much longer hair... and darker, too, I think I should add. :) Dave at this point is practically staring at me, saying "How'd you know it was him?!?"

I didn't know, but the East Coast gave me a good clue, and the size was right. Sure was glad it was him!

That was the first of the hugging, and the hugging went on for three more days. Within moments I was hugging Len and Jamie Romano, and Bill Frazee. Soon Dan Martin arrived for some hugs, and I got to watch him meet Dr. Ken for the first time after corresponding for somewhere between twenty and thirty years. Yes, I did say twenty... long before the internet. These guys were using paper, and a pen -- a truer test of friendship, don't you think?

I cleared out of there within the hour -- we were having company for dinner, you'll remember, and the house needed tidy-ing. Of the dinner, I don't remember much. And I'm afraid that may be true for the rest of the weekend, too. There was just too much great conversation -- one laugh followed by another, one good story, some passionate thoughts but mostly, day after day of stories and laughter.

The guys (Dave, Ken and Dan) are all nightowls and none of them sleep like I do. Midnight rolls around and my carriage is heading south. I think my eyes were crossing, so they decided it was time to go, or it might have gone on all night.

Good thing they left when they did; we had to be cooking up the sauce in a few hours. I'm gonna be telling you all about that during the tale of Friday.

Laree

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