Oh Intrepid Ones !!

[juliejsail]

So proud of so many Intrepid ones who hung in there...endurance, tenacity, optimism defined ! WE GOT IT IN !! Cheers, Well done! Once you thaw out you will have fantastic stories to tell.  Huge thanks to all our dedicated racers , who traveled heroically on all our behalves, across the country for days, in search of Championship Ice..I hope to name you all and the rest who volunteered in a later write-up...we never would have pulled this off without you!  Kent Baker you are an amazing leader..though Jim M (and Neal) were next to you on skype..I have never seen one officer lead the Annual Meeting...thanks for your daily conferencing with me!  Big thanks to Jim McDonagh, Scott Brown and Geoff Sobering who, though they couldn't travel last minute, were working at all hours to keep us connected. Eastern Rear Commodore, Eben Whitcomb and team jumped into action and made arrangements for us in Plattsburg, NY.  Our dedicated last-minute PRO Bob Schumacher is also a hero...he intended to race but gifted the association in a way we will never forget!  Our scorekeepers Loretta, Deb, Erica and Anne have never been so close to hypothermia in there lives...you were awesome!  I have never seen so many pull together across the country to make a regatta happen, whether they could attend or not. I was so proud of the positive energy and cooperation.  It was a challenging week to say the least.  One for the DN history book! The challenge brought out the BEST in everyone!  Thanks to Mike D, Mark I and Steve O for last-minute transportion of this Race Chairman, equipment and trophies and Team Traverse City - Dick Wollam, Julie Richards & Bill Cutting for putting a loaner boat together for me last minute when my DN 4271 had to return to Wisconsin.  Bummed for those who could not make the trek as the location changed...Hope everyone got home safely, the return trek thru blizzards was also an adventure.. never seen so many jack-knifed semis in my life! We kept the spirit ALIVE ! See you on the ice soon! JJ

[Daniel Hearn]

Congratulations, Julie, for leading a great effort. You and the committee were handed a tremendously difficult hand, and you still pulled it off. Well done, and many thanks!

[Geoff Sobering]

It was an amazing event! Truly one worthy of a long entry in the Yearbook. Congratulations to everyone who made it happen!
I was really disappointed when I couldn't follow the fleet out east. Next year I am resolved to set aside enough vacation to travel anywhere!

Looking forward to a thaw, the zamboni, and some regional regattas!

[Ken Smith]

Julie,

Great job with the improvised team, the long treks, and the success! 

When the caravan packed up for Montreal, then New York, I had to drop off, as I needed to store my stuff in Illinois and get to Oregon for work the next Monday, and that is not possible if racing on Friday or Saturday were to happen, which it did.  Bummer for me, congrats to the racers!

Quick story, the last evening in IL, I stayed with Pete Johns, who was traveling with Bill Coberly starting the next morning.  I offered Pete a $20 bet that the regatta would not happen in the face of coming weather, cold, wind and snow.  He was hesitant to take the bet.  Coberly jumped in, "Wait a minute, you want us to travel 1700 miles together and you won't even bet that the event will happen?"

I'll gladly pay Pete his winnings on Ivanpah Dry Lake March 23 at the NALSA America's Landsailing Cup in Primm NV, after he gets back from Poland.  Good luck at the Worlds, Pete.  I sense another find-the-ice trek in your near future!  We KNOW where the dry lake will be...

[juliejsail]

Hmmm...Landsailing in NV...must put that on my bucket list as well !!
Maybe a good place to recruit new DN'ers ? !!
I know fellow GLIYC'rs Joe Norton and Dan Bierman tried it years ago..Hmmm ...
Yes...land..one less variable to worry about !

[Geoff Sobering]

A couple of Madison folks are going down for the blokart NAs in late March. I may go, too.