Hi Mike... Well, here's my latest Backyard Update. All focus has gone out the window. But I'm still getting in several workouts each week. And I have developed a couple new sports to tell you about.

So I've been going on hard bike rides with the club twice a week. There's one lowracer recumbent dude putting the hurt on all of us. But I'm right there ready to put the 25+mph hurt on in the hills or if he wavers. I'm still mowing my monster, vicious yard and I'm still whacking away at logs. I've also been going out for one other miscellaneous workout usually--maybe a rollerski, a canoe paddle/pole or even a run. Oh, and I've been biking my lug of a cherub daughter in a trailer to swim class a few times a week. I've maybe lost 5 lbs. I suppose I'm gaining endurance and leg power. The yardwork is probably helping arm, upper body power. But I haven't been tossing boulders in a week or so.

I'm getting the Arena dialed in, though, with a view to inviting you Eastside Lightweights over here for a Real Workout. : ) I still have to set up the hay bales. I can use this place looking rough but I want it to be purty for guests. I did get my air gun back from the shop and it makes nice 2" groups at 50 yds for the biathlon portion of the event.

The pool is up! And being well-used. Ah, delight. But I haven't patched all my floaties yet.

And the beer has been ready a couple weeks now. Oooo-yeah. I'd say it's about the best I've ever had. OK, except for some hot summer brews in Vienna. (How do they do it?) It's dialed in for summer and it beats Bells even! Yo! Of course the stock is now slightly dwindling. I try to not bring it to parties. It has to be homebrew. You want my brew, come to my home. I'm sticking to one every other day. It is STRONG. If you Trainaholics try some after a hot workout you'll be humorous indeed.

I don't really sense much weight loss, though. But with the heat and job I'm becoming inspired to not eat breakfast. That should do the trick. I've skipped breakfast in the past no problem. And I recall that has definitely helped me move down a belt size. I just type all morning anyway. Coffee, juice, water: no problem. The main hitch is that my wife makes such great breakfasts! It's a great time of day for us and the kiddies. So it's been social/tasty. But she's jumped into more of her art projects early on and I haven't lately been seeing the scrumptious eggerito concoctions as often. No complaint though. We all have plenty of togetherness anyway with me working at home.

A nifty news item that I reported on my website is that I developed yet another form of canoeing. First I adapted poling to high speed flat water use. VERY fun for Michigan rivers. NOW I've stumbled onto stand-up paddling! My father-in-law had a 5'6" paddle that works pretty good. I'd say 6' would do it. So if you want to try it, get a paddle as tall as you are. This mode is great for getting around when the water is too deep for poling. I find it easy to adjust to standing in most any canoe. I'm working on doing it in race boats, too. So far so good. You can really get your body into it. It seems great for ski training, really. I can get a high cadence going, too. Changing sides is no problem.

Also I'm getting closer to buying some trailer-camping land up north. It's near Baldwin. I find this part of the state to be fascinating. It has tons of great, diverse public land. It's near the Big Lake. Lots of classic old towns around inland and on the coast with some degree of preservation. And basically more world class rivers than you can shake a stick at. Pere Marquette, Manistee, Pine, Muskegon and all their major, significant branches. Not to mention dozens of lovely creeks. Some of these rivers get lots of pressure. But creeks never do. I suspect that's where the locals hang out. The rivers are all permitted and patrolled. No rules for the creeks. Sounds good! The property I'm looking at is on a large, lovely creek. I asked a local *who declared he was a fan of Serge Corbin* when he saw my old C1 on the car about paddling the creek. He said it wasn't possible. I asked if that was a dare. He said it's just not possible. I paddled the whole thing easily the next day. I do call it BoatoCross, though.

Anyway, what I find most interesting about this part of the state is that there are basically ZERO outdoor sports events in the Western area from Grand Rapids north to Traverse City. No canoe or ski races to speak of. OK, there are the Crystal relays. No canoe races, though. No gear-head shops inland. Maybe one in Muskegon. Maybe one place with groomed trails. It seems like an area just jammed with great features and cheap land but very little endurosport use. Yet the locals I bumped into seemed into their High Country Trail and bragged up the tons of XC trails even without my asking. But it's all backcountry touring stuff. Fine by me. I'll miss you guys, tho! Any MTB races up there? --Probably one in Crystal. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cool Big Lap has faded out. Whitehall had a roadbike race. Oh well, I'm outta the loop. My impression is just that there's not much going on on that side even though it's close(ish) to lots of people.

Anyway, BoatoCross is a great sport. It's sport canoeing a jammed-up waterway. You need a small, light boat. Don't bring anything with you. My old 25-lb Advantage is just right. Shorter would be better, I suppose, for a small, twisty creek. Bring a pole if possible. That's much preferred. What you do is go paddling on a jammed-up shallow creek or river. Whenever you hit a jam just jump out and haul the boat over and jump back in. When poling this can usually be done in one motion JUST LIKE CYCLOCROSS! You heard it here first, folks. When poling you often don't even have to get your feet wet. But cool water is lovely in warm weather. I find shallow water to be fine even as late as November! --It's warmer than the air then. A good workout keeps you warm even when a bit wet. If the water gets too shallow for a stretch just grab your bowline and walk or trot along. Step back in when it's deep enough. It's so cool to not have to get up and down when poling. Getting seated and unseated is a bit annoying. Stepping in and out of boats is just a breeze.

Anyway, I saw an otter, pilated pecker, oriole, several trophy browns--that yellow-orange color of theirs sure is pretty--and several much bigger fish, maybe rainbows? They were gray and broad and torpedo shaped. Doubt they were suckers. Seemed a bit like trophy bass. A bit stout. Maybe I'll hook one someday.

I camped out on public land on a bluff overlooking a beaver pond and the creek. Easy access, free, no nighttime traffic off the two-track. I suspect it's little-used. The locals say no down-staters even deer hunt it. It's a clever little 80-acre tract that I bet is overlooked.

Anyway, I'm still a ways away from having the Backyard Arena ready for visitors. Getting closer, though! The trails are mowed.

I am still a bit dreading the idea of pick-axing the driveway to tidy it up, but that will definitely be a good power workout.

The logs are mostly chunked up now and only have to be wheelbarrowed to the trailer (when Tom brings it back). But I suppose I'll do that. No need to actually ruin any visitors with too much powerwork.

Tom Cannon came over and threw some lines and did some tree climbing and sawing. We have one more tricky huge limb to do. We kinda wasted one chunk of day when he got sidetracked into longbow action. (A few days later he brought over his new longbow, so I guess it was contagious!) I have another limb that he says would be best to wait til winter for then just drop it and let it crush a shrub taking it out with lines would be too much work. He doesn't like to admit defeat but he's sensible. This limb is maybe 80 feet long, 2-3 feet across for much of it. Boy, will it make for some powerwork getting rid of it.

That's the news from around here!

--JP

Jeff Potter runs *Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
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