Water skiing in Wisconsin (and more, less important things)

One of the many highlights of the trip. Stayed with some family friends of Jmo's and they had a nice house on Lake Bear Trap and Larry and Marcia (our hosts) had a ski boat. Got to get out on the water for the first time in years and I immediately was brought back to my teenage years. Justin told me that I looked like I had switched into a different mode (and him being a man of many modes, he would know). I was in heaven. Joe was up first to try his hand at water skiing, and my man was able to get up pretty easily, which is the hardest part. Once riding on the water though, he gave us some laughs by wiping out. Justin was able to get up with no problem, but being a semi-professional downhill skiier, he suffered from snow-to-water confusion. I couldn't believe that both of them got up so quickly though, because back when we had a boat, my Dad and I saw many a friend get dragged on their faces dozens of times before suceeding. I was feeling pretty sore when I was done but it was a soreness I have missed. Nothing beats an aching back, groin, and biceps after a good run on the H20. Dudes, we will go water skiing again, that is a promise.

Side note - the life jacket I was using was made for children, very tight, and didn't even reach my belly button, so the beer gut I have developed was pushing out the bottom and sides and made me look like the dough boy. Justin was kind enough to edit the the pictures in photoshop though so I can still look cool!!

Afterwards we played some extreme bocce ball, ate a tasty meal, and played some poker. I scored my first and only gambling victory of the trip, winning ten bucks, and brought my net loss down to only $9,990 (just kidding, Mom).

Joe fell asleep first of course, and Justin had been running on a half hour of sleep in the last 36 hours, so I watched a movie while my boys snored the night away. Justin never made it to the bed. Next morning Larry showed us a nearby state park that was once a glacial river and now has some very interesting geological features, including a 200-ft deep river, rock formations, and bore holls from ancient gravel swirls.

Great stop, and we are all very grateful for the good time we had there. Thank you to Larry and Marcia for entertaining us and taking care of us!