Curling Replaces Wargaming

I guess that I am going to switch this blog to an all Curling blog now, replacing this as a wargaming blog...since this past Friday and Saturday I had my first Curling lessons. Well, na, it will stay a wargaming blog, but you may have to put up with a curling posting or two or twenty.

Curling is a fun sport guys and gals. It really is. I had a blast this weekend doing it. So did Robin - she signed up for the lessons with me. We have one more class next Friday night and then a short "rookie league" of 4 curling nights. Robin is not going to join in for the league games but I am.

Me (third from left) and the wife (fourth from left)

So why not Robin? Well, the sweeping hurts her back too much - you really have to hunch over and make short hard sweeps. The mission of a sweeper - when called to sweep - is to melt the ice a little with the broom in order to make the rock travel a little further. You see the ice is not smooth like for skating, it has a "pebbly" surface on it created by spraying warm water on the ice.

I am really stoked that she wanted to do it, bummed that she can't continue it - but she is gonna go to all the games of course. She likes it.

I am fairly sore this morning after two consecutive nights of using muscles in odd ways. My arms hurt a little from sweeping and my left thigh is tight as it alone carries your body weight when delivering the rock. I like the sweeping aspect of things it is actually is a series good cardio workouts.

Robin took some pictures and video of Saturday night's practice time...

On the Hack

Delivered the Rock - Don't Slip!

Delivered the Rock - watching it go...

Sweep! Crossing the Hog Line

Swept it over the Hog Line. Into the House?

Here is some video Robin shot on Saturday night...the first video shows me delivering a rock into the House. Not bad for a rookie. Of course, far more of my rocks miss the house. I deliver it too fast and tried to spend time slowing my delivery - you can sweep a rock to travel further, but you really cannot slow it down. So, better to be slower and get into the house than too fast and miss it all. Interestingly enough, and I am sure things will change with more practice, I have a hard time getting the rock to the location the Skip points out...but...I can toss a takeout pretty well.

This video has me doing some sweeping (on the far sheet, I am in the gray sweatshirt).The Skip called for sweeping then you can hear him call "off" and we stop sweeping. Instead of continuing along with the rock and paying attention, I relax. Then the Skip calls for more sweeping and in my haste to get back on the broom I fall down. Oh, yeah, and Robin chuckles (you can hear her on the soundtrack).

Here's another where I get it in the house...far more don't than do for me...

Here is some video of me sweeping. The shooter is trying to do a takeout on the red rock in the House and actually throws a nice rock. I sweep it near the end to try to give it a little more speed. It hits the red rock but not enough to really move it and the yellow goes out of play.

OK, until next Friday night, no more curling...except in my thoughts!