For someone who's "ramping back" I'm still working pretty hard.

[Alan H]

Not peeled! These are within a week of cutting,but the tree has been essentially dead for almost a year, so they're probably pretty dry. The big one is HEAVY. I think this is going to wind up being our A class stickl. With these two logs I have a complete "quiver' for a Games....estimating sizes..

Womens C/lightweight/newbie - eucalyptus - 12 feet, probably 30 pounds
Womens A - cedar, currently unfinished and 17 feet long, which is preposterous. I'll probably cut it down to 15 feet long. It's about 50-55 pounds.

Mens C / Newbie... eucalyptus "ugly stick" about 75 pounds and 14 feet. Unbreakable but seriously UGLY and not all that straight, which is fine for a learning caber.

Mens B / Masters 50's .... two possibilities... the current "Alans Caber" which is 16' 3" and 80 pounds and rather top-heavy. It's redwood and looks very impressive. It gets it's first trial by fire...errr....throw, today at practice. MAN, I hope this doesn't break. Also, I still have the good, old Whomper...15' 8" and 85 pounds. I need to refinish it.

Mens A /Masters 40's ... two possibilities, the two redwood cabers I just got. One is bluidy heavy, significantly 100+ but it has a bend it in at the bottom part that limits the length. I've currently got it cut at 16' 4". We'll see. The other redwood stick is 17' 4" and probably 90-100 pounds when it's barked.

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Last nights practice was hammer winds. Bethany was out, so there was lots of chatter-time between throws because that's how it is with Bethany. That often drives me nuts, but last night it was a good thing. I did 100 in sets of 25, I've been feeling a bit worn-down recently. Then we threw the 12 pound hammer for about 12 throws, each. This is working on Buck and Jakes suggestion that we throw lighter hammers for a while to build some speed. Then Lance and I did 3-4 throws each with the 16. Most of mine were about 80, but Lance dropped a 98 footer out there. He was pretty happy with that.

Then we moved on LWFD, doing about a dozen single turn throws and then "beat the mark" with two-turns. I had my cones out at 45 feet, Lances were at 58. Lance beat the mark 3x / 4. I got it all four times. But the last one was the best. I remember to pause, just a heartbeat as the weight drops to the low point at the back of the first turn, and then I got a good amount of separation at the front. That's what the single-turn throws develop. BOOM 47+. Thats my first time this season out past 47. Man, I was starting to think it would NEVER happen!

WOB and caber tonight, then Jazz group at church.

I'm dealing with some shin splints that are annoying and a pinched nerve in my hand which affects the middle finger of my right hand a bit. It's not terrible, but anything going on with hands is always a concern.