CT mini reunion: Aug 24-26, 2012

Awesome pics and video...thanks Tim!

who were the 5 guys? who made it? AWESOME sound.




john

AirTique98 wrote:      Awesome pictures....and sound [on the potential 5-man]. Looks to have been a "fan"tastic weekend. Somehow Reid is always found riding in a hot boat. I might have to hook up with the Ohio contingent for a ride up next year.

You're more than welcome to hop in with me.

jbear wrote: who were the 5 guys? who made it? AWESOME sound. john

We lost Mr. Mars as he went down with a pulled groin on the step... But uncle Todd, brad (barracuda), Tom (gottaski) and I skied away. We had lost a few footers to injuries and early departures by sun am, I think the boat could have pulled a few more pretty easily. It was propped down with hotboat's 430 at that point.

Great pictures and videos so far!

I really wish I could have made it, just couldn't do it with family stuff going on. Looks like an AWESOME time! Great pics and video, keep it coming!

Sounds and looks like a great time. Tim, your BFN sounds mean! What happened with UT's Tique?

Thanks again to Tim and his Dad for welcoming everyone again. We were only there on Sat but it was great seeing everyone again.

Maybe next year we can try for a mini on Lake Zoar. Spread the reunion duties around.

Kettletown is there for camping.
Public boat launch.
Big sand bar to hang out on.
8 miles long.
Bar close by for night-time festivities.
Hotel near for those that don't want to camp.
Right off exit 14 on I-84

Looks like a great time. Thanks for sharing guys!

thanx Tim...no HW or kneeboard man in multiple? Guess I woould have to get in the 'seniors' run.

sounds like a tough choice Bill....TN in June or CT in August or Reid's in October. I need to retire so me and you can just roadtrip to these events!



john

jbear wrote: I need to retire so me and you can just roadtrip to these events! john

Funny how when you do, you have less time Everyone thinks well he's got nothing to do when in fact you have alot of catching up to do! It's been 6 months now,a really great summer can't say I have accomplished a thing

Some personal highlights…

Got there Friday- showed up at the dock with the boat loaded to the gills (nothing too unusual there) , I had all the help I could manage to unload it and make it relatively safe for human occupancy.   We had a great lunch – tapped the keg – then I tried to sabotage Tim’s attempts to start the 79 barefoot for the first time. It didn’t work for long though and that thing popped to life and was immediately producing smiles, shattering records, and pulling its owners on a victory tandem barefoot run.   Pretty sure Friday night we loaded Adam Dean’s 2000 Proair to the gills with ballast bags and surfed till two in the morning.. or maybe that was 9:30 pm. After Brad and Cheney showed up with a beautiful shot ski and a bunch of liquor to present to the hosts it was clear this party would get started off right… and truly it did.

My only first day pics







First thing on Saturday we got in that plastic classic powered barefoot run. Todd Benjamin, Tim Benjamin, and Chris Quinn were up early and up to the task.   Brad did the driving honors. It must have been really early though, cause Greg said he saw stars on the three man pull, Chris saw stars on the finishing whip of the two man pull, and then they took me for a single run and sure enough I saw those stars too! After that we left the water to the slalom skiers for a bit. We loaded the piss out of my 83 and did a bit of boarding Saturday afternoon, the wake was big and knarly and the fans were flying, binding failures cut us short and by the time we crushed our excellent lunch the lake was more fit for surfing behind Adam Dean’s 2000 pro air which must have gone on for at least 2 hours.

As mentioned elsewhere here Saturday was the beginning of the great trick ski resurgence of aught ’12.   We had good tricking and bad tricking.. single tricking, double tricking, forward tricking, backward tricking, tricking behind classics, tricking behind modern classics.   There was friendly tricking and battle tricking… one of the memorable rides of the weekend was in Chris Mars’ new promo with Hollywood and Booby(quinners neighbor and friend) behind it on tricks.   At one point booby went down and called for chris to come back for a hot pickup.. I am pretty sure chris had never even seen one done. The first attempt was a little rough and resulted in booby dislocating a finger, however we came back around with Hollywood still in tow, this time Quinner talked Chris through the pickup and even with the dislocated finger Booby made the start.   We swapped Quinner into the driver seat, gave booby a much needed rest, put Chris in the water with HW and Chris was able to accomplish two hot pickups from the other end of the rope… pretty cool for us non show skier types to see.   

What started out as an attempt to get up six trick skiers (all the trick skis we could find) ended up as an 11 person run what ya brung mega run so as not to leave anyone on the shore. Sadly propped as I brought it the 83 SN was just not up to the task.   Everyone held on for unbelievably long pulls while the boat sat at 3000 rpm walking sideways, eventually we lost all but 6 of us and then we popped right out and continued around the lake. We then tried to make our six pairs of tricks into 7 people by putting Hollywood and brad on one each… but again the boat just didn’t want to do it until we were down to 6.. brad being considerably bigger than HW and only on one ski was the one to miss out on the fun.   Saturday’s dinner was spectacular, but people were falling like flys.. someone napping everywhere you looked by 10pm. If there was anything moving by 12pm.. I sure wasn’t around to see it.. certainly the keg had long left the building.

Second day pics







Sunday was more of the same… we lost a couple back early to Illinois but got a couple replacements for the day. It was good to meet the two Toms and get them out on feet, skis, boards, etc.   

Started with some early morning footing, then a little later when Tim was out of bed we decided it was time to test the barefooter’s limits. Unfortunately Greg was down from the day before, I had yet to grow a pair, and the tow Chicago boys were on their way back home. Gottaski Tom was up to the task despite a 12 year span since his last long line run, Uncle Todd was solid as he had been all weekend, Tim and Brad were solid as usual. Chris Mars rounded out the 5.   Unfortunately his 2012 man size feet were not able to smoothly come out of his 1960 man sized bindings and the result was painful to watch but not nearly as painful as it was to experience.



I did some combo skiing behind the inca gold skier with Brad and Cheney- I was the weak link on the drop with that one but we had a good time and I finished with a dual slalom run with brad.. at which point I became acquainted with its 22 off rooster tail for the first time .   Thanks to Brian for that pull.   

We also got in a little sky ski session in the afternoon wave pool.

Some of the only pics I have are of this crew that went out on Sunday. All three were first time trick skiers at the beginning of the boat ride. One of them had never been on any skis before that day.   They nailed the triple run by the end of the session.

By then Chris Mars was watching:







Getting it done was Zoey, Mary Beth, and 76 Tique Tom.







About the last order of water business for the day was to wipe the stain of last years parasailing misadventure from the shores of the Benjamin Compound. Adam (Iaughtnaught) Dean wouldn’t let the dream go and recuited himself a reasonably competent looking ground/boat crew so I was game. Other than Chris mars stepping on the shoot and pulling his already injured leg out from under him on the start all was smooth and Adam gave the lake a good show, even waving at some canoeists as I lowered him down a bit on the turn. After one lap of the lake it was too dark for a repeat.   

There weren’t too many left by Sunday evening.    Anything resembling a beer was long gone.. even the twisted tea that had been on the bottom of Adam’s boat cooler for months wasn’t safe.   So we broke out the liquor and made some whiskey drinks and some rum drinks, found ourselves a deck of cards, had a few hot dogs, and a great night.

Big props to those who cleaned up the compound on Monday morning Adam, Ben Mars, Mary Beth, etc.. The last boat to leave was the first one to arrive…





I met the original owner of Tim’s Inca Gold Skier while we were putting the boats on the trailer. They thought it was awesome we were there for the weekend ( I assumed by now we had probably wore out our welcome with most of the locals but apparently not the case) she requested a boat parade around the lake if we come back.     

Soon it was all over but the driving… I had brought my lowrider and the Midwest boys followed me home to make sure I made it..


Another great time.

I love all the reunions and they each have their charms. This one is unique in that we are all in one place the whole time and right on the water with easy access to the boats. It wouldn’t work however without the Benjamin’s letting us fully take over their beautiful place and all the help they provide to feed us and keep us comfortable. Truly awesome, Thanks again Greg, Laurie, Todd, Tony, Tim and crew.   I always feel welcomed at the Benjamin compound. Thanks to everyone else that came out for help making it one of the best weekends of the summer.

Now all you picture perfectionists with your big fancy cameras get to posting.

Joe thanks for putting that summary together with pictures of the weekend.

Makes me want to fly over immediately if you were doing it again this weekend.

Chris that Hamstring looks painful.

Joe that tow hitch weight looks a little low.   

As the sunburn and sore muscles from a great weekend fade...here a few more snaps to look back on.

Early morning barefoot runs

Started with this:


Unlce Todd warming up


Getting ready for the seniors run behind UT's Plastic Classic


UT and Quinner


Quinner and UT skiing it back.


Quinner and his kneeboard


Pick up boat hunting for dropped skis


Cheney (Mrs Barracuda) and I taking a tandem run together.


Joe F


Phil boomin' it


Mid Day hang outs:





Eric and Marissa:


Phil and Jess


Pat and Zoey


Surfing:

Adam


Eric


Cheney


Tim


Brian


Masssstercraffft!


Multi and Mega:

Joe, Cheney and I getting ready for triples combo/ drop run behind the skier


Joe pulling multi trick skiers?


The consolation run on the pick up boat after the 7 man trick mega.
(me, Mars, hwood) Quick thinkin from hwood saved Mars from adding a concussion to his list of injuries.


Pulled this out of Joe's boat after the pylon bending 11 man MEGA.
You want your rope?? GO GET IT!


Maribeth's ski lesson


The parting Shot


Thanks again for an amazing weekend!

-Brad and Cheney

Barracuda wrote: 87MCProstar wrote: ...Having this weekend come around every year may make me switch brands You know what they say... If the vest fits WEAR IT!

Love it! I maybe looking in the near future...for a nautique...ya never know...you guys are a GREAT group to hang with. Looking forward to the next time already.

Looks like fun.

I guess nobody has taught Joe the circle start.... ;)