Spring Cleaning

Thanks to Finish Line Boat Repair and CJ for taking this awesome photo!

We have been training on the water for about a month now and have learned quite a bit about the 4+ and the individuals within it. To mix it up, we sometimes row 2Xs or a 4X when other commitments require a member to miss a practice. I personally am most excited about the incoming 4- that Hudson is us to demo, which should arrive at some point this week.

Observations below (no order of importance):
- We thrive in warm weather. One boat member even claims personal peak performance around 100° F. I personally disagree but we will monitor performance as the temperature rises.
- Props to any bowman brave enough to bow in the early mornings in the Baltimore harbor. Lights reflect off the water making it quite difficult to discern if there is an incoming boat.
- We are starting to adjust the lineup and are trying to figure out which coalesces. Nothing is public yet, but the rumors range from port stroking to throwing a bucket in the boat.
- We prefer low rates (under R20) or higher rates (above R30). We are not quite skilled enough to row as well the middle rates efficiently.
- Rob's "prime" study time is between midnight and 3 AM. He has sacrificed many prime studying hours to make morning practice.
- Paige is a champ. She puts up with our requests (demands, more or less) and even treats us to what I have named: "The musing of Paige".
      - Stories of how one of her university coxswains would steer towards the geese swimming in the river, ruining the boat's course.
      - Enlightening us on how long one can stay wet in the current air temperature before showing signs of hypothermia.
      - Telling us that we can say literally anything in the boat as she cannot hear anything because her numerous jackets muffle the noise.
- The two ex-collegiate heavyweights despise when the two ex-collegiate lightweights discuss the lightweight league. It happens at least twice a practice.
- The five individuals exhibit sufficient rowing IQ when rowing issues arise and have been able to quickly identify and adjust technique to compensate for the issues. However, we are still working on ingraining some of habits as that requires time.
- John owns a liquor cabinet that will make any middle aged professor weak in the knees. He also makes a killer Old Fashioned.
- Alex is a man of many talents. Rumor has it that he can change a diaper faster than he can erg 1K, re-rig any boat to reduce a split per 500 meters (guaranteed), and continue to lead his start-up to unprecedented growth. We do not know how he finds the time to hone all these skills.

Now onto the fun stuff. A short clip of us doing midrate work in a headwind (my least favorite combination):