The Prom and The Mud

Keweenaw Tales
May 14, 2008

A weekly newsletter from Dean Woodbeck in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula (deanwoodbeck AT gmail.com)

It was the cleanest of times. It was the muddiest of times.

Saturday was prom night at Hancock High. Guys in tuxes. Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes. Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes. (I was just reading about Julie Andrews’ biography and my head transitioned to The Sound of Music.)

Anyway, prior to the prom, we spent some time discussing etiquette. It started weeks before renting the tux.

“What color is her dress?”

“I dunno.”

Repeat that conversation nightly at dinner for a week. Until one day:

“What color is her dress?”

“It is black.”

Now we’re making progress. On to rent a tux. When you’re talking about a black dress, there isn’t much choice in a tux; it has to be black. “Why?” I was asked. “Because you don’t want to show her up.” That led to another conversation about why, exactly, such things are important.

I could go on, but you get the drift. Of course, I didn’t mention some of the colors of tuxes I rented in high school, not to mention that snazzy red plaid sport coat I wanted to use for my senior picture. With the white bow tie. Nice.

Prom wasn’t so exerting that we couldn’t head out for a mountain bike ride the next day. The trail right up from our house, Maasto Hiihto, wasn’t quite dry. Not even close.

Jay hit one spot with a narrow puddle, but the depth about equaled the width. Two pedal strokes in and the water was halfway up the tires and he slowed to a stop in the middle of the water. There are advantages to being slow and following behind.

Unfortunately, my chain broke three times in three miles. We had a chain tool with us – this handy gizmo that allows you to remove a link and make the chain whole again. After three surgeries, however, the chain was no longer long enough to accommodate all of the gears or, in my case, most of the gears. I turned around for the slow ride home while Jay continued out to the best part of the trail. Meanwhile, my chain broke the fourth and final time about a half-mile from the house.

But what about that puddle Jay tried to traverse early in the ride? He figured coming at it from the other direction, with speed gained on a downhill, would provide enough momentum to make it through. As he hit the middle of the puddle, his front tire sank and he did a slow-motion tumble over his handlebars.

Letters

From Tom Fisher

Well, well...........the wandering bard has taken time to fill us in. Way to go, and please, don't be so long before you stop by again!

From Douglas Fifield

Welcome back. I have missed you and your tales.

To be truthful, I thought you and your stories were the best tie I had to the U.P. I have lived in the Twin Cities for the past twenty plus years - far from the Kewenaw and the part of my life spent there some forty years ago. Since you went on to other things, my connection to that special place was missing.

I hope to hear more from you, and from the UP.

(Never actually graduated from Tech, but was there 67-70.)

From Jean Dalrymple

Nice to hear from you. Glad things are going well for your family. Maybe you can still enjoy a long walk in your t-shirt. Just make it a long-sleeved version!

From Becky Nold

Hi Dean,

Glad to have you back! Sorry we couldn't keep you in upstate New York, but the Keweenaw is truly a special place.

I wonder about the semester system and ending earlier in the spring - what does it do for the students' memory of Tech to send them away before spring has arrived in the Keweenaw. Maybe MTU needs to institute a mandatory summer program so that everyone gets to experience at least one wonderful UP summer.

From Heidi Fosch

I missed your updates from Tech. But really, it hasn't been two years. I refuse to believe that. One year maybe, but not two!!!

From Tom Nesbitt

Great to get the Husqi Tales and read your prose again! I am looking forward to a renewed connection to da UP eh!

From John Andree

Dean:

I can't say enough how glad I was to see your newsletter Monday morning. I was thinking something dire happened to you, as the newsletters ceased shortly after starting. Glad to hear things are all relatively well. I look forward to your newsletters.

From Mark Koski

Glad to see you're back. Any tales of "Woodbecking' things in NY? I can't wait! There's really no place quite like the Keweenaw.

Dean sez: There was one encounter with a root, the ground, and a very swollen knee. More on that sometime…

From GeekDad_4WD

Dean, Long time no type at.

I noticed the blog is called "Keweenaw Tales" but the feed title has Keweenawtrails.blogspot.com. Is this a Woodbeck? Is it supposed to be Keweenawtales.blogspot.com?

Anyway, you are back where you are well loved and we are anxious for you to continue blogging.

Dean sez: Keweenaw Trails is a website that I maintain supporting the silent sports in the Keweenaw. It seemed to make sense to connect the blog to that….but maybe not?

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