We were blessed to have a couple of fine downrange fellas: Count from Tallahassee and Meatloaf from Peachland (well…Toledo; our Peach moved to our paradise from there about 1 1/2 years ago). With FNG’s and/or any downrange we always want to take them  (and we did) the full .6 mile length on 26 acres of the best AO in the nation. If you doubt this, come post and we will make you a believer.

Oh…and the B’s Knees? They were mine. I have had scary challenges with both (yes…I am a Double Respect and that does not help) in last few weeks and have had to pull back from many activities for diagnosis and healing. My 2-3 weekly tennis experiences were scratched but happy to report I only missed one post over this time. Had to modify a lot and was worried I couldn’t lead a full Pier length post. But thanks to the Lord they did just fine (yeah…a bit of ice later). Once you have experienced F3 like I and thousands of others have, not being at F3 hurts more than the injury itself.

COP: SSH, Mountain Climbers and the Phelps Medley (15 reps each of butterfly, back, breast and freestyle while standing).

Begin the mosey towards the end of the pier, with a stop for a few lunges in The Palms. Continue with NUR, Carioca right and then left, butt kicks and high knees.

Mosey to back side of St. Pete Mountain for a bit of Jacob’s Ladder. 11 merkins on one end and 1 big boy sit up at the other and about 25 years of waterside concrete in between. The 10 and 2, 9 and 3 and you know the rest.

A short mosey to the Eco building mid-pier for two variations of Peoples Chair: Hands to toes, knees, chest and shoulders (repeato) followed by Muhammed Ali’s.

Another 50 our so yards heading up ramp to top of Pier superstructure for a sampling of dips and derkins.

PRAYER BREAK: Down the bayside steps for a prayer at the very end of The Pier: for God to be super evident at Surfside and the loss of Smudge’s very close friend.

Back to it with a step ups or jump ups to get our heart rate up again.

Making our 180, we went to other side of the superstructure for our famous Burg Hops. A crowd pleaser for newbies to them or ones who have experienced them before: hands on short wall, lift both legs laterally to right on top of wall, down, then left is 1. Repeato for 8 each side.

Before AYG for then last 100 years, we interrupted the mosey with some LBCs, lunges, slides and irkins as we journeyed back from the end to the beginning.

COT: Countarama, Namearama, Announcements and Prayers. Smudge announced we had a special and secret Q Saturday (guesses were Lance but rumor not confirmed). Prayed for 1099 and his 2 week mission journey to Seattle, for the loss (to Heaven!) of smudge’s dear friend, healing for one of El Caps friends and again for tragedy at Surfside. Count was our “6” and talked about how he came to F3 and received his new moniker.

Since YHC was not sure I could physically do any or all, I am thrilled to lead these great men the whole way.

Bird Hole