Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:46:15 -0500
From: "GORDON, CHUCK"
<CHUCK.GORDON@DFAS.MIL>
Subject: Yet another seminar review
Aiki-l Y2K Seminar Review etc.
Sigh. Damn! Indiana is SOOOO flat. Loved Colorado. Loved the
seminar. Hated to come home. No way to give a complete account of the
past week, but here are some highlights. Lots of pics here:
http://users2.ev1.net/~tx_terakian/al2k.htm
and a few more here:
http://www.aikido-l.org/seminars/2000_us/pics/cg/.
Pre-seminar: Emily and I went out early to Estes park, near Rocky Mountain National Park to acclimate and enjoy the splendor of the Rockies. We got a small, quaint 1930s-era cabin sitting right on the Big Thompson River flowing out of the park. Beautiful.
Spent Wed. resting, gathering groceries and poking around Estes Park a bit.
Thursday, we took a couple of hikes through the parklands, winding up in the morning in a YMCA camp amid a herd of thundering yoga fanatics gathered there for a camp. After scaring some of the herbivores, I fear, we wandered away and headed back to the cabin for lunch. While we were walking, a cold front moved through, crisp, cold clouds rolling over the ridgeline and dropping temps fast. We were quite shivery by the time we got back to the warm cabin, but didn't let that keep us from sipping hot tea and chai out on the patio as we watched Aspen leaves flutter down into the river.
The afternoon hike was a bit longer and took us to Moraine Park where we watched a bull elk patrol his harem while a bunch of younger, less tough elks stood around on the corners smoking and talking about him behind his back.
"G'wan Harry, he ain't so tough. You can take 'im. Don't worry, I got your back ..."
We also saw Homer Simpson. Or his intellectual twin. Some fellow with a camera kept wandering across the field toward the elk, getting WAY too close for my taste. Only when a couple of the young bulls started glaring at him and sidling toward his position did he decide maybe that wasn't such a good place to be ...
The high point of that hike was a sunny afternoon nap on the bank of a burbling stream.
We spent Friday wandering the shops of Estes Park and getting ready for pre-seminar festivities later in the evening. A short walk through the private lands around the cabin later netted us several specimens of interesting rocks, pine cones and leaves for souveniers.
Evening fell, cool and soft, and our hosts built us a crackling fire behind the cabins just on the edge of the river.
And despite the terribly unruly behavior of our guests (MLE and I, of course, were the soul of propriety and decorum!), we survived and awoke early Saturday and headed toward Boulder.
Boulder Aikikai is beautiful. Ikeda Sensei is a gracious host and a genuinely warm person. Jun, as always, was ... well .. Jun! I've received some very odd looks and comments whilst wearing the Biohazard button Bartman made for me ...
Ikeda Sensei: OK, NOW I see what Jun meant by small spirals back in February. Very smooth, very powerful. I can see why so many students are devoted to Ikeda Hiroshi. A wonderful teacher. I also now know why the dojo smells vaguely like pizza ...
Akin Sensei: Philip is one of my favorite Yoshfolk. He presents what could be dry and mechanical in a really smooth and enjoyable format. Yoshinkan aikido is very interesting, very detailed (where's my protractor and compass?) but Philip made it easily digestible.
Frost Sensei: Sorry I had to sit most of that one out. A bad knee was starting to act up and I didn't want to chance straining it before Sunday. However, I found Julian's aikido to be very dynamic and powerful. And Julian himself is SUCH an ape ...
Saturday eve: Great dinner! Great company! Weird to party in a room full of massage tables, but we managed. Hacker, I want a copy of that video. Hand throw! Emily and I opted out of the festivities at a reasonable hour, but I understand some of the folks hung in there till about 3 a.m. Thus the Scotch Visions photo ... ahem.
Drysdale Sensei: Alan! Smooth, clear, concise. Despite sticking his foot hip-deep in his mouth (Don't worry we WON'T tell Saotome Sensei what you said as long as you keep the Scotch coming ...), he taught an engaging class that I enjoyed immensely.
My class: Heck, I just played. Despite being half-blind (Thanks, Julian!!! LOL!), I managed not to hurl anyone into a wall or out the door. And despite Diane getting bounced upon by another uke, the class went smoothly and I hadn't nearly enough time to show all that I had wanted to. And yes, folks, this stuff DOES hurt. Ya'll were warned ...
Apres-seminar: Spent a bit of time with Peter B. and Sean F. doing Omori Ryu iaido. Sean, you simply MUST calm down. You are WAY to rambunctious for your own good. Said some very sad goodbyes, saddled up and headed west to Glenwood Springs.
Frank Gordon, my new long-lost brother, led us through the mountains, stopping occasionally to let Emily and I be stunned by the scenery or to point out the many, various mountains he'd climbed. Frank led us into Glenwood Springs about 8:30 pm or so and we headed immediately for the hot springs for a soak. Heavenly! After the pools closed, we wound our way up the hills to Frank's place where he prpared a veritable feast of elk-venison spaghetti. After two days of seminar and partying, and that gorgeous soak and meal, we all pretty much collapsed.
Monday morning, Frank arranged to get my glasses fixed and took us on a bicycle ride through Glenwood Canyon. Wow! 16 miles of trail along the Colorado River. That's my new favorite place.
After a very decent lunch at a local brewpub (and being threatened with a vegeterian tofu cafe), Frank gave us a guided tour of the valley, including the site of the Boulder Aikikai summer camp (beautiful location! Yes, Jun, we're gonna try to make it next year, if at all possible) and a charming town called Carbondale (if you don't know about Carbondale, well, you'll just have to find out!).
Spent some excellent time with Frank getting to know each other, heard his Alaskan Grizzly bear tale, perused his fine library, had some truly delectable BBQ ribs, hung out and chatted while Emily worked Frank over, and eventually collapsed once again.
If any of ya'll make it to that part of Colorado, go train with Frank. He's a fine fellow, despite the lack of decent scenery at his place. Do beware of Mr. Rat, however ... he's got a mean glint in his eye.
Tuesday, the drive back to Denver, to the airport, was bittersweet. We carried with us some wonderful memories ... new friends, shared times with old friends, good training and gorgeous countryside ... and we both hated leaving.
So, I wound up, eventually, back in Indiana, tired, exhilirated, sad and satisfied. Another aikido-l seminar! If you haven't done one, you DO need to start planning for the next one. Ain't nothin' like it.
cg(LOEP, EDF)
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