GHEDI Fall of 2019

The Griffin Hill Equinox Disc Invitational

Fall of 2019

October 5, 2019

Great fun was had by all!

The BASICS:

A round on the 18 hole pitch and putt course with scores reported to the Score Keeper, Door Man start off the days activities. Next the Putt Contest was introduced ($1 entry fee) while the scores were being processed into teams for the Best Disc Doubles round that takes place on the 10 hole course.

All anecdotes are gathered for the Awards Ceremony and trophies and certificates are presented..

Free play is then encouraged while some have to drive home a LONG way.

The Registration:
The pre-registration was an issue as we ended August.  Originally the date was set for September 22, which is much closer to the actual Equinox (Sept. 23) but due to conflicts and lack of signups the date was changed for October 5.  That was a good date change as the weather on 9-22 was rain all day.  October 5 (the substitute day) = pretty darn nice!

On October 3 we had 32 filling the registration with 4 on the overload list.  All were instructed to show up and we would deal with it.  We ended up at 28 which is a sweet number to break into foursomes.

Course Set UP:
The course was set up on October 3 and the new So You Think You Can Putt tournament was initiated and set up.  Score Keeper, Jerry Garcia, Bling and Sweet Lou all came by and we had the thing done before noon.  The Count was a happy camper.

The Weather:
October 3 was a perfect fall day with sun and broken clouds for the setup.  October 4 it dumped rain all day and night.  October 5, the day of the GHEDI the rains basically stopped except for a 5 minute shower and then finished with sun from 11:00 on Temps in the morning in the 50s and going to the 60s for the PM.  Tee shirt weather!

Comment from the Count:

This was one of the most successful GHEDI's ever. Thanks to all who attended and helped.

Readers of this blog:  IF you can figure out how to leave a comment at the bottom please do.

MYSTERY:

Clean up for the event was limited to finding two Marlboro 100 (guess) cigarette butts that came out of the exhaust of DVE's white BMW.  The Count watched them discharge as he was backing out of his parking place.

There was also a black pony tail rubber band thing about 1.5" in diameter and maybe 1/8" thick.


Group Photo:

The 28 players of the Fall 2019 GHEDI
Photo by the Countess

The Score:

All art work shown is original by the Score Keeper

The Food:

There was a record amount of food for all.  The space for putting out crock pots was filled and extended to other parts of the clubhouse.

All sorts of soups and casserole on this main bench,
 desserts and pork sliders and fruit and ....on the other table.
OMG  no one went away hungry.
Photo by the Rear Admiral

So You Think You Can Putt:

This is a new feature and contest for the GHEDI.  Players signed up for the cost of $1 and then were separated into two groups, each putting at a separate target, the black and the red targets of identical design.  Position flags were placed and numbered starting at 1 and going to 11 with an additional 5' of distance added per station.  Random vectors gave a different look to each position.

Each player was allowed to throw until they missed.  The top two from each group were then put on one target for a playoff.  Position 6 seemed to be the end of the road for all but Sarge who took the victory and the MONEY!  Honorable mention to the final 4 of BA, Chris, Brandon, and Sarge.

If you look close you might see the green survey flags denoting the position of the putt station.
Jerry Garcia, the Putt Master, is taking the first position putt of 5' while half the crew
watches.
Photo by Acehole

This contest allowed the scorekeepers to get some work done and process the 18 scores and partner up the teams for the Championship Doubles.

Score Keeper and Mitigation Specialist Hawkeye
arranging the teams for the Championship Doubles
Round.
Photo by Acehole

Awards:

The awards started around the scheduled time and The Count was greatly assisted by Acehole, arranging the swag, Score Keeper (Door Man) for all his calculations, Hawkeye for his camera work and most of all for Joy agreeing to be Trophy Girl!

Several of the trophies are repurposed and have been awarded
again and again.  The Bullmoose trophy is now awarded to the
Putt Champion.
Photo by Acehole

The Coveted Second Place Trophy is the tall one on the right.
Many iterations of it as it goes home and then comes back with
more glitter and glory!

Lots of loot is given out on several awards.  More photos to follow.
Photo by the Rear Admiral

Joy as trophy girl, the Score Keeper making it all happen.  The Count on the right (tall dude) announcing
as Master of Ceremonies.

The fire dancing as it should!
Photo by the Rear Admiral

Eye Rolling accepting the new 18 victory trophy.
Acehole in background was the Official Photographer.
The lovely Joy was our trophy girl.
Photo by Hawkeye

UPtown award, Count Ferrari
(best dressed by acclaim)
Photo by Hawkeye

Legs accepting the Traveler
Award, coming from
Brain Damage Island
Photo by Hawkeye

The Skywalker Award to Cajun
Shooting an impossibly good shot on hole 4 on the 10 for a 'gimme' asterisk ACE!
Photo by Hawkeye

The MIller taking the MOST prestigious award!
The Regular Award
For finishing in the middle of the group on the 18.
Photo by Hawkeye

Legs being awarded the HOT Chick Award
Photo by Hawkeye

Bling, Sweet Lou, Jerry Garcia, and the Score Keeper
Clean Sweep Award
for helping set up the course.
Photo by Hawkeye

Cajun and Count Ferrari accepting the
2nd Place Award
-8 in the doubles on the 10 hole course
Photo by Hawkeye

Shaun Dog winning the Forget Me NOT award.
Left a disc on the course.
Photo by Hawkeye

Damon accepting the Nutcracker Award
Got an owie on his throwing hand in the bushes.
Photo by Hawkeye

Sarge accepting the PUTT Champion award
Winning the first ever So You Think You Can Putt
contest.
Photo by Hawkeye

Hawkeye accepting the
7th Place Trophy
for the 18Photo
Photo by ???

Ron accepting the Straight Shooter award
Pulled an ACE on hole 18!
Photo by Hawkeye

Count Ferrari being happy!
Photo by ??

Happy Dance!

Ron getting his disc out after hitting the only ACE of the tournament.  Paid out $25
Photo by the Rear Admiral

Party ON!:

BA and the fountain of Bloody Marys
Photo by the Rear Admiral

Food:

This event is a potluck and snack format.  OMG the food that shows up here is of outstanding taste and variety.  Crab Bisque, Lamb/Beef stew, macaroni, veggies and beef, two different chilies (one that was extra spicy), BBQ pork sliders, potato soup, and some that I didn't get to!

No one went away hungry!
Note the number of crock pots and there was another
not in the photo.  Lids to the containers were not quite restored to
their proper pots.  A solution is needed for the next event.
Photo by Acehole

Incidental atmosphere photos:

Damon looking like all is correct in the world.
Photo by the Rear Admiral

The Clubhouse between rounds
Photo by the Rear Admiral

Legs throwing to Hole #2
Photo by Acehole

Chow!
Photo by Acehole

Hooping on display by a professional hooper!
Joy is also titled as Assistant Score Keeper.
Photo by Acehole

Hit a horse and your juju will be
adjusted!
Wrangling was done to protect the innocent.
Photo by Acehole

Pre function as acquaintances are made and caught up.
This event has been going since 2008.
Photo by Acehole

The Rear Admiral writing his name down on Hole
4 CTP.  Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
Photo by Acehole

Showing the dappled sun on Hole 7 target.
Photo by Acehole

The Stop Sign target... A stroke adder if ever greed could affect the putt.
An Asterisk is added and a stroke is taken off if you hit the sign and
end up in the basket.
Photo by Acehole

MG Tulip Rallye, 2019

The MG club of Chuckanut presents

The 2019 Tulip Rallye

Speaking of great stuff, the MG Tulip Rallye put on by the Chuckanut MG club happened yesterday.  I am unsure if you and Barbara would want to spend the day in your car solving riddles posed by the rally master but we had a hoot.  I have an experienced team of 4 bodies total riding about Skagit County with a short foray into Whatcom County for just under 5 hours.  We took my old Mercedes S-500 (The Uboat) and lots of finger food and sharpened our observational skills.

For instance, one of the clues was 'This guy does his business in white', we were driving past David's Bridal so that is the answer one writes down.  Another was 'The dingo ate my baby' and the Outback Steakhouse was in view, albeit somewhat obscured by vegetation.  The correct answer as it turns out.  There were over 100 questions and lots of driving instructions.  We managed to get back with about 20 minutes to spare (not a timed rally) as the tests needed to by in by 2:00 PM.

We were in the OPEN class as we were unaffiliated with any car club and we only missed one answer which is the best we have ever done.  There were 128 preregistered cars and at least 20-30 day of registrants...  Big fun getting lost and trying to solve the problems.  We probably logged an additional 7 miles doing u turns to look for clues.

It is very fun to see the classic sports cars and odd cars that enter this zooming about, seemingly lost (there are 4 versions of the test, so do NOT follow anyone!)  I have not a clue how someone in a top down sports car, on their own fares with this type of rally.  I imagine just going for a ride in the bucolic farm land is reward enough.

It is an annual thing, this is the 8th time I have done it and the third time with this same team.  We even recognized some of the old questions from previous rallies.  However, the rally master was EVIL and provided driving instructions, out of sync with the clues for the questions.... OH MY!

The one clue which we got correct but had a desperate feeling about was 'Boo Boo and Yogi had fun at this Water Park'  Well, we had crossed a creek labeled Bear Creek well before a couple of driving instructions that came well before the Yogi Bear referenced clue.  The Bear Creek observation was the ONLY thing close except for an official Park on Lake Samish.  We submitted it and it was correct!

GHEDI Spring 2019

2019 GHEDI Spring Event
March 23, Saturday

Note: Comments are great if you can figure out how to leave one.

Griffin Hill Equinox Disc Invitational

(note:  Most photos were taken by Jalapeno and the Rear Admiral)

Griffin Hill about one week before the big event!
Snow was on the ground for more than a month! Feb/March.

This is one of 6-8 fires to burn debris in preparation for the event.
Note the snow lurking near the pond.
Seemed like the detritus would never stop falling out of the trees.
Pure luck to enjoy all this!

The facts: 
Weather:  55F and cloudless most of the day, no wind and dry footing
Food:  Too much good stuff!  A partial list would be posole soup, meat balls and gravy, sausage pasta soup, pork sliders, thai noodle salad, cookies, chips, dips, good breads, chocolate coffee beans, etc...
The Players:  19 shooters, 18 male, one female!
The Play:  One *ACE (by Air Bounce)

The Awards:  See the score board photo below.

The results and awards.
A special note of thanks to the Score Keeper who keeps upping his artistic game on the score board.

Group Photo of the brave players before the round.  Note the hard shadows about to strike on the trees and barn.

Hole 9 tee
Air Bounce, Legs, Score Keeper, Count, Eye

Registration.
Jerry Garcia, collecting CTP funds, Hawkeye watching,
Score Keeper considering, and Ron trying to register.

Lou, testing the Bloody Mary's, Air Bounce, Eye and Matteo all smiling.
Note the Bloody Mary altar.  Many were served.

3 of the elderly... All class of 1969!
Score Keeper, DVE, Count

The clubhouse between rounds.  The fire table getting a workout but not anyone warming....
Jason, Countess, Legs, Score Keeper, Ron, Rear Admiral, The Miller, DVE, and the Count.

Note the pasture, VERY cropped and short as it was winter pasture for the horses.
Also, note Jerry Garcia's pants!  Stars and Stripes!

The Count awarding prizes after
2 rounds of competition.

The Rear Admiral with the 2nd Place
Trophy which has a CULT following.

More clubhouse rest and food. 
Sarge, DVE, BA, Jalapena, Navlos, Jason

The crew coming in to the summons for the start of the rounds.

Mateo, Jerry Garcia, Eye, Sweet Lou, Air Bounce.

The Score Keeper listens to Hawkeye
as they try and record all the events.

The White Trash target on hole #12.
A Cadillac hubcap!

The Countess, Indecent and Legs in the foreground
of the clubhouse during registration.

Standing in the sun holding a Bloody
Mary was a popular event.
BA sitting on the bar doling them out!
Eye doing his best to taste test his.
 

The infamous Stop Sign.
Hit the sign and land in the target
and you take a stroke off.
Funny how this adds a bunch
of strokes!

Jason assisting Sarge in his pursuit of an errant throw.  No OB
on this course.  Just a rough outside the fences!

The Art of Gathering Firewood in the PNW

This is under construction and is incomplete.   View at your peril.

This article is based on experience of 40 years and still counting...  Research was done in the field and some information gathered along the way.

WHY:
This is a very good question.  The practice of gathering wood to burn is not for everyone.

We started out with firewood burning in our brand new 14' x 70' (with expando) in 1978 in an Orly wood stove.  We had just moved onto 5 acres in northwest Washington State and had trees to burn and no money to pay the heat bill with if we didn't have to.

When we built our home in 1989, we designed in another wood stove because we liked the heat we got from it.  The design also allowed us to preheat the hot water tank water which essentially gave us free, or at least less money hot water when the stove was burning.  The extreme insulation package in the house really assisted the cosy feeling of the woodstove.

One might think the cost is cheap but maybe it is only somewhat less,  The tools needed, the time invested, all  has cost but that is for a discussion to come.

WHO:
I suggest this activity is for those who like physical activity and have the resources to do it at their leisure.  Currently in our later 60's it is becoming a more zen like thing and one way to stay fit but each year it gets a bit more difficult to get done.  However, the conversion to a propane burning stove of 40,000 BTUs would currently cost about $6000.  ($4000 for the stove and about $2000 for tank and installation.)  As one ages this becomes more tempting.

WHAT:

A couple of facts:

 Stacked Cord measures 128 cu. ft.
Loose Stacked Cord measures 169 cu. ft. (thrown in)

Burning device:

I suggest a woodstove over a fireplace or insert for efficiency of heat gathering.  Air tight with an outside air source to feed the flames is a good idea.  A masonry chimney holds heat better, like a Russian Fireplace, than does the stainless insulated stove pipe.  Costs more but looks better.  Insulated SS stacks work fine for about 15' then cool off to creosote up pretty much.  Tin chimney stacks are not recommended except for primitive structures.

Type of wood:
As to which type of wood, local wood is best unless it is cottonwood, then just don't bother.  That is the worst firewood you can try to use.  I prefer alder, hemlock, fir.  Other wood would be good but they just don't grow around here in massive quantities.  There are charts online that talk about BTUs per unit of wood specie but free wood is the tipping point.  What can you gather for 'free'?  If you order in a log load of wood for $700, you get a few cords that you still have buck, split and stack.  Cord wood that is cured is currently going for around $250 a cord stacked in place (green wood probably for that price).

GHEDI Fall 2018

Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 6:54 pm the Solar Equinox happened.

Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 9:30 am the Registration for the GHEDI opened up.

Griffin Hill Equinox Disc Invitational

This is the timing and celebration of the Solar Equinox using a disc golf tournament as it's pinnacle of fun.

29 registrants signed up after the invitation was sent out and 22 showed up despite the anti-weather.

This event is a fun one to put on and apparently to attend too!

Good disc throwing:

Navlos on his first throw of the day got and ACE and CTP on hole number 7 (on the 18 hole course).  It won him some good $$!  

T-Dog shot a -15 on the 18 missing tying the course record of -16 held by Cajun.

Not so good throwing:

Air Bounce managed a +2 on his placement round, playing singles on the 18 hole pitch and putt.  Speculation has it that score might be a score that added up by 6-8 throws over his previous round/s.  I suspect he was sandbagging to get a good partner in the second round which he did.  He and Sarge managed -6 on that round and were awarded the 2nd Place Trophy!  He could have been a victim of the Bloody Marys which seem to flow in copious quantities.











The Players:🔻

The precipitation required a group photo out of the reach of the rain.
This crowd was NOT going back out  in the elements for a Group Photo after the first round!

The Scoreboard and Awards:🔻

You might note the new graphic for the GHEDI.  It reflects the Equinox mo bettah.
The GHEDI Yeti is still used and all were done by the Scorekeeper, artiste extraordinaire!

Awards and notes on them:🔻
The awards are a fun part of the event with trophies returning and being re awarded.  The 2nd Place Trophy would have to be the most celebrated after being one of the most despised in the early years of it's existence.  Now it is customized by the latest winner with lots of details being added over the past 6-7 years.  Note photos below.

Someone had the audacity to consider this addition NOT family friendly...???

Sarge and Air Bounce teamed up to shoot a -6 Best Disc on the 10 hole course.  No ties this year.
Air Bounce (right) took the disposable refillable butane lighter and Sarge got the trophy for his mantel.

Returning trophies were minimal this year, the coveted 2nd from last, the 7th place trophy, and the silver 1st Place with the cool basket were not in the return but some award was made.  Players are encouraged to bring awards to hand out and there is a lot of disc plastic and odd stuff that is put out on the awards table. The best items are the crafted high style trophies.

The Nutcracker award was returned but not awarded.  I guess the rain kept the contestants from being too wild.  NO ONE was injured!  First time!

They seem happy now.  They still have to store it for 6 months!

Note on Weather:🔻

It should be noted the wind was not a factor all day and it was warm enough for shirt sleeves all day.  It was even dry until after the start.  The first round on the 18 hole pitch and putt course, where individual scores were recorded didn't really see the umbrellas come out but there were a few.  That round was completed after 1.5 hours starting at 10 AM and was complete by all by 11:30 AM when several availed themselves of sustenance in the clubhouse.

The rains came in around 11:00 AM and umbrellas sprouted and for good reason!  It may have never rained so hard for such a sustained period here at Griffin Hill!  Hearing conversation while standing under the umbrella was difficult but who wanted to get out in the deluge?  The water was running down the hills in streams that were inches deep.  Keep in mind Griffin Hill is the top of the hill!

The gravel driveway sustained rivulet damage 2+ inches deep .   The pond rose 6".  The largest tee pad in the world was soggy with standing water (although it did drain off by morning).

During the second round the deep forest woodland was actually wetter than not being under the trees due to the huge drops that formed and pelted those under it when it had been a haven during the first round and protected the players from the initial bursts of rain.

The group photo was taken during the awards ceremony because it would have been tough to get a drip free photo outside the clubhouse during the monsoon.

When 'Free Play Time' was announced it was hooted down!  Too much moisture!


The Scorekeeper went to work with assistance on collecting and pairing up the partners for the second round of Best Disc on the 10 hole course.

Food Note:🔻

This event is also a celebration of culinary excellence.

Listed in order of place on the serving table:  Other dishes and snacks slip my memory

Jumbalia with  sausage, rice:  Cajun
Pumpkin Curry with rice Soup:  Count Ferrari (with pumpkin grown on Griffin Hill)
Crab Bisque:  BA  (he caught it himself at Decatur Island)
Chicken ? and cheese sliders:  DVE
Macaroni and bacon salad:  Jason
Other items on the menu:   Donuts, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, pumpkin pie,  chips, bean dip extraordinaire, and even some cold veggies that got spilled in the lower parking lot.  ( I am sure there were other items but memory is what drives this writing and it is 4 days old at this time).

Comments from the players:🔻


Sean:
Thanks again for a great day!!!! There's no amount of rain we could have received to wash out the joy of throwing discs with a great group of people! I was thrilled to be a part of it and feel I played pretty well too

Scorekeeper:
Such a good event it couldn’t even be dampened by that torrential downpour.  Well done, as usual.

Hawkeye:
Cleaner and safer! No Nutcracker this year. Too bad the traveler award is defunct. I left my phone/camera in the car so I'm photoless. Again, thanks for hosting a great event. 



Oddnesses and a photo to go with it:🔻


The cleanup for this event found no litter but there was one forgotten item hanging on the Griffin by the entryway.

Who is in the early running for the For Get Me NOT
Award next event?

Here is a cart with all the signage aboard for dressing up the estate.  It takes about 3 days to set this up and about 3 hours
to take it all down and put it away.