LUNA-TICS TEAM ROOM: Year-round "Looney" fun.

[Kona2]

Wowzer....hooves clattering all over the place today! Steven D of Calgary, Alberta has earned the Concept2 donation and claimed his reindeer. First thing I thought of with Calgary was the Calgary Stampede, but like many names, you have to think about what happens when you have to give a shout for that reindeer....yelling Stampede might mess up the herd. So, instead we turn to some of the early explorers of the Calgary region. The Hudson Bay Company, originally into fur trading and now operating retail stores, is one of the oldest companies in the world. It's certainly the oldest one in North America. Something kind of nice about being able to evolve and survive with the times! We need a reindeer like that...and so Hudson is Steven's reindeer.



Steven (HUDSON)

[Kona2]

The desert night just got a little brighter as Ed zooms past the 200K milestone (and earns the coveted Holiday Challenge pin !) and earns the antler lights for his reindeer, Vixen!

[Kona2]

My, my, my. Dasher's got swagger...and tail wag...as Richard T races past the 400,000 m milestone for the Holiday Challenge. Way to row and ski-erg!

[Kona2]

17 reindeer !

Day 11 or 12 of 27 ....

Hooyah! Today is the 222nd day of the rowing year....love those repeater numbers! And, by the looks of today's stats, many of our teammates are having some number fun as well.

Season meters as of 221/365 = 72,711,433 m

Total meters on the day = 436,986 m

Oars in space (participation) = 27 percent

MILESTONES...Bragging Rights...Celebrations:

3.45 MM Ed
3.4 MM Richard T
1.9 MM Ronnie
1.9 MM Stephen
850 K Rebecca
350 K Jane
100 K Mike G

Thanks, everyone, for rowing and ski-erging with us...and playing reindeer games! Of course, Ed gets to say "not a snowball's chance in Qatar" as things are still a bit warm there...

David T 2,000 m
Bobbie 2,200 m
Gene 2,800 m
Mike M 2,996 m
Lynne C 5,000 m
Rivka 5,500 m
Robyn m
Zander m
Diana 6,000 m
Sam 6,000 m
Nataliya 6,500 m
Harold 7,000 m
Jay 7,000 m
Tristan 7,000 m
Marie m
Jim m
Ronnie 8,000 m
Jane 8,264 m
Rosi m
Cathie 9,000 m
Rebecca 10,000 m
Sorin 10,535 m
Stuart 10,862 m
Howard 11,097 m
Teresa 11,410 m
Mike G 11,942 m
m hula hula
Tony m
Sarah 13,475 m
Peter G 15,811 m
Stephen 18,737 m
Norma 20,000 m
Andrea 21,013 m
Ed 25,000 m
Steven 25,496 m
Ted 31,000 m
Richard T m

[brotherjim]

Congrats Mike G Peter G Sarah Norma and Steven D for joining the reindeer herd! Woo hoo Ed and Richard T for amazing meter totals.

[normadelaney]

Hooboy....the rowing and ski-erging elves were sure busy yesterday afternoon and into this morning! Norma has been pushing herself to get her reindeer by earning the Concept2 donation, and she has done it ! Your reindeer is Stargazer. Of course, once you have the reindeer...you've gotta get the antler lights! Well done !


Norma (STARGAZER)

Hey K2, you're right--Stargazer's gotta have his antler lights. I'll get right on it! Thanks to you and this great team for making all this Holiday rowing fun.

[Drivetofast]

My, my, my. Dasher's got swagger...and tail wag...as Richard T races past the 400,000 m milestone for the Holiday Challenge. Way to row and ski-erg!

Why Thank You K2. You are so kind

[kakattack]

Peter G (TRIUMPH)

Last year, Peter G's reindeer was Max, after Max the Dog turned reindeer from The Grinch. Still, we turn the bunny trail from westerns to the war effort (around World War I). Pretty important to increase communication with the front lines, and some of the English bicycle makers were adding some engines to their bicycles. These motor-bikes still had pedals, so they weren't really motorcycles. But Triumph did produce a true motorcycle in 1915 called the Model H. This model was so reliable it got the name Trusty Triumph. We need trusty reindeer, so Peter G's reindeer is Triumph!


1915 Triumph Model H

Congratulations, Peter G, on reaching the Concept2 donation milestone...and freeing up another reindeer!

How cool is that! I've alway wanted a Triumph and now I have one in spirit. I actually use to own a militar motorcycle, a Royal Enfield which unfortunately wasn't as trusty as a Triumph. Thanks for my Trusty Triumph Kona!

Congratulations to all the other challenge participants that have earned there reindeer!

- Peter G

[just27]

First thing I thought of with Calgary was the Calgary Stampede, but like many names, you have to think about what happens when you have to give a shout for that reindeer....yelling Stampede might mess up the herd. So, instead we turn to some of the early explorers of the Calgary region. The Hudson Bay Company, originally into fur trading and now operating retail stores, is one of the oldest companies in the world. Something kind of nice about being able to evolve and survive with the times! We need a reindeer like that...and so Hudson is Steven's reindeer.

I enjoy all the reindeer stories, but this one made me laugh out loud. (Not necessarily a good thing, with a cup of coffee and a keyboard, but all's well.) Thanks for making the Reindeer Games such a thundering fun holiday tradition, Astrogator! Well done, each and every one.

Cheers,
Marshal-the-Reindeer

I just noticed there is a book titled "Reindeer Moon," written by Elizabeth MARSHALL Thomas.
Can't ignore all those markers; I must add it to my library list!

[Kristine Strasburger]

Whoa....Kapn Kristine has indeed posted a SUPERNOVA ....50,000 m in one sitting at the rower. We're not sure if she will sit again this day after all of that....but what an effort! Congratulations, and well done!

And my "all in one sitting" is feeling every bit of it since I took so many weeks off. I had great plans to do a repeat the next morning... haa, haa, haa. Tim leaves for the Air Force on Tuesday, so my reindeer will have to wait until after that to get out and stretch it's legs. Great job rowing, everyone, and loving how you dole out the reindeer names and stories, K2. Thanks for all you do!

[jayne_jayney]

Half marathon attempt thwarted by a busy gym

We have several teammates who can commiserate with you on being thwarted (a word with good rowing origins btw....as being crossed up can refer to having an oarsman seated in an opposing place in the boat...but I digress). Those who row or ski-erg in a gym are often faced with a maximum of 30 minutes on any individual piece of equipment. Sometimes, though, you can get the longer row done....so a Christmas wish is getting enough time on the rower...

The gym was quieter today, so I've completed my first half marathon I think I'll be sticking with shorter distances for a while now though...

Next target, hit the 100k holiday challenge, only 26k to go!

[sarahaddams]

Sarah (DAKOTA)

Way to go, Sarah! Congratulations on earning the Concept2 donation, and freeing your reindeer, Dakota (since you were originally from South Dakota !).

I'm so happy to have freed my reindeer! And such a perfect name; everyone who knows me in real life knows that I'm constantly spouting off South Dakota trivia. Congrats to everyone who has freed their reindeer and claimed lights, harnesses and tail wags.

And Jayne, I'm impressed with your half marathon! I attempted one on Friday, but didn't make it through.

[Kona2]

Half marathon attempt thwarted by a busy gym

We have several teammates who can commiserate with you on being thwarted (a word with good rowing origins btw....as being crossed up can refer to having an oarsman seated in an opposing place in the boat...but I digress). Those who row or ski-erg in a gym are often faced with a maximum of 30 minutes on any individual piece of equipment. Sometimes, though, you can get the longer row done....so a Christmas wish is getting enough time on the rower...

The gym was quieter today, so I've completed my first half marathon I think I'll be sticking with shorter distances for a while now though...

Next target, hit the 100k holiday challenge, only 26k to go!

Knew you could get it done, Jayne !! Congratulations on your FIRST EVER half marathon! We wish you many, MANY more.....you'll do another one sooner than you think....

[Kona2]

... The stars were shining brightly.....and the half moon, too!

Whoop, whoop and hooyah! Another half marathon completed by a teammate today - and this one carries Karyn over the Concept2 donation milestone and frees up a reindeer. Everyone has their own way of going after some of these longer distances....and Karyn was watching The Matrix while she completed her half marathon! Great movie! Most probably recall the scene in the movie where our hero Neo (one who wore black instead of white) learned that "there is no spoon". He had to learn to manipulate his reality with his mind. And so it is with the longer distances....we have the psychology of the moment where you have to get past a certain point in order to finish. Karyn's mastered it !


Karyn (NEO)

[Kona2]

Howard (TURBO)

Howard's red motorcycle looks like it could go far fast ! Some of the world's fastest motorcycles have some pretty fancy names - and you really need to be able to call your reindeer without consulting the dictionary, so I'm going for simple is best. We'll call his reindeer Turbo.