Thor’s Hall

 Here is another one of those moments that trips the athlete’s triggers in my brain.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.486185&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] from youtube.com

So yesterday was the Midwest American Kyuki-do Federation Tournament. It made for a very long day, and was the first one of these tournaments that I had been to. A little background:

Kyuki-do is a a martial art that is a combination of the strikes of TaeKwon-Do, the throwing and grappling techniques of Judo and Juijitsu, the joint locks of HapKi-Do, and the practice of kobudo (traditional weapons) into one art. I started my oldest daughter in a Park District class about 18 months ago and she has picked it up and enjoyed it. I promised her that I would do the same, and picked it up in June. While we have a long way to go yet, it is a lot of fun and is good for her particularly. It’s always nice to know that your six year old knows how to break a choke hold, and drop an opponent to their knees with a wrist lock.

As I said, yesterday was the tournament. Big crowd. An open event for the midwest, with eight rings going simultaneously. Crowded, chaotic, stressful, and competitive. Four events, breaking, free fighting, forms, and weapons. The broke each event into divisions by age group and then subgroups based on belt achievements. I had the misfortune of stepping up in belt divisions a few weeks ago, and wound up being the least experienced participant in my events. But we had a tremendous amount of fun. My daughter got to wear her pink sparring gear, even if she did get knocked out of her bracket early in the tournament.

I managed a fourth place in free fighting and was farther down in the forms competition. A bit humbling but, next time I have a better idea of what to expect. Needless to say, today the body is a bit bent. I connected with one opponent, when we kicked at each other simultaneously and I had my toes mispositioned at contact. Just like taking a puck to the toes, they were painful and then numb for a bout ten minutes. Today, the toes on my left foot are nicely purple, and yellow back to the first joint on my foot. Typical. I also banged my thumb up. Swollen and sore at the joint but no rainbow like colors.

Here’s a quick idea of the event.

There were four distinct “rings” established on each side of the gym floor.

We had a lot of fun, I hope everyone else did as well.

I’ve been pondering what I should write about this event. After reading and seeing some of the stuff from the kickoff in San Diego on Friday I really wanted to try and catch one of their stops. Unfortunately they are not stopping too close to where I am. If you happen to be where they are go catch the event. Their schedule is here.

From the sounds of things, the kickoff went very well. Make sure you go here to read through the behind the scenes activities. FBL has some interesting insights. Go to Blackfive to catch video of the events. Uncle Jimbo will be with the tour doing periodic video reports so I just gave you the generic link. Here is a specific one.

I read Bellavia’s book, it was interesting to see him on the stage. Just go see the videos that Blackfive has up. It’s good stuff.

I had stopped watching SNL years ago. If it is this funny consistently, I may have start picking it up again.

<span style=”margin: 0pt auto; display: block; width: 425px”>  [vodpod id=ExternalVideo.486925&amp;w=425&amp;h=350&amp;fv=deepLinkID%3D229104%26overridevideoControls%3Dcontrols%2Fcontrols_nbc_gray.swf%26overrideKeyword1%3Dsnl%26overrideRandom%3D547065340281%26overridevolume%3D50%26passAlong_baseLocation%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.nbc.com%2Fembed%2Fplayer_3-x%2F%26playerID%3Dvideoplayer%26passAlong_configID%3D16005]  <span style=”float: left”><a href=”http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/play.shtml?mea=229104″>from www.nbc.com</a></span>  <span style=”font-size: 10px; float: right”>       </span></span>

Sorry about the commercial – I can’t quite shake it

Another one to fire you up. The year is 1991. Chicago Stadium, the NHL Allstar Game. Wayne Messmer is your vocalist, and Desert Storm is getting ready to kickoff.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.486191&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] from www.youtube.com

This video is a little long but it is a powerful, understated piece. Remember this as we roll into the first Tuesday in November.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.486496&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] from www.youtube.com

Time for another excursion into the past for a pre-game blood warmer.

Having spent a large portion of my life playing hockey at a fairly elite level, there is nothing that quite triggers the same response in me as a rousing National Anthem. I have been conditioned like a Pavlov Dog, you’re in the arena, the crowd is getting fired up, the music is going and it is one of those things that just trips all the triggers and you know mentally and physically that it is absolutely time to hang it all out there.

Even today if I go to a game with friends they’ll turn to me after the anthem, take one look and tell me that I need to back it down because I am ready to go.

With all that said, here is the first of a number of blood warmer’s that if you are human, competative, and a warm blooded American should get you fired up.

This one is from 1974, Game 6 of the Cup finals. Watch it all the way to the end and check out Orr and Espo.

So I clued you into the Crossing America exercise.  Here is the actual scenario for this one.

You have the opportunity to go back in time, arriving on the east coast of North America circa 1650, and your goal is to cross the North American continent alone, taking as much time as you need. When/if you reach the opposite coastline, you’ll be transported back to the present day.

Your equipment for this journey will be as follows (taken back in the time capsule with you):

• enough gold to buy a horse and a mule (or two horses / two mules, whatever), and provisions for the first five days’ travel;
• a small backpack containing some clothing and toiletries;
• a winter coat, raincoat and two pairs of boots;
• waterproof sleeping bag;
• an axe, a large sheath knife, a smaller blade, and a “toolkit” knife like a Swiss Army or Gerber Multitool;
• a box of 1,000 “strike anywhere” waterproof matches;
• a topological map, binoculars and a compass;
• a very small toolbox, including a firearm cleaning kit and a few spares for your firearms;
• and a U.S. Army First Aid kit.

Weapons:

• ONE long gun (and 800 rounds, but no scope)
• ONE handgun (and 1,000 rounds)

That’s it. The question: which long gun, and which hand gun would you choose to take with you?

So here is my thought process and answers.

1650 North America, there are only a handful of very early colony sites that are being establish.  The good news is that there are colonies representing 7 European nations.  Britain, France, Spain, Sweden, and Holland.  The Dutch have pushed inland along the Hudson River, The French have pushed upstream along the St. Lawrence to what is currently Montreal.

Given what I know today, I think the most likely route for survival is one that starts either from the Jamestown colony, or from New Sweden.  Striking out east through the Appalachians, striking out to intercept the Ohio River way.  Using the Ohio, I would have to work my way downstream to the Mississippi and then pickup the Lewis and Clark trail from there.  Now the big thing to remember here is that this will be all “virgin” territory.  The waterways are good guides and should provide ample hunting / fishing / trapping opportunities as well as it being the most likely method to meet and trade with any native settlements. 

Success for the trip will be predicated on my ability to live off the land.  That means trailblazing, friendly relations with any other travelers / natives, surviving disease, hunting / trapping to provide for needs (clothing, bedding, food, trade, etc.).  Hunting of large game is going to be a requirement, as will being able to preserve and utilize as much of the animal as possible.

As other folks have mentioned this is a long, multi-year trip.  Once you get to the plains you might be able to make 15 – 18 miles a day.  When in wooded regions of the country you will be on game trails, native trails, or trailblazing.  Progress will be slow.  Crossing mountain ranges may be a trail and error situation unless you are able to pull in a native guide, or directions.

There will be seasons that are not going to work from a travel standpoint.  You will need a winter camp, unless you try and take a southern route.  Unfortunately water becomes a major challenge on the southern route, and those horses / mules / donkeys require grazing and water. 

The Guns

Handgun – Springfield XD .45 ACP.  Mostly because I really like this weapon and it has a better magazine capacity than 1911A1.  If the rule tweak of being able to have a 22LR conversion kit for a 1911A1 came into play I would switch this over to the 1911.

Long Gun – Marlin 336SS  30-30 Win

While I would love to be able to have commonality of ammunition I think that there is a real need to be able to reach out farther, accurately than I can with a handgun and a 30-30 should allow a one or two shot stop at reasonable distances.

Go over to Kim’s and read the other opinions.

I still need to think about the dog choice, Akita, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolfhound, Mastiff, Sheepdog?

Over at Kim’s place, he has initiated the annual Crossing America exercise. Essentially, you are transported back in time to 1650 North America. Your mission is to cross the United States, in addition to the specified equipment that you will have you are allowed to choose to guns. What are they.

Go over to Kim’s place and read the responses. Play along if you like.

Last year we were allowed to select a dog to go along. Everyone, including me is missing that part of the exercise this year.