OVER THE HILL GANG and FOTO

   Cedar Rapids to Fort Lauderdale  OTHG

From Coast to Coast Boca To Seattle FOTO

Mission Accomplished

Rollie's final commentary:

"The Time has come" the Walrus said "to talk of many things!"
Like swimming across America, the talk of queens and kings!

This if the FINAL REPORT of the 100 Days of Heck or Swimming Across America.
The Good News is that we made it to Seattle in our allotted amount of time and
with a true burst of spirit and yardage, we blew through Seattle (like Sherman
through Georgia).  Thanks to many heated competitions between The Milky Way Swim
group in Iowa and the Westside Houston Lane Buddies, between Team Rollins versus
the world of Team New Jersey, Team Finley, Team Chicago, and Team DeBoom,
between the Grandmas and Team FIDO, the yards poured in like the rain did during
tropical Storm Allison.  Where we are is not clear at the present, but we have
some exqusite choices.

But before I reveal those choices, I would like to thank Commish #4-Kurt "the
Jurt" for his leadership, Nick "The NAD "for his weekly (weakly?)enthusiam,
"Boca Vance" Mac for his computer web-site, and all of you for keeping the goal
in mind.  The desired goal was to have fun streching as a group.  When we
started out, the odds were against us in succeeding and getting to Seattle in
100 days.  But with the help of a lot of friends, kids, wives, Grandmas, and
prized recruits from all over the world, we made it.  We had swimming reports
coming from people from Japan, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Guatamala,
China, Hong Kong (oops, I forgot that China has that now) and other points in
South America.  We have beginners to Ironman Tri-atheletes recording their
yardage, plus master swimmers of all sizes and abilities.  Some of us found our
way back into the water after layoffs of several decades.  But, the bottomline
is that we made it as a group.  And for that, this will be a summer I will not
soon forget.  It was hard and long.  Thanks again for all of your efforts.

Here are the facts as I have recorded them:

The Goal was to get to Seattle from Ft. Lauderdale or swim 3,278 miles.
     Achieved 127.36% OF OBJECTIVE.
     Swam 7,347,635 yards together.
     Averaged 64.23 miles per swimmer.
     Days swum together, roughly 6.67 years.
     Averaged 3,020 yards swum per day swum.
This puts us at your choice of three places:
     Head north and are in Whitehorse Canada, 150 miles from Alaska.
     Head west and are about 50% of the way to Hawaii.
     Head south and are in San Francisco.

The OTHG goal was to swim from CR to Ft. Lauderdale or 1,528 miles.
     Achieved 78.33% of objective.
     Averaged 2,375 yards swum per day.
This puts the OTHG at Valdosta Georgia, 20 miles north of Florida.

Team competition-Final Standings:
     Team Milky Way 1,487.1 miles
     Team Westside  1,387.2 miles

Mini Team Competition:
     Bruce's Lane Buddies  601.6 miles
     Team  DeBoom            508.9 miles
     Team Coellner              441.4 miles
     Team CR Y                   436.3 miles
     Team Rollins                301.8 miles
     Team New Jersey        265.5 miles
     Team Finley                 251.9 miles
     Team Chicago              216.9 miles

     Iowa City Relay            211.9 miles
     60's Wash Team           132.8 miles
     29th Street Tigers        49.7 miles
     1970 Wash Team         38.6 miles
     The Other '71 Team    37.3 miles

Congrats to all of the Teams.  Individual results are:

200 Mile Club  Vicky D.       TWH
          Grant-Kelly's Beau     TC
          Big John                      MW

100 Mile Club  Mark VA        TWH
          Boca Vance          TF
          Larry S.                TNJ
          Ed N.                    TNJ
          Gordon L.            TWH
          Todd DB              MW
          Tom DB              MW
          Paul Brn             MW
          Dennis G.          MW
          NADster           MW
          J.R.                   TWH

50 Mile Club   Janet M.       TWH
          Barry                 MW
          Tim M.              TWH
          Waldo               TWH
          Jim M.              TWH
          Dick F.             TWH
          Bo Ro               TR
          Dr. Dave          TF
          Sari                  TWH
          Dena DB         MW
          Martin S.        MW
          Peter Mc.       MW
          Bruce S.         TWH

40 Mile Club   Debbie Ro      TR
          Lloyd               TWH
          Elizabeth Ro   TWH
          Katie Ro         TWH
          Scott               TCH
          Andy              TCH
          Jean              TCH
          Brad              TCH
          Yoko-Ginza   TF
          Liza Z.           MW
          Paul Bel       MW

30 Mile Club   Tony DB        MW
          Jurt           TCH
          Boa            Team South America
          Wenky       Other '71 Team
          Kelly C.      TC
          Janie Gl.     Twh
          Tim DB       MW
          Nicole DB   MW
          Rich M.       MW
          Roger          TWH

25 Mile Club   Madelaine M.        TWH
          Chuck R.       MW

20 Mile Club   King Cook      MW
          Denny Co       TC

10 Mile Club   Red Savage          29th St. Tigers
          Kevin S.                TWH
          Doug MK              TF
          Great Alaskan      TF
          Man Mountain     TF

5 Mile Club    Jelly Belly         TF
          Dr. Deluxe          TCH
          Mike B.               Team International (MW)
          Heather               TF
          Elizabeth F.        TF
          Sara J.                TWH

Kennel Club    Hobie               TC-  0.8 miles
          Sara           MW-0.5 miles
          Finley         TF-  0.1 miles

Grandma   Lakeness Momster    TF - 2.4 miles


So that concludes the Swim Across America for this summer.  While there has been
a lot of talk about continuing on a swim "Back through America", I must decline
the opportunity to be your meter reader for personal reasons.  Since I do not
know where we are, I could not know where we are going and when we need to be
there.   I am tired and while I will keep swimming, I need to go back to a
slower lane and have fun with my Westside friends.  I need to stop obsessing
about yards and swimming out of guilt.  And as the Walrus said" The time has
come to talk of other things."

So, I am declaring this event over and a "Job Well Done!"  Here is hoping all of
you continue in good health.  I look forward to reading and hearing all about
your comings and goings via e-mails from NAD, Jurt, Boca and poolside.  And
before you dispair, I do believe there will be another "fun" event coming soon
to an e-mail near you.   Thanks for a GREAT SUMMER!

Rollie (Commish #1)

ps: OTHG-your/our race is not over.  Please e-mail Jurt your weekly results
until we either get to Ft. Lauderdale or April 18th, which ever comes first.  If
all of us start to contribute, we might make it by either Thanksgiving or
Christmas.  Let Jurt know if you are in our out.  I'm in.  Are you?

pss: NAD please forward to your victorious Milky Way Team.  Your folks are
tough.  They came through in the clutch.

Over The Hill Gang (OTHG) 

Friends of Over The Hill Gang (FOTO) 

August 19th, 2000

Dear Legit Swimmers in the Swim Across America:

I bring GOOD News!  After 3 long, long, long weeks...we are almost out of
Montana.  This has been one of the longest states I have traversed.  I thought
Florida was a long one, but Montana takes the cake.  And I am from Texas.  The
GOOD news is that we are over The Continental Divide as we blew through Butte
last week.  We have flown by Missoula and should be out of the state and into
The SPUDS State by Thursday.  We are at 89.1% of our goal of reaching Seattle by
Labor Day.  That is less than 15 days from this evening.  The bad news is we
continue to lose swimmers as people have gone on vacation, back to school, have
ear infections, and pools are closing.  I think we can make it.  I hope to have
good news before we hit Labor Day.  I need to hear from all of you as soon as
possible each week to make certain that we cross from Bellevue into Seattle via
Mercer Island.  We have swum over 5,000,000 yards (that's right 5 million yards)
together and spent 4.8 years together in the water, if you count "swim days".
We have almost averaged 48 miles per swimmer.  Thank you everyone, but it ain't
over.  We have over 300 miles to go with less swimmers to do it with.  I don't
want to have to call a "State of Swim Emergency" on Labor Day weekend, wherein
everyone has to swim 5 miles a piece for us to make it.  We don't need to cheat
to make it.  We just need to hold our stroke count steady.

OTHG Up-date:
Let the games begin.  While the FOTO's and legit swimmers will make it the old
fashion way, the OTHG has chosen another tact...We are thinking about cheating
in our swim from Cedar Rapids to Ft. Lauderdale.  Lead by The King, we feel it
is our heritage to do whatever to win and faking miles is a chosen alternative.
These miles will be kept separate and only used if several of our wayward former
swimmers can be located and report a "doubtful" swim before Labor Day.  Lake
swimming will count double and so will swimming by people over 70.  But this
will not be used in the Swim Across America.  Only for the Stars of Yesteryear
Challenge.  We are only 56.44% of the way to our goal.  We have a bunch to go
(670+ miles).  We know we are hopeless, but we have always been.  We may only
have 10 swimmers in Ft. Lauderdale, the rest will tell you they were there.  I
know these folks.  Just roll your eyes.

Team Competition:

A HUGE up-set is in the making!  NAD discovered two undocumented swimmers at
Noelridge Pool (in the locker room right before it closed down and they produced
enough miles to put Team Milky Way 18 miles ahead of Team Westside (1,044.4
miles to 1,026.4 miles)  This is close and both Teams need to be timely in
reporting their miles.  When the poles close in Texas, we keep them shut!    No
Caucuses or Recounts!

Bruce's Lane Buddies continue to hold their lead over Team Coellner by 498 miles
to 402.  Team CRY is in third at 329 miles.

Team Chicago and Team Finley are in a barn-burner, as Team Finley is ahead by 10
miles as Boca has been dredging the lakes of Michigan and the swamps of Florida
to become competitive.  Team New Jersey (245 miles) is ahead of Team DeBoom (230
miles), but both continue to trail Team Rollins by 30 miles.  And for the most
important race of all...Team Grandma is still ahead of Team Fido, however Hobie
wanted double credit for swimming 250 yards (150 with a log in his mouth).  It
was denied, by Comish #4.  Jurt, please look out for yellow Labs in Kansas.

Hope everyone is doing well.  Thank you for your effort, support and miles.
This has been a lot of fun!  Let's finish strong!

Rollie

Good Afternoon fellow Aqua-Jocks and Friends:

Update 8-13-2001

This is your friendly swim buddy with good news to share.  Today leaves us 18
days or 18 % of the time left to get yardage to Seattle.  The even better news
is that we are 82.2% of the way to our destination.  Keep those miles and smiles
coming.  We have just cleared Bozeman.  I know some of you are looking fondly at
Yellowstone National Park and wanting to go down and take a look.  That would
add on 110 miles to our voyage.  It might be the thing to do since everyone can
identify with "Old Faithful", which is what most of you have been this summer in
recording your yardage.  But we are NOT going to Glacier National Park.  Too far
and TOO Cold.

As far as the OTHG attempt to go the distance to Ft. Lauderdale, we are over 54%
of the way there.  Best guess is that we are at Cartersville or about 50 miles
outside of Atlanta.  I never thought we would make it to Atlanta, much less get
beyond it a couple of weeks ago.

Several of you have take up Lake swimming.  Boca Vance and his Eskimo Kayak
buddy are daily stroking across a lake in Michigan.  I bet that is cold and
nippy.  Big John in Cedar Rapids and Paul Brown challenged themselves by
swimming 3.25 miles in Lake Okoboji in Northwest Iowa.  Out of 28 finishers, Big
John came in 11th, Super Paul took TOP honors.  And speaking of TOP finishers,
Swimming Buddies in Houston, Tim and Janet went to Ft. Lauderdale to swim in the
pool, plus watch their daughter Heather take second in the 1 meter National
Diving Competition.  Vicky in Lake Tahoe has passed on the opportunity to swim
at Long Course nationals besides being ranked in the top 10 in her age group in
several events.  Her best was a 4th place.  A lot of us would like to be ranked
in the top 50.  it is nice to have a choice like that.  Vicky-Houston misses you
and looks forward to your return in January.

Roger S. is back from the wild west and horseback riding, and swimming despite a
bad knee injured while riding a horse named "Flicka" for 8 hours (ran into a
tree?).  Boa Wilson is back from Guatemala, with a contagious rash that will
keep him out of the water for a couple more days.  Also, received a GREAT call
from New Jersey Warrior Larry who is signing off with Coach Ed for the summer as
they both go on vacation for 4 weeks (Larry and his wife are going to Europe).
Their mileage will be missed as both of these elder statesman swimmers have
logged over 90 mile each in our effort.

And I am certain that we all share concern for Nick's wife Stacey as she
recovers from an Appendectomy.  Nick's yards will be down as he plays Mr. Mom
for the next week or two.  Plus our thoughts continue to be with Kurt in the
wake of his Mother's recent death.  She was a GREAT lady and I feel fortunate to
have shared a meal with her at our OTHG Reunion last summer.  She will be
missed, but not forgotten as the OTHG has decided to forge on to Ft. Lauderdale
in her honor.  I bet we will make it, too!  The dynamic Rollins Sisters are
headed back to school next week, so they will be missed.  And finally, Miss
Elaine was spotted today at Westside and logged another 1000 meters and grumbled
the whole way to Taco Bell about sore muscles.  Live is tough in the fast lane.

Team Westside looks destined to break 1,000 miles this weekend.  Bruce's Lame
and Old Lane buddies might go over 500 miles.  Team Coellner seems to be poised
to go over 400 miles if their internet warriors report in from all over the
globe.  (speaking of all over the world-I wonder how Yoko the Ginza Swimming
machine is doing back in Japan?)  And finally, it looks like the Lakeness
Mom-ster has the FIDOs on the run, extending her lead to .81 miles.

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend and records lots of yards.  We can make it,
but we will need everyone's help.  Too many of us are doing this and that, some
retiring after a good performance with us this summer.  Bill Fowler has been
DQ'd by his doctor even with surgery.  He tried.  He still might meet us in Ft.
Lauderdale in the Spring.

Keep smiling,
Don't forget to write,

J. Rollie
Correspondent in Houston for the OTHG

Hello Sports Fans:

Just like Baseball season, the super summer swimming season know to one and all
as the "100 days of Heck" or "The Swim Across America" is coming to a close.
There are only 23 days left (starting today) for us to record mileage in our
effort to make it to Seattle.  Currently we are in the remote village of
Billings Montata which is 76.6% of the way to our goal.  While several of you
have not reported in in a long time, I think we could be farther.  I look
forward to up-dating you on our travels as we move across the rest of Montana
and the state of washington.  Please keep sending in your miles to Nick or me
until the 9th of September.  Looking forward to hearing from each and eveyone of
you in the next three weeks.

If you are concerned like I am about whether we will make it, just do the math.
We can make it if everyone helps.  We have not broken 200 miles in the past two
weeks for various reasons (including my missing in action brother).  We still
have 766 miles to go, so don't let up until we get there.  It will be close, and
with some luck, we might get there before Labor Day.  That would make the
holiday so much brighter for all of us.  We are within reach of our goal.  It
really doesn't matter, unless you think we ought to finish what we have started.
I do!


OTHG Report:

We who started out trying to swim from Cedar Rapids to Ft. Lauderdale are
currently at 48.435 of our objective.  That pust us almost to the outskirts of
Chattenooga Tenn.  Whe have a long road to swim until we get to Atlanta.  In
Honor of Jurt's Mother, who just passed away last Friday, Jurt (our Commishioner
has decided that in her and Big Jim's Memory we will finish what we started. So,
the race for the people in the OTHG or over 45 will continue for us until
Halloween or whenever we get there (hopefully before April).

Team Standings will be reported later in the week.

Hopoe all is well and everyone is smiling.  If not, read thought below.

Rollie

Over The Hill Gang (OTHG) 

swimming from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 Nashville, Tennessee

Friends of Over The Hill Gang (FOTO) 

(includes OTHG yardage)

swimming from Boca Raton, Florida to Seattle, Washington

Storming the Continental Divide 

Good Afternoon Swiminators and Chlorine Busters:

If you think you are not that important and you can miss a week of mileage and
go unnoticed, forget it.  I care and so does the rest of our Team.  I was sorry
to report earlier that there was nothing significant to report, but then there
wasn't much.  Others of you continue to claim that you are going to your 30th
High School reunions in CR, others are on vacation, still others are merely
missing.  If you don't report in soon, I will send out the dogs and police to
find you.

A special thanks to Lane Buddy Dick Frisbee who joined up after hearing us talk
about it all summer.  He gave is 35 hard swum miles to our total.  We also got
200 yards from newcomer Steve Cilek.  We also would like to welcome Dr. Dave to
Team Finley as they try to resurrect their position in the Team Competition.
Team Finley got 18,000 yards last week from Dr. Dave, plus 1,000s from Heather,
Elizabeth, Man Mountain and The Lakeness Mom-ster.  Unfortunately, Finley is
still AOL with the rest of Team Fido.  I think "Someone Let The Dogs Out" and
forgot to call them back.  Speaking of Dogs, Cookie and Davy, where are you?
Jurt is gone, Red Savage is headed to Africa, Kelly is in New Zealand, Mike
Burrow is in China, Yoko is in Japan, Jamey must have gone to Hollywood for more
filming, Vicky transported herself to Tahoe.  I feel like the pool is empty and
nobody told me someone peed in it?  Come on guys.  I predicted this lull would
happen.  I haven't even heard from Big John?  That is some BIG Yardage to
replace.  Nad and Boca, does everybody know something we don't?  Please be kind.
We Can Make it!

Swim Across America:

With only 29 days to go in our 100 Days of Heck!, Swimming Across America with
some of your closest friends and perfect strangers, we have recorded  over
4,100,000 yards or 2,336 miles.  We are collectively 71.25% of the way to our
original goal.  We are about 400 miles from the Continental Divide.  Then it is
all downhill from there (I hope!).  With everyone's continued help, we can make
it without having to sprint a lot on the last week.  We have swum collectively
together spending over 3.7 years in the water this summer, in terms of days
swum.  That is a bunch.  We had several weeks where we swam over 300 miles in a
week, but have dropped off to the 205 mile level.  We have 942 miles to go, so
do the math.  WE NEED EVERYBODY IN THE POOL or we are not going to make it.  29
days to go, 4 weeks.  Hmmmmm?  Need every yard.  Swim and extra 50 yards or
meters for the Team this week at the end of practice.

Team Competition:
     Team Westside  853 miles
     Team Milky Way 601 miles  (looking for new swimmers-anyone want to join
from the midwest?)

     Rollie's Lane Buds  388 miles
     CR Y Team      296 miles  (Just pitifull)

     Team Rollins        194 miles
     Team New Jersey     179 miles
     Team Chicago        163 miles
     Team DeBoom         143 miles
     Team Finley         121 miles (on the move?)

     Team Grandma         2.0 miles
     Team Fidos           1.3 miles

Tax Day Relays
     Team Iowa City      155.17 miles
     60's Team of Teams    90.55 miles
     29th Street Tigers    37.16 miles
     70's Team        25.51 miles
     Other '71 Team             7.5 miles

1374 days swum together.
Yards swum per day  OTHG      2,344 yards
               FOTO's         3,401 yards
               Together  2,992 yards
Averaging 37.76 miles/swimmer (including Dogs).


The Swim to Ft. Lauderdale:

Nothing ventured, nothing reported or gained.  The Swimmers who started this
whole event are only 46.38% of the way to Ft. Lauderdale.  We zipped through
Nashville and are on our way to Chattanooga.  It might be a while before we get
there, and we will NEVER make it to Ft. Lauderdale.  Maybe to Atlanta?  And then
we will stop this madness.  I think it would take forever for NAD, Cookie, Jelly
Belly, Boa, Jurt, Red Savage, Boca Vance, Debbie C, yours truly and Mike Burrow
to get us to our goal.  Even with the recent help of Dr. Deluxe, we might never
make it.  Not even if Davy, Timmy, Crunch Stods, Spratster, Billy Bob. Pro,
Fowler, Tripper, Otterman, and the every stylish and unheard from Wenky, came to
our rescue.  So I propose a vote to terminate or to continue the torture past
9/9/01?  What do you folks think?  WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!  So send Rollie
your thoughts for reporting purposes.

Don't forget to visit the web page.

Hope everyone, OTHG, FOTO's and FIDO's are shaking your tails and getting a good
scratch behind the ears,
Keep smiling,
Rollie

Dear Active Swimmers and Friends:

Don't you just enjoy the view??  There to our right, about three miles out of
Rapid City South Dakota, located in the Black Hills, is Mt. Rushmore.  The
famous heads of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Teddy Roosevelt.   Can you
believe that it is older than both Jamey Halpin and Timmy Barnes, having been
finished in 1942.  That also means we are 65% of the way to Seattle.  A huge
number of yards was submitted last week by world renown tri-athlete Tom DeBoom,
from the famous DeBoom family, because he was accosted in the locker room at
Noelridge by NAD.    What else can we say about a locker room meeting with Nick
Gearheart?  We also got 4 weeks of miles from Waldo as he reported in after his
successful swim in Baton Rouge at the Senior Olympics.  Things are looking good
for the "BIG TEAM" as we keep stroking to Seattle.  38 Days to go.  This is
almost in the Bag.  Anyone want to make it to Hawaii?

The OTHG has also kept pace last week and reached our goal to be in Nashville,
Tennessee.  We are roughly 41% of the way to our destination and our next goal
is to reach Chattanooga Tennessee within the next week (100 miles).  We need
everyone's help to get there.  Please send in your miles.  Jurt is on vacation,
so we need a bunch of you to swim a couple hundred further this week and next to
help us close the gap.  Comish #4, hurry home.  However, I think that Boa may be
returning soon and Dr, Deluxe is in the House (i.e. pool).  Anyone still seen
Davy or Wenky?  How about the "King?"  NAD keep looking in those locker rooms!

In "The Team Contest" asub-plot competition, there are several good rivalries
forming.  First there is the battle between the Westside Houston group and Team
Milky Way in Iowa.  176 miles separates them, but if I know NAD he will have
those folks swimming in those cornfields before they let some oil field trash
from Houston take bragging rights.  An then there is the battle between Rollie's
Old and Lame Lane Buddy's in Houston and the Glorious Guys from Cedar Rapids Y.
The lame are leading by only 69 yards!  Houston Folks I need your yardage, just
in case those guys from yesteryear raise a few more from the dead!  And then
there is the Battle of Team Chicago versus Team New Jersey.  The difference is
only .4 of a mile as 2 brave swimmers from NJ hold off 5 Ironmen Tri-athletes
from Chicago.  Hey Ed and Larry, either recruit some friends from NJ or kick
harder.  The good news is Jurt is out of town and will not be reporting from
Chicago for two weeks.  You two have a head start.  And finally, there is the
Grand Battle of Team Fido versus Team Grandmas.  They are also in a tie at 1.3
mile a piece.  Who will win may be a question of integrity versus pedigree.  We
shall see.  Any more Grandmothers out there willing to help the Lockness
Mom-ster?

Hope everyone is having a GREAT time.  Please send in your pictures to be
scanned to Nick, Boca or Me to be included in the website.  Until later this
week or next, see you in Billings or Bozeman Montana.  Yeow!

Stealing a Great Line,
Your in Sport,
Rollie

Over The Hill Gang (OTHG) 

swimming from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 Kentucky Blue Grass

Friends of Over The Hill Gang (FOTO) 

(includes OTHG yardage)

swimming from Boca Raton, Florida to Seattle, Washington

Cornhuskers 

Dear Fellow Swimmers and Friends Across America:

This is your weekly OTHG & FOTO up-date on our Swim Race Across America, from
Boca Raton to Seattle.  I bring good news!  We are over 50% of the way to our
destination and have just left Omaha, Nebraska.  Our next stop will be in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota.  In fact we might already be there if everyone would report
in for last week (and some of you for the week before that).  So let me know
what you are doing.  Some of you seem to have hit the wall or have gone on an
understandable vacation.  If so, welcome back and lets keep on keeping on!!  If
you are just tired, (like me) remember that we only have 45 days left to swim.
Thank you everyone (y' all) for helping us make it this far.

Here are some goals we all will be breaking together in the coming week:

   1)  Together we will all eclipse the 3 MILLION yard mark.
   2)  The FOTO's will be going over the 2 million mark.
   3)  The OTHG has an outside chance of going over the 1 million yard mark.
   4)  We will go over the 1,000 days swum collectively together next week.
   5)  Last week we had our all-time weekly high of 261 miles as a Team.  Wow!

And to all of you who have reported in,  pump your fist "Tiger Woods" style and
smile.  WE CAN MAKE IT!  You gotta Believe!  Last week a lot of fun things have
happened.  First, Big John in CR went over the top by contributing over 30,000
meters and 11,500 yards.  He must be the Big Dipper on the Milky Way Team! Yeow!
Vicky and myself went to Zones in Austin and swam over 5,000 meters, including
several gold medals (and a personal best in the 50 m free by Vicky) and one 800
freestyle & 100 back as I close in on completing my objective of swimming all
Masters events (all that is left is a 1,500 and 200 back).  I am hoping it will
be over on 8/5/01 in the Woodlands.   And to TOP it all off, Dr. Deluxe and
Jelly Belly finally came to the dance.  Geoff is over his tendinitis or rotator
cuff injury and has clipped off 9,000 yards in three days and is in close
pursuit of the Cookster.  Jamey not only has gotten in 5,000 yards in the last
10 days, he sent me a video to document that he is indeed in the water.  It is
only of a 50 (flip turn included).  So to get the total effect, I would have to
play it 100 times to see Jamey complete his workouts.  No way!  And finally,
lets hear it for Grandma Bobby Mckay (aka The Lakeness MoMster).  who has given
us 1,400 yards in 72 degree water.  With this type of effort that is coming from
those reporting in on time I bet we could see Mt. Rushmore in the very near
future.  Rapid City South Dakota could be ours if we all happened to report in
on time.  But what the heck!  Just report in whenever.  Thank you again from
Florida to Wisconsin, from Iowa to Lake Tahoe, from Kansas to wherever you live.
This is a Great Team.  I get a lot of energy hearing about each one of your
efforts.  I understand the weak weeks, where weather, business, health and
family needs are more pressing.  So, I marvel when the bulk of you keep us
going.  This is Really Cool!

Finally, there is good news from Bagger Vance and our web site.  He was able to
retrieve his information and he hopes he can get us back on line to marvel at
the 100 days for racing documents and pictures.  He will let us all know when it
is back up and running.  As for the OTHG, we are 1/3rd of the way to Ft.
Lauderdale.  We are 45 miles from Clarksville, Tennessee and in need of special
help (because Boa, Mike B. and Jurt are out of the water until further notice).
I am going to Phoenix next week and will try to see Timmy.  Anyone in Iowa City,
try and find out what happened to the Spratster.  We may not make it, but we
shouldn't stop trying.  NAD says there might be a good Water Park in Nashville
or Atlanta.  I know of a few in Orlando.  Again, thanks to everyone for the fine
messages and "Beaucoup" yardage.  This could be a BIG week for all of us!  Hope
it is for you, too!  See you next week.  Don't be a tardy party!  Thanks!

J. Rollie, Mr. Manatee, Bruce, Dad, Freestyle in Houston, etc.,

For you Competition Nuts- Here are some Groupings and their contributions:

Team Standings
     1- Team Westside    629 miles
     2- Team Milky Way   456 miles
     3- Team CR Y        249 miles
     4- Team Rollins          166 miles
     5- Team New Jersey  122 miles (2 folks)
     6- Team Finley      102 miles
     7- Team Chicago       98 miles
     8- Team Fidos       1.29 miles (3 folks)
     9- Team Grandmas    1.10 miles (2 folks)
     10- No Shows         0.00 miles ( 8 folks-)

1) Cookie, dont's stop now!!!  You are less than .7 of a mile away from being in
the 10 mile club.
2) The leader in OTHG mileage is Boca Vance who is in the 50 mile club!
3) He is followed by NAD in the 40 mile club, Boa and Jurt in the 20 mile club.
4) Up-Set of the Week: The Red Soggy Savage has overtaken Davy in yardage!!
5) Cook and Jamey are ahead of Davy!
6) Dr. Deluxe is ahead of Davy.
7) But Davy is ahead of Wenky!

Web Master Rob McKay