Afterglow 2017 - Day 1 Saturday

The only bad thing about the first day at Afterglow is that we don't get here until around 4. After we unpack the car, mix a cocktail and change into our swimming apparel, it is about 5 when we get in the water. This realistically gives us about 2 hours to go swimming before it starts to get cold as the sun goes away. So that's kind of sad. But then we perk up when we realize that there are 6 more days. We need to pace ourselves.

By now you are accustomed to the fact that I spend the entire year counting down to Afterglow. And you know that I put up my Out of Office Gone Fishin' sign at my desk and then hop, skip and jump out of the building in anticipation of the fun that is about to begin. And you also know that even though I have pretty much the whole year to get ready, I don't pack until the night before. I was up late packing and my friend and co-workers Mike and Elliot insisted on stopping over. Mike lives a few blocks away and kept on telling me he would be there soon. Soon turned into midnight and after many beers, I found myself looking at 3 hours until I had to be up and ready to leave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to bed around 3:30am and woke up around 7am. Things got a little weird as I did the last minute preparations for leaving my home and my cat Korben Dallas behind for a week. I let him sit in the front door and smell freedom for a bit before scooping him up for the thing he hates the most - taking a picture with me so the moment will last longer. I said my goodbyes and then headed out to Mom's house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we pull up to Cabin #2, the first thing I do is crack a shorty. Since we usually arrive at the same time as the Burgetts and McKissicks (who stay across the street in Cabin #1), Kevin usually cracks one with me. And then begins the long and arduous process of unloading the car, bringing everything inside and then getting the cabin ready for a week of rage. It is not my favorite thing, but it is a necessary evil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been a while since Stefani was up here. I would search back in the archives to confirm, but I'm not going to. Instead I'll take a guess and say it was 2011. One thing that I know for certain is that it was Andy's first time at Afterglow. To commemorate this occasion, we took a family picture of Cabin #2 (James wasn't able to make it this year) and then a cousin picture of those who were going out swimming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We always go swimming right away. Some of us had been waiting a whole year to dip ourselves in the refreshing waters of Afterglow Lake. For others (like Andy) this would be the first time they got to experience this feeling. As for me, it never spans a whole year as I come up in the offseason for the RFT Adventures. But regardless of how long it has been or even if that is never, it feels like the first time. And that feeling is so wonderful and one that soothes the entire body, mind and soul. Or it might be just another day at the beach. We all process this differently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a reward for working 15 years at Miller Park, I got to pick an item out of a catalog. There were some practical items in there, but I decided to get one of those Go Pro style cameras (this one was called a WASP) because it is something I probably would have never bought for myself. Because they are water, shock, dust and rage proof, I was able to take it out to the raft and get pictures and videos that offer people back home what this experience is like. So get ready for a more up close and personal view of the party, the likes of which have never been seen on this site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is customary for me to drive up with Mom and Jenny to come up whenever and with whomever she can. We left at about the same time and all stopped in Wausau to get some Arby's. Jenny brought her boyfriend and our cousin Stefani. After that it was every car for themselves as Mom tends to take a lot of time at Bonson's Pick n' Save chatting with anyone she runs into and picking out food for the week. I go in and grab my usual assortment of items (corndogs, nuggets, SpaghettiOs, ,Mac & Cheese and Rhinelander shorties) and stop to pose for pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy and Kevin took turns putting on a show for the people on the beach. One of which had to be my Mother because I don't know how else I would have gotten these shots. Moms love taking pictures and preserving memories. That's one of many reasons why I love Moms. Another is that they give me free eats and hugs when I need them most. I'd list some other reasons, but I don't want to keep you here on this page all day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's not much to say that hasn't already been said by the pictures themselves. Just a couple of kids enjoying life at Afterglow. Nothing feels like the first day up there because you are instantly transported to a place where nothing else in the World matters. It's quite magical.