The Dutch and an Ace

Downtown Holland, Dutch Chess

This past week has been fairly packed, beyond just work as well.  I have already given you a glance of my Tuesday evening.  Although I can mention that the reason why Winstrom park was nearly deforested is because they are looking to plant native trees to Holland.  I would have a hard time believe that this decision would have been made by any disc golfer.  One, for the fact trees take a decent amount of time to grow and mature.  And two, might I mention disc golf and trees?  How could one put this...as magnets are to metal, so are discs to trees.  However there is the slight possibility of a skilled disc golf player who has never hit a tree with a disc. 

Well that is enough talk about deforestation by disc or by saw.  The weather was beautiful again on Wednesday so I could not pass up the opportunity to bike to the lake.  Especially since it is a short five mile ride.

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) has become the new "in"  water sport it seems.  Not surprisingly either since SUP is surprisingly fun.  Surprise!  So I rented a paddle board from the Macatawa Boat House.  Their rates are extremely reasonable and their location has been my favorite thus far in the times I have gone paddle boarding (I highly recommend this place).  Lake Macatawa was fairly calm to paddle through, and the channel (being a weekday) was thankfully not a traffic jam.  In the hour that I had I paddled all the way to Big Red and briefly into Lake Michigan and back to the boat launch.  All without falling in!

SUP Rental location just off Ottawa Beach Road.

A bike ride back to the house and then apparently I needed more exercise since I went for a run into downtown Holland a back.

Thursday night was an Engedi Bible study at Kevin's place.  It was great to meet with fellow believers and discuss Acts 10. 

Saturday afternoon I drove North just past Grand Haven and played disc golf at two courses:
Rycenga Park in Spring Lake, MI
and
Ross Park in Norton Shores, MI

The Rycenga course had mainly short holes, but also had many narrow paths requiring precise throws.  I was following a group of three guys so I knew where to go as some of the holes where not clearly marked where to start.  Unfortunately by the time I finished they were already gone.  The upside, hole 16.  Fairly short distance, trees forcing a small curve right, and a blue beast in hand set the stage for my first.  First ace.  Overall I scored a 56.

I decided to continue up to Norton Shores and play Ross park.  There was a huge crowd!  Only to find out it was all for a crafts sale, which had nothing of use to me.  However, there was no one on the 9 hole course.  Apparently the Ross park course has been recently extended and baskets added.  The holes seemed to all fall in the 250 - 450 feet range offering a decent challenge.  I ended with a 36 for the 9 holes.

At the end of the day, I cooled down with a run along the beach.  Randomly I ran into a friend from my high school church group while walking on the Pier.  It's a small world I guess or at least made smaller by technology.

Big Red