Lake Weekend: June 18-21, 2009

Today is already a great day. I received the annual Lake Weekend announcement from my dear friend Darron Luesse (who is coming to Arlington next week, is 6'5", and needs to somehow fit into the trailer [maximum interior height, 5'9", max length not much more than that] during his visit.) It's gonna be a hoot.
What is Lake Weekend you ask? Every year, Darron invites his closest friends from all different parts of his life to his parents' condo on the beautiful shores of the Lake of the Ozarks, a dammed river that runs through an erstwhile mountain range creating what has got to be one of the longest lakes in the world. Typically, we arrive Thursday night (last year I walked in the door, was handed a margarita by Darron's dad [Mr. Luesse], went immediately downstairs to the dock, disrobed, and jumped directly into the water within approximately 6 minutes of arrival). Friday and Saturday are spent being tossed off inflatable tubes at high speed and water-skiing, with intermittent bouts of eating grilled food and drinking Mr. Luesse's margaritas. At night, we listen to Lake CDs. What are Lake CDs, you ask? The best part about Lake Weekend, other than the watersports and camaraderie. Making Lake CDs originated, I believe, in order to maximize democracy and minimize fighting and suckiness when it came time to put music on the stereo during Lake Weekend. But it has become much more than that-- it has become a competitive mixed CD exchange that occupies (depending on the participant) days, if not weeks, and, in my case, months prior to the annual event. It is a chance to share recent gems you've uncovered, disinter old favorites that might have been forgotten, share live versions and rarities, or (also in my case) to continue bludgeoning your friends with your favorite Bob Dylan songs against their will. Everyone leaves the weekend exhausted and tan with an arsenal of new music to meander through for at least 2-3 months after Lake Weekend, at which point it is time to start thinking about making the next year's CD. Unless you're Chris Moore, in which case your 2010 Lake CD is already half-made, and your 2009 CD has been in the can for 6 months. Perhaps the only thing that could eclipse the fun and relaxation of competitive mix-making is competitive water-trick-performing, as illustrated here by the headstand-on-a-moving-innertube-off between Brian Rodenbeck and yours truly. All this competitive recreation has had an awesome result over the years: Darron's friends are all friends with each other (see earlier post on Shane's visit). It is a brilliant approach to vacationing and I can't wait to go-- crank the engine and thaw the margarita mix Mr. Luesse!