Eccentric Friends

2 days ago some of my old friends wanted me to visit a friend of mine from the 1970s and 1980s. I finally agreed. The reason we hadn't talked in 20 years is mostly because my ex-wife and I were friends with him and when you break up usually your friends are loyal to one partner in the breakup or the other. And I cut a lot of friends loose knowing my ex would need all the friends she could get because I knew she likely couldn't replace me and this was true.

So, he has lived very remotely since 1972. He told me recently that he had gone to Russia because he is an excellent violinist and wanted to study with a master there since he is now retired at age 71. So he did

One of the things that impressed me is he is 71 now and swims a mile across Castle Lake and back at 6000 feet elevation whenever it isn't iced over. So, when it gets cold he just swims across with a wet suit before it freezes solid around December or January depending upon the year. This was the first winter Castle lake never froze solid.

I told him I would swim across the lake next summer in July or August but that I wanted to bring a Boogie board in case I got tired while swimming across the lake, I'm 66 now. I don't wear wet suits anymore because of my heart. But, I can still swim long distances if I don't have a wet suit on.

A boogie board is nice because most of them have leashes for not losing them in waves at the ocean but they work just as well in a lake so you don't have to hold onto them you just put a leash on your ankle with the velcro and drag the boogie board behind you for when you get tired so you have a float if you get tired or winded.

Later: I talked to my old friend again on the phone again today. He said he has a wet suit and a dry suit and they are both very buoyant. So, he always wears one of them when he is swimming across Castle Lake once a week now at age 71 (round trip is about 1 mile). I told him I would bring a boogie board next summer and swim across the lake without a wet or dry suit but I likely would stay a little closer to shore in case I got really tired and wanted to walk back on one of the trails instead of swimming one mile round trip. After all, he has trained for this and is used to swimming one mile at 6000 feet for at least 20 to 40 years now.