So I've been meaning to write about
Head of the Charles for over a month and I've just kept putting it off. Partially from laziness and partially because I don't think I can adequately describe just how awesome of a weekend it was.
Head of the Charles is one of the largest rowing events in the world and this year also happened to be the 50th anniversary of the event. Michigan State also decided to put together an Alumni 8+ this year.
(View from CRI)
This wasn't so much a day or weekend event, but more an entire week event/celebration/reunion. My apartment also found out just how many rowers it can hold - 11 one night. It was also an effort to keep up with the schedules of all of the people coming and going - Jim arrived Wednesday, Cory Thursday, Slops Friday morning, Pyzik and the Canadian crew Friday night, and Alyse Saturday morning. Seriously, a whirlwind of some of my favorite people.
The real fun started on Friday though. The Alumni 8+ (minus Pyzik, plus Jim) was able to get together for an afternoon practice row. This boat was SO much fun. I had coxed all but two of the guys before (Brett and Bob) so it was really just a row down memory lane.
Our lineup was myself, Brett, Slops, Cory, Pyzik (or Jim), Bob, Kevin, Jimmy and Karl. The rowing was... sloppy, but fun. I also had to use a stack of butt pads to see over Brett. The course was also just a complete clusterfuck Friday afternoon, since every crew was trying to get in a practice row and most were completely inexperienced to the Charles' sharp turns and many bridges. But we made it back to the dock alive and only having been yelled at by a regatta official for taking a break in the middle of the course (#sorrynotsorry).
After some quick showers and an incident involving a broken shower curtain rod and the Monkey King, most of us headed over to Lulu's for dinner and drinks. We all had fun catching up over a beer and burgers and getting pumped for the day ahead. Pyzik and a unique group of Canadians also arrived Friday evening and our apartment started to feel (and smell) reminiscent to the 404 basement when we had the squatters.
(Dinner at Lulu's)
Saturday morning we all woke up super pumped for the race. And nervous (my hands were extra clammy and I made sure everyone felt it). HOCR is considered a coxswain race because of its countless bridges, multiple sharp turns and the vast amount of boats competing on the course. I had raced the course once before but the boat was a bow-loaded four and much slower - completely different than the 8 I was about to get in.
We launched plenty early out of CRI (upriver from the finish line) to make it all the way past the start line to the pooling area. Once in the pooling area, we were met with wind, choppy water and boats coming from every direction. Slops also felt this was the opportune to time to ask if his hair looked okay.
Finally, they started calling our event to the starting line. As bow #46, we were the back of the pack and weren't really sure where we would stand against other boats since the second half of entries come from a random lottery draw (opposed to the first half which are seeded from the previous years results).
We got off to a solid start and were able to pass bow #45 right after the BU Bridge. We held a 29-30 through out most of the race and were able to have nice solid lines coming around the Magazine Beach turn and into the Powerhouse Stretch. Coming up on Weeks we started coming up close on bow #44. They held us off through Weeks and we passed them immediately after Anderson, giving us the inside line coming into the Elliot Turn. Halfway through the Elliot Turn we began moving up quickly on bow #39. Bow #39 held us through Elliot and the last turn of the race where we crossed the finish line bow to stern with them. Phew! I could breathe again. Later, we found out we took 33rd.
We rowed back up to CRI, put the boat back and began walking back towards the course to watch some more racing. I spent the rest of the afternoon walking along the Charles with the boys, meeting up with other MSU alumni, seeing the current MSU team and eating. We also got to see the Michigan State boat race in their event.
(My college career could be titled: Boats and Bros.)
Saturday evening we met up with the team at Tavern in the Square for dinner before heading out to Hong Kong for a night of adventures (and Scorpion Bowl races...).
(#casual)
Returning home from Hong Kong we got to experience our Canadian visitors in true form. Jim bonded with Grace (and confirmed she wasn't poopin') and Francisco army crawled around our apartment because he "wanted to get out."
Sunday morning saw a slow start to say the least. I headed down to the course with the boys and met up with Slopey and Glines to watch some racing. Alyse would be coxing a Champ 4+ and Laurissa would be racing in a Director's Challenge 4x. However, we're apparently idiots and missed both boats coming down the course. Womp womp.
(The most center boat is the MSU Alumni 8+, photo credit to Sarah M.)
Sunday night meant Ned Devine's. So after some power naps, showers and pizza. We made our way downtown with our incompetent Uber driver named Regis. This was my 3rd HOCR party and each has been epic. I mean, what else would you expect when you throw a bunch of rowers into a huge party in the heart of Boston?
(For Lyds)
(Roomies)
It perhaps got more epic when Eric screamed for all of us to get in a taxi (yep, that was 7 of us in a taxi) and we made our way back to our apartment. In true MSU Crew fashion, we of course couldn't let the party stop just because the bar had closed. We did a lovely rendition of Piano Man followed by a very unique rendition of Lean Back.
We closed out the festivities with breakfast Monday morning at Allston diner. I'm already excited for next year.
