Sept. 2020 - The Best Trophies 🗿 --- WARNING --- Images may be disturbing

Sometimes that Kite launch doesn't quite work out. Look closely - the kiter is in the lake while his kite sits on top of the apartment building. (photo courtesy Nick Di Re)

Last month we wrote about the Epic Adventure and we heard back from you, but not what we expected. Many of you commented not on your adventures themselves, but on the injuries you experienced. A stingray attack boarding in Mexico, ski accidents, concussions, ACLs. . .

The Half-Life editorial team was discussing all this one evening lakeside over libations, and the conversation turned to injury scars, like the Jaws scene where Richard Dreyfus and Robert Shaw show their shark attack wounds. Of course this led to our own “scar-off.” What better way to take pride in your own clumsiness and stupidity. . . like the ice axe scar I inflicted on myself just above the knee. The editorial team was not impressed.

How about kite-surfing in the Columbia gorge, Eric tearing his hamstring clean off his hip. Was there a scar? “Well, the surgery left a mark.” “That doesn’t count. Next. . .”

Tough crowd.

As a Half-Lifer, I am certain you have scars. Go over your body right now: left arm, right arm, chest. . . you have scars that tell a story of your life. The stupid you and the adventurous you.

The face is a great repository of scar-related stories. Mine? Standing too close behind a friend teeing off on the par three 9th at Broadmoor, taking a six iron under my eye. Opening a car door into the bridge of my nose. . . a giant zit I popped in college, the puss shooting across the library and almost hitting the girl I was too scared to talk to. (Not exactly Half-Life worthy scars, I know.) A disfigured nose broken in youth football.....that’s a little better.

A Half-Life woman if there ever was one!

A good scar requires some hard trauma, or a sharp object. Contrary to the Half-Life editorial board, I think surgery scars count. They are your only trophy from the original injury. Although now that I think about it, we sometimes have another type of trophy. . . photos. With cameras omnipresent you can get lucky with a good shot. I had a photo (which got deleted somehow) - me standing on a trampoline holding a chainsaw over my head, trying to reach a branch just out of reach. With a little bounce I could get it. . . And I did, the branch falling on me, the chainsaw revving down, but not before it cut a hole in my pants (but sparing my leg.) No scar, but what a dumb****.

Some people don’t like scars. Once I served as a youth camp counselor and a 9 year-old came running up with a cut on his hand. Of course I wanted to cheer him up so I told him how awesome it was, that he would have a great scar. He burst into tears and ran to a female counselor who gave me the evil eye. I don’t think that kid is Half-Life material.

Danny (Half-Life'r out of Texas) broke his foot when returning to the shore to land his kite. An unexpected gust combined with a hidden dirt mound did him in. That said, he put the foot in a boot a few weeks later and tried to wake surf. Nice work Danny and thank you for your submission!

If you're out there getting after it, injuries can happen. Do your best to stay upbeat and know that the Half-Life nation is there to help you through in the chance you get injured. Stay healthy, stretch, and have fun.

Do You Have a "Trophy?"

Do you have a Half-Life worthy Trophy and story to go along with it?  Send us a note and if it's HL worthy, we'll send you our new "Surf Washington" hat.

As always, we'd love it if you would:
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And...Send us your pictures and videos so that together we can motivate each other to make sure that we carve out more time for the things we love to do. The Good Half.