Recapping the Trip

The following was written over the course of several days.

***

It’s been a good trip so far. Currently it’s Friday morning around 7:45, and I’ve been on the road since Wednesday.

***

I showed up at Whit’s school Wednesday afternoon and hung out while he wrapped up some class work and lessons.

His first remark upon seeing me: “Your legs have gotten more muscular.”

He’s just lucky my Epilady is jammed.

***

I got dressed for a workout and we started going over some of the stuff I’ve learned at KM up to this point. Did a little bag work, went over some combinations. I also demonstrated some defenses against strangleholds, headlocks, guns and knives. We compared a few techniques.

I did pretty much exactly as I’d expect a yellow belt to do: I showed quite clearly that I’ve been training for a few months, and have made some progress. I also showed that some things need work, and that I’ve got a lot to learn. Fine with me. I was certainly pleased at a few things that really just popped quite naturally out of me, like a stranglehold defense.

Then we put on pads and gloves to do some sparring.

***

It was cool! Whit set the timer and we squared off. This was the time to finally try to apply some of the things I’ve learned. I didn’t know zip about defending against kicks, hence the numerous blows to the ribs and the occasional shots to the skull I took. In KM I’ve made keeping my hands up a priority, and that at least worked out.

I had a bit of a reach advantage, so about the only offensive techniques that got me anywhere were some jabs to the face, front kicks, and some roundhouse kicks. Don’t get me wrong: This was completely dominated by Whit, as everyone would expect. But it was great to have a fleeting moment of success when I landed something.

I was also pleased at the techniques that, despite some sloppiness, popped right out without a thought. I got taken down on a Judo throw (o goshi), and in the blink of an eye I was trying to execute my one KM ground-based takedown. I didn’t succeed, but I’m simply pleased to have done it so naturally.

And heck, I could still bust out an o goshi. Gotta remember to combine everything in my toolbox. That’d be the “mixed” part of “mixed martial arts,” right?

By our third “round” I was more relaxed, trying to use some of the strategies we’ve been taught: Shoot in, shoot out mostly. I finally avoided a few kicks simply by being out of reach.

Anyway, for a guy who got soundly whupped while sparring, I’m still pleased with what I brought. It’s something to build on.

It amounted to a terrific private lesson I’ve since spent a lot of time reviewing in my head.

***

We went to Whit’s house to have some lunch and enjoy a little down time before his evening classes. We did some catching up, hung out with his son, talked MMA.

***

So as he taught his evening classes I hung out a bit, poked around a nearby Academy for a while. He’d invited me to participate in his beginners’ class, so I did.

The warm-ups were where the most intense exertion occurs. Medicine ball stuff… Whit, I’m still sore! I can’t claim I wasn’t gassed for a minute there, but that’s fine. In KM we exert ourselves similarly, though it’s spread out over the course of the class more. Different sides of the same coin.

Lo and behold he had me demonstrate a stranglehold defense. It’s easy and intuitive, and it was cool to see him build on that and teach the Kung Fu approach.

I worked out with a really nice guy named Carter. After he’d thrown me quite smoothly a few times, I looked at his belt and said, “Okay, you’re not just a white belt. You do this throw too well. You come from Aikido or Judo or something.”

Bingo. Aikido.

The class was terrific fun. After that I hung out while he taught advanced, then we all went out for a fine Tex Mex meal.

I crashed hard that night. I probably stopped making sense around 11pm. I had no idea I could speak Esperanto.

***

So good stuff, really good. I had great fun showing my small but expanding collection of “tools,” enjoyed sparring and class a lot, and liked being around Whit’s son. He’s a good, sweet kid, really a good spirit. We kept poor Christina up way too late—sorry sweetie! Good to see you, to see you all.

***

Dad’s first remark upon seeing me: “You’re too skinny.”

Once I got to Angleton, Dad and I hit the road for Lake Jackson to see a coin/valuables dealer who was in the area to make some buys. We waited a couple hours for this appraisal session, but I didn’t mind in the least. It was good to catch up, not be pressed for time.

***

After that we went to Clute for a watermelon. You know, Dad put in a Percy Sledge tape, wanting me to hear just how good the stuff that’s not “When a Man Loves a Woman” is. And he’s right. It’s fine old R&B. Good horns, good melodies, good singing…

We were just poking along, doing nothing awfully important, and I’ve gotta say that at that moment there was no place in the world I’d have rather been that riding in my Dad’s truck, listening to Percy Sledge and chatting about not much of anything.

***

We hit the Hasting’s after that, and I looked for some Sledge while there. Not much luck.

***

We had a fine dinner at Shanghai. I had a great bowl of pho. Dad and Charlene weren’t nearly so taken with their meals though.

***

We may do some fishing in a bit.

***

It’s Saturday evening now.

The conditions at Surfside were great for fishing. We took our time getting up and having breakfast, so we probably didn’t hit the surf until 11am. It was extremely smooth, almost to the point of being glassy out there. We geared up and waded out to the second sandbar.

We got a lot of hits over the course of a couple hours, but it was almost all baby sharks. I’ll bet we caught 20 of them. Scattered in a couple hardheads, some small whitings and one keeper-size trout that slipped out of Dad’s hands for an escape, but really it was almost all sharks.

***

After we cleaned up I crashed for a bit, then headed to Lake Jackson to see Amanda and her family. We had a good meal over at El Toro, then took off for Hasting’s to wander around. We loaded up on caffeine and sugar from the coffee shop there, so it was certainly worth the trip for me.

***

This morning I ran a bit late, but managed to wolf down some breakfast and get out the door just in time to see my nephew’s Tae Kwon Do class. It was a hoot! They kicked the bags, did calisthenics, did some flag exercises… They did a few things we even do in KM. It was a ball to watch.

After that I went into AIMLESS BB mode, poking around Academy and the mall for no good reason for quite a while. I’ve got a message in with Bruiser at the moment but haven’t heard back. I’d say there’s a good likelihood Dad and I will head over to the dog track in Texas City this evening.

***

Dad hit pretty well at the track. I ended up about $15 down, but we still had a fine time. Man, three semesters of stats classes and I've gotta say that nothing in the racing form looked like a clear indication of anything. I will say that betting longshots for big payoffs didn't do a thing for me.

***

Crashed hard after that, and got up and left this morning.

Not before swinging by the House of Sis to pick up a new jar of Biker Salsa. Hoo baby am I going to have m'self some omelettes with that! Thanks again, Amanda.

***

Back home now, and I'm glad. It was a very good trip, but I'm glad to be home.

Have a good week, everyone.