Summer of Bean

The frolf part of The Summer of Bean has been sort of a semi-joke, but not really.  George, I think, certainly saw the whimsy in it, but that was the allure.  I mean really, what in the hell is this sport and why do so many different people play it?

This is the second time I’ve lived literally walking distance from a frisbee golf course.  The first was during my year in Arizona when my apartment complex was along a greenbelt in south Scottsdale.  Part of the greenbelt was a golf course and part was set aside for Frolf.  There was a fantastic path through there that I would walk every night after work.  A few months after I moved there, it was discovered that Sammy the Bull Gravano was running a restaurant in the strip mall on the other side of the greenbelt from my apartment.  This is significant because at the time Sammy was in witness protection because he’d turned on Gotti.  Folks knew he was in Arizona, just not exactly where.  Turns out he was about 500 yards from my front door.  Weird.

Anyway, in addition to my walking route in downtown Portland, I also have two that I do up here in The Couv.  I refer to them as the easy walk and the hard walk.  The easy walk is through the relatively flat Lincoln neighborhood.  It takes about 45 minutes.  The hard walk goes east a mile or so, crosses I-5, and takes me into Leverich Park.  This one is mostly downhill for the first half as I go down to Burnt Bridge Creek.  As soon as you cross the creek, the walk seemingly goes straight up for a few hundred yards.  By the time I’m at the top, I’m wiped.

I usually do the hard walk only on weekends.  While I think the distance and time are similar for both, the climb on the hard walk usually does me in.  Sure, it’s a testament to how out of shape I am, but whatever.  I’m pooped.

Tonight I decided to do both walks back-to-back.  I did the hard walk first.  As I walked through Leverich Park, I couldn’t help but notice all the new signage and the lines painted in different spots.  Turns out those were Frolf tee boxes.  You stand behind the line as you throw your frisbee, or whatever it is you do.  It was kind of cool to see all the folks out there tonight playing.  And they were all pretty serious.  Not serious as-in frowning, but serious with their equipment.  There were different discs for different shots and guys running around with special Frolf bags.  Like I said…serious.

The goal this summer is to go play a round of Frolf at Leverich Park, but I have no idea how to start.  Perhaps here.  Or maybe REI.  Who knows.  I will find out though.

Frolf.  It wouldn’t be the Summer of Ben without it.

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