In the books – and on this site – we urge people to get decent gear, as a motivator and for its own sake. There’s also something to be said for taking decent care of it…and even developing a bit of a relationship with it.

Souinds sappy and it is, but think about this one. I row around most days in this lovely old wooden scull…26 feet lnng, one foot wide and as well made as a cello. At the end, I come in to the dock ever so carefully, get out (a very tricky business in its own right) and pop it out of the water and up on top of my head in one swift move…walk it into the boathouse.

Then the goofy part. There is this ritual of wiping it dry with big towels. I don’t know why but everyone does that. So there you are, after having been out playing together for an hour or two on the lake, and you are rubbing it down…this beautiful thing. Like a horse. You are stroking its lines, adm iring it as you get every drop. Okay, I am losing it. But listen…it’s one of the nice parts of the day.