Footstock Week

August 22nd through 28th

Footstock, the largest event of its kind in the world, was held later than normal this year. Summer 2016 was kind enough to extend itself through last weekend to accommodate the tardiness of the event.

Several of last week's sunsets were also Summery. The bit of cool in the air was attributed to poor circulation by those of us in "Fall is comming" denial.

Rain this week has pushed the lake level back up to 4 inches below the nail. The College of Loons is in agreement that we will not reach the nail this year, but will be in striking distance of the nail and beyond next spring. Huzzah!

Crandon Water Shows (pronounced "Crandon Ski Serpents") had its final ski show of the the year last week. It was one of the best.

Late last week, the focus was pulled from Lake Lucerne onto a smaller body of water that hosted that most excellent of all barefooting contests: Footstock.

Footstock 2016 was held under a partly cloudy sky on Peshtigo Lake just to the East of Crandon.

The contest pits the best barefooters in the world against each other in a double elimination endurance battle one pair at a time.

You might think that watching men and women following a boat for hours would get old in several minutes, but you would be wrong. The end of each run is punctuated with an exclamation point. Which brings us to the "Slide Show of Pain " of last week's summary.

<center>Ouch!</center>

<center>Splash!</center>

<center>Flip!</center>

<center>Woop!</center>

<center>Auggg!</center>

<center>The "Running Man"!</center>

<center>The &quotSideways Superman"!</center>

<center>Bonk!</center>

<center>Bash!</center>

<center>Slide!</center>

<center>Determination, noun : firmness of purpose; resoluteness. "he held on with an unflinching determination"</center>

<center>Pedicure Check!</center>

<center>Faceplant!</center>

<center>Acetaminophen!</center>

Ladies and gentlemen, the triple rig has left the lake. Thank you and goodnight. The ski show announcer did not say these words, but we all thought them. We all know that Summer is coming to an end and Fall is looming. That's okay. Some of us may need a few months to convalesce (see "Slide Show of Pain")<br><br>-Nemo, Fastest Shutter Finger in the North.

Sunday action from Footstock 2016