GCON on the Move!

 

This afternoon I shadowed the four-man team from the Gondola Company of Newport as they trained for Nationals this October in Minnesota.

 

 

Sitting on the boat, Mike Ruffino and I

discussed the virtues of breakfast burritos.

 

Matt and Eddie concentrated on stretching and rowing position.

 

Chunky drops of rain fell around us,

but it only seemed to prompt a smile from everyone.

We all know that there's a chance of rain (and even snow) in Minnesota,

so rowing in the rain - well, the GCON team welcomed it.

 

Parker got into the mindset of a pope gondolier.

 

Then they were off,

Rowing out into the bay.

Each man concentrating on the duties of his station.

 

 

I climbed up onto the Newport Boulevard bridge
to grab some good photos of the boat as she went by swiftly.

With the US Gondola Nationals almost exactly one month away,

Everyone who's going is getting excited about the races they're training for.