Well Gents, It was time again for another Mayor Q and I was asked to get it on July 4.  As YHC stated, I love history and when I Q on days like this, I always put a bit of it into the Q.  It was interesting getting this one put together.  With a history infusion, it was Tiny Tanks M who provided the theme, but knowing he would be absent, decided to stir some things up on twitter regarding a July 4 Murph that got some chatter going, which then had the pot stirred a bit more by another absentee (Whoopie).  Since we are mentioning absentees, lets talk about Anthrax as well.

Time came and as the start time was pushed back to 6:00am, PAX came rolling in and we got to it.

The Thang:

  • No warm up, but a brief mosey to the other side of the parking lot
  • Disclaimer
  • 13 sets of exercise x50 reps (Stripes and Stars of the U.S. Flag) and a lap around two aisles of the parking lot with historical facts (only 10) placed in between each round.

    Exercise #1 – Merkins / Fact #1 – the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4,       1776 in Philadelphia PA.  It was written by Thomas Jefferson and the final edition edited and approved by the continental congress

    Exercise #2 – WW2 sit-ups / Fact #2 – The Revolutionary War was fought from 1765-1783.  There was more going on before and after, but this range covers main scope.

    Exercise #3 – Step Ups using bench or stone bollards / Fact #3 – The Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s ride and Bunker Hill all happened before the Declaration of Independence was inked.

    Exercise #4 – Side Straddle Hops / Fact #4 – the Battle of Kings Mountain was fought on 10/7/1780.  The fighting force was made up by the Overmountain men from Western NC and Eastern TN.  On the way back home, they hung nine captured Tories from the Biggerstaff property in Rutherford County.  There is/was a tree known as the Biggerstaff Hanging Tree marked by a historical marker on the side of the road.

    Exercise #5 – Shoulder Taps / Fact #5 – The U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787 and ratified in 1788.  YHC got his dates off saying it was signed in 1787 and ratified in 1778 and the Pax made sure I knew it.

    Exercise #6 – People’s Chair (50 seconds) / Fact #6 – The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from July 1-3 in 1863.  This has been termed the Death Knell of the Confederacy as it was the turning point of the American Civil War, but at that time, it was just a large Confederate loss.  There is an estimated 50,000+ dead, wounded or captured.

    Exercise #7 – Block Upright Rows / Fact #7 – Of the estimated 28,000 confederate dead at Gettysburg, one in four were from the Old North State.  The 26th NC paid the heaviest price.

    Exercise #8 – French Fries / Fact #8 – The Siege of Vicksburg took place from 5/8-7/4 in 1863.  Vicksburg, hardened by the memory of this siege and the act of the Federals, did not celebrate July 4 as a holiday until 81 years after (1945).

    Exercise #9 – Carolina Dry Docks (aka Def Leppard Pushups) / Fact #9 – July 4 was recognized as a national holiday starting in 1870.

    Exercise #10 – Windshield Wipers / Fact #10 – Calvin Coolidge is the only U.S. President born on July 4.  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both truly instrumental men, died on July 4 1826.

    Exercise #11 – Curb Calf Squats / Fact #11 (Remember from above I only had 10) – Courtesy of Slaw, the Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet world tour ran from 1986 – 1987.

    Exercise #12 – Squats / Fact #12 – Roscoe once had a cat name Lord Cornwallis.

    Exercise #13 – Thor’s Hammer (picking up a block from the ground, raising above your head and imitating a hammer to the ground)

    with 10 minutes remaining, we divided up into five teams of four for a burpeethon relay.  One Pax runs 30+ feet, does five burpees and runs back to tag another partner.  This gets the heart rate going and gives Dolph and Slaw something to live for.  Slaw and his team Omaha’ed to Blockees.

  • Fellowship mosey back to start.
  • Remove covers and grab the Pledge of Allegiance.
  • Announcements:  Mt. Mitchell Hike August 20/21.  Half Marathon in West VA September 23,  Tuna 200.
  • Name-o-Rama
  • BOM – Two unspoken prayers that need to be mentioned is my M who is working from 6:30am-12:00Midnight for the Gastonia fireworks and fair.  Roscoe is working tonight in Charlotte for the Cuba V. USA baseball game and fireworks.  Keep them and all others who fight for freedom and keep the peace.
  • MOLESKIN – I had a great time thinking of this workout and strolling through the fabric of America.  Someone put something out there about you are like the five people you hang out with.  You can pick any five men at one of these workouts and you are in good company.  The mumble chatter is something I live for.  When half the pax broke loose and came running at the other with T-Square yelling the British are coming and other general angst make me smile.  We did miss Whoopie today who does have a higher calling to save lives as well as all of the other Pax who couldn’t make it out.  I learned that Oompa Loompa is a history buff and the conversation at Coffeteria brings us closer as we are not just men who sweat together.  Short Sale had to leave early, but got out of the bed and made it for what he could.  I truly admire all of you and am grateful to call you my brothers.  Have a great holiday celebrating Brexit 1776.

    We did not modify reps….give no quarters…none but unconditional surrender!!