The Sage's Weekend of Truth and Embarrassment - Part 1

Every fall now for the last 6 or 7 years, a group of hand picked men get together at "The Sage's" cabin in Serene Lakes in Soda Springs.  Most of these men used to zip around as skinny elite track and cross country athletes and graduated from the flat, cow-dung smelling campus of UC Davis.  The Sage is a former dean and economics professor that founded a little known business school, wrote a dozen books and is now a relaxed president for a foundation that teaches economics throughout the world and is a jazzy tenor saxophone blower.

The Sage has also raised 5 kids that have 6 or so kids of their own - a legacy of sorts.  This weekend all started when the Sage declared that he would stop drinking for a year, and needed a physically, spiritually and intellectually supportive weekend with his hand-picked group of friends.  As the sun rises over the mountains and casts a salmon glow, I write this and recollect the weekends over the years.  Many of us have been friends for 25 years or so - what a great way to catch up, compete, lovingly give each other crap and laugh.  We've all gone on to a variety of successful careers and family and share the pursuit of excellence physically, intellectually and being heart filled gentlemen.  

Is this a weekend of debauchery or is there something a little bit more?

We start gathering at the cabin on friday late afternoon ... the men filter in from across the country - some go off for a mountain bike ride,some run around the lake, and some start refreshing their travel parched lips with a cold one immediately.  Periodic roars of welcome and reunion echo across the lake as each member arrives and bear hugs and belly bucks ensue.  We plan the bohemian olympics and pick teams for the events.  The team names start with T and A ... you choose who you will vote for :)  The best cooks in the house prepare steaks, potatoes and other mouth watering delights.  Good wine flows around the table as we share hilarious stories.  One of these elite members has almost 5 acres of Napa vinyards and makes us amazing succulent bottles of chardonnay.  Later, we climb into our beds and crash - smiling from the evening of camaraderie.

Generally we start saturday morning with a warm up run and the competition begins with a bike ride, climbing from Donner lake, climbing 1200 feet to the summit.  We then bring our flaming throats and lungs from hyperventilating in the mountain air and our lactic acid filled quadriceps back to the cabin for lunch and some throat cooling libations.  

Phew, that's only one event out of 5!  Haven't even mentioned the pontification/debate about world events and issues.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story ...  and, oh by the way ... the Sage is the author of Beyond Winning - a great motivational read about the greatest coaches of all time and winning principles - enjoy!