Saturday
We gathered early at the boathouse, but the Hudson had other plans: the water was too choppy to launch. So the morning turned into a big erg contest instead. Alumni and students split into eight mixed teams, and each team cycled its rowers through two 250-meter sprints, so every rower pulled 500 meters in all. The cheering was loud.
After the ergs came breakfast and story time. Alumni and students took the microphone in turn, some with touching reflections on what rowing and this team have meant in their lives, others with hilarious tales of shenanigans and crazy moments on and off the water with VC Rowing. Both generations shared stories that meant a lot to everyone listening.
By the time the stories wound down, the river had calmed enough to row. We got two men's eights and two women's eights on the water and put in some strong rowing up the Hudson to the Culinary Institute of America and back down to the boathouse. Then we put the equipment away, cleaned up, and headed off for some time on campus.
In the evening we gathered for a great dinner at Main Building. More stories were shared, we talked about the vision for the future of the VC Rowing team, and Coach Wells showed videos of the current team at work, and at play, including putting a shell out on Sunset Lake.
Sunday
We met even earlier on Sunday to try to catch calmer water. Despite the rain (and some of the students taking the morning off to sleep in), we got a men's eight and a women's eight on the water for a good row down the Hudson, past both bridges, and back up river again before putting the equipment away. Then everyone tucked into a warming breakfast, seated inside the shell house, since the rain ruled out eating outdoors.
Were you on the water, on an erg, or at the microphone? Send a few lines about your favorite moment and we'll add it here with your name and class year.
