Wingsday '05 Fei's Fantastic 4000 Wings

Even with the anticipation of the night's event, I left no abandon to the beautiful day preceding Wingsday's Fantastic 4000. I went to class as usual, arriving a bit late in the same manner. And though thoughts of what we were to do tonight had entered my mind, I still paid close attention to the lecture in which we talked about the Tao.

The Tao, the very force that governs the world, is unseen and appears to have an almost magical property. In particular, our focus was to try to describe the Tao. But therein lies our fault which the Tao Te Ching openly cautions us that "the Tao that can be named is not the Tao." In our attempts to grasp the concept, we fall into the trap of using language. Once we put to use a word to describe the Tao, we limit it and in one instant all that it is, it ceases to be.

So for the world of the Taoist, it is paradoxical. When the Tao is best described, it is conveyed by its relationship to the world. An example is the comparison of the Tao to water. Like water, it can take many forms and it can appear and disappear at will. Water is soft and blends into its surroundings but it can also be forceful, strong and carve valleys out of rock. It can be both passive and aggressive. And while we can observe these things about water and ultimately the Tao, it is this very same thing that we describe in which there is no description. In some way, perhaps in only one, we can look to the Tao in explaining how is it that we will reach 4000 chicken wings, from a thousand count before, exactly one year ago. The crew may be different, but the venue is the same.

While class was certainly educational and entertaining, I left in a rush. The leaves on the trees had a story to tell and it spoke of activity on the lake. When I got there, a mob had formed at the rigging deck with some people coming in, others anxious to get out--a blue flag day, high winds on the lake. We haven't had one of those in a long time. What made this day great was not just the high winds but its presence in the stunning sky, clouds, and sun above. Brock was there as usual, having been out windsurfing for the early part of the afternoon. He needed a break so we walk a short distance to the Union to get drinks and I grow impatient as I'm ready to just jump on a sail and go. I see Rui out there as well and he's coming in to fix something on his board. Mostly, fans of the sport were all outbound. I grab a Techno and do the same.

A heavy wind was thrashing waves upon the choppy surface. On a shortboard and a large sail, I carved a course out into the fury. It didn't take much time to get planing. This exhilarating feeling of flying on open water was not without respect, because in any moment where there's disregard, nature would punish your afterthought with a plunge in the lake. I loved it and I stayed out there for hours until the fleeing moments of early evening. The wind was dying then and there were only hours until Wingsday night. And if it wasn't enough that the day's windsurfing rocked, I get rated for shortboard heavy upon returning.

When Brock and I get to Lucky's Bar, we run into Sita on the way in. Inside was already a cast of people including Stephanie and some of the scuba gang including Andrea "Diesel" and her friend Keely, Dan the Tiger Woods of Wings, and of course Pardeeville Amber. Headstrong, the small group puts in the first order known as the pre-wings. As they were being prepared, Lucky's management had no objection to cooking some store-bought vegeterian wings for Sita.

Shortly after the arrival of the wings, the rest of the crew start showing up in droves. David and Mik Dr. Wings drop in followed by Green Teamers Metzger, Kevin, Greg aka Fei-2, and Jessica. With the next round put to order, a few non-eaters drop in that included Steph's bro Justin/Dave, Free Range Patrick, and to my surprise, Laura. And even though these guys didn't eat chicken wings, you are all welcome to join us in making history. When only 80 wings were finished and people were getting full, the promised target looked out of reach. Then Greg the Prophet makes his appearance and prophesizes the orders to make our mark. It would be done without falter. The path was set.

At some point, we decide to receive Rui with a crowd wave when he gets to the bar and thus how he got his nickname "Tsunami". In the last round of 40, Captain Matt, Chen, and Julie swoop in to support the last leg.

By the final five wings, a countdown was started.
Brock, 3996...Rui, 3997...
Chen, 3998...Amber, 3999...
and with Stephanie, the 4000 was consumed.

Fantastic.

Joyous, all of us take down a shot. We have done it.

Wingsday '05 Fei's Fantastic 4000 Wings
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Fei-O-Meter
Activity: 3 | Energy: 3 | Friends: 3



Wingsday Crew Callsigns

Pardeeville Amber
Andrea "Diesel"
Brock "Madmartigan"
Captain Matt
Free Range Patrick
Greg aka Fei-2
Metzger the Closer
Mik Dr. Wings
Rui "Tsunami"
the Prophet Greg