Today's Opponent - The Wall

 

Ninety nine percent of the time when someone hits the wall they've reached their known limit, at which point they either rise above, or they collapse. Sometimes, though, hitting the wall has a more direct meaning. For instance, today my "opponent" was one of those solid walls over at the high school. For weeks, probably even months, i have been telling the mrs. (who i have been helping with her tennis game) that i really need to hit against the wall. While i appreciate her enthusiasm for the game, the difference in our playing levels frequently leaves me something less than enthused. Hence my desire to hit the wall.  While the wall may not replace a hard-hitting human opponent, the wall is the next best alternative. The wall is amazingly consistent - it (the wall) will always hit the ball back to you; and let me tell you, that consistency, the repetition is great for working your ground strokes.

All those years ago when competing in tennis, and even though i had a couple coaches at the time, i attribute my backhand success to hour after hour of hitting against that wall across the street at the high school. When all else failed, as they often did, the single-handed backhand was my games' one saving grace. Sure, nothing can replace hitting against another person of equal or higher level than yourself, just as nothing can replace racing and training against actual people out on the road, but every so often, the wall is certainly a worthy opponent.

Anyway, with the mrs. out today at a musical performance i was free to hit against the wall to my hearts' content. It was good. Now if i can just work some climbing back into my cycling game.

i still had some time before the Zverev / Shelton match started, so after my game against the wall i added a few extra miles by heading down to the colleges where i found a whole load of Gulf frittilary (Passion Butterflies). Not sure what attracted them to this particular area, but they seemed to like the dappled sun/shade by the oak woodland and farm. And that pretty much puts a wrap on the weekend - where the heck did it go anyway?

good lookin' bike basket for haulin' stuff around.