The Ridge

I would be remiss if I didn't dedicate a full blog entry to one of our favorite Bozeman pastimes...basketball at The Ridge. We joined The Ridge gym to answer any potential issues with poor weather, energy to burn, and the effects of the amazing Cold Smoke Ale that I (and my hips) have become addicted to.  Little did I know that while I attempted to run off my ale, a hard-core 2v2 hoops tourney was in full throttle. Jay/Hank v. Jack/Grant...day after day, night after night. It wasn't until last night that I began to understand the true nature of the boys constantly demanding to go The Ridge. As we headed into the gym, Jay announced  that we were only going to "shoot around" for 45 minutes. Grant looked at me with a wink and quietly said, "Ha. 45 minutes?  We'll be here as long as we continue to beat Dad."  After 45 minutes elapsed and a heightened curiosity took over, I decided to leave the treadmill and go watch the friendly family activity. I was greeted however, by sweet Hank, who was seriously annoyed with his father. I witnessed as he barked at Jay, "Are you kidding me?" after missing an easy lay-up. I watched as he busted it to try and close the 4 point deficit and beat his older brothers. And... I watched the clock for another 30 minutes.  I realized that what I thought had been four weeks of brothers playing basketball wasn't just shooting around - it was GAME ON. It was obsessive, it was rough, and it was crazy.  But as I settled into the spirit of it, I realized that it just added to our story at The Ridge. The story that we were the weird "home-schooled" family who ordered way too many smoothies, used way too many towels, and took way too many steam showers. We were always together...red-faced and sweaty...a pack of five.  Just how I like it!
-Julie