Don't be afraid--take a peek--Rhino's was "WIDE OPEN" again….
for the 7th Straight Year!

The 7th Annual "Wide Open" started early again with early tee times so we could get back to Rhino's for GAME 2! Even on vacation--we can organize! After breakfast at Hays Street  and a "latte to go"  for a few sissies, it was the bullet train to Hawthorne!
A little time on the driving range, and it was time to introduce the Commish of Golf--the honorable Smilin'  Jim--to kick things off. We had twenty players, so after we put our heads together on the math….we figured five foursomes--that took some serious cipherin'!
The teams: 
Long and Deep - Slomax, 3D , Pat, and Sparky(Spanky?SpankMe?)

Quiet Thunder - Quiet, Rocko, Hands, Walkbucks

Long and Wrong - POD, Reid Sr., Doug, and Pete

High Altitude - Gordo, OD, BEV, Matt

No Name - Robin, Jules, Smilin', Sperm

As usual, it was a blind draw--but as usual, folks started whining about the pairings-like the limperdicks they are!
Thanks to Rhino's for kicking in golf towels, coffee mugs, and tee shirts!
This was not the usual  shootout…….

this was rather a RECKONIN"!!
The taunting could be heard over the intermittent detonation of explosives in the distance.
This was not the usual playoff either--the Quiet Thunder  had a little luck and snuck in at 64--beating out contenders by three strokes!
Other notables:
Longest Drive--Rocko--333+ Yards!

Closest to Pin #15--Quiet Man

Closest to Pin #17--OD

As usual, the $315 in prize money was all turned back in to be put against a tab at Rhino's that night. Our good friend BT, who couldn't make it this year, called Rhino's many times that evening--running a TAB on his card, and buying his boys SCOOPS, while they watched HOOPS! 

We also raised another $50 for MS!

None the worse for weather--time for a group photo after the 7th Annual Rhino's WIDE OPEN!!

"Clipboard Chronology" of the 31st….

with all the fixin's! We really need to get a cardiologist on the Fishin' Mission attendee list!
Greener and Rocko settled in to some GlowBall Golf to prepare for Rhino's Wide Open.  The rest of us commenced to FUND   RAISIN"!!  Walkbucks had scored a crate of 120 airline bottles of Van Gogh vodka, and was passing out the "ampules"  for a $2.00 donation to MS.                                                       
                      - continued on Page 4     

Thursday June 4th: The excitement had been building, as the boys commenced to gatherin' for the 31st Annual.  Those with the longest trips, or those who just couldn't wait--got started Thursday, meeting in Victorville with CR or Lone Pine with OD-to get a jump on the Friday morning trek.  Many think it is a bad omen to not be at Rhino's on Friday at NOON--to slam their first cocktail of the trip!
Friday June 5th:  As usual, guys started showing up at Rhino's around 10:30 AM--with the Commish already taking notes on his clipboard! Some folks got out and fished, some folks headed for the Village to set up camp, and most folks just stayed at Rhino's--catching up with amigos! With everyone getting way older, any discussion beyond the previous year had to be done with the Fishin' Mission Journal in hand--rather than relying on memory! Omar came in for dinner (some say it was his second of the night) braggin' about a Six Pounder--we all thought he was proud of his most recent BM, but it was a lunker 'bow instead!

Saturday June 6th:  After a rather late night for some, folks did get up to get some line wet on Saturday morning. A quorum was established at the Res--although there was not much to cheer about. Around noon, folks started to gather at Rhino's (again) and it was time for the Mayor, who had stolen the plaque from Rhino's to re-hang it--with all the recent winners finally listed! Lewd had been MIA and it was later we discovered he could not handle the snoring in the trailer he had crashed in--and had left for Mammoth Lakes to get a hotel room? Huh? He did get back to Rhino's in time for Belmont--and quickly put together a pool (nine horses-$20 each-blind draw) and CR won $100 with Birdstone, Hands won $60 with Smarty Jones (there goes the Triple Crown) and OD won $20 with Roy Assault.
Later on, we headed back to camp for a cookout--40+ for Crab Legs (thanks Pat) Ahi Tuna (thanks Gordo) Leg of Lamb (thanks Slomax) BBQ Ribs (thanks 3D) and Tri Tip and Tenderloin of Pork, along