March 06, 2006

Rock the house with a rock in the house

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — After watching the Winter Olympics, Marnie & I were curious about the sport of curling. Thus, we decided to spend Saturday at the Chicago Curling Club and visit the American Museum of Curling History.

We learned enough to describe what I'm doing in the picture at left:

As the skip, I'm attempting a draw shot in order to deliver the rock down the sheet to the center of the house to start the end.

8 comments:

SAL said...

if you didn't get me a magnet at the Curling Museum I may never speak to you again. That is SO FREAKING COOL!

Mike B. said...

Your technique needs work. Way to far off the ice. Gotta crouch down really low; holiding broom non-stone hand is optional. You should join the DC curling team.

dl004d said...

Yeah, there was a guy there who had good form. Here's what it looked like.

Mike B. said...

Which reminds me. I forgot to ask, how hard are they pushing off those starting block things? It was hard to tell during the Olympics. Sometimes they just magically floated forward.

dl004d said...

They push off pretty hard, I guess. I dunno. Balancing on one leg as they glide across the pebbled ice (they keep the ice bumpy with these little ice pebbles, which is what the people are trying to sweep away during the throw) is pretty hard.

Josh said...

I thought they were sweeping to melt the ice to keep the rock moving, via friction. Was I wrong?

dl004d said...

When you deliver the rock, it has a tendency to curl (hence the name of the sport). Sweeping the ice in front of the rock does two things: it makes the delivery straighter and makes the rock maintain its speed by removing friction.

Josh said...

I think one should only have magnets from the places that one visited oneself. Not that I'm talking about anyone in particular here.