The Scot Tour players had an official reunification event
July 21 to July 24th at Manitowish Waters Wisconsin. The organizers were Rich Lepping, Dan Brunt,
and Russ Brown. Eighteen of our Twenty
were expected but we ended up with just sixteen of twenty. Missing were Dan Deldolph and Dave Peck. Late scratches were Bob Dixon with family
illness and Bob Chandler with an unexpected conflict.
Beth Lepping has a great comfortable “Northwood’s Cabin” on
Spyder Lake. By 4 PM on Sunday her co-host
Rich had early arrivals, cocktails in hand, surveying the Lake in his pontoon
boat. This tourist waited at their dock sitting in an Adirondack chair,
cocktail in hand, and enjoyed listening
to Beth narrate the description and history of this 1930’s lakefront property
now owned by the Lapping’s. It is log constructed
with 5 bedrooms, a large gathering room with a stone fireplace and anchored
with a large screened porch looking out over a long point to the Lake which is part of a chain of nine
lakes, full of fish and the wooded shoreline is home to wildlife including
loons, eagles, deer and ,yes, black bear.
The home is well decorated with animal skins and artifacts of the region
including a birch bark canoe in the porches rafters.
The fun started on the porch with all guests seated around
it. There was plenty of laughter and
banter. Many of us had seen each other
over the last few years, but this was the first group reunion. As one of our songs says, we are from coast
to coast. Those attending were Russ
Lemke, Herb Kolchak, Carl Thomas, Dick Macartney, Russ Brown, Paul Badgero,
Russ Armstrong, Mark Swandby, Dave Carlson, Dennis Jorgesen, Jon Mlelke, Chris
Sjue, James Pleasants, Bill Rhyme, Dan Brunt, and Rich Lepping.
Some of us did not arrive until Monday, and after a Swedish
Breakfast of pancakes and sausage donated and prepare by Dennis it was time for
some activities, but before we started we donned the souvenir t-shirt sporting
picture of our mascots and saying “El Tora Reunites, Scot Tour 2012 Manitowish
Waters.
El Toro was there looking none the worse for seven years of vacation. Wisconsin fishing license in hand several
were anxious for Captain Brunt to get us out on the water. Dan said he would go put his shoes on but
disappeared. Seems he did not want to go
until Russ Brown arrived. About 12:30
Russ drove in.
He had been curling Sunday in the new Windy City curling
club and he was accompanied by two well developed athletes in red shirts. Assuming they might be teammates of Russ I
asked the first wearing sunglasses “who are you”? Much to my chagrin the man pointed to his
shirt with the name Hugh Templeton, and the other man was Robert Stewart,
our two Scottish Couriers…..a nice surprise and made the group extremely
happy and excited , we were nearly complete, now 18 strong.
Then there was fishing and corn hole and liars dice, but
mostly there was talk and laughter and joy.
That night we had steaks, and there was plenty of whiskey and beer and
snacks. On Tuesday morning there was
early tee times and in the late afternoon shooting at the gun club. At 6:30PM the
two pontoon took us on cocktail cruise to the La Bohemia on Star Lake, where
our group of twenty “made friends” with other patrons who “enjoyed” our singing
of tour songs. After finishing the
brandy alexanders and after other guests had vacated we were ushered upstairs
to see the Dillinger museum five rooms preserved as in 1934 when FBI agents
surrounded the criminal and a shoot-out ensued, bullet holes are still
preserved and mounted newspaper accounts
attest to the authenticity. A boat ride
under beautiful stars back the condos completed a perfect day and for some, the
end of a great couple of days.
Breakfast at 8 AM at Tomahawk
Pines, the Lapping’s cabin, was the time of good byes as several had flights
and others miles to drive. Hugh and
Robert rode back with Beth and Rich to be entertained at the Wednesday Concert
in Madison. The memories of this
reunification will remain as strong as those of the 2012 tour and are an
important chapter for the unique bond among the team. And there is talk of another and soon!
