How this all started…
If you Google the 2017 Mad Tea Party Jam, you’ll read about a norovirus-stricken music festival in the Appalachian foothills of Southern Pennsylvania. I attended this event expecting nothing more than a weekend filled with good jams and good vibes. For jam fans, the lineup was absolutely bonkers with multiple sets from Papadosio, Tauk (my personal favorite), Big Something, Spafford, Aqueous and more, including an early performance by Goose. Unfortunately, the venue’s water supply was contaminated, resulting in many of the festival goers and performers falling extremely ill. Thankfully, I consumed none of the tainted water and made it out unscathed. This snafu was the final nail in the coffin of an intimate and enjoyable local festival. While the festival’s conclusion was undoubtedly gloomy, that weekend proved life altering for me as I was introduced to the game of disc golf.
I went into the weekend knowing no one, but was graced with the dopest of camp neighbors—a couple named Tim and Leah. The two of them had the greatest vibes and Tim and I instantly connected. An old deadhead, he was an avid outdoorsman with an intrinsic connection to the Earth and Mother Nature. After a late-night Zeppelin tribute by E.L.M. and a few hours of sleep, I awoke that first morning to a hot breakfast and tea lovingly prepared by my new pals. As we sat around sharing war stories, Tim casually asked if I was interested in tossing around a frisbee. I happily obliged. Little did I know that ensuing frisbee sesh would soon turn into an obsession.
It’d been years since I had thrown a frisbee, but it was something I’d always enjoyed. As we tossed the disc back and forth, I could see Tim’s excitement growing and soon the two of us were giddy as schoolboys in a candy store. With each pass and catch, we stepped further apart and added a bit more zing to our tosses. Tim’s enthusiasm was endearing as he praised every impressive snag I made. An hour or two later, as the bands began to play in the background, we started to wrap things up when Tim remarked, “You’re pretty good at throwing a frisbee. You ever heard of disc golf?”
“No, not really,” I replied, to which he responded, “Well, when we get back to the real world, we’ll have to link up for a round.” I took him up on that offer shortly thereafter and for the first time since I had stopped playing baseball nearly 15 years before, I felt genuinely challenged by a sport again. It was me against the course. Walking through the woods of Woodsboro Disc Golf Course in central Maryland that day, something clicked. For the first time in a long time, I felt at home.