Outdoor Retailer Day 2 Report: ‘Mark that Frame an Eight, and You’re Entering a World of Pain’

We almost won it all.

Two Lights Consulting organized Team Trail Masons for this year’s annual Outdoor Retailer Bowl-aRama, a fudraiser for the Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition hosted by ExOfficio and Manzella.

This year’s bowling theme was cult-classic movie The Big Lebowski.

ExOfficio and Manzella served up White Russians in commemorative Big Lebowski shot glasses. Nice!

Team Trail Masons was named after the Trail Masons Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to building and maintaining sustainable trail systems for non-motorized activities like trail running and biking.  Our team boasted four Minnesota natives: April Femrite of Naturally Bamboo apparel, Leif Ahlgren of Backcountry.com, a fellow PR colleague, Micheal Oldenburg, and me.

We placed first in the first round, beating approximately 20 other four-person teams comprised of outdoor industry professionals.  Four teams, including the Trail Masons, advanced to the final round.

Despite some “smack” during the previous week from OutsidePR & Sportsmarketing’s Kelly Blake,  she and her teammates failed to make the finals.  (Boo yah!)

My teammates rose to the occasion in the finals.  Ahlgren and Femrite were methodical.  Oldenberg, a.k.a., The Wrecking Ball, threw a ridiculous 145 in the final ten frames.  Unfortunately, I crumbled and practically bowled my age.

No matter: There was no stopping Team Writers On Strike, a bowling juggernaut comprised of runner-writers Bryon Powell (iRunFar.com), Adam Chase (Running Times) Garett Graub (Boa Technology and former editor at Trail Runner Magazine), and Allison Pattillo (iRunFar.com).  They slaughtered the pins.  They had their own customized bowling shirts. We had no chance.

Team Writers On Strike resplendent in red technical bowling jerseys strike a pose after winning the OR Bowl-a-Rama hosted by ExOfficio and Manzella.

Congrats Team Writers on Strike.  Thanks to ExOfficio and Manzella for a fun event.  See you all on the trade show floor tomorrow morning.