Summer leagues anyone?

[Amyers]

I'm not going that far East. And Iceman is in Missouri, not Michigan. Similar...but very different.

I'm going to Iowa...an even worse version of Missouri or Michigan. Less lead in the water...which is good....less traffic. Less hippies. But, less degrees Farenheit, less bowling alleys, less palm trees, and less bikini clad women...which are all bummers.

And no more 6 hour trips to Vegas to listen to people talk about how they got to Vegas in 3 hours...when there's no way humanly possible you can make that drive from Orange County or LA County in 3 hours.

Why in the world would you consider moving from CA to Iowa? My god have you ever been to Iowa? This coming from a guy who lives in WV

[Mike White]

Why in the world would you consider moving from CA to Iowa? My god have you ever been to Iowa? This coming from a guy who lives in WV

He's hoping to find a bowling version of "Field of Dreams"

[Aslan]

California attracts the beautiful people, and the weirdos from other states.

Native Californians don't realize how weird they are. It's like the opposite of Texas. You go to Texas and everything thinks being a ultra-conservative redneck is normal....in California everyone thinks that the World is full of hippies. Turns out, if you've ever lived anywhere outside of Texas or California...they are both wrong.

Michigan let one of it's weirdos loose, and we're trying to send him back home.

Michigan had a bit of a "crisis" in 2008. The result of your entire State's economy being tied to ONE industry....and that industry being led by idiots...which ended with massive job losses and the near collapse of the automobile industry. So, I exited the State back then...actually went to Illinois. But, Illinois was not to my liking. A company in California was very interested in me moving out here...so I moved to California.

I have to say...California definitely has some nice parts to it in terms of climate and activities and it's a very beautiful State. Unfortunately, it's, as I said above, so insanely far to the "left" that it doesn't even realize it's own absurdity. And unfortunately, that absurdity has eventual consequences. And there lies the "problem" side of California. Liberal governor letting criminals out of prison (= crime rates going up), corrupt city councils and mayors and congressmen, etc.. Most people work for the government...people make 21% more in salary but pay 170% more in rent. There's many cities you can barely even go to (Venice, San Bernadino, etc..) because the crime is so bad. Homeless "camps" exist just about everywhere...because the government is so liberal they won't enforce any laws against the homeless unless the homeless are acting violently. Traffic and air quality are the worst in the country....although, side benefit...no bugs. The air is too polluted so you don't get a lot of insects...other than cockroaches. And you'd think California would have great schools given how much money they sink into them...but nope. Essentially 2-4 good areas for schools (Yorba Linda, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Huntington Beach) and even those districts have "bad" schools in one area or another. And, as you might expect, living in those 4 areas of Orange County is nearly impossible if you don't have $150,000K+ salary.

The percent of people living in California, who were actually born in California is getting smaller and smaller.

That's true. Most people I meet aren't originally from California. California is > 51% immigrant (Mexico, Asia pacific, Asian). Of the remaining minority...I'd say only 40% or so are actually born in California. People come out here once they have a skill or desirable experience to get a good job. You can't really afford to live in California if you're working in a lower level job. So, many people move for that reason...they can't afford to live here.

From OC do you go 57,210, 15. Or 91 15?

Usually I'm leaving from Santa Fe Springs/Whittier so it depends how the freeways look. If I leave from Orange County...I usually take the 57/210/15...for exactly the reason you stated. But when leaving from SFS/Whittier...I either chance it and take the 5/405/210/15 or I take surface streets to get to the 15....going through City of Industry/Ontario/etc... The problem is, there's no "good" time to go. I went after bowling at like 10:30PM once and ran into traffic on the I15 because late at night they close half of it down to do extensive road work. If you go during the day...there's traffic...if you go at night...there's traffic. Generally, it takes about 5.5 to 6.5 hours for me to get there or back...and once I'm in the desert past Barstow...I'm doing near 80mph.

91 - 15 uses up the first hour just getting thru Green River.

I used to live right off the Gypsum Canyon exit so I know the Green River pass all too well. That's the reason I didn't try to do a league at Chapparal300 or Brunswick Classic lanes. Both were closer to me (in terms of distance), but unless it was Sunday at 8:00AM...there's no way I'm getting there in under 2 hours. Same thing with poker. I used to go to Temecula for poker at least once a month for a tournament...sometimes every Sunday. No point to it anymore. Even on the weekends...getting to Temecula takes 3-4 hours because of the 91/I-15. And it takes the same amount of time to go in the back way through the canyon pass to Lake Elsinore.

Why in the world would you consider moving from CA to Iowa? My god have you ever been to Iowa? This coming from a guy who lives in WV

Well, my ex-wife couldn't find a job in her field in California...so she had to move to Iowa. That meant my daughter had to move to Iowa. That means I have to move to Iowa. That's how these things work. The alternative, was for the ex-wife to stay and make minimum wage...which means I'd owe her 35% of what I make...which means I would need to move outside the State to find a place I could afford to live...and thus, the same problem.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: Iowa has a lot of corn.

[fordman1]

I was just reading about an 85 year old man who averaged 222 and hit an 800 series. Are the lanes that easy in Cal. or is this gentleman that good? Let us know when you get to Iowa and have to bowl on different lanes.

[Mike White]

I was just reading about an 85 year old man who averaged 222 and hit an 800 series. Are the lanes that easy in Cal. or is this gentleman that good? Let us know when you get to Iowa and have to bowl on different lanes.

I didn't hear anything about him averaging 222, but based on his form, they ain't hard lanes.

Also easy lane conditions aren't limited to Cal.

http://fox40.com/2016/04/05/record-b...ar-old-bowler/

[foreverincamo]

Well, this thread went sideways in a hurry....

[Aslan]

It's almost impossible to say that one region or area is "easier" or "harder" than another area.

Everyone has different styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Sometimes you find a house you bowl well at and a house you bowl poorly at. Rarely is there one THS that is so much more challenging that everyone universally bowls better there.

I can't count how many times people claim the house they bowl at is harder than other houses. It's ridiculous. If it's a THS...it's a THS. Are there other factors that might make a house slightly more or less "hard"? Sure. And I'm sure lots of people can comment on what those are...but from my experience...

1) Age of the lanes. Lanes that are very new or very old...can affect (usually in a negative way) performance versus lanes that are "in the middle".

2) How well maintained the center is. This is purely for the sake of consistency...lanes that are managed well...that are maintained well...they will tend to be consistent from pair to pair, lane to lane, and night to night. Places that try to cut corners and oil sometimes but not all the time...sometimes before leagues...sometimes not...those are going to be very difficult to score well on...because you never know what you're going to get. Not to mention...many of us have bowled at places where the ball comes back looking like it's a Dalmation....because it picks up so much dirt and grime and belt material. Another sign that the house doesn't do a great job. And that carries over to the approaches...sometimes sticky, sometimes not. Or the pin setters...sometimes the 7-pin is in one spot...sometimes it's somewhere else.

But besides those two things...a THS is a THS. Some lanes I perform better on than others...because they fit my style. That being said....sometimes I play on lanes everyone is scoring like mad on...and I can't figure em out....different styles. If you have a low ball speed and fair amount of rpms...wood lanes and shorter patterns and very narrow patterns....you're gonna have problems. If you throw a speedy shot...high mph...low revs...longer, wider, more volume THS shots are going to challenge you.

Mike wasn't the only guy that complained about the wood lanes I used to bowl on. There was this older bowler I met there...he was cussing up a storm...because he couldn't get near the pocket. Why? Low speed, heavy oil ball, moderate RPMs. You need more speed on beat up wood lanes. The AMF center...which drastically raised my stinking average...my old teammate....old 70s year old veteran...complained CONSTANTLY that he couldn't bowl there. Everyone else LOVED those lanes....8 300-games....a couple 800 series each season...they LOVED em! But not him. He threw the ball 8mph...and insisted on throwing a Guru or something like that. He missed left every time.

How good of a bowler you are is how versatile you can be. Anybody, even me, anybody can find a house and bowl there for 17 years and eventually figure out the lanes and throw a perfect game. It's just staying healthy long enough to do it. But very, very few....even good or above average house bowlers...can go to different houses and perform well. That's why there's so little interest in travel leagues and sport leagues and tournaments. Bowlers have insanely horrible egos...that are as fragile as a Faberge egg. They go to a tournament, with their 189 average...and can't hit a 500 series...and that's the last time they make that mistake. Back to their cozy confines...back to their high 5s and a** slapping for getting 200 games.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: I like that balloons can be all different colors.

[Stormed1]

I am doing a short have-az-ball league zandc one of 2 sport shot leagues (whih one depends on if my son can switch his day off)

[Blomer]

Went to practice at a different house and signed up for a summer league. Just a fun league to stay on track for fall. No $, no prizes, just fun!

[jab5325]

I was just reading about an 85 year old man who averaged 222 and hit an 800 series. Are the lanes that easy in Cal. or is this gentleman that good? Let us know when you get to Iowa and have to bowl on different lanes.

I bowl with an elderly guy who averages 215-220, and is good on any lane/condition.