Over the Line

Snow is on the way again, so it's time to think about how we're going to get our exercise in. We have a Wii (see picture), and we both love the bowling. But we might need to think about getting out and cracking some real pins soon. Anyone up for it?

I grew up knowing only one kind of bowling: Good Ol' Ten Pin. Like the local skating rink (SkateLand? Is that right, Miltonites?), the bowling lanes reminded me that I was not built for success on wheels or with a thirteen-pound mass in hand (or any combination of the two).

Our local bowling alley in Concord, however, does things a little differently. When you walk in, the place looks and sounds like a bowling alley. There is red carpet all over the walls with fuzzier, yellow carpet spelling out "BOUTWELL LANES." And you will hear bowling balls hitting the floor and pins cracking into one another. It's great. What makes it even better is that they practice candlepin bowling at Boutwell's. The bowling balls are about the size of a softball, and the pins are straight and without a curvy figure. It's very difficult to get a strike, so you get three rolls per frame. The best part is that your arm will still work after you go and play.

I know that I comment on bathrooms a lot (probably too much), but Boutwell's has an interesting set-up for their water closet. Out in the lanes, the device that clears and sets the pins is not automatic; you must hit the reset button after each frame. When you go in the bathroom, however, don't expect to touch anything. It's technology at its best: no-touch flush, hand-wave soap and rinse. I truly believe they've put the technology in the right place and kept the old-school charm in their lanes.