Not sure if I'll (pardon the pun) follow through on this, but I'm creating this thread as a 'diary' of sort on my re-entry into bowling. Feel free to comment, or add your own experiences.

Bowled Sunday. Had to quit in the 8th frame of the first game when my knee gave out. This was actually a good thing, as now I have limits, and I know how my body will respond when I exceed those limits. My own fault, really, as I didn't medicate myself and use my knee brace. But the next day, no pain from the knee.

But otherwise, I was hot. Marked the first four frames, which I haven't stringed together that many marks. I was adjusting for ball speed, adjusting my timing, and reading the lanes pretty good. Not bad, since my experience at reading lanes when the oil was 10 feet shorter. What a difference that 10 pins makes.

I was also able to bowl without bumpers. (my kids usually bowl on the same lane, they need them.) not fond of that, as I like bowling in the 4 to 7 board range, outside the oil. With bumpers, I have to move inside and play 10 to 15, don't like that. I think the hardest part of my reentry is not going to be learning about the new balls, or new oil patterns, but getting out of this 'rut' on having to shoot 5 to 7. I see a lot of bowlers shooting inside more, and with the reactive balls you can do this more. I'm definately going reactive here, it's just a matter of when.

Need to get my endurance up, too. I haven't bowled more than two games in twelve years. Given that I've added a lot more weight and that I don't excercise the way I used to, this could be a problem. I had planned to bowl two times a week, but now that looks like it won't work out. Well, I'll figure something out.