Still in dalton, ga No internet access out in forest, stayed @ same point. Nights getting warmer, no heater.
Bfast. Plan is to drive to start of Snake Gap, ride it, get a shower, & join festivities @ Trade center at race start.
Found TH, parked @ the old 4 car TH lot. Couldn’t believe how all the racers could possibly start from here. Short way in a fallen tree blocked the trail. Whow, need to be cleared b4 race. Short ways on @ intersection the real trail picked up. Lots of climbing and some seep creek crossings, not much technical but enjoyable. 2 riders approached, 1 was celebrating his 40th bday. Route was marked for the race as I hoped so I just followed arrows instead of trying to understand a small b & w photo copy. About 14 miles of ST.
Dropped onto rt `136 & pedaled 10 miles on secondary roads, got to see rural life as they practice it. Lots of old w/ some garish big mc mansions.
Found van. Getting ready to leave and 3 riders were gearing up. They were connected to club, several were fulfilling a race role tomorrow.
The new chain & cluster didn’t play well w/ my chain rings that are worn, needing replacing. Didn’t pay attention. Drive to Bear Creek but no rings. Shane ordered them for maybe Tues. People hanging out in store, lively people. Shane has a 3 person couch, 2 stuffed chairs, & coffee table w/ mags. Place to hang comfortably. Tracy & Jeff are to be sweepers for the first section. I asked in general about shine and I was told that new shipment just arrived and maybe it would be @ race.
Putzed around in shop. Worked on bike. Shane knows the owner of a nearby health club where I was hoping to score a shower. Drove out, owner was not present to leverage Shanes school buddy relationship. Woman sstaff person couldn’t get her mind around my wanting to buy a shower. She said showers are only for members. I asked how much a day membership was, she said $8.00. I gave her $10. She started doing something on her computer and she said, go ahead and take one for free. I did tell her about my odessey. Another staff person was at the counter listening which was propitious but I did not know it.
Stopped @ Krogers for 1 person salad & drove up to Trade Center for pre race party. Short story, met and conversed w/ maybe 20 people, introductions all round, sharing of info. I told my story to the campfire amid some prolific imbibing. Parked right @ edge of mix. Hit bed @ 11:00 w/ music played loudly. @ 12:00 it turned off. (Big right leg hamstring cramp). decided before falling to sleep that i will sweep the entire course instead of the second part, Snake gap to Dug Gap, the real technical section. realized that a potential calling is riding sweep @ races.
Up @ 7:00 & already people were getting race ready. Last night I met Bruce who calls mtn bike races. He knows Bruce from Pisgah Works. He used the PA to tell about me.
All bikes were loaded into trailers grouped by 34 or 17 mile race. The Turner was nestled among all the bikes w/ numbers on them.
Tracy, Jeff, Jubal, & myself were the sweepers for the first section where they would bail, leaving me to continue. Just after the start a racer tore a sidewall so we watched & waited for a good sportsman racer was helping stuff in a boot in the tire. racer was overweight and riding the long course which meant that I could keep up w/ him and the other sweepers would not have to sweep me but he dropped out @ Snake Gap @ start of 2nd section, start of the shorter 17 mile course. Our only problem was with Jubal’s hod podge drive train. His derailleur hanger separated rendering his shifting a single speed just to get out. Tracy was the wrench behind the fix. I saved the day when in my micro tool bag I had a Shimano chain pin. He was going to be pushing the hills. Shortly after he bent his chain ring rendering his bike unpedalable, he hiked it to road crossing about 1.4 miles away.
Jubal’s gone and Tracy gets into it. Jeff is just behind him & I puffed behind. Jeff & Tracy are maybe in their e 40s. We stop several times to blow. Up down, flat, finally the big swooping drop to road.
Jeff & Tracy leave me w/ Carl, 25 yo riding a big hit bike as my sweeper companion. Last rider went by about 20 minutes we were told. No starts the more technical section. I was hoping I could ride stuff a second time and make the places I walked previously. Not so. Early on my quads were starting to tell me I should have rested yesterday. My legs are getting edgey early on, Snake gap is not where I wanted to cramp up. Carl could ride faster downhill and I climbed a bit stronger until my legs started sending cramp warnings and I backed off. My stomach was queasy also. I carried 100 ozs in big camelback & h2o bottle w/ electrolytes, plus pill form electrolytes and cold scratch made pancakes. Didn’t run out of h2o or food but shallowest hill and some of the tricky rock gardens I walked that I rode previously. I was cooked but kept spinning the pedals & walking. We were on the course all by ourselves. We hit the road downhill and just let gravity pull us downward w/ braking moderation for sanity. Hit pavement steep downhill to trade center and really flew tucked & drifting lines. We were the last to cross and by now awards etc have been handed out.
I park my bike and gear @ van, see Beth, who won her class, and asked about beer. She said that the Pisgah crew had some @ the car @ far end of parking lot. I start walking w/ her and I say something about looking for moonshine. A guy hears me and tells me that he has some branch water. Oh, another word for ‘shine. He poured several good glugs in a used cup. he poured from a plastic h2o jug that I was told was no good as the shine leaches chemicals from plastic. He said it was OK and the shine was first rate. So I have my lips ove a paper cup sipping shine rehabilitating myself post race. The Pisgah crew, Bruce, Justin, & Beth are heading up to Chattanooga for Cougar activity. Bid them adieu.
Walked back across parking lot and was greeted w/ a mason jar of shine w/ a peach slice in it. Wow, was it smooth & tasty; peach flavored. I was given the bottom of the bottle. Serve it cold & it is divine. Tomorrow’s treat.
I am just beat, ride was 31.57 miles, 5526’ vert in riding time of 4 hours 35 mins w/ average heart rate of 132, burned 3350 cals.
Back out to health club hoping for a shower. Young woman from last night was on duty and she said go ahead for shower w/ no charge. Great. I am having problems standing straight up from fatigue. Shower helped straighten me up.
Drove back to Bear Creek Bicycles to sleep @ the store. Temp is 76 degrees & no shade. Shane’s truck is out back after closing hours. I’m fixing dinner and he exits back door & visits for awhile. I really wasn’t hungry and burritos a la Craig were the most tasty thing on menu.
Last night I was introduced to Gracie who lives near Monte Santo, my stop in AL. She said lets ride. Interesting story, hers. She has MS but w/ diet, exercise ( sponsored bike racer by drug company), medicine she has it @ bay. And she turned 48 today. Met other people for Monte Santo also.
Connected w/ some other people I met in past days.
SORBA people know about me.
I’m tired. I have ride offers back @ Bear Creek and how I feel in AM will be key.
daylight savings starts tonight.
Need to get 2nd battery installed, computer just sucks juice.