Ducktown

Back in Cleveland to another Trailhead bike co to fix loose crank arm. This time, Charles discovered that an extra spacer was installed which didn’t allow crank arm to sit deep enough on bottom bracket spindle. Build up was wrong & Competitive cyclist made it worse by totally reefing down on pinch bolts such that I stripped the allen head out. Drove to Trailhead where Charles drilled of the bolt head, removed the errant spacer, and replaced the pinch bolts.

Made Ocoee white water center yesterday afternoon and found Grace & her buddy Mike Pace. Grace has immersed me in her circle of friends. Went  for short ride but loose crank sent me packing. Too late to drive back into Cleveland.

Forecast was for severe\s thunderstorms last night. Didn’t happen, postpones to later today and they are moving in right now. Drive back to White water center for race conclusion.

Update: parked in parking lot in Cleveland writing this for internet access. Storm moved in and I shut down to drive back to race. On highway I saw several lightning bolts in almost complete constant striking a mtn top up canyon. Thinking about racers on FS roads. made the XG and parked on dam hoping for internet access, none but did receive XM. Watched racers riding in a heavy down pour & high winds spinning to finish of 65 mile race. saw Grace and Mike, both had on rain jackets which made them an exception to all racers. 62 degrees where I was, up higher the temp was a few degrees cooler.  Weather forecast was for severe T storms and hardly a racer wore a rain jacket. Burrr.

A while later Grace & Mike were driven back to XG. I joined them. Grace started pulling off her wet clothes but she was going hypodermic. I grabbed her and her dry clothes and put her in my warm van. Once in dry clothes her skin color turned pink although there were still mud splashes on her face. The racers were covered in mud from top to bottom front & back.

Rain was still coming down @ camp site making sheltered enclosed cover the place to be, I hosted 3 pople in my van.

Lonny is a friend of Grace & Mike from Huntsville, he raced the 100 miles & finished just under 12 hours. I went to bed but Mike (65 miler) & Lonny kept at it.

Rain created small lakes between our camps. Had to have been 2″ of rain fell.