So much has happened since I arrived in Augusta such that I have prolly lost chronological order. Met new people, remet several people I met along my travels, rode FATS 3x & going back for the fourth. I plan on updating this posting to recapture what i remember.
Today is a work day for all the others, or at least I have controlled the distractions to my time to catch up. Did some grocery shopping and doing my wash here in I think of Evans, GA Going back to FATS for a solo ride to learn navigation and ride all 4 loops turning right @ each intersection.
Wed afternoon arrived in Augusta in heat & dripping humidity. Host site is Marriot right on Savavnah river bank. parked in lot beside a Sprotsmobile Sprinter conversion. Later learned it is owned by Nat & Rachael Lopes who were part of IMBA trail crew care crew that shared their expertise in Spokane back when I was active w/ bike club. Up @ registration I was mingling w/ all these mtrs & government officials. Suddenly i was smoothered in a warm hug by Liz Victor, Bill’s wife. Warm greeting. Made eye contact w/ a guy that I couldn’t place and he likewise. he stuck out his stare and asked me if I was the guy in the mag article that he read about on his plane flight. I said Yes. We intorducded ourselves. Liz came back and started taling to both of us as if she knew the other guy. She realized that I did not know that Tony, the new guy, is a friend of theirs and will be staying @ their house along w/ me. Stellar. Tony has a trail building company in Salida, CO. I told him I had ben there. i asked him if he knew Mark & Brenda. He said Mark is his webmaster as Mark is to me.
Chatted w/ Tim from Huntsville, AL who is responsible for trails at Monte Sano. Rick Moon from Dalton and the Rickettes. Rob from Ocola, FL is a friend of Bill’s. I rode w/ him @ Santos. Lunch was provided. One day i picked an empty seat at a table, sat down and stuck out my shaking hand to the guy on my left and introduced myself as if I were attending an AA meeting. Turned out he is Lou, editor of MountainBiking mag, next to him was Joe, owner of BikeMag, and to the right 2 people away was Maurice owner of DirtRag.
Night life on downtown mainstreets
Finishing laundry, drive back to FATS talk to Grace via cell phone. More later.
Monday:
Rode FATS. Bill told me that if I left the parking lot and turned right @ each intersection i would make my way back to aprking lot. That was my ride today: 2440 miles in 2 hrs 30 mins of good pedaling, 2050′ climbed in flat South Carolina and burned 3729 cals. Encountered 1 rider in almost a head on crash. Trail is closed if potential of too wet for good stewardship. Wet trails when ridden on mars the trail. This trail is so smooth. FATS is in my love affair.
Shared fresh strawberries & whipped cream w/ Bill & family. Spent night in driveway. Hard to leave great people I have met along the way.