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Greenwater Gamble, Indie Series #8
22 July 2006
Report by: Charlie Bartlett
Greenwater is a SWEET place to ride a bike! leo, beware, there is a lot of "dirt" there,
not so much smooth pavement!
the race was great, hot, but we lucked out and had a lot of tree cover and it was overcast
for most of the time, so not crazy hot. i started the race strong, now that i finally know
who the fast guys are so i can try to keep them in sight. which, i was able to do until i
forgot a very important part of mtn biking, skinny trails often require you to ride with
your pedals level, or to stop pedaling momentarily to avoid having a pedal catch on some
protruding object.
i chose to be in the top 7 guys (which was a mix of 12-29 and 30-39, as we started together,
not even staggered a little). as i was riding along in the group of the leaders, i chose to
hit a large, protruding rock with my right pedal, which it turns out, was a lot bigger than
it seemed, like an iceberg hiding under the surface of the ocean, i whacked the top, it did
NOT move, i stopped and fell into the bushes and 2 guys went by me. i muttered some words
i have yet to teach louis, got up and tried to get back on the lead group, i soon took a
right turn a little too aggressively, washed out the front wheel and went down again, more
bushes. though, i will point out, i did not land on my head this time, though i did create
ample opportunities.
at that point, i lost track of the leaders, though i did pick up a couple guys later on the
climb. after that, no major mishaps, i felt good, a little slow/tentative on some of the
downhill section, maybe cuz i never frickin' practice that and i'm slow when it gets a
little too steep coming down! there were amazingly sharp and rather large rocks, about the
size of derik's head, randomly placed in the CENTER of a narrow, loose section of the
downhill just after you finished the climb on the fire road and crossed a stream. i know
you're not supposed to look at things like that or you'll hit them, i tested this theory
by looking at them a lot and then really trying not to and squeaking around them! as usual,
the bike didn't let me down, it is smooth downhill and eats up roots and rocks while somehow
still maintaining the ability to stop as i crank it around a hairpin and start cranking
down again. pretty sweet!
there was also a little something i may need to call "my kryptonite," SAND! WTF!?! where
did that come from? once you finish the downhill, there's some nice, fast stuff to cruise
thru as you make your way around to complete 1 lap, and suddenly, guh! sand! the front wheel
goes everywhere as i try to drop to a gear i can spin in and try to spin thru the mess. it
looks like they just dug a trench in the middle of some perfectly good dirt and filled it
with sand. and, as it hadn't rained since 1962, it was as if it had just been sifted, so
light, so airy, so like riding on tiny ball bearings! this all occurs as you are right next
to some beautiful river that is really hard to enjoy while using more non-louis language
trying to get thru sand! it's also a funny spot as it is a campground, and so there's
tents and rv's with people in lounge chairs, some not so skinny, looking at you with a
variety of expressions. some had words of encouragement, some just looked stunned.
post-sand, more rolling dirt, kicks you back out onto the gravel road that is where the
start/finish is, you barrel down that and go again. no brutal climbs, no impossible downhill.
overall, i'd say it's 2nd only to winthrop for the courses i ran this year!
another good day on a bike, but aren't they all? oh, i smiled a little, i think, but that's
cuz louis and deborah were in the woods shouting encouragement as i went by, which always
feels good!
Results:
Sport:
Charlie Bartlett 7th 30-39
Series Overall:
Charlie Bartlett 7th 30-39
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