This is Gary.
Gary has been a race official for decades.
Gary has been a workhorse for cycling and racing.
We need to remember folks like him who are giving so much.
He has pretty children too.
Jane likes to work out all week, race with women half her age on Saturday,
and climb 12,000 ft. in a century on Sunday.
We would blow the century off though because of bad weather predictions.
We decided to race Walnut Grove the next day.
The twins, Arthur and Andrew have worked on many races and centuries for years.
Where would we be without rescue workers? These folks train and respond all the time.
Sterling is from VA, living in Charleston and working at The Bicycle Shoppe in Charleston.
Sterling was at the front here and the next day at Walnut Grove.
Here at the Donaldson Center Sterling finishes third, I believe.
I left these blurred pics in. They show the rain a bit.
Can you find Waldo?
Here I'm talking to longtime racer and friend Arthur Reeves.
I rode the 7 mile course beforehand for a long warm-up, which I need.
I rode the course to re-familiarize myself with a course I hadn't seen in over a decade.
I was racing with the Category 2 and 3 racers who have been real winners in this sport.
Now they've just aged a little. I'd be riding with guys who were 35 to 45 and 45 and up.
I'm 58. I can't hang long with these guys. I'll try it anyway.
My mind tells me I can do things. I get over confident sometimes.
Perhaps I shouldn't have ridden the Kane so hard on the test drive on Wonders Way on Thursday.
My legs weren't quite right. I didn't feel really well.
In order for me to even pretend to stay with these guys the stars have to be aligned.
I made the first lap and on the second in a curve I felt my rear end "washout".
Quickly, it happened again. Then some rough pavement felt as though I was riding on the rim.
I was sure I had flatted. I let a few guys go by me and I stopped.
It wasn't flat at all. I felt a little disenchanted.
Maybe this is for the best. We're doing a century tomorrow, I thought.
Of course we called the century off because of bad weather predictions.
We would race at Walnut Grove where the weather is better.
I suppose the wet pavement, 120 psi,tire pressure, a little oil(?), and some wind?
So I rode about 20 for the day (1 race lap, 1 warm-up lap, maybe a few to 6 more miles).
Long time wonderful friend Adam.
We find a coffee shop after some Mexican food.
Sunrift Adventures is a couple doors down.
Jane finds the $11 helmet she always wanted.
