Re: [RC] Missed the Hallelujah ride - steelsidedown
Lucie and crew once again put on an excellent ride! Awesome organization,
planning, trail markings, food, and oodles of safety folks on trail -- a recipe
for a perfect weekend for all! The southern hospitality was out of this world --
there were SMILING faces and congrats from the volunteers at 3:23am when we
finished! What a crew!
SC has not received any rain in the last month, the trails are usually a bit
dusty, but WOW it was dusty. We found a happy niche about 20 mins behind the
last of the front runners (LOL, about 20 of them!) where their dust had settled
and we could easily see the trail and breathe. Tee hee, we quickly realized when
we got too fast, or someone ahead slowed up -- the dust returned!
Unbelievably, their were 4-5 natural water sources on the longer loop, with
COLD running water -- exactly what we needed! Lucie's crew put water out (and
refilled many, many, times I'm sure) in the middle of the short loop for us. All
we had to think about was staying awake and keeping up the pace!
<whine alert> OK, 50s are easy, I've done it a zillion times, no
worries, no biggie -- right? So what is it about 2am that makes your body think
50 is an impossible feat? Oh and your mind goes to playing tricks about that
point too.... That loose sand in the middle of nowhere looked like a comfy place
to nap! (oh, get real, have you ever laid down in the sand at the beach?) I
finished totally exhausted, hoping I'd survive the mediocre walk back to the
trailer, but in as good a shape as I always am, no skin missing, no soreness,
really nothing to complain about. That is so weird! Was I the only one? Anyone
have any ideas on how to combat this?
Of course, the spryness of my evil little pony just further insulted me! In
the end, it truly was his completion, he drug my
too-exhausted-to-argue-with-his-pace self about 20 miles. (Yes, he is still
receiving a much deserved alfalfa and apple buffet!)
Whining aside, its absolutely awesome to ride at night! Quiet, calm,
peaceful, cool air, and no blazing sun. I rode most of the time with my headlamp
on, bats were buzzing me for a easy meal. Deer sleeping on or beside the trail
were sighted often. And whatever that creature was that got into the stream with
us ... well lets just hope it really was a deer. (at 2am you lie to yourself
just a tad ;-) It really is magical, something everyone *must* do!
Huge THANKS to the volunteers and vets ... I know there were more riders
behind us ... and those poor folks were up many more hours ... I don't know how
they did it! And thanks again Lucie, for another exceptional endurance
experience!
Saw some of you folks who attended the ride
heading home down Hwy 521 toward Sumter this morning while driving back from
the track. Wasn't able to attend to race this weekend due to studies for
an exam coming up (for my job) and my own fitness test (military)... riding
messes with my ability to run, so I'm having to stay on my feet and out of the
saddle till after my test in early June. Gotta continue to carry the
torch as my squadron's fastest runner. :-)
