jnw@uvacs.UUCP (07/20/83)
JOE BIKE's quick releases V1#2
JOE BIKE goes to GEAR South - Part II.
Recounting events taking place in Athens Georgia at the Great
EAstern Rally South.
After the Killer Bikes Debacle, I decided it would be best to get a
bit of breakfast before the Madison Meander (metric century - 100 kilometers
for you wooters out there), so I went back to the dormitory to get my meal
ticket. The place was quite a sight. Bikies high and low. Bikes in the
elevator, bikes in the bathrooms, people click-clicking down the hall.
Anyway, I finally made my way to the start of the Madison Meander.
The Meander was some ride. It was led by Doug Arnold, past SBL
president and great fan of Lake Wobegon. Madison is just about the only
town of any size between Atlanta and the Atlantic that Sherman didn't
destroy. Word has it that not only did a minister visit Sherman with a
plea for mercy for this small town which was just getting started, but a
boyhood friend of Sherman lived in the town as well. Only a supply depot
was burned, so there are many fine examples of antebellam architecture in
this city.
I left with the fast group on this ride. One of our number was a
guy (sorry but I forget his name) who participated in the Paris-Brest-Paris
last year and finished (that's good enough in itself) somewhere around third
if I don't have my facts screwed all to bits. This guy was riding on a
Powercam (T) equipped bike and never got out of his big chain ring. He
pushed up hill in gears bigger than I have anywhere on my bike. We were
flying along somewhere around 22 mph for the first 15 miles. I finally
dropped off the back of this group fearing that I wouldn't make it back home
if I kept up the pace.
I gabbed with a number of bikies on a century following the same
route through Madison. They had left 1/2 hour earlier and and some were
lolly-gaggin' around so I had plenty of people to catch on the way to
Madison. Lunch was at a small park in Madison. This park was a little too
close to humanity to create new restroom facilities or even kindly water
their plants, so I had to stop at a gas station.
I left Madison with Mary Rice (who had advised the food services
people on what to provide - the box lunch each day had its share of bananas
and PBJ sandwiches), and a guy from NJ (don't recall his name). We
discussed all manner of things on our way back. The heat was just starting
to get up in the high nineties for the first time this summer, and we were
takin' it kind of easy. We found a great place for a shower on the way
back though -- a huge crop sprinkler was spraying part of the road. We took
three rounds before deciding we were wet enough. Just as we got to town,
Dan Henry (Iron Man Dan, old man of cycling) motored by with three others who
were riding the century with him. "On your left," and then they were gone.
Boy, I felt kinda wimpified.
That night the SBL put on quite a bash with the Greater Atlanta
Bluegrass Band and all the Lowenbrau you could handle. The party lasted
well into the night and when it was over, the SBL moved their party up
to the lounge on our floor. Rumor is that Scott Wilson, president of the
SBL, invoked his powers to provide a marriage license good for the duration
of GEAR to one couple.
The next morning saw a Time Trial with the winner receiving an LAW
member jersey. This reporter was unable to participate due to the fact
that he volunteered to handle timing the start, and also that the guy who
was obviously going to win was a monster. His time was a good three
minutes better than the second place time. One of the contenders looked
good at the start. He had a CIOCC bike and was wearing a bib lycra suit.
As he got to the first turn though, he was covered in sweat. The marshals
yelled "TURN LEFT!" but the guy just coasted to a stop and hung over the
bars panting. They looked on in amazement as the guy finally caught his
breath, gasped out "Staph infection!" and slowly rode on.
At this point, GEAR South was winding down. Doug Arnold was trying
to hawk water bottles and shirts, people were packing up and everyone was
leaving after a fashionably fantastic time. Scott and I went to check on
the PJ Haley's ride in Atlanta as soon as we got back to the Big Peach.
This ride is named for the drinking establishment from which it departs.
Charlie Patterson was to lead the ride. Charlie P, Bill Ramsey, Scott and
I, and one young kid (soon to be a beer slinging bikey no doubt) were the
only shows for this ride. We decided to bag it because of a rainstorm, and
went inside to hear great tales of Dan Henry (who stayed at Charlie's
house) and of Charlie's Vasectomy. Where else but with the SBL?
JOE BIKE
Charlottesville, Virginia
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