Training Day 101

First rule, toughen up boys and girls if you want to be part of this team. It was the first official non official AWI racing team training camp. Most members were in attendance, the ones who didn't will need to bring a note from their Mom's explaining why they didn't show. Conditions were, ummmmm, questionable. The promises by the weather networks and continued checks of the radar gave us just a slim hope of a warm and dry ride. They were wrong. The start time was pushed back, more coffee was drank, more stories were told. The cut off time was 11:30, at 11:22 we were heading for our bikes.

The first hour of the ride things were pretty good, groups were spread out a little with random regrouping sections. The rain was just a light mist, the wind was to our backs, things were rainbows and butterflies. As we got closer and closer to the mid way point or what is better know as the Big Chute things began to change, unfortunately not to the better. There will be no rainbow and butterflies on this day. There was no sight seeing done today, no craving to climb the observation tower, no walking down to lower platforms. We blasted right through the Chute and only a few minutes the air got a little lighter, this happened to be followed by the earth shaking. The twins on what could only be called a rolling lightning rod were off like a scared deer. This may have been for our benefit since lighting has a tendency to hit the tallest and easiest target, two tall men on a tandem please.

I pulled the daily duty of group cleaning up and got everyone back together then proceed to pace line for a good chunk of the remaining ride. There were two reasons for this, First off, many horrific newspaper headings began going through my mind. There were probably more than one car going by looking at us in a strange manner. The other and probably the more important reason, Jacob and Tristan were racing towards the house where there was mass amounts of food. If we were to far behind it could possibly be gone by the time we rolled into the driveway.

What is normally one of the most scenic rides around turned into survival camp 101. Everyone was cold, soaked to the bone and starving. I had flashback to a race not all that long ago were I felt like this. The kms disappeared and the hopes and spirits began to rise as the house came closer and closer. T and J did do the smart thing and made the attempt to come back by car as rescue vehicles, unfortunately they were only 5 minutes from the house when we met them. Success. Just shy of 3 hours in crazy conditions, the fireplace became the most popular spot in my house. The living room was pushing upper 80's but nobody complained. The reward of the day was the best late afternoon breakfast any of us have ever had.

Stories were told, beer was drank, the rain stopped a few moments after we were home and never returned. If we can get through a day like that,l the rest of the season will be a breeze. A good weekend in all, back to hard training Tuesday.