Castlewood 2, Boz 0

Sunday marked my return to the 'wood for a few hard race laps and a strong desire to even the score. As you recall, Grotpeter knocked me out 2/3rd's of the way through last weekends race. I needed to put in 2 hours of hard hill efforts and after a 30 minute warm-up, that's exactly what I intended to do. Unfortunately, the 'wood had other plans for me.

The river trails are worthless right now. I didn't know that and cluelessly headed down to find repeated sections of either mud, water, or large sections of fallen treelimbs and many cases large fallen trees. After hiking the bike in several sections, I made a beeline back to the front of the park and some race loop laps. However, by this time my bike was considerably caked with mud. (Sorry GORC-sters, but trust me on this you have fewer issues to deal with than my muddy groves in already decimated trails.)

I began the loops on the painful Lone Wolf climb, my Garmin was registering 22% gradient on that beast, but I wasn't buying into the pain. I kept the cadence strong and the power on until the chainsuck started. At all of the right places, I would have to come out of the gas, backpedal, and restart the spinning. Happened 4-5 times until just before reaching the castle and bang, the chain breaks. Luckily, it was the Connex quick link which separated and after working with it for what seemed like 10-15 minutes, I got it to re-connect and I rolled down towards the parking lot. Being slightly angry, I was hammering the downhill and entering the small hairpin ditch crossing (the one armored with rocks that you cross when coming off the downhill of LW) I pressed a bad line and paid dearly. The result was an ejection seat like dismount over the handlebars. The kind where you get propelled over the bars but have enough time to attempt to jump from the bike as a rodeo cowboy leaves a buckin' bronco. The damage? A rather large bruise on the front of my right shin.

Mumbling under my breath, I rolled back to the truck to cleaned the chain as best I could and apply some White Lightning lube to help coax the chain into another hour or so of riding. The chain seemed fine as I rolled up Love trail passing several riders moseying along. The park was packed with picnics, hikers, and bikers. As I passed several riders of all levels at what seemed like a breakneck speed, I wondered if this is how the race felt for Matt Keevan last weekend? The upper trails were in remarkably fast shape and I was hammering along grinning like Dwayne G. Dropping out of the upper waterbars I muttered a few words that had something to do with renovation plans for said area that included a pickaxe and shovel. (See prior post for reason why.)

On the second lap, more of the same. However, this time just as I reached the connector turn-off to head to roller coaster I heard the screech of car tires, a very loud boom, and then a car horn blaring non-stop. Immediately sensing this was a car wreck I turn and start pedaling for Ries road to see if I could help. As I pedal I'm thinking I'm not a doctor, I don't have any medical experience, and I nearly faint at the sight of someone getting a shot. Yeah, I'll be helpful.

I pop out onto the road and sure enough it's a head-on collision. The occupants are standing outside of their cars, airbags are all out, and one driver has bloody hands. As I ask if everyone is okay, they all respond 'yes'(thank God.) As I continue to ask them if they are okay they keep saying something about the other driver. I look back at the cars and don't see another person in or near the cars. Then they say the other driver took off running. Now I'm trying to decide if I need to ride after the runaway driver. After confirming they were okay (they were talking with family and friends on their cell phones) I decide to go get the park ranger. About this time the other driver (shirtless and looking rather angry) comes walking back up the hill. I turn around and see the park ranger coming and ride up to point out the runaway driver to him and explain what the people told me. He shifts into serious mode, cuffs the driver, and proceeds to get the situation under control.

I get back to my riding, say a prayer for the people involved in the crash, and attack roller coaster one last time. I pour out everything I have into the trail and scoot on down to the truck. I'm thankful for the day, but feel the 'wood took another bite out of me. I'm keeping score and I'll be back. The ride wasn't a complete waste of time and I got in some hard efforts. My legs are feeling great and my mind is getting stronger. That's the plan and the plan is coming together.