Adventures of the Northwest

RAPSody Day 1 -

So up at 3:30 and at the Start line by 5:30. Helped at the finish line a bit, to set things up. I saw the ex but I looked away. Later, ex came up and hugged me and started a conversation. Ok, bit weird but felt 'natural' or at least not tense/angry/sad nor happy/excited... just indifferent... odd after the explosion and calmness we had last week... all was fine. Weirdness out the door, coridal is now in.

Trying to get on the ferry, I got in, not necessarily the wrong lane, but the wrong lane. Spoke with a King County Sheriff's Deputy and he seemed nice and semi-helpful. We talked about how we were basically going on the island for the same reason - to help direct traffic for the HOTS Triathlon and us to make sure our riders didn't get in the way of the triathlon. He would be at the intersection my mother would be at and I would be up by Burton. In the process, mom later tells me that he has been asking about me. They sat and chatted in between their 'duties', ate berries together, and had fun. He wanted to know who she was with, how old I was, if I was single and they exchanged all kinds of wild stories about travel, work, degrees, etc. OK so he had white hair... not that that means anything but I assume he may be old enough to be my father. Maybe not, but um yeah. So I doubt it - but I had a fleeting thought later on the drive home from Shelton. He probably took note of my license plate and could track me down. My mom told him I was into track racing, lived up by Redmond. ok... well hopefully he is not a stalker. LOL!!! (ok.. those of you that know me... dang! When it rains it frickin' pours around me!!!)

We sagged the rest of the RAPSody riders off Vashon Island without incident with the HOTS Triathlon - PHEW! Most our rides missed the triathlon. It was cool to stand their and watch it. My mom thought it was weird to see all these bikers in the skimpy speedos and such. We boarded the ferry with about 100 bicyclists and then we stopped to talk to the photographer, Taunja, and then at the Manchester Rest Stop put on by West Sound Cycling Club. What a great rest stop it was with a view across the water to downtown Seattle! Then on to Allyn's rest stop put on by Bikes of Everett. I think it was wonderful. People really took their time there now that they did not have to rush for a ferry. They enjoyed the water views, the live music, the food, the sun and just had fun. Then we went off to Shelton. We saw a few riders off the main course and helped them to the High School where they would stay overnight. We helped at the high school to get things coordinated. We had fun talking with people, directing them to their hotel (that we knew where it was because of the previous lost people), having dinner with them, watching the dance team, people getting massages, listening to the band, watching people put up their tents and so on.

As people were setting up tents, I was able to talk to Anna, wife of Phil from Phil's Cyclery in Federal Way (who puts on the May Day Metric every year), about Cyclocross... She got into it last year and laughed about how much she loves it, how much people set themselves up at the most dangerous and hilarious obstacle just waiting for mass chaos! People getting their front wheel stuck in 'peanut butter' like mud and flipping, pedaling in water as deep as their knees - while on the bike, people falling in a mud pit and struggling to get out looking like pigs in a pen! It sounds suicidal yet fun. We will see how into this sport I will get. :)

The tents were funny. It is so cool to see all the different tents people have, small, large, round, rectangle, octagon. I got a picture of one that was a designated 'condo tent' although different from last year. Next to it a gentleman told me he had the smallest tent. I looked and said - tent? It looks like a sleeping bag. In reality it was a cover for his sleeping bag with a 'head piece' that snapped on to protect for the rain. "Really? Don't you feel like a worm? I would feel clostrophobic.", I said. But he stated it was quite comfortable. ahhh ok. Interesting... then I ran into Steve, a friend of Jane (one of the track divas), and we talked a bit. It was a lot of fun. We got mega compliments about the food, the setup, the massage, root beer floats, music, scenery and such. It was a blast!

We 'monitored' the last person off the course close to the high school. He is a strong, older gentleman that is impressive. We met him last year as he was the last rider across the finish line. He was awesome - probably in his 60's riding a bike that weighs about 50 lbs. Just amazing as he rides hard down the road with some huge 'horns' coming out of his helmet that remind people of a viking. He was having fun but very tired. He kept apologizing he was 'messing us up as I should have been in 3 hours ago'. I told him nonesense as he turned on his lights and kept pedaling along. I felt bad for him and I knew he wouldn't let me sag him off the course as it kept getting darker, being from 10 miles out to 2 miles out but the headwinds weren't giving up either.

It was fun to see familiar faces, faces of Bicycle Alliance, board members, members and employees, members of my bicycle club and other bicycle clubs (or events) that I knew as well as new faces that looked happy.

Off we go tomorrow... to the Seattle Bicycle Club rest stop in Yelm. Where my mom will sag from Yelm to the Finish and I'll be having fun helping man the rest stop!

posted by Seattlebiker @ 10:06 PM