Wild Goose Chase 2009

[divingbiker]

I'm going to tempt fate and take the road bike, no fenders. Fingers crossed.

[Zen]

I just put street tires on the 3.
I'm sure to be speedy now

[amithereyet]

As it turned out, I could not make it today (and I even have the jersey!).
Next year before the WGC, I will avoid a particular Indian restaurant that is responsible for keeping me being on two legs instead of two wheels today.

So........I want to hear everything.......from kayaking.......to cycling.......to staying dry. TELL ALL!

[7rider]

Kayaking was wonderful. We paddled in a river - I don't recall the name - Divingbiker, Kalidurga, and me. Once we got away from the road (plentiful parking, boat ramp for easy launching), it got very quiet. Saw lots of ducks, osprey, a juvenile eagle or two, a great blue heron, and loads of jumping fish. And some small animal swimming just at and below the surface (a rat? a nutria? a snake? Dunno). The weather held...cloudy, some sun, no rain, and perfect temps.
Dinner at a Mexican place with cheap food and screaming children.
I did the metric with my friend Erica and her friend Kim. Erica was neurotic about leaving EARLY as the forecast called for steady rain after noon. Well, her push to get me out of the hotel earlier than planned (Thanks, KD, for bringing DB to the ride!) worked out well, because we rode primarily on dry roads with just light mist. It wasn't until the last five miles that we saw anything you could call "rain." We lucked out big time. I fell a little short of my goal, mainlly b/c the three of us talked for most of the ride: 63 miles at an average speed of 16.6. Saw lots and loads of stories to tell, but no pictures: I left my camera at the hotel, as I was worried about the rain.
I did hear someone talking about "the Team Estrogen website" at a rest stop (while I was waiting in line for the....um.....facilities). The woman was on a dark red Bianchi with a white fork. Becky?? Was that you? I wanted to yell out, but I didn't dare lose my place in line (it was sooo long!).
All in all, a great time for me. Loved the kayaking, loved the biking, and am already looking forward to our next Eastern Shore multi-sport adventure!!!
And many thanks, Janice, for letting me crash at the HIEx with you!

[divingbiker]

Kayaking was wonderful. We paddled in a river - I don't recall the name - Divingbiker, Kalidurga, and me.

It was the Transquaking River, recommended by the nice folks at Blackwater Pedal and Paddle. Very peaceful.

7Rider summarized the weekend well. It was fun. Kalidurga and I did the 43 mile ride at a much slower pace--13.6 mph average.

Sorry you couldn't join us, Ann.

[Zen]

After a good shrimp quesadilla and dos cervezas I swam at the hotel. In the dark. The lights worked fine, I just wanted to swim in the dark

I won a nice zip up lightweight jacket in pink and spent way too much money at the Terry tent.
I just wish the 25 mile course included more water but they had Nutella at the rest stop and that makes everything worthwhile

[withm]

I missed the kayaking but met up at the Mexican place for dinner. Unfortunately it did not agree with me and I slept badly that night. Met up with Zen for breakfast and started out riding with DB and KD but the dampness made my achilles tendon tighten up and there was no way to keep up with them. I eventually met up with Diane (Zen's friend) and we rode the entire 43 miles together. But we had 10 miles of of rain.

The Blackwater area is sooo beautiful that we just have to plan an ad hoc outing on a nice sunny day. It would really be worth it.

IT was fun to see everyone again even if it did rain. At least the wind wasn't bad and I did not get cold until the last 5 miles or so.

I won a small camera case at the raffle which should fit my camera perfectly. The big camera cases in the goodie bags are nice, but ... kind of big. Don't really know what I'll do with it.

They also raffled off a full Gore outfit - jacket, jersey, shorts (rain shorts?) and maybe something else. The other 2 big prizes were a $500 gift cert to Terry catalog for clothing, and a gift cert for a weekend of biking in Vermont given by Vermont bikes. They used the numbers from our wristbands for those prizes so don't know who won - the winners were apparently not present to claim the prizes, and I guess Terry will be contacting the winners to arrange delivery.

[amithereyet]

Wow! It sounds as if the kayaking was wonderful & I loved your description of the animal in the water, 7.

I'm glad that the weather wasn't too much of a problem for the ride today. No one mentioned the wind, so hopefully, it was easier this year than last year.

Zen---Congrats on winning the jacket! Didn't you win a book not long ago? I want you with me when I purchase a lotto ticket.

DB: I thought about you yesterday at the restaurant that did me in because I think that a vegan could have chosen quite a few dishes. I only wonder whether the vegan dishes were as toxic as the nonvegan.

Thanks for sharing the stories & I'll see you all at the next WGC in my still, unworn jersey.