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Sunday, September 10

'17 West and Also Other Virginia Mancation: Part Five

I'll get through this episode as quickly and painlessly as possible.

I wake up in a bed.  No sheets.  Just a scratchy blanket and a Teflon coated pillow.  Had I checked the closet the night before, I woulda found the linens.  I was too preoccupied with my wheel issues.

I am sore.  All over.  Carrying a bike for seven miles yesterday makes all the things hurt today.  My butt hurts when I sit on the toilet.  My shoulders hurt when I put on my shirt.  My hips hurt just existing.

Pulling out my phone, I have two out of office replies from Industry Nine (Euro Bike) and one "call me in the morning." I was trying to find out if they would be in Snowshoe for the Enduro™ race.

Final answer?

No.

Texts sent out to Watts and Scott.  Both could bring me a wheel to Stokesville on Saturday.

Texts to Kronic back in Charlotte followed up by a phone call from a land line because of the United States National Radio Quiet Zone are successful.  He's gonna scoop the wheels off the Vertigo and transport them to Snowshoe tonight.

Buenos.

Now what to do?

The weather is looking iffy for a day of lift-assisted riding.  Still, Hubbs takes me over to Big Bike Mike's to look at my borrow options.  I think I'm going with the Kona Stinky (Stab?  Stoker?  dunno).  It's old school, but it has two wheels that are round.  That's good enough for me.

Up to the bike shop on top of the mountain around 11:00AM to get a feel for what's up.  The guy behind the counter doesn't try to pretty things up at all.

"It's gonna stop raining around two o'clock... and then start back up at five."

Meh.

"Hey, Bill Nye.  How do I look in this yellow helmet I'm not going to buy because I don't need it but I'm trying it on because I'm bored.  It's almost noon by the way, so almost an okay time to just start drinking beer."

"Okay."

Back to the condo, grab a few beers, head down to the hot tub.

NO DRINKS ALLOWED.

I'm sure exceptions are made in such troubled times.  Nobody's down there anyways, so whatever.

Out of beer and prune-toed, we head back to up to the condo.  Watch Chapelle Show.  Bill Nye is so bored that he takes a shower.  Hygiene as a hobby.

The rain and fog and mist and drizzle and wind last until it's dark outside.  Then it continues.  We can just no longer see it from the window.

Eventually, Hubbs convinces us to leave the confines of our dwelling and head to the top of the mountain for a concert.  An outdoor concert.

We get there, the wind is whipping, we dive into a bar, beers ordered, bump into Mo and Skip from Roanoke, hear some of what the band dishes out (without standing too long in the chilling winds), and then head back down to the solace of our confinement.

I fall asleep with no wheels.

When I wake up, I see them sitting in the corner on the living room chair.  Thanks, Kronic.  I'm sure everything is going to go much smoother now...

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