Pee Pole Watching

Staying somewhat along the lines of yesterday's "live, learn... forget" theme, I'm gonna once again do something that the last time I did it, I said I'd had my fill and should avoid it in the future.

I'm gonna go watch other people ride bikes.

As soon as they announced it last year, I gave up my resolve to not watch people get paid professionally to do my hobby... although at a much higher level (inhuman) than I could ever attain. I threw it down in the "once in a lifetime" category of events that I'd regret not prioritizing in my life. Like UCI Road Worlds in Richmond or going to see AC/DC's Blow Up Your Video World Tour in '88. That level.

I don't know how I muddled my way through a three day weekend and ended up so unprepared to leave Charlotte for five days. My life feels like it's just a bunch of unattended piles.

I've never been so busty making things worse.

I've been debating whether or not to bring a bike with me. There's something going on from just about sun up to sun down.

And yeth, I do wanna see the world's best downhillers standing around pointing at rocks and discussing lines.  Not so much from a fan boi perspective, but to just witness the process.  I wanna see XXC training, and XCO racing, and juniors, and pretty much everything.  Who knows if/when we'll ever get a World Cup race in the Southeast, let alone the season finale?

I try to mentally pack the back of the Honda Fit of Rage with groceries, beer (three people X four long days + a few extra in case), walker wear for temps in the high 40s - high 60s... and then think about whether or not riding gear will fit in there...

Not to mention, I still haven't gotten through to the condo people to find out if the bike storage will be open (I assume nothing on World Cup weekend), if we can check in early on Thursday (5:00PM standard check-in?)... all to get in one, mebbe two rides on the limited amount of trails down at Silvercreek?

Don't even bring up the trails down in Slatyfork.  Mebbe I'm optimistic (or pessimistic), but I expect a shitload of people coming to Snowshoe for this event.  All coming up that twisty two lane road to get there.  All of us with our stupid email confirmation of a "ticket" to get access to the mountain.  I can only imagine that for a side trip to Slatyfork to be worthwhile, you'd better give yourself five hours.  That's allowing for a good amount of titty-dicking around, trying to coordinate a ride with a herd of cats who have zero cell phone coverage, driving down there and back, incidentals like flats and mechanicals, the "can we stop to grab something while we're off the mountain?" moments, etc.

So which five hour chunk of which day do I give up?

If the primary purpose of this trip wasn't to watch World Cup racing and soak in as much as possible, I'd be totally in.

I don't know what to do.  If I don't ride Thursday through Monday, it will be the longest that I've been off the bike for way more than the past two decades.  Through every illness, injury, vacation, or other life event, I've always managed to get out on the bike to keep sane.

Mebbe I need the break?  How would I even know?

When someone tells me that they haven't ridden their bike in a few weeks, I feel like they're speaking alien Latin to me.  Who does that kinda thing?

Anyways, I'm outta here until next week, so whatever.  I guess we'll see what I can get into and expect the absolute worst UCI World Cup coverage here then.