Greetings PeopleAnother event at the Greenwood Goosechase in Greenwood Village, CO. Please enjoy...
Greetings Goofball-ers' & Friends
Introduction
I woke up about 4:30 AM and I was ready for the day to begin for me. I put in the VCR - The Doors and begin to get ready and start me some breakfast.
One day short of a full year to the date of last year's Greenwood Goosechase. The day outside my window was spectacular. Not a fucking cloud in the sky.
Saturday, June 16, 2001 Greenwood Village, Colorado - Elevation 5,???
"...when we add up all those inches that's going to make the fucking difference between winning & losing. Between living and dying..."Any Given Sunday
June 16, 2001
Home - 5:00 AM
He was in such a relax state at five in the morning that you might mistake him still trying to wake up and shake off the night's sleep.
On the contrary, Daryl was quite relaxed and ready to go. He had just finished getting Heidi ready. Heidi was looking great as ever that morning and was just as ready as Daryl was for Greenwood Goosechase. He takes care of Heidi since they met just month ago. He actually saw Heidi about four months ago, but was not actually introduced until last month when her took her out.
Heidi is someone special in his life now. They spend almost all their time together when we he is not working. She is probably the best thing to happen to him in a long time. Love at first site? Yes. Love at first site and mayhap be the fourth time that has happen to him in the past decade. Although, this is the first time that a woman has really taken him by both hands. Where she came from he does not know and probably will never know, unless he was to investigate.
Guys, you know if you look for answers in a woman's past - well, that is like opening Pandora's Box or as Forrest Gump would say "life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you'll get." Otherwise, just do not ask!
What does Heidi look like? Imagine a woman catching your eye across the room and you can not look away. She holds your gaze and you do not have a thought at all. Heidi is slim, fit and looks great in yellow. She also has two black rims with black/yellow tires. Just a road bike you say!? Not even close! Daryl gave up his other woman, Motobecane 1980's, and decided on "Heidi" - A GIANT road bike, 2000 model. When he gave up the Motobecane he gave up most of his heart. Motobecane gave him three years of memories and tribulations to remember. For this year, 2001, he got a new woman to ring in the new century. Heidi will be there for him. Whenever he needs her he just looks over to the DVD/VCR tapes cabinet and admires her beauty. Almost always clean and never asks a question. Unfortunately, that is the way Daryl feels about dating. Stupid questions always his pet peeve! That puts him in a superior position and when he gets that way he loses respect for the woman he currently is seeing. Heidi on the other hand, is not that way at all. Almost a match made in heaven, but Daryl must learn that beauty is only skin deep and character is below lurking ...waiting.
Westland Park - 8:00 AM
In the city of Greenwood Village at Westland Park, near the corner of Quebec and Orchard, Daryl sees the Start/Finish line and many other riders gathering around for the Greenwood Goosechase.
The weather could not be any clearer. Actually, it is the opposite of what that weather was last year - which was very rainy. However for today, the air was timid and the sky was void of clouds and according to the local newspaper, a spectacular day was in store for Coloradian.
He walks over to the registration table to get his rider number. As they hand him his rider # 221 he sees and wants rider #222 which is laying on the registration table. He knows that #222 is much cooler looking than #221. For a nanosecond, his brain sends a signal to ask if it would be all right to change rider #'s, but then the signal never reaches his mouth and he must now live with what was given to him - #221.
Westland Park - 8:15 AM
He is at the back of the pack of riders for the 45 mile bike riders. Nothing unusual. In fact, that is where he starts most of the time. Always beginning at the back, because he know that will give him something extra to accomplish besides finishing the bike ride. The way he looks at every ride - is that if you are at the front you do not have someone you can pace yourself with. If you are the leader, most of the time you set the pace, but also you must keep the pace. He has never lead the beginning of a tour/race and probably will not. A ritual is what one might say that he does. Working to the front of the riders is always a challenge, so to speak, to him and always lets him get the feel of the riders around him.
Westland Park - 8:17 AM
He leaves the Starting line and gets into the mode he often thinks of - "See Ya!". He can hear the other riders around him talking and laughing. Nothing wrong about that, but to him he knows that these riders are the "wannabe" riders. By no means is that a bad thing, but for him he knows he has to be careful in the beginning of the tour/race, because these are the riders that cause most of the accidents. Not fucking paying attention. Sure it a bike and not a motor vehicle, but injury/death are still a major player behind the wheel. Accidents are not new to Daryl, but Heidi on the other hand is a virgin. He will protect her to his fullest extent.
Holly and Orchard Road - Crossroads
Most of the Mountain Bike Rider were going straight to the Highline Canal, while the Road Rider were taking the paved route (shorter route of 5 miles). Sure, he was worried about Heidi getting a flat, but with such tenderness that he has taken care of her, he has no question about not getting a flat. The field of riders were starting to spread apart, but he still had to watch the other riders to make sure that they were paying attention to everything around them.
He was passing mountain biker after mountain biker for about three miles, then he saw another road biker in front of him. He caught up to the road biker and decided to use him a pacer for his journey of the Goosechase. A built, Black man was going to be his victim until he gets tired or until one of them has to stop. Daryl and his Pacer soon exit the Highline Canal and headed East on Belleview Ave.
Him and his Pacer soon were climbing uphill towards I-25. He was going to pass his pacer, then decided against passing. His thoughts were basically let this pacer take all the wind and let him set the pace for the both of them. The pacer kept looking back at him, but did not say a word. Nor did Daryl. Basically, what was reached as an unsaid agreement was that Daryl was going to use him and maybe let him take the lead. Only if the Pacer knew. While his Pacer was dropping into easier gears Daryl kept in the same gear and smiled at the back of the Pacer. Not a smug smile, but a smile never-the-less.
Riding all the way to Dayton Street, he kept his pacer in sight. He would be riding about two feet back or all the way up to 20 yards back. His goal was really to let his pacer know that he was still on his tailwind. Most of the time this tactic does break the concentration of the pacer, but hey that's rule of Daryl's game. Well, Daryl never thinks of this as a game, except in the sense of winning and losing. However, he views every ride he takes seriously and for him - what he has realized in the past two years - it is COMPETITION. For him and for him alone.
He shared his ride last year, and in fact it was on this particular ride he had himself a "sidekick". He can not remember if it was his idea to have a sidekick or if it was the sidekick's idea for support to ride with him. He did amazingly well with a sidekick, but he was restless throughout the ride. As soon as his sidekick left for the finish line and while he had to do another lap he fucking rode like the wind. He... well the story is on the web site read last year's ride for details.
Aid Station Two - Cherry Creek State Park - South Entrance
The Aid Station was not even open, so him and his pacer along with an older gentlemen took off across the Dam. Such a beautiful sight from the top of the Dam. Last year the view from the Dam reminded him of his other favorite city - Seattle, WA. No low cloud ceiling, no water puddles, nor the cool wind, but only the sun and the view of Denver in all of its glory. Well, glory might be too strong of a word for him to use, but he will accept glory for now.
Cherry Creek State Park - North Entrance
The older gentleman, the pacer, Daryl and three other riders rode down Parker Road toward Arapahoe Road. What was strange was last year Daryl did a turnaround at the North Entrance. However, this year there were two park benches blocking the turnaround. Nothing to worry about though, just keep riding was all he was thinking. Anyway, he was following his Pacer and he trusted his Pacer.
Arapahoe Road and Parker Road
His Pacer and the older gentleman had stopped and pulled out their maps. He looked at them and saw the questionably looks on their faces and big fuck-me smiles. The Pacer then asks if he seen any signs indicating the bike route. Nope, was his answer and then tells his pacer that he was following him. His Pacer laughs and so does the older gentleman. Meanwhile, the other three riders finally catch up and wonder what is transpiring. After a minute or so, they all agree to head down to Jordan Road and then head North and then take a south bike path entrance to Cherry
Creek State Park -South Bike Path Entrance
Little did they know that was the turnaround. They all say to themselves - well they got bonus miles and no harm no foul. They had to pass a few riders that they had passed before, but other than that those six riders were still ahead of the pack of riders they passed on the Highline Canal.
Once again the bike traffic had appeared and Daryl was still primed to pass those slow riders.
Cherry Creek State Park - South Entrance
Daryl had to stop to get some water, since he did not have any water to begin the ride with anyway. His pacer also stopped, but only to verify the route. His pacer had a camel back and I am sure did not need a water. Not even 15 seconds later someone asks are you Reggie to the Pacer. His pacer nods. A couple of others point and say that is Reggie Rivers. Reggie Rivers. The name rings a bell in Daryl's head, but for the life of him he can not place Reggie, his Pacer. As Daryl walks to the Aid station to get some water he see other riders pointing and saying his name - Reggie.
He thinks to himself that his Pacer, Reggie, was someone famous, but he only thought of Reggie as himself - a true, above ordinary rider - nothing more, nothing less. Surprised he was, but mostly impressed, because not once did he say that he was someone famous and did not use that to get respect. In Daryl's book, Reggie earned respect without pulling his credentials.
Reggie had a four minute lead on Daryl and Heidi. Pretty uneventfully going around the Dam the second time. However, Daryl was a bit sarcastic to one rider he passed gingerly. He saw that Heidi had a twin sister and some woman was trying to ride Heidi's twin. What got Daryl's fur ruffled was that the rider was a newbie. A newbie on a bike that was too much for the newbie. So, he simply states what a pretty bike she has. And this Newbie really answers the statement by saying thank you and giving the history of how she got the bike. Daryl rolls his eyes and then tells her that he was being sarcastic and tells her to look at his bike. She then laughs and asks Daryl where he got his bike. Being sarcastic does not always get the desired effect. End of conversation.
Cherry Creek State Park - South Entrance
Time to head back to Westland Park.
Note: Daryl did something wrong last year and you know what readers - he never caught what he did wrong until this point of this year. Maybe some of you faithful readers might of caught the mistake, but Daryl did not. So, he will have to correct some points of the story from last year. No story changing, per se, but fact changing.
An uneventfully ride through the DTC. Peaceful and serene. Daryl was pedaling like crazy and he knew he was close to Reggie, but was unable to determine if was going to catch up or not. The one thing Reggie had against him was that he was an average hill climber. Mostly or mainly of his weight. Meanwhile, Daryl had nothing to worry about his weight. Perfect and his hill/mountain climbing was awesome. At least what he is lead to believe.
On Yosemite he saw his brother biking to work and his brother also saw him biking. What his brother said to Daryl was that he was easy to spot. Daryl did not ask for his brother to elaborate, but he did wonder - was it because of his skin color - brown? Was it because of his yellow biking jersey with the red devil on the back? Or was Heidi was being herself - eye candy? Or fate?
Westland Park - Finish Line
Here are the facts - 17.3 Average Speed 31.0 MPH max 49.33 Miles biked 2 Hours 48 minutes 33 seconds
Epilogue
Only two words - fucking good. He got lunch this year and to top the finish off - he won a bottle of wine. Luna - Pinot Grigio 1999 Napa Valley from the Reservelist in the DTC. He also got recognition from other riders. People know him even though he can not remember them. The only thing that he can think of why they remember him is, because of his jersey. A very limited run and maybe, maybe only a hundred in existence - the yellow jersey with the red devil on the back and sometimes with Watto and Britney on the Helmet.
Author's Note
June 18, 2001 - What can I say readers - the ride that made up my defeat in New Mexico. This year my sidekick was Reggie Rivers, and I still do not know what he did/does for sports. Meanwhile, did any of you readers catch my erroneous mistake? I guess only a mistake on words, but last year when I did the Greenwood Goosechase I did Three, three, laps around the Dam. I was only supposed to two. I have not recalculated the miles, but it is going to be in my favor. I really thought I had to do three laps. How in the Fuck I thought that I do not have a clue. Oh well, nothing big. I did great this year and I am proud to say I was excited and to win a bottle of wine - excellent. Now, I am debating when to crack open the bottle of wine. Probably let her sit until my biking season is over, but then again I want to taste the victory I won. I did not have my "sidekick" Aimee this year nor did I see her. No, I have not talked to her since early this year via email. Such is the story of everyone's life - people come and people leave, but not without leaving residue on the conscious. Once again, until the next year, Good bye.
w-i-t-h-u-t-m-o-s-t-s-i-n-c-e-r-i-t-y
Daryl
aka CalSeti
The Fallen Athlete
Daryl Charley
