The Team NOW-MS Society crew of Taylor Clements, Cory Greenberg, Danny Heeley, Stephen Leece and myself (Danny Katz) have relocated to the South. We’re currently at host housing courtesy of Emily Baker’s mother and her mother’s neighbors to acclimate to the heat and train a bit heading into U23, elite and junior nationals. Our long travel day saw us fly from Tulsa to Dallas, Dallas to Houston and Houston to Greenville. From Greenville we had a 2.5 hour commute to Augusta through the winding side roads of the South and its lush vegetation and its equally “lush” trailer parks. The air feels thick as butter and the accents make us realize we ain’t from around these parts. Upon arrival to our host housing, we found a bit of commotion as an ambulance pulled up to a neighbor’s house and before we knew it we were surrounded by neighbors asking us California boys who have an affinity for lycra about our travels and exactly what we were doing. A lot of confused faces and awkward conversations later we were relieved when a neighbor named Steve turned out to be an avid cyclist and had just won a local omnium. One of us!
Steve is Southern for sure, very enthusiastic and gave us his number to call him about riding. The next day we went to the bike shop to pick up some supplies and Steve had already informed the shop about us. They had a special ride planned for the next evening that they affectionately call “insanity.” Apparently full of hills, we had to bite our tongues just a little when we heard none of the climbs are really longer than half a mile. Nonetheless, we were keen on heading out to this Wednesday night hammer fest to meet the locals. Steve was insistent that we drive to the ride because we would be pushing dark on the way back and there was not really a good way to get to the downtown meeting location without taking a 6 mile dirt trail. At that, all our ears perked up and without speaking we knew we wanted to ride that dirt trail, local knowledge be damned.
The Stormy, Bumpy Road
On one side of the dirt trail was the extremely wide Savannah River and the other side was the old Augusta Canal, full of water lazily headed towards downtown. In the Savannah were rocks that Native Americans used to cross the river, Built in 1845 and surrounded by a forest of green, I swore I saw Huck Finn floating down the canal. We naturally had two flat tires on the dirt road on the way there and sitting in the humidity and heat we were dripping and heavy. The group ride was a fun 40 miles that crossed the Savannah River into the rolling green roads of South Carolina and back. The group whittled down to us five from NOW and two of the local strong men. We finished the ride cruising two by two. It was about 8:15 PM by the time we got back to the downtown area and 8:30 by the time we got onto the dirt trail. Group rides are all the same and cyclists are all the same just different accents so some familiarity was nice.
As we rolled onto the dirt on the return trip in the humid twilight, clouds started rolling in and I flatted as daylight dwindled. As we looked ahead up the dirt trail the clouds looked to be far enough away for us to merely contemplate possible complications but not yet worry. I fixed my flat and we rode through the dirt roads encountering a few locals jumping off the bridge into the canal to fend off the oppressive heat. As we entered evening the fireflies came out and the experience became surreal, as we struggled to see the dirt road ahead of us. It was Cory’s turn to flat now and the day got darker but the locals were still out so our worries were mitigated. We rolled on and the wind picked up and a flash of lightning off in the distance warned us what was to come.
Ahead, what loomed was dark, angry and had some serious electric teeth. Half way down the dirt path drizzle turned to rain, a fierce wind picked up and flashes of lightning became more frequent and a lot closer. A gust of wind tossed all five of us across the road and kicked gravel up stinging our eyes. We ain’t in Cali no more that’s for sure. Lightning continued and wind gusted at a reported 50 mph and peaceful trees turned to threatening limbs. We five NOW boys could no longer merely talk to each other but now had to yell over the wind, rain and thunder. Across the canal a tree cracked and fell in the forest and my eyes certainly turned toward the trees arching towards us as the five of us rode on.
At last we reached the bridge over the canal that led to the bike path and the rain and lightning became more intense. Ride or shelter? We are cyclists so we continued through a neighborhood and onto a treacherous main road. Not one of our brighter moments we used phones in our pockets as lights (pun).We had no choice, but to put our heads down into the wind and rain and try to get home. Naturally though, understanding getting hit by a car to be less than ideal, we rode on carefully. Danny Heeley on the front and four of us behind, night would turn to day with flashes of lightning and local motorists certainly figured us to be some of the less intelligent people currently in Augusta, especially because of the lycra. Onto the main road littered with tree limbs, sparks and an explosion in the trees revealed an exploding transformer. Heads down and a bit scared, the California boys rolled on in the lightning, rain and thunder until we rolled into the neighborhood we were staying only to find a downed tree blocking the road and a neighborhood party having at it with chainsaws. As Danny Heeley put it, this is gettin’ it done country.
Nonetheless, it was an experience and the swiftness of the storm took us all by surprise. Georgia is not the greatest place to be honest but luckily the people are nice and a man with an uncanny resemblance to Lil John keeps popping up around town. Our hosts are awesome, and while they don’t know much about bike racing, have been nothing but gracious and welcoming. One more week….
Augusta Canal in the evening, built in 1845!
Savannah River
Post storm aftermath on the street. The neighbors had it taken care of in no time