Junior South East Regional Camp

Thats alot of bikes...

This past week I have been in Greenville, South Carolina at the Junior South East Regional Camp.

After driving all day Saturday and part of Sunday morning we were finally at Furman University. After checking in and getting all of our stuff up to the dorms (OK so it was mostly my stuff...I packed prepared for anything and everything;-)we got geared up for our first ride at camp. It was just an easy 2 hour social ride to get to know everyone. There were 35 juniors at the camp 4 of which were girls and 50% of all the riders were from FL. They threatened to send all the Florida riders to band camp because we seem to be taking over.

After the ride we had 20 minutes to shower and get downstairs to meet for dinner. Four girls + 1 shower = 1 big rush. After dinner we went to a class room for our first class. We got a briefing on the camp schedules, rules, and pointers. After social hour it was time for bed.

The beds were basically springs with a little padding, and the pillows were rather hard, but after a week of hard riding I was amazed at how comfortable that bed got.

The next morning my roomie (Jackie Kurth ) and I along with the rest of the camp were surprised by the absence of the cow bell that had become Rusty's (one of the ride leaders) trade marks for waking us up. Instead he woke us up by banging a tennis shoe on our doors.

After breakfast we headed out to an empty parking lot and started our skills and drills ride. We practiced sprinting through halved tennis balls about 6 inches apart, bunny hopping over a 1x4, and counter steering. The sprinting was alot of fun and after everyone had gone through about 6 times they added water bottles to the right side. It was funny how before most everyone was able to sprint through without hitting the tennis balls but once the water bottles were there we all started veering towards the tennis balls on the left.

After lunch we had another ride. It was just a tempo ride around Greenville. We got to see where we would be doing some of our TT's. After dinner and class, I was finally able to see the field games in action. I had heard alot about "Knock Down" (now known as "Last Man Standing") all year and I was very excited to do it. First we had 30 minutes of bumping drills and then it was time for last man standing. It deffinately lived up to the hype and I really enjoyed this drill.

We all rode around in a circle (created but the coaches) and bumped, track standed, and generally had fun. I never won a game but it was always fun to have a chance to take on one of the guys.

Tuesday was the start of our TT's. This morning Rusty had gotten his cow bell back and was banging it against the doors very loudly.

After breakfast we set out to our doom. Not really but Cesar's head is a pretty big hill. Our first TT was 1.2 miles long. Andy Baker was hanging out at about the halfway point so we were all very happy to see him because it meant we were almost there. After we finished the first TT we turned around and headed back down to the start line. Once we came back down the start order didn't matter so I had power house Micheal Stone chasing me. Once I started I settled into my groove and was just focusing on each pedal stroke. When Micheal passed me I tried to pace off him but he was flying up the hill. Around every corner I was hoping to see the finish. When I finally saw Bob Tyler ( one of the coaches ) I was very happy. I shifted to a harder gear and put my head down. I was finally done with the uphill TT's. After the timetrials we climbed the rest of the way up to the top of Cesar's head to the lookout point for lunch. The view was absolutely amazing. After about a 20 mile ride back home it was time for a quick shower and much needed dinner. Then it was on to our normal night routine. Class, Field Games and then bed. The bed had actually gotten alot more comfortable since the previous night. Funny how that happens.

Wednesday started with Rusty and his cow bell. Followed by breakfast and then our first ride of the day. We rode out about 15 miles to the start of our long TT. It was fairly flat with a few rollers. At the start of the week we were told that of the 25 times that the coaches had ridden out there, 21 times had been with a tail wind. But with today's ride it was still just 21 times with a tail wind. Mother nature threw a curve ball at us and we were stuck with a brutal head wind. Finally it was time for me to start. I was focused and ready to race. I took off and immediately settled into my zone. I started counting to the rhythm of my breathing, but honestly I don't think I ever get past 50 before I loose count and start repeating the same numbers. I was in my zone and going all out. The head wind made it absolutely miserable out there. As I rounded the final corner I could see the finish about 100 meters away at the bottom of the final descent. I hammered and drilled it to the line. After everyone had finished we rolled back to the dorms for a quick shower and lunch before heading out on the rode again. After about 1 1/2 hrs of skills and drills in the parking lot it was finally time to get back to the dorms for a little R&R. But not for to long of course. After the usual dinner, class, and knock down it was time for a good nights sleep. Our thin padding on springs felt as comfortable as a pillow top mattress to me.

The last full day of camp was here in no time. With 4x2mi tt's and then a 90 mile ride, it was going to be a long day. I was looking forwards to the famed sticky buns that awaited us at the local bakery where we stop half way through the ride. I had also heard much about them and apparently they are the best. It took us about 45 minutes to get out to the TT course. It was mostly down hill with a couple small rollers and a false flat. After the first one I had figured out how to gauge my effort to get the best time. I continued to feel faster and faster with each interval. The last one was just pure pain. It hurt so badly but it actually felt pretty good. After we had all finished our last tt we were very happy that we had finished all of our hard efforts for the week. Seventy miles and 1 sticky bun later we were finally done.

The last night at camp was pretty busy. All the packing and craziness that went on. The usual tradition on the last night at camp was the gallon challenge. The challenge was to drink a gallon of whole milk in 1 hour and try not to blow chunks. The coaches ended up canceling it so one of the juniors resorted to whole wheat bread. He ate 1 1/2 loaves of bread with out drinking water. Its not one the things that will ever reach my to do list and I'll leave it at that.

That last morning of camp was hectic, last minute packing and good-byes. About 15 of us went out on one final ride around the campus. It was alot of fun and I will really miss everyone from camp.

I really took alot away from camp and I hope to go back again next year. The coaches there are awesome and the riders are some of the best I have been around. All in all it was a great experience and one that wont be forgotten.

Thanks for Reading

Ciao