Rick,
Yesterday was an absolute blast. I got home last night around 9:00 and was stoked til midnight. I can't imagine a more perfect day for skating: November 6 and by 2:00 everyone was stripping off sweatshirts to cool off.
In the interest of full disclusure, I'd like to take a little time to explain my pathetic and miserable times. I'll be honest: I was a bit of a wussie when I got to the hill. I haven't bombed a hill full on since 1989 and seeing Trade Street got me to thinking . . . hard. Although it only took me about an hour and 5 or 6 runs to get comfortable again in a tight "Hut-tuck," I had real trepidations about hitting the trip switch and 30+ miles an hour. That took another couple of hours of free riding to finally get over.
Anyway, I finally posted 5 times through the speed trap. Again, I was a wuss and worked my way "up" the hill getting more and more acceleration with each run. Over the course of five runs, I think I improved rather well:
4.2 sec (@14 MPH) (yeah, I know, hardly worth mentioning.)
3.6 sec (@16 MPH)
2.6 sec (@ 23 HPH. A full 1.5 sec off my first time.)
2.1 sec (@28 MPH: finally starting to get somewhere.)
2.05X sec (@29.5 MPH. Cut my first time in half. That much to the 30-mile an hour club.)
At that point I was tired. Exertional breathing is still not a whole lot of fun for me and I pretty much maxed out. Five straight runs wasn't all that much, but five straight hikes back up the hill and I was spent. Not to mention numerous hikes earlier in the day. So all in all I'm not disappointed: from nothing to ALMOST 30 MPH in four hours. Also, I never did "bomb" the hill from way up on the flat where everyone else was starting. I was still very cautious and just "dropped" in from the last transition into the longest downhill stretch heading into the trap. I'm pretty sure if I got my "skate legs" back and felt a little more comfortable at speed I'd get over the 30-mph hump without too much regret.
Oh, y'all missed it watching 66 get towed in. He was BLAZING at the bottom of the hill when he hit 40-MPH. That was was one for the ages. At the bottom of the hill it starts to go back up on the other side. All day most skaters were going up that second hill about half way and bleeding off all their speed. Rick went to the TOP and still had to put his foot down to quit moving. He definetely went over the edge pushing that last run.
Thanks to Rick and Mrs. 66 for the Red Clay racing shirt, the burritoes and inviting everyone in for the day. If he does it again in December, I'll be back. It's more than worth the trip.
I just wish he'd come up with thousands of dollars for a WIRELESS timing system
