In A Funk

I have been looking forward to the start of the Gone Riding Georgia Series since I first heard about it last year. The trails sounded like something I'd want to ride and Rupe was excited about racing his first full series. I had pre entered, made hotel reservations, and packed when BJS called and gave me the weather report. 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms for both Saturday and Sunday. That would mean being in rain all weekend. We pulled the plug. Now I sit here looking at the newest forecast for the race site it and doesn't look as bad as it did last night. I knew this would happen. I've done enough races in my life to know that the feeling I get from backing out is usually worse that the punishment I'd have gotten if I'd have just gone ahead and raced. Oh well there's 5 more in the series surely it won't rain at all 5.

As part of my "training program" for the Ga. races that I was going to attend SteveA and I did the torture loop at Forest Meadows the week before. I followed that with a little vacation to the Ocala area which didn't involve anything physical at all. Then a couple of more days off with some very easy rides so I wouldn't have tired legs because I was going to be racing this weekend. All of this resulted in a gain of 2 pounds. My little non-cycling vacation was pleasant enough. We did some fishing and a little snorkeling (very little). The place we stay is a throw back to the 50's. By that I mean the house we rent looks just like it did in the 50's and 60's. The lake is beautiful and the land surrounding the house is one of the prettiest places in Florida. Unfortunately once you get outside the Ocala National Forest this part of our state has become a dumping ground for poor Yankees and seems to have attracted an excess of people who either don't know or worse don't care about the land or the water. They treat it just like they have treated the rest of the state South of here. When I first started coming here in the 60's it was hard to get here. You had to have a 4 wheel drive to launch a boat or get around in the forest. You could actually get lost on the lake or in the woods. You rarely saw another person in the woods and nobody had booming stereos on their boats.

The perfect example of all of this was presented to me when we went to Silver Glen Springs to do some snorkeling. The picnic area was full of people but the springs were empty. It seems a manatee had found it's way into the spring and it's against the law to harass them. I can see how if all of us had been in the spring it would have scared the crap out of it. Just beyond the rope separating the spring from the run leading out to the big lake was a flotilla of boats jammed bow to stern. I don't see how a fish could have gotten out much less something as big as a manatee. So there it was trapped with people all around it. I know how it feels.

Now I know I can't change any of this. I know I'm just an old man wanting it to be like it was in the "good old days" but damn people, let's show a little restraint and a lot more respect. Sorry for the rant but I warned you I was in a funk.