CLERMONT, FLORIDA
Post-ride, I was taking a picture of Lake Minneola and saw a crew boat (scull) go by. The water was choppy. It was windy. They took on water and capsized. I scaled a fence and ran out to the dock. I stopped. I was prepared to go in the water but wasn’t sure what to do to help. One person, Mitchell, panicked, and with good reason – he didn’t know how to swim. But the others were as calm as could be.
I wanted to jump in and swim out to them, especially when Mitchell called out for help. I had that sinking feeling not knowing what to do. I quickly decided that swimming out to them was not a smart option as it would mean only that 10 people were holding onto the capsized boat.
But after a call to water rescue and I think the regatta was watching with binoculars from about a mile away, there were soon three boats and they were able to attend to the kids. One had swum ashore and was very tired. And why not? They were in a regatta and were spent from rowing and now had to swim. He said they weren’t very good.
Ultimately, once the rescue boats arrived they got the boat turned over so it could be towed back and each kid was then lifted into a boat and taken back to the start. They took Mitchell first, as they should, but took the one girl (coxswain) last.
Oh, the ride? It was good, I suppose.
This was a familiarization ride for the Horrible Hundred. I parked in Clermont and asked a local rider where the “Waterfront Park and traffic circle” was. He directed me two miles away. I hurried to get there by start time and no one was there. He was wrong. There was a traffic circle but it was in the opposite direction.
I asked someone else and he directed me to go back from where I cam from and go another half mile past it. I arrived back at the real start at 8:31 a.m. They were supposed to leave at 8:30 but were wheels down at 8:33 a.m. Just made it.
But how cool is this? They offered three familiarization rides. The first was was 50 miles at 18 mph. Then there was a 35 mile ride at 16-17 mph at 8:45 a.m. And there was a 42 miles ride at 18 mph at 9:00 a.m.. So I didn’t panic knowing if I missed the 8:30 ride I could jump in with the other rides.
I “sat in” most of the day. They had three trip leaders, Adam, Vance, and Chaz were listed, who set the pace and the rest of us just went along for the ride. Not sure who the actual leaders were. I think one was a woman.
I had my Garmin set for my normal pace and at Mile 45 I checked and I was five miles ahead of where I normally ride. It was a good pace.
The ride had a stop at a Yalaha Bakery – it was very good but the stop was too long for these legs (lactic acid). But what a nice thing to do for the event. A familiarization ride. Bravo!!! The main event, Horrible Hundred, is tomorrow.
