Hilton Head Recap

This past Saturday over 30 riders showed up for our latest stage starting at the Piggly Wiggle in Hilton Head.  The temp was around 34 as we started the ride.  The bottle of sacred tears really warmed the belly prior to the ride. One newer rider showed up and completed the ride in jeans with white tube socks pulled up over the jeans!  He gets the tough man award of the day.  This aligns with our anything goes on an SCL ride.  The whistle blew about 3 K from the first sprint and the cycling gods tested our dedication by picking up the head wind.  Grep the po po McGlinn lead us out at 28 mph.  For the first K sleet bounced off the riders glasses and by the second K huge 1/4 inch snow flakes were hammering the peleton. The riders were single file and fighting for wheels in the final K.  Josh Barrett refused to wear the leaders jersey since he is in it due to a technicality.  He announced to the peleton at the start that he will wear it after he truly earns it.  As the riders sprinted it out the last 500 meters, Josh dominated the sprint with authority.  True to his statement to the press last Thursday he tore the legs off of all that stood in his way and took the sprint with no one around!  The peleton fought the cold as they neared the second sprint.  The whistle blew 6 K out and the peleton exploded like popcorn in a microwave.  Two riders broke away and were out of sight as another 3 attempted to bridge.  The rest stayed together waiting for the next move.  It looked like the break was going to stick until 2K when the peleton really got serious.  The speed picked up and picked up all riders and were back together with 1500 meters.  At the 600 meter mark all hell broke loose and once again Baretta Barrett started emptying his clip.  The principal surged up beside Barrett and they were elbow to elbow with both riders throwing their bikes across the line like track riders. It was only millimeters but Barrett once again had just enough rounds to take out the second sign.  It all came down to the final stage finish sprint to stop the madman with the 9 mm. The weather turned for the better as the clouds parted, the sun came out and it warmed a little.  The entire peleton was motoring down the causeway together nearing the final sprint.  The whistle blew for the final time of the day at 4 K and no one made a move as everyone eyed one another.  Then up and new comer Greg (like we need another rider in the peleton named Greg) leads out the train. Blain jumps along with several others, and then Baretta Barrett started squeezing the trigger.  The principal jumps and digs deep pulling up behind him but the Baretta then shifts gears and it was all over.  One smokin barrel and a huge delivery for Josh Barrett getting a hat trick of winning all 3 sprints of the day! With tears in his wife's eyes at the finish line and in his team director's eyes as well he did what he said he would do.  This man is unstoppable and the man of the hour.  His sponsors could not be happier, as his team director stated, "we could not be happier with this showing and proving our current program is working for us this year".  Robert, Roadfish Bike Shop's sag driver, was so excited after all the day's action he said, "I am going home to jump on my bike and ride!" 


The weather could not have been better for a true winter stage of the Savannah Cycling League and all had a great time.


-The principal