Apr-21: Siler City Control -- Moments in Time

Having done a pre-ride, I worked the Siler City (100k 'n 200k) control.
Ostensibly, I was on-duty from 1000 to 1500 (start +3h to start +8h).
My "relief" (Dean, the "Phun Physiologist") arrived shortly after 1400;
And I stuck around until about 1615, then headed back to the "start" / finish.

The following are some "moments in time" from the control:

• Lead pack of 6 arrived at 1031 (+3h31); 10 total by 1036 (out of a total of 29 starters / 28 that made it to Siler City).  
• MaryF commented that I looked clean and rested.  That confused me for a few moments, until ... 
• TimL asked how far I had ridden with the group; I must have returned a quizzical look because Tim immediately added, "oh, you rode to the start and then drove here."  That was correct, and ah, Mary might have been wondering a similar thing. 
• Geof struggling to change his flat -- the tube and tyre had cemented their relationship.  Not finding anything wrong with the Grand Bois tyre.  Subsequent filthy hands. 
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• Someone asked if a plastic bag attached the car was for trash.  I replied, "yes, but please be neat about it -- if we make a mess, the car's owner might hit me."  Jerry, standing next to me, said, "I'm going to hit you anyway," and delivered a fake-punch to my chest.  (The car in question was Jerry's.) 
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• I met Woody Graham.  (I usually don't put last names on the blog, but would anyone understand if only put "Woody G" in this report?)  Some info on Woody here and here.  (The riders that were just behind Woody when arriving at the 100k control commented that every time they worked hard and caught up to Woody, thinking to form a small group, Woody would, at will, ride on ahead.) 
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• Jacob of Tidewater, enthusiastically explaining his plan to get to 5000 RUSA kms this year. 
• Al P putting his helmet back on, complete with ear-flaps on the straps. 
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• Mick pulling up in his car alongside "mine", waking me from a nap.  Asking when I thought the lead riders would return (200k mark).  Telling me he was going up to Snow Camp.  Me thinking, "I wonder why he is going up to Snow Camp if he's working the afternoon shift here"?  (I didn't know who was due to come on-duty at 1500.)  Mick returning about 6 minutes later and commenting, "it seems silly to head to up Snow Camp now, with the lead riders probably at least 20 minutes from here and an hour from that control. 
• Dean arriving and setting up a card table of food.  Mick, Dean and I figuring a plan to split off some the apparent excess Siler City food and for Mick to take with him to Snow Camp. 
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• JoeRay perfecting the 3-minute control stop on the return.  
• TomF wanting another 30 seconds, the "game-on" race-face that came to Tom when JoeRay did not want to wait another second. 
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• The start of a light rain at about 1535.  Dean and I moving the card table of food, and everything else from under open skies to a bay of the car-wash.  Jerry moving his bike, paraphernalia and himself to the car-wash bay.  The sky falling out with a masterful deluge.  Thankful we'd move things under roof. 
• Discovering that we'd set the card table up perfectly to be exactly under the only leak in the roof.  Aargh. 
• Jerry, still dry, leaving after an unplanned 40-minute stop to continue his ride. 
• The sun coming out in time to start making things really steamy for the drowned-rat randonneurs that had arrived after the deluge had begun. 

There were about 13 or 14 riders that had not yet reached Siler City (200-km control) when I left.  

I got back to the finish in time to see JoeRay complete his ride at 1755/6 and TomF at 1806.  MaryF and TimL arrived at 1828.  Others filtered in after that.  There was interesting conversation and other stuff at the finish, but this post is about the moments in time from the Siler City control.

Interesting experience volunteering at a control. 

I recommend everyone try it.