Gainesville and the Widow Maker October 28-29 As I recall on this one...a biker bud and I were sick as dogs but wedecided to at least ride out to this one and check it out. By the time wegot there, we flicked a coin and decided to ride it through dispite ourphysical condition. What a gas. Man was it bad. Aside from coughing up alung and not being able to breath...nevermind that I'm still not in shapefor this...I finished. Ay carumba! There were some spectacular sights here though. The scenery was beautifuland there were some pretty greuling hills to climb and storm down. One ofthe more squirly downhills was the "Widow Maker." Heard aboutit, never seen it, never road it. So we're riding our practice lap. Pullaround a corner, see a few people off the course and a few other peoplestanding off their bikes looking down this hill. Great!!! I guess this isit. Basically it's a very steep hill that's not exactly smooth all the waydown. Toward the bottom it lips over to the right. I make it down somewhatsuccessfully...what does that mean? I didn't crash.  So I'm at the line gabbin with another rider. "You ridethe course yet?" he says. I say, "yeah, how 'bout you?" Rightthen he shows his practice lap wounds. I guess he had alot of fun on hisfirst run!??! Too much. Take this kid to the EMT!!!                                   Click here to go back to my home page. ©2005, Perry C. Palacio / perry@perry-palacio.net