Alabama Cycling Camp, entry 6 and 7

Little Red's

so last night, since it was the last for Steve and Peter, we decided to make it special and head to Little Red's -- THE local restaurant. They serve an all-you-can-eat buffet for $7 which includes sweet tea and a slice of pecan pie. Everything is swimming in grease. there is fried chicken that is REALLY good, but really sinful. There is black eyed peas, deep fried corn bread, potato salad, baked chicken, pork with bbq sauce and all kinds of other delicacies. when we arrived the staff picked us out immediately as being from out of town (i don't know how? the snap happy cameras? the Michigan accents? the Canadian ehs?) and we became sort of an event. they kept bringing stuff to our table for us to try in the southern way as they explained. anyway, last night i seriously considered bulimic tendencies because of the guilt and the belief that a good woof would be the only thing to make me feel better. i felt slippery and slimy from my tongue all the way down to my stomach. makes me want to barf now. anyway, now that that's out of the way, it is time to start on week two!

New Camp, New Crazy!

I can't believe how many people are here today. Saturday is camp change over day so out with last weeks campers and in with the new weeks campers. Those of us staying for two have to bridge the transition. this year, most of the new campers are crazy in that way that many cyclists are. They have already got under my skin and i never feel like starting a fight more than when i am trying to get my head around the social experiment that IS Alabama Cycling Camp. There is one couple here, who I have nicknamed the Flanders. They insist on pushing their beds together despite the fact there are two others in their room. there is another guy here proud of a Lance Armstrong tattoo he has permanently adorned his calf with. his ENTIRE calf. there are the usual hammer heads here to make everyone nuts on rides with their total disregard for simply rules like stay in double file and do not sprint up hills. there are a bunch of Canadians here as well but they have so far remained quiet. i suppose i would also be considered crazy in my own way too so perhaps i should cut some slack. but the way i see it, there are some here to make friends, and there are some here to get their miles. I'm part of the latter group and it is obvious who is part of the former. Aldo does an amazing job of reigning everyone in and making sure we all get what we came for. one week to go!