LOCALadk Magazine

Spring 2016 LOCALadk Magazine 51 LOCALadk From Left to Right: Natalie Woods, Ken Stephens, The GOATS: Laura Simmons, Mark Einsweiler, and Timothy Schoolmaster, Bruce Rosenbaum event site at the North Street soccer fields. I graduated from the Town of Webb School in 1989, and it felt like I was coming home. Riders were given a choice on day five to either have a rest day or ride around the Fulton Chain into Big Moose. I passed on the ride and set out to experience some of the other event opportunities. I lingered over breakfast and my third cup of coffee chatting with Rich Sidwell and his wife Mary from Ohio. Lifelong conservationists, neither had been to the Adirondack Park, and were attracted to the event because it was spon- sored by the WCS. Mary was doing the Adventure Travel Pro- gram option offered to non-rider participants. During the day while Rich biked, Mary experienced several local attractions. Her favorites were the WW Durant cruise on Raquette Lake and the Great Camp Sagamore tour. Rich was what I called a silver stallion. The silver stallions were riders in their 60's and 70's who looked and rode half their age. Many could ride past me like I was standing still. This seeming fountain of youth, combined with the overwhelming "good vibes" that were a constant part of this event kept proving to me that cycling is something I want to be involved with for the rest of my life. Massages were available to event riders every day. Late in the morning I headed over to the massage tent hosted by Riv- erstone Wellness of Wilmington, New York. Practitioner Meg Parker helps local athletes all the time, and after four days on the bike I was ready. An hour later, feeling much better and moving without pain, I kept thinking that this was the greatest trip I'd ever taken. The afternoon was spent showing off Old Forge to many of my new friends. Our group made it back to the event site just in time to catch the bike stunts of Sam Perkins as he spun, flipped and jumped over his brave bobble helmeted assistant, event manager Doug Haney. Whatever Doug does, he does it all the way. The 64 mile route of day six was familiar territory - from Old Forge to Long Lake. Riding with the GOATS gave it a new per- spective. Laura and Mark didn't waste any time making fun of the sequential aspect of the names of the Fulton Chain. I still laugh every time I drive by Eighth Lake when I think of Mark sarcastically saying "Wait, don't tell me. I think I already know the name of the next lake." As a group, we stopped several times to soak up the scenery and take pictures. Evan Williams

• Cover