The birds twittered in their see-saw way this morning under a grey sky. I rolled over wondering if it was time to get up yet.. The clock read 5:31am. I rolled back, shut my eyes and momentarily wondered if I should check to see if Wolf had woken up, if his alarm had gone off. This morning is the second race in three days, and he had a ferry to catch. But then I heard the latch of the gate shut, the tell-tale slap of skateboard wheels on the back lane and he was gone. No need for me to get up after all. But by then it was too late; I was awake.
This my life in race season. I wake early, sometimes to find that my sixteen year old has sprung free and is off to a race, a ride, an outlaw challenge. Either way, it seems that he is immune to sleeping in on such days. I wish the regular school week would be an easy sell as this, but it isn't. I, like many parents, knock and knock and remind my son of the time so that he is not late for school, and seeing that we live only five blocks away and he skates downhill to school, he usually makes it.
This week is a special week for local riders and racers; it is the triple event of the local year. The Attack of Danger Bay at Pender Harbour, BC celebrated its 9th year this past long weekend with its three day longboard festival with a longboard hockey, a slide competition, and the famed downhill race. The intense wet course brought a record number of riders sliding into the bales, including my son in his first heat. The race for him was over even before I had arrived (the race is typically late, but not this year).
This morning he is off to Jake's Rash, a road somewhere between Sechelt and Pender Harbour. We took a detour down the smooth and windy road while we were over on the coast last weekend. Should be fun. I'll hear about it at dinner, or likely a bit later, this evening. Next weekend is the Gold Rush Challenge at Britannia Beach. The outlaw race of two years ago has turned into a two day sanctioned event down a very steep and hair-pinned road. We'll see this race for sure--some of it at least.
The idea of having three events inside one week and both weekends is that it attracts international competitors. To fly in for a single event is almost worth the effort, but to go for three full on races definitely is. Then again, we are flying to France for a single race this summer.... but it is a three day event and it's in the Alps. I don't mind at all. Lucky kid, lucky mom!
Wolf's ride just called. She's running late. But it's too late to tell him that, he's been gone for a half hour already and is likely already waiting to be picked up.
