adkbeemer Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Had an interesting experience last weekend and finally had a chance to sit down and type a post. Volunteered for motorcycle support for the local Lake Placid Ironman Tri. This is a qualifier for the big event in Hawaii. My wife and I usually work it togther each year, but this year she had another commitment. So I decided to see if they needed some motorcycle support. Did they! I ended up riding an ESPN camera man on the back of my bike for 10 hours straight! My hand was spasming the next day from the strain. But it was quite the experience. We followed the 3 lead women in the race for the bicycle and run portion. Lots of crazy, memorable times, but three moments stick out in my mind... First was going 50 mph + down one of the local mountain roads with the camera man hanging off the side of my bike no more that a foot or two off to the side of the lead bicyclist. Talk about multi-tasking! Trying to hang off to counterbalance, hold position for the camera angle and still stay in a safe position....Whew. Second moment was going through a pass in the mountains with the Ausable River on the right. Camera man is standing up on the pegs, resting the camera on my head/shoulders, shooting a women on a bike while we talk to her, helicopters (2), one hovering over the river, one behind us, filming. The scene was surreal. Last one was as we approached the finish of the run. Coming towards the Olympic Speed Skating oval. We had planned this out the night before down to the last detail. However, the best laid plans... Following the winner on the last mile. Right behind her with camera man filming over my shoulder. Hundreds of people leaning in, narrow area to ride at very low speeds. Camera man asks to stand up. Ok, I say. Now he's shooting over my head and down. Come to a turn, he is supposed to sit down. No, he stays up....make the turn, now another one and up onto the oval. Supposed to be a safe ramp for us to ride up (me and state trooper on bike). Instead its astro turf type material (all wet too!) So here I am, camera guy standing up, stall speed, squigilling wheels, barely enought room to make it. Was it fun? Yes! Scary? Yes. Test of my riding skill ? Definately! Should be on ESPN September 8(?). Any shots of the lead women are from my 1150 RT! PS Go out and try one of these events if you want to experience something different. Could never do this for a living (my body couldnt take it), but it was fun. Also, what was really funny is that the camera folks all ran for the BMWs over any of the other bikes! (Quiet and better riders is what they said....heh, heh!) Link to comment
JB80120 Posted August 9, 2002 Share Posted August 9, 2002 Interesting post. Enjoyed reading it. Will look for the show on the tube. Link to comment
PeterScottNJ Posted August 12, 2002 Share Posted August 12, 2002 Great post - We heard about it here on the Thursday before - tried to pull off helping out, but couldn't. I'm definately looking them up next year. Actually several of us in the NJ/NY area are planning on helping out. Guess we need to practice riding with each other and having the passenger do dumb stuff Great post - I know you had fun. Link to comment
algover Posted September 7, 2002 Share Posted September 7, 2002 'Looks like this is scheduled on ESPN2 tommorrow, Sunday, noon on the west coast. Link to comment
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