Augusta - Take 2
After my weekend in North Carolina I wasn’t sure what direction I was going to take to get to Dallas for my next event. I had three choices; Straight through the middle of the country, a little further south on some not so major highways, or south through New Orleans. I decided the New Orleans route. I figured this would be the most fun and I don’t think I will be going that far south any more on my trip.
Considering the highways are starting to blend together and once I’m in my truck it’s a matter of, get in, find a podcast/book/music I want to listen to, enter my destination and then go, I didn’t notice I was going to be headed through Augusta, GA. For those of you who don’t know I spent about a year of my life there when I decided to try and make the National/Olympic team in 04 for Athens. That is a whole other story and without going into details, juust know I didn’t make it but learned a lot about myself, rowing, training, and life during my time there. Also, with any city you live in there is a connection. Even if you’re only there for a short time there is a familiarity and memories that are created.
I decided to stop by the familiar places on my way through.
Langley Pond: This is the small lake that where the course was located. We spent many hours and days there sweating our asses of in the Georgia heat while we did 2k repeats and many other fun and entertaining Igor/Sean workouts. I have great memories of driving out to the lake in my truck. We launched from a small dock on the lake that was behind a BBQ restaurant that was at the far end of the lake. Walking down from the parking lot the other day I was flooded with memories of hard work, sweat, laughter, and humidity.
The boats were stored on wooden racks that were out doors in the grass. It was bare bones and it worked. Looking back, I absolutely loved it. Looking the racks now I had a strange flashback like they have in movies. The racks are still there but you can tell that we were probably one of the last groups to use them. Everything is wrapped in weeds and vines, but there is still a feeling in the air while standing there. Looking around I can remember exactly where my boat was stored. I remember Igor or Sean letting us know what we were doing. I remember the days that I was sore and tired and still went out. I remember the passion that drove me to do the best I could every day. The desire to gain those 5 simple rings on the side of my boat.
I remember picking up my boat and oars and carrying them down to the small dock an looking up the lake. Most the time is was flat and glassy and just waiting for us to leave a bit of ourselves out there. I think anyone who trained under Igor, even if only for a little bit, left a little bit of their soul on the water. Today the dock sits on the ground. There is growth all around it. I found out later that the dam for the lake has a leak and there hasn’t been the normal amount of water for a couple years. Standing on the dock and looking up the lake I remember pacing with Juri and being that mans shadow. Juri rowed as the single sculler for Estonia and I was bound and determined to pace him no matter what. I remember it was better to be moving on most days rather than sitting still. When you were moving you had a breeze and it felt okay. The time between pieces felt like sitting in an oven. I would find any tree over hanging the shore and hide underneath it. Anything to cool off a little bit. Walking back to my truck from the dock the only thing I could do was smile. These were memories that only a few people have and everybody remembers them in their own special way.
Leaving Langley I headed into Augusta to check out the boathouse and my old apt, along with visit Igor.
Boathouse: It’s still the same. The Savannah river still stretches for miles. I was on time crunch so I didn’t get a chance to go into the boathouse but I doubt it’s changed much. I’m sure it still has a distinct smell of sweat mixed with old shoes. I’m hoping the TR’s(total rowers) are still there and causing people pain every day. The old rusty weights alongside the back extension machines where we did things that would probably be frowned on in most training circles now a days. Even though the dock is new the air is still the same. Well almost. I remember the air smelling a bit worse when I was living there the first time. The mill must not have been working. That is a smell that won’t ever leave your brain. Not sure what kind of mill it was, but if you could combine two horrible smells, I would choose garbage and shit and that’s the smell during some morning pieces on the water. What kind of pieces? 5x20 minutes with rate control rings a bell. I also remember someone telling me, “If you can survive Igors training plan, you’ll do well”. I almost did. Only one knee surgery. But I don’t blame Igor for that. I blame my knee and my own stupidity for not getting it looked at sooner. That’s another story as well.
My old Apt, D. Timms and Modjeska:
I went past my old aptartment on Walker St. I still remember an officer questioning why I lived on Walker St.. Just because I could see a jail and bail bonds business from my bedroom doesn’t mean it isn’t a good place to live right? As I drove by I noticed that there were tarps all over the house and they were working on it. I turned around to look again. As I drove by a second time I noticed the “condemned building” sign. All I could do was laugh. But at the time and for $290 a month it was good to go!
D. Timms was the jazz club/restaurant where all the athletes training got to eat breakfast and dinner. I vaguely remember how we got that deal. I honestly didn’t care since it was free food. I believe we were subsidized by a wealthy contributor to the program. I also remember eating a giant plate of hash browns and eggs every morning and then once a week spoiling myself with a single glass of Sprite. I know, crazy talk. Well, the building is still there. The bedazzled horse statue on the balcony is still there but the restaurant is closed. I made friends there. On a side note I also learned the best way to make scrambled eggs. At least according to the older woman who I talked with at the bar who was also a limo driver. Hot and fast. According to her that makes them fluffy. I still make them the same way to this day. I learned that while sitting at the bar drinking water, listening to live jazz and not wanting to go home to my 5 star apartment.
Modjeska was the night club in Augusta. When I say it was the night club I mean it was “the” night club. Housed in an old theater I don’t think there was anything else at the time. It still exists as a night club but is being revamped as a newer better nightclub. Looks like it’s going to be cool. We met the owners shortly after we started going there. I wish I could remember their names. They were awesome and they even came to our Super Bowl party. We also had an auction there where all of the male rowers were auctioned off to single ladies to raise money for the club. I was won by a guy. Even with my girlfriend in the crowd. Yup! But hey, it made money for the club. All in all the club was a great break from the training, even if our legs were shot and we were tired we still managed to get out and have a good time
Igor Grinko:
Everyone that has spent time or come into contact with Igor has an Igor story. I will share those later on a video because it’s hard to share the accent over text. I only trained under Igor for about a year. At least for me he was a man of few words, but what he said was powerful and made you that much better with every stroke. He was an influence in my life that helped me shape the person I am today. He was a coach that pushed his athletes to a breaking point and then asked for more. He didn’t do this to be cruel. He did it because he knew we had more and he wasn’t going to get off the water until he pulled it out of us. I remember him constantly screaming “elbow!” at me. I was a starboard for years and my left elbow has a tendency to be to low at the finish. To this day every time I row my single I can hear his voice at my finish. “Tubby(It was supposed to be Toby, but with the accent it was Tubby), Elbow!”
He lost his battle with cancer about three years ago and I didn’t get to go to the service. He now rests peacefully at the Westover Memorial Park in Augusta. As I stood there in silence at his grave I remember what he did for me and all of the athletes he came into contact with. There are flowers and some small trinkets on his gravestone. In one of the flower pots there are flowers along with a small bird pinwheel. I’m sure it was all coincidence but as I said my thanks out loud a breeze came up the pinwheel spun like crazy and I swear it looked at me. As I said, I’m sure it’s all coincidence, but it was a crazy coincidence. It just made me feel like I was still on the water and he was still telling me to GO!, FASTER!, MORE!. Even though it was hard to stand there over one of my coaches who has passed I’m glad I did it. I’ve missed chances to see people before it was too late and I don’t want to have that happen again. Rest in Peace Igor. You are missed.
I left Augusta with great memories of a time in my life that shaped me as a person. Even though it’s rare to see the people who were there with me we all have a common bond of Augusta. As I got back on the road and continued with my trip I realized I’m doing almost the same thing again. Dropping everything, living life, and experiencing the world and what it has to offer. If I could share anything with you I would suggest that you take time for you. I’m not saying quit your job, drop everything and go on a crazy trip like I have, but, take the time during your day to stop, get off your phone, unplug for 10 minutes, and look at the world around you. Experience life away from technology. Listen to the wind through the trees. Watch a squirrel be a dickhead to a dog. Go float on a lake. Do something out of your ordinary life! Maybe then it will calm your nerves and put some perspective on things.