Windy Giro

With a tropical storm moving ashore far to the east of New Orleans, we were treated to a rare north wind this morning that kept both the temperature and humidity down to fairly comfortable levels. The only fly in the ointment was the strong wind. I rode out the the lakefront a bit faster than usual since I was running late, and ran into Rob and Russell along the way. We didn't really get the full force of the wind until we hit Lakeshore Drive, thouh. On the way out, the group struggled down Hayne Blvd. battling a headwind, and I soon sought shelter toward the back of the pack. My legs are still not feeling quite right. Once we made the right turn onto Paris Road, though, the pace picked up quickly. There were a few really dumbass moves as we made the cross over three lanes of interstate traffic, and that kind of split the group (stupid ones in front, of course) resulting in the usual sprint down to the exit ramp and continuing down the service road. Tim came around me at one point to close a big gap and I latched onto his wheel, dropping down to the 13 in the process. I was quite solidly pegged for a while just trying to stay in his draft as he pulled me up into the mid30s. At the end of the service road, Charlie and I stopped for just a moment so I could pull a long piece of grass out of his jockey wheels. Then we had to chase hard to catch back up. Next thing I knew, there was a group of maybe eight guys way off the front. The pack was having a very time getting organized in the headwind, though. Eventually we got a group of 10 or so at the front doing paceline and started to reel in the break, but it all fell apart again after a few miles so we didn't catch them before the turnaround.

The ride back was mostly pretty sweet thanks to the tailwind. When Realdo drifted off the front, I went up to him, taking Tim with me. The three of us ended up doing some smooth and fast paceline all the way back down Chef Menteur Highway. At times, I'd be sitting at the back behind those two big guys going 30 mph and I'd just be soft-pedalling in the ample draft. Sweet! When we hit Hayne Blvd. and got that nice tailwind back a few guys rolled off the front. I started after them and then Robin came by on the left and I jumped onto his wheel. He then proceeded to roll it up to 30+ mph. all the way down Hayne. When I looked down at my computer on the TOP of the casino bridge, it was showing 30mph! Afterward Tim and I took the long way home, riding down Canal St. and along the river on Tchoupitoulas so that I had something like 75 miles by the time I got home.

Tomorrow there's a group meeting in Loranger for 7:30 to do the Tour course again. Maybe I'll go.