Compromise

I awoke just a few minutes before the alarm, as I often do, and briefly contemplated the start of another work week and the Monday training ride. It dawned on me rather quickly, though, that this particular work week was beginning on a Tuesday, which meant a long ride and an early start. After three long morning rides in a row, I'd have to think about this one. Somehow it just didn't seem worth the effort of rushing off in the semi-darkness today, so instead I decided on a compromise, and stayed in bed a few minutes longer. Eventually a plan came together and I headed out the door half an hour after the ride had started. When that little voice inside tells me to take it easy and enjoy the morning I sometimes actually listen.

So I spun the small ring up the river at fifteen miles per hour, happily ringing my little bell at the pedestrians who seemed genuinely grateful for the advance warning. Indeed, the sound of a bicycle bell is infinitely less threatening than a loudly shouted "On Your Left!" A few rough calculations told me that I should be seeing the group on its return trip somewhere near The Dip. Before that, however, three or four of the guys, who I assume had started with the group, passed me going the other way. Presumably they had turned around early. For a moment I wondered if maybe only a handful had showed up for the ride and that the group I was expecting didn't actually exist. Then, rather suddenly, I spotted the long single-file line heading my way. I could tell by the way they were strung out that they were going at a pretty good clip, so I made an early U-turn and gradually ramped up my own speed. I've learned that you need to be going at least 22 mph to avoid being streamed by a paceline like that and subsequently spit off the back. By the time they overtook me I was going just the right speed to slip smoothly down the side of the paceline and into the draft. Isn't it great when a plan comes together like that? Of course, as I was dropping back half of the guys had to remind me that I'd been late. I guess I should just be thankful that none of them attacked as I was caught!

So it was a nice smooth ride back in to town and I arrived home feeling like I'd given the Recovery Gods their due while still respecting my own obsessive-compulsive disorders.