So this weekend it was time to dive back into the deep end, do the group rides, and put in some quality miles. After two weeks of gradual buildup, I knew I'd survive. I just wasn't too sure if I'd be able to walk normally on Monday.
Saturday started out overcast, and I checked the radar before heading out, just in case. As I rode out to the lakefront I realized how long it had been since I'd ridden out that way. The new serpentine bike path along Wisner, complete with intersections that seem designed to reduce the cycling population via natural selection, is almost finished now. I met the Giro on Lakeshore Drive and by the time we dropped down onto Hayne Blvd. from the overpass, the group was fairly large. I was glad that the pace stayed pretty civilized for much of the way out, but once we cleared the stoplights out on Chef Highway the speed ramped up quickly. I had been doing a reasonable amount of work, but now the speed was holding at 29-31 mph and I decided I'd better seek some shelter. Sitting in near the back I remember wondering who was up there powering this thing. As we neared the sprint at the Venetian Isles turnaround a final surge at the front fizzled and as those riders dropped back a whole new line rolled past on the left. A hole opened up as it went by, so I slid into it and ended up making a pretty good effort by the end. After turning around I could see most of the group already heading back, having turned a bit earlier than I. It was starting to look like the traditional regrouping and recovery wasn't going to happen, so I stepped up the pace as a little group came together. Soon we had maybe ten or twelve riders, but the gap was still growing. A few of us started taking faster pulls, but cooperation was lacking. Eventually everyone got onto the same page and we had a nice circular paceline going, but by then the rest of the group was a minute or so up the road. No problem, though, as we took the shortcut down Bullard Avenue, rejoining the group as they turned off of the service road. At this point everyone eased up and the last eight or nine miles were pretty easy. As we were rolling down Hayne Mike W comes blasting past us, saying something that none of us could understand. It turned out he was feeling miffed because the group hadn't waited at the turnaround, I guess. A few miles later on Lakeshore Drive we see him standing in the road with his bike leaning against the barricade yelling something at all of the riders as they went past. Rather odd behavior for a senior citizen, I thought, as we turned down Wisner to check out the City Park criterium course.
Saturday started out overcast, and I checked the radar before heading out, just in case. As I rode out to the lakefront I realized how long it had been since I'd ridden out that way. The new serpentine bike path along Wisner, complete with intersections that seem designed to reduce the cycling population via natural selection, is almost finished now. I met the Giro on Lakeshore Drive and by the time we dropped down onto Hayne Blvd. from the overpass, the group was fairly large. I was glad that the pace stayed pretty civilized for much of the way out, but once we cleared the stoplights out on Chef Highway the speed ramped up quickly. I had been doing a reasonable amount of work, but now the speed was holding at 29-31 mph and I decided I'd better seek some shelter. Sitting in near the back I remember wondering who was up there powering this thing. As we neared the sprint at the Venetian Isles turnaround a final surge at the front fizzled and as those riders dropped back a whole new line rolled past on the left. A hole opened up as it went by, so I slid into it and ended up making a pretty good effort by the end. After turning around I could see most of the group already heading back, having turned a bit earlier than I. It was starting to look like the traditional regrouping and recovery wasn't going to happen, so I stepped up the pace as a little group came together. Soon we had maybe ten or twelve riders, but the gap was still growing. A few of us started taking faster pulls, but cooperation was lacking. Eventually everyone got onto the same page and we had a nice circular paceline going, but by then the rest of the group was a minute or so up the road. No problem, though, as we took the shortcut down Bullard Avenue, rejoining the group as they turned off of the service road. At this point everyone eased up and the last eight or nine miles were pretty easy. As we were rolling down Hayne Mike W comes blasting past us, saying something that none of us could understand. It turned out he was feeling miffed because the group hadn't waited at the turnaround, I guess. A few miles later on Lakeshore Drive we see him standing in the road with his bike leaning against the barricade yelling something at all of the riders as they went past. Rather odd behavior for a senior citizen, I thought, as we turned down Wisner to check out the City Park criterium course.
Saturday night was a nice informal party for the new Psychiatry/Neurology residents at the department Chair's house. The only downside was that a lot of work that I should have done last night got postponed once again. Such is life..... Still, much of the conversation (there were a number of people from out of town) revolved around the hurricane, now nearly three years in the past. The house where the party was held, nestled up against the infamous 17th street canal, had gotten about five feet of water.So after Saturday's 60+ miles I was feeling a little drained, but by evening I was already looking forward to doing a nice training ride in the country. By 5:30 am I was already en route to the town of Enon. Along the way I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Starbucks on 190 opens at 6 am instead of 6:30, so I was able to pick up a cup of caffeinated beverage for the reminder of the drive. Then, coming over the watchtower hill, I was shocked to find the road under repair. In fact, the road had been completely torn up and hauled away, leaving just a red dirt road. I was really excited at this development, since I've been waiting about 25 years for them to repave that stretch!
We had eleven for the training ride and it was great. I was trying to be conservative since I hadn't done any long miles in quite a while. I was fully expecting to get dropped, but luckily the group was in tempo mode. I felt pretty good for the first 40 miles of the 60+ ride, but after that I was definitely starting to feel a little sluggish on the climbs, so for the last fifteen miles or so I just took short pulls and tried to stay protected. It worked out nicely and I survived. I wonder how my legs will feel tomorrow.
1 comment:
I think it is particularly ironic that the senior citizen who is nothing short of a menace to every cyclist in this city takes exception to the group not waiting for him...a move he executes on a weekly basis by the way. This guy doesn't understand the first thing about riding etiquette in the peleton; he is the poster boy of selfish and unsafe riding. Shows up every week on a track bike with a disk wheel, fixed gear, and a single hand brake on the front wheel...you tell me. He is quick to state that "all I want to do is go fast"...well, I guess he wasn't fast enough to catch all the wheels he was sucking on the way out to Venetian.
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