Exam Season

I figured I could get in about an hour and a half Sunday morning. I was scheduled to conduct a LAMBRA Officials' Clinic at 10 am, and with rain in the forecast my options were definitely limited. So I headed over to the Harrison Avenue Starbucks to meet the local caffeinated wheelmen, have a quick cup of iced coffee, and roll over to Robt. E. Lee to meet the Giro Ride. Doing the whole ride was pretty much out of the question for me, so I was planning on turning back after crossing the Seabrook bridge in order to be back home by 8:30 or so. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but it was even more windy than it had been on Saturday, a fact that was driven strongly home as I made my way alone back across the bridge. The gusty crosswind up there on the unprotected bridge was so strong that I came back down with both hands on the brakes and struggling to maintain control of the front wheel. I was having Wizard of Oz images of myself and my bike being blown off the bridge. Anyway, I battled my way back home and then headed over to Tulane to get things set up for the Level C officials exam.

We had a great turnout for this one and everyone passed the exam, so we ended up making ten new officials. Thanks to everyone who came. We really need all of the officials we can get because the chances of more than one actually being available on any given weekend aren't always very good. It was already raining by the time I left and kept raining off and on pretty much all of the rest of the day and most of the night, knocking out the power twice in the process. Monday morning the streets were still wet and so I blew off the morning ride thinking I could always get in a ride in the evening. Well, of course that didn't happen.

The Tuesday morning ride turned out to be a pretty good workout. Tim was in attack mode and so it got pretty fast on the way out. There were repeated surges and attacks until the paceline finally snapped, leaving me out there with Tim and Woody. They were planning on turning around early, so at least I knew I wouldn't have to sustain the unsustainable pace for too long. I ended up back with the group after The Dip, but the pressure was still on a bit. On the way back it seemed like Rob and Donald were taking turns attacking each other, which kept the pace fast and relegated most of us to the back of the paceline for a little rest now and then.

After a week and a half of riding in NOLA, I'm already wishing for a ride with some hills in it. Saturday would be the day, but I'll be manning a LAMBRA/NOBC table at the Tour de Lis event in City Park and will be lucky to get in any riding at all. Sunday is Mother's day, so I don't yet know if there will be any domestic entanglements, but I guess the Giro Ride should at least be an option.