Doldrums

After what seemed like a solid month of unrelenting wind and otherwise irritating weather, the last couple of morning rides have been remarkably cool, dry and calm, at least with respect to the weather.  It would seem we are temporarily in the doldrums, not that I'm complaining. 

The Tuesday morning levee ride attracted a big group and once we stopped to wait for Woody to fix a flat that he got right at the start, it wasn't long before the pace worked its way up to 25, then 26, then 27 mph.  For the rest of the outgoing 18 miles the group's speed rarely dropped below 25 mph (averaged around 26).  Thanks to the lack of crosswind, it wasn't too intense as long as you didn't lose the draft, but even so it felt more like a race than a training ride.  After the turnaround I rode alone for a few miles, since I really don't much like to stop in the middle of such a short ride.  Soon enough I heard the group coming up behind me and accelerated to ease into the paceline.  A moment or two later Scott flatted after nailing the big hole at one of the grain elevator crossings, so we all stopped once again.  I thought maybe that would take the wind out of everyone's sails and we'd end up riding back downriver in conversational mode, but I think the weather was just too nice for that.  We were soon back into the 27-28 mph range and when someone took a flyer off the front to sprint for the bridge, it was no surprise that Woody immediately launched after him. Those of us who continue on to Oak Street and various points uptown got caught by a train at Oak and River Road. With that delay and the delays caused by the two flat tires I got home a good fifteen minutes later than usual despite the rapid pace. 

Regardless, it was a good training ride day for sure and I arrived back home feeling a little like I'd been ridden hard and put up wet.  You've just got to love that feeling.

So this morning I was happy to have the traditional Wednesday ride on tap.  Even with a fairly large group, which is to say maybe ten riders, the pace stayed extremely smooth.  Part of that was due to the lack of wind, but part is due to the evolving Wednesday levee ride tradition that calls for long steady pulls at 20-22 mph.  Each person in turn pulled for at least a mile.  In a way it felt like a recovery ride, but in another it felt like base training.  Whatever you call it, it was nice to be able to ride with my mouth closed!