March 22, 2004

  • The first ride of the Spring is upon us.   I checked the RSVP system
    (Thanks to "Big Ben" for the server access and code) the night before and was pleasantly surprised that Ilka was going to
    attend.  8:00 Sunday I arrive to find most of the passe ( Bob,
    Peter, Kent, Dave, Ilka and Glenn H) and waiting on the steps of the
    school.  There is some light banter about what to do. The original
    plan was to do Stove Praire –> Rist but Bob had driven the route the
    day before and was concerned about the sand and the cold.  I was
    mentally prepared to do that route so a little sand and cold wouldn’t
    have deterred me at all but I guess that’s why I am one of the few that
    will ride in whatever conditions. There were a few different
    routes suggested, but in the end we decided to do Cater Lake and come
    back on through the hogbacks.  

    So we head down Horsetooth as usual.  The pace was a bit fast at
    first but settled down to a respectable warm-up.  Pretty
    un-eventful trip down Horsetooth except for the car making a right had
    turn and almost got nailed in the side. I looked over to see a 1 finger
    salute from one of the drivers….

    We hit the 1st hogback and life is OK, but  Peter is leading the
    parade.  I decide to stay with him for a bit and am surprised to
    see Ilka going around Peter before the hairpin.  Peter sits on her
    wheel for a bit to size up the situation and then makes his move and
    gets a good gap on her and Summits 1st ( But u knew that was gonna
    happen).  I  bring up the rest of the boyz. No one attacked,
    and Glenn verbally expressed his liking of my civil pace.

    A quick regrouping and it’s on to the next Hogback.  Life is still
    pretty good.  Dave mentions something about a chain coming off on
    the way up the 1st hill.    The next charge is again
    won by Peter,  What can I say.  Glenn, I believe got 
    some points on that one but Peter owns the hills.  I think if Ilka
    had been “on form”  and been on her New bike, that things may have
    be a bit different buytI am just taking about the “Bin Brother”
    (woulda, coulda,).   I should note that a new and improved
    “Svelte”  Bob is riding well, and I must inform him that his
    application for the position of “Whipping Boy” has been declined.

    Well on the way to the 3rd Hogback, a lone rider greets us and it’s
    Ramon!  He makes the 180 and joins the party.  He said
    something about being in the dog house since he should have been home
    helping his wife pack for a trade show but decided that he needed to
    ride instead.  I inform him of the change in plans and he is cool
    with it.   Well, Peter takes the  Horsetooth summit and
    I am too far back to see who the “First looser” was  and it really
    doesn’t matter anyway. > (For the Record, Dave informs me that
    Glenn summitted second at Horsetooth Mountain Park; and that he was
    third ).

    A quick regroup at the park and we are off.  Kent takes the lead
    and I find his slipstream and just coast.  Seems that a small gap
    opened up on the descent with Ilka, Ramon and Peter(?) but we get
    reorganized on the road and hit the Left turn in Masonville
    together.  We form a nice pace line and were having a good
    time.  At some point in the ride Dave mentioned how jerky the line
    was at times and I must agree.  I was not sure of the cause but I
    did notice that when some gaps formed, folks were closing them too
    quickly.   I don’t  really mind if gaps open up since
    this will happen from time to time, but it’s important to close them
    slowly (If you have the strength) other wise the accordion effect will
    be the end result. (If you are racing then do what you want and this is
    a tactic that can be used to soften up the legs of your opponents, but
    use this trick sparingly).

    We are working pretty well as we work our way to Carter lake. 
    Ilka is feeling it from skiing the bumps on Friday and then running on
    Saturday, toss in she hasn’t been riding too much and was on the heavy
    bike…… well you get the idea.   On the  way to the base
    of Carter a small break occurs with the weak being shelled. To my
    surprise, Peter Dave and myself have a 3 man break away.
      Tis no matter since the plan was to take a break at the
    station at the bottom of Carter.

    We stop at the station an adjust clothing etc.  We were probably
    there a bit longer than we should have been, and my legs were
    stiff.  Peter as usual started from the back and I tried to go
    with him to the summit.  Well my legs protested and my HR wouldn’t
    break 175 which tells me that the legs were stiff.  To my surprise
    Ramon was with me for half way before he gave out.  Glenn was
    gaining on me rapidly but I was able to hold him off.  Kent was
    already up the road but was no match for Peter “Lance” Stackhouse.
     

    We quickly got re organized with Dave taking the lead and doing a
    monster pull to keep the pace moderate.   There is some
    rotation at the front and then Kent and I plan to make a break and make
    the boyz and girlz work for it.   Kent does the descent thing
    and I am back too far to stay with him.  I don’t mind draggin pegs
    on the Yamaha, but on 20 mm tires I don’t have that kind of
    confidence.  I work my way up to Kent but I am tired from the
    effort.  We work a bit together, but we are caught.  I try
    and make a run for it but they are on me. Peter makes a nice attack and
    I am able to keep his wheel!   Somehow Peter Glenn and I are
    away and  Dave, Bob etc are chasing.   We are almost
    caught but too make sure I am not I increase the pace and try and go
    around Glenn.  Glenn accelerates to hold me off, and since my
    intent was not to be caught, I do not engage him at this time.

    Another regroup and we are doing the paceline thing.  I guess I
    should note while I am here that we sometimes take up too much
    road!  If there is a passing zone then it’s no big deal, but we
    should make it a point to be better at times. I guess our most
    egregious  acts are when we stop on the road! I have said it
    before and I will say it again, lets not stop on the road, and by that
    I mean if any part of you is on the wrong side of the “white’ 
    line delineating the shoulder then you  need to move.  I know
    I hate it when I pass cyclists that do this, and I am a cyclists, I can
    just imagine what the typical motorist is thinking….  Nuff said
    about that.

    We make a quick stop at the Conoco station.  We chat about Dave’s
    knee, which is is bothering him etc.   We take off again
    and head for glade road.  I am starting to get a bit tired but I
    press on.  Glade road seemed more difficult than usual, and I
    suspect that the fuel cells were almost dry.   We make it to
    the last hog back and Dave and Bob keep moving.  After a quick
    clothing adjustment we are off again.  We catch Dave and Bob and
    go past them.  Peter wants to hammer but I just don’t have it in
    me, much as I would like to go with him.   Glenn catches and
    passes me and I try to keep in my sights.  To my surprise, Bob
    catches me but the effort was too great and is shortly
    dispatched.  I had take my gloves off in the middle of that climb
    and stuffed them in my half zipped jacket, and one fell out so I had to
    stop and get it.  Bob passes me in the interim.  I do not
    give chase since I am tired and want some real ™ food.

    A the summit, Dave  Ramon and Bob need to get back so Kent, Peter
    Glen and I wait for Ilka.  She has a flat tire so we fix
    it and are off again.  Peter and Kent get a gap on the Descent and
    Peter isn’t seen again until we reach Centennial Road!  Ilka is
    riding better, and passes me and Glenn on this hogback.  

    We get organized for that last stretch towards Centennial, but I have
    no real desire to chase Peter, who is too far up the road.  Kent
    and Ilka swap off doing the work but it is for naught.  We pass
    the waiting Peter at  Centennial and work way to Harmony. 
    Ilka peels off for home and Glenn Peter and I take a different route
    home.  Mason and through some rich folks neighborhoods. 
    Finally back to Horsetooth. We make a stop at  Peters  home
    to get a cool bike map of CO of which he had an extra.

    Long ride, about 4 hrs in the saddle, 63 miles.  I didn’t look at
    the stats but I did burn 2700 calories!  A good time was had by
    all.  See ya next time.