May 16, 2004

  • May 16th and its  Sunday.  Well, the kid was up late and I
    needed to stay up with him so I didn’t get a lot of sleep.  I went
    to be at about 2:30 and woke up at 5:30 and I was not a happy
    camper.  Oh well, I go check on the kid and he had wet the bed…. A
    quick change later and we are both back to bed.  A few moments
    later I am up again or at least it felt like a few moments.

    I get up get dressed, eat etc. and find that the bike has a flat at
    7:55!  I make a quick change and I am off to the parking lot at
    the FCHS.  I arrive to find the posse, which included, Dave, Bob,
    Bruce, Kent, Paul and Geoff.  We all agree that Gales ride sounds
    good and we are off.   

    The warm-up was good and we were more or less in a double
    paceline.  Not as tight as I would like but then again I kinda
    expect us to ride like a team.  I am sure that you have all see
    the posters/video of the US Postal Team.  Yeah like
    that.   Why you ask, well it’s for a couple of reason. 
    First it’s good practice riding shoulder to shoulder. Secondly if
    someone has a mechanical etc. then everyone is close and besides it
    just looks and feels cool! I guess I just have this team, mentality or
    perhaps I just like the “Borg” too much. 

    We reach 29th and we overshoot the turn.  Kent wants me to mention
    that I was remiss in my duties as leader and we should never have made
    that error.  Ok My, bad.  In any case Geoff knows a short cut
    though a neighborhood and we are back on 29, only to find out that I
    have a flat in the rear.  While I am making the repair, we are
    passed by a group and I ask, “If they are going to Gales”. They reply
    yes and I ask them to mention that we will be there shortly and they
    say they will.  With a hasty repair, we are off and find ourselves
    at Gales in no time.

    There is a pile of people already there and there are remarks of what a
    large group we have today. There are folks from the Peloton (Bike shop)
    and some from the Rio Grande team, Tri’s and etc.   Gale as
    usual greets us warmly and is happy that we “The Breakfast Club” have
    come out to play today.  That’s the good part. The bad part is
    that we are going to Estes Park and I brought the wrong bike with only
    a 42/21 ! Arggh and it gets worse, they plan to do Glenn Haven (Wicked
    Steep Climb).   Well I break the news to the boyz and
    Dave had brought the “Flats” bike and is in the same boat that I am
    in.  While Standing around I borrow Gales floor pump and I am
    pleased to see that my hand pump had put a good 110 lbs. in already!

    So we are off and heading towards Estes.  We are a large group of
    maybe 30 or so.  We are doing the double paceline with the
    “Strongmen” from the Peloton up front.  They were up there for a
    long time, riding into the headwind and setting a good tempo.  I
    am happy that they were doing most of the work since I would need all
    that I could muster if I was gonna compete this ride.  

    I must say that some of the pace line was pretty tight and all but that
    some of the obstacles could have been avoided with at wider
    berth.   The guys up front are responsible for the safety of
    the guys behind.  The relevant part here is that they should move
    over several yards before an obstacle to give those behind a smooth
    transition around whatever.   Seems that Bruce smacked a sign
    post cause he didn’t see it in time.  I could go on about this one
    but I think my boyz know this but I must say it for the record. 
    In any case we slow a bit to make sure that Bruce is OK and he is so we
    continue.

    After a bit the tempo settles into a better rhythm which is much more
    palatable to everyone who may not be as strong as the boyz up
    front.   At some point I when around some riders to find
    a  “better wheel” and find my self next to Gale.   I
    drift to the back later and life is good until I get a flat! 
    Bummer.   Well, not many notice and I didn’t feel like
    yelling flat to get the whole group to stop.  Several of the BC
    boyz are with me and they stop!  It’s good to have a
    team!   Eric from Gales posse also stops, so it’s Paul, Geoff,
    Bruce Eric and myself(Hope I got everyone here).  I make the repair
    (Front tire) and we are off again.

    Paul is in the lead and setting a Hard Tempo. Way to hard if you
    ask me and it’s sure to splinter the group.  There is no chance
    that we will catch the main group and since we just got done from a
    stop; my legs would have appreciated a warm-up.  Well, I am here
    and I might as well see if I can keep that pace.   Hmmm, my
    HR is rising and my right knee is starting to bother me.  
    Not good since we still got a bunch more miles to go.   I
    guess I would have reserved that much effort for an attack or whatever
    since it was pretty clear that we (at least me) were not gonna be able
    to sustain that effort very long, and even if I could have, I didn’t
    want to suffer without a prize or at least Peter to try and chase.
      In any case Paul gets off the front and sure enough the
    group was splinter.  We regroup and take a more civil pace.

    Life is OK and we are swapping off the front until Eric gets there. 
    He takes a monster pull, so long that I had to go to the front and
    relieve him of duty.  He does it again since he was right behind
    me so Geoff did like wise.  Here is where there is a difference in
    riding style between Gales and the BC.  I prefer to share the
    load, especially when there are engines that are just as capable. 
    Now this would be a different story if we had some Cat III racer boyz
    to play domestic, in which case I would defer to their strength, but I
    digress.

    We reach Drake and find that Bob and Kent are waiting for us while
    enjoying some tasteless power food.  Everyone decides that they
    need to turn back except for Eric and myself and we are not gonna do
    Glenn Haven!   There is some banter about traffic, and I say
    that there ain’t no traffic up here and ramble on about NJ and real™
    traffic.  

    We go our separate ways….   Now did I mention that terrible
    head wind that we were fighting!   It really sucked or
    blew or whatever your preference.   My right knee did not
    like the wind or the hills or any of this at this point.  I wasn’t
    exactly suffering but I have been in more pleasant situations.  In
    any case thank goodness that Eric was there to do more than his share of
    the work.  We were talking monster pulls and it seems like forever
    until we would reach Estes.  At some point Eric announced that we
    only had 3 miles to go and in no time we were there.  

    As we crested into Estes Park, I announced that I would start my cool
    down early.  This of course was in preparation for the lunch
    stop.   Eric continued on at his pace and I was happy to try
    and spin and take it easy in order to minimize the damage to my knee
    etc.  Eric gets a good gap on me and I don’t see him again until we
    reach the little bakery.   I really wanted McDonalds but I
    figured that I would try this “biker food” this time. Mental note, go
    to Mickey Dees next time cause although the food was good, I wanted my
    handsome reward for suffering.

    I see Gale and Posse inside, and we get our food and Grab a
    table.  Well wouldn’t ya know that Don (from the FCCC) and Ford
    etc showed up a bit later and shared a table with us.  There was
    lots of light banter about racing Mead etc and about a ticket that
    someone got for running a red light and how he got 4 points on his
    license for this and didn’t think that it was correct to do that. 
    Don thought it was a good idea, and I silently concurred with this
    since too many of us a reckless which gives us all a bad name. 
    After a bit it’s time to go.

    When I get out side I find that my front tire is flatter. I
    figure that it might be the valve stem.  Ford is kind enough to
    ask the Bakery guys for a pair of Needle nose pliers and I make the
    repair.  Ford and Don and one of the Rio Grande Boyz have already
    departed so after my repair it’s Gale and a small posse to head back
    down.

    As we get onto 34 I am pleasantly surprised to see Eric AKA Frenchmen
    from the Rio Grande and perhaps more famous from the TTH ride. 
      We exchange pleasantries and he joins us.   For
    some reason Eric is falling back, but I figure he will catch.  I was
    a bit back since had to readjust my pump and was able to get back on.
    Eric did not and was never seen again.

    Now for the big Fun!  We got Eric Cat III up front leading Gale
    myself and 2 other down the hill.  Life is really good with the
    Big Engine up front and we are flying!  35 40 45 etc. down the
    mountain with twisties etc.  Gale is riding Eric’s wheel for quite
    a while and she shows no fear!  Some of the other boyz were
    keeping some distance so I had to go up and find a better wheel. 
    Man this is a rocket ride, going into corners hard and fast and
    tight.  Man, life doesn’t get much better that this!

    Well wouldn’t ya know we catch Don & Fords Posse and join forces.
    Remember that part about me saying that life doesn’t get much better,
    well it just did.  Eric and Ford did the greeting think and now we
    have, not 1 but 2 big engines at our disposal.  Bam! We are now at
    really high warp 38--- 47 and this is really want life is all about. We
    were just a rammin and a thumpin and feeling nothing but adrenaline and
    speed! 

    Well, just as the party was really getting good, my front tire starting
    feeling a bit soft. Shitsky, I ride for a bit but at these speeds it’s
    better to error on the side of caution so I drop out of warp and let
    the train go .  I check the tire and it seems OK so I
    continue.  I look to see if it’s possible to catch up, but the
    transwarp conduit had closed up and I was left to my own devices. 
    Now things are still good at 30+ but it just ain’t the same.

    Finally I reach the bottom and the party is over.  I still have a
    really big grin on my face.  The run down route 34 is OK but I am
    getting tired.  As I turn for the foothills there is a strong head
    wind and that smile is now replaced by a grimace.  The wind that
    was once my friend has turned on me like a junkyard dog!  
    Now I am beginning to suffer.  With my knee on my mind and this
    wind, I just settle into survival mode.  It’s kinda nice not to
    have to follow anyone uncomfortable pace.   I take in the
    scenery and notice 3 sport bikes coming up the road, makin some sweet
    sounds.   What I wouldn’t give for the FZR right now! 
    Trust me if I had some ruby slippers I would have transformed my mount
    into the mighty Yamaha! And let the suffering be done
    with.  Unfortunately I am in the real world and must suffer....

    I am passed by a Rio Grande guy with no helmet.  I think to take
    chase but I have no fuel for this and did I mention my butt I
    sore.  I limp along up the hogbacks and am passed by some guy in a
    Boulder Team Tri Jersey.  He says, “On your left and
    continues”.   Guess this is what it’s like to be Prey.

    I limp over the final hogbacks down to 34 where the wind is once again
    my friend.  An almost effortless 22+ mph makes the cool down
    nice.  When I arrive home I see someone from the neighbors house
    greet me, and it’s Peter.  We chat for a bit and I go inside to
    get some liquid.  Looks like I got in a little over 105 miles at a
    16.8 average.  A good time was had by all, I think.

    I did check my tire later after a shower and it was really soft.  Guess I made the right choice!