February 20, 2005

• Sunday again and I am doing the CPT ride.  When  I arrive at
  MUGS there are a ton of riders.  Many are Breakfast Club attendees
  which include, Dave, Jerry, Peter, Kent, Geoff, Ilka, Glenn, 
  Brent, Shannon, Wayne and Bob.. I think I got most of them.  In
  any case by the time it's time to rock and  roll there are
  about  40 folks there. 

  So the plan is the do  the same as last week, 
  Masonville
  Stove-Prairie and then either Rist or come down the Poudre.  So
  with a lot of folks chatting ect. we are finally off.   There
  are plenty of racers here today and I fear that this will be a faster
  ride than last week and since I am just getting over a cold and am not
  at 100% (Not that it would matter), that this could be a
  sufferfest...... but I digress.

  So we finally make it too the 1st hogback. I guess I should note that a
  woman in a car and some other walkers took pictures of us! guess we
  looked either really good or really bad. ....
  Anyway the tempo up th 1st hogback was good.  I was working pretty
  hard and I could tell that this cold was making things difficult,
  although my legs were fresher than last week since I have been off the
  bike for a few dayz.   I could see Jerry riding well, and
  Geoff and Kent were holding there own, as were Ilka and Glenn. 
  Brent joined me for a bit as he made is way closer to the frontline.

  The lumbering group chilled as we headed for the next hogback, and I
  didn't see if we lost anyone, but I am sure there must have been a few
  casualties..  Then the next hogback was here and again the
  pace was good.  Jerry was riding really well, and I guess the GTS
  training is really paying off.   I  didn't look back to
  see if  others were falling off since I was too focused on saving
  my own hide!   In any case I was able to make it intact on
  this crest.

  The descent was kinda interesting with one or 2 riders not holding
  theire lines and riding in a fashion where I could not predict where
  they were going, so I more or less took it easy until I could be clear
  of all present danger.

  Now it's onto the last hogback!  The pace was faster than the week
  before but it seem that my effort was about the same since the legs
  were fresher.  I made this one with the group an d we waited for
  all those who dared continue. 

  So it;s off again to the Buckhorn and the real(tm) challenges.  I
  must say that on the descent to Masonville some of  the boyz were
  coasting and soft pedaling at the front.  I am not surprised but
  racers should know better when there is such a large group since it was
  causing a lot of folks to have to pull out to catch some wind or break.
  So for those who don't know this,  "If you are on the front,
  Pedal, if you are not going to pedal, get of the front"..... End of
  lecture and digression.

  Now its onto Masonville where Peter and Jerry 'Who had a cracked 
  rim" decided to bail and and do the Eden Valley loop or
  somesuch.   I choose to go on, but In hind site should maybe
  have joined them.  In any case I am holding my own pretty much,
  but I knew that when the big climb came that I would be OTB. 

  Now we are on the big climb and I fall back and am with Kent and
  Geoff.  I figured that I don't really want to go much harder and
  that if the boyz & girlz are gonna wait like last time that this
  should be OK.   When we finally summit,   Ilka and
  Glenn and a couple of others are just taking off.   Geoff and
  I dally a bit too much talking to Kent in adjusting his saddle bag and
  we are  ( pick your favorite word here ..Shelled, Dispatched, 
  Dropped, History, Ejected, ). 

  At this point we take off but it is futile to chase the 
  peloton.   We come to the bottom of the next little nasty
  grade and we can see them just out of reach with Ilka and crew in "No
  mans land".    We continue on by ourselves realizing
  that  we must forage for ourselves.   In a liitle bit
  Kent turns back, so it is just Geoff and I.

  We come to the wall and grunt up it and near the Summit find Ilka and
  Glenn.  We take off but Ilka and Glenn take off much faster than
  we do and are about 100 yards up the road from us.  We stop to get
  some food since it didn't matter at this point.   With food
  in, we are off to the Stove Prarrie Climb.  It's much better than
  last week but  it still sucks.   I can see Glenn and
  Ilka waiting at the bottom of the Rist Climb and they take off as we
  are approaching.

  We make the climb up Rist and it really sucks.  Glenn is riding
  strong and summits a good bit before Ilka.  I am back about 100
  yards and Geoff is even futher back.  As Geoff summits we prepare
  for the descent.  Glenn. Ilka and Geoff have Vest, but I am
  without and am gonna be a bit chilled until all of the sweat is
  evaporated/sublimated or whatever the proper term is.

  The descent is a bit sandy but fun......  I hit about 44 at some point...... (Details left out).

  We get to the bottom and it's much warmer and I am much
  happier.   Geoff and I decide to do Centennial and we bid
  Ilka and Glenn adeiu and the stay on the flats.   Centennial
  is tough but it's OK since we are not hammering.   We reach
  Stadium hill and I decide to climb the rest of Centennial and Geoff
  head for home.   I make the climb without too much suffering
  and turn around to take the Stadium hill descent.

  I take Drake to Dunbar to Swallow to Stover as a nice cool
  down.   About 64 miles for me. I can't say a good time was
  had by all, but if anyone has any info to give me on their experiance I
  can put it here for completeness.   I must say I wasn't 
  as tired as last week, but this is probably becuase the big boyz did
  not choose the opportunity to wait and drop me several times.     
  Sorry no ride pics since it was too hot for any  fumbling for
  cameras while suffering.   Not sure I am gonna do this next
  week if we can get enough BC boyz & girlz to do a more recreational
  type ride, brisk but none of this droping of folks.

  For the Record here is the PowerTap info from our Fearless Leader (Steve O).

  • 8:55 pm
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