October 22, 2008

  • Lyons or Bust

      Another road ride and I am not sure that I am really up for any suffering.   Since Gale stated that she would keep it aerobic, then there's hope that things won't get too out of hand.   Seems that everyone this summer had a goal for some big rides and since I took it pretty easy, this puts me a bit behind in the necessary fitness to enjoy these rides as much as I could.

    So I decide to ride over to Gale's in order to insure that I get some kinda warm-up.  True,  Gale does like a warm up but it seems like there are always a few folks that come there ready.    In some respects this ride is somewhat like racing.   The pace can be fast, but I mean, just like in racing someone is always feeling good and you have to be able to go with whatever move or suffer like a dog......  Now I not expecting this to happen but it's always a possibility...

    So, a bunch of folks show up,  Gale, Peter, Ron, Sledge, Ed, Shawnee(sp?) Bruce etc.   There's the usual small talk and then it's off we go.   The 1st 10 minutes are good and then I don't know what happened.  Ok, that's not really true.   Like I stated earlier, someone is always feeling good.   I am not sure who was the 1st to hot up the pace, that  but there were plenty of folks guilty of stoking the fire....

    I am smart enough not to have any party of driving this train, cause 1, my HR is already higher than I would like and there ain't no way I can hold that for 60 miles....   I find a way to get to the back of the line as much as possible, but at times it's not better back there cause folks are opening and snapping gaps closed.! 

    We are traveling up 34 and the pace is pretty good.    I didn't get a chance to see what happened to Ed, but the word was he was mumbling something like,"I don't need any of this S%#$".     I am glad someone else besides me was suffering ....  Had I heard Ed say that I may have gone back with him

    Finally we are off 34 and the group had splintered.  Gale was back, looking for Ed and the  group was motoring on.  I took this time to drop out of the group and chill.  I could see folks look back to see where we were, but it took them a while to slow to  pace where I was going to chase.   Gale didn't seem to have a problem with the boyz not slowing too much, but I am thinking that if I am going to ride alone I could have done that without all of the suffering..  OK, enough wining for now!

    The ride continues with folks pushing the pace, but by now I am warmer and sitting in is OK.     Gale manages to stoke the fires and get the boyz to do some sprints to help get ride of some testosterone.  This helped some.  Sledge in any case was already beginning to cook!

    As we head towards Lyons the pace is brisk and Peter, Ron, Bruce, Gale are all doing big tempo up front.  I think I saw the front maybe twice on the way down.  I am not proud of it but a man's got to know his limits.   There was a sprint on the way down where Peter took off and I went after him that was probably a mistake.   I wasn't close enough to get him, but it told me that I was capable of burning a few matches if need be.... .

    Finally we are almost to Lyons and the testosterone is wearing off a bit.   Gale is short on time so we turn back after hitting 66 or whatever that road to Lyons is.   The group works fairly well to together now and  I am sure that I will be able to hold on.   I was pleased when Gale offered me a leadout on one of the hill sprints and that I was able to hold off Peter.   Yeah, I know I didn't do any work all day, but it was still fun.   Folks like Ron are doing 270 mile weeks and compared to my 50- 70 miles......

    We make it back to Gales and Ron and I decide to get in a few more miles a go check out the races at CSU after getting some food.   There were only 6 racers there!  Kinda sad, but I don't thing the advertising was as good as it could have been... In any case  It was fun to cheer on Brad and Taft.  ...

    Now I am one tired puppy! 80+ miles for me!  A good time was had by all.