Harmonie Hundred - Day Two - Learning Group Riding

Well, Silver and I brought ourselves to get up again today for Day Two. We should have checked the weather first.

The first 12 miles were wicked hilly, but wooded. When we got out in the open, we were blasted by 10 to 20mph head winds. Head on and mostly up hill! It didn't matter...for 35 miles, it was always in our face regardless of our direction!

I was failing and then an unknown rider came up and started drafting on Silver...but then he passed and for the first time in my life, I drafted on someone! I would not have made it through this ride without the trade-off that the three of us did for the next 40 miles!

It was very hilly. I'm strong on the hills, so I pulled on them. Silver and he are both spinners and drafted on the flats. There was no pretentious machismo...when we needed to slow, we all did together and kept the drafting going.

I have a feel for group riding dynamics now. Feathering breaks, passing, swapping the pull, communicating, etc. Lot's to learn, but I think it was good for both of us. Plus, this guy lives about a mile from us and our kids are classmates...the Tour was about 45 miles away.

So, feel like I advanced to a new level today...not to mention that the terrain and wind tested me to my limits, but I feel good!

It was a good day for Silver and Mr. Silver! We averaged 16.5mph despite hills and wind...which isn't bad considering we did 17.5mph yesterday in much better conditions.

Good for you Mr. Silver. I had plans to go to the Harmonie Hundred but canceled at the last minute. There was just too much going on at home and it was stressing me out. We battled the winds at a hilly ride hosted by CIBA in Johnson County, and drafting was a must. I, too, am just learning some paceline and drafting skills--mostly through a local training ride skills--and am really enoying it. It's very efficient and is making me a better bike handler.

How was the Harmonie Hundred overall? Worth the trip from Indy?

It was very nice! But I don't know what you would qualify as worth a trip from Indy. It was not a difficult ride in any way. Sat. was mostly flat. Sun had one nice hill and several smaller ones. There was no support at intersections but it wasn't a problem. The course was well marked and the roads were mostly nice (a couple of places with gravel). There was sag support on the roads and the rest stops were nice but still the basic fig newtons and store bought cookies fare. Lunch on Sat. was Subway sandwiches (which I love) and brunch on Sun was homemade egg McMuffins (which I also loved) but nothing fancy.

I could easily go out by myself and ride 50 miles, but to me it's been really important for Mr. to ride with others and I think that this was a great opportunity for him.

I still have a lot to learn about group riding myself. As a triathlete, we don't do much drafting and such.

I'd never pulled a "paceline" before and was apprehensive when it was my turn. I found that I usually pulled up with too much power and pulled out ahead. As the only woman, I felt that I had to make extra sure that I wasn't holding the group back and I think that I over did it? how do you know how hard to pull? Also, how do you know when it's your turn to pull up front?

Then at one point I was really dragging and told them that I couldn't pull for a bit. Mr. took a couple of my turns while I gathered strength. Is that OK?

I've got Harry Potter on the back of my mind or something... thought that was the Hermione Hundred... an interesting mental image...

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Originally Posted by Geonz

I've got Harry Potter on the back of my mind or something... thought that was the Hermione Hundred... an interesting mental image...

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Ha! We could have used some magic to still the winds!!!!

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Originally Posted by silver

I'd never pulled a "paceline" before and was apprehensive when it was my turn. I found that I usually pulled up with too much power and pulled out ahead. As the only woman, I felt that I had to make extra sure that I wasn't holding the group back and I think that I over did it? how do you know how hard to pull? Also, how do you know when it's your turn to pull up front?

Then at one point I was really dragging and told them that I couldn't pull for a bit. Mr. took a couple of my turns while I gathered strength. Is that OK?

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I'm hardly an expert but here's my 2 cents.

Don't worry about being the only woman! You'll be much better off staying at a sensible pace! (I did a century ride last summer with a group I only knew part of- there were 2 women and 5 men- in the first half some of the men kept pushing to stay at the front of the group- by about mile 70 they had been solidly dropped.)

In general, it's your turn to pull when the leader pulls off to the side to let the rest of the group by.

One way to judge how hard to pull is to watch the average speed- it should stay roughly the same with anyone out front (of course this only works if the conditions stay roughly the same). But, make sure you also remember- if you're out in front- you call the shots- you can speed things up or slow things down.

I think a purist would say you don't skip your turn- you just slow the pace down or take a short turn (but IMO in a casual group- if you're feeling tired skip a turn).

Have fun!

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Originally Posted by anakiwa

Don't worry about being the only woman! You'll be much better off staying at a sensible pace!

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It was funny...I didn't see it as a male/female thing. We were all concerned about the same questions. When I was pulling, I thought is should...well....PULL! And the other guy, who we had only met on the ride, was trying to do the same.

So, at one point Silver says "I can't keep up this pace". Well, the two guys immediately gave a HALLELUJAH! Silver broke the ice and freed us up to admit that we were ALL whipped. Fact is that on the flats, Silver can fly!

It's wasn't a macho thing, fact is, I think we each felt a responsibility to help the others keep a pace.

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Originally Posted by Geonz

I've got Harry Potter on the back of my mind or something... thought that was the Hermione Hundred... an interesting mental image...

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Geonz, I bet you'd enjoy a weekend visit down there from CU.

http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/newharmony/home.html