So I did the Y Ride today - to support the kids programs at the YMCA here in Albuquerque. I was so excited I woke up at 4 am for a 7:30 start time! :cool: I was in it with 2 friends: an ex pro-racer and a sunday rider. The registration packet was ok, the T-shirt was wayy cool And it was Long sleeved so that rocked!! The ride started on time at 7:30 and I have not a clue how many people there were. They started the 50 n 100 at the same time, the 25ers were 1/2 hour later. My ex racer took Very good care of me and made sure I was as protected as he could make me since he knew this was my first pack start. The group sorted itself out fairly quickly and we settled in for a very nice ride. The cops had stopped all the traffic so we didn't have to obey the traffic lights going out (which was fun). I had read the route map very carefully this morning and was carrying one in my pocket just in case! (no route maps in the packet nor handed out at the start). We ran into trouble the first major split. The 100 was supposed to go straight, the 50s turn. I knew that, but a lot of people didn't nor was it marked. :o I ended up with a group of about 5 people following me and they thanked me for pointing out the turn (which I did for my friends!). I said "yeah good thing I had read the 50 mile route this am" which they immediately got all upset.....they were doing the 100. I said "ahhh, you need to go back and go straight back there". A lady said "well your Number says 100". I said "yeah...so does everyone elses, it's the Y 100 ride". :rolleyes: So they peeled off and went back to their course. Not too long after, my sunday rider hit a nail and flatted big time! Even with Slime, the nail went clear thru the sides of the tire and the tube was ruined. No patch will work with Slime, and no spare tube. (yeah she knows, she shoulda carried a tube but she also knew there would be SAG and her tires were slimed) A lady stopped to see if she could help (SAG) but had no tubes. She said she'd go find the SAG guy and get tubes and be back. So we sat and waited (10 miles into the ride). It was 43 when we started and man did I start cooling down! :( Soon another vehicle pulled up and They didn't have any tubes either. They were gonna load up my friends bike and take her back but we said No, someone went to find tubes so They left. A 3rd vehicle pulled up and 2 young kids got out. They didn't have any tubes either but THEY started making phone calls. They were trying to do anything they could to find Someone that could help us. I was so mad by now by the lack of support I called my LBS (who was the SAG provider) and tried to find out who was riding SAG for our route and how to get hold of the guy! No clue! By now we've sat on the side of the road for over an hour and a half. and we still have 40 miles to ride. About this time, my friend has decided to give up the ride and let them take her back and let the ex-racer and I finish, when the first lady shows up. As I was B****tching her out for the bad SAG support I find out she's the owner of my LBS. It's Her guy that they can't seem to find. Now another vehicle shows up and another guy hops out - no tubes BUT he has a bike my friend could use if she wants! A 2005 Specialized Roubaix!!!!! all carbon! :eek: Turns out this guy is the rep for Specialized and that's his personal bike! cost: about $7000. We convinced my friend to ride the bike, got the seat lowered and were on our way finally! After almost 2 hours! The rest of the ride was pretty much seamless after that, the first rest stop we saw was at the top of a killer hill and I do mean killer!! Allez doesn't have low enough gears - I was climbing at about 6.2 mph with about a 28 cadence and I was out of gears!!! My Sunday rider was suffering even more than me (and She was on the Roubaix!) It was a great ride, the route was very pretty, the rest stops right about where a rider would need them and the route was poorly marked. Since I was from here - I knew where we were going but a lot of outta state/town folks got lost. Some of the people rode with us for awhile coz we could direct them! One lady thanked me for the directions and took off without hearing about a very nasty, important right hand turn she had to make so I sprinted after her - up 2 little hills at 45 miles into the ride. And I had the power and the energy to do those sprints. Another guy was cruising along at about 15 mph and asked me where he needed to make his last turn so I rode with him to the turn at his pace - again very easy and with no problems! Between miles 15-25 we hit some very open country with head/cross winds and it was getting rough for me. (something to be said for being a little rider on a light bike!) My sweet ex-racer guy popped in front of me and told me to draft! I now know what drafting really is and you guys were right. That guy the other day wasn't up to my ability. Coz my friend today is way Above my ability and I was able to stay with him as long as I rode his draft. And it was just what I needed to catch my breathe and get my cadence back. Alone, that would've been tough! Overall, the route was great, the markings sucked, riding with friends was a blast, and I did it. Now 50 miles is just another number!!! Oh - and I hit a speed of 40.6 mph coming down a very nice hill!! can you say WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE boy N girls???!!! :D
Miles: 51.89
Ride Time: 3:38:27
Total Time: 5.50 hours (tells you how long we waited for SAG)
and for V:
Altitude Gained: 1768'
