I didn't see a ride thread for this weekend- was everyone rained or snowed out?

Yesterday I did 60 miles- it was supposed to be longer, like 85, to get ready for El Tour de Tucson, but they miscalculated the distance, and then it was really windy on the way "out". I'm always slower than this group, so I was riding alone into a headwind (15-20 mph) for about 10 miles or so. They all thought I had turned around. Surprise! I got 1 mile from the turn-around spot and joined back up with them as they had started back.

Tailwinds and downhill for 10 miles made up a lot for the effort on the slow outbound section. When the choice came to turn back into the wind and go uphill to get some of those extra miles, or to continue back home on flat / slightly downhill route, with the continued tailwinds, I took the easy way. I was cruising above 20 mph for quite a few miles!


Today was the El Tour training ride with the Carmichael coaches. 47 miles, and the advantage of a more helpful paceline organization boosted my speed to an average of 16.1 mph for the full ride. We rode a section of the El Tour course last week, and another section of it today. I think I have been just about all of it at one point or another.

Beautiful temps both days, and much calmer this morning.