AMC Bike Rally ride is done.
We had probably 50-60 people for the 28.7 mile ride, which we split into 2 groups. I sweep the "fast" group, DH leads. We had a perfect day. Right away, I noticed the group had a natural break, but all was OK, until we got to some little hills. We stopped at a porta potty at a playground at around mile 10 and about 15 people decided to stay and wait for the slower paced group to come by. All was good, until we hit more small rollers. I was stuck with a woman who told me she "hadn't been out much," this year. Now, if you had a choice, would you go with the faster group if you hadn't been out much? But, I take my sweep role seriously, and I stayed with her, even asking if she wanted to stop and rest as she was gasping for breath going up a little rise. We finally made it to the lunch stop, where I made DH tell her she had to go with the slower group!
I thought the last 7 miles would be fine, but a guy dropped his chain going up a short steep rise, so I waited for him to fix it. Both he and his girlfriend were taking their time and then we came to Nagog Hill. Oy, I have surmised most people just don't use their gears right. They both stand and mash (these people are at least 30 years younger than me) and I pass them going faster, because I am in a lower gear and spinning. But DH waited with the rest of the group and we all made it back.
Someone from AMC has linked this ride to a Meet Up group and I hate this. These are the people who you can clearly tell aren't AMC members. They have poor riding skills, despite being able to ride at a decent speed. We saw several making lefts from the right, so both DH and I gave a "talk" at the lunch about this. Someone from DH's work went into the left lane on a left turn, and up onto the grass on the wrong side of the road . Thankfully, it was in Boxborough, so no cars.
Everyone loved the newly designed route and generally, everyone seemed happy at the end. I just wish people would stop and think.