3 BIG rides 9 days apart.... possible?

[Bike Goddess]

Smart lady that you are! I would have stayed home too Riding is supposed to be fun. With those high winds, heck no!

[Pedal Wench]

One down, one to go...

Today's organized ride was a bit interesting. There were 100, 50, and 10 mile (family ride) options. As it turned out, only about 15 people did the 100. 10 of them were a team of hammerheads. They headed out of the parking lot and I never saw them again. One guy was riding about my speed, and we headed out together. Stayed together for most of the first 60 of the ride. The other 3 non-team riders caught up to us and we all rode somewhat together - two of them were always way ahead, then we would catch up at lights and the numerous times we got lost - the route markings weren't really terrific. When we got to the rest at 57 miles, someone said that the team guys were there 2.5 hours earlier! Yikes!!! But, there were serious headwinds, so riding in a peloton they would have had a big advantage over our rag-tag group, who never rode close enough to draft.

Then comes my moral dilemma. About 3 miles out from the 57 mile rest stop, he broke a derailleur cable. The rest stop was at a bike shop - mechanic on duty. He debated riding in his granny gear (where he was stuck), or go back and get it fixed. He decided to go back. Also, at that stop, he could have looped onto the 50 mile ride and get back to the start in 25 miles if he wanted. I debated going back with him (at this point, all of the other riders were way up head) but I decided to ride on by myself. I mean, the roads were so busy that we never really talked much, didn't bond, but were hanging together, swapping leads and stopping for breaks together. Was it wrong to let him go back alone? I feel a bit bad. His car was still at the parking lot, so I think he continued on the century route instead of taking the shorter 50 route home. (I feel GUILTY! HELP!!!) My organized 'group' ride ended up being me and some guy for 60 miles, and me, all by my lonesome for 44 miles.
Tour De Cure - tomorrow at 8am.... Report tomorrow night!

[CorsairMac]

I'da left him too. I'm guessing he planned on riding the route alone anyway, kinda like you did so the fact that the 2 of you had 57 shared miles was more than either of you planned. What if you hadn't been with him?.....it would've happened anyway and he would've made the same decision. Sounds like you had a nice ride tho, sorry about the route markings, my first organized ride was poorly marked also, but between living here and the route map we knew where we needed to turn ect.
Keeping you in my thoughts for tomorrow, have another great ride!! Pixs???


Cali:....make it back yet?

[Bike Goddess]

Two down, one to go! Not bad. Don't lose any sleep over the guy. As CM said he'd probably planned to do the century regardless of who else came along!

Am waiting for the final chapter!

[SadieKate]

Audio - I'm with everyone else on this. The guy wasn't stranded. He had an somewhat operational bike and a fully operational body with rest stop and help close at hand. He hadn't started the ride with an expectation of group support so there shouldn't have been any expectation of staying together. Good job for finishing. Riding in such a situation can be a mental challenge when you know you're out there by yourself.

Ride strong tomorrow!

Yellow is taking us up Slug Gulch tomorrow. Have to go pack my bungee cord.

[Pedal Wench]

Did it!!!

More stories!!! Woke up at 4:30 to horrific thunder and rain. Which never stopped. According to Weather Channel, it wouldn't stop until around noon (Atlanta, GA if you're here.) I know it was crazy to think about riding, but I was up... Loaded up my newly-designated rain bike in the car, after swapping saddle and pedals from my new CF baby. On the drive to the ride, it was raining so hard I could barely see on the freeway. My BF called, called me insane, told me to go home and back to bed. Well, I was on the way, bike was loaded, I was dressed, so I figured I would go, give them my donations, get my tee-shirt and go home. Pulled into the park, and there were HUNDREDS of bikers, all gearing up in their rain gear. Well, if THEY were gonna ride, how could I not ride too? So, suited up and went for it! Within a mile, I was soaked through - water sloshing in my shoes, drops dripping off my nose, soaked! It rained for two hours of the ride, but I did it! THis time, with LOTS of people to ride with. Good support, sag's checking all the route, police at intersections, rest stops every 7-10 miles - THIS is what an organized ride should be!!!

I hope everyone else had good rides!!! Mine was wet, but fun!

[skibum]

Wow Audio-A, you are much more dedicated than me! I was planning to do that ride too. Like you, woke up to thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. I checked the radar on weather.com and it looked like the line of storms would last for awhile. So, I went back to bed. I felt a little guilty since it was a charity ride but they'll still get the donations. I made up for it a little by doing 50 miles around town once the rain let up.

Congratulations on your back-to back rides. A great accomplishment, especially considering the challenges you faced!

[caligurl]

[QUOTE=Audio-A]Was it wrong to let him go back alone? I feel a bit bad. His car was still at the parking lot, so I think he continued on the century route instead of taking the shorter 50 route home. (I feel GUILTY! HELP!!!) My organized 'group' ride ended up being me and some guy for 60 miles, and me, all by my lonesome for 44 miles.
QUOTE]

don't feel guilty! since it was an organized ride.. if he needed it.. SAG should have been available! and if he rode it.. i'm sure he's ridden alone before!

at my century saturday... i saw a few guys on the side and would just ask if they were ok.. they said yes.. and i peddled on... (the first one even caught up at the first rest stop!)

i've gotten used to riding centuries "by myself" even if they are organized! but it definitely is more fun with people!!!!!

[Pedal Wench]

Cali! Congrats on completing all your planned rides! And, very impressive times on that century! Mine was just at 7 hours (and 104 miles since I got lost quite a few times!) You did good!!!

Everyone is right - I had made no agreements to stick with that guy, so no problem. He had a spoke problem, so we had stopped earlier, but that was just for a minute. There was weather moving in, and I probably would have been rained on quite a bit more if I had gone back with him. Thanks y'all for making me feel better about it!

There were lots of people on the second ride with flats and other problems and everyone was always asking if they needed help - it was great to see. Thankfully, I didn't have a problem, because I left my frame pump on the bike I rode on Saturday, so I wasn't as prepared as I should have been on Sunday! (Ah, the problems of having too many bikes!!!!)

[Bike Goddess]

Audio A- The Bike Goddess doesn't have the tiara. You'll have to ask Sadie Kate who the current recipient of that award is! However, the Bike Goddess does wave her magic wand and send you many magic hugs for the next organized rides you do!


Caligurl- Great job! I'll be doing the same kind of riding next weekend, except the century I'm doing is flat and the next day is with TE!!!!

AND I haven't done Breathless Agony like you have! Are you on the Bike Journal? Lots of miles to put in for our team!!

[SadieKate]

Audio A- The Bike Goddess doesn't have the tiara. You'll have to ask Sadie Kate who the current recipient of that award is!

What did I do? I personally think no one needs to hand on their tiara. Once it is earned you get to keep it. There are more than enough for everyone to have one because a personal goal is a goal is a goal. For instance, V is now "Princess Zippy."

[Veronica]

I need to get that on a t-shirt. I sure wish my average climbing time was as easy to increase as my average descending time on Diablo.

V.

[caligurl]

Are you on the Bike Journal? Lots of miles to put in for our team!!

i am... but i was already affilitated with another club when i saw that TE had on i was going to join and just have my miles go to both clubs.. but they don't let you do that.. you have to chose one or the other

otherwise.... ya..... i'm .2 short of 2800 for the year! i think i will surpass my goal of 5000 for the year!

[CorsairMac]

what a sense of accomplishment you both should have now!

Audio: to ride in not just rain but Nasty rain....good on you! and all those other riders out there! Job well done!

Cali: wooooohooooo you did it! I know you were worried about it but now that's it done, oh man what a relief eh? Job well done hun....and you had fun doing it! So, why not just do the Big Bear anyway?? You and DH?