Magnificent or Mundane May Rides!

[Jolt]

50 mile ride done! It went well considering I had only gotten up to doing 25 or so at a time before today. The ride was very well organized and lots of people did it, so it was a fun atmosphere. It was interesting to look at what kinds of bikes everyone else was riding; mostly light, fast road bikes but there were a few other touring-type bikes and a few hybrids too. However, I surprisingly did not see any other Surlys (Truckers or otherwise). We couldn't have asked for nicer weather for the ride, and the roads were generally in good condition. I did learn a few things this ride: 1) Hanging around too long at rest stops, whether because of lines for the porta-potties or getting into a conversation with someone and wanting to be polite, is counterproductive--I found that particularly after the last rest stop, where I had someone talking my ear off and stayed longer than I should have, it was hard to get into a good groove again. 2) Chamois cream is helpful for long rides...I tried some "Hoo Ha Ride Glide" (still think this brand name is hilarious) and I think it prevented some discomfort. 3) Despite being small and lightweight, I am not very good at climbing...got passed by a ton of people while going uphill. Something to work on I guess. 4) I am not speedy and probably never will be, but I can go for quite a while at my slow pace. I might even try for a century later in the season. 5) How to pay attention to a cue sheet while riding...it helped that I got a map holder that attaches to my handlebars and stem so I could just open it up when I needed to see what was coming up. All in all, a good experience!

ETA: Oooops...this should go in a June rides thread!