Beginner Group Ride Question

[caligurl]

Now, 13 mph is slow. Honestly, most newbie riders can do this, unless you are not use to your bike and have trouble with inclines/hills/wind.

uhm..... ok..... so when i was a newbie.... i guess i crawled.... and i guess i'm still slow! there are days i'm lucky to hit 13 mph! i just checked bike journal... and a LOT of my first rides were... 9..... 10..... 11 mph! so i don't know about most newbies... but this newbie who's been riding for 2 years... doesn't think it's all that slow!

now granted... there is NOTHING that is flat around here... so no matter where i go... i have some climbing to do to get back home... although not steep... but definitely NOT flat! add wind to that (it's ALWAYS windy in the desert!) i just really touchy when people start talking about speeds being slow... cuz we're not all fast! i'm an endurance rider... but i'm slow about it.... others prefer shorter distances at faster paces....

sure... on my route out... i can get going fast... but once i turn around... i can watch that average speed guage drop and drop and drop....