My midweek ride

[Crankin]

Today I rode with the "big boys" in my cycling group. I always want to go the longer distance they go, but am afraid I'll slow them down. They are still more social than most regular club rides and the leader today encouraged me to come. The "regular" group is getting kind of slow for me, but I still like them.
There was a wider range of riders in this group than I thought. I was not last. We had rain at one point and I had to stop and put my rain jacket on (thankfully, I had it), and just when I was cursing the rain, it stopped, right on time to do the big climb of the ride. This is a climb I do a few times a year on the rides I lead.
What I learned:
I need to drink more at the beginning of a ride. I was dehydrated as I am not that great with the water bottle, but today sort of cured me of that. I drank 1.5 bottles of Nuun and ate a Lara bar and I just finished a good lunch. I felt pretty crappy at the end, but I drank what was left in my bottle in the car home (8 miles). They all went to lunch in west Acton and I peeled off to get back to where the start was. Thankfully, it was in my old town and I took the shortest way back as they were nearing the lunch stop.
38 miles, 2200 ft. of climbing. I swore a lot, but glad I did it.

[indysteel]

That's great, Crankin. Before I became a sloth on my bike, I used to ride with some faster (not crazy fast, but what I'd refer to as "strong"), mostly male, groups. It took a while to really keep up with them, but I eventually did. I found those rides quite fun, in part, because most of the men were exceedingly encouraging and helpful. Plus, it was always nice to have a man to tuck behind when it was windy. I miss those groups. I'd ride with them more, but we're on opposite sides of Indy. I mostly ride now with just my husband. I love him, but to be honest, he's not my favorite riding partner--at least not on the road. And, beyond that, riding with just one other person is different from riding with a group. I tend to feed off the energy of a group.

[OakLeaf]

Sounds like a great ride! Yay for enough daylight to do a ride like that during the week.

[Crankin]

Well, yay for me only having one client on Wednesdays, at 3:00/3:30-ish if necessary. I can never stay for the social part and if the ride is on the north shore, I can't do it. Luckily, most start around where I live. Next job= no work at all on Wednesdays. See, I have my priorities right.
Indy, I mostly ride with my DH, too, as well as another couple, and also, Hirakukibou.DH and I are ride well together. That is fine for me, but I am trying to "improve" this year. Believe me, I was suffering, but it feels like an accomplishment. I've been riding with this group for 8 years and it has evolved a bit. Very friendly people, and all quite accomplished in other parts of their lives.