3-H Ride, Hot, Humid and Hell-wind

Hot and humid conditions, with a Hell-wind out of the west, for the Thursday New Albany ride and Jeff, counter intuitively, continues to stretch out the route distances as the daylight decreases.  This time a flatish 46 miles that took us north to Croton, south to Alexandria and than back to NA.  Another large turnout for the start with a wave of strong riders, too numerous to list but thankfully, Rob Rhodes was not there to punish us.

However, that red head dude was there to punish

Lisa planning where to attack, Greg H planning a shortcut

They begin to gather to hear Jeff's route wisdom

The west wind made a long stretch out GreenCook agonizing as it cut through the peloton.  Those few fortunate to ride to the right of a cyclist could have sold their spots to those strung out without protection, many of whom dropped off.  One guy came up and urged us to start a second line and we did but after I took my turn at the front, I was rewarded with an unprotected spot at the end of the line.  We turned onto a gravelly road, Boston I think, and a guy dressed in orange jersey and maybe orange shorts, slid and went down.  As is typical, that overly agressive Todd Lee had attacked at the turn, responsible for sending a guy into a heap (of course I'm kidding).

After that, another windswept stretch on Clover Valley and then a wind aided, long uphill on Foundation, we arrived in Croton. Out Bennington Chapel with the wind again behind us and then I flatted.  I screamed "Flat" but no one stopped.  The days when everyone would stop to stand and watch the flat fix are over.  Worse yet, as I removed the tube, a large group of dropped "A's" and "B's" went by and Mark V asked if I had everything I needed and after hearing what I needed he said, "Oh, we don't have any of those!"  So, not only do they not stop, they also ridicule you as the pass by.  I'm a pilgram in a strange world, but wait....Jon the Dentist came out of the pack and produced a CO2 cartridge and inflated the tube (my pump is sooooomuch slower).  That Jon is a great guy.  Anyway,  Jon, the recovered orange clad guy and I rode together for awhile before we got separated and I returned into the wind along Jeff's favorite stretch of road, old 161.  Finished with 20.4 average and verbal abuse at the end.

L-R, George, Dennis, Mick and Dave.