Flat Tire in the Parking Lot Saves Tardy Roe

The 5:00pm ride call stokes the interest in many but only the truly fortunate can ride at that time, as evidenced by Grand Poobah, Mark Rossi, Ryan Roe and Jeremy hooking up for a fun ride out of Canal.  Ryan R was late arriving, roughly 4:58:00 and we all mutually agreed not to wait for the late arriving bum but at 4:58:01, a hissing was heard from Todd's tire and so we waited for the "Great One" to fix his bike, permitting Ryan to jump in too.

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We headed out on a route that Ryan verbally sketched out for us that would eventually bring us into Baltimore.  Good roads, pretty good pavement, few climbs, light traffic...what's not to like and so we liked it.  The pull tendencies of each of us is interesting.  Ryan starts out strong, stays out front almost as long as me but fades over time and is barely moving forward by the time he finally drops off.  Todd starts out sprinting, maintains that pace for a .10 or .20 of a mile, glances back to see if I am still there, looks disappointed that I am and then fades off the front, completely spent.  Jeremy, probably the fittest of us all right now, puts in shortish pulls for unknown reasons.  Mark R, not in peak season form, puts in good, consistent pulls but I can tell he is anxious for the rear when he is finished.  Then I go to the front, pull for 5-6 mile at a high speed and only because I am not selfish, I give it up for the less deserving.  Yep, that pretty much describes things.   So, we pull into Baltimore having spent too much time driving into a head wind and then head west and enjoy a nice ride back via Basil Western and finish with 31 miles and a 20.8 average. 

Looks like Jeff S has a good roving ride out of Granville for Saturday but that weather forecast....ouch....the wind symbol is out now.  I'll be there but then on Monday, the blog is on the move for warmer regions and will report on that in due course.  While the Granville route is only 60 miles, there will be an option to go forward to Bladensburg for pancakes, adding many miles.

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