Hot, Humid & Hilly Canal

Ugh, hot and humid for a very hilly Canal ride.  Early on, I rounded up a B+ group of Nathan, Mark Rossi and others so I could avoid possible expiration out there.  It was so hot as heat radiated up from the asphalt parking lot, even the strong men of the tour took to the shade. 

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Here, Jamie is licking his chops at who has shown so far as even he sought relief in the shade.  Later, out on the Pickerington Road hills, he sat up and eased off the pace, a victim of the heat.  Curiously, this is also the place where he sat up and then quit riding for a year.  Hope the outcome is not the same.

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Da Boss, in high spirits because he gets to put a hurtin on us again.  He and Patrick gapped everyone out Pickerington Road and I would like to know who got the better of that battle.

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Some miscreants parked in the wrong spots in front of the bank so Sarge rode over and ordered them away.  Let this be a lesson to you Polish Pony and Margarita Rick!!!!!

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Patrick.  Easily wins the award for best bike with best car in the parking lot.

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Savage Hill Rick with a late arrving Amanda to his rear.  Maybe you can see the smoke wafting into the air from her tires screaming to a halt.

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Grand Poobah's new bike. 

A minute before we were ordered to move out, Grand Poobah shouted he had an announcement to make and I immediately cringed, guessing I was about to be the subject of some of my own medicine.  Carrying a T-shit with "KENDA" logo on the front, Todd announced to the crowd I had been granted a three month probationary period, during which I must wear the T-shirt prior to every ride and perform domestique duties that included refilling water bottles, running errands and apply crotch cream to Kenda members in need.  If, and that is a big if, after 3 months I don't have too many demerits, I will become a member and receive an official Kenda jersey (probably I have to pay for it but so what....right???) My reaction? "Is that all I have to do?" I would gladly do that and more to become a member of Ohio's most coveted team membership.  Then Poobah ordered me to lead out the As, which I did not want to do but obediently complied, riding hard out of the lot, streaking through the stop light, hitting the corner and returning to the parking lot to hook up with the B+ group.  

Except they were gone.  So, I rode with the solid B group and after Waterloo and Slough, a group comprised of Jeremy, Steve, John, Margarita Rick and me mostly rode together from there.  After 8-10 miles, we passed Kenda Dave going in the opposite direction and he yelled something at me, probably, "Turn around and pull me back to the parking lot." but since I did not hear exactly what he said I think I will not have any demerits against me.  Not too much happened after that and we finished with around 40 miles and 2200' of climbing.  What this ride report lacks in action I made up for it with images.

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