Long Tuesday & The Cycling Club Group Ride

The day began in Newark and following the Blue Jay route to Zanesville and back.  Although sorely tempted, I did not take the bike path shortcut (it is closed due to high water) and did Blue Jay Road both coming and going.  67 miles and 6800' of climbing although this confirms my Garmin overstates things by 10%.  Then headed to New Albany and the parking area behind the Veloscience bike shop.  Hey, there's Grand Poobah and Julia.

Farmer Mike now rides each Tuesday with this group.  Ho-hum, he won another mountain bike race this past weekend.  Crazy George came in too as we waited the arrival of our unofficial ride leader.....

....Gus Cook.  The concept of the ride is to ride a similar route each week so no one has to create new routes, while adding a block to the route as the daylight extends.  The groups are comprised of a "B", "B-" and "Club Pace".  Each group regroups at least once while the latter group is a no drop group ride so beginners are encouraged to join and graduate to the upper groups when able.  The B group is a true B pace although it can be a little faster depending on the mix of cyclists.

Marty Sedluk and Peggy Cook wait for the groups to be called out.  Approximately 30 people shoved off in the three groups with 11 in ours, headed to Alexandria for a regroup and then beyond in to the hills.  Just as we exited New Albany, the flash of a cyclist came in from the right (did he run a red light????)

and Jon Morgan pulled in to ride with us.  The recovery process from the partially collapsed lung requires that he not breathe too hard so he'll be riding with B and C groups for a week or two prior to rejoining the A groups.  It was good to see him on the bike and smiling.  I cut the route short on Hardscrabble, seeing that I had enough for a daily total of 100 miles and then joined in with a group that began in Alexandria and were returning via Raccoon Valley Road and coming out of Alexandria, a different group caught me and so I rode in to New Albany with them.  Lots and lots of people and groups on the roads this evening and that is likely to grow as Pelotonia approaches.