New Night, New Result

Greg Hall, arriving early for a warm-up.  Like all but Peggie & Cindy, whenever I try to capture an image, they turn their back.

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The group starting to form for the ride start. Jeff S on the left, Red Head Dude behind and of course, Cindy in the middle who, it was observed by Franz, must have sore calfs from leaping in front of my camera all the time.  That Franz is funny. Earlier, Tuna came skipping over to my car, making sure I knew she had arrived and I got a very unflattering pose, which I will hold and use for a later day.

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After blowing up early on Tuesday's ride and forced to draft off Peggy for 30 miles, I was anything but opptimistic for Thursday's New Albany ride.  In fact, I was down right despondent and expecting to have to draft off the Flyin Tuna for an extended distance. Now that would send me to the Dutch Kitchen ride forever. My legs felt fatigued or something while warming up and then Jon the Dentist rode into the parking lot and I saw the perfect storm approach, dropped from a group with Jon in it and drafting the Tuna.

The usual large group departed the parking lot but the good news was no Rob Rhodes, who has taken over Jamie's role as group killer and does so with enthusiastic zeal.  There were John Morgan, Mick, Terry, Young Red Head Dude, Todd Lee, Retro George, Savage Hill Anthony & 2 other SH guys,, Dennis, Jeff S, Franz, Greg Hall, Mark V and many others. Jeff S had designed a classic route of 45 miles---good job Jeffrey!  We headed east and got onto Miller with George taking a long pull before drifting back.  Later I learned he had another heart episode and ended up laying down on a bike path for 30 minutes before riding back. We turned left on Castle and took that all the way to Sportsman Club Road where the route turned left and a quick right onto Nichols (I thought about a shortcut cause I was barely hanging on).  We turned right on Dutch Lane and I'll be damned but my legs began to feel, well, better. A right onto Louden where Anthony attacked and I had no problems, in fact was shocked.  Anthony's move had gapped several and we cruised down to Stone Quarry with a group of 10 or so.  As we turned onto Stone Quarry, facing those nasty hills, Todd exclaimed, "Now it gets hard"

Yes it did get hard but I was ok and although a small gap was created between Mick and I and the front 4, we closed it prior to the next ascent and despite a series of attacks, there were 6 of us (Morgan, Red Head, Anthony, Terry and Mick) who emerged onto Northridge.  The balance of the ride was uneventful and I even took several pulls and was under no real pressure.  I don't understand it.  22.5 average for the ride.

Note if you intend to ride out of Lancaster on Saturday for the Mark Bell Memorial, 70 mile hillly route, the start time is 9:00am.  There is a park of sorts on Bovine road in Lancaster and from there we will start. Looks like a great route and some very good people. If coming from the west, take 22 into Lancaster and look for Bovine, making a right.  If coming from the northwest, come down 37, getting on 22 and turn left onto Bovine.

George, looking a little unsteady at the return.

 

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