Oh Yeah, Ridin with the Cerebral C's

Something happened earlier today that gave me the choice of either skipping tonight's ride or riding with a slow group.  With the crushing obligation to provide silly, irrelevant, irreverent and poorly composed content, I chose the latter rather than the former option.  More later on why I was put in the predicament in the first place.  Anyway, a decent turnout for our New Albany happening although those who are doing that meat grinder Mountain Mama on Saturday (100 miles with 13,000' of freaken climbing) were not there, choosing instead to save themselves for the big Saturday challenge.  Here though, Roy, not riding Mt. Mama but also not riding tonight, tells everyone within earshot what he would do to them if he was riding. 

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I forgot to count the start quantity but probably 40-45 with lots of strong A's including Red Head Bill (making a rare start with us), John Morgan, Colnago Ron, Mick, Terry, Dennis, Jeff S, Gus, etc... Also a strong B contingent of Tri-Mike, SuperDave, Amanda, Kevin H aka Polish Pony, Recumbent Dude (remembering all necessary equipment), Farmer Mike, etc.. and then a not so strong B-/C group of Jeff Fallen, a bunch of other guys and....me!

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Often I am asked, what is the difference between the A and B groups and so tonight I can answer what is the difference between the A and C group.  Well, first, on average, the C people are heavier.  If you rode with me tonight and consider yourself skinny then I am not referencing you.  I'm just taking the average here.  Next, the average C rider is older, more like around my age.  The bikes are, on average, not as high-end as A group bikes.  I saw some steel anvils out there.  The cycling clothing is not as nice.  The C people eschew fancy kits and go instead for T-shirts with the pocket in front for storing smokes when not riding. HOWEVER, there are improvements too.  For example, the typical conversation amongst the A people is, "Dude, where ya racing this weekend". Or, "Dude, where did ya place last weekend" or, "I'm looking for orange pedals.  If you see a pair, let me know".  The C group is much more cerebral.  For example, because they ain't riding that hard they talk alot such as, "I finished reading a book last night that was written in Dadibi, a language spoken in northern New Guinea.  I can speak 12 different languages".  One guy was talking about the salvage value of smelting old Russian titanium missiles.  To top it off, our ride leader, Jeff, was incredible.  Whenever we approached a hill, he would bark off the hill's average gradient and distance.  I am not making this up.  I am contemplating gaining 30 pounds and sliding into this group.  What is worse, to be one of the weakest A riders or one of the dumbest C riders?  Heck of a choice.

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Lastly, could you take the time while riding with the A group to take pictures?  Heck no.  These C people are fantastic.  We did a robust 31 miles with a 19.2 mph average.  Then there were the "others".  The A group started together, Terry did not like Jeff's very good route and the Alpha Male took most of the A group on their own route, finishing with around a 22 average.  Jeff S and a secondary A group did the full 40 mile real route and the fast B group came in with an average of over 21.  For the first time this year, the route went by my humble abode but since I was enjoying the C group, I missed that part of the route.  NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY.  Why did I violate my promise to only ride with A groups from now on in an effort to regain my form and fitness?  Tomorrow (Friday) the Blog is on the move and I will report from a remote location to reveal where the Blog has gone.

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At the end of the ride, I was taking about the Miyan Calander with one of the C riders while the mentally challenged A and B riders talked about what they were going to do this weekend.

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