On Tuesdays, The Most Important Thing is.....

....arriving and confirming that the Cookie Lady has something in the trunk to satisfy the famished after our ride.  Unfortunately, a flat tire caused her a late return so note to self:  Ask Kristie to leave a spare key with me prior to the ride. 

My buddy, Flyin Tuna, appears to be looking to see if anyone will join us and I was amazed with how many cyclists eventually came out for the New Albany ride, over 40.

Our leader, Gus Cook, Jeff S, Larry P, Glen and Aaron C, L to R.

And more arrived.  Some looked very fit, obviously coming off a long winter of riding with Zwift every night.

Rick in yellow, then Scott, Ian, Eric, Benton riding a fat tire bike and Nick.  Nick appears to be in mid season form.  Nick admitted he reads the blog.  Usually, people who admit that disappear so we'll see.  And with that we.....

....burst into the beautiful countryside in a large, largely cohesive and organized group of 40+.  Hey, check that out!  My shadow of course.  We rode out 161 at a comfortable pace yet still dropped a couple of people.  Keep coming out you people!  Only way to get better.  We energetically attacked a couple of climbs yet always....

....regrouped, here at the end of Battee..  The guy on the right, yet another name I need to add to the database, saw I was wearing a Tucson themed jersey and told me he too was in Tucson for a week in March.  Another small world moment.  He got in some good mountain bike riding.

During that same pause, many of us looked to the west to see who else would join us. Larry & Tom in particular.

Coasting on Stone Quarry, we approached the left turn on Raccoon Run with that nasty climb.  In no particular order, I was too tired, too old, riding my 3rd string bike, unmotivated to hit that hill and too old.  So, I stayed on Stone Quarry and arrived at Northridge Road in time to catch our dwindling group (now about 15 of us) waiting for cars to pass prior to proceeding on our 37 mile route.  Finished with a 19.9 average.  Good group of people and always a fun bunch with whom to ride.  For those of you who, without pausing, ran through the stop sign at Kitzmiller and Smith's Mill Roads, stop doing stupid stuff like that.  Sure, you will make it but the people who instinctively follow may not. Then the guy who went left of center down Jersey Mill, really stupid.  You're trying to improve your position in a B paced, regroup ride for what reason? We don't hand out awards for arriving in Alexandria in 5th place rather than 15th.