Strange Things Were Happening

It's as if some in our midst are competing in a game of "Who Can Dress the Wierdest".  Below, Ryan makes the best comment, suggesting Steve O beat up a soccer player to grab the socks.

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Grand Poobah signs in on an evening that attracted only 22 people.  I decided not to ride during the drive down but others far braver than I did although I almost had Nathan talked in to not riding.

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Jeremy has this size large wind jacket, which has never been worn.  Probably it is really a size XL but Jeremy will sell it to whomever makes the best offer or if you don't want to pay anything then that is OK too he says.  I'm not kidding.  He'll bring it to the Covered Bridge ride and will transfer it then to an interested party.  Anyway, below, Ryan Roe created the report for the

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With the temperature dropping into the high 60's and winds blowing in excess of 10 mph, many cyclists were deterred from coming out for the Tuesday night ride. Even those with sign-in responsibilities refused to change out of their jeans and t-shirt, but at least it was a cycling-related t-shirt and the individual did make the drive to fulfill his responsibilities, so well done, I guess. 

I rolled out with the B's, so I can't give an account as to what happened with the A's. I think they rode 38 miles and averaged around 20mph. It seems that Steve O forgot his socks and stopped at a nearby soccer field and stole a pair from one of the teenage girls who left her gym bag on the sidelines while she practiced.

Anyway, as the B's rolled out, we had a group of 7-10 and Kevin H quickly went to the front and started riding an A pace. Nathan managed to hang on all the way to Waterloo when he decided he had enough and turned his bike around in a tantrum and headed back to the parking lot (strange thing #1). When Kevin wore out from the A pace, Dennis took over and drilled it up the slight hill on Waterloo all the way to Slough. In fact, he opened a bit of a gap on the group, and when we finally caught back on at the stop sign, he made some remark about how he thought he rolled out with the B's but guessed by our slow speed that maybe he mistakingly rolled out with the C's. Hmm, Dennis complaining that the pace was too slow?? That was strange happening #2. I was first up and over the hill on Slough and maintained a bit of a gap (strange thing #3) on Slough over to Benson. We scooped up an A-dropped Todd L on Slough and we continued on to Winchester and then left on Lamb, Right on Lithopolis, and left on Rockmill Rd. I think it was on Lamb Rd when we realized that Kevin H had disappeared (strange thing #4) along with several others of our group. Also of note, I think it was on Kaufman Rd, when Todd took a rare pull up a hill. As he pulled, his head was spinning frantically as he judged how hard of an effort he needed to put forth to avoid being passed on the hill. In doing so, he forgot to watch the road in front of him and dropped off the edge of the road onto the gravel shoulder. But thanks to his bike handling skills and his vast experience of riding in the gutter, he avoided a crash.

So by the time we crested the hill at the intersection of Rockmill Rd and Royalton Rd, there were only the elite of the B's remaining - Mitch O, Dennis, and me. We continued on the downhill section of Rockmill and then hung a left on Crumley when we noticed that somehow, Jeremy had managed to catch back on (strange thing #5). Jeremy was on the rivet and was trying to keep the vomit down as we headed east and then north into the cold, misty wind. We made a left on Mt Zion and then a left on Royalton. I opened a gap over the first few series of hills but Dennis and Mitch caught back on as we crested the last hill, Jeremy was nowhere in site, probably puking in a ditch somewhere. From Royalton & Rockmill intersection, MVP Mitch pretty much took over and fought the headwinds for us as we headed back to Canal. Dennis and I would occasionally attempt to relieve Mitch, but it would only last a minute or two before Mitch would come roaring around to the front again.

We ended with 34 miles and what we were sure would be an impressive average, only to discover it was a measly mid-18's average. With the wind, the mist, the hills, and the cooler temps, that just didn't seem fair.