The Lost Peloton at New Albany

Farmer Mike arrives only so he can ride 30 miles to have 100 miles for the day after a morning ride.

Paul Stock, planning where to drop me.

Smaller than average turn-out, maybe 30-35 although there have been several new people, which is good.  One very fit looking femaile newbie showed up looking for the group that rode a 21mph average and I pointed her to SuperDave.  Otherwise, the usual mix of strong A's, such as John Morgan, Redhead Bill, Mick, 3 Trek/Echeloners, Retro George, Paul Stock, and others.  Probably 15 to start with the A's, including of course our beloved ride leader, Jeff S. who was out to ride easy prior to Saturday's Cheat Mt. Challenge.

We took off with Jeff performing the cremonial first 1 mile pull.  However, Redhead Bill did the unthinkable, pulling out of the line and jumping in front of Jeff.  This is cycling sacrilege, similar to a rookie pitcher dancing on the mound after strinking out an oldtimer future bound for the hall of fame. We darted out Jug, left on Clover Valley and right on Miller, over to the Caswell climb into Johnstown. The pace was high throughout and there was no let-up climbing Caswell.  I felt good at the top as we turned onto Concorde.  Strategically, I was in a bad place behind another wiley verteran, Paul Stock, who was drafting from the gutter position. leaving me exposed behind him, to his left.  My needle began to get pushed into the red zone but thankfully, Redhead Bill pulled off the front and as he drifted back I invited him ahead of me, an invitation he accepted.  Sweet relief as no0w he was left fighting the wind and I was recovering in his slip-stream.  Wiley veterans never invite someone to occupy a spot in front unless they have an ulterior motive, such as delaying their time to take a pull or to repair a disadvantaged position in the line.

The route had has turning left on Nichols Lane but this was ignored and we continued east, off the route to Northridge, where we turned left and faced that long uphill section.  Someone dropped the hammer and we rode hard with the elastic stretching and breaking as many gaps appeared.  I could not tell who was setting the hellish pace, intent on keeping my head down and staying on Mick's wheel.  Clearly he was unusually under pressure but we stayed with the lead and turned right onto Sportsman Club and that series of hills.  Mick was dropping back a bike length or two and then sprinting to regroup.  As a wiley verteran, I know this tactic is usually employed by some young guy trying to break those behind him but for Mick, it is just his riding style sometimes.  He appeared to be at the breaking point and as we crested a hill with a final ramp, suddenly he attacked!  How does he do this!  I figure as a member of ODNR, he has discoved some EPO herb naturally growing in a field or something.

I was about to spit the bit as we crested and then turned onto Louden, where instead of softpedaling, someone attacked yet again and then again.  We turned right onto Stone Quarry and I was ok on that first hill but as we rounded the turn, hitting that long. slightly uphill stretch, Muscle Dude let a gap open in front of him and I could only watch it stretch out.  Yes, I was toast.  I clung to Muscle Dude's wheel and he clawed within a yard or two of the front 6 before the next climb and I went around him to regroup but never quite made it.  So close but yet so far.  The gap was soon vast and as I turned left onto Northridge, the average was 22.4mph.  Considering the hills, that was a scintillating pace.  The balance of the route went downhill to Alexandria, then the 5 mile climb out of that valley onto 161 and home.  No doubt the average for the lead group would have ended close to 23mph but as a lone rider, my average plummeted to 21.1 at the end. 
In the "strange but true" category, George was late for the start again, this time claiming he stopped at a market to buy a water bottle, the lady didn't know how to work the scanner, by the time he got out the A group was out of sight.  Very strange

Flying Tuna and Belinda finally met, on Thursday at a ride starting at the Newark Y.  Tuna had ridden Tuesday and Wednesday so she did not think she could hang with the strong New Albany B riders and chose instead this Newark ride.  It sounds as if Belinda outsprinted Cindy as they left the Y's parking lot and, satisfied with this victory, packed it in so as not to reveal too much.

The sun is setting and George finds one last group to whom he explains why he missed the ride start, again.

 

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