Mark's Cycling & Hiking Blog
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups

Thursday Ride Report and drama

7/17/2014

10 Comments

 
Picture
Early arrivals Garth Prosser and Chris G discuss with Rick what happened last week during the A group ride.  It's all good.
Picture
New bikes abound.  Here, Pete Ashmore shows his new Giant. and....
Picture
....unknown cyclist with his new bike that matches his car.  Check out the wheels.
Picture
Bad Boy Nick returned to the Thursday ride.  Nick was part of a group who rode from FL to...dang....where did he say?  Somewhere in the Midwest but anyway, over a thousand miles.
Picture
Rick parked so the van cast a long shadow over the parking lot.  Good move.
Picture
Patrick W on the left....let's see...why did I take this image.....looking.....looking....oh yeah.  May be the shortest cycling shorts I have seen in a long time.
Picture
Did you ever wonder what happens in the parking lot after your group departed?  No, neither did I but Rick called out the A group and I watched and waited.....
Picture
.....then Rick stated there would be 2 B groups, a super B and a normal B, so naturally all but 5 went with the Super B group.  At the start, around 70 cyclists, I forgot to count the A group but in the B group, maybe 40+.
Picture
Then the normal B's departed, all 5 of us.  So funny.  I was kind of tired and looking forward to a more relaxed recovery type ride.  We chugged out 161 and I noticed we were gaining on the Super B's.  At 310, we caught half the group, the others having gotten through at the light change and not waiting, which was good considering the size of the group.  Turning right on Wadkins and left on Weslyn Church, I noticed the front Super B group had made the quick right back on to Wadkins rather than waiting and turning right on York so we all regrouped.  This is where things get interesting.  After the ride, Rick Miller summed things up nicely, "There are a lot of smart people in the group.  There are a lot of successful people and people who have made good decisions all their lives but too many of these people put on a bike helmet and become idiots."  He is correct of course.  Just tonight, Rick or I saw 1. cyclists drafting a car (all the driver had to do is tap the brakes and there is a tragedy). 2. Cyclists riding 4 abreast. 3. Cyclists shooting through a stop sign trying to catch back with the group. 4. Cyclists as usual, riding left of the center line without regard to cars coming from the rear. 5. Cyclist taking a hard pull but rather than pull off the line when spent, just sit up causing those behind to take evasive action. 6. Cyclist telling Rick that Rick is taking all the fun out of the Thursday ride.  Also, you knuckleheads who never ride in the A group but comment about how dangerous is the A group, are unsurprisingly, clueless.  The A group is far safer than that Super B group and it's not close.

Anyway, while it was a good route, it also required long pauses as we navigated across, #16 (twice), #37 (twice), the left off Blacks cut us into 3 groups but again, it was a good route.  To the credit of a few, rather than exploit the breaks, those that got across waited and we made it around, 50 miles and a 20.4 average, skewed south by the pauses while waiting to regroup. 




Picture
Another good route from Rick for tonight's New Albany ride.  Legs are a little tired from yesterday's Hocking Hills ride of 87 miles so not sure what I will do, but during the ride, met none other than former professional wrestler, Dr. Death.  OK, I had not heard of him before but a very nice guy who shared some of his experiences when he wrestled back in the 60's  For more information on tonight's route, go here:http://www.thecyclingclub.org/route-resources/c-o-p-thursday-night-cycling-club-ride/

Picture
10 Comments
Andrew C
7/17/2014 10:46:03 pm

It was a bit chaotic last night at times and I think part of that was the group size was probably too big. To Rick's credit, he did try to address that by breaking up the 'B' group into smaller 'B' groups.

COP had stressed to the ride leaders at the beginning of the season that we needed to promote safety first and that these are recreational rides and not races. If ride leaders get frustrated and decide not to lead anymore, there won't be any more organized rides and folks will have to find another way to enjoy their passion for bicycling.

Reply
Corvair
7/18/2014 12:09:28 am

I agree with Andrew here and have no problem admitting that Dan and I were a little too close to the car when we regrouped. The group really was too large. I tried my best to back off. However, I think that saying we are "bad drivers" was going a bit too far, also getting yelled at in front of everyone also doesn't really enforce good behavior, and makes you feel as though you are being attacked. All this while you should really be concentrating on the rest of the ride... Maybe talking to those who offend after the ride would be a better move to enforce better riding habits. I think Rick is doing a good job as far as leading the ride, and I hope we can all learn from our mistakes, including myself.

Reply
Just Another Crazy Driver
7/19/2014 03:48:55 am

I was driving that car and I was going to jam on the brakes to scare you but saw there was a female and didn't want that on my conscience. Next time, I'll get ya.

Reply
POR
7/19/2014 05:38:48 am

Couldn't had been the driver because he gave them a subtle brake check, if it would had been me I would had taken the group out by slamming on my brakes

Dan's Friend
7/19/2014 03:52:31 am

Thanks for outing Dan, Amanda. He was hoping that his unsafe behavior would fly under the radar but exposing his lunatic actions to the light of day may shame him to do better next time. By the way, what is the story behind his nickname, Dirty. Is it true that it has something to do with lecherous behavior?

Reply
Steve
7/21/2014 05:26:25 am

I keep waiting and hoping for a normal B group to emerge at this event. COP Guidelines say B pace is 16 - 19 mph "common riding speed of the group" - that's a direct quote from the newsletter - so if the bike computer showed a 20.4 average at conclusion, that group must have been riding at A pace.

Reply
Corvair
7/21/2014 09:21:39 am

To Steve, that's kind of difficult when the A riders are way above an A pace. I would say all the groups are above COP guidelines...with the exception of the Cs. To credit the Cs, theirs is the only group that has had new riders, correct me if I'm wrong..as for Dan's nickname, I forget the story, but he, like myself, is usually obeying the rules. Also would like to point out that several A racer types, who weave in and out of the fast B group should probably be in the A group. I am not talking about Anthony...(kid who rides with John).

Reply
Rick
7/22/2014 02:13:09 am

Steve,
I would not object to more riders, but as it stands we have groups for the riders that are showing up I believe that there are two C groups and one of them encompass the speed range you are talking about
Please email me direct rick@ricksbicycleservice.com

Reply
Mark
7/22/2014 10:54:51 am

Steve,
Try the Tuesday group ride. We have been consistently at 19-19.3 and is more of a true B group.

Reply
Steve
7/24/2014 05:31:05 am

Thanks, all, for the responses. They all provide me some options or food for thought. None, however, speak to the fact that except for the C group, none of the NA Thurs group leaders are riding the advertised pace. "Everybody's doing it" seems to be the common thread. Maybe with so many fast A's in the mix, there is a need for an HC "above categorization" group, removing the racers from the main mix, allowing all other group leaders to lead at the correct pace.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

    Categories

    All
    April
    California Riding
    Grand Canyon Backpacking
    March
    The Characters

    Archives

    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.