Thursday New Albany Ride Report

First, let's get the important stuff out of the way.  Friday, today, drop by the Ross IGA in Granville and grab a flyer off the bulletin board that details a fundraising event for Katherine/Team Granville & Pelotonia.  Next, drive to City Barbeque on West Church in Newark and place an order while presenting the flyer (applies to carry out orders too).  25% of the order goes to Team Granville. 

I have stepped up my efforts at including the little people of the group.  Above, the C group gathers around Jeff F's car, waiting for when they can be released to the mean streets of New Albany.

My expectation that tonight would attract a good turnout was correct as the vehicles lined up and people put their bikes together.  I counted 75 in total but suspect I missed a few.  As I scanned the parking lot, just about everybody who is anybody was there except for Farmer Mike (racing this weekend), Lisa T (probably managing the planes at CMH), Marty (in Montana) and Dave Chesrown (probably basking in the sun watching the hotties stroll by with a drink in his hand at the pool).

More of the common folk, Mark V, Cindy, David Smith and Jeff.  Uncommon off the bike for sure but on the bike, ordinary cyclists with fun personalities.

Kayla Starr on the left with unknown guy wearing the Team novo nordisk kit.  Kayla was run over by a cyclist about one hour after the image was taken but is ok.

They surge towards Rick's van to sign up and wonder, why is the van parked here rather than over there where it can cast a long shadow in this shade less parking lo?  Rick has managed to allow us access to the church's restrooms, after making a donation so slip Rick a $5 when you have a chance to compensate him.

The crush of cyclists inches forward to hear Rick's remarks prior to sending us off.  Hard to miss Patrick W's all white kit in the middle and to his right is Benton, who was part of an elite group soon after the ride started. 

Approximately 27 rolled out with the A group on an interesting route (see below but riding in clockwise) and we motored out 161 before turning left on Mink and a right on Beaver and then the pace quickened and soon we began spitting out the back, Ron B, Benton, John Day, Lori N, Kayla, me & others.  John took command and launched a vicious counter attack to pull us back, which is always doomed to failure unless something strange happens and well, strange it was.

After making a left on Caswell, approaching the right on Miller the lead group had stopped.  Terry G was turned to the group urging that they stop going left of center to pass, forcing cars to the berm.  Garth P wanted those in the back to yell when a car was preparing to pass from behind.  Jon Morgan then gave instructions on some of the dangers of the roads we were about to ride....all stuff that everyone should know but there is probably a knucklehead or two in the group that are creating conditions that make it dangerous for us all.  I glanced nervously to the rear, wondering if we were about to be overtaken by the B group and then we were off again, a left back on to Caswell and the long down hill, right on a badly surfaced Duncan Plains Road and then a left on #310.  Here, the pace was odd, picking up and slowing down, a cherry picker truck approached going south, some of the group instinctively braked, some one stood on his peals and looked back and just like that, a touch of the wheels, someone plowed in to Kayla and down she went.  Ron B got tangled up with her but he was ok and so was she other than a minor scrape.

A couple of people stopped, some paused and most kept going.  I hooked up with Lori N, Benton, John Day and Crazy George who had caught on.  We made it to Concorde, Northridge then the nasty Stone Quarry right, arriving at Louden to regroup to Lori, Benton, George and me.  George would fall back on the ensuing hills but I encouraged the others to wait because George would be valuable, later, on the flats.  So, up Liberty Church, out the Sportsmen Club rollers, crossing #661, and then the glorious down hill on Chatham to #661. Our group was perfect and each had a part to play, George on the flat and down hill, Benton on rollers and moderate hills, Lori on the steeper stuff and I drafted.  Perfect.  After Dry Creek, we hung a left on Burg, entered Granville, declined the Welch Hills/Jones Road loop, exited Granville and in time, with George working hard on #161, we made it back to the parking lot with 50 miles and a 20 mph average.  Oh, I sold the Bianchi to Logan Leland, remember him from the Canal Winchester rides?  He is a starving student in need of a bike for campus riding.

So, here it is, another great route for the Thursday crew and look at that forecast!  Everyone come out for this one and let's see if we can push attendance over 100!  Light wind, little humidity, moderate temps, it's like being on the coast of the Mediterranean. Where else would you want to be today but New Albany?  Go here for the gps files of each route: http://www.thecyclingclub.org/route-resources/c-o-p-thursday-night-cycling-club-ride/