Thursday New Albany Ride Report, No Relief in the Valley

A lighter than normal turnout for the fun times at New Albany.  David Smith cruising the parking lot while others gather to discuss the route.

The restroom at the church is a popular place and so......

.....remember to shove a few dollars into the milk jug, just as Marty is doing once again. 

There were so few people that opportunities for pic taking were somewhat limited.  While there were 21 out for the A group, I bet the B group only had maybe 30 and not a lot of C's.  So, Rick gathered us for the usual preride announcements and warnings.....

.....and most of us gathered to listen, including Frank on the left and Patrick, resplendent in white on the right.  Patrick was warming up before 5:00pm so he was good to go and go we did.....

.....where I took one final image as a gap opened in front of me and not for the last time as you can well imagine.  The pace, I think because Shannon was missing, was pretty civil for most of the ride to Alexandria, where we entered with a 23.1 average.  The ride through town offered no respite as someone pushed the pace and we quickly made the left on Mounts and scooted up the hill to a right on Lobdell.  I was in good shape but drifted back on the downhill, being overly cautious in that sketchy gravel.  At the bottom, now at the back of the group,  Luke and Marty broke around to my left but I stayed glued to Rich Lewis' wheel.  Unfortunately, that Tuesday ride may have taken something out of Rich's usual dominant fitness or he has not had the opportunity to ride as often because he was unable to hang on as we rode out of the valley to Hardscrabble. 

Several were dropped along Lobdell/Harscrabble and the ensuing section on Battee because as I emerged on to Louden, Gus Cook was 50 yards to my front, alone and no one was within eyesight behind.  Descending the hill on Louden, what luck/relief/satisfaction/giddiness and just plain welcome was the sight of Muscle Dude waiting on Dry Creek and so he, Gus and I bonded together for the ride east to 661.  A couple of times when mashing the pedals, well, what I do can't rightly be described as pedal mashing but anyway, my left foot felt as if it was breaking over the edge of the pedal.  Oh-oh, another loose pedal?  I stopped to check and then urged Gus and Craig to proceed without me.  I did not have the Allan wrench to tighten so turned around and headed back, finishing with 40 miles.  Mean while, Patrick, Marty, Luke and a couple others completed the full route with an average speed of 22.5. 

There is a good ride out of the parking lot behind Veloscience at 8:00am with Gus leading out various luminaries and plain people like me.  Supposed to be a B pace, 70 miles and all are welcome.

Wow, still in the 50+ mile distance for the A route and you can see it and the others here, including links to the GPS files:  http://www.thecyclingclub.org/route-resources/c-o-p-thursday-night-cycling-club-ride/  Rick has two distinct B groups so don't let the madness of previous Thursdays deter you from participating in the "Mother of All Evening Group Rides."