Thursday New Albany Ride Report

Pete C and Jon Morgan, probably discussing how they are going to put it to the marginal players at tonight's ride.  Would be fun to be part of the strategy sessions, "Pete, let's let the cannon fodder hang until Wadkins then we'll pound them."  "No Jon, I want to turn the screws on them right from the parking lot.  I love the smell of panic in the evening."

Wow, what a difference a week makes.  A "cold", windy and cloudy evening brought the arm warmers and tights out for some, although it was 69 degrees at the start.  However, compared to yesterday, it was chilly. 

Kristie just returned from a grueling ride out west, something like 200 miles and 12,000 of climbing.  That's all well and good but when will she bring out more baked goods?  Just once she has presented us with a post ride snack and that was a Tuesday, never a Thursday.

Good turnout, maybe 55.  After looking at the route, I decided to ride over since the group would be within a couple of miles of my house at the Outville Road turn.

Among the crowd was Gus and Peggy, speaking fluent French after their weeks in France.  Once the pre-ride announcements were made.....

.....22 left in the A group, including Hendra, Ron B, Ken B, Muscle Dude, Marty, Pete, Jon, Benton, Crazy George, Luke R, Lori N, Phillipe, Jon H, John Sada, Jason, etc... 

We paused briefly at the Beech Road light and blasted off with a fairly strong wind coming from our left, north.  The group went from two abreast to a single line and I found myself behind Phillipe, the French Climbing Machine, who was sitting comfortably to the right of someone on the asphalt's edge.  Surprisingly, maybe shockingly, I maintained my place in line, in the wind, taking comfort that maybe someone was able to draft off me.  Once we got through the 310 light, Hendra lit things up toward the right turn on to Watkins.  As we slowed to make the turn, Ron B rocketed to the front, smart move and I too was in good position so survived the ascent to Morse Road.  Then we continued toward Weslyn Church and in there I spit the bit, forming up with Benton, John Sada and one other guy.  As the group turned on to Weslyn Church, we kept pace with them, seemed to gain a little but then the afterburners were lit by someone and our goal was toasted.  At the time, my average was 23.5 so you know, not a slow pace.  As the 3 turned north on Outville, I bugged out and headed home.  Later I heard the front group finished with a 23.6 avg for the 38 miles. 

The weekend has a good crop of rides, Frank's OFC, the COP Hocking Hills ride and on Sunday, Roll's Rockmill ride and John Martin's ride out of Granville.

Well, well, well.  A certain member of the peloton, inspired by Lori Nedescu's historic ride of last week proclaimed to me that he too will make it around with the A group, having never done it before.  I told him I would alert HFT Racing Man and put a quick end to that idea but promised him anonymity even though I am sorely tempted to out him.  After looking at Rick Miller's route, I can see right away my friend's biggest challenge will be on an innocuous little street by the name of Thresher.  Hang in there and the left turn to the top of the hill and he could do it.  We'll see.  Anyway, the sun is dropping so rapidly that only 38 miles for the A route.  Be careful, you don't want to be way out in Granville, riding utterly alone if dropped from the A or B group.  Here is the link to the Cycling Club page for all the routes: http://www.thecyclingclub.org/route-resources/c-o-p-thursday-night-cycling-club-ride/