Tubby, new pavement & the start of the Senior start time

Todd patroling his parking spot, warily watching Jeff.

As I left home for the ride, my 16 year-old-son called out, "See you later tubby."  During the course of the day my adoring son typically also calls me, "Chubby", "Chubs", "Lardbelly" and "Jellybelly."  This, while my adult friends sometimes ask if I'm anorexic.  Arrived kind of early in Canal Winchester to find the parking lot behind Shades newly paved and Todd Lee occupying the primo, shade covered parking spot.  I expect he and Jeff S to engage in a season-long battle over first arrival to claim the spot and knowing the zeal with which Jeff S covets parking spots, they likely will come to blows before too long.

Surprisingly, while I was chatting with Todd, he said he was going to leave at 5:55 to get up and over the Slough hill before the leaders, i.e., The Boss and anyone still temporarily hanging on.  I thought that a marvelous idea and promptly named it the "Senior Citizen Tee Time".  It was not hard to recruit others and so soon I had Nathan (Recumbent Dude who is transitioning to a road bike), Dennis and Mark V.  Then Todd announced he discovered rubbing in his bottom bracket and was soon pedaling towards the bike shop for a look and pedaling out of the Senior group. AT 5:55 we shoved off and I admit I was a bit embarassed so to combat I loudly announced, "Senior citizen group leaving now.", which turned many heads our way and caused my companions to drop theirs in shame.

My only goal was to get over Slough and then ride with Craig, for at least 20 yards.  Dennis rode as if his goal was to try to stay ahead of Craig so when we approached Slough I dropped back while the others pulled away.  No sense being already tired when Craig went by.  Funny thing, that 5 minutes is really a big head start and I/we stayed ahead of everyone out Amanda Northern, left on Alspach, right on Rock Mill, a very long way.  Prior to the long climb on Rock Mill, Craig, Justin from Jenis and a Thursday New Albany regular making his first Canal appearance, Satan Mick, woke me from a daydream.  Craig I think was inviting me to join by saying, "Here's the weakest of the elderly.".  So I jumped on and we rode up Rock Mill, left on Royalton and that enjoyable stretch of hills, right on Mt. Zion and I popped. Arrived at Crumley and was not sure which way the route went so I went right, later learning the route went left. Because my inadvertent shortcut did not cut much, The Boss, Justin and Mick came by just as I turned right on Westfall and with Craig giving another good verbal dig, "Here's that elderly guy again." (one must have a thick skin and sense of humor to ride in this group and most of us do) I jumped on and we hammered out Westfall with Dennis there too, Left on Amanda Northern, right on Ridge and approached those hills before Cedar Hill.  We crested at Cedar Hill and I thought the route would turn right and slowed but instead it stayed straight.  Dennis and I both gave up the pace and pedaled the route together, mostly alone other than a quick 30 second draft behind the Peggster.

Back at the parking lot, we engaged in the usual post-ride banter, which is almost as fun as the ride.  Now, on a more serious note, regarding Steve Barbour's circumstances, as most of you know, the news could not be worse, with the family deciding to follow Steve's wishes and remove him from life support.  The driver of the vehicle and his passenger were apparently both intoxicated and both somewhat higher profile individuals, one a political type from Licking County and the other associated with the Columbus affiliate of one of the TV networks.  There are other unusual circumstances involving Columbus police acting outside their jurisdiction, perhaps to the advantage of the occupants of the vehicle but more on that if/when it becomes official.