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

What a Great Day for Riding...sort of.

2/19/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's nice to review a week where I actually got to ride 3 times.  First, Flyin Tuna wanted someone to ride with her to keep the rednecks off her so I volunteered on Tuesday and we did a 35 mile ride during which she dropped back frequently, swore about her lack of fitness frequently and I wondered if she was going to ride with the "C" group this year. Then, on Thursday, Pastor Mark organized a ride from his place with Steve O, Jeff S and Randy Daum.  Now, it must be said that Randy was in sorry shape the last couple of years as he fought severe back pain.  It was so bad he had to take multiple pain killers, including Percocet or something like that, leaving him kind of loopy during rides.  Imagine if you were on some kind of drug that left you completely uninhibited regarding your speech and what you might say.  Well, Randy said some goofy things and may have alienated 1-2 cyclists but he had his back operation, is off the meds and has returned to normal so give him another chance.  We rode into 20+mph winds but had a fantastic afternoon of sunny skies and temps well over 60 degrees.  Rode about 35 miles but with the wind it felt like a 60 mile ride.

Picture
Now, we come to Saturday, a cold start at around 33 degrees and again, lots of wind.  None but the hearty and brave showed up including Recumbent Dude, Jeff S, Kenda Janet, Franz, Larry the Legend, Kent, Flyin Tuna and the surprise, Suzanne Birk, COP's ride chair, who brought a well needed dose of class, sophistication and beauty to a peloton that is usually sorely lacking in these traits.  We headed out via old 161, south on Babbitt, over to Cable and then the nice climb up Col du Alward, to Hollow, etc.. Suzanne dropped off the pace and the opportunistic me leaped at the chance to drop back and suck all the dirt possible from this unsuspecting mind.  I grilled her on COP activities, the good and bad of ride leaders, etc..  just as I was getting into the really good stuff the group had stopped to let us catch up and that damn Tuna warned Suzanne not to talk to me!!!!  Grrrrrr.  We continued on, making a right on York, crossing #16, over to Deeds, left on Gale, right on Grandview and finally into Granville and a stop at the River Road Coffee House after 25 miles..

Picture
The place was packed but we found seats and relaxed for a couple of minutes.  I wolfed down a chicken salad sandwich and we began discussing the ride back options.  Surprisingly, Larry P wanted a direct route back and soon everyone else agreed.  To be fair, Larry was riding a real cross bike from Walmart.  Not a tricked out cross like Pastor Mark rides with xxx light road wheels or the filed smooth cross tires that Steve rides.  Larry's bike was "Bobolink" or some brand from Walmart and it weighed a ton yet he dominated us. The wimpy recumbent dude exclaimed he would ride in whichever direction the dominant female wanted to go so with that, it was settled, we would go back via the #161 bypasses and a straight shot back.   That Larry soon whipped us into form by organizing an echelon that everyone seemed to grasp other than Janet.  As most of you know, during an echelon, as you pull forward and slide in front of the previously leading rider, you slow a bit to allow the cyclist coming up from behind to pass and pull in.  However, Kenda Janet made a habit of pulling over and then speeding up to make the next person work their ass off to get in front.  Many of us suggested tips but it was far too complex for Janet and Larry offered to send her the "Echelon Training Manual" to her so she could study.  We finally rolled back into New Albany with 43 miles and windblown hair (for those who have hair).  Brutal return...just brutal.  Oh, get this...in Granville, Suzanne tells Flyin how much COP appreciates all her effort at supporting the roving rides.  I was dumbfounded. That's like thanking the guy who cut the tree down that was milled into a broom that was used to sweep out a dirty room for keeping the room clean!  I mean what the heck???  Must be a woman thing.

0 Comments



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 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.