Yes We Rode but......

Many times, I have watched weather radar and shrugged off what appeared to be a hopeless forecast to make the long drive to Canal Winchester and yet, I don't think this year there has been one time we did not get in a Tuesday ride.  This time, though, that solid mass of green, yellow and red drifting just to the south of Granville, and a call to my forward weather observer, Pastor Mark, convinced me it was hopeless.  I grabbed the COP newsletter, discovered a Tuesday New Albany ride for "B" riders and headed there instead.

They typically have between 6-12 cyclists and despite dark skies, 10 showed for a 34 mile route.  Included were SuperDave and Jon the Dentist, among the names most would recognize.  It seemed a good, simpatico group and it was.  The route was mostly flat with only 600' of climbing and with only a couple of exceptions, the group stayed together.  Fairly uneventful ride, berreft of the usual "group killer" instict of which we are all guilty on the Canal ride, at least in the "A" group, or maybe it was there tonight but at a "B" pace so I didn't notice it so much.  At one point, going up a long but only 3% grade hill, Jon appeared to be working furiously but we all hung on and after half a mile we came to a turn and Jon pulled off the lead,.  I couldn't help but chirp, "Is that all you got?" and he good naturedly took another hard pull but a head wind kept him from splitting the group as we rode comfortably in his slipstream.  Finished with a 20.4 average. I must say, SuperDave is making impressive improvement from an extended period of semi-retirement from cycling.
UPDATES:  Important Announcement.  Belinda H, after months of begging for a "rode" bike finally placed a winning bid on ebay and is now the proud owner of a Trek WSD road bike.  On her first time out, freed from the 35 pound shackles of that hybrid, she saw an increase of 2 mph to her normal average while just fooling around.  Two hills that have previously vexed her were easily defeated and her words to me tonight were, and I quote, "Tell Cindy to be afraid, be very afraid!"  The showdown is coming, maybe this year and I can't wait to report it, or at least make something up on which to report.
Recumbent Dude continues to file reports in the comments section about he and his daughters exciting 3 week trip across India.  Keep them coming Nathan.
Porch Corn: I have sad news to report about my porch corn.  The cloudy weather and too much shade has conspired to produce very puny ears.  For the umpteenth year in a row, whether it be racoon attacks, deer trampling or crummy weather, I just can't get no corn satisfaction. Images to come soon.