Winter Bike League
Ouch. I have been very diligent in keeping to my base zones for the last 6 weeks and blew it all this weekend. 55nine Performance sponsored this week’s WBL, so I had to be there and it’s good for business to go ride with the roadies. The WBL rides are well organized, but by this point in the year they are picking up steam and not taking prisoners. I hung on to the back end of the group most of the day. I knew I’d better off up near the front where the pace and effort is little more even, but didn’t have the legs nor the pack skills to keep myself there. The pace started pretty fast despite some big rollers that split the group early. At one point I was trying to recover after one of these rollers and yet getting mauled by a cross wind. I couldn’t get to the other side of the group, so I thought I’d drop back a little and then work my way up the other side to get out of that wind. I sat up a bit and soft pedaled for like three strokes and suddenly the pack was leaving me. I was already at the back with no where to hide. I jumped back up to the group and found a spot out of the wind. I asked the guy next to me “when did we become the back of the group.” He looked back and said “oh.”
The rest of the ride was spent with me either lodged firmly in the group hiding from the wind or dangling off the back. I really need to learn to get to the front early and stay there, but these road group rides are a rare event for me. We made it to the store stop without further incident. While there I fiddled with my front der which has been giving me fits. The real problem is that I have a 10 speed chain on 9 speed components and the chain likes to fall in between the two front rings. Then I have to stop, pluck it out and then set it the gear of my choice. This does not work so well when the group is way stronger than I. I suppose I could have dropped back to support vehicle and pulled some Tour de France style maneuver while holding on the window jam, but instead I just ground out the climbs in the big ring….dumb.
Then the attack zone came….I’d like to tell the tale of how I surged to the front, and hung in for the sprint, but was nipped at the line by some up and coming local stud….but alas I was dropped when the whistle blew. I was at the back and I chased and chased, but each rider I pulled in was going backwards too. It’s like trying to climb a rope while someone above feeds more slack out. Eventually I was done and shut’er down. A young lady named Nancy rolled up as I did and we exchanged “we’ll get’m next time glances.” At this point I did know two things: 1) I do not have a map nor a clue how to get back to town. 2) I’m starving. Then the SAG wagon pulls up and offers us a ride. I said “no thanks,” but Nancy stopped. I rolled for another 30 yards, looked back and saw no one else in sight, then turned back and threw my bike on the rack too. I’d rather ride home in shame than ride another 25 miles around those back roads looking for my way back.
Next time…..