These are fotos from today’s ride. Click on the image below to view the whole set.
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| Sports Basement & Party, 5/24/08 |
This was Denise’s last training ride and time to celebrate our accomplishments. A large group of riders assembled, many of them familiar in one context or another: Geoff Schneider, indomitable commuter from the City, who was a co-leader, and Kerwin (late) and Matt Martin, also Ron and Wilma Marshall sporting 20th anniversary Oakland Yellow Jackets jerseys (there was a plethora of colorful and unusual cycle wear: see foto set), and Lala and Alex and Jay (with Jen) from our previous ride. Seemed to be a lot of couples present too. Plan was to ride out to San Ramon and back, short and pretty flat, and return to Sports Basement for refreshments and fellowship. I was the last to leave and hustled to catch up, then set out to join the leading group, but when Geoff passed me I wondered who was left back there to sweep, waited for the trailers to come, and discovered it was me! Eventually I followed Élan (who reminded me Diana and I knew her from working at Sur La Table years ago) and we fell farther and farther behind despite making a pretty constant 11 mph. When we reached Peet’s, most of the others were leaving already (Diana, car-sweeping, and our little dog Albert were still there), and Élan and I continued on the back, joined eventually by Troy. Same story at Peet’s in San Ramon: the others were ready to leave when we got there. I lingered over coffee this time with Kerwin and Matt, but we had room to ride fast, we were so far behind, and I got a chance to spin with a tailwind and attack the rollers, and it felt good. Flat tire on Danville Blvd. (Kerwin and Matt came back to encourage me), then over the Iron Horse and Contra Costa Canal trails to Heather Farms Park and the Sports Basement. Denise had arranged a lavish spread: pizza (she had to keep ordering more), and roast beef and the trimmings for sandwiches, and salads, and beer & wine (it was after our ride!); she also had raffle prizes and offered, as a store employee, 20 percent off all purchases we might still need to make for the Ride. Wow! I stocked up on inner tubes and GU gel, couldn’t think of anything else I needed. Well, we made just about 30 miles, and I averaged 13.8 mph and can’t imagine how fast the main group rode. Quite satisfactory. Am I ready to ride? I think I’ve already noted I haven’t done any long distances yet: only a couple in the 50–60 mile range. But I feel stronger and more efficient than in past years and am starting to have a lot of confidence in my training and technique (I’ve just realized the stiffness in my hamstrings is due to my spinning with new muscles). So yes, I think I’ll be all right. The Ride (as I write this) is less than a week away.
As I write this: a rider named Richard has just introduced himself on the Discussion Forum. He is 82 and clearly the oldest rider (called himself “most ancient”), eclipsing Bert Shaw who is “only” 80 this year. Both Richard and Bert are pedaling recumbents. Awesome. I’ll have to introduce myself when I see them on the road. I have a much longer way than I thought to become the oldest rider.
