The Princeton Freewheelers' Spring Fling, held usually the last Saturday of April, is when the club honors its ride leaders. There are "all paces" rides (for most levels of riders) followed by a buffet lunch. It's a great opportunity to see people we rarely see, because they ride at different paces or go to different rides. Lots of people come out, and the rides can get huge.
But because the rides get to be so big, and because we're riding with people who don't usually ride together, the rides at the Spring Fling can be a little hard to control, as the ride I went on today was. I looked for a group that was getting big that would need a sweep, and found one that wound up with 21 riders to start. One left within about five or six miles of the start, another shortly before the break... and we lost two more at about the break, and I don't know how we lost them, or what happened. (I feel a bit like Telly on Sesame Street: "Oh, dear....".)
The Spring Fling starts at the Masonic Temple in Rocky Hill; it's one of the few starting points I can ride to from home, so I always do; this route includes my pre- and post-ride ride (yeah, I know it would be shorter if I just whipped down Route 1... but naaah). And I see that the average was 15.8, but I know my average on the ride home was about 17.2, so you can do the arithmetic to see the average on the group ride.
Besides me, there was a fellow I've ridden with at least once, Brandon, who also swept, and Bob who offered to do so. Brandon got to see my frustration with riders who will not get to the right when the call of "Car BACK!" goes up, and other dangerous riding habits some riders have. (There was a collision between two riders today; nobody seriously hurt [luckily] but it's another kind of thing that happens with people who seldom ride together. With groups who ride together often, a few newbies don't disturb the rhythm much, and generally pick up the group norms quickly, but I don't think that happens on the all-paces rides.) Another frustration was the route: although there was a cue sheet, the roads on the sheet didn't seem to have any relationship to the roads on which we were riding, or the cross roads we encountered. I'm no better at picking routes... but I choose not to lead rides, partly for that reason.
Then back for lunch, with lot of food (thanks, Ira!), and time to sit and chat with people we haven't seen. Mike H was flogging his new book, and some club goodies were for sale. I'll admit I snuck out before the awarding of the jerseys to the ride leaders.
Wore too much today: although it was cool when I left, three layers and tights were way too much. I don' know what I'll do about Tour de Franklin tomorrow... although by the time I actually post this, the effects of whatever decision I may have made will probably already be with me.
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