None of my regular favorite ride leaders were going out today, and the B ride out of Cranbury was listed as led by "volunteer". Previous year's experience indicates that the means there will be no leader for the B ride, so the B+ riders will offer to ride with the B riders. The B+ riders will promise to keep the pace to one where the B riders will keep up, but the ride will break up anyway... and I didn't want to do that.
I went to the Freewheelers Facebook page* and put up a post asking if anybody was going out today. Paul I said he had a friend were going out, and there were a few other responses. Paul had invited me out before, at a time I couldn't go, and I wanted to take him up on his invitation.
*A word on the Facebook thing: I had SWORN I would not do Facebook after a couple of bad experiences in the past. I didn't think there was anything on Facebook in which I was interested. But first, there are rides that get announced on the Freewheelers Facebook page that don't get listed anywhere else. And second, the New Brunswick Bike Exchange does much of their info-dissemination through Facebook. So it was either get on Facebook, or miss out on these opportunities. I tell myself that by using a pseudonym ("Plain Jim"), and by putting as little information as possible on my own Facebook page, I'm minimizing my risk. I know I'm lying to myself.
So I went to Pennington to meet Paul and the other rider; it turned out there were TWO other riders: Alf, with whom I've ridden on a few of Winter Larry's rides and whom I've seen on a few other occasions, and Andrew, whom I remember having a bit of a competition with on one of Ken Leon's rides, years ago. I wasn't sure I could keep up with these guys (they're a couple of what Laura OLPH refers to as the "fast boys"), but there I was... so off we went.
We did this route. First of all... it was cold to start. I wear a neck gaiter on cold days; I had it up to my mouth to keep my chin warm, and I could feel that the condensation from my breath was freezing on the fabric. My brow ached from the cold. My toes were numb to start (Alf and I had a bit of conversation later about the loss of toes, and how it would make for a lighter rider... and it's not like skiing, where you need them for steering!).
Second, they started right off by leading us up Poor Farm Road, one of the demanding hills in the area (did I hear Paul mutter a sarcastic "gee, thanks" under his breath?). They kept up a fast pace. I've gone up that hill a number of times, but not with these guys, and after burning up the hill, I stopped at the top to catch my breath and decide if I wanted to throw up or not. I eventually decided against it, but there were cogent arguments on both sides of the question.
Off we went. After a while, I realized I was able to keep up with the pace they set (although I'm sure they could have cleaned my clock if they wanted to sprint for a bit). We went up Lindbergh Road, another local hill of some reputation, and got spread out. I kept the rearmost rider in my mirror (that "sweep" thing I do doesn't go away easily), and I was glad for the opportunity to coast for a bit. But all in all, I was glad I was able to keep up. (And we didn't stop at Peacock's! I thought that was a requirement!).
After Lindbergh, at about mile 19, Paul went his own way, and I rode back to Princeton with Andrew and Alf (Alf promised he'd direct me back to the car, which I'd parked in Pennington). We stopped at the new Rojo's for coffee (evidently a tradition with these guys; Alf said they try to keep this ride going throughout the winter), where we traded lies and slandered people we know... and they invited me to come along with 'em again! I was flattered.
I was also about done. I had about 7 miles to get back to the car, and along the way, riding with Alf, I pretty much hit the wall. Alf was kind enough to keep to my pace and give me directions back. I crawled back to the car (I'm sure I brought the ride average down), and met The Excellent Wife (TEW) at the Main St Cafe for lunch.
No pics today; in my holiday ditziness, I forgot the camera. Next time, guys!
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