75% is still a passing grade...

 

I don't know whether I'm getting better at leading, or whether the group was more together, or whether I'm just more accepting of the disorganization that's common on a big ride, but even though we started with 20, this ride was much less chaotic than my other recent big rides.

We started with 20... but about five miles in, one complained that she had just gotten her booster, and she wasn't up to continuing, so she turned back.

A few miles after that, another reported knee pain that just wasn't clearing, and HE turned back.

Then, at the end of Pretty Brook Road, one noted a slow leak in his front tire. He decided to roll home (a few miles from there), then take the other bike to go get his car.

Shortly before the stop at the Boro Bean, another rolled off to home.

At the Boro Bean, Laura OLPH decided she had enough pocket space to take home not just one, but two muffins:

While at the Bean...

Then, on the way back after the Boro Bean, another rider rolled off home. So 25% of my ride had left, and I finished with the 75% that remained. Still a passing grade, right?

They included Len C, who had a new ride... on which the seatpost disappeared down into the seat tube; there may have been an inadequate supply of carbon paste in the installation. Len was planning to Have.A.Word. with the shop that had done the bike build. I have not heard of shots fired or similar disturbance from Len's area, so I expect he managed his ire at the shop better than he managed it for the last several miles of the ride, standing the whole way to pedal. I'm sure I sympathize.

Ride page. This makes 37 rides I've led for the year, and a little over 3950 miles for the year. Not bad for a guy who was working full-time until last month!