plus, we got to go across a closed causeway

 

I posted this ride late Friday, after another disorganized week (The Excellent Wife [TEW] was out of town for a few days, and I was living a life of retired-bachelor dissipation in her absence). Despite that, I got twelve other registrants, some of whom planned to meet along the route (one of those was John W, who had warned me about the flooded canal yesterday).

With warmer weather predicted than recently, I decided to revert to several-layers-under-a-long-sleeve-jersey. My warmest seems to be this Briistol-Myers long-sleeve jersey in white and what I initially thought was pink in the dim light in which I was dressing, so I tied a pink bandanna around my left forearm as a handkerchief.

We left after a variation on my usual pre-ride speech (PFW ride-leader-meeting attendees: yes, I really do it before every ride), and headed up toward Blackwells Mills/Six Mile Run, where there was a porta-potty (evidently, there had been a dog walker around the back of the school, so the usual grass was not available to be watered).

By the time we got up to Amsterdam Drive, a couple of the riders let the downhill tailwind run away with 'em or something, and they missed a turn. I shouted after, but they continued, Well, if you're off the front, you're on your own, so I proceeded.

Several miles later, someone spotted them behind, and we waited. There was a remark made suggesting a violation of my no-drop policy, but I insist that the policy applies to those in back; club rules and my description make it clear that the policy does not apply to those in front.

Riders were better-behaved as we came down East Mountain, and rode towards Harlingen. One of the riders who had gone off the front stated he was tired; we discussed a possible shorter route for him to take back. I offered an escort; he declined (and made it back; I have since verified with the rider).

The rest of use went to Thomas Sweet.

Bad news at Thomas Sweet: they are moving to a new (nearby) location... but they may be stopping the coffee-and-pastry format to concentrate on ice cream and chocolates. I may need to search for a new rest stop.

While there, Roger M and Stacy P remarked on a certain feminine je ne sais quoi in both my outfit (so much pink and lavender!) and my gait. I laughed. My homophobe father would have turned in his grave to hear such a thing, if there were enough of him left to turn (we had him cremated, so even if his ashes are disturbed, it's unlikely anyone would notice).

Along the route, David G and I were talking about the ravages of time, and he said he was "gracefully embracing the frailties of aging", and I thought that was too great of a phrase not to be commemorated. Thanks, Dave.

John W had turned off the ride by the time we got to the Griggstown Causeway, but he would have had an "I told you so" moment:

It was closed, but dry. I felt like I was channelling Tom H. Another notch on my ride-leader top tube, or something.

Ride page. Once again, right in the middle of the PFW C+ range.

hounds and high water

 I went out for a slow solo ride this morning (in order to be available to get The Excellent Wife [TEW] from the airport later). I was making up the route as I went, with sort-of the intention of coming back across the Griggstown Causeway.

About fourteen miles in, though, I was flagged down by John W, who stopped to chat for a bit. In passing, he mentioned that the canal was flooded. I had noticed that the water was high when I came across at Blackwells Mills, but I had been able to cross... so I presumed he meant at Griggstown, which is more prone to flood.

I turned around to go back to cross at Blackwells Mills. The water was high.

Adding to the entertainment at the time, though, were a couple of loose dogs (obviously well-cared-for, although I don't know anything about canine breeds or whatever), out for a stroll, and not really caring about the chaos they caused to the traffic.

In the last picture, you can see a couple of the drivers trying to round them up and get the off the road before they were hurt. It was clear I wasn't going to be able to add anything useful to the situation.

Ride page.

it turned out to be a good day

 

Given the events of the week before, I'm surprised this ride went off as well as it did.

Given the events of the week before, I'm relieved this ride went off as well as it did.

Given the events of the week before, I'm grateful this ride went off as well as it did.

See, the thing is, I've been retired for about a year and a half. We're trying to have me live off only my Social Security, leaving my retirement savings (and my two laughably small pensions) for after my wife retires in a few more years. 

Now, last year, I wound up with several thousand dollars in unexpected dental expenses, so I was hoping to make up for that this year. But during the week, the car started running rough, and the "check engine" light was on, and the display screen would only show warnings. So I limped into the dealership.

Diagnostics determined that rodents had gotten into the engine, and had chewed up wiring, hoses, the engine covering, and other impedimenta in there to the tune of another several thousand dollars. This additional expense just sent me into a tailspin. It's not enough that it affects my retirement; I have the savings to pay it... but all I could see was an endless line of upcoming expenses for which I could not plan and had not budgeted. Rumination and overthinking took over. The anxiety disorder (to which I've alluded in other posts) came to visit, and unpacked as for a long stay.

I almost always post rides for Sundays on the club website, and I posted a ride for today... but a friend pointed out that the route I'd posted didn't correspond with the description I'd put in. I hastily corrected the route info, and emailed the five registrants that the route would be different, and would have substantially more climb (one registrant cancelled).

I'm blaming my confusion and poor focus on the earlier events, and my poor mental health.

But I still got ten other riders for today, including two who decided to meet along the route.

Many of my readers are bike-y people, and I won't need to tell you what a salutary effect 39 miles at a reasonable pace can have on the troubled mind. The ride was like medication.

We did one of my regular routes down through Princeton, and then up into Hopewell to the Boro Bean.

Do you think we have enough pogies on all them bikes?

One rider had a flat on the ride back, and was bemoaning his poor technique, but the day had warmed, and we weren't in a hurry, and a few of us helped, and a few others told stories of more experienced riders with even worse technique. 

And it turned out to be a good day. Ride page.

just about right

 

Sometimes, the ride just comes together: the route, the day, the company. This one was just about right for me today.

Many of the faster folks who come on my rides were off doing a faster-rated club ride led by Marco B out of Mercer Park. They're certainly welcome on my rides, but they often go off the front and have to wait for me and any others who don't keep up with 'em.

Instead, I had a crew for whom the 12.0-13.9 speed rated for the ride was around the pace at which they wanted to ride (we came in a little faster, but nobody appeared to be struggling too much, or falling off the back.

Some were new to this ride, and warned that they might be a bit slow... but one of those with the most dire predictions of slow speed, was frequently out front (especially in the last few miles, when an observer might have expected to see evidence of fatigue). 

And four riders rode in to the start, which was unexpected on such a cold morning (the day did warm, though).

We stopped at the Blawenburg Bistro, and contributed to their various retirement plans.

Riders generally made noises like they had a good time and would come back. And it was a good day for me.

Ride page.

best-laid schemes

 

Steve S has a car engine in the back of his SUV for a project with his son. Ask him about it; you won't be sorry, because it's a great story.

As my ol' pal, Bobby B, wrote:
...The best laid schemes
o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley.

I was planning to do Steve S's a-little-under-40-mile-ride from Cranbury today, with Ralph and Naveen.

 

... but Naveen noticed a bulge in Ralph's front tire that turned out to be the tube coming out of a cut in the sidewall. Ralph booted up the gash...

...and then we adjusted the route to go to Ralph's to switch bikes, and then I got a message that made me change plans. I wound up with about 20 miles. Better than no ride at all, of course, and I'm glad I met Naveen. I'm sure I'll ride again with Ralph and Steve, and I'll have to plan to go on a ride that Steve leads, just to prove that I CAN finish with him - after all, we don't want this to become an omen, do we?

before the superbowl ride

 Well, if you had a picture that good, wouldn't you lead off with it?

There are riders who won't come on my C+ rides (average pace 13.0-14.9mph) because even though I ride within the average pace (unless everyone else is way off the front), they don't want to be left behind. I don't leave riders behind.

Sometimes I get left behind.

And sometimes, the fellow riders who could leave me behind, don't, and make sure that I catch up with 'em, and even let me lead for a bit. I'm sure it's partly to make sure that I keep listing some of these rides. (Mine was the fastest-paced club ride listed for today, for example).

Today's was over one of my usual routes. I call it "annoying hills adjusted". One of the riders asked about the "adjusted" in the name; I said I had adjusted the route to avoid one of the riskier turns from the original route. Another rider wondered if I'd adjusted out any of the annoying hills.

I had not. There's only about 1100' of climb on this ride, but much of it is steeper than you'd like, or otherwise unnecessarily unpleasant. (I'll have to think for a bit about "necessary unpleasantness.")

Above, my view for a substantial part of the ride. Below, one of the occasions when the riders were displaying politeness.

We stopped at Thomas Sweet, where I got out-of-focus indoor pictures.

And back. The riders were a bit more mellow after the stop... but I was still the last one in.

Ride page.

I'm hoping that as the weather warms, some of you club members who ride at a pace closer to mine will come out, so I can have some company, and so I won't try to show off to these faster folks. Maybe you can help save me from my worst instincts.