gettin' whipped on the kim's ride, and another that's more my speed

Although Laura OLPH had a ride scheduled for yesterday (that sounds like it was pretty cool), The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I had an afternoon commitment with some friends which might have conflicted. So, instead, I went out on the ride from Kim's, which I knew would be done earlier. We gathered at the shop...

...and, shortly after 8am, proceeded up to the Olde Town lot at Johnson Park to pick up the Rutgers riders.

I heard somebody say something about doing some hills.

Uh-oh.

Instead of the usual route, we did this one. The fast boys went off the front. I tried to sweep for a while, and then I wasn't sweeping at all; I was just one of the guys hanging off the back.

This is two weeks in a row that the Kim's ride has been too much for me. I feel like I'm a drag on the fast guys, and nobody likes to feel like that. I had hoped that last week was an anomaly due to the heat and humidity, but I don't think that's the case. I don't think this ride's for me, and, if I DO go again, I'll tell the fast guys to go on their own, and I'll do a ride at a pace I can manage. If I do, and any other riders want to accompany, they're welcome, but I won't depend on that.

A guy's gotta know his limits. (TEW likes it when I say that.)

After that ride, I saw an email from Snakehead about a ride for today; he was concerned about the heat and wanted to get an early one in with some local riders he knows (most of the others are professors at Rutgers; I try not to display too much of my ignorance). After an email exchange, we agreed on a 7:15 start from Blackwells Mills/Six Mile, and we'd start on one of my routes, improvising as we went.

I rode from home to the Wawa for my apple-fritter breakfast, then to the start, where I met Snakehead and Yair. We did this ride at a pace that was more manageable for me, especially after getting my butt kicked yesterday.

That dodgy camera was being dodgy again today. Although I got this great, calendar-ready pic...

... most of the rest were out of focus or smudgy. 

I'd like the one above better if my shadow weren't so prominent, and I'd like the one below if there weren't such a smudge by the water bottle.

Below, Snakehead and Yair.

The second half of the ride goes through Princeton, which I like; I don't think we do enough of it (on the other hand, we're so lucky to have the variety of routes we do, as close as we do...). I think I also like it because it's a route to which I don't have to drive.

So what have youse-all been doin'?

Edit: After seeing this post, two of the riders on the Kim's ride have gone out of their way to ask me to come back. I'm busy the next few weeks, but I'll plan on going back mid-to-late September. It would be rude to do otherwise.