in-between recovery ride

 Between a difficult, demanding ride yesterday, and tomorrow's All-Paces, I wanted to have a ride today that would be up to my pace, but not be too challenging, so I pulled out a route with slightly less climb and put it in for today. I had five, then four, then three registrants yesterday, but had a certain amount of late interest and last-minute registrants, and wound up with seven: Madhu A, Charles G (new to me), Rama K, Prem R (good to see him again!), Steve S, Mike V, and y'r ob'd't servant.

We rolled down the canal to pick up Rama, who was riding in from home (I later learned he intended to do a metric century today, of which this ride was the middle part), and continued to Kingston, then up River Road into Rocky Hill, and then to the Veteran's Arboretum, because I was a bit worried about the availability of facilities at the planned stop at the Sunrise in Millstone.

After the stop at the Arboretum, Steve noticed something milky on Madhu's wheel. She'd gotten a puncture, and it was dramatic enough that tubeless sealant was spitting about. After a discussion about the best way to proceed (I did NOT wanna havta put a tube in a tire with sealant gunking up the procedure!), Prem pumped up the tire, and we got up to the Sunrise in Millstone.

I suppose it's a good thing we stopped at the Arboretum, because the Sunrise was closed for the holiday weekend! Mike works in the area, and pointed out there was a Dunkin' Donuts a couple of miles further along, so we stopped there.

We got to talking to a couple in a car, and that's where I discovered Rama's intention to ride sixty miles today. A little later, Prem told me this was a survival ride; he was trying no food and little drink on this one.

I am so outclassed by these folks.

Steve and I got to talking about a website for my Ramblin' Wrench business, so I did a quick commercial for the other folks (I've done work for one of 'em, and it looks like I'll have more from that source soon). Steve's being generous with an offer, which I may work out in trade - if nothing else, his bike would benefit from a Ramblin' Wrench bike detailing!

Ride page.