I generally list rides for Sundays if the weather allows and nothing conflicts. Most of them are "B" rides, but for the last Sunday of the month, I generally post a "C+" ride at a slower pace, because some of the people who like to ride with me can't manage the faster pace.
As the weather gets cold, with fewer rides listed, I get a variety of riders, with a variety of abilities. Such was the case today.
I post my routes for download, so if faster riders want to ride ahead, they can (and some do). I make a point of never dropping a rider if I can help it (although I have riders leave the ride sometimes, if they feel the pace is too fast for them).
On today's ride, I had a rider who wanted to try a C+ ride. We spoke on the phone briefly, and he decided he thought he would be OK, and came along. It turned out he wasn't up to the pace; even on the flats he wasn't keeping up, and on the hills, he fell far behind. My thanks to Dave H for sweeping and helping me keep an eye on him.
My group of faster riders was friendly and polite; despite the cold in the earliest part of the ride, they waited at turns and intersections for us to catch up, and maintained the expected pace. We managed to stay together through the break at the Blawenburg Bistro.
After the break, we stayed together for a bit, but it was clear that the one rider was slow. The rest of the group went on ahead; Dave and I saw the last rider to the end. We three discussed his condition; he appeared to agree that this ride was too much for him. We discussed who he might know he was ready for a faster pace.
My thanks to the riders who were friendly and flexible about this situation.
Ride page. (Yes, my average speed is within the range, but I was speeding up and waiting for much of the ride, so my average is unreliable.)
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