another cold ride

 

Today was predicted to be another cold one (colder than yesterday), so I decided to list another of those not-too-long-with-no-planned-rest-stop rides, with essentially the same route as last week (just a minor change to leave out a light and a few yards of Amwell Road; regular readers will know if my dispute with the Amwell Road goddess). 

I had correspondence with some riders earlier in the week about whether they would be able to keep up. It appears they decided it was not a great match for them, but nine others decided to register, and actually showed up, despite the frigid temperatures.

Dina L and Christine R had decided to come together to support one another, just in case they wound up off the back of the peloton. They left the start location before the main group, and did the same at a few of the road stops, but I think they were being overcareful; while we did catch up to them, it was later in the ride than you would think, and when we were riding together, they kept to our pace. Christine credits her new bike for her speed; Dina has apparently been riding frequently and has simply gotten stronger. I'm impressed with both of 'em.

As in the past, riders had various levels of abilities (Joe E and Ming can each ride rings around me), and sometimes folks rode off the front of the group, but I noticed frequent conversations among the riders, and nobody (except for Dina and Christine, as noted) was way off the front for very long, nor was anybody way off the back. 

And although I hadn't planned a rest stop, age and frailty demanded that I call for one at the porta-potty at the Veteran's Arboretum near the turn onto Harlingen Road.

I might not have been the only one who thought the stop was welcome.

Then back up Amsterdam, and across to Millstone. It's probably just a hallucination (I can't claim the closest grip on reality), but I feel like the riding east across the Amwell bridge between River Road and Millstone is less fraught and worrisome than the same ride westbound. We turned down into Millstone, and then to Canal Road and back to the start. (Some of the traffic on Canal Road seemed surprised to see cyclists on that road, and didn't appear to know what to do. I'm sure they were as grateful as we when they turned onto Jaques.)

I enjoyed this lead, and I hope the riders come back, especially the ones who aren't among my regulars. And I hope the weather warms a few degrees, so we can plan in a stop (or cools enough that I don't feel like it's a smart idea to list a ride!).