As many of you may know, at least those of you who are omnipotent, my boy's are on a junior's cycling team as they will be racing age next year. The team is run out of a bike shop called Two Wheel Jones east of us a few miles. They have a weekend ride that meets there and this Saturday I found myself in need of a stiff ride and they were headed out to Canyon Lake and beyond so I decided to hop on thinking they might not be as crazy fast as the Brumby's and perhaps even had a 'B' group that wouldn't be too slow.
Yep, pulled up behind a fine set of riders out on baseline heading over to the same ride I was. I even caught up to them. Felt pretty good about myself at that point I must say. We chatted it up all the way out to Signal Butte Road and then signed in and waited for the ride to start. Since we were such a large group they were splitting into an A group and a B group. B group was supposed to wait 1 minute Tricia said as she sped off to catch the A group 20 seconds or so after they left. All of us of course thought she was leading the B group so we sped off after her and humorously enough, the B group caught the A group after a few lights.
I believe we caught them because of the headwind they were fighting, or maybe that is why we stayed with them. That being said once we turned the corner I found myself on the back after a few folks dropped off and the old familiar Yo Yo action started up and I was getting winded fast. I had to bridge a few gaps that formed in front of me and before long I was cooked. Just like with the Brumbys. Except I actually had started being able to hold the Brumbys before my training sloughed off.
I spotted a couple of folks in my rearview mirror and I softpedalled until they caught up. It was one of the kid's from the blue team (older faster kids, mine are on the orange team). This was his first time out to Canyon Lake on a bike. Needless to say I was impressed. In fact, he outclimbed me on every hill. Not by much mind you, and truth be told I was holding a little something back for EOP, but for a 15ish year old, that was pretty darn good.
Sorry I never finished The last post, this week was similar to last week, there were around 50 riders most of them of good fitness levels, I held on until the hill at Usery Pass and then I was off the back. Funny thing was I thought I was last once the 4 or five people behind me passed me up but I passed them going down the other side and they passed me up again before we got to the beeline. I passed one lady and told her I was thinking of turning up to Four Peaks for a few miles if no one was up at the beeline.
There was a regroup up at the beeline though and as we waited with them I discovered there were quite a few people behind me. I guess we were sort of an A- or B+ group that formed in the wake of the fast guys. Someday I'll be back up with hanging with those fast guys but today it worked out pretty good. I ended up riding with Walt. Walt's the dad of one of the kids on my boys cycling team and we had a good discussion about that, randonneuring (yeah I was flying the colors on my jersey that morning) and whatnot. I emailed him the info on the brevet scene down here and maybe will have another recruit on our hands?
A few times I found myself struggling to hold onto him but I think I am not too far behind his fitness level. It was really cool having someone to ride with. I think I'm going to make this ride a weekly thing. Their meeting place is a bit closer than that of the Brumby's and there is the fact my kid's are on the team and it's cool to mix with the other parents out on the road as opposed to watching the kids practice.
Next week is the 200k in Casa Grande. It's been a few years since I did it but I am looking forward to it. Susan posted the 2004 results on the website and my time was 8:10. That was both the first Az Brevet for AZ Randonneurs and my first Brevet. 8:10 was lot longer than the sub 7 hour I did year before last. That's my goal though. I'd like to think I am in better shape than I was in 2004. I haven't trained much, but seeing as I finished the Mt. Lemmon 200k a month or two ago I think I probably can do it. Hopefully there will be someone my speed out there. Hard to believe it's been 8 years. I've also started bike commuting since then of course so that will help too.
Yep, pulled up behind a fine set of riders out on baseline heading over to the same ride I was. I even caught up to them. Felt pretty good about myself at that point I must say. We chatted it up all the way out to Signal Butte Road and then signed in and waited for the ride to start. Since we were such a large group they were splitting into an A group and a B group. B group was supposed to wait 1 minute Tricia said as she sped off to catch the A group 20 seconds or so after they left. All of us of course thought she was leading the B group so we sped off after her and humorously enough, the B group caught the A group after a few lights.
I believe we caught them because of the headwind they were fighting, or maybe that is why we stayed with them. That being said once we turned the corner I found myself on the back after a few folks dropped off and the old familiar Yo Yo action started up and I was getting winded fast. I had to bridge a few gaps that formed in front of me and before long I was cooked. Just like with the Brumbys. Except I actually had started being able to hold the Brumbys before my training sloughed off.
I spotted a couple of folks in my rearview mirror and I softpedalled until they caught up. It was one of the kid's from the blue team (older faster kids, mine are on the orange team). This was his first time out to Canyon Lake on a bike. Needless to say I was impressed. In fact, he outclimbed me on every hill. Not by much mind you, and truth be told I was holding a little something back for EOP, but for a 15ish year old, that was pretty darn good.
Sorry I never finished The last post, this week was similar to last week, there were around 50 riders most of them of good fitness levels, I held on until the hill at Usery Pass and then I was off the back. Funny thing was I thought I was last once the 4 or five people behind me passed me up but I passed them going down the other side and they passed me up again before we got to the beeline. I passed one lady and told her I was thinking of turning up to Four Peaks for a few miles if no one was up at the beeline.
There was a regroup up at the beeline though and as we waited with them I discovered there were quite a few people behind me. I guess we were sort of an A- or B+ group that formed in the wake of the fast guys. Someday I'll be back up with hanging with those fast guys but today it worked out pretty good. I ended up riding with Walt. Walt's the dad of one of the kids on my boys cycling team and we had a good discussion about that, randonneuring (yeah I was flying the colors on my jersey that morning) and whatnot. I emailed him the info on the brevet scene down here and maybe will have another recruit on our hands?
A few times I found myself struggling to hold onto him but I think I am not too far behind his fitness level. It was really cool having someone to ride with. I think I'm going to make this ride a weekly thing. Their meeting place is a bit closer than that of the Brumby's and there is the fact my kid's are on the team and it's cool to mix with the other parents out on the road as opposed to watching the kids practice.
Next week is the 200k in Casa Grande. It's been a few years since I did it but I am looking forward to it. Susan posted the 2004 results on the website and my time was 8:10. That was both the first Az Brevet for AZ Randonneurs and my first Brevet. 8:10 was lot longer than the sub 7 hour I did year before last. That's my goal though. I'd like to think I am in better shape than I was in 2004. I haven't trained much, but seeing as I finished the Mt. Lemmon 200k a month or two ago I think I probably can do it. Hopefully there will be someone my speed out there. Hard to believe it's been 8 years. I've also started bike commuting since then of course so that will help too.
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