Tuesday night report 6/29/10

Good news, a perfect night for riding and one of my favorite routes, out to Princeton, 62 to Hubbardston, 68 to Gardner and then 2A back to the streets of Fitchburg.
I don’t know why we’d ever want to avoid taking the ride through the city, the Spanish all love us, cheering us on as we make our way through the city, it’s like Lance, or Eddy or Miguel coming into Paris.
“Essay, Essay!!!!” which I think means Faster, Faster!!!!
Or something like that.

The numbers I have from last night’s ride are off from other rider’s numbers. But here’s what I had:
40 miles
1:53
21.2 average
I’ll try and map it on Garmin connect when I have time.

The ride cut through Leominster over to Pleasant St. As usual everyone began fanning out trying to find their spot for the climb up to Sholan Farms.
Some of our more experienced riders (Peter Cunningham and Charles Schnare and a couple others) were called out for double yellow violations which will now result with infractions being passed out at the end of each ride, the 3 riders with the most infractions at the end of the season will be responsible for buying the group a round of drinks at a tavern to be determined.
Everyone should be on notice that I’m going to start calling people out on these things.
Regrouped at the intersection of N. Row before continuing on to Princeton, a left and then a right onto Osgood, some climbing, but a lot of descending before eventually coming out to Rt 62.
Once we crossed over 140 and continued up 62 the grind up into Princeton began.
Brandt was motoring up the hills on the front. I was struggling to hold his wheel, eventually I called him off and moved to the front for my pull, flicked off and let Brandt lead, we switched off several times before I realized something. There were 2 wheel suckers right behind us. How long had they been sitting in?
Thomas Conner and the other guy I can’t remember – infractions for wheel sucking and not moving up to the front to help your teammates.
Eventually Thomas and the other guy took their turns and we rotated for a bit before Thomas went off the front and left us behind.
Fresh legs, new SL3, Reynolds Carbon wheels, no wonder he's able to make a move like that.
I can’t remember if it was four, or if a couple others joined us on the final climb into Princeton Center.
Waited at the intersection for the rest of the group.

Unbeknownst to those of us waiting, Kurt on the Time (on Time Kurt?) got clipped by a Volvo as he was climbing into Princeton – I don’t know all the details, but I heard the car caught him with it’s rearview mirror and then continued on without stopping. Fortunately Kurt was all right and was able to carry on. Anyone who has more details, please post them in the comments section.
On the regroup in Princeton we realized we were short a couple of riders, Amy on the red Giant and Chris from the shop. Not sure if there were others missing too.
Duncan being the good guy he is offered to ride back and try to find them and get them back to the shop.
The ride rolled on, after the climbing into Princeton, 62 towards Hubbardston is always a fun time.
Nice pace line going as we cruised down 62, pushing 25+ in some areas, it was a nice relief from the hills we’d done on the beginning of the ride. But near the end somewhere I was desperately trying to hold Sara without an h’s wheel, she was latched on to a wheel in front of her, however the rider in front of her was letting a gap open.
Infraction issued to the guy in front of Sara without an h for not holding that wheel.
Jumped and closed it.
Dave Lystila made a move which was quickly covered before we got to the intersection of 68.
With the group mostly intact we slowly rolled onto 68, a little slow at the beginning of 68 before the pace lifted, and then lifted considerably with the nice tail wind.
Someone on a blue bike decided to launch an attack on 68.
WtF?
Someone else went with him.
20 seconds later (maybe less) blue bike was back on the front, but slowed up.
Infraction for slowing and not moving to the left so the group could maintain pace.
Somewhere along 68 I heard the sound of something like a piece of metal flying into a guardrail, it actually sounded like a gun shot and we weren't even in Fitchburg yet. No idea what it was until someone was yelling flat.
Brandt hit some nasty road debris that ripped a hole in his new P3R.
Where’s Noah when you need a piece of plastic mylar? Thomas stepped in, sucked down a GU so Brandt could use the wrapper to fill the cut. Not pretty, but it severed the purpose.
Rolled out again, into Gardner, darkness was moving in, I figured riders wanted to get moving, tried picking up the pace, as we turned onto Union there were several other riders waiting – kept moving, looked back and no one was there.
I thought we needed to get back to Leominster before it got to dark?????
Daren knew there was no need to panic.
Once on 2A Jenn don’t call me Beth was again on the front doing a lot of the work, got the pace back up, just past Kaye’s there was another flat, this time it was Charlie’s turn.
Now it’s getting dark, but Daren’s still not panicked, he knows how the next 12 miles go.
Downhill and fast.
Once Charlie had his wheel back on things really picked up.
We were flying into Westminster Center, damn the cop at the intersection, he wasn’t going to slow us down. I held Daren’s wheel, he peeled off in time for me to lead out onto the downhill section of 2A, people telling me to hammer it.
No thanks, that road sucks, I'll play it safe by picking a good line between the white and double yellow.
So I pulled off and let the fast descenders have their fun all the way to the lights at 140.
The rest of the ride down 2A was just unbelievably fast, past the Old Mill, stay towards the middle because the side of that road is in rough shape, not to mention the seams that have opened up, just the right size to catch a low profile bike tire. Fast all the way past Monty Tech, into Fitchburg. Further down Rt. 12 Jenn don’t call me Beth who’d been pulling hard all night slowed enough to let a gap open in front of her.
Team leader Chet decided to send out the orders for the guy behind her to pick it up and close the gap. “You can't let a girl kick your ass - shame him into working to close it”, but he didn't.
Double infraction for not closing the gap, and not listening to your team leader.
Someone had to do it, pull out to the left and made the jump to close it, hit the rotary, no slowing for the car coming at us, drilled it down Rt. 12 adrenaline running high as the Spanish population began cheering us on like we were riding the tour – coming up to the intersection we had the green light.
And then we lost it.
And had to stop.
Someone said something to the effect "this is a B ride?"
Actually it's a B ride that rides like an A ride.
Once we got it rolling again, more cheering as we rode through the burg, down Rt. 12 and then over the 5th Street bridge, everything together as we turned onto Airport Rd.
All I could think about as we made the turn was please don’t let them set me up for failure.
I had a plan, it was a good plan.
It didn’t involve a serious effort.
Or pain.
It was to sit in and enjoy the last couple of miles.

Let me digress for a moment.
Growing up my parents tried to instill in me a sense of responsibility, to be my own person, not to let others talk me into doing things I didn't want to do, or that were bad for me.
But there were often lapses in judgment, young troublemakers talking me into stealing that package of baseball cards from the local general store, the young ruffians in the CYO marching band convincing me to smoke cigarettes when we were competing out of town, the hooligans in high school who talked me into smoking pot once or twice.
And last night I had another lapse in judgment and allowed it to happen again.
My plan began to unravel when Daren and several others talked me into doing something I didn’t want to do.
“Move up”, “go for it”, “you can do it, make your move”
WtF? I just wanted to sit in and try to stay near the front.
But the taunting continued, and I was still feeling the shame from several weeks back. The pressure was overwhelming to make a move and give it another go.
Except I couldn’t.
I was boxed in.
My set up man (Daren) didn’t follow through on his promise of blocking people out so I could make my move – he sucks as a set up man.
Thomas tried giving me room to move to the left, but too many other riders were moving up so going left wasn’t going to work.
So I was forced into plan B which meant making the move up on the inside, which I know pissed off more than a few riders.
But you know what? Tough cookies, all’s fair in love and bike racing and I had to do what needed to be done. Big deal, I rubbed elbows with a few riders who weren’t comfortable with that, but I had a clear line up the inside, all I needed to worry about was the sand patches, broken glass and bullet casings that littered the side of the road. I kept the bike upright and no one went down so y'all need to get over it.
No infractions for my move. In fact I get bonus points for such a bold move.
I still don’t know how, but the move worked, I managed to get free.
If I was smart I would’ve just held my position for another ½ mile.
I'm not smart.
No guts no glory.
Off the front.
Feeling strong.
For about 30 seconds.
And then I didn’t feel so good.
I felt miserable, I could only stare at the pavement below and try not to think about what was behind me.
Must – Keep – Turning – Pedals.
Don’t – Look – Back.
I have no idea how long I made it, maybe a minute, two tops before I heard the swarm of angry hornets.
Why were they making the move so soon?
You’re smarter than that Thomas Connor and whoever was with you.
You don’t jump to cover a move like mine.
Sit back and let the others take the bait before making your move.
Oh well, you moved too soon and lost out on the Tuesday night glory.
Kudos to the person who I don’t know who won the sprint.

Almost forgot, I need to call Chet out for coming in behind a girl, Jenn don’t call me Beth, who clearly took him at the line. You’re a disgrace to your gender.
I’m telling you it’s that big honking mirror of your’s! I’ve seen smaller mirrors on the side of a school bus. I know it’s great for a quick shave, or styling your hair in the middle of a ride, but it’s screwing up the aerodynamics of your high end Italian bike.
Please tell me it’s at least a Campagnolo mirror.

I’ve decided the rider of the night award goes to Charlie for coming back to the Tuesday night ride a month ahead of schedule.
What do doctors and wives know anyway?
Your double yellow infraction has been rescinded.

In the parking lot someone wanted to know how everyone seems to know how to work so well together and ride so fast on a B ride.
Once you get yelled at enough you figure things out real quick.