Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.ChipRGW
10-07-02, 08:27 AM
The Wife and I hit the road Sunday morning for our first group ride. This was the Sunshine Metric Century, part of Cyclefest in Downtown West Palm Beach. We planned on joining this ride since we got the road bikes 1-1/2 weeks ago. We knew we weren't going to ride the entire distance since our longest distance so far was 22 miles. We were the first ones there in the morning and after reviewing the cue-sheet we decided that turning back at the first rest stop would give us a total of just under 30 miles. Perfect. We also decided that if we were feeling REALLY good we would push on to the second rest stop another 7 miles down the road, but we made a pact that under NO circumstances would we go past that. We know it is important not to overdo it this early in our cycling. (we've only been riding for just over a month) We started the ride and hooked up with a group that was riding at a good pace for us. The rest stop came reasonably quickly and we decided to push on. 1/2 of the group we were with didn't stop, some of the rest turned back and the rest left too soon. We then tried to hook up with another group, but they were outpacing us by a good 3-4 m/h so they dropped us pretty quickly. another group passed us much closer to our pace, so we latched onto thier wheels all the way to the next stop. During our chat, Don (the mule!) convinced us to go on to the last stop with them. We didn't know how the SAG works, so he explained that if we couldn't make it back, we could get a ride. Cool. Despite our previous agreement, we went on. At the third stop and 31 mile turnaround, we figured, let's see how far we can get. The group we were with, had to drop us because my wife couldn't quite hold the pace. One of the riders fell out with his second flat of the day so we stopped to lend a hand or a CO2 anyway. At the fourth stop, we learned that there were only 2 riders behind us, well 3 since one was a tandem. We were VERY tired but we figured we could make the seven miles to the next and last rest and pick up a SAG ride there. The headwinds had picked up quite a bit by now. My butt ached, my arms were killing me and my feet were screaming at me to get off this damn bike, but we pedalled on. Past the billion dollar homes. Along the beach. Thought about stopping to see if Mr Trump was home. But we continued. After a PB&J and another gatorade refill (different flavors at each stop, makes quite an interesting color beverage) we decided that, regardless how we felt currently, we could'nt NOT try now to make the end. I became a mindless pump. My legs just went round and round without much input from my head. At one point my wife said something to me and I couldn't answer the simplest thing. Later I realized that the bike had in fact eaten my brain. At the Flagler bridge, 1 mile from the end, it began to really sink in, how close we were. I had visions in my head of rolling in through a mass crowd of cheering folks welcoming our arrival back from the greatest adventure of our lives. Well, we crossed the finish line, or at least as close as we could since the finish line was currently in use by the Florida Points series CAT3 men. There was no crowd, except for Don and his wife clapping and congratulating us, amazed that as new as we are, we were able to finish. We also learned that, the tandem that was behind us had broken down and was coming in on the SAG wagon and the other rider had stopped at a pay phone and called her mom for a ride home. Were were the last riders to pedal back in. I know it wasn't a race, and that if it was we did finish last, but in my mind it was one of the greatest victories in my life. If you are still with me, thank you for reading this. Thank you Don from Stuart, for convincing us to push on. Thank you to everyone on this forum for giving hints and tips and motivation to complete this.
Farther faster.
ChipR
Farther faster.
ChipR