Road Cycling - got a map?

Today I decided to crawl out of my hole and go cycling with the local cycling club. i had met one of them on the forums and i decided that i would join him at todays ride. He told me it turns into a race and that i might get droped. I thought at first, me... get dropped? never... well i hope not. I decided to reevaluate my position on cycling as i prepared over the week. I decided before i went out, if i get droped I'll come back next week and try again. I think i was about half way though the ride and they were really ripping up the road doing 24+ in a headwind. I figured that i could keep the pace, and i did for longer than i thought. We came to a slight hill and i was feeling ready for a stop sign, Before i know it the pack takes off! I was wondering if i suddenly got slow and I'm still doing 24mph. Where did that come from i thought as i was totally exhusted and was droped. i decided to continue for a while and before i knew it the head wind had me and the pack was gone :( no matter, I'll just find my way back... and thats when it hit me, i had NO idea where i was. i knew the road, but thats it. I managed to find a guy that was fixing his trunk and asked for directions (yes, i actually asked!). He kindly told me where i was and what to do to get back. He even offered me a ride back and for a split second i thought about it and declined, i had gotten myself into this mess and i could get myself out. I was then on my way with a tail wind doing about 23+ and figured that i have a while to go before i can hang with them the entire trip. I got back to the parking lot and noticed another rider packing up and we started to talk. he was droped about a mile later than i was and came back. 5-10 mins later they group started to show up. I met back up with the member and he appoligized to "leaving me high and dry" and asked if i was comming back next week. I said i will be back every week until I finish with the pack, his reply to that was, you'll get fast no doubt.

All i can say is that riding with that power was the best ride I have ever had! Even getting droped is an experiance and has taught me exactly what an attack is and how a group responds. I have also learned that the wind here in the plains is really bad and that the paceline will move and flow to be in the draft.

after today and how much my boday aches, i can only think about next week. the more i ride the more i like riding. Its becomming less of a hobby and more of an obsession :)

Thought i would share :)
-Ross

yup...you're addicted...welcome!

Cool man. Sounds like a ride here were i live. The avg 24+ and most of it is hills. Not just 4-5% hills i am talking 15% and above sort of sick. Any way I will keep training my butt off till I can finish in the front of the pack. I no I will never be as good as a rider as some of these guys but I sure won't let a lack of effort be the reason why. Good Luck!

Ross,
Thanks for coming out Thursday night for Thursday Nite Toil (TNT). Always nice to have someone new come to the ride that rides like a race.

As far as a map, I did a crappy job scanning a map and did a crappy job with a photo editor highlighting the route so you won't get lost again. I hope you never need it again!!

Jamie

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=&stc=1

atleast you had fun! Now you have motivation for riding faster and harder.

I know what you mean - these guys can motivate the heck out of you. I got dropped about a dozen times in the Tuesday night Rose Bowl loop back in the early 90's before I was able to finish. Never did get close to the leaders but the experience was tremendous. Can't imagine doing that today.

Keep showing up....

55/Rad

You guys are exactly the motivation I need for tomorrow's River Ride. I've been dropped 2 of the last 3 times I've gone, the last time because I just stopped pedaling when the group surged forward and then it was too late.

I was getting all pissy and thinking I might just skip it. But reading this thread has really picked me up. I'll be there tomorrow, cranking.

:) thanks for the map. now lets hope i dont need it. if i do, its just more incentive to push that much harder and further.

Great story...
Last season my son did his first organized ride (he was 10), it was a 50k (32 miles) ride and he did rather well, I couldnt stay with the pack because I had to tend after him, but thats no biggie, the fact my son and I were doing our first ride together was what was important to me.
A couple of weeks later we decided to do another ride so i looked on the computer and found a Diabetes Challenge about 20 miles from where we live.
We paid and we got our numbers and our packs, had breakfast and watched the different mass starts, well they called all riders to the 50k ride to the line.
we rode up to about the middle of the pack, i told my son stay on my wheel and we would do just fine.
They started us and it was once again awsome, i love the sound of hundresds of clipless pedals clicking in hehehe
we rode at a fast pace and before I knew it we were at the front of the pack, the trail was marked good so we kept our pace a few riders passed us and we kept them in site, well we got to the turn around point and there was a rest stop there so we grapped a banana and a drink without getting off our bikes and continued our ride, going back was a different course, so I realized I didnt want to read the map since the trail wasnt as well marked on the second half, I looked back and my son was hurting, so I slowed and noticed two riders coming up on us, just as they reached us they asked if I had a map? i told them yes and reached into my jersey pocket and gave it to one of the two. (smart thinking, as he would have to read the map and not me) we rode and kept pace with these two guys, at this point we were in the top 4 positions, i would fall back to reel my son back in every now and then but he didnt give up.
The two other guys we were riding with looked at me and asked how old my son was and how long he has been riding and so on, complimenting him on his endurance that he didnt give up, everytime he fell back I would reel him in and he would keep pace, well apx one block from the finish they looked at me and said lets let him finish first.
(I had been thinking how I was going to get my son across the line first and knew he wouldnt be able to out sprint these guys so when they said this to me it was a blessing.
I yelled to my son to get up front and lead us in across the finish, he pumped and sprinted across the line and the two other guys and myself rode side by side across the line.
My son knew they let him win, and he gracefully thanked them and shook their hands.
So the moral to this story is, if you have a map give it to someone else and let them read it whil you enjoy the ride hehehe
Ride safe everyone

Great story Bianchi Rider - I have 2 sons, (7 & 9) who are getting more and more into riding so I can relate - good job dad.

55/Rad

Great story Bianchi Rider - I have 2 sons, (7 & 9) who are getting more and more into riding so I can relate - good job dad.

55/Rad
Thanks, hope your kids enjoy it as much as mine does. :D

A phrase I remember: Better to be dropped by the best than to hang with the rest.

What a great story. You meet the nicest folks on bikes.

The Tuesday ride my LBS puts together are great. Like yours, there is a point where the group just takes off, and for about 8 miles, everyone rides as hard as he or she can. I started riding with them two years ago, and I was always to last back. This year has been better, as I catch up at a stop light when I haven't been able to before.