My first and second group rides this weekend I had been trying to get out for weeks, but the weather denied me. I'm coming off of an 18 mi r.t. commute that I started last fall, and I just began cycling last summer...I had no idea how I would do with the group rides. These were also my first rides on my new bike.

Ride 1: 38 mile trip through the Mt. Vernon area side streets of Alexandria, VA. I rode with the faster group, which started with 10 or so riders. The first half of the trip was more or less flat, but the second half had a couple decent hills and a good number of rollers. I thought there would only be a slower group, so I had the wrong cue sheet, and I was in an unfamiliar area. I also was finding out how the 12-23 would work out that came on my bike last week (12-25 is in the mail). Getting dropped was not an option! Go figure, since I had no choice but to use the 23 and would not allow myself to fail...as a result I pretty much smoked everyone on the hills...on my first group ride

Ride 2: I was very pleased with the Saturday ride, and a bit tired. Today's ride was supposed to be a laid back, 30 mi (plus 18 mi "commute")...a large non-competitive event in the Georgetown/Potomac area of DC. It was fun riding down the highway with dozens and dozens of riders...also funny seeing some of the bikes people were using. I saw people in commuters with the studs still equipped, mountain bikes with HUGE tires, etc. As I approached the midway point, a large group of club riders passes. I let em...I'm a bit tired. Then a hill, up which I pass the club riders who couldn't hack it. The entire group is waiting at the top, and I end up joining it...thinking they're doing the same ride I was. Turns out it's group B of one of the big Sunday club rides in DC (Bicycle Place). It goes a different route. Once again...unfamiliar territory. I CANNOT get dropped. I was intimidated at first, but planned to just make sure I stayed with the back. That turned out to be a bad idea, because I was getting stuck behind those getting dropped. So I ended up pulling up to the main group a couple times...had a few red lights that helped as well. It was challenging, but I had no problems riding with the group until I got to familiar territory, Rock Creek Park, and took a nice, casual ride home (another 17 mi or so).

It was a very fun, challenging, rewarding, and memorable first weekend of group riding