Originally Posted by
DonDenver
So I go out for a 50 miler…going to crush this out and back from my garage into Deer Creek and return. My bike is tuned & gleaming. My Big George cycling apparel is making me look like I’ll knock out an average 361 watts over this 4000 foot gain of a ride. Rory could not better me on Flagstaff today I’m thinking.
There I am, passing the lowly folks, men and women admiring my awesomeness as I spin by effortlessly as the grade increases. Good lord, I’m full of myself.
I hear what first sounds like some superbike…maybe a Ducati (you’ll see these and the like going up and down the narrow turns in the canyon often). I felt the hair on my neck stand as the sound quickly became more familiar. Yes, a Doppler effect of carbon wheels being powered hard (one of the truly unique sounds of cycling for me).
My bike almost falls over as I notice this form in my left eye periphery…it literally scares me for a moment. I watch this young dude standing on the peds while in the drops rocking that bike like a paperboy as he rushes past me with such a volume of air in his drag that I had to concentrate to make my next turn of the crank. He was turning a 53 to a mid cassette with such sustained power I was flabbergasted. This section of grade is 7.8 percent…approaching a 13-15 % pressure around the next corner.
Done, baked and over. THAT was awesome and inspiring. I was humbled…and it came just when I needed it. I was getting to full of myself.
Thank you amazing stranger. You are the destroyer of gasbags like me on the road. I will ride now remembering there are always folks faster…and slower…but who enjoy cycling with a good balance of themselves
Really well written and I can sure relate. We do tend to get a bit full of ourselves...and then the inevitable soul crushing commences.
I was out for my weekly 60 miler...and noodling at 18 mph out to the park...about 20 miles...saving my energy for my group ride when I get out there and up the ante. A guy rides up on an old Italian aluminum bike with low level Shimano gear...he looked fit...I had no idea.
We got to talking...I had seen him before...hell of a nice guy....and so decided to ride out to the park together and he asked if he could join the ride. So met some friends and started our ride of and course the pace picked up and we are riding for a few miles around 21 mph or so and we come to some hills and of course the pace picks up even more and the guy just takes off. I couldn't stay with him and I am no slouch...but he was just too strong. We regrouped and began our ride home and we met some of his friends who were racers and rode some more and they weren't riding that fast which was good
and he told me how much he rides. He told me he typically rides two centuries a week...sometimes hard. Average 300 miles a week or about twice what I ride. I am not sure if I could even ride that many miles...or want to. Anyway...I got his number and told him it would be best if I caught him on a recovery ride when he wasn't pushing too hard.
Yes we certainly can be humbled and I sure was.