So... I had a my best ride ever on Tuesday evening. 18 miles running in the highest gears - I figure about 20mph in the flats. (I don't have a computer and forgot my phone at home but I've been estimating pretty close.) On Thursday I get an email about a ride I wanted to try - 17-20 mph on the flats, a little climbing. I should be able to hang with the bigger boys.

Not .. so .. fast (pun fully intended). I didn't/couldn't keep up and the climbing killed me but the others waited at stop signs since it was a no-drop ride. We went 31 non-stop miles. (My longest ride to date is 33 miles with a few stops to rest.) Non-stop for me - they got to stop and rest. And I broke my bike. On one of the climbs, my bike made a "pop" and then started making a noise that I hadn't heard before. But I finished.

I've been looking for a replacement bike but my budget is limited. Nothing has been showing up on Craigslist or Searchtempest, the local club forums, or even the local Facebook market. And since the current bike is now broken, was preparing to purchase a new bike within my budget but not one that I prefer.

I open up Craigslist about about 4:00pm and there it was as the first listing. 2009 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra within my budget. By 7:00pm it was in my garage. Tomorrow is set up day.