Something a little different this weekend.
No riding yesterday, as it was rainy and cold pretty much all day, but I did get around to stripping the stickers off the HED Stingers I picked up a while back. It really doesn't look any better - just different. The Helium that they're on is kind of retro-looking, and with the medium profile rims all black and black sidewalls, it's not the right look. Will need to get tan sidewalls, but although they were second-hand, the wheels came with brand new tires, and with the price of tubulars, I don't think I'll be discarding them just for looks. Ironically, the high profile wheels on the Propel, which would look better all black, have tan sidewalls, but they probably only have half as many miles left on them....

Today was the big local gran fondo, which I've ridden a couple of times in the past, but would rather not participate in any more. However, most of my riding friends do, so I went to watch them a couple of times, which was actually fairly convenient - I'm only a couple of miles down the hill from the course, and the finish is only five miles away.

I was late getting up and out of the house, and just managed to make it to a good viewing spot nearby just as the first riders were coming by (I was actually riding up the hill they were coming down when the first dozen or so rode past). Saw a TON of friends, but should have taken some binoculars so I could see who was approaching. As it happened, I'd hear "Hey Kevin!" or something and wouldn't realize who it was until they passed, so all I managed to get out most of the time was just "Hey....!" That point was just a few miles in, about 20-30 minutes after the start by the time I arrived; the pace was quick and it didn't take too long for most everyone who was doing the full 100 mile course to go by. Once the flow slowed to a trickle, I made my way down the hill to the Market (quietest I've EVER seen it), got a coffee, then headed home, rinsed off the bike, and got an early lunch before heading out again to see who I might catch approaching the finish.

The morning had been cool and quite damp, but the sun came out about the time I got home. When I headed out again, it was probably 15 degrees warmer already, and while no longer foggy or raining, quite humid. When I got to the vicinity of the finish - the top of the last climb, around mile 97 or so - the first riders had already passed. I wound up hanging out for a much longer period waiting to see who I could see, and although they were coming up much more slowly, and much more spread out, I didn't recognizing so many, though those I did recognize, I had plenty of time to call out by name. Most of the time, though, I felt like I was just working on my tan. Next time I'll take a cowbell.

When I got back home, I stopped by the bike shop. Funny thing; when I went out in the morning, I'd taken the Helium, but when I went out later, I took the Propel, and it felt like I was crawling on the ground by comparison. Although it was just one guy working, it was pretty quiet, so he took a moment to adjust the seat up a tiny bit. It was a miracle. While riding along on the hoods it didn't feel as nice as the original fit, before I turned it into the would-be time-trial bike, but it felt SO much better riding on the aerobars - It felt RIGHT - so much so that I was sort of eager to drop down onto them. It was like all kinds of balance and control appeared out of nowhere; riding over rough bits it didn't feel like the bike was going to come out from under me like it did before. Now, if I could only get used to the wind....

Not so much riding, but considering the bad weather yesterday, better than nothing: 31 miles, 1,952'