A Reminder of the Joys of Group Rides

While I truly enjoy and appreciate my solo rides, it's hard to beat a good group ride, especially when the cyclists are well-matched and no one rides off of the front and disappears. Add kindness and good cheer to the mix and you have a road biking experience that can't be beat. Also, when someone else chooses the route, it helps me to get out of my routine. I'm feeling so fortunate to have finally found this great group to ride with, and look forward to more adventures in less familiar territory.

Today I had the distinct pleasure of riding with Steve, Travis, Stephanie, Liz, Garth and Ashu, and we headed out to Lansing, then took Cobb Rd. to Moravia. Moravia seems to be a pretty popular crossroads for Finger Lakes cyclists, and it makes sense, since it's a connecting point to Auburn, Owasco Lake, and some gorgeous country with challenging hill climbs. Climbing out of Moravia on the aptly named Long Hill Rd. was an exhilarating challenge, with 570 ft. of ascent spread over 1.5 miles. This hill was around an average 9% grade, which was similar to Ringwood Rd. in terms of distance and elevation gain. The rolling hills that followed took us to right past the Hazard Public Library in Poplar Ridge. I was tempted to get on a ladder and add an extra z to their very cool sign.

The return trip took us back on the familiar 34B through King Ferry and Lansing, and we had a most excellent tailwind that brought us back to our starting point in Cayuga Heights in short order. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day in mid-October, and now that I'm three miles away from making my 4500 mile goal for the year, any and all road biking this season is yummy fluff.

Finally, AIDS Ride for Life 2010 Recap

From left to right, Walt, Steve, me, John and Hank. Taken by Mary Kaminsky right after arriving at Cass Park at 12:00 noon. Precisely.

It's been almost a month since the 2010 AIDS Ride for Life, and so before I forget any more details, finally here is a brief summary of yet another inspiring event. Thanks again to all of you who sponsored me and supported the Southern Tier AIDS Program. (Just a little disclaimer: Please note that I fully recognize that the AIDS Ride for Life is not a race! It just happens that group at the front of the pack tends to treat the last third of the ride as a fun competitive challenge.)

The weather was gorgeous, albeit a wee bit chilly, so I headed out with arm warmers and the hope that the day would warm up quickly. I had the chills pretty bad as I waited around at the Stewart Park pavilion, trying desperately to find a way of warming up. There were so many familiar and friendly faces, and the opening ceremonies once again reminded us all of our family members, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. (By the way, The Southern Tier AIDS Program will gladly accept donations any time of the year, and if you're not familiar with this terrific agency, just follow the link to learn about their many programs for an 8-county region of Central New York and the Southern Tier.)

We left at 7 am after a somber ceremony, and I headed out in the front of the pack and was quite surprised that I had no company until just before King Ferry, about 20 miles into the century, when I was joined by three cyclists who were not participating in the AIDS ride—they coincidentally chose to ride a century around the lake that day. (I found out later that the Out Spokin' group stopped to help a teammate who had a flat.) Included in this trio was Changxi, a Cornell Cycling Club and Tuesday night races regular, and a really nice guy. These gents kept me company until Union Springs, at which point Changxi and I dropped the others and were joined by Matt, a young, relatively new and very strong rider.

The three of us led the pack until the 55 mile point, when Changzi had a minor mechanical incident and went off the road. While he was surveying his body and bike for possible damage, I noticed the formidable train of strong cyclists heading our way. We took off quickly, but it didn't take long before we were caught, which was good news for my average speed and spirits. I felt great that I was able to ride strong with this bunch of riders, some from the Out Spokin' team, as well as a few Glenn Swan/Chris Cookies teammates. This group included Walt and Steve (Out Spokin') and John and Hank who you see in the photo.

From the 65 mile point, we were pacelining at a really good clip with about a dozen riders in the mix. By this time the weather was absolutely perfect, with only a light breeze, no humidity, and temps in the mid 60s. Hank was an incredibly strong and inspiring rider who effortlessly worked his way up and down the paceline, providing valuable coaching about when to slow down and when to accelerate. Thanks to the paceline and Hank's great coaching, we were able to maintain a very strong and consistent pace right to the end.

We stopped briefly for a nature break and a quick snack at Thee Amish Village, and then headed out for the last stretch. (I was off the bike for a cumulative 12 minutes.) Our lead group kept getting whittled down until there were about eight of us heading up that last tough Glenwood Pines hill, which is much easier if it's not coming at the 95 mile point of a century ride! After the climb, I looked back and realized that Hank and I gapped the rest of the group, but I had no time to think about this, since Hank turned on the afterburners and dropped me like a stone! He graciously allowed me to catch him, but as soon as I caught his wheel he dropped me again, and the once more just before we arrived at Cass Park.

Hank and I at the Cass Park finish line.

As you can see by this photo, I was only about 50 feet from Hank as we arrived at Cass Park, and needless to say, I was totally elated! This was by far the best single day I ever spent on a bike, and it was a real high point for my season. Fortunately I'll have plenty of opportunities to ride with this fun and friendly group next summer and on occasional weekend rides in between.

Hank and I arrived at precisely 12:00 noon, and we averaged 20.8 mph for the century, 1.1 mph faster than my last year's average. After downing my new favorite miracle substance Hammer Recoverite, followed by a restorative massage, then a beer and some kalamari with my new friends, I must say that I've rarely felt more alive!