A Good Groove

Once again, a good week of riding -

Commuted everyday but Thursday. I have been commuting so frequently that I felt guilty about not riding - truly, the weather was horrible - a non-stop day of rain. I would have gone if it was just a slow rain - but in the morning, it was pouring - so I bailed. Friday was National Ride Your Bike To Work Day. So, I of course rode to work the normal way and back home a longer way - both ways taking me down Lockwood/Adams - a main thoroughfare for bikes - normally I see numerous people out enjoying the bike - sometimes meeting up with Hubbers like Adam or Tim - but today - on National Ride Your Damn Bike to Work Day - I saw nobody - nobody commuting, nobody out just riding - I mean - it was a nice day, sun, good temps, etc. It was nuts - I was in the Twlight Zone

This week re-cap:

Tuesday - Rode with Michael, Jeff and Kate - A good, quick-paced ride - did the Carmen Loop.
That night I rode with the night Hub ride. It was awesome night and great to be out riding. We did the Maplewood route, which was awesome. Rode with Andy, Loren, Alex, and Bryan. - Sorry, no stupid pics of people riding. Bryan and I hopped on behind a bus going up Broadway. We were flying until something hit my eye. I dropped off, but Bryan stayed with it until he spun out his gears - we flew up Broadway.

Wednesday - The Hub Throwdown ride. I was feeling like shit the whole day - sinus headache - and I was so pumped to finally do this ride. It was my first one of the year - Last week I joined in halfway through. I was excited because I feel strong but I wanted to see where I stood. There was a good size group that showed up and once I started riding, I started to feel good. The ride started off slower than usual, which affected the overall average, but once we got on Clayton, it was balls out for the rest of the ride. I felt great the entire ride - so much so, that I was first up the steep climb on Conway! It was a great feeling! The average was 20.2 and avg watts was 254. I need to turn to racing soon!

Thursday - Rode after school with Michael, Jeff and Kate.

Saturday - Did the Hub ride - but had to cut it short because of my daughter's birthday party. The ride had great weather - it was a super hot day - but the morning was nice. When we the hill on Geyer, I came up to front a pulled to Clayton. We turned on Clayton and I was on the front. It was a great feeling - I picked up the pace to 24 mph and had the train motoring. The best part - while I was on the front, running our direction on the other side of the rode was this hot chick with an amazing ass - in those tight black running pants. So while I was on the front - I point to the chicks ass on the other side of the rode - nice - and everybody noticed it. I pulled off at Ballas and rode back with Rock, Chris Miller, Tim, and Nate on the tandem.

Sunday - Did the Knucklehead ride with Kevin, Mathew, Tim, Matt, Mark and his wife on a tandem, Jeff - It was the kindof ride that when we started I felt great, but as the ride went on, I got smoked. It was a really hot morning. Once we hit Strucker and Khers Mill, the pace was wicked fast. I pulled on the back stretch and when we hit the big hill, I was second wheel and came around Tim to the top of the hill with Kevin. We opened up a gap, not really meaning to so we were on the front. The group caught up to us and I did a long meaty pull until Matthew came around. I swear, that smoked me. I could not recover the rest of the ride. I did not get dropped and always stayed in good position, but the ride back felt wicked fast. Two Momentum guys along with Matthew and Mark, kept the pace fast. I think I pulled once, but I wanted no part of the front - I was gassed. I pulled up along Kevin, who also looked like he wanted no part of the front, and told him that I had been gassed since that big hill - he told me same thing - man, was it a long ride back - but I kept up nice and good. When I got home - all I wanted to do was lie down! The pace was only 19.2 and my avg watts was 219. I am glad I did not race the State Road Race - 72 miles of hills - the way felt, it would have a tour!