70 miles....ouch

Where did I ride? here.


Ride Stats:
Total Distance: 114.64 km (71.2 mi)
Moving Time: 4:50:28
Average Moving Speed: 23.68 km/h (14.7 mi/h)
Max Speed: 50.40 km/h (31.3 mi/h)
Elevation Gain: 1372 m (4501 ft)


The Ride:
This ride was a doozy!!  It started out poorly with my back derailer shifting all over the place and without my direction!  I spent the first 10 miles trying my darndest to catch up to my biking buddies but my bike was not helping me.  I finally caught up and was able to ride with them to the SAG.  I asked G to look at my bike and with a few turns here and there my back derailer was fine.  The next section of the ride was also fine, the group rode well and we pacelined and all seemed hunky dory.  We even passed an older woman on a rider mower with her curlers in - it was quite amusing!  


After leaving one of the SAG stops there was a group of us and we had like 13 or 15 person paceline going but those pacelines never go to the right pace for me.  Today it was really fast.  By the time i broke away from the paceline my leggies were tired.  I ended up riding to the 3rd SAG with 2 people I don' tusually ride with - but it was great to have them.  I met up with C & L, C, and the other A at the SAG.  We started off and my legs could not keep up.  At some point I was not able to shift into my big gear on my front derailer, this was very frustrating.  Silk Sheets is a lot of rolling hills so on those hills it's great to get in your big gear and  gain some momentum for the next hill - unfortunately, I could not do this.  Booo.


The ride was frustrating but I'm glad I was able to ride it with C.  She assured me this was not a "pity ride" but i know at times she held back - and I was so glad to have her with me.


After the ride we had a celebration for D - one our teammates.  He recently found out he's in remission.  We were so excited for him.  D is one of my favorite people on the team and I'm so happy for him to have received this wonderful news - i can't imagine the relief he and his family must have felt.