Tonight’s Farmer’s Market ride was remarkable for what didn’t happen: No crashes or flats. At least for our group. But more about this later.
We told the usual lies in the parking lot before rolling out. “Yes, we’re gonna take it easy,” and “No, we’re not gonna try to hang with the A riders tonight.” In fact, we didn’t try to hang with the A riders. But we didn’t take it easy either.
Easy is a relative concept. This year, pulling the paceline along at 29 mph on the flats does feel easy relative to doing the same one year ago. Collectively the group’s a lot stronger than we have been. And maintaining that same pace up and over a rise in the road is a whole lot easier than it was in, say, January. But that’s not too comforting to anyone who has a sincere interest in whether or not we’re going to take it easy today.
Anyway. We ended up with about 32 miles, and maintained a 19.3 average.
Entertainment bonus: We rolled back into the parking lot in time to see two A riders in each others’ grilles, forcefully articulating their concerns about one another’s lack of attention to proper riding ettiquette. I paid some attention because this was clearly a teaching moment. I thought we might all gain some insight into how a properly applied ass kicking can bring a cyclist to a clearer understanding of his place in the paceline. But cooler heads prevailed and that teaching moment passed. Forever, I hope.
While our group didn’t have a crash, the A group wasn’t so lucky. Nothing serious, it seems, but it did lead to the parking lot standoff.