Fun club ride today. Only 65 miles and 3300 feet of gain but the pace was much higher than anything I've done for a while. The little climbs toward the end were not so little today.
Unusual group of characters. There was a guy who looked like a typical little old man, maybe 125 pounds and he was riding what looked to be a 5200 Trek with a flat bar and a multi-geared hub. No derailleurs but it still had three rings on the crank. Naturally, he caught and passed me on the first 3 mile climb. I always struggle on early climbs but I caught and dropped him on the descent going down the other side.
There were a few riders who were planning a shorter route but staying with us for about 20 miles. As soon as the leaders turned up the wick they were gone. Little old man was going their way so I didn't have to do battle with him all day.
There was a deaf guy who has been at a few of our rides. He doesn't use a mirror but he seems to be aware of what's around him. A decent rider, he tugged on my friend's jersey at a red light, trying to tell him he liked it. I told my friend to just take it off and give it to the guy.
One of the guys doing the longer ride dropped his girlfriend off with us. She did very well on her flat bar bike with a 1x crankset. She would spin out on descents but she climbs fine. It helps that she is tiny, under 5 feet, and she has been doing spin classes for years. They have been shopping for a drop bar bike for her and cost is not an issue. I think she is going to be something after she puts some miles on a super light bike.
Anyway it felt good to do a little hammering and chasing, getting the pain in the quads. Felt a cramp coming in the left leg but I wished it away.