THE VIRGIN
Keiser
Fellow Riders,
Thank you for the great response as well as the new contacts you sent to add to the list. Exciting stuff!
Today was the first group ride of the year under the new Telluride Cycling Club banner!
We had a great showing with some new faces in there as well. With that here is the highlight reel:
We rolled out of Box Canyon Cycles and picked up a few more riders along the way (looked like a cycling flash mob without the song) forming a 9 or 10 rider peleton.
We had the perfect recipe for a spring ride: clouds, wind and hills with the first being Lawson. With a few miles in the legs, one can use this as a warm-up. For most of us it was survival; headwind didn't help. We regrouped at the top and formed a paceline heading towards Ophir. Good line we had, had it not been for the gale force side winds. Perfect scenario for the echelon formation, but with the tight shoulder, we all stayed in a straight line like champs and took it like men.
A few strong riders in the group, with Brian riding exceptionally strong. He reminds me of the great Eddy "The Cannibal" Merckx. Why do they call him the cannibal? I'm glad you asked! It's because he ate his competition alive. Belgians take cycling seriously as should we.
Back to the riding - good rollers and a nice descent into the great town of Ophir. There we regrouped again, chatted a bit mainly congratulating each other on a fine piece of riding in such adverse conditions. After catching our breaths and with a few sips of water we started back up the hill. We were strongly hoping that the head winds we faced on the way there would translate into a good tail wind; a reasonable assumption. Yeah right! As most of you know that is not the case. But what do you do? You get on your bike and ride, son! And so we did; tempo style.
As I was doing my best to keep a good rhythm and a straight face; not letting the taste of iron and lactic acid affect my dignity, Nick, a new rider to the group pulls up and with yogi like composure asks me how I'm doing. Arghh... I'm drooling on my bars and he is barely breathing. Good rider and super nice guy. Welcome Nick and nice riding tonight!
Nick then joins Brian and Steve at the front, much like cream rising to the top.
Ok, by now we are approaching Heartbreak Hill and the formations start for the lead out. The front group of Brian, Nick and Steve opened up a gap on me and they are gone. I did my best to bridge, but the legs said "no". And so I said farewell to my friends, but I doubt they heard me...
Before self pity had a chance to set in, the second group picks me up and together we rolled down Lawson and thus back to paradise. Good time!
Thank you all who showed up, as well as Travis for hosting the ride! For the rest of you, we will have another ride this Thursday at 5:30pm. Hope to see you there!
Here is to a new season of riding and getting the rust worked out of our legs.
Cheers Friends!
NT
Telluride Cycling Club
info@telluridecycling.com
...ride forth victoriously!