I saw a email by a guy who lives in Rockwall who said he was going to ride to the RBM 9AM ride, and was planning to average 20 on the way, do most of the RBM ride, then cut back to Rockwall...  So for the heck of it, I took him up on it -- I've never done one of the RBM rides before.
 
Mark rode across 66 from Rockwall, and I met him here in Rowlett at 7:45, and we boogied on over to RBM, holding a consistent 20-22 along the way, for the 18 miles -- going across 66 to Pleasant Valley/Buckingham, up 1st/Beltline then north to Arapaho past 75 to Mimosa and up.  So I was already well worked out when we arrived, but we had about 20 minutes until the ride left.
 
It was crowded at RBM, being such a nice morning...  and of course, I was the ONLY 'bent there...  not unexpectedly   .  I met a couple of Mark's friends, and talked to Woody for a bit.  Shortly after 9, a group of 75-100 riders took off... This was the "Allen" ride, advertised as 36 miles at ~18 mph.  I hung towards the back, just getting the feel of the group -- there were a lot of starts and stops, and yo-yo-ing, with the group being that big.  We went up to Renner and across eastbound.  At the Plano Rd. stoplight, one guy up front wobbled left on his startup, and got clipped by a car side mirror as they were starting up -- nobody hurt, nothing damaged, but it was a bit tense for a minute...  Once we started up again, the group as a whole was doing about 18...
 
Once we got past 190, I got tired of the yo-yo-ing, and took advantage of the slight downhill to cruise past the entire group (into the wind   ) up to near the front, leaving Mark and his pals behind.  We cut left on Los Rios, and I after a couple miles I slipped back a bit, talking with a couple people I knew.  Then, just past Plano Pkwy, we hit a long downhill, and I found myself stuck near the curb behind a bunch of people, having to use my brakes while coasting...  I commented rather loudly, "C'mon, people, RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!"  to much laughter around me...  However, there was a rather large uphill coming up... and I noticed a wide shoulder nobody was using, due to "turtle" markers -- so I cut out to the right, and passed about 30 people to get to the hill first -- and beat everybody up it...  However, it gassed me pretty good, so I fell back again after the top...  The pace was holding a consistent 20-22 by then...
 
I must have P.O'd 'em with that move, because a lead group of about 20 took off, and there was no catching them...  However, I was solidly with the 2nd (main) group, which was still holding 20-ish.  It went all the way up Los Rios, where I dropped back a bit up a long hill, then up Jupiter, then looped back across east, into the wind at 15 for a few miles, then back south through a very nice stretch where I hit 30-32, but not really catching up...  then back down Los Rios, where I finally caught up and rejoined Mark and friends, and we did THAT at 30+ downhill...
 
But climbing the hill up to Plano Pkwy, I dropped to about 15...  and felt a hand on my shoulder...  I looked over, and an older gent said "mind helping me up the hill, you're faster..."  I smiled and said, "Sure, let's go -- just don't set your drink on top of my helmet  "
 
A couple more miles, and we were back at Renner, where Mark and I were going to split off back home.  I waved as I went by, saying thanks, as the group turned west, and Mark and I wound up making our way back to the non-highway part of 190, taking the right lane all the way back to 66, where I cut off for home and he went on down 66.
 
I wound up with 57 miles with a 19 average for the morning, which is probably the hardest I've ridden since TTTT last fall...  But I think I "represented" pretty well...  
 
If anybody's going to attempt the RBM 18+ pace ride, be aware that THEY MEAN IT... They don't stop, they don't take a break at the halfway point -- To describe it succinctly, I'd say it's:
 
"No Stops, All Drop"  
 
 However, I'm glad I did it, having never done an RBM ride before, but I was a bit surprised I struggled so much to keep pace...  It was somewhat harder than the typical GDB ride I'm used to...  
 
 

Wow Paul!  Sounds like a big effort!

Quote from jman on Mar 23^rd, 2008, 8:18am:

 
Say, boy, are you accusing me of doping???    Next time I'm using Accelerade instead of Ultima...     I must admit, after doing that riding session as well as the 35 miler with the Tri group on Friday, I mixed up and drank some of that Enervit recovery stuff we had at the TTTT...  my legs are still sore today, but no cramping...
 
I remember after HHH a couple years ago,  I got out of the car after driving home, and my left thigh cramped up when I tried to straighten my leg to get out...  OWwwwwwwww....

The only thing missing from the 36 mile RBM Race on Saturday mornings is numbers and entry fees.  I do that one all the time...poorly.
 
Maybe a 'bent would help