aikigreg
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It really must agree with me, considering I did the 57 miles with a 17mph average, even considering all the stopsigns, lights, and stops and starts. Not to mention the nasty hilly 200k I did Saturday. It doesn't even seem to bother me on the chipseal, though it still robs me of a lot of speed. I'd honestly say I climb on it almost as well as I do any bike I've ridden, and I've ridden a lot. My only fault is that it doesn't have that extra giddy-up when you want to catch up to a group ahead of you. But it'll cruise at any speed an upright would do, seemingly. Mark was still easily outpacing me of course, but I could keep up with the roadies the whole time so long as I focused on staying with them. I'm half tempted to buy Steve's and throw a hoagie seat and put some light wheels and other hot rod tricks and do randonneuring with THAT. Heck, I was actually walking without any stiffness at all when we got up form the lunch table. Oh man, that buffalo burger hit the spot and I usually avoid fries but theirs were darned good. It was a GREAT ride. We had perfect weather until the sun finally came out, end even then we had shade until the last 6-7 miles I think. Nice friendly group. My only complaint was that the "moderwate" paced ride I'd intended as a recovery from the Mineral Wells 200k was really a hammerfest. Had we not stopped to regroup the times we did I think we'd have averaged 18+. I was not happy with the way no one stopped to regroup when we started the twists and turns as we got back into town. I wanted to stop and wait but it was a "hurry up or be left" deal. Mark sat on the front the whole way, and Bud was, I thin, the strongest he's been all year, though he won't admit it. Bud, I think your lack of speed stems from having done most of your miles this year alone, without that club atmosphere that makes you push harder. Not to mention your longest ride to date on the new bike. (well, 2nd newest bike). I had lots of people talking and asking questions about bents and being very friendly and open - mostly treating us like any other cyclist - as it should be. I found it funny that the "fast group" we caught up to and then the wimps took a shortcut to avoid Hilltop Road. Pansies. Should hit 400 miles this month, which is close enough to what I got in march and April, and I hope to get 800 for June and July, and 600 for august. That'll put me closer to being on track for my mileage goal this year.
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