The Bluebonnets are in bloom in the countryside and that means that now is a good time to plan a
bike ride in the country. The Houston Bike Club (HBC) schedules weekend rides in the outlying area
and I decided to go on one this past Saturday. Well, I showed up at the designated start point on
Saturday with temps in the 40s and a wind chill in the upper 30s. Wind it turns out was the
operative word here.
I had not ridden on an HBC club ride in over two years. Years ago on a DF I used to try to hang on
the back of the 'hammerhead' pack and they would usually drop me after 30 miles. Eventually, I gave
up and rode with the middle group. After I got my RANS Stratus, I rode a few rides again and found
that I could again hang in with the 'hammerheads' but I was still good for only about 30 miles. I
even tried a time-trial where the club does a 10 mile out and back for individual times. The riders
leave in about 5 minute intervals. The TT organizer (the strongest rider) put me in next to last
with him riding last. I was just about to the 5 mile turn around when I spotted him in my rear view
mirror. Needless to say he was back long before I finished.
You are probably wondering what is this leading up to. Well even though the turn out on Saturday was
small, I had trouble staying with the lead group. We started out with a pace line in a quartering
wind. doing about 17-19 mph. I tried that for a while but soon found myself about 100 yds ahead of
everyone else. Since I did not seem to be gaining on the group, I dropped back and tried pulling
After a pull into the wind, I peeled off and let the next in line take his turn. Eventually, I
worked myself back up into the middle but the (then)leader of the pace line at that point did not
seem to want to give up his position so I was stuck in the middle. By now I am well rested and we
are starting to head South with the wind following. About a mile ahead is an overpass and I know
this will slow me some what. Tiring of the 19 mph pace, and not wanting to get dropped on the
'hill', I decide to 'make my move'. By the time I crest the overpass, the lead group is 200 yds.
behind Two miles down the road we pass through the small Czech village of Frydek. I am now 500 yds
in front of the pack. I hear the group yelling and thinking that I missed a turn, I circle back only
to discover that this was a rest stop. We've only gone 12 miles. After a brief discussion about
staying with the group, I decided that I would rather ride my own pace and headed on.
At one point with a great tail wind, I was easily doing 30 mph. After about 30 miles, I had to turn
back into the wind and at times my forward speed dropped to 9-10 mph. I ended the morning with a
14.6 mph average for 54 miles. I stopped to rest at a store at the 40 mile point and even though no
one passed me, my car was the last in the parking lot when I got in. The others elected to take a
shorter route.
--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -