still a lot to learn

victory ride tonight

time: 2:@21:36
av: 17.5
dst: 41.57

even as the pack rolled up on us (reuther, scott g., myself) my hamstring (see previous post "bad test design") began to cramp. this, combined with the fact that the pack was already separated into a chase group and lead group, let me know this was going to be a hard ride. i was able to hang tough all the way up the hill past northbrook and almost to 82 before the pack dropped me. we were hauling at 27+ on a slight up grade in a serious paceline. unfortunately, this former mtb racer is not as fortunate as a former friend, who apparently was born knowing how to ride in a pack, and still have a lot to learn. at one point, after several of my faux pas pulls, this guy, Karl, gives me some pointers. don't try to accelerate so much at the front, don't pull so long. essentially, pull through and get off. i thought it was cool that he was willing to offer advice rather that just point and laugh behind my back. when we regrouped at Rita's water ice, i thanked him for his comments. He was cool. No roadie attitude. thanks, Karl.

*Interesting note: When riding you almost expect the rednecks to yell at you and give you a hard time. But tonight this well-dressed middle-aged woman driving a late model Volvo with her teen-age daughter in the passenger seat drives by with her window open and gives us the bird, yelling something like "You piss me off!" Go figure. Bob yelled, "Have a nice day!"