Last night’s club ride was a blast.  We rolled out after an easy nine mile warm-up.  Just after Six and with a minimal breeze in the single digits and under abundant sunshine.  The temp was perfect in the low 80’s.

We started out slow, into the breeze.  Slow enough that I was a little bummed.  The last two weeks were a little… well, not fast, at about 20-1/2 mph average.  I’ve been wanting a 21+ mph night.

Every time I got to the front, I did my best to ramp up the pace and most responded well…. within a few miles we were up to the requisite 22-24 mph.  The turns got shorter into the wind, but the group’s intensity was awesome – and my wife was hanging with us too!  I finally got her saddle right, after a full year of trying to dial it in (mostly by the LBS owner, God Bless his patience) and finding an acceptable set of shorts/bibs to go along with….  This was a satisfying moment in my cycling career – my wife is the princess and the pea when it comes to her saddle.

Anyway, we rolled on as a group, and with a tailwind all the way home, we cranked the intensity up.  We picked up a couple of the A guys along the way, and I got to learn exactly how far down the scale I am when it comes to a final sprint…  They went better than 150 meters before I normally do and had a gap I couldn’t have made up before I knew what was going on.

That said, we rolled over the line at 1:22:34 for the 29 miles and change…  21 mph on the nose.

I love going fast.  Not so fast it becomes ridiculous, but faster than average nonetheless.  It fascinates me, watching 12-20 cyclists cruising down the road at 30 to 40 feet per second, talking about the day’s events like we’re whittling wood sitting around a campfire.  The last mile always gets a little hectic, with people jockeying for position, but being part of the 28-ish before that strikes me as majestic.  Or something.

My wife likes to poke fun at the fact that I smile when I ride and last night was no exception.  I suppose I have to look pretty funny with a permanent grin stretched across my face but taking a ribbing for that now and again suits me fine.  There comes great joy with simple pleasures, and playing like a kid, riding my bike is one of mine.  It sure beats where I came from.

Cycling is an important, enjoyable part of my recovery.  All work and no play makes Jim a dull boy.