"Spirited Tuesday Ride"

Two days ago a ride was sent out over the NRVBA listserv about a "spirited Tuesday ride" at about an 18 mile an hour pace. Since the NRVBA is not the VT cycling club, I decided maybe it would be more enjoyable than Wednesday Worlds and I went to meet up with who ever might show up at the Blacksburg Rec Center. The route is below with the Regroup points as 1, 2, and 3.

For the first two legs there were 5 of us. Nothing major to say, I kept up for a while and then someone would try to ride off, 3 would go and 2 (myself and another rider) would try but inevitably fail at keeping up. 

For the Mt. Tabor leg I ended at the regroup point 4 of 5 and my legs were already feeling it. We regrouped and started the Catabwa leg. 5 miles into it another acceleration happened and I finished 5 of 5 for that leg. We regrouped again and now was the final climb. A 2.5ish mile long trek up Cedar Run after about 4.5 on Lusters Gate. I had low expectations of staying with the group, but I gave it my all. 

For this leg there was only 4 of us and at about half a mile into it the group split and I was somehow in the first group with a guy I figured would eventually ride away. But as it happened I rode by him on the climb and finished at the top in first. Not too far ahead of the others but far enough it felt good.

I'll call it the first of many wins to come this "season".

On a side note I'm pretty sure two of the guys I was riding with were over 50, one was over 40 and the guy who did 2/3's of the ride with us was over 30. So I was definitely the youngest of the group and those guys burned me on the first two legs...I need to get into better form.