OMGWTF -08'

This bastard of a ride I did last year with Bruce, Ryan, and Mark, came back to crush me this year. I had done an actual evite for the ride to make sure people knew about it, and put it on their calendars. The ride was a big test for me to see if I was going to do Mountain Momma, and the SM100. Well the verdict is no...... The group consisted of 3 bike lane riders, 2 DCMTB's and like 4-5 bike doctor boys. so I think around 12 people total. We started out, at a conversational pace, and then the hamburg climb came to get us. My game plan was to go at my own rhythm, and see what happened. The climbing wasn't the issue as much as the riding in between the climbs. The bike doctor guys weren't riding hard but just riding, and I think last year we cruised between climbs. Well I had one road not exist for me, so that was annoying but for the most part people seemed to enjoy themselves. Around 25miles in Jud's computer fell off and some of the guys went back and helped him look for it. Then the group I was with I waited for Bruce and Ryan at a turn and then gave them directions to shortcut back. I think rode to catch up with the group, but never saw them again. I ended up doing 30miles of the ride solo. Which was ok with me cause I could go the pace I wanted to go. I also cut out the last two climbs, but in doing my"shortcut" I went up a climb that was pretty tough and then did like a 1+ decent on a heavy gravel road that had a steep gradient where I had to go real slow with the washboards. My legs cramped, but I was able to myself together. I finally made it back to the car with 72miles for the day. I am thinking next year I will maybe do part of the ride and try to combine it with Wild and Wonderfull and make it a ride with some climbs, but more manageable.