First Hard ride of the year

On Sunday I went out with the DCMTB boys(Kent, Tom, Mike, Jonathan, and Mike) and we did this 45 mile ride with 5000 feet of climbing. The weather was to be nice, so it was a good day for a hard ride. In hindsight I would of done my "The Good, the bad, and the Hilly" ride out of Riley's since Frederick was about 10 degrees cooler and over the mountain was even colder. I rode up with Kent, and we ended up parking in snow at the ride start at the bottom of Gambril rd.
The ride started rough right away going up Grambril park road. I had put on a 11-28 cassette and I was happy I did. The Gambril climb was definitely a wake up call. I rode the climb mostly with Tom and I would ride most of them with him. We re grouped and then went down the mountain, where Mike K. really seemed happy with the ride, compared to the uphills. The next climb was Harp hill, and Mike K. was giving me a hard time so I went at Harp hill, and I think I blew a gasket on that. I went up the climb a bit faster then the rest, but at the same time I was just trying to keep the pedals moving. I had to tack to keep any kind of cadence going.
After Harp we regrouped and then went to Catoctin mountain park, there was climbing as well, but more gradual. We did a lollipop and the climb coming back, I almost had to give up and have Tom go on his own. Once on the downhill Mike K. came out of nowhere, showing his great descending skills. The last climb on the agenda was I believe something School that we had done coming down. The climb was a little broken up which helped. I went up on my own and Tom yo-yoed with me. I almost wanted to get off the bike at one point but 20yds later I saw the stop sign ahead sign so I knew the top was close. That was it for me I did well on the climbs, but the endurance was gone. So when we regrouped I rode fine for a bit until I got the leg lock on my quads, so Mike K. and Mike S. and Tom fought it out on the ridge to down back to the Cars. I think Tom would of had it if we both just kept on going after the climb.
Observations of the ride:

• Jonathan does this route a lot, well it isn't a shocker he has a triple!
• Mike K. Showed some good descending skills and that he kept some of his condition in the winter.
• Mike S. seemed to riding a little better this year then last.
• Tom seems like the person I should try to train with we were around the same speed.
• Kent get the Iron Man reward he was riding a 39-23 while I was riding a 36-28.
• Don't go so hard on Harp hill