Big, Bigger, Biggest

Big News: I'm a "strong rider"

The cold weather is back again and it has been raining on and off all day.  I thought the weather would keep people away from the group CIBA ride today; I was partly right.  The weather kept the amateurs and slow-pokes away, but all the hard core bikers still showed up.  This was the best group I have ridden with so far.  Now let me clarify that last sentence.  I have ridden with very good bikers, but it has always been in small groups of two or four.  This was a big group of good riders.  I knew they were good because their jerseys boasted of their biking feats, like The Hilly Hundred in southern Indiana.  For the most part, I was able to keep up with them on the 26 mile ride, and one of them even said I was a strong rider (go me!).  They are a pretty fast group.  At one point tonight I got toward the front of the group and was feeling good spinning along at 20+ mph.  Then, out of nowhere, two of the guys went zooming past me like they were on rockets.  I think they must get all that speed from a turbo-boost button on their bikes; either that, or the fact that their legs are more freshly shaven than mineJ.

Bigger News: The invitation

Toward the end of the ride one of the guys invited me to ride with them tomorrow night.  The feeling I got from the group was that today was the easy ride, and tomorrow will be the real workout.  That makes me a little nervous, but I’m going to ride with them again.  I feel like a middle school student who just got invited to a high school party.  I think they’re going to kick my bicycling-butt, but I’m excited!

Biggest News: Solution found

I finally have an answer for the hair/helmet hindrance.  I’ve tried a lot of different strategies: ponytails, pigtails, bandanas, ect, but I’ve never been quite satisfied.  I find that I am jealous of the bald guys while riding because their helmets go on so smoothly and seem to fit so snuggly.  Today I found out that I can weave my ponytail between the helmet and the straps to get a much nicer fit.  I figured this out after the ride and was so excited I wore the helmet around the apartment for a while, but then I started to feel really silly so I have since removed the helmet.  I’ll have to wait until tomorrow…when I go riding with the big boys…to wear the helmet again.