Somewhere up there are the fast riders
Last year's SiR Chili Feed 200k was my first ever Randonneuring event so this weekend's 2010 version of the Chili Feed 200k (and absolutely last one, he means it) marks the first anniversary of the event that ignited my obsession with riding bikes over long distances in horrible conditions while doing paper work.
I remembered starting last year's ride wondering if I'd make it, worrying about following the rules, whether I had the right kind of mud flap, was I wearing enough wool... I'm hardly a wise old veteran with a single year of randonneuring under my reflective belt, but at least I was able to relax, enjoy the ride, say hey to some friends from past rides, and make a few new friends.
A very quick stop at the Black Diamond bakery. Next time I'm staying for a donut.
Actually there's not much of a story to tell about the ride, so I won't say too much. The weather was pretty good for mid-March. A few minutes of hail, a few more minutes of rain, some chilly head winds here and there, but otherwise a pretty decent day.
I rode the first third of the ride mostly alone, caught in that no man's land that I often get caught in ahead of the main pack, but behind the fast riders. When a group caught up with me after the Flaming Geyser climb I decided to stick with them to get some rest in their draft. It was a strong group and Mike McHale in particular was like a diesel locomotive on the flats so there was no reason to do anything but stay with them for the rest of the ride. We finished the ride in 7:47 which is almost an hour faster than my time last year.
Muddy freckles, but worth it for the draft
Next up is the 300k in two weeks. This will be my first ride of over 200k since last September.
