Weekly WNGRs

July 31, 2019

Weekly WNGRs

Wednesday. Night. Gravel. Ride(ers). Sometimes you gotta go with what's light, right? Fully expecting to lead the group through the spreading grounds with a little change in wheels, the Ibis got the evening off (without pay, of course), and the mtb was called up and into service. Yeah, I am not too sure it really mattered. Not quite as many WNGRs tonight and, as is often the case, that meant a higher pace, or so it seemed to me. A little change in course from the regular circuitous route took the group along the long, straight road, the one with all the steps, ALL the steps. By steps I mean the little six foot high rises, at regularly spaced check dams - thirty eight of them, one after another, at pace begins to wear into you after a while. When the first couple guys start to move ahead, you think, that's okay, I'll just keep company with these other wheels. Then a gap open between you and another rider ahead, and you think that's okay, I'll just follow this other wheel here. Well, this goes on, until you eventually reach a point at which you say, oh well, there's still one guy further back. None-to-soon you reach the regroup and, thankfully, there is still one guy behind you.

Success!

The real success, of course, is not that you reached the regroup first, or second, mid-group, or even one guy ahead of the lantern rouge. Funny how I find myself becoming more flexible, how it has become easier to convince myself of the little bit of truth in that regard these days. No, the real success comes when you realize that, no matter how you "finished," it was fun and you cannot wait until next week.

There's your success!

a little solo time, after saying adios

the long rider

I consider myself pretty familiar with the area after having ridden most of the roads and "trails" over the past few years, but it seems there is always some more to see, something new to "discover"