probably shouldna sixty mile ride

 If I'm honest, I'll admit that I probably shouldn't have done this ride today. 

Laura OLPH had sent an email around earlier in the week to some of us club members, asking about doing a metric century (a 100km, 62-mile ride). Even though it's early in the season, I've been riding often (I've got over 1350 miles so far this year), and, while this would be the longest ride this year, under normal circumstances, I should have had no problem with it.

But circumstances haven't been normal (I plan to post some info about that for Mental Health Month in May). I haven't been sleeping well for a number of reasons, and my legs were sending messages that maybe they didn't have sixty miles in 'em today.

Nonetheless, I'd registered, and I'd eaten breakfast as if I was planning to ride sixty miles, so off I went to the start at Mercer Park East.

Nine of us went on the ride. There was the usual talk about who was expecting to be strong today, and who thought they would be slow, but I was fairly sure I'd be near the back.

Although my legs were undoubtedly tired, I did OK for the first third of the ride.

But then I started to flag. I slowed on the hills (I'm usually a competent climber). I was the first to ask about the rest stop, although not the only one. I let the group get ahead of me.

In some groups, this would have been an invitation to be dropped, but the motto of Laura's Hill Slugs is "friendship before speed". One of the riders made a point of checking in with me, and others dropped back to provide company as well.

I complained to fellow rider Jack H that I was too old for this. Jack gave me a lecture about not giving up to being old, He pointed out that we need to keep challenging ourselves, because it's easy to give up... but too much giving up, and eventually we're doing next to nothing. And that leads to the risk of REALLY getting old.

I got a bit of a boost when we stopped at Charleston Coffee.

Part of the recovery at the stop may have been because of this excellent antique car:

 

I got my preferred recovery drink (orange juice) and some crumb cake, and that helped for a bit, but after some miles, I slowed again.

And then I found a "second wind" and started to get my speed back... just in time to run into a street fair on the main street in Allentown:

It separated us and slowed our progress enough that Laura decided to change the route to the most direct way back. By that time, I had may wind, and was taking my turn leading the group.

So we got back. Everyone was friendly, but it was still clear to me that I'd been a drag in the middle of the ride. Another registrant had cancelled this morning... perhaps I should have taken his example. Maybe next time.

Or maybe not. I'm thinking about Jack's lecture. Maybe I keep pushing, even through the complaints.

I'm lucky to have these friends to ride with.