maybe a dumb decision

I ride the bike because I love riding the bike, of course, but I also ride for the social experience of riding with the club. When Laura OLPH posted a club ride for yesterday, I noted the distance, and that it was a large amount of climb for the distance, and didn't think much more about it than that.

Laura limits her rides to ten, and this one was almost full, after a more-or-less regular cancelled. We were chatting in the lot and rolling around when Laura rolled up. She gave the usual safety speech, and dropped mentioned we'd be going up Mine Road in Hopewell, a demanding climb. 

I started to worry. The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I are in the process of buying a home in Monroe. I'm excited and a bit anxious about it, and I haven't been sleeping well (I'm writing this on about the fourth or fifth night in a row on which I've awakened after about four hours, unable to get back to sleep). Mine Road, and the other hills on the ride, were likely to be a problem for me. I decided to do the ride anyway.

Shortly before the first hill, a rider got a flat. We didn't check the tire adequately for whatever caused the puncture, and soon after (just at the bottom of Mine Road), he got another. I'm good with changing tires, and pulled out my Tire Monkey for the removal and replacement (many riders have favorite tire tools; this one's mine), and then used my Topeak Race Rocket to get a little air in for the tube-and-tire mount, and the Genuine Innovations Air Chuck Elite for the CO² (fellow riders were impressed enough with the tools that they asked for links. Those may be the only reason I'm actually writing this post).

Then up Mine Hill, which went OK... but I immediately felt that I wasn't rebounding from the exertion of the climb the way I expected to, and that continued through the rest of the ride. I fell behind in several places, but some members of the group waited. I also found I was cranky about unexpected rider behavior (and these were mostly people with whom I ride regularly). We stopped at the cafe in Sergeantsville that replaced the bagel shop there (I like the place; I wish them well and recommend a stop there when you go). I loaded up with some carbs, and got some benefit from that, but I continued to fall off the back of the group. Two of the riders, at various points, fell back from the rest to converse; both were chatty and pleasant, but I'm sure they were checking to make sure I'd be OK to get back.

I got back, but I was far more tired, and hurt worse from the exertion, than I like to get on a ride; if there had been more traffic, or if an unexpected situation had arisen, the ride outcome might have been different. This ride was clearly more than I should have done for my current level of fitness and my tired condition. I need to pay more attention to the demands of the planned ride, and not go long just because, "well, heck, I always ride with these guys." 

Or maybe I need to stop complaining, and do hard and unpleasant things. Or maybe that ride really was risky.

I don't know.