When Tom H appeared for the ride he'd scheduled out of the Reed Recreation area today, he couldn't have predicted that the trouble he was having with the rear quick-release at his hub was a sign of its imminent demise... but about two miles in, he pulled over to adjust it again, and it came apart in pieces in his hand. He limped back to the car, and gave the lead of the rest of the ride to me.
We COULD HAVE predicted that the bridge at Iron Bridge Road would have been out (I'd gotten a notice from another ride leader about it, and I put it up on the club "closed roads" page), but I hadn't paid enough attention to the route before we started to notice. But it wouldn't have been a Tom H ride without at least one closed road.
We had one rider along who wasn't a regular in Tom's Insane Bike Posse, and she kept up with the pace (better than I did; I "led" from he back), and was at least tolerant of the inside jokes and terrible humor. Laurie had ridden with us a few times years ago, but COVID happened, and she hasn't been out on group rides since. I hope it's not another four years before she can screw up the courage to tolerate us again.
We could NOT have predicted that Tom would have other quick releases in the back of his truck that he carries to clamp in other people's bikes, or that he would cobble together one that would hold his wheel on, or that he would plan a shorter route to meet us at Emery's for the break, and lead us back for the rest of the ride.
We COULD, and indeed SHOULD, have predicted that, on the way back, he'd take us along Hluchy Road, with about a quarter-mile of loose gravel in lieu of paving. Some of us found it challenging or unpleasant.
But none of it was impossible for a Tom H ride.
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