"Eric & the Skins"

While riding with the usual weekend group yesterday, I rode alongside Kate for a while and we chatted a bit. She told me she was calling our ride that day 'Eric & the Skins'. I nearly crashed when I heard this name because of how funny it struck me. Turns out the entire group, other than me, were Native Americans. I received permission to use the name. I thought it was pretty catchy.

Yesterdays ride took us around the Usery Pass loop twice again. I hadn't ridden with the group in a few weeks and figured that my first ride back would be this one. This is by far our hardest ride. Lots of hill work, but very scenic. For a little extra torture, I threw in the Las Sendas mountain loop as well. Normally, this ride wouldn't kick my ass as much as it did yesterday. Saturday night, I went out with some friends to watch the UFC fights and had a couple beers. No big deal except that is was a couple more that I normal have the night before our rides. The first half of the ride, I was really feeling sluggish.

We had a couple new participants this weekend. Derrick, who is a 3rd year law student and Jake who is a 1st year. Derrick had just gotten his bike the day before and probably hadn't had time to have it fitted properly. He hunk in there and rode the whole ride. Once he gets his bike fitted to him, he's going to kick butt! Speaking of kicking butt, there's Jake (aka Kid Rocket). This "kid" is built like a cyclist; tall, thin, & lean. I rode with Jake for a while and talked to him and all of a sudden, he was gone. He started pulling away from me and I don't think I ever caught him except when he stopped for me. Oh sure, I could make all kinds of excuses; the beers, the age difference, the bike, this kid is just fast. I felt like I spent the first half of the ride "chasing the rocket". Once we reached the 1/2 way mark and headed back out, I decided I was going to do my best to keep pace with him. We started up Usery (the easier side) and I suddenly felt pretty good. I cranked! I pulled away from the group and saw Jake trying to catch me (for a change). I told myself that I'd be OK if he didn't catch me until the top. After the top of the hill and as we started the long descent, he caught me. I felt good knowing that I was able to hold him off as long as I did. Once we got to the bottom of the hill we rode together again for a while. Next up came the biggest, steepest hill of the ride (I call it King Kong). Suddenly, the rocket takes off again. WTF? Wasn't this the same kid who was saying after we came down that hill that he'd probably be walking up it? He absolutely flew up this hill. I wish I could hate him for it, but he's a pretty nice guy and that wouldn't be right.

We all finished the ride separately but within minutes of each other. Kate & Ron hung back with Derrick which was cool of them. Suzanne, Jake, & I pulled away from them on the return Usery climb. Since Jake was so far in front of me, he missed the turn to go up Las Sendas but still made the climb once he turned around.

It seems that I have inadvertently recruited Kate & Ron to join me on my century ride. Kate mentioned it while we chatted. It would be great to have some company! I think we are shooting for December sometime. Hopefully before the end of the year!

All in all, a great day to ride. A little chilly to start, but ended with perfect weather. The rest of the day I spent with the kids and massaging my legs from trying to catch "Kid Rocket".