Going out 7 am with a tail wind we did 26.3mi @19.1mph. This was an easy ride catching up on old times. We cruised on down to the Nickel Plate trail and rode out a mile and back just for fun. Then we went to Rochester Bagel to stock up on some carbs for the ride home…. But to our surprise they went out of business! Oh No! The best Bagels in Northern Indiana are no more and now we are at risk of bonking on the way home. We came in 5 minutes behind the Rochester parade. So we had to drive through an obstacle course of candy as we searched and found a gas station with egg muffins and G2 for the ride home.

Coming home we suffered hard into the wind to get 25mi @18.1mph trying to make it home on time. If there are any chinks in Kong’s armor I couldn’t find them. I fizzled on Nursery hill and practically had to ride the rest of the way home on Kong’s handlebars. He is a beast!

The last 10.5 miles out going lost 135 ft of altitude.
The first 9.5 miles coming home we gained 115 ft of altitude. So it is more up hill coming home. Kong won that argument. The 15 miles close to Warsaw we go up and down a lot but don’t really change altitude much.

-Sgt

There is no doubt abouut it…Kong and JM are definitely out of my league.  Either one of them can ride me off their wheel right now.  I started thing off leading out with the great tailwind at 22-23.  Then JM took over and brought us quickly into the high 20′s.  Kong was hitting 30 next and I was panting for air.  Anytime I started to fall off the pace Kong backed it down so I could get pushed to my limit some more.  We had close to a 27 average as we turned south on 800W.  The crosswinds slowed us and the average at the turn was 24.6 mph.

The only time I was at the front on the 200S leg was the downhills after I had caught back up and my momentum carried me around Kong & JM.  The headwinds didn’t seem to bother JM as he pulled long and hard through the hills.  Turning north on 400W wasn’t much relief as they both ket the hammer down and gapped me a couple of times.  I started to lead up nursery hill but didn’t last long before Kong came around me.  As we crested the last rise JM took off with Kong right on his wheel.  I watched them the rest of the way in with Kong pulling away at the line.  Thanks for the painful, but great workout.  

After a couple of really nice weeks the temps have dropped back to normal which for this early in spring still means bundling up.  Kong dragged me around the reverse hill route as I was feeling quite tired.  We had a 22.3 average on the way out and the way I felt I didn’t think we’d stay above 20.  Kong dropped me a few times going through the 200S hills but always waited for me.  Going back north I managed to stay on his wheel and actually went to the front a couple of times (mainly to slow him down).  After cresting nursery hill Kong gradually increased the speed and I got around him one more time before he came back to the front and just pulled away from me as we headed for the line.  

It would have been nice but maybe dangerous if all four of us could have rode together.  JM was out on his own as was Kong.  Bull & I got started about an hour later than usual and I was pressed for time so we did the old 15 mile route straight out CL road into a howling, gusty wind.  Didn’t think we’d ever make it to the half way point.  Our speeds at some points were down to 12-13 mph.  Average at the turn was 15.6 mph.  

After the 1 mile crosswind stretch going north on 800W we turned back east on CL road and quickly increased our speed as the wind pushed us along.  Coming out around the lake we did 29-30.  Bull picked it up to 33-34 just past the egg plant and then I notched it up to 37 out on the flats.  Never saw the speed dip below 30 the rest of the way in as we hammered home in probably the fastest last 5 miles I’ve ever done.  The averaged ticked over to 20.0 just as we crossed the line which I thought was impossible to do since we were so slow going out.      

This is probably the last day of this unusually warm weather.  Tomorrow looks like rain and then the temps are supposed to drop back closer to normal next week.   Bones started us off on a long strong pull almost to 400W where we turned south.  Since the wind was mainly south and not too strong we decided on the Hillbilly route even though everyone’s legs were wore out from the previous 3 days of hard rides.  Once we got to the turn just before the tracks Bones & Bull decided to go straight for the longer route (21-22 miles) but had to wait on train that was just passing through.  Napa and I went on the shorter route and had a 19.5 mph average as we headed back.  We rolled back through the hills at 20-21 with a slight tailwind push.  After I led up nursery hill Napa took the lead and took the speed up to 26 as we headed to the line.   I went around her and kicked it a couple more mph’s as we crossed the line. 

Kong missed yesterday’s fast ride with Stang so I think he came out today to show he can dish out the punishment as well.  Bull got us warmed up and we headed straight out CL road.  The pace was steady (22-24) most of the way out with no hint of what was to come.  When we got out to 800W we decided on the flat Dutchman route.  Bones pulled the tough south leg into the wind at 20+ and we had a 22 mph average as we turned back east on 100S.

JM pulled a short distance before Kong went around him to set a blistering pace.  He did 26+ with a crosswind for over a mile and Bones lost contact at some point.  Heading north on 800W I took the lead and backed it down a bit to catch my breath before picking it back up again as we got close to CL road.  Kong continued to pull 2-3 mph faster (30 mph just past the egg plant) than anyone else as we made our way back in.  He was in front again as we went up the rise to 400W.  I led up nursery hill before Bull took over and led over the last rise.  JM started the lead in to the sprint and we hadn’t gone that far before Kong took off and Bull was the only one who could respond.  He stayed with him until the old cut in the road but Kong kept accelerating and just rode him off his wheel.  Very impressive considering he rode 38 miles this morning.  Also this is the fastest average of the year so far due to Kong’s fast long pulls.       

I knew today’s ride would be brutal with Stang back for more action.  Bones (who hasn’t lost a bit of fitness over the winter) got us started and we decided to go straight out CL road and do the reverse hill route.  I had a shifting malfunction about a mile into the ride that slowed us for a moment but soon we were cruising at 25+ mph.  After we turned south on 800W the Weapon of Mass Destruction (Stang) took the lead and pulled up the rise at 23 mph into the wind.  Diva was the first casualty and I just barely hung on by standing up and pounding on the pedals.  We got to the 200S turn with a 22.8mph average.

About half way through the hills another stong pull by the WMD blew my engine and after I got over the next hill Bull had popped off as well.  I passed him and tried to keep the two front runners in sight.  As we headed north on 400W they slowly pulled further ahead as Stang kept pushing the pace with Bones hanging on his wheel.  Bones led up nursery hill and then Stang over the last rise.  Bones gave Stang one last pull before Stang came around and took a well deserved win.  It’s rare for the average to go up on the back half of the reverse hills but that’s what happened as the WMD took no prisoners.

The unusual continued warm weather brought Bones out of hibernation and JM was able to ride so we had a nice sized group for today’s ride.  JM started us off fast and after we got over the first rise Bones must have had a bunch of pent up energy because he hit it even harder.  We turned on 400W with Kong leading the way.  He and Napa started gapping me as I was trying to catch my breath.  We stayed together until the second hill on 200S.  JM’s pace busted the group up.  I stayed back with Napa as JM, Bones, and Kong were scattered out in front of us.  Napa and I reached the 800W turn with a 20 average and Bones kept going straight to get a few more miles in.

Kong and JM backed off going north and the four of us were back together at 100S.  Everyone pulled a consistent 23-24 coming back across CL road.  I pulled up to the 400W intersection and JM led up nursery hill.  Kong came around and hit it hard over the last rise and gapped me a bit as JM fell in behind him.  JM then took the lead and when he started to fade Kong came from the back.  I jumped on his wheel and used him to slingshot around at the finish for a cheap win (Kong had rode 38 miles this morning).    

After yesterday’s fast ride I was wondering if tired legs today would drop the speed way down.  I think I’m the only one that was slower.  Bull & Kong both pulled strong and I was about at my limit as we headed for the hills.  As soon as we started up the first hill on 200S Kong pulled right away from me.  Bull stayed back to lead me up (thanks) and then Kong eased up before we got to the next hill.  I got gapped again and after getting back to them they slowed a bit on the hills that were left to keep us all together.   We had a 19.6 mph average at the 800W turn.

It was smooth cruising the rest of the way back in with Bull & Kong pulling at 25-26 and me a couple mph’s slower when I was at the front (taking a breather).  Kong led up to 400W at 27 mph and then Bull & I split the chore pulling up nursery hill.  Kong came back to the front and just as we wer about to crest the last rise Kong hit it hard and pulled right away from us.  I got up to 31 and kept it there the rest of the way in but made up no ground on King Kong.  

When we heard that Stang was coming the reaction was a combination of dread and excitement.  We knew he was in great shape and wondered if he would just ride away from us or take us to a new level.  Diva was out for his first ride this year and was concerned with getting dropped right away and so was I.  Kong and Bull (who did intervals this morning) are both in good shape and I thought they might have a chance to hang with him.  Bull started us off (almost too fast for me) and then Stang and Kong took a turn at the front before we hit the flats on CL road.  Bull suggested the flat Dutchman route of which I was thankful for since my knee has been giving me problems.  As we cruised across CL road I was thinking how nice it was to have 5 riders to share the work.  Everyone played nice on the way out and the speed was a steady 22-23 mph.  A bit slower into the south leg on 950W resulted in a 21.8 mph average at the turn.

Heading back across the 100S leg Stang put a bit more pressure on us.  I started to gap and Diva sacrificed himself to give me a break.  I took off after them and unfortunately Diva had to drop off (but that was great ride for his first time out).  The front three slowed a bit as they approached the turn north on 800W and I was able to latch back on.  Kong cranked it up to almost 30 going north and my momentum from the back carried me past him as we turned right onto CL road.  A short pull by me and then I went back to where I belonged.  We passed the egg plant and Stang told the group (somehow I didn’t get the message) he was going to hit it hard at the top of the rise before the flats.  I got dropped as Bull & Kong scrambled to stay with Stang.  They slowed after a bit and I made up some ground before Stang hit it again.  This time only Kong stayed with him.  Bull and I worked our back to them and just before we got back on Stang took off again.  The front duo eased up before the 400W intersection and we were all back together heading up nursey hill.  Stang led the way but Bull had had enough and dropped off.  Kong pulled over the last rise before I went to the front and gave what I had left as we approached the finish.  They left me up there until the old cut in the road and Stang took off.  I was amazed as Kong went right with him and got half way beside him as they crossed the line.  A great ride by everyone led to one the fastest (if not the fastest) March rides ever and the weather definitely helped.