During our shortened ride in Gainesville, Uncle Jim and Alexander (and for some time Jim's buddy), were flying together at above Rolling Resistor speeds because they had no fear of ever struggling through the hills. I however, was kind of in the middle of the pack, cruising at whatever speed fancied me at the moment, while Nick and Johanna were in front of me at some points, and then behind me for others. Since we prefer the same speed and difficulty we tried to stay together, but I ended up traveling solo for about half the ride. This was actually pretty fun, I mean I felt like I was in the middle of a televised cycling race! Passing old farts, on their ancient road bikes, sprinting furiously to pass middle aged couples on tandem bicycles, it was quite entertaining, to see new faces come and go.
Now the hills, those things make me chuckle now! To think I ever let them worry me, It was living proof that I had become stronger and improved over the course of my training, because I never struggled through a single one. There had to have been at least 20 hills I climbed, many much larger than the Lake Worth bridge, which was the only mini mountain I had come to know and love. These foreign hills played an annoying role, slowing me down for a good minute, accelerating my heart rate, but then giving me a sort of joy ride in the end. It was a like a Rolling Resistor powered roller coaster, the more effort I put climbing up, the faster I would fly down, while the chilly breeze gnawed at my nose. I even got a bit stylish riding down hill, I began using my drops, which left the cyclists I passed awing at my professional aerodynamic position as they ate my dust.
My favorite part of the event was certainly the rest stop we raided. This row of tents covering elderly volunteers which were enslaved to make sandwiches for us cyclists, as well as unbox packaged goods was visited by our gang of cyclists about half way through the ride. Alex, nick, and I loved this part of the trek, we met up, talked about the ride while recharging our teenage boy appetites with a surplus of snacks. Nick and I stuffed the pockets of our jerseys with packets of M&M's to give us boosts through out, and we filled up our tanks and drank merrily.
If free food doesn't make you happy then your going to be one miserable bicyclist for the rest of the ride, because it's always the last 15 miles or so when you start getting a bit tired. So thats when Nick and I started busting out the chocolate, and taking turns to pull each other and all that good stuff. Johanna wanted to get some speed now since she was recharged from the rest stop and flew off with a small group of riders and Nick and I stuck it out, until I became fully charged up and began speeding up. This was about 8 miles from the finish line, when that adrenaline feeling began to kick out the laziness. Once again I started passing bikers, and even Johanna! I was now behind the lightning crew, Alex, and Jim. The finish line was now tangible, the last 3 miles had arrived and I was just whistling while peddling, passing people left and right. This was the best feeling, like I was finishing up an eventful stage of the Tour De France. Finally I could see my dad and the the lightning crew and the finish line had been broken by yours truly, it was over! A minute later we were whole once again because the notorious Nick was back along with Johanna burning rubber as they braked to take pictures with us. What a day it was, one filled with friends, family, and good ol' riding fun!
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