It was cold and misting when I left the comfort of my house this morning to join the team and 15 others who did the same for our weekly Saturday training ride. I was wearing a rain jacket over my Scholars Inn vest but was otherwise under dressed for the conditions.  I had a brief stop prior to the ride, a serendipitous meeting with a good friend, some stretching, small talk then headed to the Bakehouse.  I’ve had a lot on my mind recently, no different than you most likely, so I was looking forward to just riding today. 

I drove to the start of today’s ride, a bit of a luxury for me.  But the course for the team ride was south and west, had 1600 feet of climbing, there would be a headwind on the run out of town and I had taken most of the week off the bike.  So, discretion being the better part of valor, I easily slipped the bike on the rack.   They’re not really team rides, per se, more of a community ride.  I like that.  We try to keep Saturdays as more of a social ride.  Steady without being difficult.  It was good to see a wide mix of riders on an unseasonably warm day.  Several teams were represented so it was a good opportunity to share stories and connect on what would ultimately wind up being a meandering ride on a new course on some unfamiliar roads.

So I couldn’t get an old song out of my head….”Jessie’s Girl” on today’s ride.  And that’s not the bad news.  The weekend went by in a blur, however, thanks in part to a moderate ride yesterday with Guy East, Chris Kroll, Colin Allen, Lynn Allen, Gary Palmer, Emily Palmer, Kevin Hays, Jeff Thompson and Mark Powell.  We did a meandering ride in incredibly cold temperatures clockwise around Monroe and Owen counties.  I was lucky to have made it out there at all as I was invited to a party Friday night at our sponsor’s and left late at night, alone, thinking it best not to drive home.  I have a fixed gear bike in my office nearby, which I attempted to ride, but thought better of it (no helmet or lights handy).  So, I walked the three miles home, arriving at 2:00am.   We have a guest room in the basement, nicknamed the dog house, which is where I ended up.  There is a good chance that I’ll be there again tonight.  My only solace, a tv and a refrigerator stacked with Belgian ale.  That song was still ringing in my pounding head as I looked for a blanket.