Can't focus on anything else today, so instead of eating all the food I wish I had brought for lunch i'm going to try writing to avoid thinking about being hungry with lots of amazing restaurants w/in one block that might as well be miles away for as much good as they are doing for me here.
Too long maybe to capture all the details from the end of the last installment...
I took a break in the story just after we stopped for secret bootleg beers. Dave was in bonky town already and we were all cruising down the trail. Davey wasn't going super fast but I was okay with just hanging out on his wheel, with Alex on my heels. Part of the team was together and we'd catch up again sometime soon. There was a good conga line that we were able to follow w/o much trouble even as the leading edge of the group got away from us.
It got a bit fuzzy from that point. Mostly because of the kind of sectional nature of the ride. Single track here linked with roads there. Groups together, splitting up, reforming.
Over-riding feeling though was one of total awesomeness. A perfect day on the bike.
Eventually we wound up alone, then with a huge group climbing the crazy long hill, where the team waited for DB to get to the top. And at that point we were chilling and cruizing on our own again.
At some point delivered Nutter Butters that had ejected from Roger's jersey pocket back to him. Had to stop and pee, they guys didn't wait but Dr Roy's team was there and changing a flat so I managed to unload the bladder in the trail without exposing myself to anyone and join them as they rolled out. And then they rolled off and the PVD Orange crush crew were waiting for me, we paused and then kept going. Dropping out of one of the last techy single track sections I was taking up the rear, it was a bumpy rough slight down hill and I was just rolling it easy, meaning slower than everyone else I guess, and I emerged from the woods to see Dave mentioning he flatted the same rear tube again.
So I 'grammed it while they changed it. Keeping Solo's advice in mind "don't change anyone elses flat tires." Dave never admitted how he flatted but given where we were I'm guessing he cased the granite curb. A team or two rolled through as the second tube was going in the rear tubeless wheel.
And we started rolling back.
Dave was pretty well cracked. he'd get gapped and dropped anytime the road went up or the pace picked up much.
So I started pushing. Syl gave him a few pushes. It was a dicey proposition because after each push my legs felt like they were going to explode, but w/in a few minutes I was ready to push again. And again.
We spent a good bit of time working together all of us. And the navigators had their shit down by now and the roads were familiar and weather was good and we knew we were close.
Spirits were good. DB was pretty cracked but we were rolling back together. Everyone pretty stoked it felt like.
Got back and asked Michelle to grab a group shot before we all changed and headed in. We loaded up bikes, changed, or in my case took off my helmet and put on the orange jumpsuit, and headed over to the tavern.
It was packed and crowded. The PVD crew got a table in the far corner, but somehow i never made it over there. I grabbed a couple beers from the bartender, not knowing how soon I'd be able to get back and get another one, two beers in hand and Curtis looked at me and I felt bad but also decided to be uncharacteristically selfish and keep them. He had a beer in his hand w/in a few minutes, don't feel too bad for him. I had my beers and Dr. Roy invited me to have a seat at his table there by the door.
Posted a gram or two from that seat, finished the beers... talked, laughed, held the cutest baby in the world... it was amazing, just this small tavern full of super stoked happy people who had just shared one of the coolest rides together. Rosey came around selling raffle tickets, I had $17 cash in my wallet, he took all but $2 and gave me three raffle tickets. I guess I am having liquid sandwiches instead of a post ride burger. Wound up leaving the $2 as tip, yeah cheap bastard of a tip for the over worked bartenders, but it was all I had and hopefully will have a chance to make amends down the road. I had a couple more beers to replace used calories. The raffle was underway, I wound up getting a pair of socks and a Rapha cap. stage 3 i think, the blue one? But I managed a sweet trade for stage 2's orange one. The Folsom stage. Perfect match with my orange jumpsuit, no?
So yeah, a few pints of Dales in me warmed the fire a bit but didn't really push the edge at all, never felt anything but a mild pleasant buzz.
Eventually people started filtering out, heading home, saying good bye. The Bikes not bombs girls were really enthusiastically trying to get me to think about coming up for their ride, I didn't say no, but I didn't say yes. Syl was ready, his wife had had enough hanging around with a bunch of weird cyclists and it was time to go. The PVD crew all headed out, Sandy climbed into DB's car to get a short ride home, and Syl and I got driven home. Lots of stories on the way home, odd coincidences, small world collapsing kind of thing.
We stopped at The Point. A bar Syl was hoping maybe would sponsor the team, but didn't work out. No money me owes Syl for that beer, and elephant brain me won't let me forget, don't worry. I was getting pretty tired at this point. Not quite loopy but close. More or less got home, took a shower and climbed into bed. I think I was asleep at 7-8pm. The exhaustion from the week before, and the early morning and long day in the saddle draining everything and the added impact of a beer or three... out like a light.
It was a great day. One of the best days on the bike. The whole day. So much stress and struggle leading up to it, so much insanity following it.
A brief awesome moment.
Can't thank my team mates enough for joining me on this adventure. Rosey for making it all happen, Camelstache for the bootleg beer, Chip for the keg of Dales at the Tavern, Finnegan for hosting us, and his staff for putting up with us. And everyone else.
-diwedd-
heddwch
G
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