That Takes Serious Balls

So I show up at GT&F- a 32 mile hill ride with maybe 1800 feet of climbing- and I see a guy with dyed-orange hair on a fixed gear conversion with full fenders, wearing bibs and a wife beater. I'm wondering how this will go over with the roadie snobbery that snubs a poor sucker who dares to show up with aerobars.

After the first hill, he is still hanging with the lead group. I ask him what he's using for gearing, and I thought he said 47 X 15, but I've never heard of a 47, so maybe it was a 46. We hit the second hill, and he's still hanging with the group. We hit two 40+ mph descents, and he is still with the group. He hangs with the front group on the high bridge. This guy was an animal, and he certainly knew how to handle his bike in the midst of a bunch of geared guys. He has my respect. He even made it up Ramsey Hill like it was no big deal.

Anyway, I had a good ride. It was the first GT&F ride I've attended this year. I don't know if it was slower than normal or I'm that much stronger this year, but it was easy hanging with the lead group. It was super hot today, and I quickly went through two water bottles. My calves cramped up a bit. That is the second time this year I've had trouble with them. At least now I have calves. All those years as a gym rat and I always had chicken legs. Even biking really didn't put them over the top. It really took a combination of elliptical machines at the gym during the winter and riding fixed to pump up the legs. Now I just need to figure out how to take care of them. Actually, I should have pre-hydrated before heading out. But there is always the urine management to consider as well. Why does like have to be so complicated?

I love the hot weather. This is a great start- the first day of summer!