RAIN

Another RAIN is in the record books. I'm not happy about it, though, as I set a new-for-me record. It's the first time in eight trips that I did not finish the ride. I'm not totally sure what went wrong, and my tendency to over-analyze stuff like this is kicking in. Some of the results of my cogitation on the matter only serve to anger me more.

I had hopes for this ride. Jenn has been riding more than last year and I have been riding a lot more than last year. We rode fairly well on our trip a couple weeks ago. The bike was in fine form (although a bit heavier than I remember it being...). We knew what we needed to do to better last year's time. It just didn't happen.

The first forty miles of RAIN are often rough on me--I've nearly quit at the first rest stop on two other occasions out of frustration with my performance. I've also learned that sometimes one's supposed riding partners will simply ride off into the distance, caught up in their own excitement and adrenaline rush. I had no illusions that Jenn and I would have any riding buddies except for each other this time, although we picked up a fellow out of the Indianapolis area early in the day who kept with us until midway between the first and second stops.

I felt very good after the first stop, but could not keep that momentum going all day. I just don't have enough long-mileage days this year, nor does Jenn.

Lunch was probably the worst I've had on this ride--I preferred the prior "cold cuts sandwiches" format, as the lines--all four of them--moved the riders through the system far faster than the single-line catering job they had. Also, the food was tepid at best, and of poor quality. The catering firm had cards out on a table in the steam tray line, as if they expected folks would take cards home and do more business with them--NOT. The "macaroni and cheese" Jenn had was cold. The meat I had had been cooked, but was not very warm and certainly was not bar-b-que in the sense that it had not been prepared by basting it in sauce--one added sauce to taste AFTER the meat was on the plate.

By the time Jenn and I reached the new drink stop, I had experienced one of my signature horrible leg cramps. Both thighs and one calf had cramped at once, forcing me to hard-stop the bike and stand--in a sunny place, of course--for about ten minutes before I could move my legs again. Once we reached the drink stop, I got off the bike for a good half-hour trying to cool down. I wanted to press on, though, so we saddled up and got going again. I had a good hour or so, but by the time I reached Dunreith Fire House, the site of the last official rest stop, my pace was falling off again, and quickly. I realized that finishing the ride in the allotted time would be unlikely, and the attempt would be harder on me physically than dealing with the anger (and to admit it, shame) of calling it quits right then and there. Of course, as I stretched out on my trailer for a bit of rest before packing things up, my leg cramped again, and it was a painful one.

We got to the finish area in Richmond, where the other three riders were waiting for us. They had long since finished and showered, and I got to then be chagrined that I had kept them waiting so long. Several among our party were quite hungry, but some were not, leading to discussion of whether there would be a group meal before hitting the road for home. I was not in on this discussion, which was probably a good thing, because I would have gotten pretty surly about my need for food.

Even though the food was decent, and the quantity was reasonable for the money spent, I was still unsatisfied, and some of the table discussion hit me the wrong way. Then, of course, came the navigation for getting home from Richmond, which involved some more ego battles among others. I did my best to stay out of it, as all I wanted was to get home and be done with the day. I was in a bad mood all the way home, and am still a bit put off by the whole experience as I type this.

I may or may not ride RAIN next year. If I do, it will be under a different arrangement than this. I had wondered the other day whether I really want to do long events any more. I rarely ride the Strada that I prefer for such rides these days, since the vast majority of my bike miles are utilitarian in nature. I enjoy being on the tandem with Jenn, but we are not fast enough as a team to ride long group rides and stay with people. I don't have to decide today, though, so I'm probably better to delay that decision until I cool off a bit.