Bob Hovey wrote "But as one who practices an alternative riding philosophy, let me add that
the group ride's not for everyone. For some, cycling's not about getting
there fast... I could care less about a pace line, my average speed, or how
efficiently I slice the wind. Don't get me wrong, I do try to practice good
cycling technique whenever I can, but if riding on the drops is gonna make my neck
hurt when I look at up the clouds, forget it. If the sound of the wind
whistling thru my helmet is drowning out the sound of the birds and the frogs, I'm
gonna slow down. If there's a nice waterfall on the side of the road, I'm
gonna stop and get my sketchbook or camera out of my pack and stay a while. I
guess that's why I usually ride alone, I annoy the hell out of all but the most
patient fellow riders. In fact, I think the only folks who actually like
going on rides with me are kids and dogs and Nick."
I feel exactly the same way, but would throw in "Bob, you should ride with Lou Deeter sometime...it's all about the trip with him, too, not the getting there."
I would toss into this mix... that if I am on a group ride I am never the fastest guy there (usually that's Mark Agree!) but I am very rarely the slowest, and if I see a straggler, I always drop back to keep them company and to make sure they are all right. I absolutely will not ride off and leave anyone. I try to make this a way of life not only on rides but in all my relationships with folks...this has taken me into some real adventures, even a gunfight (I seemed to be the only guy there without a gun) , but these are off topic tales better shared with a smaller group. What I want to say is hang together...what time you get there is rarely as important as the comradeship and enjoying the ride.
Tom Sanders
Lansing, Mi USA.
Tom Sanders