When I got there, everyone was heading to the left, which meant they were heading BACK to the beginner loop instead of going right, to the first intermediate loop. Here's the map...I've written on it:
So every one gets turned around and over to the correct trail...and I'm by myself again, riding the first loop of the intermediate trail. Seriously, I couldn't see anyone. I had told Delia (the lady I was fighting with for rights to be last - LOL) to go ahead because I knew I'd be slow, but I expected to be able to see someone ahead of me somewhere! So when I got to the place on the map where I have written in purple-ish "where is everyone?" I heard Maggie calling my name. By this time I was muttering to myself "fuck this...I'm going home." It did a number on my confidence, I guess. Anyway, thank you Maggie for hanging out and waiting for me...I guess having ridden with me before, you knew I'd be lagging behind. :D
So she says "come on, let's go do this loop" and I tell her I'm not sure I want to...and I cried. Frustration...with lots of things...but mostly with myself. I asked her where everyone else is and she told me they had gone ahead to the advanced loop (see the map where I wrote in bright blue). At that point my head began to spin a bit...beginner ride...advanced trail...does not compute. But whatever...
Maggie convinced me to ride the second loop of the intermediate trail, and I did ride it. I walked a bit more than I'd like, but I still rode more than I walked. It's those damn uphills that kill me. I wish I had more time during the week to train on uphills...either over at Crabtree or at Umstead. But hey - I'm not in competition with anyone other than myself. So we finished up, and at the trail head ended up meeting Debbie. The three of us talked for a bit, then went our separate ways. I ended up taking some pictures of backlit trees in the dying light of daytime. I'll post them if they turned out any good. By the time I was putting my camera away, Maggie came back from her second ride of the intermediate loop and we talked for a little...then Kenny came back and we talked to him about his bike and his adventure on the advanced trail. I was very impressed that he was able to just hop on the bike after not having ridden for quite some time and do all the trails that he did (on an older, fully rigid bike). Then we all left.
I walked into a house smelling delicious because my husband was kind enough to cook dinner and watch the kids so I could go out and do this group ride. The chicken (2 different kinds people!) was amazing and the potatoes were yummy. :) Thanks hubs!
Not sure I'll be doing group rides again in the near future. I think I'd rather just get together with certain people and ride onesie-twosie...if they can stand the way I ride, that is. :D
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