Saturday's Bakery Ride was a blast. I rode from home and met a larger group at Fudruckers. We rolled out and headed down to the river. The pace was friendly until a small group broke away. Will took over and picked up the pace, I followed and the rest did the same. We caught the group within seconds as someone had flatted.

Taking a left on the bridge to cross the river, I peeled off my arm warmers, knowing that the ride was about to heat up. Then came the right turn and Chris, who was doing his hill climb intervals took off. This meant that in order to hang on, I was doing Chris' hill climb intervals as well. And so went the first part of the ride: hang on, get dropped, pull back. I was able to hold on until the attack on the downhill with the steep uphill grunt, and I knew I could not hold on any longer.

So, I settled into a steady pace, rolling along, enjoying the solitude and the sunshine, waiting for the next group to reel me in.
I rode with them the rest of the way to the bakery, a nice steady pace, pushing a little on the hills, enough to get some good training, but not enough to blow up. After a little while, we picked up Jon Stang for some extra horse power and we cruised along, cracking jokes and enjoying the country side.

We pushed the pace up and over the last climb into Marshal and rolled down into town. I parked my bike in front of the bakery, walked into the cool room with high ceilings and bellied up for a cookie and shot of espresso. Good choice. Back outside, I savored, everything: sunshine, dudes talking about bikes and sprinting.... until the next group rolled in. After re-grouping and filling water bottles we headed up the river. A nice steady pace, with a little bit of small talk, we rolled. The sun shining down, the slight breeze, the muddy brown French Broad river on out right.

We passed Monticello Rd, and I overheard someone behind me saying " watch out for Allison, she likes to attack on this climb, it is one of her favorites". Hmmm, cool, I would not mind trying to catch a wheel and see if I could hold the pace up the climb. I decided not to attack the group solo, but if someone else went, I would go with them. And almost immediately, things started to get fun.

Allison rolled up beside me and slowly passed, I waited a couple of seconds and no one followed, she held her pace and I jumped on her wheel, it seems like someone followed me and said something, but I can't remember what. We kept the pace a couple hundred yards and she barely let up, I figured we were already out there so we should keep on. I pulled around and applied pressure to the pedals, my heart pounding, my breathing steady. I focused on my cadence, keeping a smooth pedal stroke, I flicked my elbow and she didn't come around, it was quiet, a quick look told me Allison was still there and no one else in sight. Up and over the hill, down the next grade, the quick right turn into the grunt, and we were over the top.

We pedaled towards home and chatted a bit. I showed her how to get back to the parking lot and headed downtown to see the crowd gathered for Bike O' The Irish.

Sunday involved more riding. Motion Makers invited me out for the Specialized Women's ride, and the ladies who showed, convinced me that I should ride along. (it didn't take much arm twisting, it was a bike ride after all). I road a Specialized Epic 29er on flat pedals shorts, t-shirt and running shoes, and had a blast.When we got back, I was stoked to see the 4 Specialized Hardrocks and helmets that Specialized donated through Motion Makers!!!

Then I went home and the family wanted to ride!! I Aeropressed a couple of shots of espresso and headed out to Bent Creek with them.
Another day of living life!!