CFT Cycling Team Tuesday Night Ride

The sun has set on our season, but what a season it was. We’ve taken a ride on life support and turned it into a living and breathing force. We have nearly 80 members on our site, have had 7,000 visits to it and had 32 total rides.

But it’s definitely lights out now, but not before the last ride of the year which we had to move to Wednesday due to hurricane force winds on Tuesday. Wednesday was not much more tame with steady 30 MPH winds and gusts into the 50s, what the what? The numbers were probably down due to the change of day and wind, but again the quality of the ride was, well… as good as it gets. Loren, Sam, Mustafa, Steve, Brian, Banky, Webbcorp, Rick, Craig and Mark ventured south and endured a brutal crosswind, but heading east was a pure prize.

The sun was shining, what little is left in a late fall afternoon day in Michigan and the temps were warm. Once we got to Meridian Oberle was whining about heading further east and I was dishing it back that we should, but I have to admit he was right.

Heading west on 36 represented not only the last five miles of the ride, but the last five miles of the season and the last chance to rip it up before it all came to an end. Brian got a gap and held it into Mason to take the last sprint of the year. We start back up March 15th, seems like a long time from now, but worth the wait. Between now and then we will try to keep the site alive by posting local rides. Dirt road rides are on the docket for me and Brian and everyone is welcome. Also, weekend rides. And, Rick wants to get everyone on cross country skis! Good luck to everyone who is doing Iceman, I will try to give an update when it’s all over. Sayonara, Webbcorp

RIDE NOTE: If you are interested in riding in the AM with Doug, Wade and others contact Doug to get on the email list at dpd366@live.com

Try to guess the last question I heard as we were all saying goodbyes in near darkness after the thirty-first Tuesday Night Ride of the season?

"We're riding next week right?" Are you serious? "Hell Yes! We can pull off a 20 mile ride, we got plenty of daylight."

Well, I suppose we do and weather permitting I suppose we will!

Of course for those that came (fifteen of you) we know why we ended in near darkness; first we got a late start (we have lost this luxury) and second we had two flats and had to learn how to put a wheel into a rear entry dropout bike. Now I just read in Velo News that all Storck's are rear entry dropout bikes and that if you know how it's easy, well I didn't. I felt like an eight month old dim witted child trying to solve Rubik's Cube, and looked like even worse. I think Ron White said it best, "You can't fix stupid."

So if we go next week, we have got to start ON TIME, hope for no flats and ride only about 20 to 25 miles.

As for the ride... Matt Prygoski, aka "The Polish Punisher" showed up last night. Now if you do not know Matt I can tell you simply that his acceleration is as impressive as I have seen. Honestly I do not know how he does it. Well it wasn't just Matt, we pushed hard going south with a strong crosswind, no one was interested in slowing down just because somewhere near the 60th parallel bears are readying themselves for hibernation, no, no! Let's pummel ourselves because it's the only way we know to derive happiness. But everyone is strong so we all stayed together and it really was fun.

More to follow on the subject of next week, for now I'll allow myself a moment of reflection on the most enjoyable season of cycling I've ever experienced.

We took off fifteen strong with temperatures flirting with seventy and not feeling at all like mid October. Images can be as powerful as words, if you weren't there last night, here's a graphic insight into one of the best rides of the year.

Banky taking a rest at the rear heading into the Tunnel of Trees

Strung out at nearly 30 leaning hard into the checane

Too busy climbing to notice the 100 foot tall Evergreen staring down on us

Doug (above) and Loren checking out the aftermath of the bounty that's been taken while the sun is sinking like a ship

Brian, or Mr. Crosby now (I think that's the title for a married man, congrats) and Steve enjoying the ride.

Will there be a 31? The answer is yes! See you next week. Webbcorp

The land of plenty. Plenty of riding that is, 29 TNR's to be exact. We changed the program somewhat last night with a higher overall pace and slightly less attacking. It was a more civil scene, kind of like Ali versus Frazier instead of cage fighting. We set a rotating pace line from the start and cut out about 4 miles from the normal course. Emily, Banky, Steve, Craig, Blaine, Wade, Doug, Loren, Mustapha, Ralph, Jeff & Nikita were all riding strong and loving the great weather and outstanding scenery.

Despite those wanting to enjoy the scenery it didn't stop others from wanting to attack on Annis Hill, here Doug, Wade and Blaine shed the herd and create a gap going toward the first sprint while Emily, Ralph, Eric and Loren set out in case after Nikita who is in the gap. Blaine took the first sprint and in fact had a field day last night with some good top end speed. Nice work Blaine. Not long after the bypass we headed into the tunnel of trees, fall colors are starting to show, but it will still be a while before they light up the sky. Based on how strung out we were heading through the tunnel of trees it doesn't seem like anyone was interested in a fall color tour, not on this night.

Well we got back and there was still plenty of daylight, enough that we all decided to carry on, so hope for good weather next week and we will continue this song and dance, it's a big one, the Big Three O, 30 rides that is, amazing.