#TuffRide Wrap Up #fb
August 5th, 2009 |What with the hog slaughter criteriums being over for the season we saw an increased rider turn out last night.
Most nights I give a little talk before the start of the ride explaining what the ride is about and what we are looking to accomplish. For some reason I skipped this talk last night.
One of the things I usually mention is that we try to cross intersections as a group. Watch for traffic, make sure everyone can get across safely, and then dial up the pressure once again. Unfortunately this did not happen last night.
Both the left turn from Ferndale and the left turn from Hunter on to CR24 were made in front of cars. The turn onto CR24 was also made at the very moment that riders from the TNT time trial were approaching the intersection. Riders from the group were held up waiting for traffic while the group that cleared the intersection never looked back and rode out of sight.
I can’t really blame the new riders who showed up for the first time last night. I am sure a lot of them were just trying to stay with the group. But a number of riders who have been on TuffRide all season were also in that lead group and not a single one of them thought to look back and hold up the group until everyone had made it through the intersection.
TuffRide is not easy, people get dropped all the time. Last year I did not finish a single one. Getting dropped off the group because you can’t keep up is to be expected. But letting the group split up due to traffic is not real cool and I am disappointed that no one in the lead group stepped up and took any action.
If this ride turns into an “every man for themselves” event then maybe I need to evaluate my continued involvement in this ride.
10 Responses to “#TuffRide Wrap Up #fb”
So what to do about riders who deliberately attack and dive into blind corners and just about splatter themselves on the hoods of oncoming cars?
If you want my honest opinion, I’m more concerned with (and will not attend the Tuff Ride anymore because of) scary shit like that.
@a. kruse: Didn’t we already talk about this concern of yours? I’m pretty sure we did and you made your point. If you were to come out again you would find that certain riders are not making that move anymore.
But don’t let that stop you from bringing it up again…and again…
I brought it up to you after the first time it happened. The next time I attended the ride, it happened again, in the same manner and place. leading me to believe you either forgot or don’t care.
And to be fair, I won’t bring it up again till I see it happen again. Since I won’t be attending the ride again, ergo I won’t see it happen again and I won’t bring it up to you again.
Good god a. kruse! Is it any wonder … wait, I’ll hold back. Some things just go without saying, and then if you say it then everyone says why did you say that.
If it happens, then it happened again cause it already happened. I won’t say that about you again, unless someone asks me about it and then I’ll tell them what I said earlier which was that you don’t have to say it.
If they don’t know what I’m saying about you and it doesn’t go without saying for them then I guess I’d have to tell them myself. Ergo, I would say it. They would probably say that it goes without saying and I would say I told you that and don’t bring it up again.
Wait a minute, are you telling me AK does not attend #TuffRide?! Why is this not on the website?
ergo?? really?
Sounds like a “charming” group to ride with.
It is a good group to ride with. The ride can be fast and hard as Smithers indicates. There are knuckleheads however who do show up that ride without smarts, in the middle of the road, and sans any concern for the safety of the group. Sprinting for stop signs past the TNT guys and in front of the traffic behind, including the 5-0 is just stupid and the reason some feel negatively about cyclists. It would be a shame if the ride got to the point where people did not come because dangerous riding or an abundance of stupidity.
Sounds Tuff. And the idiots need to be dealt with by a strong swift hand.
Wait after the road crossings. Simple!