Mongo had an interesting weekend of actual cycling. I returned to the group ride circuit on Friday with LPE, and I put in ninety miles of smackdown-enthused riding on the road bike between yesterday and today. Add to this that the noise situation on Sub-19 has resulted in the conclusion that I need new chainrings, and it's been a full weekend.
The teeth on the rings have worn to the extent that my chain is rubbing on the ramps/pins at the power points on the downstroke...making an annoying clicking sound. I've decided to say f*** it to new chainrings and get a new crankset instead. It's more cost efficient and it also gives me a chance to get some new stuff. Stay tuned for the new crankset announcement.
After a one week suspension by the commissioner for Pit Road speed violations, Mongo did the S.B.F.N.R. once again. It's a great ride to do on LPE because the pace is spirited and the terrain is fairly flat. Though I suffer on any rapid accelerations, my top end speed can match anyone on this particular ride. Finally getting my allergies under control with some black market Zyrtec, Mongo was looking forward to the ride. It was a lot of fun. Mongo tried a solo breakaway with about three miles to go and was reeled in by the aggressive peloton. With about a mile and a half to go, another rider makes a break and no one covers him. Mongo is forced to chase him down...and makes the catch and pass with about five hundred yards to go. Unfortunately, at that point, "Lieutenant" Dan comes around me in full sprint for the win. Oh well...I lost to good tactics.
I don't enjoy the Sunday "smackdown" rides as much as I used to. If truth be told, and it is, there's no real challenge to it anymore. Mongo has officially become a "Brown Belt" in cycling. What this means is that I am faster than all the recreational poseurs and wannabes, but still in the minor leagues of the racing culture. I'm either struggling to hang with the big dogs, or I'm beating the chihuahuas like a rented mule. My only satisfaction comes when I occasionally cross paths with a niche poseur. On Sunday it happened to be the retro-douche.
I thought my day was complete with the disposal of the no shirt, no socks, running short wearing, old-guy, tri-douche on the Cervelo...I was wrong. Instead, my day would be capped off by a showdown with a guy who looked, dressed, and rode the same bike as Mario Cipollini...in 1992! This guy was priceless. I rode up on him at a light as he was telling another cyclist some bullshit about the rarity of his equipment. When the light changed, I eased ahead of the small group of riders and settled in at about 20mph for the final few miles home. Then he attacked...
Long story short, I immediately got on his wheel and after determining that he had nothing to scare me with, Mongo did his patented, "Boonen-inspired", left rear quarter panel draft for a mile or so and then came around him and pulled away on the home stretch.
Tomorrow it's back to the Hammerfest for a little redemption, and probably my last day on squeaky cranks.
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