Will ride for food

The highly anticipated pancake ride has come and gone. For those that missed it, you missed out on probably the greatest group ride ever in the history of group rides. Why, pancakes and sausages of course.

My morning didn't start out as smooth as I had planned. I was so far prepared to make sure I would be at the spot with lots of time. This went bad though when I couldn't find my HR monitor. I searched my house high and low. Probably went around in 5 or 6 times getting more and more frustrated. I had everything else packed and organized and I knew I left the watch in a spot right beside my bag. As the clock rolled past 8 I said screw it. I did wander over the speed limit but somehow managed to there with seconds to spare. As for the monitor, I did find it when Ii got home. Bob the cat thought it was a great toy to play with and knocked it under the laundry hamper 2 feet from where I had placed my bag.

On to the ride. there were sprint signs and KOM points to be accumulated. There was no easy smooth ride for food. You want to eat you need to build an appetite. After a conformation that the first spring was only a couple k from the start I shook my head and as it approached I stood up and then sat back down a few moments later. My body does not fire up that quickly and I could feel yesterday's ride in them. A little hill felt pretty big.

I did put my one good premeal sprint in coming into Shanty Bay. Jacob and I battled out the TCR's to the point that it almost became a photo finish. I kept about half a bike length on him as we crossed the line. Settled back into the group, talks of the upcoming season, who is going where etc etc. This lead to the most comical sprint of the day. The twin brothers from different mother's have been watching to many movies and went riping past the pack screaming shake and bake in a pretty pitiful attempt of a lead out and sprint for the home town line. Brandon the tank pulled a couple out of our pack, chased down and blew by for Brendan to take the points. The twins road with their heads down for a little while at the back of the pack. At least they weren't thinking Maverick and Goose or some wing man thoughts before there next attempt.

After a real exciting hour the destination finally appeared. After a little patience, 9 hungry cyclists don't have many and they could see the aggression building if we didn't eat soon and split us into two groups. Maybe they figured it would be easier to control a small pack than a large mob. The wait was worth it, food was awesome. I don't think I can make pancakes at home for a while till the memory of yesterday is cleared from my mind. A little jab at a friend. The fastest rider amongst us, let alone even the nation is the slowest pancake eater any of us have ever seen. We were done before he even took his first bite. Luckily none of us were still hungry or his plate of child sized bites may have been taken away from him.

Back on the bikes, movement was slow for the first few km, and then a few more. The next run of sprint signs I opted to lay low and keep that good food in my stomach. We decided to take the long way around, I needed the miles so not doing it alone was a bonus. Some fun left and rights which included a few very sketchy sandy downhill turns but there were no fatalities.

My last blast was for the Craighurst sign. I did the bad thing and thought I had a large enough gap. Went pretty good out of the box and maxed out the gears standing. A glance back I had a sizable lead on the chasers and I sat down to try and maintain the pace. Worst thing, felt the bike slow a bit, stood back up and accelerated again but it was to late. Brandon the tank came around me just before the sign. A downhill sprint against a 200 plus pound guy is not an easy thing to take.

More talks of saving the world, environment etc as we rolled back towards and into Barrie. Last attempts of hammering were pretty much fizzle. As the pack split up for people to roll home only a few back to the starting point. 3.5 hours and 85 kms to add to the mileage count. Great ride and food. Maybe every ride should be some sort of destination ride. As I drove back home to the great white north which is apparently 20 minutes north of Barrie according to some the sun broke out and the temperature warmed up. A quick text out and the response I got was comical. It's snowing down here. HMMMM I like living north, less snow.

The first MNS pancake ride was extremely successful. Now the count down until next year for round. two. Back to the work world today.