I pedaled the puddle

[Joe Bernard]

Ok technically I pedaled NEAR it, this was the farewell Pedal The Puddle ride at Clear Lake CA. and they didn't do the loop around the lake this year, just the 20 and 40 milers. I did the 20 which was billed as a "family fun ride" but the first 8-or-so miles were pretty serious and steep to me! But then we went down the other side and that was pretty rad. 

I had a lot of fun and really didn't miss the brutal 67 miles around the lake I had done a few times in the olden days, this was awesome. Then there was BBQ!

One Roadeo spotted, I think we had the only Rivs there. Note the very worn-in Brooks, that's a Rivbike with big miles under its wheels 🙌

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rVXrjdo8MJNsaNow6

Joe "puddle pedaler" Bernard 

[J J]

Looks like so much fun, Joe. Does farewell mean this was the last such ride? Brought back memories of a boating and waterskiing trip to Clear Lake a while back. Beautiful.

And your bike looks awesome as usual. What size tires are you running?

[Joe Bernard]

Yes it was the last one, whicn was cancelled for the pandemic in '20 and '21 then finally run this year. A fellow I spoke to at the BBQ said Ride Director Jennifer Strong struggled to get help on the administrative side and decided she'd had enough. Unspoken but notable considering this fellow was in his 80s, I was quite surprised to see most of the riders were my age (60) and older; I don't know what the demographics for other charity rides are but this one seemed to consist of the same folks who rode with me when I was doing these things 15-20 years ago. Me-thinks the registration numbers were dwindling. 

Tires are 650B x 47 and I needed every mm of them. Lake County roads need help! 

[Roberta]

That does look like fun. 

I rode in John H’s (from this board) club metric century (or metric 1/2 century) fundraiser in south NJ this year. No beautiful lake like you had, but gentle rolling hills and pretty views. I’m sure much easier than what you rode. 

I did the 1/2 century and am happy that I got back to the ending point, the last person in my group but at least before any of the century riders got there.  😊

I got to see John, his new to him Lyon bike ( it’s beautiful), and chatted with others at the BBQ. It’s a lovely way to spend the day, isn’t it?

Roberta

[Joe Bernard]

Roberta, 

I was worried about being last, too, and was determined to avoid it. I started out cruising then remembered to take a page out of the "ride like Leah" handbook, she told me recently she keeps it in a high gear most of the time and just GOES. So I did the same and just WENT!* 😂🤣

*Thanks for this, Leah..I'm a notoriously non-going pedaler and this helped me. It works! 🙂

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Congrats on getting back into group rides! I have found them to be immensely rewarding and a great way to keep extra fit. I never go as fast on my own as I do on a club ride; it’s good to know you *can* if you want to. I am glad my advice helped you - I don’t know anything about anything; I just know that I dislike spinning. It makes me feel anxious and out of control, but pushing against pedals is an accomplishment. I have found that my muscles will do what I ask of them if I am willing to push past some discomfort. Beware, your jeans may start to feel snug around your thighs. Now that it’s pants-weather up north, I’m realizing this.

[Joe Bernard]

Huh, that's a fascinating description of how spinning feels to you. I'm the opposite, I like to spin-spin-spin and 
find the hard-gear/push-hard thing to be more stressful. I don't know why and I'm practicing getting better with it cuz that spin does have the effect of making every ride take all dang day to get where I'm going. 

Group ride: 

What's funny is it didn't end up being one. The 20-milers were supposed to leave no earlier than 10am so we wouldn't get to the rest stop before they were set up, I expected the whole group to take off at once. Nope! It was very 'everyone just wandering around and doing their own thing' when I got there so I snapped a pic and hit the road by myself. Eventually I joined up with a father and son and we did the crazy-fast downhill together, so that was cool.