Grouping up at PBP
Dan Driscoll
Jack Nicholson
On Dec 30, 2022, at 4:35 PM, 'Dan Driscoll' via Randonneurs USA <randonn...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
After reading Jan’s article on page 8 of the current American Randonneur Magizine “Randonneuring & Pacelines”, I had a lot of pleasurable flash backs of many prior PBP’s with long lines of Randos strung out as far as the eye could see, behind a few strong riders feeling their oats, and remembering what a Fun Experience that was, as we breezed down the road in harmony.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Randonneurs USA" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to randonneurs-u...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/randonneurs-usa/DFA7BD23-CD9A-461B-B13B-2CAFCB155EC1%40me.com.
Jim Logan
One of my fondest memories of PBP 2011 was “paceline of the wounded” on a flat section around day 4. People of all nationalities.
Looking back at my ride report:
“To Druex
I didn’t connect with my pleasant companion from the last stage, so I took off on my own. As soon as I started, I knew I was fading really fast. Right after Montagne-Au-Perche are repeated ridge climbs. Being on the road for 24 hours was also catching up with me. A few miles out of Montagne-Au-Perche I tried to stop and sleep on a bench. I couldn’t sleep, though I got a nice picture of my bike standing against a tree here.
So I suffered on – at least I am used to suffering on ridge climbs. What happens after these rather brutal (for our condition) ridge climbs, the route gloriously flattens out. Here what I described as “pace-lines of the wounded” started to form, and it was as funny as heck. There was a French rider helping a buddy, and me, both of us would set reasonable paces. However, most other riders had delusions of grandeur of what their bodies were capable of (and what everyone else was capable of). The proper speed was 16-18 mph. But people kept attempting to pull over 20 mph, and they would pull the line apart (and perhaps blow up as well). There was one eastern European rider weaving a good bit, and perhaps a bit disoriented. In that situation you just looked out for him and for others, and that he didn’t weave into you. The group was perhaps 10-20 riders. At one point I was on the front trying to set a sensible pace after the group had been pulled apart for the umpteenth time, when a small group of 3 that had been among those pulling the line apart took off. I decided to stop being sensible and go with them. It was fun for a while, but a big mistake. Off course I blew up. I believe the rest of the group eventually caught me again.”
Jim Logan
RUS #3730
Pittsburgh, PA
--
