Ass Handed

I got my ass handed to me yesterday.

After failing to round up the "regulars" for a weekend ride I decided to join a ride posted on the dtownmtb yahoo group.  Eight other riders had the same idea. That's a good size group for a mountain bike ride.

I LOVE group rides - the social aspects as well as the opportunity to learn new skills and push yourself.  This ride was no different and I'm a little sad but mostly glad to say I blew up near the end of our ride.  We spent the day finding climbs I never knew existed in that park.

Tangent: we decided after the ride that there is a propensity for humans to ride loops clockwise (e.g., we like right hand turns better than left hand turns). So we spent the day riding the WCMR loops counter-clockwise which meant: (1) the trails all felt new, (2) we ran risk of collision with high speed descender, and most importantly (3) we found some grueling uphill climbs.

Now I could blame my explosion on the lack of gears, but I wasn't the only one in the group riding a single-speed.  The end started while climbing near the skills course.  My quads started to cramp whenever I stood up on the pedals.  Never in six years of riding had my quads cramped.  Not once in five days of brutal climbing in Colorado.  The quad cramp was disconcerting because that's a big muscle (even on my spindly legs) and I knew that if it got out of control I would be basically incapacitated (and probably in a world of hurt).

I have always carried some electrolyte capsules in my pack (schwagg from some race). I dropped a couple of them in desperation.  A long shot but the only shot I had.  Within ten minutes I was able to stand a pedal without cramping.  I was still slow, but at least I was pedaling.

Takeaways:

1. I will ALWAYS have some of the Heed stuff in my back pack
2. I will be a much better rider if I keep riding with this group
3. I need to decide what bike to bring to Raystown (I love that Rig but I don't want another blowup)

Chris