Sunday Renegades Ride

I just spent way too much time driving over the last few days and I
wasn't going to let mere lack of sleep keep me from joining my buddies
for some of my favorite punishment.

Dubya, Stitches and Beast met Bob at Base Camp. The temperature was
pleasantly cool. Quite a relief from the heat wave we've been
experiencing. We rode briskly out to West Hills, Cold Spring,
Huntington, stop in Syosset (new tiny deli offers seating in the
shade), campus and back. Lots of other riders out on the roads.

In Cold Spring, just as we're making our turn by the fire house toward
Snake, we merge with a group of about 8 riders who are going the same
way at roughly the same pace. We climb Snake and do the Huntington
route together up until the deli at the end of the harbor, at which
point they peel left while we keep straight. We didn't do any chatting
between groups. Bob and I were working hard to set the pace on the flat.

We then do the usual climb out and descend back toward 108. I'm ahead
on the steep, as I like to be. Just as I'm approaching 108, I
recognize Shrek's bike just ahead of me. As I'm pulling alongside I
yell out "Hey, Shrek!" Unfortunately it was too sudden and unexpected
for him and he just gets startled. Since I was wearing a brand new
Jersey (a present from the SIG class of 2010) he didn't recognize me
and kept straight toward Woodbury, while I made my turn onto 108. The
others were a short way back and missed the whole exchange.

Did our usual ride back along the LIE. A couple of very strong riders
from the Triangle kept blowing past us and stopping at the red lights,
while we pulled ahead at those lights whenever we could. No Vista Hill
today. Total 60 miles.

Hoping to see more Renegades next weekend. Bob will be away but I'll
be here. I'll send out reminders to meet at my house instead of Bobs.