Weekend Riding

Sometimes the weekend delivers quality riding, sometimes quantity, sometimes neither, rarely both. This weekend was no exception with quality being the key word, and exceptional quality it was. A cool clear windy 8:00 am on Saturday starts by heading up Cuesta Grade on 101 N from SLO. Just before the climb began two strong riders blow past me with polite hellos - props to that. I hate riders who go by without a glance or a word, even in a race, much less in casual training. I'm not warmed up so I cool my jets and warm my knees for a few more slow minutes before the climbing begins. They start the climb a good 1/4 mile ahead of me. I purposely climb easily as a long one is on the schedule and I don't want to burn all my matches in the first hour. After a few minutes it seems I'm gaining on them and about half way up the climb I'm closing on them. I take it steady and am happy to catch them a mile or so from the top. We chat and finish the climb together and then ride together till I peel off for a coke and a water bottle top up. I'm feeling stoked at catching these guys without going into severe lactic overload and this realization gives me the motivation to go long - always hard on a solo ride. My legs reward me by feeling great all day both uphill and on the flats. The only bummer of the day was catching my wheel in a rut at high speed descending "the grade", and having the dubiouus pleasure of correcting a full rear wheel skid at 40mph.