Patience

16 June 2013

I want to expand on something I alluded to yesterday.  This post is not aimed at any one person; rather, it is a response to something that I see happening every year around this time.

This is the time of year when my rides start to get longer and hillier.  I start the rides farther away and earlier in the day.  All of these things make for a time commitment that is much greater than the run-of-the-mill weekend Cranbury ride.  I can guarantee distance, elevation, and scenery.  I can't guarantee that we'll be home by one o'clock.


I try to find rest stops that have a good selection of food and at least one clean bathroom.  If the ride is hilly and longer than 50 miles then I'm going to stop for food more than once.  Not everybody will need the second stop, but it's more important that everyone have enough food and water for the rest of the trip than it is to shave fifteen minutes off of the ride time.

Nobody drops a chain on purpose.  Nobody gets a flat on purpose.  Nobody makes a wrong turn on purpose.  The more people there are on a ride, and the longer the distance, the more likely it is that one of these things is going to happen.  Yes, it can be frustrating to have to stop and wait.  But remember this:  the next person to get a flat or miss a turn could be you.