Argh!

[johnridley]

no long ride this month for me.
They just announced the annual company kickoff meeting. As per usual, it's in Livonia. That's a nice 35 mile ride, so 70+ miles before lunchtime and a mediocre breakfast thing in between. I did this for the first time last year and it was fun, except for the "sitting in a meeting for 2 hours" part.

However, they scheduled it for April 18, the morning after the 1040 due date (moved to the 17th this year, not the 15th). I'm probably going to be up until 3AM that morning, so I'm confident that nobody from work will even see me on the 18th. I'd like to be able to sleep in a bit, but that trick never works. In reality I'll still wake up at 6:30 and spend the whole day bleary.

I was thinking about doing the "Helluva ride" this year (starts in Hell, MI) - they have a 100 mile course. However, I don't see any good reason why I should pay someone for the privilege of riding on public roads around my house and having to put up with a bunch of other riders. I can go out any day and have nice clear roads without all those guys crowding the place up.

Comments

[katakanadian.livejournal.com]

I recently signed up for my first Randonneur "Populaire" ride. After paying my $25 fee I found out they were out of maps and checkpoint cards. Without making a fuss, I asked for a refund saying, "why am I paying money to do a ride I can easily find on my own and I don't get anything for it?" I also don't like people to close to me. I guess I won't be joining the Randonneur society after all.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Yeah, one of the things I like most about cycling is being alone. I think it would be fun to ride with a small group of friends, probably only 2 to 4 people total, but I don't have any interest in riding with a bunch of strangers.

I was fixing a flat by the side of the road last summer, and a guy stopped, checked that I was OK, and invited me on a club ride. I told him thanks but I rode for the solitude.