Another 75km road ride in the books...

My weekly routine is about to change.  Probably a hair too late for the SSWC, but whatever.. it all helps.

This week is my last organizing and leading my Saturday road rides.  The ride will continue, but it has been passed off to another to keep it going.  I recently took over "Mountain Bike Gaijin" here in Japan.  It is a group of mountain bikers - mostly in the Yokosuka area (near me, yay) that used to ride together semi regularly, but since its founder moved to California has been lost without direction. Having spoken to Mark (founder) about it, he thought turning over the reigns to me made sense - and starting next week - we will have planned and organized rides to get the group moving in the same direction again.

So... this was my last road ride as the organizer.

Thoughts?
I enjoyed it more than usual.  Oddly, there is just a little bit of stress on your shoulders when you organize a road ride.  You worry a little about everyone's safety, you don't want anyone to get lost, etc...  So you spend time at the front, fall to the back, back to the front, etc...  You don't really consciously think about it as you are doing it, but you realize you are more drained after a ride than usual.  This is not any requirement put on me by the group, but rather a self imposed requirement to make sure everyone has a good time and wants to come back next week.

This week I let most know I was done organizing and would be joining the ride as a participant sporadically in the future.  Everyone was cool with it and asked a bit about the MTB thing.  I expect maybe to have two join off road, the rest are die hard roadies.

So during this ride, I just relaxed and pedaled.  I did not concern myself too much with the front or back, I just sat where ever my legs felt I should be at the time.  I looked around more than normal and the weather was pretty much perfect for the ride.  All in all - good times.

78km of Miura Peninsula is a good morning.

Starting next Saturday - I will alternate between MTB and Road every week.  Hoping to keep fitness on the road bike and keep bike handling skills on the MTB.  Hopefully this plan is a win/win!