----- Original Message -----

From: Steve Douglas

To: BreakfastClubCycling@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 5:40 PM

Subject: [BreakfastClubCycling] Sunday Ride ramblings....

 

All,

So who wants to ride this Sunday. I guess it's been a while since the
BC has done any rides so it's
time to poll the masses to see who is up for what. During the past
week several folks asked me, "what's
up with the BC?". To try and answer that question I wrote a few thoughts.

I know that there is a lot of groups that offer rides and because of
that etc. the participation in BC rides has dwindled.
Several years ago there weren't many rides that were brisk/social and
fun. There were the OVAL rides and the R3
rides but not much in-between. The BC filled that void in that it was
brisk, but "no-drop". As the years passed the
regular BC participants got pretty fast and the pace and distances
increased. This lead to a decline in ridership. Yes
there were political things in there too like, "Steve said this and that
know-it-all fool thinks... I am not gonna ride with ...."
In any case we are where we are and the cycling climate in Fort Collins
is radically different.

So now, what? Some may have noticed that I haven't posted many rides
lately, and what's up with that. Some may have
noticed that of the rides that were posted, many of them were MTB and
those that weren't were just pointers to
Gale's rides. I've been off doing some different stuff, single
speeding, Pump track, Jumping and mellow riding. Yes I
could have posted those rides, but I was taking a break, getting up late
and riding a whatever time I was ready... I guess
I have been working on more "Zen" type riding, by paying more attention
to technique, bike setup etc in order to improve
my craft...stuff that many riders don't care about. I like working on
my weaknesses cause thats' what will make me better.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to get the bike to levitate for more
than a few seconds. :-) . Might be nice to just do
some skill dayz, but if that's what folks want, someone needs to speak
up. There are a lot of clubs out there that do
stuff for the members, and if that's what folks want, I am cool with
that. I prefer a group where it's the group that helps
form the club direction. Perhaps the dayz of the BC are over like the
dayz where Merlin and the old magic succumbed
to newer ways..... OK enough rambling for now....

Anyway, this brings up my thoughts on where the BC fits in the
cycling-ecosystem. I would like it to be more about
cycling fun, skills, and have a strong social component. Yeah we will
still do a lot of climbing and be reasonably strong
but not to the point that we get any crazier than we did during the
"Leadville Years". To that end, the BC rides will be posted
as folks want then.

That being said, "Is anyone up for a ride on Sunday?"

Thoughts anyone?

-Steve