April 29th, 2009

This was the first group ride where another rider was able to stay on my wheel (and in some cases, push harder and faster). He was on an old steel bike that probably weighed 10lbs more than mine. It had down tube shifters, and fenders, and he wore wool pants. He later told me that before the ride began he had eyed me as the fast one in the group. I couldn’t say the same. We had wondered why he had showed up at all.

But then we were humbled.

I couldn’t shake him on the climbs. This never happened. Races aside, I haven’t had any real competition in a very long time. I welcomed this after it became obvious that he wasn’t going anywhere. He told me his name was Salem, that he used to race but now just rides for fun. He sold his car in October and is on his bike ‘too much’. Everything about him was simple — his appearance, his bike, the answers to the questions we asked. The rest of us were dressed in bright colored cycling jerseys and riding carbon fiber bikes. It was an interesting contrast — I realize I have a lot of work to do. I doubt we’ll see him again.