Today I take the keyboard for my buddy Jim who’s resting after a long evening and night with Jen welcoming Raphael into this world.  Details on the delivery and the baby’s measurables is forthcoming.  To the future bike rider – Happy Birthday!

 Jim would want me to comment on our ride this weekend with the gang at “Beat the Train”.  Jim encouraged me to come along with a few guys he met at the Tour DeTroit (as noted in the last blog), rising at 5 AM to down a coffee and truck to Old Fort Wayne, i was a little nervous about how long/fast this group would roll.  Immediately on arrival the head of the pack – Andy was loud and proud welcoming new comers and raffling off some goodies before mounting up and heading out about 6:45 am. 

 Rolling through Mexican town the pack was off to cut the morning chill.  After 15 minutes of hard pedaling, we arrived at the Train Station to regroup (and shed that jacket).  The pace was fair, I was pushing a good sweat and felt comfortable with the group and my capabilities.  As we rolled into downtown, Single Speed Andy lead the group up the ramp to the Cobo Roof Top, heart beating 180 I crested the last turn with heaving lungs and burning calves to turn around and wisk our way down the ramp again to street level.  Lead Dog Andy was kind enough to pass directions to a driver of old D metal, the group took a breath and headed off to the River Front.  The water was glass on the river, no big winds to help or hinder our pace.  As we blew by the GM HQ/Ren Cen, Jim called out some push-ups at the bike shop break point – up and down; up and down – great to be alive.  From the bike shop the group headed out on the biggest run – up to Belle Isle and around.  As I hit the top of the bridge, I noticed SS Andy pulling ahead and decided to make a chase; picking my momentum, I pushed at full tilt turning up river.  SS Andy had no problem reeling me in, chatting a couple of minutes – then off he went.  A few other guys (including Jim from the Tour) joined up and the 4 of us crushed the rest of the loop, over the bridge and to Tim Horton’s to take a break.  Collecting the crowd, we headed for Indian Village and over to the Heidelberg project.  A few push-ups later and the decision was taken by Big Jim and me to break-off from the group to call it a day (unfortunately didn’t set the right timing expectations with my lovely wife).  All in all the BTT was a great group of riders and certainly will bring me back a few more times before the snow flies.