Back to Miami, Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge. I am indoctrinating Gabie into the fraternity of clipless pedals today. Hopefully we will have no catastrophe with this indoctrination.

This morning, I pulled on the Polka Dot jersey (for those of you not in the know, the Polka Dot Jersey is awarded to the best mountain climber in the Tour de France). Time to back it up with some action. For some reason the group started slow this morning. I looked at my cyclecomputer and I was doing about 12 MPH and the group was still way behind. I waited for them and we made our way to Rickenbacker. I stood up and danced on the pedals immediately at the foot of the bridge. I was first over the bridge in our group, and descended like a madman. The head winds were unreal and made a solo effort all the way over the 2nd smaller bridge.

Unfortunately, I came across something NO cyclist ever wants to see- a rider down with a group around him and several cars parked off to the side. I could see an emergency vehicle off in the distance arriving, so I just passed the group slowly. The rider was being stabilized by the other cyclists in the group, but the rider did not look good. Either he was knocked silly or there no longer was any life left in his body. I saw his bike in a twisted heap in the median strip. This stuff makes me sick.

At this point, another rider from the group joined me, told me I was insane for pulling a solo effort with such a headwind, and he and I took turns pulling each other to the meeting point in Biscayne Village. The group rejoined and we traversed through the residential part of the village.

We set a pace line on the way back the Key to Virginia Key. However, I soon realized I was in a 4 person breakway- e 3 TNT riders and some chump who decided to latch onto my wheel. One thing I HATE is when a rider who is not with me or my group decides to catch a free ride. After my pull, I sat on his wheel close to make him pull me and teach him a lesson. He probably learned quick, as he looked to be only about 150lb and he was pulling someone 40lbs heavier than him. I let him pull me all the way to the small bridge, where I jumped and sprinted past him. I got it up to 32.1MPH going UP the small bridge!

On the group trip out Virginia Key, I decided to play around with the large chainring on the front. I have not been a big chainring type of guy since my college cycling days, but I was suprised that I found a rhythm and speed.

On the way back, I was starting to feel fatigued. One rider pulled a breakaway and was far ahead of me when he reached the foot of Rickenbacker. No King of the Mountain for the ride back. Early in the climb I had two other riders pass me. I had enough. I dropped to the small cog on the back, and just stood up and cranked. I haven't experienced that is a long time- just looking down at the ground immediately in front of me and hammering. In no time, I caught the two riders who had passed me. I would like to say I was 2nd over the top, but one of the VERY slight of build riders caught me about 10 feet from the crest of the bridge as I had been spent and had sat down to spin.

I had planned to hammer it back to Kennedy Park, but I happened upon Gabie on her return. She gave me the great news that she had been initiated into the clipless pedal club with a fall at a stop. Usually harmless, but unfortunately the R pedal crankarm hit her right where she had ankle surgery and was hurting. The Cryocuff will be in her near future.

It was a good ride altogether. Looking forward to the mileage increasing next weekend.