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I for one feel the need to say I am proud to hang with y'all. In all the years I've been riding with this group (damn near 25) I have never seen such and orderly, measured pace line. Just too sweet. You did not let anyone get away or let anyone stand in your way. You guys were strrrrrong, neat and clean and just, well, you should be proud. And if I do say so, the jerseys did us right. At the carbo dinner praise was offered to all groups over 50 - you'll recall each decade carried their own name, (the masters, etc.) These were all well deserved, but the 50 and under are all just a bunch of animals! Jed Since, George brought up the comments about the last 25 miles on Sunday, and since everyone has given their thanks for a great two days of riding, it is now time for the "Deacons" descriptive commentary. I hope to write this recap so that you will feel as if you were there. Saturday Day 1 The joy of once again socializing with all of my Major brothers could only be over shadowed by the clouds that were hanging overhead. The rain started to fall, washing away the mental excitement and dampening the electricity that is usually present with the start of TOSRV. We did not feel like starting out in the rain, or at least I know that I did not want to start in the rain, but we knew we would be riding into nicer weather so we mounted our steeds for the 105 mile journey. The course change was a bit confusing to me (an out-of-towner from Cincinnati) and I could not get my bearings on the direction of which way we were traveling. I sat in the pack and was content to stay there until the route seemed to look familiar. We were all just starting to get that chill out of our bones in the warm-up "neutral" area, when Lenny decided that he had to do his thing. We all know Lenny is a somewhat different breed. Nothing wrong with that and we let the brother scamper on up the road. The route was leading us out of Columbus and for the first 10 miles all I could think of was the first pee break. After that we again rode as a bunch until about 5 miles later it was time for the second pee break. Must have been all the rooster tails that we were drinking!!! About 5-7 of us stopped for the second break as the rest moved on up the road like the peloton on the first stage of the Giro. Jed was the first one to break from the chase group. It wasn't but a minute before he was up the road and out of sight. Matt and I chased not hard, but enough not to loose ground on the pack. We entered a long straight stretch and could see the fellas about a quarter mile ahead. We caught just outside of Circleville and came into town as Groupo Compacto. We rode out of Circleville on a little road next to a cannel. It was a really sweet roll. That road led us to the turn onto 104.(I think that is the name of the road, like I said I'm an out-of-towner). This is what I was familiar with. 18 miles to Chili and the weather was turning for the better. We actually started to ride some dry pavement. The pace line started to work. The speed quickly went from 15 to 17 to 19. Then a truly epic event. Cleveland Rob pulled into the wind and started to really up the pace. The shoulders were rocking the wheels were humming. This brother was showing some true time trial skills. He pulled for a LONG turn and as he was pulling off Matt yelled out his complements on the pull. Well we all know how hard it is to hear in the wind. I think Rob thought Matt was telling him to get back up there, because that is what he did. The brother went back up and pulled some more! This was very exciting and it shelled a couple of guys off the back. Jed then took over up front and we were now hitting 22+. Rob was starting to feel the pressure, especially after that enormous pull. He was drifting off the back. I gave him a push and he hung until the fellas smelled the sprint sign. It was down to Jed and Matt, Coolie, Ivan, Ken, Rob, and me. Jed is a monster. He eventually sprinted off the front for the Chili sign. Ivan tried to go and was sitting in between. We were rolling up to pick up Ivan again and there was Lenny. The brother pulled off a solo break that reminded me of Laurent Jalabert. What a first half. We rolled up to the van and "sat with the sun on our shoulders and felt like free men" (Name that movie). The lunch stop gave us a good rest and the group rolled out in a large pack again. The jerseys were working. We looked like a pro tour team out on a training ride. We rolled over the first climb and out on to the flat straight stretch of highway. A long line of "Y-NOT" cyclists came streaming by. Now I didn't know this at the time, but apparently these guys thought we were a bunch of posers and gave a once over with a little look of disgust. Well, Coolie was having non of it. (Now, remember this is how I saw things so the facts of what we said to each other has a little artistic license, but the riding is straight up fact.) Once the line was past us Coolie seemed to send Jed and Ivan on the attack. They jumped out wide and shot around the Y-Nots. There was an immediate reaction and Coolie, Ken, Matt, Lenny and I tagged on the back for a free ride as the other team chased after Jed and Ivan. This went on for several miles and just as they had pulled in the "animals" Coolie jumped and we all sling shot out and around. We picked up Jed and Ivan and went cruising through the bad turn under the RR tracks and up the next hill. We were all mixed together now and all fighting for the top of the next hill. There were slower riders to the inside and one jumped line and squeezed Matt to the outside into me. We both lost momentum and were off the back. One of the Y-not girls (Yes a girl, but she could roll like Kristen Armstrong) was falling off at the crest and started to sprint to get back. I tagged on to her and she pulled me half way back. I came around and she latched on and we were back in the fold. I thought that I better save a little because School House was coming. Just then I looked up and there it was. I thought well, I'm done for sure now. Thank you North Carolina. I climbed up SH and didn't loose any ground. The line stretched out again. We were in eche lon style all the way to the far side of the oncoming lane looking to get the draft. The wind was blowing hard from our front right creating a varying head/cross wind. We mixed it up the rest of the way to Waverley. I am not sure who was first in. I did gap slightly over the last rise and came in about 15 seconds off. I did my best and felt completely satisfied with my efforts. Ken was ready to roll so he and I went on to Portsmouth together. We were holding around 17-18 for most of the ride. We were spinning high revs saving that deep muscle strength for tomorrow. Finally, the road opened up and we could see the bridge. Ken was more than ready to get there and went out and pulled the pace up to 21. It was all I could do to hold his wheel. I was scared to death that any minute he was going to pull a Boonen break on me and I would have to come in solo, but I held and we rolled into town together. We pulled up to the church to find Lenny laying on the grass. 105 miles 6 and some odd hours. Not bad for three weeks off the bike. Not bad at all. Day 2 coming soon…, Russ Well Fellas, I have had enough time now to really digest this past weekend's ride to and from Portsmouth. Therefore, I'd like to say thanks to each and every one of you for such a great time. This ride was quite significant to me in that I haven't missed a ride in 24 years, BUT, this year was the first time in 4 years that I have gone both ways since I was in the hospital 5 years ago and off the bike doing "family" stuff. So, for me to have gone both days is a blessing and just the beginning of my "come back" to cycling. Maybe not at the level it once was (age will do that to you huh Brad?) but to me its a great start in getting back to riding regularly...so I am pleased. I want to thank the Masters and others for their encouragement in the early season and for including me on some really great training rides and, for talking me into going to North Carolina to ride Mt Roan. Like Russ said, when I got to Schoolhouse Hill...what hill!..was how much help NC was for me. Thanks again for the great experience, it was well worth. Our Prez is the best and he has supported me even when I was off the bike during those 4 years of little or no cycling. He kept me in "contact with the peleton" you'd might say. Thanks George!! And by the way, that was a class act at the Carbo Party, that one will go down as some "Legendary S..t!!" Take note, younger members, " showing class" never gets old! I have to say something here about the Cornerstone Church that we stayed at. They are tops when it comes to hospitality. We are blessed to have made contact with this church after having stayed at the Findley Street Methodist Church for over 22 years, before it closed. God was good enough to have placed this new church in front of us. without it, our ride would be totally different, trust me. So, if you'd like to send them a note to say thanks, feel free to do so. We want to stay there each year for the next 22 years! Their address is: Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 1415 Gallia St.,Portsmouth, Oh 45662 c/o Pastor Clark Finally, I just want to say that at times it is a little tough being the Club Treasurer, in that I have moments when I worry about where will we get the money for X or Y, but you guys always come through to help out. That helps makes my job easier. There are a few of you who really came through this weekend, to help out financially so that we would have the kits for TOSRV. And man did we look good, huh Jed?!! So I just want to say thank you all (and you know who you are) for helping the club out when it really needed it. I will be getting with you and conducting business...thanks! I'll say it again and again, " I have never seen or been a part of a group of guys that are so "tight" with a 20+ year relationship and are always, always, looking out for one another. I appreciate it and I just wanted to say thanks and that I am proud to be a part of the Major Taylor Cycling Club. All of you that came from out of town, Stu, Lamar, Rob, Gene, Gary, Wally...you guys are the best! you represent the Club in other states/cities and that means a lot to all of us. ( Good roll Stu, you left me on the first climb out of Waverly on Sunday...roll on (:-) you & and your crew, Byron & Carl) Those boys were rolling ya'll ! So, lets keep it rolling this season and stay on the bike and more importantly, in touch with each other. "Stay in contact with the peleton"!! PS. What we need to think about for the future, is to create our own tour, century, whatever you want to call it. This would be done to establish a commemorative ride for Major Taylor. Some of the Master and Senior Masters can remember the one we did from Columbus to Yellow Springs. Pate , I believe, was the only one to complete it. But we can do it and make it very interesting and fun. But it will take a lot of planning ahead. May the wind be at your back...always! Peace, JohnT