September 4, 2013--To Group or Not to Group?

   I've been faced with growing a bit bored with my usual routes.  I wouldn't have thought that would happen, but it starts feeling like I'm not being challenged always doing the same way.  Plus, with part of it on the greenway, I get tired of always having to announce myself to pedestrians.  I've looked a lot at mapmyride.com to find rides nearby that others have created, but it's a lot to sort through, plus many of them are basically variants on going to Carter Lake, which doesn't appeal to me for it's lack of shoulder and tight curves.
   I've joined a couple MeetUps that do group rides in the area, but I've mostly been lurking.  One seems to spend most of its time on the path, which doesn't have as much appeal, and the other is road bikes, which has more appeal but comes with it fear I might not be able to keep up, especially since they've passed me before!  Fortunately, one of my colleagues is a member of that group (The St. Vrain Chain Gang), and he encouraged me to join, especially since their ride this last weekend was one that I was curious about: what's known as the Fruit Loops in Lyons.  Life conspired against me, though, with a little one that was sick and kept us up on Satirday night, so I overslept on Sunday.  I was a bit nervous about it, though, so probably about any excuse not to go, I suppose.  I worry that I'm not fast enough and that I'm not familiar with group etiquette...plus bike riding is partly about being out by myself.  I've still got to decide, but it won't be this weekend since they're heading up to Carter Lake!  Oh well...I like to drive a new route once before biking it so I can get an idea of traffic and shoulders, so I've driven the route the group took on Sunday, so I'm ready to go.  I do need to make myself go out since it's getting harder to get all rides in with the return to work.  My plans for rides over the long weekend became none when it was all said and done, though.
   On the bright side, I did bike to and from work today, adding a few extra miles on the way home to get me to a bit over 21 miles for the day...not too bad for the middle of the week!  Now to just get in a couple more rides this weekend.  And decide about doing a darn group ride...