The Carrot and the Stick

Great commute this morning. It was surprisingly warm and the trails were wet and covered in leaves. That made it a bit more adventurous.

My original plan was to take it easy and ride mellow on the way to work. I've got a big ride planned for Sunday and my legs are somewhat toasted after a fairly challenging week of cycling.

That plan went out the window when I rolled onto the W&OD trail and I saw the very familiar sight pattern of Cadex Guy 100 meters ahead of me. This guy is seriously fast. He's also a really nice guy and we ride well together. He talks a little and does his best to make me feel like I'm not entirely lame as we roll along... him relaxed and mellow... me gasping for air and honking out snot rockets.

Riding the W&OD every day can get a little tiring. I tend to make up games to have the ride go a little quicker and to help me keep my pace up. The Carrot and the Stick is quite possibly the best at keeping my legs spinning fast. Anyone out in front of me is a carrot. My job is to catch up to them. Their flashing lights or reflective gear act as short-range radar. On wet mornings, the wet tire tracks left on dry pavement under bridges acts as long-range radar. I can see how many carrots are ahead.

Once I catch and pass a carrot, they become a stick. A stick that hangs on my wheel becomes the best motivation to keep pace high. I'm not trying to drop him/her. I am big enough that I make a good draft. I like being able to motivate people to go fast.

2 or more sticks in relatively close proximety makes a convoy. That is something entirely different. We tend to crash the gate doing 98 and let them truckers roll, 10-4. ;) Sorry.... Had to say that.

Back to this morning.....

I had about a mile to catch up to Cadex Guy before the new "cyclocross" section of the W&OD. They're doing utility work and have 300 meters of trail blocked. You have to jump off onto the gravel section. It isn't tough, though this morning it was seriously slippery in spots. Cadex Guy went from carrot to stick at this point. He wasn't familiar with the section and had 23mm tires, so he took it easy. I've got 35mm soul suckers for tires and just blew by him.

I got a pretty good lead on him and that lasted for about another mile. That's when I came up on Stompy Jamis Dude. CRAP! Meeting this guy is bad enough when conditions are good. When it is wet and leaves are down, it is really bad. He's like me... doesn't always go fast, but can really step on it when he's got someone to ride with. Problem is he's a lot faster than me when he really gets going.

I flew past him in hopes that he wouldn't take the bait.... it was on the short climb right after East Falls Church Metro. Cadex Guy was still about 30 meters back. Stompy Jamis Dude might have been able to ignore me flying by... but he couldn't ingore both me and Cadex Guy... especially when adding him to the mix would make a convoy.

The downhill heading toward the Custis Trail was where I changed from a carrot into a stick bigtime. Both Cadex Guy and SJD came flying past me. I went into the drops to try and hold their wheels, but had no luck at all on the downhill. I just don't have that kind of horsepower or spin.

I was a bit more brave in the turns and kept a good head of steam up the first climb on Custis. I was close enough to start catching a face full of carrot rear wheel spooge off of the wet trails. This is the one part where I had a chance to pass these guys. I was travelling light today... they both had big packs. That was my saving grace. I finally got around them at the base of the rise near Glebe Rd. I held them off on the two steep downhills that go down next to 66.

We rode as a group down "Little Gavia" at Lee Hwy. It was insanely slick. I had the back end step out on me 4 times in about 50 meters. We took it easy through Rosslyn because there was a lot of foot traffic heading past the Marriott. We arrived at the light at Lynn St. together. All out of breath after a really nice commute. SJD heads over Key Bridge. Cadex Guy and I rolled together for about another half mile until he headed down Mt. Vernon Trail while I head across Roosevelt Bridge into DC.

I'm dead meat the next time I meet up with them when I've got a pack on. The worked me over really well today. I won't fare so well tomorrow.

I totally know that playing games like that qualifies me as a MUT Wonder. It is fun and a good way to goof off with the folks that I ride in with. We each get a laugh out of it. Trash talk is encouraged.

Sorry for blathering on. I guess it is my blog, so I'm entitled. :D

Later!

Pete