The day started at 6am - had a tuna sandwich and soy milk to wash it down before heading down to the pick up spot for the ride. at 6:55am - the bus was already full of people, I was the last person to show up, it was to be a pack of 18 or so riders today. 20 days before the Olympics, saw many sporting events around Beijing, namely a mountain bike race near the great wall that occupied one of our vans that typically carried everyone's bicycles. Left with only two out of the usual 3 cars - the cabin of the bus was packed with bicycles. 
(pondering the suffering ahead)
Fast forward an hour and half and we're at our usual starting point. Forcast called for scattered thunderstorms but it was not to be until much later in the afternoon. The unloading of the bicycles was a show & tell of sorts with pro rigs of Trek Madones to Cervelo R3's, Ritchey breakaway, campy records, dura ace grouppos to name the flashes of brand represented. 
(pondering the suffering ahead)
Fast forward an hour and half and we're at our usual starting point. Forcast called for scattered thunderstorms but it was not to be until much later in the afternoon. The unloading of the bicycles was a show & tell of sorts with pro rigs of Trek Madones to Cervelo R3's, Ritchey breakaway, campy records, dura ace grouppos to name the flashes of brand represented. As soon as the group mounted the bikes it was off to a fast start on a gradual ascent. 8am - the heat from the blazing sun was already starting to take full effect as the group heads for steeper ascents. Having not ridden for close to 2 months I was looking to do the 55km route with one steep 9km climb but the group was not having any of that so without options I hung on to the tail of the 120km and 85km group.
10 miles into the ride, the unassuming sunshine , humidity and gradual incline quickly start to have an effect on my moral as I'm riding alone behind the lead group which had left 5 minutes ahead of me. I made up my mind to turn back at the 15 mile mark but started to feel better after after a few climbs. 15 miles in I picked up a straggler that had been separated from the main group. He too had not done his due diligence prior to today and was also paying the price.
This route is different from teh 55km route I did previously in that the climb is gradual at first then hits with a rapid gain in elevation. Two things ran through my mind; one- where is the rain predicted in the forcast? surely that would be a welcoming sight in the scourching, unrelentless climb. The second was the buffet at Todai that Claire and I were planning to have later in the evening.
All in all the new bike handled like a F1 car and climbed like a mountain goat - if only I fired on all cyclinders it would have been a perfect day. On the final 10 kilometers the sky turned dark in a matter of minutes and the group was attacked by large and rapid rain drops as we descent into the valley back to the finish. I shot down the hill at around 40mph with the painful pelting rain on my face and arms - I didn't want to be a hero in weather like this, who knows how far the nearest hospital was. Within minutes I was completely soaked and pounding the pedals at 30mph before finally arriving at where we begain four hours ago.
The Buffet later in the evening was the best I've had in recent memory. I hope to improve on my performance next week - for now I'll need to recover my body.
10 miles into the ride, the unassuming sunshine , humidity and gradual incline quickly start to have an effect on my moral as I'm riding alone behind the lead group which had left 5 minutes ahead of me. I made up my mind to turn back at the 15 mile mark but started to feel better after after a few climbs. 15 miles in I picked up a straggler that had been separated from the main group. He too had not done his due diligence prior to today and was also paying the price.
This route is different from teh 55km route I did previously in that the climb is gradual at first then hits with a rapid gain in elevation. Two things ran through my mind; one- where is the rain predicted in the forcast? surely that would be a welcoming sight in the scourching, unrelentless climb. The second was the buffet at Todai that Claire and I were planning to have later in the evening.
All in all the new bike handled like a F1 car and climbed like a mountain goat - if only I fired on all cyclinders it would have been a perfect day. On the final 10 kilometers the sky turned dark in a matter of minutes and the group was attacked by large and rapid rain drops as we descent into the valley back to the finish. I shot down the hill at around 40mph with the painful pelting rain on my face and arms - I didn't want to be a hero in weather like this, who knows how far the nearest hospital was. Within minutes I was completely soaked and pounding the pedals at 30mph before finally arriving at where we begain four hours ago.
The Buffet later in the evening was the best I've had in recent memory. I hope to improve on my performance next week - for now I'll need to recover my body.
