October 17

Yep, I did the ride and what an experience.  It was my first real road ride in a group.  Sooo much fun being in a pack with 50 riders a few inches away from each other.  The weather was picture perfect, the route was great, the people were awesome.  There were a few pro riders and a lot of hard core regular riders.  The pros talked to EVERYONE, they actually took the time to hang with the newbie’s and chit-chat for the first 18 miles.  I thought I was doing good because I was in the first pack to mile 11, then struggled to keep up on Beaver Meadow Road in Haddam, where the 20-something Radio Shack sponsored kid literally pushed me up the hill while trying to give me a pep-talk the whole time. (AWESOME power he had!)  The aid station was at mile 18, that was the last I saw of that pack - I kept going with the B or C team until mile 53 where I tanked.  I didn't eat enough and I just went really slow the last 7 miles solo.  It wasn't a time event but the whole ride took me 3 hours and 22 minutes.  I imagine the pros did it under 2:45.  The after-ride BBQ was great, all the hot dogs and hamburgers, potato salad, coleslaw you could eat - if you felt like eating at that point.  I'd recommend it to anyone, especially if they are a D group rider and want to hang with me on the ride.