Our first New Member Ride of 2014 went smoothly. I think the ominous weather and two upcoming scheduled rides kept turnout on the low side, but the four prospective members who came out seemed enthusiastic and capable. Thanks to Marc, Yang, Erika, Phillip, Josh, and Neil for coming out and helping to manage the ride. Sorry if I forgot anyone.

A couple of random notes about the ride.

• Despite less than ideal road conditions and a new group of riders, I was very impressed with the group's smooth rotating paceline.
• That new-ish coffee stop on 9W before Sparkill? They've got an outdoor fire-pit and after we threw a log or two extra on it, heat was happening!
• Saw a number of Kissena's heading the opposite direction (including a group of 3) when we were heading out. I wasn't able to identify any of them, but without any posts on the weekend rides thread, seems like it must have been Double Secret Training. So okay...that's how it's going to be...;-)

David No.1 (Stokes) seemed to be on his own DST (Double Secret Training) as well.  Mad props after a billion feet of climbing during the California training camp.

Oh yeah, and I learned that even when riding recovery pace, 4.5 hours on the bike requires nutrition. As in more than one gel and a bottle of skratch. I started thinking about hamburgers and pizza waaay before my usual Pavlovian landmark of Chelsea Piers, and then after my shower I ended up getting really creaky and passing out, which caused me to miss the barley wine festival :'(

I think what people sometimes forget is that there are really no "easy" >4.5 hour rides. That distance takes a toll on you regardless of pace. When I lead my slow "worm-hole" rides, most everyone is tired after the day. And that's a ride where I literally coast on all the downhills, stop at 90% of yellow/red lights, go really slow up climbs, etc.

There's also that whole, "need more calories to stay warm in the winter" argument. I happen to believe it, although I know some do not.

Glad I'm not alone with having a bizarro nutrition day. Headed out to the GT clinic and new member ride on my usual weekend ride breakfast (banana, oatmeal, coffee, sugar) then went 4.5 hours only adding a banana, coffee, and half an Osmo bidon of Osmo active hydration (that I was excited to try). But I think I was too stressed to reach down and rehydrate while riding with the new members on rough roads. And since the pace was slower, sweating was minimal, and weather considerations cut down our milage, it just felt like a really easy ride. I felt like I could go another couple hours when I got home, but luckily didn't. During dinner, my wife pointed out that my hands were all shriveled like an old lady. Seriously gross. And I'm dealing with lingering leg cramps today.

Yeah, just ask Mike about our "easy" Sunday at California camp...

How come I didn't get a Ritte hat?

Another new member ride goes off tomorrow!

I'm in for new member ride tomorrow. 8am at BB for me.

same here 8am BB

The crashes did a number on me today and will make a decision in the morning whether I'm okay enough to go out.

Get some rest David, you deserve it.

Sorry Jeff I'm out.

Sunday quiz time: What happens when you don't ride your bike for 6 weeks and then undereat for the cold weather? Answer: you have to bail on a new member ride because you feel the inevitable bonk closing in behind you.
Sorry I punked out Jeff, feel pretty embarrassed about it, especially cause it was a new member ride. Thanks, @JoshuaC‌ for the gels. I stopped at the Alpine police station for about 15 and felt fine afterward. Actually had a fairly nice ride back to Brooklyn afterwards.
Hope the rest of the ride went well.

Dude - you sure your ok? It sounds like you bonked so hard you are thanking yourself for gels.

Josh E. failed to mention that he drilled the front all the way up the west side through a stiff headwind to get us to the meetup on time ish. It was kind of funny. He said to me he thought he was having a mechanical and we actually stopped and checked his brakes!

It was another cold but good new member ride. We had four folks brave the cold and time change to come ride with us. Big ups to Phillip, the two Joshes, and our brand new member Chi for coming out and representing the club to prospective new members.

The KCC turn-out at these has been a bit thin, and I'm hoping to see a few more familiar faces at the next one, currently scheduled for April 27. The calendar will reflect any updates and I'll post them here too.

Yeah, it turned out the mechanical was my legs! S#!+, I gotta get on my bike in the mornings.

Thanks to all the current KCC members who helped lead this ride. Myself, I was wiped from a couple of hard weeks of training, plus a long day on Saturday. I needed the extra sleep today. I do plan on participating in more of these as my schedule allows!

New member ride this Saturday, April 26. Come on out and help keep it organized and meet our future teammates. It'll be an easy pace to Piermont and back, but if you're looking for a hard workout, just split off in Piermont to do your work.

Only day I can ride this weekend.  Planning to be at BB.

I'll there too at 8am and happy to assist with the new member ride until Piermont but will probably press on to the water tower, etc for a longer ride.

Bump up.

Might be a clip on fender kind of ride...

I'm planning on being there (at GWB) as well if it's not too rainy.

I'll at the GWB after the race in CP. Making this my recovery ride, so go easy on me, guys. 

OK, decision time y'all.

Jeff, sorry to hear you're sick. Not sure where you're looking, but weather.com says 20% chance of rain. Are you saying that's still too high? 

If it is still on tomorrow I can help lead it up via 9W or River Rd.

Can't volunteer on Sunday since I need to be back in Brooklyn by 11am latest, sorry.

I'm in the same boat as Yang, i.e., can do tomorrow and am willing to help be a cruise director.  Cannot do Sunday. 

I may come also.
I'll declare myself 50/50, like Weather Underground which says 50% chance of rain at 50degF at 8am.

Leave Jeff alone. He's sick.