The topic here is the 4 spring rides. This page really should not be under Lagos but I am so happy with the present organization of pages that I am not going to place a "general" reflections page like this outside the accepted framework.
I am definitely well aware of my aging, 78 and biking decline.. I have not been back in the US a week yet! I road with my Portsmouth bike group twice so far, Wednesday and Saturday. Both times I was dropped BADLY, even though I actually rode both Saturday and Sunday this week in Portugal!.
In years past, I might day dream about getting a coach, power meters, and really working on improvement. Now I am more into the mind set of acceptance. I certainly enjoy the focus of riding, enjoy starting with the group and maybe ending by joining their beer or coffee. And every once in a while a slow person will show up and I will have company on the ride but overall I am content with my non-group motoring. Such has always been the case in Portugal.
Cancun. I did not arrive in good shape. The fall and December of 2024 was a real low point in my riding. Weather, set up at Squirrel etc. Hopefully in 2026, I will make more of an effort to arrive in Cancun in some kind of shape and really go balls to the wall as much as I can to hang onto the group beyond my normal drop point at Pirate Bridge. I do now have a great alternative Cancun ride where I go out the straight non-hotel road on my own on days when the shop ride is not happening. Surfin Buritto, with a constant flow of people to talk to, great wait staff and smoothies that I really enjoy, almost makes the trip in itself! And then I may have Las and ??? again at the hostel. I just have to make the reservations as soon as I can get Emily and family to agree that I am ok leaving in early January.
Sadona. A non repeat. I loved having Kim. The housing was perfect in regard to being close to bike shop and ride starts and even dinners. The ride group, even though it lacked women and went fast, was still quite reasonable. Good people to talk to at a very reasonable breakfast cafe. Non-alcoholic beer is within riding distance. Not as sure about snack food, breakfast, etc. It really is a driving dependent local.
Claremont. Can't beat the accommodations, bike group, Back Abby bar. A total winner. Yes I get dropped on rides but I can be much better at being sure the phone has the breakfast meetup spot. I would go for 2 weeks instead of Kim's 10 days.
Lagos. Again, a real winner. Shaker Bar is a bit of a drag without Karley but I can make it work. I will keep after new bar tenders and restaurants, though Belgium is really the place so far. I should explore other hostels to see if I can improve the flow of young women. Love the rides and lunches! Beer access at Merced is fine. I would have to consider moving the time back, if I got another rain trip but give it another year in early April.
I have been bonking on some rides. Total loss of energy. Needing to stop every mile and sit down and rest. I can certainly be better about water consumption. Should load up with more gels and energy food. I had trouble at least twice in Cancun. One time on the longest hotel road ride and then especially on the first? straight road ride. First Tuesday Sedona rie where the man guided me home. Several of the Claremont rides where I crawled along either the bike path or the road. At least one Lagos ride, the longest day, coming back from Zaviel. No heart pain but dizzy on all these failures. Water, food, and the realization to stop and treat the problem early. We willl get more information once I am riding my normal routes in NH and Boothbay.
I want to do another reconnaissance trip in February of 2026. Can't expect Kim to come so it has to be set up as non-driving. Florida? Costa Rica? Other central America. another Mexico? I should consider a group ride?