Note: We ran into Skip at Lake White on the way back to Columbus on Sunday - I received this email yesterday and asked Skip's permission to post it here... He was great to ride with and we  look forward to seeing him on one of our weekend rides and/or the MS-150.

dave

--------- Original Message ----------------------------------

Dave,

My introduction of yourself, and the rest of the "mostly old guys in tight shorts" team, to our Hite Bikes Racing team. Our website is www.foxvelo.org. Henry Dimmick is the main-man. Good to run into you and the rest of the fella's. You have a real nice group of people and appreciated you dragging my sorry butt through the end of the day. I hope to see you on the roads again and hope we hook up on the MS150.

---------------------- Forwarded by Skip Rogers/Pittsburgh/IBM on

I am sure I do not have to tell everyone, but Saturday was a great day for riding. I crossed the borders for to be a part of the TOSRV, back to back centuries over Saturday and Sunday. As nice as Saturday was looking, calm winds, cool, everyone was worried about Sunday's weather. Once you start the ride, it does not matter. I rode the first hour solo, passing people, enjoying the countryside. The second hour, I met up with someone who we exchanged pulls at 23 to 25MPH. We were both pushing hard, neither one wanting to give in. We reached the 47 mile mark, lunch, in little over two hours and ten minutes. After a quick break, some food, he hung back and I trudged on knowing the second half of the ride was over rolling hills and the last 30 miles would be into a headwind. One young guy, from Mexico, was sucking my wheel most of the remaining way. I took 20 minute pulls, he 5 minutes. Going down the little hills he would start to pass me, then fall back on the uphills. I was looking for a good workout and enjoying the day, so it did not bother me that much, until he receive a call on his cellphone seven miles from the first day's stop in Portsmouth. Phone calls during a ride? I finished in 4:40 of riding time, and one of the locals said I was the 11th person to finish. I am sure none of the first ten left before me. The first beer tasted great!

The evening was to be stormy, and it wasn't. Actually, it was great, warm and calm. I was more worried about "the calm before the storm." My fear was the pending front was being delayed. I have ridden the TOSRV in a driving rainstorm complete with lightning before. Suddenly, all those reasons why I have not ridden the TOSRV for the last five years started coming back. To my surprise, it did not storm overnight. Ah, probably just waiting for me to step out the door to begin. The morning was warm, and I headed out before first light, following the blinking red lights in the distance.

More the purpose of this note, not to bore you with my exploits, was to tell you about a riding club I crossed paths with at the first stop on Sunday. I rode the first 20+ miles solo, and was starting to feel the effects of the second day. I see a group of six riders, same jersey, coming into the stop. They had that look of knowing what they were doing, and I had that look of knowing I had 70 more miles to reach Columbus and still not knowing what the rain will begin. The motto on their jersey, "Mostly old men riding in tight shorts." The "Mt. Lebanon Cycling Club." What? Hey, these are P'burgh people. Two of the guys race at the crits, one, Bill, rode on PMVC last year. Perfect. Four of us led most of the way at the front of the pack to lunch, while others jumped on as we rode double-file to the stop. The winds started to pick up, fortunately from the south, but still giving the hint that the worst weather was on the way. We started flying. Put a 20 MPH wind behind a couple of strong riders and see what happens. I started to fade, depleted and tired for the cumulated effort. When we pulled into the final rest stop, 20 miles from Columbus, they was saying the storm was lunch stop with 80 MPH winds! YIKES! The tents at the rest stop looked ready to go at any moment, and we were more than 20 miles north. A quick splash and we were on our way. I faded with about 10 miles to go and dropped behind to finish within one minute of the storm hitting Columbus full force. The weather gods were smiling on me and a second sub-5 hour riding time century in two days.

The group of guys, Mt, Lebanon Cycling Club, were very nice, and strong riders too. Dave, Mr. Gadget, was like a mobile computer. Had GPS, everything, on board, giving us temperature readings, location, elevation, everything. Also, is a strong rider. Bill was a horse. Towards the end, he was riding like Jim. You could hardly get him out as leader of the pack. Dan is a good mountain bike rider, learning road riding. High octane on hills. These guys are riding the MS in June. One of their riders has MS, and rode with them last year. Complications may force him out this year. I reviewed with them our plan, and antics, and I think they would be good to ride with. They are strong riders, good in a pace line and smart about warning other concerning upcoming gravel, roadkills, etc.

I think they could help to make for an even faster, and enjoyable, ride for the MS150. So, look for "mostly old men riding in tight shorts." They are OK in my book.