Day 7: Thursday Jan 21

I got dropped early on the ride today. Maybe at 16K. It was a larger group today than yesterday, 15? One woman. She wears blue. I have seen her ride at least once. She was in a group of 5? that was very protective of each other and when I ended up with one of their number, who was slowing, they all waited and picked us both up. Anyway, that was a previous day. Today, one guy dropped back fairly early and rode at the back with me. The lady came back. She got caught out, having trouble getting back up to speed after we had to stop for a stopped bus. Then a man I had not noticed before really dropped back and slowed. He tried to wave me around. But I like to be at the back with no one on my left so that gives me another "way out" in case of a sudden stop or fall. I can go left. And it has always worked out for me to stay with the slowest. This time the strategy failed. The guy really slowed and I had to pass him and I was way too far off the group by that time to catch.

So from 16K I rode out to 27, turned and came home. It is a little more dangerous in that buses and cars do not give me as much space when I am not 10 riders. I go slower as I am not huffing and puffing to keep up, but still lots of good exercise.