Well we (Jo S., Jerry B, Bethany M, Mira L., & John C. & I) rode at noon to catch the calm 50 degree sunny weather that was predicted ... and instead from 9am on it was 36degrees, dreary, and somewhat windy ... (Actually here it is midnight and it is still 36 degrees)

The good news is that Marianne had to make a trip to Conway Friday and she picked up Lucy from THE RIDE. 

My plan was to ride two 40 minute 85% FT (Functional Threshhold) efforts ... didn't get that done ... but I did get one 30 minute effort in at near 100% FT ... so that was maybe even better ...

The whole group rode well ... Jo had several good 4 - 5 mile efforts and Mira made a great pull from Keo to Scott into a frontal crosswind.

I think John was just playing around with us ...

Somehow ... the cool temperature seemed to make the effort harder than it probably really was ... I ended up with 56 miles in 3:03 ... (back in the summer I rode 112 miles in 5:18 {finishing with 112 heat index}with no drafting  and then ran afterward ... so hopefully that will come back as it begins to warm up ... 
 
I come home after the ride for a long/hot shower that used up all of the hot water (and we have a 50 gallon tank) ... I ate a huge bowl of beef stew along with a large mug of hot chocolate ... and then watched the ROLEX 24 hour endurance race at Daytona ...

NOW ... the stinkin' weatherman better be right about the 60's weather for Sunday ...
 
                    THE PHOTOS (pre-ride)

    Bethany                                         Mira & John                                        Jo & Jerry