Robin's Bikes and Fitness

After much internal debate the fat guy decided to go to the 7:30 a.m. ride at Robins Bikes and Fitness. The fat guy was extremely nervous do to the very nature of cycling and the lack of clydsdale riders in most areas.

Upon arrival the suspicions were confirmed as the two or three who had arrived were extremely atheletic looking and more than likely at average to better than average cycling weight. Over the next few minutes some more came in and you could distinguish the vacationers from the locals. Pretty much by the fact that the vacationers were the only ones talking to each other as the locals went on about thier business.

We started the ride and eventually formed into a pace line. The fat guy has never done a pace line of over 5-6 people so he was very nervous about one that contained around 20. After a while things settled in the fat guys tum tum and the ride was very enjoyable. The beauty of a pace line is that the people in the middle or back exert about 40% less energy than the ones in front. So we were cruising and not really feeling the affects. Which can be good but also bad because you don't get the same workout.

We went on for several miles until we came to a neighborhood where I was told everyone would do a 3 mile sprint and we would meet up at the end. Not knowing the area at all the fat guy decided to take off on his own and try and at least keep the fit riders in the view. This worked well except the fat guy started really huffing and buffing and with about a half mile left, about 4 dudes in a pace line flew by me like I was standing still. That wasn't fun.

Fast forward to the third day. . . The fat guy and another from Georgia decided to do like the day before and draft off of each other, it worked great and we stayed above 22 mph the whole time.

On this day I think the locals decided to have a race at the end of the sprint. So we are all grouped up together from pretty much the get go. We were flying. . The fat guy was waiting for the break away but it seemed as though it wouldn't come. So the fat guy took advantage and stayed with the group. Then it came to near the end and all of the sudden the atheletes took off. It was very impressive. The best part. . .the fat guy was very close in the end. The fat guy poured in off and overtook many riders. At the end, Robin, the owner told the fat guy "nice job". That meant a lot to the fat guy and it felt like quite the accomplishment.

The fat guy has a massive power plant. There is virutally no fat on the legs. Once the pony keg is gone the fat guy will be a force to be reckoned with. The speed on this days sprint never dipped below 27 mph for the 3 miles. It was awesome.