I am on no less than three "official" email lists (being on a yahoo group makes any email list official, that’s internet law), and I also communicate via email on a regular basis with an ungodly amount of assorted cycling e-pen pals. For me, it helps alleviate the isolation of working at home, and grants me the opportunity to make fun of Jeff King for living in Canada. (He has access to state run health care, sucker!). It also allows me to schedule time to get together with people "in the meat" and ride bikes together, and because I have been scheduling rendezvous via email for a terrifically long time, I have come to notice trends and common threads in these correspondences. And because I am a generous and kind person, I will share the knowledge that I have gained with you now.

When proposing a ride, many people feel anxious or nervous, as they are setting themselves up for potential refusal. Posting a get together to an email group and not getting a response can be a blow to the ego, as it shows that no one wants to be seen with you in tights in public. It’s a rejection, and can be a trigger for some introspection or soul searching on the part of the spurned. Or to some it can be seen as an opportunity to double down on sending out a link to the video of Danny MacAskill that everyone’s seen 10 times already. Actually, that may be why no one likes riding with you.

If you are not a pariah, and people can stand the prospect of being seen with you, all that is left is to arrange a time and place to meet. Normally this process takes about five days, as you will have to juggle the training schedules, seasonal goals, horoscopes and biorhythms of those accompanying you on your ride. This process can be exhausting, but if you stick with it, eventually everyone will settle on a compromise that is equally inconvenient to all the parties involved. This spreads the misery equally amongst the group, making it easier to bear. Think if it as an emotional pace line.

One you have your group and schedules set, it’s time for the caveats to be made. For instance if a group member emails and says, "I’m coming along, but if I’m not there, don’t wait for me", that means they plan on getting drunk the night before the ride and won’t know how hung over they are until they wake up in the morning. If someone replies and writes: "I’m heading out earlier and will meet you out on the road." that means they are putting in extra miles and just wanted to email and tell you about it. There are also those that never email to commit to joining a ride, but will make a surprise appearance when the ride assembles. This is how I usually operate, as I like to think of myself as a surprise "special guest". And I’m sure my hung over and mileage enhanced compatriots agree that I am special indeed.

Here is the Strava evidence of one such guest appearance.

Roman’s Beer Corner

With all of the talk of the "greatest beer in the world" making a special appearance here in the United States, I thought I’d ask Roman for an alternative to the $85 six pack of unicorn that is Westvleteren 12. His recommendation is the Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout by North Coast Brewing, which lacks the cachet of being brewed by Belgian man-virgins, but it does take its name from the Mad Monk of Imperial Russia.