Quite a tough one!

So yesterday I headed down to Athens, Georgia, to partake in a wonderful ride known as the WBL. I always find it interesting how things happen in ways that teach you something you could have never learned had you not been in the company of weathered professional cyclists who frequent these rides. I had thought I was finally a climber, and for some reason had a thought in my head that I would, in fact, not get dropped making the ascent into Alto, Georgia via the notorious "Stair Steps". I was definitely wrong about aforementioned skills! I am definitely someone who appreciates "being knocked down a notch" and humbly, but angrily (at myself) limped into the store stop with a group of about 6-7 other guys who were unlucky, and blessed at the same time, enough to witness a constant onslaught of pro cyclists showing us what's up on the climb.
After a nice pep-talk and scolding from my coach Matt for thinking I had gotten that fast in three months (I know, I know), I rode on to the next attack zone with the pack to "crackback hill" in Franklin County, Georgia. I surprised myself on this one, helping Matt and others a little by bridging them up to a small break that went early on the climb. After the store stop, I had 75 miles, and it was time to turn around and make the long trek home (Hope had brought me to Athens so I could do this and not have to drive home after a tough ride).
The ride home was definitely a rough one, as I ran out of hydration, and began to cramp at the base of a 3.5 mile climb known to the locals as "Dick's Hill". So as not to add injury to such a prosperous ride, I took a shortcut to Hope's parent's house to wait on Hope to get home from the baby shower. All in all, the day went pretty good. I ended up with about 95 miles on the day, with a little over 5 hours of riding!