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We had a couple dozen show up for the ride this mild fall day-warm and sunny with a slight breeze. We had our welcome/introductions/safety talk in the parking lot of the new not- yet- opened Newport News Park Campground Visitor Center. It is going to be something once it's done. I made the misinformed decision to sweep as several Tuesday Groupers agreed to lead the ride. Everything was fine until we lost Faye at the French Loop. This is a tricky section as it's very easy post-loop to miss the reconnection with the road to Yorktown and find yourself pedaling all alone back to NN Park. This is what happened to Faye. We realized the loss almost immediately and Brian rode to the rescue. Where was Faye's man during this time? Not with Faye that's for sure. But as was pointed out to me---no couples were riding together. This may be an interesting circumstance to explore. Couples arrive together and leave together. They almost always eat together. But they rarely ride together. I see a Masters or Doctors thesis in the making for some aspiring researcher. As the group and I waited on the Rt. 17 bridge for Brian and Faye to return, I received some sage advice from retired Army Officer Mark Brz. "Leading from behind has its challenges". Or something like that. Once we were all reunited, I took the lead and was actually forced to use my "Dog Mommy" voice to remind people to stay behind me. Leading from the front has its challenges too as I led the group right past our exit down to the Colonial Parkway. Sigh. But I realized my error right away and some didn't even notice my mistake. We rode on to the National Park Visitor Center for a bathroom break and to get our NP stickers. From there we headed to the Victory Monument--the group splitting while some took the road and some took the pedestrian bridge. I was not keeping my ducklings together. At the monument we were forced to take a photo from the road due to maintenance on the monument. After this, it was time for lunch. Another great schism occurred as some went to the Yorktown Pub, some went to the Carrot Tree and some went on the the new Victory Center cafeteria. After lunch, the plan was to meet at the French cannons on top of the big hill. I figured I'd join the Victory Center cafeteria crew as that was also at the top of the hill. So, I'd already be there for the after-lunch rendezvous! However, the cafeteria was closed. So we rode back down the hill only to split again as 3 of us went to the Carrot Tree and the rest went to the Island Cafe at the Duke of York. I was pretty stressed out by now but lunch at the Carrot Tree settled me down somewhat. And thank goodness for Stephanie wanting ice cream afterwards as that calmed me down even more. While eating my ice cream, my phone rang--Ken and Lance calling from the french cannons! I'd forgotten that we were going to meet there after lunch! Exercising my prerogative as leader, I told them we weren't coming and they needed to come back to the Ben and Jerrys. Gradually almost everyone returned. Six from the Pub had already headed on home.
So, I started with 23, lost 1 but got that 1 back, split into 3 lunch groups then 4, lost 2 to the cannons but got them back, and lost 6 after lunch. I'm not sure how many made it back to the NN parking lot but I think it was 17. Aaaarrggghhhhh.
A great day was had by all.
Phyllis
Check out Jim's photos: https://jimarendphotography.smugmug.com/Sports/Tuesday-Group-Biking/20151117-Yorktown-Battlefield/
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