Our quest for double points continued as we rode Stage 2A of the Tour of Watopia. The event covered the Big Foot Hill route.
We had five riders (Henry, Melissa, Tim, Zinj, and me). Zinj joined us on Discord, fashionably late of course, from his outdoor ride.
Melissa, Tim, and Henry filled us in on the snowstorm earlier in the week. They all lost power for extended periods and still have snow on the ground. Those of us in the Valley are virtually snow free today.
After the Hill Climb/TT finale on Tuesday (Wednesday for Melissa and Henry) and a brutal race on Thursday (for Tim and Melissa), many of us were tired. That did not stop Henry from riding fast. Somehow, he finished over 10 miles ahead of me. I’m positive that he forgot it was a group ride! We could tell Melissa was tired when she just shrugged off the fact that another woman took one of the QOM jerseys.
We had a long discussion about training at elevation. It was decided that since I’m riding in Hatfield, I do not have the altitude training that Melissa and Tim have. I knew there was a reason that they are so much faster!
Melissa’s new bike is almost here. The debate on her handlebar width, cassette, and water bottle cages continued. Light and aero are her goals.
Today was the first classic race of the season, Milan San Remo. Tim told us about his favorite website, which helps viewers decide if the race is exciting or not.
Just for good measure, we had a good solar power conversation.
I was concerned that I was not getting enough XP points today. With double points, we were all getting 60 XP points per mile, but I’m the level 50 to 60 accelerated plan. The display said 60 XP instead of 90 XP points per mile. Fortunately, it appears to just be a display issue. Our friends at Zwift Insider detailed the bug.
Melissa completed level 45 and earned her avatar the Zwift Prism Kit. I finished level 56 and earned two pairs of socks (Shiba Socks and Tabby Socks).
In total, we rode 43.3 miles with 2,342 feet of climbing. I was the slowest rider and completed the event in 2 hours and 29 minutes.
We will continue to have Wednesday night Zwift group rides for a while. Since Indoor Tim and I are fair-weather outdoor cyclists, we will also have Saturday morning Zwift rides for a few more weeks.
