Signed up for the 62 mile ride as has been normal for last few years. However this year I didn't get in the miles I normally do by now. So I opted for the 50 mile course and took the later start time. Somewhere shortly before or just after getting onto the Natchez Trace Pkwy at the Ranger Station, I caught up with a woman that had blown by me way earlier on the start. We said "hi" and made polite conversation till shortly later agreeing to work together as a paceline to help save energy for each other. Little later down the Natchez trace we ran into two others from the cycling club near Tuscaloosa AL. We tagged on to them and I believe they mentioned that they also were originally going to do the longer ride but opted for the 50 mile at the last moment. So we all stayed together... for the most part as I was left while in the restroom at the last stop before the turn-around. They thinking I'd gone on ahead, but I managed to catch up shortly after they reached the turn around point that would give us about 62 miles which we had originally signed up for. Though it wasn't the 62 mile course. Any how, it was a great ride for me, though I never thought I was up to it this year. Particularly since all the others I normally ride with were on the other longer course. And most certainly if I had not met these people I rode with this time around, I likely would have only ridden 40 miles and not even have completed the 50 mile ride much less the additional miles we rode to make it our own Metric Century.