This ride was cold, windy and damp. I was drenched to the bone. The wrist band that Sid gave me and my tie on wrist band is doing great but sweat is still getting to the gloves. Which is much better than before but I still need to figure a way to stop most of the sweat getting to my hands/gloves. I am a heavy sweater even when it is cold, I only wore a thin base layer, shoulder pads, super thin wind stop jacket and short sleeve jersey for the pockets and to cover the pads. Had I worn more I would have looked as if I was in a swimming pool. We had a small group on today's ride. The ride was fast from the start, I was trying to get my GPS working as they pulled away from me. I finally got it working just after we got on Tuckerton Rd, I had to work to get back on board and we were just at the beginning. Between Gary and Jimmy every hill was a breakaway; I was not prepared for that. They didn't let up, I tried to keep in contact as not to get dropped. It was getting increasingly hard but I hung in there. We finally get to Oakshade/Jackson Rd where we headed into a partial head wind. Now things got really tough, they slowed down briefly until we hit a long incline and off they went, I was able to hang with them until the last long incline on the road where I broke and got dropped. I didn't give up but couldn't maintain the pace any longer. About 1.5 miles down the road they stopped and waited for me a few others. By this time my legs were toast but we were only 20 miles into the ride 1/2 ways. To make matters worse the next 10 miles was into a direct head wind with nothing to stop or block the wind on Rte 73, I was able to hang on the first two hills but they took off going down the 2nd hill I was hitting around 30 which was all I had into the wind and they had to be going 34+ so for the next 5 miles I was soloing it trying to close the gap but that wasn't happening. They again waited for me when they got to Greentree Rd. I thought I was toast when we got on Rte 73 now I was burnt toast. I was able to keep up until we hit the first hill on Church Rd again they took off and there was nothing I could do but watch. I was hoping they would take it easy going down the other side no luck. The harder I tried to close the gap they faster they would go. Just as I got to Hartford I hit the light, then again just I got to Main Rd/Rte 541 I hit the light. After this they were out of site and I gave up hope on them. As I was coming down Earyestown Rd I saw them at the light on Rte 70 but it change before I got there and change on me just as I got there and that was the last I saw of them as Gary went down Rte 70 home and Jimmy straight as he went home. So nearly the last 15 miles was a solo ride. It was a great ride even being dropped I enjoyed the ride and challenge that was presented to me. I see where I am and what I need to do. I definitely need to deepen my base by double and get my quick speed response up by double. That will be my goal come January and February. The rest of this month I will work on getting in longer miles. I will need to start riding to the rides and work back up to my 100 mile rides; hopefully, around mid to end of January. I know Sid and Hercules will whip me back into shape as they have been doing.