You'd think ya mighta learned by now you don't do well in group rides with peeps you don't know. But no. You let yourself get talked into another one of those and it goes about as well as it has the previous coupla times. Dude, take a lesson. Route was hilly, since that part of Howard county is just deep stream valleys, rinse and repeat. The section along Old Frederick Road (11.3 to 12.7) was pure madness -- super busy with cars passing close enough to touch and the wide shoulder semi-paved, extremely rough and oh yeah, a pretty good descent. The cars were unnerving so slowed down and got into the rough stuff just to get away from them. And that was the last I saw of the group .... plus the headwind from the WNW. Then had no power to climb any more and FINALLY realized my seat post had slid down ... SMH. (Think the little bit of grease i put on it to stop creaking miiiiighta been a mistake...) So that required stoppage. And then the coat was too warm. And then it slid AGAIN and needed adjusted. So disgusted by the end that i just racked up the bike, got in the truck and left. Oh and the "1900" feet of climbing the route suggested was juuuust a bit more than that... Plus headwinds, which, with my surface area, are not easy.