So...what should I call my FOURTH ring - the Ace Ring?

King ring. Third ring. The "Granny Gear". So what if I have one???? You smarty pants triathletes can have your double and pour it on when you hit the hill, but I like my triple.

Here I am, cleaning Johnny C for a Sunday ride over at Runnels. I got the text, "coffee and muffins at 9?" Well, duh - of course! So I arrive and there is Mike cleaning up his pretty new Trek Madone 5.2. SWEET. For those of you who don't know it, the open garage behind me is the garage of Jon and Michelle Ericksen of Crono Metro and Planet Bike life. You can interpret that as "Jon is in his garage while we are outside and he is re-taping Michelle's Cannondale...his 4 bikes are sitting outside like the world's most costly garage sale....


Honestly, I think it was true bliss...bike heaven...geekdom. Smell the wd40...smell the Simple Green...the chain grease.....the...the ... oh, you get the idea!


So the rain finally goes away after we go to Pasqual's for a mexican brunch for the Gods. Let there be light, young riders, and bike to Riley....


Ok, I'm getting to the "fourth ring" part, settle down, sheesh!


So, as we get to the Riley Tavern, we buy a pitcher of beer, throw a stick or two to King, the official dog of the Riley, and it dawns on me..... I have a secret 4th ring..


That's right you crazy Ironman training people! I bike all the TIME from the Riley...or the Union with a beer in my tummy. This of course is an unfair advantage for me, because I'm used to biking with beer, or pancakes, or a big mexican brunch in my belly....I've got it MADE. I'm going to SMOKE those serious athletes who have removed the poison from their bodies because they can't IMPROVE.

Thus, a fourth chain ring. Admit it. You're jealous.