Poker Face

I don't play poker. I don't have a poker face. Want to know what I am thinking, look at my face. Trust me, my face is an open read and gets me into trouble all the time. I have decided that riding a bike is a bit like playing poker. First thing you have to do at the coffee shop/meeting spot is size up your opponents. The good riders are the ones that you can't read.

Take Andy for instance. This weekend Andy showed up on our group ride wearing worn out, see through shorts, a jersey with a hole in it and a bike with hello kitty stickers all over it. I luckily, have ridden with Andy before so wasn't fooled by his exterior or his super hairy legs. The fact is Andy hammered us all on a fixed gear bike that he calls Pinky. Just proves that it is not all about the bike! 

Andy proudly displaying Pinky

Another part of the poker aspect of riding is to know when to call a bluff. That would be the guy who sprints by you so he can blow by a girl and then immediately dies. Drop a gear and call his bluff. I know my place at the poker table of the group ride. The boys all soft play me by letting me draft their rear wheel. To be completely honest and fair though, I did bet a few times on the sure thing. I went to the front and pulled when we had a wicked strong tailwind;) 

My windshields Howard and Steve

Although, right now I don't have the hand to go all in on one of these rides, I hope that by August I can up the ante on these boys. For now, I am just playing the girl card!

Now if someone can just tell me how to get this song out of my head while running 'can't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my poker face' !!!