Not sure it was an option. I figured by the time I solo'd home the garage would have been dark and cold and the beer gone.
The token triathlete got his ass whooped by the roadies and went home with his tail between his legs.
Not a problem. Don't be discouraged as there are many fast riders in the group and you happened on a night where the turn out was small and the majority of the riders were on the fast side. You'll only get better at this - come on out again this Thursday and ride. I was in the same boat when I started and had my ass handed to me multiple times and was stuck riding back on my own. This ride is all about conserving energy when you can, then expending it when you have to. As well, you don't know who is who in the menagerie of riders, so you might get in with a group of the "A's" and then get hung out to dry.
Anyway, my apologies for not holding back out there as Dan and I had discussed the ride and he was going to sweep (he tends to be the lantern rouge). He thought you might have had a mechanical or something as you were riding well in his group but then he didn't know you had drifted back.
Let me know if you'll ride this Thurs and I'll ride with you - it's no fun being on your own out there and watching the pack drift away.
I made the classic mistake of pulling too long/too hard and then not being able to catch on when the back of the train went by me.
Will let you know about Thursday, supposed to be a recovery week. ;-)