Not with the fast group

Went out for a Saturday ride w/5 other riders. Before we left the parking lot I knew it was going to a grueling struggle to keep up. As it turns out, a mechanical semi-kept my pride in check. Rear shock air went out (second time this month) and I had to call AHEAD (make that way ahead) to one of the riders and let them know that I would be heading back...I could still see them as specks in the distance. So turned around with Dave and we headed down the side of Monkey Face...only after I did and endo and jammed my rear brake lever so hard it was no longer functioning. Still managed to get down without a hitch and back on Middle Trail. At this point decided might as well go out Middle Trail to the "gully" and head back on Lower Trail. Dave kept my heart rate up and we cruised back to 5 mile in good time...or so I thought! Don with the fast crew called as we were in the parking lot - he was already at 1 mile - keep in mind that they finished North Rim and went down B trail and not sure how they got back other than it was A LOT faster than Dave and I. It was all good - good company and a decent ride...time for a new bike. Between the ghost shifting, endo bucking, deflated rear shock and problematic rear linkage bolt my bike is either telling me to lose some weight or retire her after 4 very hard years of riding...now I just have to convince the family finance committee and put a new number at the front of the checkbook balance - make that another number in front of the decimal point!