Lunch Ride - NPC + Double BB Route

GC:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/101968209

Strava:  http://app.strava.com/rides/1013885

The size of the rides have been dwindling in the past, so it was good to see 8 of us out there today for this double Back Bay painfest.  Mike Z. made it out again, so it's nice to see him back in the mix. Vin was out with us too, and magically was wearing a black BRCM jersey.  For the record, that wasn't from me, so I hope it doesn't incite a riot among the others not as fortunate.  Maybe those who want one can ask him.

Vince and Gary led us out through Peltason and up Anteater, while everyone was content to sit in their draft through Anteater.  Guilt set in toward the end, so I jumped to the front to offer them some wind coverage as well.  I guess it was going to be that kind of day.

Going up NPC, Vince and I worked together, but I think we were both glad to have Shannon relieve us just after the bridge.   We followed him up towards San Joaquin past one guy on a TT bike.  Near the top, Vince decided to break off.  Around this same time, the guy on the TT bike started to pass me where I thought he was going to get on Shannon's draft.  However, he started to fall off but I stuck with him for a bit.  As we got to the corner of San Joaquin, I came around him but then he came back around me on the aeros after we rounded.  I couldn't resist a free ride, so I jumped back in his draft as he made his way past Shannon and Vince.  We took the free ride for a while, but then Vince jumped ahead on the downhill, and I took a subsequent turn as well.  TT guy passed us again at one point, and we pretty much took advantage of the draft all the way down to Marguerite where he turned off.

Shannon made the left turn on McArthur just ahead of us where Vince and I crossed both streets instead.  When the light turned green, Shannon and I were interested in riding through Back Bay with the group.  Vince either wanted to play the rabbit or just not stop, so he was off on his own for the rest of the route.  If the others didn't get caught on the light at McArthur for as long as they did, we may have been able to give chase.  Too bad it didn't work out that way.

Originally, Shannon and I took the initial pulls once we regrouped, but Vin took the lead once we got caught at a stop light on PCH.  It was nice to see someone else taking up the front for a change.  He even led us out on Back Bay out to San Joaquin, but then it was just Shannon and I taking turns up front.  The alternating wasn't too frequent (man, you guys left me up there for a while after San Joaquin...ha ha), but it was nice that several others (David's looking impressive) were able to stay on throughout the first Back Bay pass.  Shannon charged up to the top after my last pull, and S-Gary got by too from out of nowhere.  Nice!

Going up Jamboree, I saw Shannon make his way past Robert and Mike Z.  He just made the Bison light ahead of me, but several of us managed to catch back up on Ford/Eastbluff.  Once the light turned green, we started rolling forward when Mike Z. just zoomed right by us.  It took some effort to try to get in his draft but we did catch him just before we got to the San Joaquin intersection.

When we got back on Back Bay Dr., it was just Shannon, Jaffe, Gary and I.  Once we hit the gate though, Shannon lead the charge followed by Jaffe and me.  I wasn't sure how Steve was going to do behind Shannon, but he kept up for a pretty good distance.  I don't think I came around until after San Joaquin and then Shannon and I started trading pulls.  On one of Shannon's pulls, I was almost certain he had bad intentions because he took off at breakaway speeds.  At that rate, all I can do was just try to get back and hold onto his wheel.  I tried to come around as he did on the first pass at the gate, but he wasn't having any of it.

Shannon even broke away for a bit as we headed toward University and California, but I was able to get up front and keep the pace up as we got up to the light.

On California, we were pretty well spent so we asked Jaffe to go ahead and lead us up the hill.  When I took the front subsequently to help Steve out, I look to my right and see Gary coming around past me.  I let Gary worked the front for a bit but decided subsequently that I'd pay him back for the top of Back Bay.  It's the BAM way. :)

Good ride today, and perfect training for this Thursday. Although no Strava KOMs were attained, it was still a helluva good workout!