Strava: http://app.strava.com/rides/1963140
GC: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/121353347
It was nice to have reinforcements in today's ride against the madness we call LTJ since he's been stringing out the group rides earlier this week. Shannon, Vince, Adrian, S-Gary, Vin, Marc, Mitchell and Eric also came out allowing me some breathing room in the back. I did take advantage of this and actually got to warm up before we hit the hill sections. I wasn't sure how today would be as I could barely walk after yesterday's training, but an extra-strength Tylenol beforehand seemed to help. One disclaimer though: warming up in the back of these guys may not be considered a warm-up pace to most.
S-Gary did the initial lead out and gapped the group little initially (surprise, surprise), but the group was able to reel him in by Anteater. I saw others take turns up front to keep the pace up while my butt did my best just to hang on.
Once we started up San Miguel and subsequently Spyglass, I decided that the heat wasn't going to get in the way of a Strava attempt. After all, I was able to save a lot heading out given my wheel sucking abilities. I ended up breaking away from the bunch, who seemed pretty tightly packed together as they headed up, but I knew that it wouldn't last for the length of the hill. Sure enough, LTJ rolled up behind me and eventually kicked it up a notch seemingly passing me with ease. However, since there was still some hill left, I did manage to jump on his wheel and pass him before the top. I'm sure since I'm writing about it, he'll make me pay for this next week. In the end, we still missed the top spot in Strava on this by 5 seconds. In due time, this will change.
A lot of us regrouped and hit San Joaquin together. I think Todd and/or Vince pretty much led the effort up this hill, but at one point Vin seemed to launch a pretty serious attack. However, no one responded although Adrian was trying to instigate by asking "are you going to let Vin do this to you?" This, of course, was before he fell off the pace. Eventually, Todd, Vince, Shannon and myself made our way past Vin, but the attempt was noble. I did almost lose these guys wheel at one point, but just managed to get back on near the top.
Now I could have sworn someone said let's regroup at the top. I was almost certain of it. I remained in the back as a result (that and because I was again close to death) hoping that I can save some effort for Pelican. When we didn't stop on NPC at the top, I figured we'll stop somewhere before Pelican. Instead, the three guys ahead of race around that corner and very easily snapped me off the back. As we crested over the top and into the fast descent, I had hoped that I could sprint up once it pitched up like I normally would but doing so left me gassed near the top of the first rise and pretty much falling back the rest of that road, NPC and PCH. Nice. I did see Marc ahead of me on PCH (must have skipped Pelican like Vin who I also saw after turning on NPC) where I tried to chase him down but he held a pretty good pace where I couldn't do so before Poppy. Fortunately, this is where the 2 of us caught the 3 guys ahead of us at a light. Mitchell was there too.
Going through CDM was a mellower pace where I was still trying to recover from the earlier part of the route. It was nice to enjoy the scenery along with the cooler ocean breeze. Once we got on Avocado, I think everyone started drinking their water since they knew what was coming on PCH and subsequently BB. Gary and Adrian caught us here, and in typical BAM fashion, this didn't at all inhibit Gary from taking the initial pull on PCH.
I did decide to actually do some work on PCH to relieve S-G, so we kicked it up to a 25+ mph pace eventually all the way to Jamboree. Vince got a little antsy at the light to Back Bay, but we managed to all go through together unscathed.
On Back Bay, S-Gary once again did the initial lead out (you gotta like this guy) and then the rotations started to kick in with Todd and Shannon behind him. Of course, Vince had an opportunity to get behind Shannon before we entered but graciously allowed me to do so (insert saying "with friends like this...."). Thanks.
The pace picked up pretty significantly after the rotations, and things got pretty rough. I was hoping the rotations would be fast and short, but at the pace we were going, it was just enough to hang on. Eventually, only Shannon, Adrian, Vince, Todd and myself were left. Given I hadn't worked much on the initial part of the ride, I did get into the middle of the line vs. the end after one of the pulls given others were trying to recover behind me. When Vince passed me after I pulled the last time, there was a gap again and I just could not get back in that early again without blowing myself up. LTJ stepped it up at this point and closed the gap. The pace almost snapped me off as I didn't setup jumping back on behind Adrian properly. This was further exacerbated by Shannon making his way to the front where Vince had no choice but to jump back into the paceline behind Adrian. Fortunately, my Savior must have been looking down on me and somehow allowed me to finally get back on Vince's wheel. Unfortunately, I had nothing left to contest for the final sprint to the top where Adrian launched the first assault. Vince, however, responded to this attack and despite the slingshot, was able to make Adrian his son (as Vince puts it).
On Jamboree, LTJ and Vince broke off from the rest of the pack, while Shannon must have been recovering from his ultra-intense pulls on BB. Adrian decides to "pull a Vin" and launched an attack of his own about a quarter of the way up. When Shannon and I passed him, he did make the sound of a small but distinct explosion (boom). Classic.
The 5 of us got on Bison together all the way to the light on McArthur. Once the light turned green, Adrian and Todd got a jump and looked like they were going to duke it out for a sprint to California. With the lights green over the 73, Adrian took off at a pretty impressive sprint pace and with no one else responding, I felt obligated to give chase. I must say he held me off for a good while, but before California, I had to raise my arms to confirm for the others who arrived first. I guess Vince must have tired of his new son and put him up for an early adoption. Just call me Papi.
Despite today's heatwave, team BRCM once again showed their BAM spirit and managed to move up in Strava here and there and averaging 20.7 mph on this route. Let's see what tomorrow brings. Crazy, right?
Thanks, guys!
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