Strava: http://app.strava.com/rides/3604295
GC: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/144594396
For today's ride, it was a good sized group and it was nice to see Shannon back on the saddle again after a 1.5 week hiatus post-race. I also haven't ridden with Galen for a while, so it was nice to see him out there crushing it. Gary, Mitchell, Seon, Vin, Jaffe and Hiroshi (partial) made it out as well and although it was a little windy here and there, made for a decent day of riding.
I'm not sure who was on board with the idea, but I solicited that today we climb and do as much off the seat as possible to apply a focus to to our training for once. I think everyone blew me off though...ha ha. I should have offered beer as an incentive. Doh! Anyway, at least I stuck to this plan.
I thought people were on-board in the beginning since when we started, no one was pedaling as we made our way down Health Science drive where they may have been saving it up for the hills. I was soft pedaling passing everyone thinking WTF? Seon did jump to the front by the bottom and led with a slight gap as we made our way to Anteater. I got by at one point, but the Gary and the rest of the boys got it done and led us out through Bonita Canyon.
Galen, Shannon, S-Gary and Hiroshi? made the light to turn on NPC but the rest of us got caught behind the red. When we got through the light, Vin and Mitchell got a jump and caught up with S-Gary who I think was doing the off-the-seat exercise at the time. I was climbing a steady pace, with Mitchell being my wing man again, and we made our way up past Hiroshi, who jumped on behind us on his tri-bike, to just behind Gary as we reached the top of NPC. Vin and Mitchell had gotten to the top ahead of us. Hiroshi opted for a BB stint on his tri-bike instead, so the rest of us made our way to the left turn on Ridge Park. S-G just got through the light, but the rest of us had to stop.
On Ridge Park, S-G started riding with Shannon (who I believe waited for us) and was just ahead of the rest of us. Mitchell and I broke off the rest, but Mitchell eventually succumb to being off my wheel as I made my up. Shannon broke off from Gary never to be seen again, but Gary got to the top of Ridge Park ahead of me and stayed ahead while we did the extra credit. This was the only time I saw Galen making his way out of extra credit just as were making our way to the circle. We saw others do extra credit as well, as we made our way back toward Vista Ridge. I think Shannon skipped it, but he doesn't need extra credit anyway.
Mitchell and I regrouped with S-G as we made our way down Vista. Oddly enough, I was reminded as we made our way down why I don't ride on Wednesday (leg days). Ironically, my calves started cramping (both of them) but only when I'd pedal sitting down. Weak!
The 3 of us stayed together as we made our way down NPC. Going up Pelican, Gary got a good head start and although I passed him, he came back around and passed me again just prior to the first peak. BAM! Mitchell was still my wingman, and stayed on my wheel to keep me honest. On the 2nd peak, I got by Gary again and then we made our way to the long climb towards NPC. Here, I found a decent pace and ended up separating from Mitchell and Gary. It was nice to also be able to keep a decent cadence while still on the big compact ring. I was just able to make the left turn light on NPC, so I'm not sure if Gary and Mitchell were as lucky.
On NPC, my calves were popping like an Orville Redenbacher corn product, so I was close to just heading back from there. Then that dreaded P word came up in my head, so up Vista I went. I definitely dropped it down some gears going up Vista nervous about my calves, but I still managed the off the seat climb all the way to the false flat and then on the subsequent climb just before Ridge park.
I didn't see anyone at the top, so I did the extra credit again all by my lonesome. Hoping to see someone on the way back, I saw no one, so the rest of the way back was a lonely ride with plenty of stop lights, even two without any cross traffic. When I was going down NPC, a big ass bus made a u-turn right in the middle of the downhill, and just sat there across one lane and the bike trail as I made my way to it. Slowing down and several "gestures" later, he finally backed up and finished the u-turn where he drove on the bike lane to make a right that he apparently missed. Luckily, I wasn't carrying a Sandy or I may have just chucked it at him.
No glory on Strava for me on today's ride, but still a good training day nonetheless. It was nice to have some company while it lasted. Thanks for the training today, gents!
Edit: Shannon and Gary stuck to the plan given their strict adherence to rule #5.
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