Lunch Ride - Spyglass San Joaquin NPC Pelican PCH CDM BB Jamboree

Strava:  http://app.strava.com/rides/11809869

Editorial:

Why is it that Paul Blart feels the need to harass us cyclists?  Today, he came out of the Bldg 11 gym and started to tell us that they're going to install a camera to monitor and make sure we're not walking around on the mats with our cycling shoes.  After all, there IS a sign there that says not to.  I don't know if he realized it or not but we were OUTSIDE the building when he was telling us this.  Further, I personally had not put my shoes on until I was on the bench just outside of the building.  This is despite the fact that I always have cleat covers on just because I know he's looking to give us crap and wouldn't understand what a cleat cover was.


As to this camera that he's talking about, can you honestly tell me that the equipment and man power to monitor whether we walk in our cycling shoes in the gym is really warranted?  Seriously?  You'd think a more cleat friendly walkway would be a cheaper idea that would instead promote Broadcom's backing of people like us who have balance and maintain an active lifestyle and still get the job done.   And to boot, the spin class is in THAT building so are we really the only ones who wear cycling shoes with cleats?   Lastly, we do our best to promote Broadcom cycling and for what?   To be made to feel like criminals of such a heinous crime as walking on rubber mats with cleats by an overzealous security guard?  Sigh.
 </rant>

Now back to the ride...

Despite the warm weather, we still had a good turnout today with 10 of us out there including PV on Todd's old bike and John Lenell, a ghost of the past but still with a lot of game.  

I thought to exercise a little more humility today since Todd, Shannon and Galen were out there too, so I stayed in the line not taking a pull until just before the 73 heading towards San Miguel.  Shannon had led us out and Todd jumped ahead to the front along with Jeremy (nice) prior to me pulling, but Galen didn't come around where I knew that would mean trouble later on.

We all managed to stay together all the way through San Miguel but once we got on Spyglass, mayhem.  I think Jeremy led originally but John had passed him standing on his pedals.  I gave chase originally and found my way past him where he stuck to my wheel subsequently, but Todd then Shannon made their way past us both to the crest and down the other side.  Both Galen and John passed me on the downhill as I gasped for air hoping I'd having something for San Joaquin.

The 5 of us got caught at the light, but Jeremy had timed it perfectly and rounded as the light turned green.  The other guys gave chase and were climbing with him, and I just didn't have anything to be able to keep up. If it wasn't for Mitchell passing me midway up and towing me for a while, I think I'd have just made a left on NPC and head back to work.  HA HA

Mitchell and I exchanged pulls as we went down NPC and Pelican and as we made our way out of Pelican, we saw Vin come down NPC ahead of us skipping Pelican all together.  This must have riled Mitchell up as he passed me on NPC before PCH and started to chase Vin down.  We did make our way up to Vin and the 3 of us stayed together for the rest of the ride hoping to see the others but apparently got dropped like a bad habit from them.

Looks like the lead pack was moving based on what Strava showed.  Glad I missed it.  Props to Jeremy and John staying in the lead pack.

And if getting harassed and dropped wasn't bad enough today, Marc saw to it to drop his taint cream  in the locker room, which splashed me all over my arms, pants and shoes.  Now I KNOW Marc double-dips in that bad boy, so now I feel like I'm walking around with sandy colored man hair somewhere on my clothes.  Terrific.  I guess it's okay.  I can be an ass sometimes anyway, so maybe the cream just found it's target.

Thanks for the training and sorry for my rant, gents.