Strava: http://app.strava.com/rides/14372819
Good turnout today with Vince, Shannon, Adrian, Mitchell, Jeremy, Vin and Jaffe. Todd was supposed to make it out too, but must have just missed us due to a meeting.
We haven't done this route in a while, and now I remember why. It's tough. I think we used to go through the trailer park bike trail twice before, but since I forgot, we only did 18.8 miles today. It was enough though for sure.
I led initially on the way down California, but Shannon took the front on the bike trail and led us almost all the way to the Back Bay. This goes to show the anxiety within the group in that no one wanted to jump up front too early given the expected amount of work it will take to keep up. This would be called the non-hero clause.
When we got on Back Bay, Vince was leading us first followed by Adrian, and I relieved him to take the pull. It was nice to see my wingman (Mitchell) relieve me after my pulls on Back Bay at least twice, but everyone was doing their part up front when they can. Jaffe had the front for a while as well, so everyone was going to work today.
We pretty much stuck together through most of Back Bay, but Shannon led a sprint attack to the gate at the end somewhat causing some disconnection among us. Vince and Jeremy had made their way past him after the sprint and heading toward Jamboree. Once on Jamboree, Jeremy and Vince started gapping the rest of us and held a pretty good breakaway. I tried to close the gap early on but when Vince took the front and they started working together, all I could do was try to keep a steady pace that would slowly close in on them by Bayside. Shannon was on recovery mode from his sprint, so I knew it was what needed to get done.
When we got onto the bike trail behind the trailer park, I had just been on Jeremy's wheel for a little bit as he was behind Vince when he started to wave me ahead. I didn't have anything at that point because of the chase from Jamboree, so I kindly refused. HA HA. Both of them ended up leading us through the bike trail to Back Bay drive.
I wasn't sure who was still there at that point, but I think it was just 5 of us including Mitchell and Shannon. We all started working together once we got on Back Bay and felt some tail wind to help keep the pace up. I would wait patiently (or rest) until I was pushed up to the front to pull, but it got pretty nutty after awhile. When Jeremy got out from being up front, he tried to rotate in but was waiting for Mitchell roll up on us, but Mitchell was already spent where he was saying "no mas" (if he could speak Spanish, that is). Unfortunately for Jeremy, this caught him sleeping so Vince, Shannon and I broke away. I think Vince was waiting for me to push up to the front before it pitched up, but I was a little blown out so I help back for a little bit. Once we got closer though, I took the front and led us up the hill.
Although the plan was to regroup at the top of Jamboree on Bison, Vince and I still made work out of the climb to the top. He was ahead initially, then I took the front, and then he led the last part of the climb all the way to the light. Never a dull moment.
We regrouped with everyone at that point, and we were off. Vince started up front, but I relieved him next and led up until it pitched up again before San Joaquin. I forgot who took the initial pull from the light, but I was in the #3 spot again and then back at 1 leading us to Back Bay drive. When we got on Back Bay Drive, however, Mitchell and Jeremy were ahead of me when Vince out of nowhere launched an attack. BAM!
There was some confusion as to who would give chase, but eventually Jeremy got on it followed by Mitchell and then me and everyone else. We were able to contain Vince just before the Back Bay entrance, but that burst of acceleration had us not going full steam ahead once we were actually past the gate. That didn't last, and after a while we were booking. It was nice to have regrouped too because there was more people to work with. I was following the no-hero clause again here and just waiting my turn patiently before I'd get up to the front. Adrian had taken the front and thought to bring the guys up into a frenzy with a mad pull, and this almost blew some of the guys up. However, I think it eventually did more damage to himself as I don't remember seeing him after that. Way to sacrifice for the team!
As we were approaching the top of Back Bay, I was about 5 back, so when Vince and Shannon attacked up front, I had to make my way up to come up just a little bit behind Shannon. Vince had gotten to the top and had created a pretty good gap on us. Although Shannon had just taken a super pull at the end of Back Bay, he was still just a little bit ahead of me where it took a while to be able to get on his wheel. I could see Jeremy was lingering just behind us as well.
Once Vince saw us coming, he checked up some and let me pass to take the pull to California. Vince swung around before the end and started hammering past me, where all I could to respond was just jump back on his wheel to the end. Nice!
On California, Jeremy still had a lot of fire in him and decided to charge to the top. Vince was behind him originally, but waved me on seemingly not wanting any part of trying to chase Jeremy down. As no one else went, I decided I'd keep Jeremy honest and went after him despite the size of the gap where it took almost 2/3 of the hill just to get on his wheel and rest. However, Jeremy started accelerating again as we neared Bison, so I busted a little sprint there and got by him to finish up front. I know he'll make me pay on another ride since he's climbing so strong nowadays, but I'll take it for now.
Great workout, everyone.
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