Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/39891281
Attendees: Mitchell, Vin, Jaffe, Adrian, Jeremy and S-Gary (Welcome Back!!!)
First and foremost, it was great to see Gary out again for the ride today. It was his first lunch ride in a long time, so we had to welcome back BAM style. I thought without some of the heavy hitters, it wouldn't be too crazy but he knew told me that taking it easy just isn't in this group's blood. Of course, he was right.
Jeremy started us off on this cold sub 60 degree temp ride at a pretty good clip on Anteater, and I took the front wondering if I was going to be abused in preparation for the sprints on Back Bay and after. To my surprise, Adrian took the front after and pulled Mitchell, Vin, Jeremy and I think Jaffe away from me. I think others took the front with him and rotated where they had a pretty good gap by the time they reached Bonita Canyon.
I was hoping to roll up on them seeing that the light was red to turn left on NPC, but Adrian opted to not let that happen leading the guys behind him up on the climb. Not wanting to give up too much, I ended up following as well. Jeremy was on a loaner bike, so I'm not sure if he wasn't feeling it but he pulled back a little bit and was the first one I rolled up on. Adrian, Mitchell and Vin were ahead of me, and they looked like they were going to mix it up with another guy who tried to break away for a bit was eventually reeled back in by Vin and Mitchell.
I made my way past Adrian to join the guys and Vin led us past the 73 offramp where we eventually popped blue butt off. Good pace going up, Vin. I finished the tail end of the hill with the guys in tow, and we rotated once we got on San Joaquin hoping to keep our breakaway. Adrian and Jaffe rolled up on us on McArthur though after we got caught at that light and one before it. Nice work.
As we made our way to Back Bay, I did remind the others about how the first pass through Back Bay should be a no sprint zone given we wanted to make sure not to have another gate incident. I don't think Adrian liked that very much, but se la vie. We still held a pretty good pace going through it, but everyone adhered to the no-sprint pass.
We were all pretty much together by the top of Back Bay, including Gary who was up at the top when we got there, so we headed over to Jamboree as a group. I was thinking that I'd keep a good pace going up Jamboree, but I guess others had other ideas. Jaffe launched an serious attack early on but it was one of those attacks you see and think...nah he can't hold it. Keeping my pace, we were able to reel him about half way up or so. Vin launched the following attack, and he'll probably deny that he did, but he held it and kept Mitchell and I off him until after we passed Bison. If only it was one of the sprint zones.
The three of us had gotten away from the others, so I was interested to see if/how that would play out through the BB sprint zones I had designated before the ride. I didn't get overly eager to break away because they guys can suck wheel like no other, so I just had to amp it up from the front during the final pulls toward each one and neither opted to try and pass me at any of them. I call this the Galen/Shannon/Todd method...take their legs out from under them early where they won't want to contest a sprint. It worked on San Joaquin, the top of Back Bay, and the sprint on University. I did try to break away from the two after gapping them on the climb up to the top of Back Bay, but they reeled me in just as I was making my way through the underpass.
For the final sprint section (up California), I opted to give Vin a little taste of his own medicine that he doled out on Jamboree. I held him out as we made our way up the climb, and on the final grade sprinted past him. He didn't seem happy. Once again...se la vie.
Great pace today, gents, making for a great workout as well. Thanks for coming out!
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