Lunch Ride - Made Like an Egg in Chinese Soup and Got Dropped

Strava:  http://app.strava.com/activities/60164194

Attendees:  Vince, Todd, Jeremy, Mitchell, Vin, Jaffe, Andy and me

Summary:

•  Boy, it was warm today in the black jersey.
• Jeremy starts the ride off and breaks off from everyone from the beginning.
• We latched on some time after the stop sign at the top of E Peltason only to have Todd breakaway on Anteater.  Fortunately, he was stopped by the light on Culver.
• Vince and Andy took some good pulls on Culver as we made our way to Campus.
• Attrition occurred on Turtle Rock after some good rotations with Vince, Todd and Jeremy.
• Jeremy led us again onto the bike trail and up past the first bridge.  
• I relieved him for a little bit, but Todd took over after.  
• Vince attempted a breakaway before the 2nd bridge, but Todd latched on and pulled the rest of us with him.  
• Todd went for the breakaway near the top, but I was just able to close the gap after we crested.
• Jeremy received the mandate to stay on the bike trail.  He wasn't happy.
• Todd would drop the hammer after getting on each bike trail making it nutty for the rest of us (me, Vince, Jeremy and Mitchell)
• There was some rotations on the bike trail beside the 405, but it was windy.  No one sprinted to the bridge (at least from what I could see from the back)
• Mitchell pulled to the front after the bridge and led us toward University.  :)
• Jeremy led us up Ridgeline followed by Vince, Todd, me and Mitchell
• I stayed behind Todd, who seemed to have fallen behind a little after the first crest, so I had 2 choices:  1) close the gap or 2) know he will and stay behind.  I chose 1 (wrong answer!)
• Vince tried to pass Jeremy after 2nd crest and I was on his outside wondering what to do, but Jeremy accelerated again causing Vince and I to get back behind him.
• Todd goes by and takes Jeremy and Vince with him.  I said "Screw this."
• I waited for my wingman, Mitchell, on TR where he thanked me as he passed 3x my current speed.  HA HA
• With the 3 guys ahead out of sight, I wasn't as eager to give chase as Mitchell.  Sorry I didn't stay on going up Shady toward Bonita Canyon, bud.
• We caught the light on Bonita Canyon and subsequently on Turtle Ridge.  
• I led up Turtle Ridge but I didn't realize Mitchell wasn't behind me by the time we hit the first light.  
• I half expected Mitchell to catch me on Summit, but he never did.  
• When I saw where he was after heading back down, I opted to just continue hoping he'd catch me on the light and maybe where I'll see the others. 
• I got the light on Bonita Canyon and ended up riding toward the Condo in that wind alone not seeing the 3 guys ahead of me.   I kept looking back at the light on McArthur but no one.
• I picked it up on the Condo, so I did manage to get a glimpse of the 3 guys after making it onto Bison.  They were crossing McArthur already though.
• I rolled up to the McArthur intersection only to watch them going over the 73. 
• No one came up behind me and I finished the ride alone.   I liked it.  

 Great training ride, gents.  Excellent effort for the three breakaway-ers.