Lunch Ride - The Slippery BAM Welcome Mat

Strava:  http://app.strava.com/activities/130636510

Attendees:  Vince, Todd, Jeremy, Mitchell, Vin, Gary and Terry

Highlights:

• Always nice to have S-Gary back and joining us out on the rides.  We tried convincing him in the locker room how he need to ride more as there are plenty more segments we need to name after him.
• Jeremy was back from being sick and appears to have gotten yet another new bike from the Sick Fairy.
• Terry O'Neill came out for the first time to join us.  Welcome!
• It seemed like the BAM welcome mat was out today given those returning and/or new, as the start was fast from the beginning.  I was hoping for a softer transition with a legit warm-up to an actual training pace by staying toward the back initially, but it was obvious others were in full on training (aka drop) mode (cough, Vince, Todd, Jeremy, cough).
• I've seen all the hill climbing Vince has been doing lately, so I was definitely going to give the guy some "respect" on the climbs.  I didn't relieve him right away going up Shady toward Sunnyhill until near the top.
• He, Todd, and I took turns as we made our way onto and around Turtle Rock with Mitchell, Vin and Jer in tow.  
• I started off up front on the climb, but Todd eventually relieved me (as I would expect), with the rest of us lining up behind him.  
• As we got closed to Ridgeline, I thought I'd give the uphill sprint a try (I'm reconsidering doing a race on the 26th that will be a little hilly...that's why).  
• Vince, Todd and I broke away for a little after that, but Mitchell was able to join us again by the time we got to the Shady bike trail.  
• After some rotations, it would be Todd and Vince who would sprint by at the top of Shady as I latched on behind them.  We lost my wingman, Mitchell, at that point.  
• Vince had gotten away a little on the descent and going through the sidewalks, and Todd had also managed to gap me as well.  
• Todd started to close the gap on Vince while I worked to do the same and we were all 3 back together again after the trail straightened beside the 405.  
• Todd had relieved Vince and I eventually relieved Todd wondering if someone was going to sprint by to the bridge.  No one did, so I continued to lead past it until I was relieved again.  
• We hit the light at the bottom of Ridgeline, which worked out for me as I was leading us toward it, and Todd started us off on the climb.  
• Vince took over after Todd and I stayed behind Vince thinking about all the sisters and GMR/GRR climbing the guy's been doing.  You don't pass a guy like that right away on a climb. 
• I did pass him during the 2nd part that pitched up, and led toward Turtle Rock.  Todd and Vince sprinted by at that point, but I managed to latch on.  You can't beat this type of training, I tell  ya.
• On the descent, Todd was leading us down but when Vince took over, he took off with some bad intentions.  I closed the gap on him when he did, but I wasn't about to take over right away either after doing so.  HA!
• I eventually took the front and kept us at a healthy pace leading all the way to the Culver stoplight.  The funny thing is, when the light turned green, I didn't get in my pedals right away and Vince mentioned something about how I shouldn't be scared.  Didn't I just finish pulling?  HA HA
• Todd lead us up Culver initially, and Vince followed where I took up the last, and this rotation continued on where there didn't seem to be any break away attempts anymore...just good team rotations.  
• We hit the stop light at McArthur, and Todd led us out from there with me in #2 and Vince behind.  
• Going into the condo, we were lucky with the green light so we had some good speed going into the turn.  Todd and I went wide intentionally based on the speed and the clear road, and Vince was in my slipstream.
• Todd had a bit of a gap, but I was able to sprint to the top ahead of him.  Vince didn't manage to stay in my slipstream, but he and Todd weren't far behind me as I made the turn onto Bison.  
• They both passed me on the descent to Bison, and seemed to be looking back at some point like they wanted me to lose me at an intersection or something.  Funny how I think stuff like that, but it does happen.  
• We were able to cross McArthur upon arriving there, and Todd the workhorse was willing to pull up to the front for the lead out should there be any sprint attempts.  
• Vince was right behind Todd, so I waited until we crossed the 2nd light over the 73 before taking off and testing out Vince's sprinting.  Now I have to admit, I wasn't sure he'd be up for contesting it and/or able to for that matter since he's been focusing on a lot of hill training, but he latched on to me and swung around for a pass before we arrived at California.  Nice job!  Knowing Vince, this was his way of paying me back for Jamboree.  Tell me I'm wrong....

Great training ride today, gents.  Thanks for making it out everyone.  I can't make it out tomorrow or Thursday, so have fun and stay safe out there, gents.