2015 Lunch Ride # 7 - Consistency is Key

Strava:  https://app.strava.com/activities/247067535

Attendees:  Vince, Vin, Gary and Seon

2015 Lunch Ride Streak:  Gary, Vin and me (7), Vince and Seon (3)

Highlights:

• Nearly perfect conditions out there weather-wise but with a little moisture on the road here and there...nothing bad.
• Not everyone wore white BRCM today, and one person even wore non-BRCM.  3/5 isn't bad.
• Vince led the pack down California to start things off and actually managed to restrain himself from an early first intersection breakaway.  
• S-Gary took the 2nd pull on the University bike trail showing his ever improving conditioning.
• When we got on Back Bay, Vin came around from the back (behind me) and pulled up to take the front and elevate the pace.  He and Vince ended up pulling away gapping Gary, Seon and me (in that order).  
• Gary and I worked together, but I guess Seon got a little excited when he took the front and eventually gapped the two of us.  We did manage to reel him in by San Joaquin though.  
• Climbing San Joaquin, I opted to climb standing mostly because my taint is still recovering from Saturday.  Gary made his way past me here in BAM fashion reaching Vince and Vin at the intersection ahead of us.  Seon and I weren't too far behind.
• Fortunately there were a lot of lights on San Joaquin.  This helped us stay together since Vince and Vin kept hitting lights.  
• Just before McArthur, Vin said he was going to ride with us and let Vince go but ended up taking off with him anyway. I guess Vin meant he was only going to ride the same course given Vince planned to do the extra credit Vista climb.  
• Seon had gotten ahead of Gary and I but pulled over after Gary and I got caught at a light.  Seon's back tire flatted, but instead of having us wait for him (which we stopped to do), he told us to keep going and he'll just see is later...so we took off.
• On the climb up San Joaquin, I was relieving my taint some more with the standing climb and had gotten a little gap on Gary.  Someone passed me at one point in a kit and mentioned how my chainrings must be strong (given I was climbing that way) as he passed.   I'm not really sure what he meant by it, but I used it as motivation to catch up to him, ride his wheel and pass at the top.    He gave me kudos.  
• Gary and I regrouped and headed down NPC and up Pelican.  Gary was back behind me after the first hill and wasn't too far behind going up the second hill.  
• When we got on NPC, we looked up Ridge Park and didn't see anyone and just kept going. 
• On San Joaquin, I was holding a good pace but I thought Gary was slightly off my wheel.  The next thing you know, he passed me with authority just before the descent and took the F off.  HA HA...nice.  Fortunately, I caught him at a light. 
• When we got on McArthur, I thought I'd dial it up a notch and not really paying much attention behind me.   I was pleasantly surprised that as I approached Bonita, I see Gary's giraffe sized shadow looming just beside me.  
• After almost getting swiped by a lady in a BMW coming from Bonita Canyon and then having a couple cars block out the bike lane near Bison, I was more than just a little bothered.  I told Gary about it as he rolled up beside me, but then ended up taking off for a sprint up to California.  Nice work!
• When we got to the gym, we saw Seon had made it back safely given his bike was leaning up against the mirror.  

Another great lunch ride.  In all seriousness, my taint really does hurt.  I may rest it on Thursday.  I may not.  Pray for my taint.

Thanks for coming out, gents!