Thursday Lunch Ride - Good Stuff

Strava:  https://app.strava.com/activities/291300543

Attendees:  Shannon, Hiroshi, Mitchell, Vin, Seon and Jaffe

Highlights:

• With Shannon doing the BWR this Sunday, he brought out his Surly CX bike for the lunch ride.  Most would think this would help equalize the field.  Not really.
• Hiroshi was racing in the evening at GP, so he came out rocking the Rock Racing jersey and played sweeper to save up for the race.
• Saw Todd in the gym, but he was on TT bike as road bike in the shop where he opted to do his own thing.  I hear it's not his favorite route anyway....  :)
• Shannon was already off the front going down California.  due to most us getting caught at the California/University light opted to play rabbit on the bike trail.  We never saw him until Laguna Canyon where he sat waiting for us.  
• Vin and Jaffe waited and probably because they didn't want to have to work with Shannon, but it was good that they did.   They did some good share of pulling along with Seon, Mitchell and me.
• It was funny how after we met with Shannon on Laguna Canyon, the guys riding changed where they seemed less inclined to get up front.  
• Going up Shady, Shannon mentioned how it would be a KOM section. I did a good amount of work up front from Laguna Canyon to the trail, so I was just happy if I could stay with everyone.  Vin took up the challenge and launched a kamikaze attack getting to the top first.  
• We regrouped at the bottom of Shady just after SunnyHill, and Shannon led everyone up and over the hill at a pace that dropped a few and probably discouraged a few from sprinting.  I saw Vin look though and I guess since I was behind him felt that his kamikaze attack wouldn't work this time for the sprint section Shannon called out.  I pushed to the front when I realized no one was going to relieve Shannon and no one opted to sprint by this time.  I guess I won?
• We started rotating again on Bonita Canyon and not sure if it was just me, but it seemed Vin launched up the hill in a breakaway fashion.  Not sure why.  Just squirly I guess.
• Vin and Jaffe led us initially on Eastbluff, but Shannon took over and got us going.  As we approached the sidewalk after Back Bay, we had a little separation and Shannon took off with me just barely off and trying to keep up.  I looked back and could see others chasing, so we tried to keep the gap.  I was finally able to get up to Shannon and tried to pull him, but he did a lot of work to get us there and opted to let me break away from the others at that point.  
• Going up California, everyone just lined up behind Shannon and I as we rode abreast all the way up.  

Great workout as always, and although humbling to have someone on CX bike keep pace, consider who was on it.   Thanks for the workout, gents.