Lunch Ride - It Was a Crazy Start...and it Stayed That Way

Strava:  https://www.strava.com/activities/316973147

Attendees:  Shannon, Todd, Vince, Mitchell and Vin

Highlights:

• Nice to have Todd back after he's been out from being sick.  Although not fully recovered, he led us out from the start at a maddening pace and pretty much set the tone for the rest of the ride.
• Vince and Shannon decided to get away from the madness and broke us off just making the light up NPC.  Our chase group got caught at the light, which took forever to let us go.  We decided at that point we would be better working together than trying to catch the guys ahead of us in a smaller group.
• Todd and I traded pulls up NPC, and at one point, got passed by another cyclist that came out of nowhere.  We didn't give chase since that would have probably strung us out negating what we concluded at the bottom of the hill.  
• Three quarters of the way up, we hear a tire blow air out and Todd, Mitchell and I stopped to see whose tire blew.  I checked mine as did the two others, but no one felt that it was their tire that blew...so we went on despite knowing that someone must have blown a tire.
• When we rounded the turn to the reverse horseshoe, I heard a bike lose traction behind me and ended up turning around to find Mitchell off his bike.  I think for the most part, he caught the bike and didn't fall but I couldn't say for sure.  He ended up telling Todd and I to just go ahead since he had everything he needed.  Who were we to question a "pro?"  Gladly, we did see him back at the gym at the end of the ride.
• Todd and I ran into Vin at the end of the horseshoe, and we started working together down NPC, Pelican, on PCH and through CDM.  
• After a charge on PCH after getting back on from Avocado, we ran into the breakaway group who waited for us at the entrance on Back Bay.
• We started out a fairly moderate pace (Vin was leading at the time...haha), but that picked up just after getting past the first gate.  
• After some rotation, Vince started his antics again and began launching attack after attack.  What's funny is that I think I ended up having to close the gaps each time he did, and he would have the audacity to give me the elbow to pass as though it didn't take any work to get up to him.  My reply was "hell no" each time.  HA
• Vin launched an attack, which Vince responded to, but I was a little spent and decided to take up the back to recover.  Shannon and Vince took off up the hill to duke it out and continued to keep the break again as they made their way to Jamboree.
• I stayed with Todd as we made our way up Jamboree, but with my newly tuned bike, which came with a complimentary bomber of some fine home brew (thanks SM!), I was able to close the gap somewhat to the breakaway...just not enough.
• Vince opted to make the left turn, while the rest of us "safely" made our way to the intersection and cross from there.  
• We all ended up crossing McArthur mostly together, and it looked like it was going to be a free-for-all finish, but instead I got to provide a lead out for the finish getting mad passed shortly after crossing 73 offramp.  

Overall, another great workout and definitely high output.   Having seen Galen come back from his solo ride after getting dressed and Adrian saying he'll be coming out again with us this week, I can only imagine that a full crew would be outright ridiculous.  I can't wait!  

Thanks for coming out, gents!