Mark B
Zen MBB Master
Yesterday (7/25), our bike club did our monthly ride to the beach. To be honest, I like the SART to the beach about four times a year and I think I've met that and am now officially sick of the SART for another summer. 
We started off at Backwoods BBQ in Corona. It was a pretty fast looking crowd that showed up, which suited me just fine. I was hoping to make a fast trip of it, having wild notions of a 20 mph average.
We started off and I could tell it was going to take awhile for everybody to warm up. I slowed to let them catch on, then I would ride away again. Finally, we got a decent train rolling. We stopped at Yorba Regional park to use the potty and pick up more club members. From here, I knew we would get strung out all over the place, so I made a point of making my way to the front. I got in back of our tandem team of Roger and Kathy and sat there for awhile, then decided to go out front and run some more. Somewhere along the line here, I saw a familiar shape coming toward me. The Gary Origin 8 bar has a distinctive look and while I didn't notice who the rider was at first, I recognized the bike! SILVIO!!! It was Tom Roberts, who did recognize me. I don't know where he was going, but he sure was rolling.
Traffic on the bike path was really heavy. It was a sign of things to come. There were cheerleaders on bikes, boy scouts, fixie kids, you name i! After the regroup at the Pond, we sang happy birthday to one of our club members, then we headed on toward the beach. I jumped back out in front and hammered from there as much as I could, slowing when traffic wouldn't allow it. There was one place where an ambulance was on the bike path and at least two people were laid out. I think we should have left 1/2 hour sooner to beat rush hour traffic!!! By now, I'm way out front of my group and I kept the hammer down. I wasn't trying to be unsociable, but I don't feel like I get a good workout sitting in somebody's draft and the tandem captain was too big for my draft to be of any use, so I made the decision to run. I made it down to the beach well before anybody else with the exception of young Kyle, one of our Sunday riders. He's a real strong young rider and had been trying to reel me in for some time. He said he ran out of gas and just couldn't quite get there. As we approached the restrooms, we saw another club rider that was riding with some other folks. I visited with her for awhile until our crew started rolling in. One of the guys made the comment that this was the best workout he'd gotten in several years trying to chase us down! That made me feel pretty good, especially considering he's my boss!
Our group was twenty some strong and we took up a lot of room abound the bathrooms. People were deciding what they wanted to do. Some were going straight back for tacos and beer at Backwoods. Others were going for breakfast at Newport Burger, just across the bridge into Newport Beach. Myself, my boss Jerry, Russ and the tandem team of Roger and Kathy decided to head north to Seal Beach where we were going to eat at River's End. This meant a trip on PCH through Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach and into Seal Beach. While out on PCH, a rider in full racing kit jumped on my back wheel and I opened up the throttle. He had nowhere to go but on my back wheel and I pulled him for several miles until we came to a red light. He was wildly enthusiastic about the Silvio and the way I had pulled him up PCH. I slowed down to let my partners catch up and we went on up toward Seal Beach.
We made it to the restaurant and the place was packed. It looked like we would be there forever, so Russ and Jerry decided to roll on back toward Backwoods for lunch and a beer I was hungry and so was the tandem team, so we stuck it out. It did take forever to get seated and waited on, but the food was good and we left feelling pretty good. We got back out on PCH and by now, traffic was HORRIBLE! We were actually moving faster than the cars were, which was pretty cool. Traffic was bad enough that people were actually parking in the bike lane, where its clearly marked "No Stopping Any TIme"! It was clear to me that the CHP could probably have helped offset the state budget crisis had they been out there issuing some tickets!
Back onto the bike path, we headed back with a nice tailwind. I was running out in front of Roger and Kathy, keeping them in my sight. At one point, I noticed a guy on a time trial bike coming around them and charging up on me. I decided this could be fun, so I put some watts to the pedals and made him work. I ran him up to about 24-25 and that was about all he had. He was out wide as if to pass, but had nothing more to give, I guess, so he switched over into my slipstream. I watched as he sat up and caught his breath, so I eased up. Then, I'd hear him "click click" to downshift. I'd look in my mirror and sure enough, he'd be back down in the aerobars and charging, so off I'd go. Same thing; I'd run him up to 24-25 mph and he'd tuck back in behind me, then sit up.... so I'd slow down. We repeated this about four or five times until we got back to the last wooden bridge that crosses back over to Yorba Regional Park. By now, I knew we'd dropped Kathy and Roger, so after crossing the bridge, I let the guy go. He gave me props as he went around and it was then that I noticed he had the aero time trial helmet and the whole nine yards! I was thinking if I had an aero hat, there was no way he could keep with me!!!
I stopped and waited for Roger and Kathy in the shade of a bridge. I was there for quite some time, but it was rather pleasant as the tailwind I had been enjoing was now a nice cooling breeze! They got there and we trudged up the hill to the street level. They announced they were going to stop at Rio Java and get a Coke they were running out of steam. I plowed ahead, thinking only of Backwoods BBQ, a cold beer and some peanuts. I thought my other friends were probably long gone, by now, but I was never afraid to drink alone! I made it back and not only were they still there, but they had only been there about ten minutes!! It seems they had trouble with the flat gods and had to stop by a bike shop for an over-priced tire.
We sat there a few minutes and a few others began rolling in. We had a nice gathering before heading back for home. I ended up with 87 miles and an 18.5 average for the day. A far cry from my goal, but not too shabby considering the traffic we had.
Mark
We started off at Backwoods BBQ in Corona. It was a pretty fast looking crowd that showed up, which suited me just fine. I was hoping to make a fast trip of it, having wild notions of a 20 mph average.
We started off and I could tell it was going to take awhile for everybody to warm up. I slowed to let them catch on, then I would ride away again. Finally, we got a decent train rolling. We stopped at Yorba Regional park to use the potty and pick up more club members. From here, I knew we would get strung out all over the place, so I made a point of making my way to the front. I got in back of our tandem team of Roger and Kathy and sat there for awhile, then decided to go out front and run some more. Somewhere along the line here, I saw a familiar shape coming toward me. The Gary Origin 8 bar has a distinctive look and while I didn't notice who the rider was at first, I recognized the bike! SILVIO!!! It was Tom Roberts, who did recognize me. I don't know where he was going, but he sure was rolling.
Traffic on the bike path was really heavy. It was a sign of things to come. There were cheerleaders on bikes, boy scouts, fixie kids, you name i! After the regroup at the Pond, we sang happy birthday to one of our club members, then we headed on toward the beach. I jumped back out in front and hammered from there as much as I could, slowing when traffic wouldn't allow it. There was one place where an ambulance was on the bike path and at least two people were laid out. I think we should have left 1/2 hour sooner to beat rush hour traffic!!! By now, I'm way out front of my group and I kept the hammer down. I wasn't trying to be unsociable, but I don't feel like I get a good workout sitting in somebody's draft and the tandem captain was too big for my draft to be of any use, so I made the decision to run. I made it down to the beach well before anybody else with the exception of young Kyle, one of our Sunday riders. He's a real strong young rider and had been trying to reel me in for some time. He said he ran out of gas and just couldn't quite get there. As we approached the restrooms, we saw another club rider that was riding with some other folks. I visited with her for awhile until our crew started rolling in. One of the guys made the comment that this was the best workout he'd gotten in several years trying to chase us down! That made me feel pretty good, especially considering he's my boss!
Our group was twenty some strong and we took up a lot of room abound the bathrooms. People were deciding what they wanted to do. Some were going straight back for tacos and beer at Backwoods. Others were going for breakfast at Newport Burger, just across the bridge into Newport Beach. Myself, my boss Jerry, Russ and the tandem team of Roger and Kathy decided to head north to Seal Beach where we were going to eat at River's End. This meant a trip on PCH through Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach and into Seal Beach. While out on PCH, a rider in full racing kit jumped on my back wheel and I opened up the throttle. He had nowhere to go but on my back wheel and I pulled him for several miles until we came to a red light. He was wildly enthusiastic about the Silvio and the way I had pulled him up PCH. I slowed down to let my partners catch up and we went on up toward Seal Beach.
We made it to the restaurant and the place was packed. It looked like we would be there forever, so Russ and Jerry decided to roll on back toward Backwoods for lunch and a beer I was hungry and so was the tandem team, so we stuck it out. It did take forever to get seated and waited on, but the food was good and we left feelling pretty good. We got back out on PCH and by now, traffic was HORRIBLE! We were actually moving faster than the cars were, which was pretty cool. Traffic was bad enough that people were actually parking in the bike lane, where its clearly marked "No Stopping Any TIme"! It was clear to me that the CHP could probably have helped offset the state budget crisis had they been out there issuing some tickets!
Back onto the bike path, we headed back with a nice tailwind. I was running out in front of Roger and Kathy, keeping them in my sight. At one point, I noticed a guy on a time trial bike coming around them and charging up on me. I decided this could be fun, so I put some watts to the pedals and made him work. I ran him up to about 24-25 and that was about all he had. He was out wide as if to pass, but had nothing more to give, I guess, so he switched over into my slipstream. I watched as he sat up and caught his breath, so I eased up. Then, I'd hear him "click click" to downshift. I'd look in my mirror and sure enough, he'd be back down in the aerobars and charging, so off I'd go. Same thing; I'd run him up to 24-25 mph and he'd tuck back in behind me, then sit up.... so I'd slow down. We repeated this about four or five times until we got back to the last wooden bridge that crosses back over to Yorba Regional Park. By now, I knew we'd dropped Kathy and Roger, so after crossing the bridge, I let the guy go. He gave me props as he went around and it was then that I noticed he had the aero time trial helmet and the whole nine yards! I was thinking if I had an aero hat, there was no way he could keep with me!!!
I stopped and waited for Roger and Kathy in the shade of a bridge. I was there for quite some time, but it was rather pleasant as the tailwind I had been enjoing was now a nice cooling breeze! They got there and we trudged up the hill to the street level. They announced they were going to stop at Rio Java and get a Coke they were running out of steam. I plowed ahead, thinking only of Backwoods BBQ, a cold beer and some peanuts. I thought my other friends were probably long gone, by now, but I was never afraid to drink alone! I made it back and not only were they still there, but they had only been there about ten minutes!! It seems they had trouble with the flat gods and had to stop by a bike shop for an over-priced tire.
We sat there a few minutes and a few others began rolling in. We had a nice gathering before heading back for home. I ended up with 87 miles and an 18.5 average for the day. A far cry from my goal, but not too shabby considering the traffic we had.
Mark
