Mark B
Zen MBB Master
I rode with the big boys again today. At least some of them.. I originally fell in with my usual crowd, but they weren't doing anything that impressed me that much. I started to leave with them, then realized the big boys hadn't left yet. I checked in with them and they were stil himming and hawing. There were a couple ideas thrown out, including riding out toward where the fires were in Yucaipa/Oak Glen. Most of us weren't down with that, considering the ash and whatnot still out there on the roads. Four elected to do the same thing my regular group was doing; heading out to Lake Matthews south of Riverside. This is not my particuarly favorite ride, but riding with the faster crew, I knew I would get pushed.
I can hang with this crew just fine on the flats and downhills and did so all the way to Grand Terrace. When we started up the hill into GT, I got passed by all three of the riders I was with. I kept them in sight and had no problems getting in their back pocket shortly therafter. We pounded through Grand Terrace and caught up to the other group. We intermingled for awhie then broke free and went on our own. We stopped at Citrus Park for potty and water before continuing on. From here on out, we were two groups intermingled and most riders were focused on staying with the faster folks. Unfortunately, they ignored the fact that one of us had a flat. I stayed with the unfortunate rider and helped with the repair, then attempted to pull the rider back up to the group. By the time we got up to them, they were starting to call and find out where we were. We caught on and as we headed back down into Riverside, a few of us got cut off and dropped way behind the group. I hammered ahead and caught up with the tail end and continued to work my way up to the front. One of the ladies later commented how I had rocketed past her group when she thought they were really moving.
We worked together as we worked our way toward Victoria Avenue in Riverside, then the faster riders took off. I was happy to stay on the back of the faster group and hang on as we continued along our way. I had gone through three water bottles by now, as the day continued to heat up. I was starting to think about finding the next source. Myself and another rider got dropped by the fast group at a stop light. We caught up to them at a park where we all refilled our bottles. From there, we rotated through a nice paceline until we got to the rural area between Riverside and Highgrove/Riverside, where the gradual uphill started to seperate the riders. I stayed with the faster riders as a few of the others tried to challenge. By the time we got to Barton road in Grand Terrace, I was spent. This is a gradual uphill for quite a spell and the faster riders opened a gap on me, while I opened a gap on the rest of the group. As it ended up, I rode alone the rest of the way home to Redlands. Too slow for the fast group and too fast for the slow group, I made my way home all alone.
I was beat by now and decided there was no point in stpping for lie telling at the coffee shop; I would never want to get back on the bike, so I kept rolling home. I got home with just over 72 miles with a 17 mph average.
Mark
I can hang with this crew just fine on the flats and downhills and did so all the way to Grand Terrace. When we started up the hill into GT, I got passed by all three of the riders I was with. I kept them in sight and had no problems getting in their back pocket shortly therafter. We pounded through Grand Terrace and caught up to the other group. We intermingled for awhie then broke free and went on our own. We stopped at Citrus Park for potty and water before continuing on. From here on out, we were two groups intermingled and most riders were focused on staying with the faster folks. Unfortunately, they ignored the fact that one of us had a flat. I stayed with the unfortunate rider and helped with the repair, then attempted to pull the rider back up to the group. By the time we got up to them, they were starting to call and find out where we were. We caught on and as we headed back down into Riverside, a few of us got cut off and dropped way behind the group. I hammered ahead and caught up with the tail end and continued to work my way up to the front. One of the ladies later commented how I had rocketed past her group when she thought they were really moving.
We worked together as we worked our way toward Victoria Avenue in Riverside, then the faster riders took off. I was happy to stay on the back of the faster group and hang on as we continued along our way. I had gone through three water bottles by now, as the day continued to heat up. I was starting to think about finding the next source. Myself and another rider got dropped by the fast group at a stop light. We caught up to them at a park where we all refilled our bottles. From there, we rotated through a nice paceline until we got to the rural area between Riverside and Highgrove/Riverside, where the gradual uphill started to seperate the riders. I stayed with the faster riders as a few of the others tried to challenge. By the time we got to Barton road in Grand Terrace, I was spent. This is a gradual uphill for quite a spell and the faster riders opened a gap on me, while I opened a gap on the rest of the group. As it ended up, I rode alone the rest of the way home to Redlands. Too slow for the fast group and too fast for the slow group, I made my way home all alone.
I was beat by now and decided there was no point in stpping for lie telling at the coffee shop; I would never want to get back on the bike, so I kept rolling home. I got home with just over 72 miles with a 17 mph average.
Mark
