Left Lane sent me some colorful commentary regarding Saturday's fantastic Around the Sound Ride. However, before we get to that and a bit of commentary from last night's Hammerfest we call WERAD, we need to do a little housekeeping.
In light of the previous post and in an effort to be folks of our word, (try to actually do what we say...that would be refreshing, wouldn't it?!), we are making a ride schedule change for this Saturday's ride. The All the Way Around the Bay is just too long for many in our peloton, (70 to 75 miles), however many folks want to do a long ride this Saturday. Therefore, we are offering a shorter route, (35 miles) for those who may want to ride less miles. Woody Chandler has offered to be the Ride Captain for this shorter option. We will all start together at 7am at Firestone and Summit and the shorter route group will turn off at UWF as the longer route group will continue northeast across the Causeway and All the Way Around the Bay.
See you Saturday morning for what looks to be a fantastic All the Way Around the Bay ride!
Now, here is your ride commentaries. Left Lane wrote:
I'm is bouncing back. I rode 4 solo rides last week with a couple of trips out Scenic Highway and the figure 8 a couple of times as well. I rejoined the peloton Saturday for the Around the Sound ride. My hope was to be able to finish the ride, unlike a couple of weeks ago when I turned back early on the trip out to Innerarity when the pace into the wind kicked up too high for me to hold on.
We had a great turnout of around 15 or so riders with most of the usual suspects in attendance… Bob, Fox, Circle K, Keith, Dana, Lawman, Harlan, Earl, Roger, Seattle Brian, the hand guys, Mayo & Josh, me (Left Lane) and possibly a couple of others.
First half of the ride was into the wind and I struggled a little to maintain the fairly quick pace but kept up until the break around 7 miles from Navarre on 98. Harlan won an uncontested sprint to the break. I was around 5th wheel or so with Harlan behind me chomping at the bit asking “Is there going to be a sprint?” I told Harlan that “if you go, I guarantee someone will chase” all the time knowing I was not going to chase. So Harlan goes and we all yelled at him to throw it down because the peloton was coming; but we just sat there and let him take the win as we conserved our energy.
When we started back up for Navarre Beach, everyone except Fox and the hand guys decided to go all the way to Navarre and then home on the beach road. Pace really kicked up on the way to Navarre and the group stayed together except for Roger & Brian dropping off early and Left Lane cracking off the back around ¾ of a mile from the bridge…almost held on. Kind of sucked because as I turned South over the bridge the wind was directly in my face and I had to do the stretch down to the break on Navarre Beach solo. Drained what little energy I had left to push the Big Gear in the paceline.
Everyone regrouped at the Circle K on Navarre Beach before we headed back to P Beach on the Beach road. The wind on the way back was around 45 degrees out of the Southeast so it was going to be a fast run back to P Beach. Peloton almost immediately slammed it with Bob, Keith and Circle K breaking away at around 25mph and Lawman Dave chasing after the gap was around 200 yards. Dana, Harlan, Earl & I were in the next group at a more reasonable clip of around 22-23. I was only able to maintain the pace for around the first 4 miles and cracked and had to ride solo all the way to P Beach and settled into around a 19mph pace.
From what I heard later, Bob & Circle K dropped lawman Dave who spent too much catching them early on and even dropped Keith on the way to P Beach. Dana and Harlan were next with Earl cracking off then me then Seattle Brian who had not ridden with us in several months.
I was done with pace-lining so I left a little early from the Circle K and made it to almost the top of Sikes Bridge before Bob, (The Vortex), led the group screaming by me on the last 200 yards or so up the hill. By the time I got to the top I was 100 yards behind at least and even slamming it down the hill could not catch the group. I got close though at around 40 yards back and when the traffic jammed up between Publix and the last traffic light I drafted on a big pick up truck which sucked me back up to the group and I went blasting by them (A Left Lane like move) even though I knew any break was going to be short-lived.
I stayed out front until around a mile on the bridge running at around 23-24 with a nice tail wind when that damn Vortex led the group blowing by me at around 30mph or so. I think the rule should be that anyone who loses over 30 lbs should have to strap a rock on his back weighing at least half that much until their legs shrink down to catch up with the rest of the body!!! By the time I got to the top of the hump the leaders of the Peloton were around a mile ahead. Bob said they were still hitting 27mph as they crested the hump and were over 40mph on the downhill heading home!!!
Great ride, and although I can’t really ride with the big boys of the peloton lately, I finished my first long Saturday ride since my pavement dive so it was a victory of sorts.
Thanks for the report Left Lane! Great ride!
And speaking of great rides, last night's WERAD was a blast! We had a good group of around 15 or so as we headed out on yet another windy evening. Man, it's been a windy Spring. The group stayed together doing a moderate pace until the first pass down Langley. We dropped David Mayo and discovered that he actually had a flat tire...that is some Bad Mayonaisse brother! His sweet wife Beverly came to pick him up and they headed home.
The Crit Loop was taken at speed as we hammered through all 12 corners and curves. (I just love this kind of stuff!) Once back on the standard Figure 8 the pace was civil with everyone enjoying one another's company. The trip down Fairchild was a bit frisky with Left Lane trying out his new found return to fitness, as well as Count Fishbone taking a strong pull. As we headed onto the Burgess Park loop we were met with a wonderful surprise...
Chuck and Sandy Norton with their daughter Chris jumped out of the bushes on their bikes and rode along with us. It was so good to see them! It has been awhile since they have been able to ride with us. They latched on the back of the peloton as we headed down Burgess with Keith "Big Motor" Irwin cranking it up at the front.
Once onto the final pass of Langley, The Vortex pulled up to Pensacourt and relinquished to an anxious Dana "The Animal" Foster, who was dubbed "Danimal" this evening as his new nickname. Danimal did his version of a suicide pull all the way down Langley and around Spanish onto Maygarden when Big Motor put in an acceleration that left all but the strongest calling to the engine room for more power. He pulled all the way to about 1k to go when Retro put in a vicious attack. Lawman jumped on his wheel with Vortex giving chase. These 3 amigos were together until 500 meters left...that's when Big Motor showed up pulling the Calvary.
There were two surges by those hoping to get a gap but to no avail. Then Lawman, at 200 meters to go, jumps on it hard with Vortex, then Retro on his wheel. Big Motor and his Calvary blew the trumpet that sounded the retreat. Lawman was stomping on it at 33mph. However, with 100 meters left, around him goes that pesky Vortex, who topped out at nearly 40mph for the victory! (must be the tailwind!) Lawman crossed the line in second with Retro taking third.
Big Pull Bull (BPB) awards go out to Danimal Foster and Keith "Big Motor" Irwin for their monster pulls at high speeds. Danimal's BPB was of the gold giled sort as he produced the rare Suicide BPB.
What a great ride with a very exciting finish! We probably won't have anything like that on this Saturday's ride...but you never know. Don't miss a single minute of the cycling action. Come on out for a fun ride with an unusual group of characters full of peloton antics. Laughing and riding...what could be better medicine?!
See you out on the road,
Bob
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