Sounds like the WERAD this past Wednesday was your typical hammerfest that it has been known for. Several of the big boys were throwing it down and getting a bit frisky! The Left Lane put together some color commentary in the absence of the Masked Writer (Vortex). Who was out of pocket on a double secret training session in his desert, (not dessert) training camp. Training specifically to treat sunburn while still in the saddle, (there's a real trick to it) and how to pull out cacti (plural for cactuseses...kinda like Prenti is plural for...never mind) thorns from your tires without getting a finger caught in the spokes. Highly skilled techniques every cyclist should know!
Here's Left Lane's commentary in his own perspective that can only be from the, uh...Left Lane:
Another fantastic WERAD as usual. Although some of the usual suspects were missing...What the Mother Clucker Vortex, Mechanical Mayo Bad Mayonnaise, No Big Hoagie...Not even a Little Hoagie, there was still a very good turnout. In attendance were Fox, Bugno, Chuck, Keith, Fishbone, Lawman, Nathan, Wes, Nestor, Peter, and The Left Lane. Hope I got everyone.
After listening to several tales of the Carnage from Saturday's ride we took off and rode the usual route with Fishbone pushing the pace early on up 12th avenue and the first part of Langley. Pace was fairly reasonable especially with the wind in our face on Langley and then on the first half of the crit course. Keith pulled the first half of the Crit and then Chuck, The Bad Half, went to the front for the second half with the wind with the pace kicking up in the mid 20's. Left Lane tried to take the short sprint at the end but Johnny Bugno quickly put him in his place to lead the group back out onto Spanish Trail.
The group was very evenly matched this day with everyone staying together for the hammerfests on the other side of 9th avenue. Going up Langley the second time, the Lawman began to legislate from the front of the peloton before turning it over to the Nathaaaan Bomb as we cruised in the mid 20's to Spanish Trail and headed for Maygarden. I was sitting on Foxes wheel in around 6th spot as we started down Maygarden with the Bugno going to the front and putting down a pace in the 23mph range. I was needling Fox that someone was very conspicuous in his absence from the front of the peloton. Where was the Big Motor??!! No suicide pull by Keith!! What was going on??? I had needled Keith and Lawman earlier in the ride for hanging back/sandbagging in the back of the peloton.
Well Bugno turned the pull over to Nathan, I believe, before the Air Terminal and we slammed it toward the Ess Turn with the entire group still together. Still no Big Motor to the front!! It became apparent that in the absence of the Presumptive Sprint Favorite (PSF) (the Vortex) the Bodacious Brit had taken on a new attitude and was going to go for the Win!! Sure enough with around 300 yards left here comes Keith around to go to the front with Lawman chasing. Keith opened up a slight lead and was able to just barely hold off the Lawman for his first WERAD victory in some time. I was cheering him on from my usual place at the back of the pack. It was good to see Keith who so often does so much work at the front take the victory. Good ride Big Motor!!
Thanks Left Lane! And congrats to Keith "Big Motor" Irwin!!!
Looking forward to riding with the peloton again tomorrow morning...maybe. It looks like the weather may be our biggest obstacle to riding in the morning. However, if it is not actually raining, we're riding!!! (It may be our last chance for several days! Have you seen the weather forecast...dismal!) Please check out our foul weather policy below, way below...down there with the Rides Calendar. You can check that out too!
In fact, if you do, you'll see the intended ride for tomorrow is the Lillian Loop. However, depending on the weather map at 6am we may change that to another direction...we'll see. Regardless, we'll start at 7am at Fish and Wildlife unless it is actually raining. Come on out and help choose the alternative route if needed!
See you (hopefully) in the morning and...
See you out on the road, (after several days of rain!)
Bob
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