Well, here's Left Lane's report:
The Ride Was Epic!!!
Saturday morning dawned with the wind howling out of the ESE at around 18-20MPH rather than the more mild 10-11 the peloton was expecting. So instead of riding to Ft. Pickens and exorcising the demons of the Vortextual Crushing Calamity we decided to head the other way down 98 on the “Around the Sound” loop with the group to decide when we got to our break out 98 whether any members wanted to go all the way to Navarre and make it a 60 mile ride instead of the 35-40 we were planning.
The hardy group that showed up at Fish & Wildlife included The Danimal, Happy Harlan, Nestor, The HandJives (Danger Sharpe and Bad Mayonaisse), Lawman Dave Carroll, and The Left Lane. Oh yeah, and Retro Dave who showed up on a brand new bike frame…a colorful Collangelo. As I later found out discussing it with the Retro Man it was an aluminum frame similar to his old bike. So I asked why he bought it and it was because it was more colorful…the old bike being drab and not allowing the Retro Mans inner Peacock to properly strut his stuff…it’s hard being a colorful peloton character on a drab bike!!
Well we took off over the bridge and the crosswind was brutal but once we got over the bridge the wind was more sedate. We picked up Roc Doc Paul on the other side of the bridge who said he could only go a short way because he was on call ..something about some women who would probably not wait to have her baby before the full ride was over. Don’t they have a pill to delay births like they have one to induce…how about deduce..Doc was only with us a few miles when we noticed he was gone..must of got the call. We also picked up Doug who whipped his truck into the parking lot at the Baskin Robbins after signaling the peloton to wait up (fashionably late).
Well we had a great ride out 98 and the neighborhood roads to Tiger Point with Left Lane winning the unannounced sprint to the break store over a disinterested peloton. I love it when you sprint and no one chases..much better success rate that way!!
So we took our break and started talking about doing the full Around The Sound Loop. We asked how far to Navarre knowing it would be a brutal pretty much directly into the wind ride. Dana assured us that it was only 7.5 miles (an easy pull for the Danimal). Well having come this far the prospect of getting over the Navarre Bridge and having a 20mph tailwind express for the ride home was too much to pass up. The entire group was in and we headed off.
With Dana, Nestor, Harlan, Doug & Left Lane separating from the others we ran around 3 miles before turning into a neighborhood down to the sound. When we popped back out on 98 we saw the rest of the group up ahead apparently having gone straight on 98. Well Dana put down the hammer trying to reel in the ½ Riders and in the process he and Happy ditched the Left Lane and Doug & Nestor who got caught back yaking as we went back out on 98. Oh Great, here was the wind challenged Left Lane out in no man’s land fighting that brutal wind, solo. Well Nestor caught up but I could not grab his wheel and then after another mile or so Doug caught up in Aero Position on his Cervelo and I hitched a ride with him to the base of the Navarre Bridge…Preesh the pull Doug!! We regrouped at the Tom Thumb and got ready for the Hammerfest down the beach road to Pensacola.
Retro Dave led us out on to the beach road with the pace slowly accelerating as the Peloton came together and the push from the wind kicked in 23..25..27..29..all of a sudden around 2 miles into the dash we were up over 30 with Dana & Retro Dave pushing the pace. Well that was a little to much for me and several others. The lead group pushing that crazy pace was Dana, Retro, Nestor, and Lawman, with Harlan just missing the wheel and Doug and the Left Lane and then Danger and Bad Mayo riding together in the rear. Doug and I were pretty much together or within 50 yards of each other all the way not pace lining but still being able to maintain around 27 mph in solo mode and having the lead group in our sights most of the way. We regrouped at Portofino with everyone pretty “stoked” from riding the tailwind express (had to throw in “stoked” for Doug who was going to exchange his bike for a surfboard and ride some waves after the bike ride).
Rumor had it that the lead group pretty much cruised in the 30-31mph the whole way with Retro & Dana pulling into Portofino first and Nestor, Happy & Lawman next and then Left Lane, Doug and Danger and BM not far behind.
As we headed for the final leg home I was pretty much toasted but managed to get out and do the first pull most of the way down to Pbeach with Dana and Nestor in tow and the rest of the group back having started slowly out of Portofino. Unfortunately at the light at the main beach the wind was now a cross wind and I watched Dana and Nestor pull off into the distance as we headed up the Sikes Bridge. The run through Gulf Breeze was again with the wind and I went by Dana & Nestor waiting for the group around the Taco Bell. No stopping for the Left Lane at this point … the legs could not take another stop and go and I just barely crawled up the bridge hump at a scintallating 9mph with the legs starting to cramp up. Well the end was in sight and I crawled into the Fish and Wildlife around 10:45 with around 59 miles at an average speed of 18.3. The rest of the boys soon rolled in…a tired group but what a great ride!!
Can’t wait to do it again…TOMORROW…Sunday ride is moved up to 2:30 at F&S and with no Saints game to watch I am committed to being there so if the Vortex posts this tonight we may get a nice group to reinvigorate the Sunday Ride.
Regrets to Vortex & Crusher that we could not visit the hallowed site of “The Calamity” and find the most treasured artifacts in local cycling before a certain sugar coated “former “ F&S ‘er returns to the scene of his most onerous crimes. Maybe next week!!
Later, I here a 6-pak and a Nap calling my name!!
The Left Lane
As always Left Lane, great commentary! This rider, for one can't wait to be back out on the road with the cast of unusual characters. Yep, nothing like a good Tailwind Express to make your day.But, until then I probably won't...
See you out on the road,
Bob
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