Quote from aikigreg on Jun 2^nd, 2009, 5:02pm:

 
 
LOL...  no, not quite...  I was disappointed to not have any fellow 'benters along, but I did know a couple of the other participants through other club rides --  but beyond them, I basically knew no one...  I didn't take the camera along, figuring I might need to keep both hands on the grips for a new ride group.  I knew better than to go out with the "A" group, especially on the SXP, so I settled into the middle of the "B" group once the "C"s fell off the back by the time we climbed Mount Richardson (Collins over 75).
 
From that point, I mostly hung out towards the back, gauging the ride...  they held a pretty constant 20 to 25 mph pace, occasionally ramping up to 30, which I was a bit surprised at...  and most were obviously surprised that I was keeping up!  Going up Los Rios, the group was very good at hitting about 30 on the downhill approaching that first big hill, and everybody went up it at pretty good speed -- I only passed a half dozen or so (hearing, "You're killing me, dude...") on the way up it.  The next big downhill and big climb that came a couple miles up, just past Parker (?), for some reason the group leaders slowed down to ~20 -- so I hit the gas, and passed the entire gang, giving a smiling comment to the leaders as I passed them that "I need a head start up this"...  and was able to hold them off all the way to the top, getting a "Niiiice!!!" from a couple of the leaders.
 
I continued to hang with the main group for several more miles at 20-25, until we hit the last section of southbound Allen Heights at about the 25 mile mark, into the wind.  Somehow, the leaders were still holding 22+ into it, and I was starting to run out of gas for the slight climbs, slowly dropping off the back.  I caught several people as we got to 544, and left them behind up that climb, then I took Brand Road as a shortcut instead of going to Murphy, back down to Renner.  By that time, I was probably about 3/4 mile behind the main group, fully dropped.  However, the Brand shortcut put me back ahead of them...    About three miles across Renner, past NorthStar, the main group that had gone down Murphy Road caught me, and I didn't have the gas to keep up, as they were treating Renner as a "sprint zone"...   And since I had parked at Renner and 190 and ridden to the ride start, I was pretty much done, getting 36 total miles in, with an overall average of 19...  which means the main ride average was probably over 20.
 
Overall it was an excellent, hard ride, perhaps the hardest 30 continuous miles I've done in several months...  a good demonstration of the fact that I've got less than half my typical mileage in so far this year.  HOWEVER, if I had been on the XStream instead of the SXP, hanging with the group all the way would not have been a problem.  [There was no squirrelliness or crashes tonight, by the way, and of the ~40 that started the ride together, there were maybe 15 in the "main" group towards the end.]  
 
Shellene and Bryan, if you're hanging with this group all the way on your Corsas, you have both come a LONG way towards getting your " 'bent legs" in a short time...!!!!!  
 
Shall we get a group together for next Tuesday?    
 

ah, yes.  Next Tuesday I should be in for a good ride  
Shellene

Had a good time tonight on the 06/18 edition with Bryan and Shellene.    No Mechanicals! Yeah!  although my newly tuned up Corsa did manage to start cause me a little concern when the computer cable started clicking in the spokes.  Tightened it up before it was damaged, but lost a couple miles of data before getting a chance to realign the sensor.  Must of bumped it loose when working on the brakes.  Bryan and Shellene both rode very strong, I think the bents are being noticed!  
 
Total miles around 36.2 with a 19.4mph avg.
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

Great pics Paul!  It was great to see you and to ride with you.  Hope you can make it to some more rides.
Shellene

The 07/14 edition was very hot, and as a result the pace slowed somewhat.  I was the only bent in attendance, and for the most part behaved.  I stayed near the rear except for the fast parts on Los Rios, and Dublin Rd, and Renner.  As a result got split back by lights several times.  There was one flat, and one chain drop so we cooled a bit waiting on those.  With no Bryan to charge down Dublin I went pretty hard into the wind between the stop sign at Park, and the light at 14th St. and dropped the group by a good half mile, that was fun.  A DF came charging up as I slowed for the light, and I had to laugh a little as he acted rather triumphant about passing me, but all good fun.  I started cramping a bit as I ran out of water (it was very hot) but recovered enough to spin near the front back to I75 on Renner where I start cooling down.
 
35.53 miles at 18.4 avg.
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

This crowd likes to jackrabbit start at all traffic lights, cruise at ~22 up Los Rios and all, and kick it up to ~25 at Allen Heights for the return leg.  Hanging at the back, you're chasing all the time... My average wasn't so stellar (~18), as both Peggy and I fell off when we got caught at the light northbound at Parker Rd.   Steve hung back with us from there until we hit Renner, then took off sprinting the last 5 miles or so.  Nice night for a ride, though, even battling the north wind in the first half.
 
Good to see Steve, Peggy, and Nelson -- been too long!
 
I think the Petty's training regimen is paying off...  I think Peggy could have dropped me, as well, if it wasn't for her slow startups at traffic lights...     I'll post a few pics tomorrow.

I may have to join you sometime, but that pace I think would be too much for me without some training on my antique Infinity...

Some shots from 7/21
 
An unsavory bunch

 
 

 
 

 
Going across on Collins

 
Down and back up

 
 

 
The Los Rios climb

 
Steve's hanging back

 
We catch Nelson on Renner