Sorry, total ride distance was 35.56 miles.

It was a great evening to be on a recumbent!  Especially since there was more than one of us last night.
 
Watching Steve ride in the middle of the pack shows that while he may not have much experience doing so, he can handle his bike with the best of them.  
 
The hammerhead who challenged Steve on the downhill (Los Rios heading north just past 14th) has ridden with me in my past life (on the Merckx) and is still trying to figure out how we make it look easy.  When he jumped us I was able to ramp it up to 35 MPH, but Steve was gone like a rocket (and the gap between me and the pack was pretty good too).  I caught Steve at the top of the climb, and then fell back to ride with Shellene.  She wanted to make sure that her legs were going to hold out, so we took one of the cutoffs (with about 7 DFs).  We rode near them (sometimes in front, sometimes chasing) all the way back to Renner.
 
On Renner we came upon the crash, shortly after it happened.  I helped direct traffic until the fire truck and ambulance showed up then took off.  Shellene, being smarter than I, decided that she didn't want her legs to get cold so she just rode to the finish.  Once I figured out that she was well in front of me, I ramped it up, catching and blowing through small packs of riders.
 
All in all, we got in 32.79 miles, my average was 19.5 MPH with an average HR of 127.
 
I'm looking forward to next Tuesday (legs should be toasted from the 600k)

That's the only problem I have with A and sometimes B level packs - too many of them are Lnace wannabes and are right on someone's wheel, just sitting inches off of it.  That's not nearly such a big deal when you've got a motorcade in the TdF stopping all traffic, but if someone brakes for a pothole or in some cases merely stops pedaling, it can be a disaster.
 
When I draft, I try never to be in a situation where I can touch wheels.  I'm always several inches right or left of their wheel.  That way I have a little reaction time, or at least the crash isn't likely to result in someone doing a header.  I get less draft, but I figure it's extra training, and most of the time I'm on my own anyhow.
 
It's fun when it goes well though - Steve and I worked pretty well last weekend I thought.  It was nice to take a good pull up a hill and know that once we hit the next flat I could duck behind Steve for a little breather and drop the HR 10 points, yet keep the same speed.
 
Be careful out there when the bunch gets its testosterone up!

Sounds very similar to the GDB TEBR ride out of REI, with the groups that do the "renegade" west route.  The  "fast" group averages about 21 mph for the ~35 miles, and the "moderate" group I joined in on last night averaged 19...  Sharon Stevens was along for it, and we rode together a lot of the way.
 
Of course, I had to make it look easy, going off the front occasionally, then pulling over to take photos as the group caught up...    But I backed it down with about 4 miles to go, running out off gas a bit -- I'm WAY down on mileage this year.
 
And yes, that nice downhill on Los Rios in Plano is definitely speed-worthy, and it's nice to be able to carry most of it up the subsequent climb.  I did the same thing to the RBM gang one Saturday last summer on the SXP, being the first one up the hill -- which they didn't like one BIT!!!  
 
Don't tell the "roadies" that you're only working 70% as hard as they are due to the aerodynamics...  

Tuesday night was great fun, but I - like y'all - am pretty wary of pack riding.  I saw several squirly moves that made me glad I was not drafting anyone.  
 
Best part of the night was seeing Bryan and Steve beating up on the poor DFs.  Since you guys ride so well, you have no need to be riding with me.  You and Bryan should be out front getting in some high quality training!
 
Tuesday night was tough enough that I needed a recovery ride on Wednesday. A good 95 miles can make the body much happier  
 
Shellene

[quote author=Killer Bee link=1242789749/0#10 date=1242915967
That's a the great thing about the LSR group, there are no biases/stero-types about what bike you ride.  
   [/quote]
 
 
Well, Clay doesn't anymore, anyway  .  Not after you pushed the pace all day long!

Quote from FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 2^nd, 2009, 3:49pm:

Nope, we are not going to be there.
 
/Bryan, signed in as Shellene.

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

THAT'S A GREAT PICTURE OF NELSON!!!!!  
 
This week I got dropped but I hope that each week I will improve. (group rides I have a lot to learn)
 
 
It was so much fun to ride with Paul again.  
 
                                        Peggy

Meant to post this earlier, but the 08/11 B pop group had a pile-up on Allen Heights at the little bridge before getting back to Bethany.  Sounds like a couple of riders tangled and about 7 riders went down pretty hard.  Unfortunately my friend and co-worker Alan was rider number 7 and may have broken or at least badly sprained his wrist.  I felt guilty not going with him yesterday, still being pretty sore from this weekends TTT training and perm, but I'm not sorry I missed going down, probably would have been close to him and likely involved.  The worst of the other injuries seemed to be Maggie's (skinsuit girl was how I knew her) shoulder and road rash.  I believe from the description she was one of the primary participants that led to the pile up.
 
Be careful out there!
 
Take Care,
Nelson.
 

Yeah I'm swearing off pack riding until after the TTT.  No injuries!
 
I'll update on Alan as I know, he came in today not having seen the doctor yet, but unable to use his wrist.  
I believe he headed out early to see the orthopedic Doc.
 
Take Care,
Nelson.
 

I went out to last night's ride...  apparently there was a pretty serious pileup on Tuesday night on Renner, coming back...  something about a guy wobbling into the curb, and his pedal hitting it, flipping him into the grass...   tonight, the group leader, Pat, made several "commands" along the way about holding two lines and staying in one lane, and even directing everyone to slow down in the S-curve on Dublin Road, due to seeing gravel there Tuesday...
 
It's kind of a schizophrenic group, in a way -- some hill climbs are sprints, and some (like Collins overpass) are taken "normal"....
 
What a difference a bike makes -- I was riding the Xstream prototype, and was able to hang with the group the entire way at 24-26, including leading the Dublin Rd. southbound sprint by about 100 yards...  granted, it was into the wind, so they didn't stand a chance...    But other than that, I hung at the back, not mixing it up in the pack, except for deciding to pass the group on westbound Renner, receiving a "One lane, dammit!" admonition from Pat....  
 
We just avoided the nasty lightning and storms that came through soon after the ride, and there was plenty of impressive lightning happening to the north as we finished.

We got 33 in...  short cut it, rutning right instead of going to Jupiter, then hitting Bethany over to Allen Heights southbound.  It was getting pretty dim out, especially with the oncoming clouds from the storm.