I’LL NEVER HESITATE TO INVITE A FRIEND ON A BIKE RIDE.  The part I question myself on is Will this ride be good for this friend?  As a good host, I try and match the pace and route to my friends’ abilities.  But, when I post up a ride we’re doing on social media I have no idea of the ability a rider who wants to join us possesses.

So… when Sparrow said he was joining us this morning for the jaunt down to Oceanside I was stoked to meet him in person, and hopeful he’d be able to hang on the return.

Here’s what he was getting himself into…

The ride down is about an hour and a conversational pace.  Very lovely.

At the end of Camp Pendleton we meet the Swami’s group.  This is not just any group ride, this is the fastest, mostly flat ride you’ll ever do.  Ever.  Should you venture towards the front of the 50+ riders and take a turn you’ll be lucky to pull off fast enough and have the strength to get back on at the back.  It’s common for the group to average 30 mph on the flats.  But it’s not all flat.  There are a few punchy climbs which the group will attack, trying to get rid of the chaff.  Why are they trying to get rid of you?  Because you most likely are not a Pro or a Cat 1 or a Cat 2… they are, and there are lots of them and one of you.  Got it, they aren’t trying… they are just crazy fast.

Knowing all that… when I post up a ride I try and make it sound as terrible as possible.  Because I’m a firm believer in the No Drop rule – don’t get dropped.

How’d Sparrow do? … hahaha… his ride is called Ego Check, and he got 65 Cups.  But, the real story is he hung on fine.  Got to the front a few times, went backwards so fast it reminded me of two guys parachuting and one opens the chute and disappears.  This is the cool part… he clawed his way back on each time.

This Sparrow can fly.

I asked Sparrow how long he’d been riding.  About 5 years.

How’d you get into it?  When I graduated college I was living in L.A. without a car.  I had $300, so I bought a fixie.  Then, 3 years ago I bought a road bike and really fell in love.

What did you get your degree in?  Graphic arts and Kinesiology. I work at Two Wheels One Planet and get to use my degrees doing all the graphics for the store and fitting people properly to their bikes.

That’s awesome.  Thanks.  You know what else is awesome?  

What?  The RaceDay bag.  I love it.

How’d you find out about it?  You posted it, and I had to have one.

No way.  How’d you find my post?  I follow all the guys I ride with and we rode together on Food Park.

… Is there a moral to this story?
Yes, invite people to ride with you.
Try and tear their legs off, or not.
And after swap stories.

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I’m still playing with the live reading…