Group Ride.

Since our vacation went across a holiday weekend, and the crowds at any amusement park would have been even more insane, we took a three-day break. The kids were happy swimming in the pool during the mornings before we went out to explore the area.
  
That gave me a few hours to ride, and I found a couple group rides in the area that looked promising. The only problem? They rolled at 7:30AM an hour's ride from the house. So, while the rest of the family slumbered, I stumbled out the door, threw a leg across my top tube, and went in search of new people to get dropped by.
  
At a stoplight a mile or so from the meeting spot, I saw three roadies in matching kit ride by. I jumped on and asked if they were headed to the group ride, and they nodded. Little did I know, it was a different ride than I had planned on doing. No matter, I didn't have any firm plans beside riding my bike in a group. Which group didn't concern me as long as I got in some decent intensity along the way.
  
This group was a sporty pack of about 20, but not so dominating that I got dropped during a town-sign sprint somewhere in Compton. We actually did some climbs that I had stumbled across the last time I was here, which took on a different flavor with the added people. I was having a great time, although some of the traffic in some of the valleys made me a little nervous. Nothing like doing a twisting canyon road at 40 MPH and have a BMW narrowly miss the oncoming semi while making the pass. 
  
A couple hours later, we had a tidy loop under our belts and I was on my way back to the house for the wife-mandated return time. Not bad for linking up with the wrong ride. My legs were flat from walking around Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm for eons, but it was a very welcome change from riding the Ditch.A little intensity is good for the soul.
  
I'll have to see what else there is for a roadie to do around here.

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