# March 26, Saturday roadbikereview peninsula group ride!!!



## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

What a hellish last 6 days of weather huh?

So how about a nice group ride on Saturday and meet everyone in this room. I'm thinking:

- meet at Pete's in Los Altos at 8:30am
- foothill, mt eden
- climb highway 9, north on 35
- down page mill, left arastadero
- climb OLH and descend 84, then back to Petes
- probably a 50 miler, 5000 feet, 4 hour ride.

Pace will be easy, no drop ride. Just a time to finally enjoy the weather and meet new friends.

Make some time for a quick lunch afterwards.

Who's in!!?

francois


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## goose127 (Jun 9, 2004)

francois said:


> What a hellish last 6 days of weather huh?
> 
> So how about a nice group ride on Saturday and meet everyone in this room. I'm thinking:
> 
> ...




I have some familly in town so I probably can not do the entire ride, but I should be there at 8:30. My guess is that you will be sporting your Roadbike Review Kit. Or should I just "look" for that $10K, 12 pound bike of yours.....


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

goose127 said:


> I have some familly in town so I probably can not do the entire ride, but I should be there at 8:30. My guess is that you will be sporting your Roadbike Review Kit. Or should I just "look" for that $10K, 12 pound bike of yours.....


Cool, I will see you there. I'll be wearing a roadbike tribal kit.

francois


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## xandre (Jan 2, 2003)

*francois*

hey, i'd love to join in...I'm still kinda "green" when it comes to group riding, but I'd love to join you guys...I live in SF..you wouldn't happen to know the address of Pete's in Los Altos? thanks...-Alex


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

xandre said:


> hey, i'd love to join in...I'm still kinda "green" when it comes to group riding, but I'd love to join you guys...I live in SF..you wouldn't happen to know the address of Pete's in Los Altos? thanks...-Alex


Awesome! I promise you'll have a grand time. 

PEET'S LOS ALTOS
367 State Street
Los Altos CA 94022
(650) 941-6722

There is a 24 hour parking lot on Los Altos Blvd. near the Safeway.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.ad...gfajPei7Z6S53GxechjTcgRrvPWBUkIDcKoEE8mOvAdtd


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## goloso (Feb 4, 2004)

*Ill go if Gregg goes!*

I need him to pull me up those hills!


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

goloso said:


> I need him to pull me up those hills!


Gregg is going. He is hauling all the beer on his burley.

francois


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## The Human G-Nome (Aug 26, 2002)

francois said:


> Gregg is going. He is hauling all the beer on his burley.
> 
> francois


Dern, I would love to meet you guys for this ride. I'll be in LA though. Maybe next time.


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## Fr Ted Crilly (Feb 7, 2002)

*Make sure to do it again.*



The Human G-Nome said:


> Dern, I would love to meet you guys for this ride. I'll be in LA though. Maybe next time.


Sounds like a nice ride, but I'll be out of town this weekend. I'm definitely up for the next one.


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## xandre (Jan 2, 2003)

sweet..I'm there! see you tomorrow..... -Xandre


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Ride profile here. There is an 8 mile of flat and rollers at the end of the descent back to the meeting place.

francois


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

Been looking for some different groups to ride with lately, but I need speed tomorrow, so I'll be heading out with the Santa Cruz harbor group about the same time you folks are heading out. Rain check?


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

Nice ride profile for the slow-twitch guys. We fast-twitch guys will suffer most of the way. I'll stop by if I manage to get up early enough (35 minute drive time) and will bring up the rear on the climbs...


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## MikeG (Jan 28, 2004)

Looks like I woke up in time ... I'll be there!


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## xandre (Jan 2, 2003)

*went w/ wrong group!!*

soooo many ppl-think i just missed u guys.......damn...next time


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

You probably ended up with the Alto Velo B ride - they start at the same place but leave shortly after 9:00. They do a good job of keeping the group together. Hope you had a good ride nonetheless.


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## travis200 (Oct 29, 2002)

xandre said:


> soooo many ppl-think i just missed u guys.......damn...next time


You couldn't miss our group we had an expensive epic ride. All within the 1st mile or so.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Wow. What an eventful roadbikereview ride. We had a ton of great people, a crushing freak accident, a hammerfest at skyline boulevard, a lecture from a motorcycle cop and a great ride salvaged.

Vital stats are:
distance: 55.7 miles
climb: 5850 feet
damage: crumpled lemond frame, bent Record chainring, damaged time fork, ripped conti tire.
injuries: badly injured MikeG, John with bruised hip, Red with a cut chin and mild concussion.

Riders: francis(francois), gregg, raymond(elsaltamontes), (mikeG), (twain), conrad, john(goloso), travis(travis200), ted(number9), chris(goose127), red, rommel, roy,ariel, michael(sitzpickel), (bigdeal), josh, derek(bustamove)

The crash:
Half a mile into the ride, we rode south on Foothill blvd between Main St. and San Antonio. The group of 15 riders was leisurely riding along in small clumps at 15 mph, getting to know each other. I was in the front with Gregg and saw two foot-long sticks in the middle of the bike line. I steered clear and pointed it out to the riders behind. Raymond and Roy were a few bike lengths behind. They saw the sticks at the last moment and yelled 'stick'. I believe MikeG, John and Red were a few bike lengths behind and didn't hear the signal. MikeG never saw the sticks and we believe it got kicked up into his wheel jamming the front wheel. The front tire skidded briefly and he went down on the pavement HARD. He got in John's way and Red ran over John's bike and Red his chin on the pavement.

MikeG's Lemond Zurich was crumpled. MikeG hit almost every part of his body on the pavement including his face and neck. John landed on his hip. His big chainring was bent badly and his fork took a bad hit. Red endo'd into the pavement and hit his chin. He had a half inch cut and was woozy for a couple of minutes. He sat on the traffic lane for a couple of minutes as a couple of guys watched the cars. Red's tire was ripped and front wheel was out of true.

We picked up MikeG's car and he was able to drive home. John went home as well and is getting his bike checked. Red got a new tire and was able to ride that day. He drove an hour from Walnut Creek and is in serious need of base training miles.


The ticket:
On the stop sign on Arastadero, turning left to Alpine road, about a dozen riders were waiting to cross. At a clearing, everyone crossed and Derek who was just rolling up to the stop sign kept going to cross with the group. Two approaching motorcycle cops saw him and pulled him over. One cop talked to him for a while with the ticket book out as the group waited 100 feet away. The cop put the book away, went to our group and lectured us all about stop signs. No ticket but we got the clear signal that Woodside is not happy about cyclists who don't follow the traffic laws.


The ride:
Great ride despite the incidents. There were a lot of breaks as the group felt each other out. But there was a lot of opportunity to hammer as well. I had many good conversations and got to know many of you quite well.

-Props to Conrad and Roy for picking up the cars for the injured. 
-Michael is the german machine who rides 1000 miles a month and it shows. 
-Red and Ariel went on to climb another 2000 feet at Kings Mountain.
-Gregg was out there and tackled the 18% climb of Redwood Gulch
-Travis, Chris, Ted are great riders and awesome guys.
-Josh rode from Santa Cruz, hammered with the group and had to ride back!

Here's a few brilliant photos from my POS cell phone. It was my 4-year old's first baseball game and it would have been a crime to miss the game AND take the camera. It did a good job <a href="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/img_1464.jpg" target="new">HERE</a> and <a href="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/img_1458.jpg" target="new">HERE. </a> He called me while I was climbing highway 9 and said he 'crushed' the baseball!


<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/rbr.gif">

MikeV (who came just to hang out) and Red
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116436_62925988_0.jpg ">

Red, Roy and Twain
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116381_62925811_0.jpg ">

Rommel
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116335_62925660_0.jpg ">

Raymond(Elsaltamontes)
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116273_62925461_0.jpg ">


Derek, Gregg and John
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116213_62925268_0.jpg ">

Michael(), Travis(200), Chris(goose127)
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116148_62925055_0.jpg ">

MikeG badly injured!
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116090_62924865_0.jpg ">

MikeG's crumpled Lemond. Don't worry son. We will get you a Moots!
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17116040_62924701_0.jpg ">

John's bent Record chainring
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17115944_62924390_0.jpg ">

John with a bruised hip and a sad ride home.
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17115860_62924116_0.jpg ">

Red with a cut chin and scraped lips
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17115796_62923905_0.jpg ">

Red's tire ripped as it went through John's chainring
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17101229_62877711_0.jpg ">

Me reeling from the first crash I have ever experienced.
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17101145_62877443_0.jpg ">

MikeG driving home and to the ER!
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17101093_62877254_0.jpg ">




francois


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Twain inviting people to the the 18% Redwood Gulch climb.
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100999_62876948_0.jpg ">

<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100875_62876557_0.jpg ">

The group at the Mt. eden road intersection
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100696_62875976_0.jpg ">

Chris
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100586_62875626_0.jpg ">

Michael and Travis by the Mountain Winery
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100496_62875326_0.jpg ">

Rommel rolling in from after the steepes climb of the day.
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100404_62875036_0.jpg ">

<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100336_62874830_0.jpg ">

<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100233_62874497_0.jpg ">

Red climbing highway 9 with a patched up chin
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100157_62874252_0.jpg ">

Regroup before the Page Mill descent
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17100043_62873878_0.jpg ">

Josh who rode from Santa Cruz and back descended Page Mill up to 40mph.
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17099936_62873530_0.jpg ">

Raymond watching Derek get a ticket
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17099783_62873006_0.jpg ">

<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17099690_62872703_0.jpg ">

The bridge at the base of Old La Honda Road
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17099501_62872065_0.jpg ">

<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17099411_62871744_0.jpg ">

Red on the right climbed OLH in 20:55 then went on to climb Kings Mountain Rd.
<img src="https://mtbr.com/author/photos/rbr426/17099282_62871326_0.jpg ">


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## twain (May 18, 2004)

I hope MikeG, John, and Red are ok. Mike, give us the details of your road rash clean up--did you go to the Doc? Red-mild concussion? Holy Sh*t! 

Great to see Gregg and Raymond again. 

Turning around at top of Redwood Gulch ended up being 46 miles. Got back at 11:31...just in time. Sorry I missed the rest of the adventure.


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## travis200 (Oct 29, 2002)

That was a pretty sweet ride I am glad I got to meet all of you and for sure we will have to get together again for another not so expensive epic ride.


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## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

was that from a wreck or a car?


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

Jed Peters said:


> was that from a wreck or a car?


I was about three bike lengths behind the crash and just managed to circumnavigate the carnage. Apparently, a stout segment of tree branch was lying in the road and got kicked up and stuffed into some rotating bike parts, which caused the crash. Some of the folks immediately following were then taken out also. We were traveling at a warm-up pace on a straight road. This highlights the need for everyone in a group to maintain vigilance and to point out potential road hazards via hand signals at all times, even when traveling at moderate speed (not to imply that it didn't happen here as I wasn't up there - just a reminder to be careful and to take reasonable precautionary measures at all times).


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## gregg (Oct 30, 2000)

Number9 said:


> This highlights the need for everyone in a group to maintain vigilance and to point out potential road hazards via hand signals at all times, even when traveling at moderate speed (not to imply that it didn't happen here as I wasn't up there - just a reminder to be careful and to take reasonable precautionary measures at all times).


Well said, 9.

Crash aside, it was a good solid ride. Big group!

Man, I felt so bad seeing first, MikeG's face, and then seeing his frame crumpled in 3 places! Time to upgrade, Mike, you earned it....the hard way! 

Do I get props for goin' up Redwood Gulch with Twain and not getting passed by your group to Vista? (well, except for that one really fast guy on the Roubaix!)

Sorry I missed the OLH climb. Next time for sure....without the 40 minute break at the start! 

-g

(freaky, freak accident...never been on a group ride with a crash that bad before)


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

xandre said:


> soooo many ppl-think i just missed u guys.......damn...next time


It's too bad we missed you. In the middle of the ride, I was asking around who was the one from San Francisco and later realized you weren't with us. 

Well at least the Alto Velo ride had women right??

francois


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## sitzpickel (Nov 10, 2003)

Despite the late and freaky start I had a great time riding with you guys. While maybe not epic in distance, with all the climbing and long rest stops (thanks Officer!) it felt like 5 hours of interval training. My legs were really shot on today's coastal ride (the wind didn't help either).

MikeG, I hope everything heals well, bikes can be replaced. I was directly behind you to the right - there was no time to react.

John, I hope your fork is ok.

Conrad, nice pace you were riding there, we got to ride together some time, since you guys headed off just when I made it to the top of 9.

Travis, glad your new ride didn't get involved in the crash on her maiden voyage. Do you climb Hamilton? It's still missing on my list.

Red, extraordinary effort after the crash. I don't want to see you climb OLH without a concussion (oh, and without that dog, too ;-) What's your best time up there?

Josh, climbing up from Santa Cruz for 30 miles only to hammer with us on Skyline, wow! I hope you had a good ride home. How long did it take you from the top of OLH?

Ted, nice ride, great starter bike to get back into riding ;-) 

The guy with the blue Merckx, sorry I forgot your name, we talked about wheelsets, the company selling the AC rims is www.ingenieurtec.de (click on Katalog 2005), unfortunately the 420s are 129 Euros a pop, their wheelset prices are pretty competitive.

And Francois, way too much bling for one rider on that bike. How much did those wheels shave off of your climbing times? If they only did clinchers at that weight. But without a private mechanic tending to the wheels, I won't be changing to tubulars anytime soon. Can't afford to take two days off riding just to get the glue to set ;-)

Michael
---------------------------
Ride, rinse, repeat.


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## jumpstumper (Aug 17, 2004)

Gee, look what I missed! I was having a different sort of fun down at the Solvang DC.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

sitzpickel said:


> Despite the late and freaky start I had a great time riding with you guys. While maybe not epic in distance, with all the climbing and long rest stops (thanks Officer!) it felt like 5 hours of interval training. My legs were really shot on today's coastal ride (the wind didn't help either).
> 
> MikeG, I hope everything heals well, bikes can be replaced. I was directly behind you to the right - there was no time to react.
> 
> ...


Ha, ha, you rode today. Typical! Typical hardcore!

I can hardly walk today. I did the noon ride thursday and friday and now have Jello legs.

I got a new bell for my bike and it goes 'bling-bling'. It's my job to test these products so I have to do it... reluctantly. These wheels save about a minute on my OLH climbs. We'll see for sure since I'll start using my clinchers again in a couple of weeks and do some A-B comparisons.

Red likes to climb. He broke 17-minutes up OLH 2 years ago. But then he got a family and got fat so he's looking for base fitness again.

fc


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Oh btw, the MotionBased gps tracking of our ride is here:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/...pkValue=837&backgroundDatasourcePk.pkValue=11
If you've never seen the 'Map Player', you have to do the download and see the real-time tracking. Amazing data.

fc


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## sitzpickel (Nov 10, 2003)

Yeah right, product testing ;-) Need some help with that?
And if you call Red "fat", than I'm in serious need of a tummy tuck!! Under 17min up OLH - the man is the king, well among those of us that don't get paid for riding anyway. But it sets a nice goal for this season.

With two days of rain in the forecast, I just had to get out today, even if it was only to move around the lactic acid in the legs a little bit.

Good luck with the Pilarcitos race next week.

Michael
---------------------------
Ride, rinse, repeat.


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## twain (May 18, 2004)

Hey!-it wasn't my idea to go up Redwood Gulch! Someone else suggested it. I just followed suit (seriously--it's shorter than doing all of 9).

As Francis says-big props to Conrad and Roy for helpin' out with the injured. Really good quick thinking.

Lastly, can't believe Red climbed OLH in sub 18 back in the day. I have yet to crack 20 (4 seconds!). Very impressive.

-t


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## goloso (Feb 4, 2004)

*ouch...*

Yeah, that crash sucked but it could have been a lot worse. I was a foot off MikeG's wheel when all of a sudden he was over-the-bars. I didn't have time to even touch my brakes and just low sided into him. I hope everyone else is OK, espically MikeG.

I'm fine. I got a bunch of bumps and bruises. I didn't feel the worst of it until I got home. I caught the big chain ring of whoever ran over me square in the back leaving a couple holes and foot long scrapes. I guess any crash you can ride away from is a good crash.

My big chain ring is toast. Terry Shaw thinks the fork is OK but I am putting it on the "upgrade soon" list just in case. He is checking the frame but thinks its OK.

Glad to hear you all had a good ride.

-g


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## goose127 (Jun 9, 2004)

I was sorry to have to bail after Page Mill, but I was glad to see that the good luck continued after a few of us jumped off. Tickets and cops only adds insult to literal injury. 

I am really glad to hear that no one is seriously injured, it sure was shocking to start a ride that way. Nonetheless it was great to meet some of the guys on the board here and I look foward to getting out there again with you guys. I think this ride got all of the bad luck out of the RBR group rides! 

Oh and I agree if Red is fat and slow, then I think it is time for me to hang up my cleats and put my ride on ebay. That guy is pure mountain goat!


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## xandre (Jan 2, 2003)

*next time!!!!*

you have to do another ride like this again!!! I'll get there one hour early if I have to!!! gah!!!!!!! ya...there were gurls on the Alto Velo ride...but a lil older than I what i normally look at, and A LOT of them were married or swarmed w/ attention from other guys too... = ) I'm gonna go and train now.... "rain!! here I come!!!" -Xandre


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## bigdeal (Jul 24, 2002)

blue Merckx: that's me 

Sorry I kept peeling off the ride, I had to be home by 12. Next time I'll be sure to get a 'day pass'.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

bigdeal said:


> blue Merckx: that's me
> 
> Sorry I kept peeling off the ride, I had to be home by 12. Next time I'll be sure to get a 'day pass'.


Ahhhhh, that's you fourbucks! What's your first name?

regards,
fc


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## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

xandre said:


> you have to do another ride like this again!!! I'll get there one hour early if I have to!!! gah!!!!!!! ya...there were gurls on the Alto Velo ride...but a lil older than I what i normally look at, and A LOT of them were married or swarmed w/ attention from other guys too...


The Bellas said they all had hair-flair too. 

Pretty cool.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

MikeG was back to work yesterday. We sent him back home to rest.

A lot of bumps and bruises and sadly, a broken thumb.

francois


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Here's an update from Red:
---
Posted by Red on March 28, 2005 at 11:15:58:
In Reply to: Saturday peninsula ride, Up highway 9 and up OLH posted by francis on March 25, 2005 at 06:33:04:

Thanks for your concerns, I'm now doing okay but still a little bit sore from the accident. I thought I might need some stitches on my chin as my cut was still bleeding after the ride. I put some super glue on my cut on the way to Kaiser ER and fortunately the glue hold up and the bleeding stopped. I just decided to go home and rest. I tried to get up the next day hoping to get a short ride but to sore get on my bike. I'm now taking oral antibiotics to prevent any possible infection and hopefully be able to ride Tuesday. 
-----

Yeah... superglue. Oh about my comments on Red being fat, that's only because he used to weigh 10 lbs less... 133 lbs in 2003. I think he lost 15 lbs climbing Mt. Hamilton 3x a week, twice each time!

MikeG has a full gallery of photos on the accident. Forensic evidence has identified the smoking gun.
http://gallery.roadbikereview.com/showgallery.php?cat=525

francois


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