# Wheelsucking a Winnebago at 45MPH



## Mersault (Jan 3, 2005)

I’m going to post this as well in the General forum. 

Today (6-4-06) I was on PCH at Zuma beach around 11am and I was passed by a paceline of maybe a dozen riders, then a few moments later I see this guy wheel sucking a Winnebago. Well I don’t know if it was a Winnebago, but it was a huge mobile home /RV vehicle. This was just after a hill, that transitions into a flat, and I kid you not, the guy was doing about 45 MPH, within a foot of the rear bumber, right in the middle of the vehicle. There is no way the driver could see him. Later I saw the rider peel off, no worries. 

I’ve drafted cars and trucks, but within 2 or 3 bike lengths, and at under 30 MPH. Not the smartest thing, I admit, but at least I was back some, and could be seen.

Who was that guy and did anyone else see him? Big cajones to say the least.


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## -CM- (Jan 6, 2006)

I was drafting behind a van on Angeles Crest Highway one time, and hit a huge rock. The van driver had straddled it, and I never saw it coming. Fortunately I just glanced it, and didn't go down. Blew the front tire, though, and it was very dicey for a few moments until I got stopped. 

I don't do that anymore.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Maybe it was Lance.


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## El Caballito (Oct 31, 2004)

that's nutz!


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## Grampa (Feb 4, 2004)

A few years ago I had come over the top of Colima Ave hill (Whittier), and had gotten up to 40+, when a semi rolled past me. I swung over right next to him, coasting, and then realized that I was moving up towards the front! It seems that as the air passes around the semi, there's is a back-draft (forward draft?) created right next to the truck. When I got next to his front bumper, I finally hit the blast of wind at his "bow wave", and went off to the side. My computer said I had hit 52.2 mph.!  

Never did it again, and while it was scary as shyte, it was also an incredible rush!


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

Everytime I descend Colima, I just get the jitters because it is just one long, straight downhill and you have cars going very fast beside you..

Not good.


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## MaxPower (Jan 14, 2005)

Grampa said:


> A few years ago I had come over the top of Colima Ave hill (Whittier), and had gotten up to 40+, when a semi rolled past me. I swung over right next to him, coasting, and then realized that I was moving up towards the front! It seems that as the air passes around the semi, there's is a back-draft (forward draft?) created right next to the truck. When I got next to his front bumper, I finally hit the blast of wind at his "bow wave", and went off to the side. My computer said I had hit 52.2 mph.!
> 
> Never did it again, and while it was scary as shyte, it was also an incredible rush!


I guess that explains how the dude hit 60mph in Breaking Away....on a flat no less.


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## jeffj (Nov 25, 2004)

Ahhhh, Colima Ave......

Way back when they were first constructing it as it is now (mid sixties), it was closed to through traffic and only one side had been paved. I was seven years old. My father took us up to the top to ride around on the newly graded terraced house lots. When we finished, after I had scraped my elbow pretty good, he dropped us off to coast down the backside (toward HH) on our Schwinn Sting Rays. My 'speedo' was pegged at 45mph and the front end was exhibiting 'head shake'. Then he had us grab the side of the old 56 F100 with one hand and hold the h-bar with the other and he 'towed' us back to the top for an encore. A rush of an experience I will never forget.

Helmets? If cycling helmets had existed, we hadn't seen them.

Regards,
Jeff


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