What time for pie?

[Anthony Scozzari]

It is just the slightly disturbing triangle "target" on the back!

[Wade Duchene]

I think I just disappointed my wife in some profound way by asking her whether I should wear shorts or tights tomorrow.  Sean, I think it may be time for a drink as my wife has just poured herself one.

The weather looks like it's going to be a tweener, 60ish but into the 40s on Palomar with a bit of wind.    Leaning toward tights I guess.     

[wbturek@yahoo.com]

There comes a time in every man's life when he has to make the shorts/tights call. Bringing in one's spouse/significant other is probably a mistake, unless removing the said item is also part of the plan.

For me, it's easy, since I don't own a pair of tights. Kneewarmers, tho! They look good with or, dare I say without, shorts!

[Nerius Landys]

Jeff, am I going to be up all night waiting for you to post your photos? 

[Jeffrey Baxter]

I Like Pie... Ride

This is the photo evidence that pie is the fuel that power’s bike…

Frank's 1st flat 

The Official Start 

Mother's Kitchen SAG Wagon... Yes Sean it was at the top of Palomar Mountain.

Pie is supper food that takes you to a higher place.

More photos to come...

Jeff

[Jeffrey Baxter]

I thought riding 90+ miles on April 1st was a joke. Well the joke was on me.

Never enough pie... How about more pie in Julian

We had a sighting of the Long Ride Mascot or was it Sean???

Done at last, Done at last...Thank God almighty We are Done at last…

Jeff

[Nerius Landys]

Is there any way you can post larger versions of these photos, and maybe put them in the photos section of the website?  (Talk to Karl I guess.)

[wbturek@yahoo.com]

Kudos to Anthony made it after pacing Sewook down Highland Valley with an aching knee. Sewook headed for home in RB and missed the finishing photo. A number of other riders - both Jims, Dave and Andy from the blind stokers club on their tandem, Tony - cut the ride short or left on their own.

Notice anyone else missing from the finish photo?

Steve was left to fend for himself at the bottom of Highland Valley.

Frank was left alone in Ramona, with fifteen miles into the wind to go. He pulled in after 5:20.

Is this how we should treat each other? Especially after reading about Levi Leipheimer's latest crash http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/04/news/leipheimer-i-could-be-dead-for-sure_211934 I'm ashamed at having left Frank behind, and hope that we will all take each others' well-being more seriously in the future.

We ride as a group for a reason, right? Or is it just so that you have someone to drop and feel superior to?? Believe me,there are plenty of groups that would love to have you battle to the county-line sprint. Try a Ranchos, Swamis or SDBC ride or two, and you'll find out where your place is in the pack.

NCCC is special because we take care of each other. All of us know how lousy it feels to be dropped off the back and left for dead. If you need a real challenge, try dropping back and working to bring a group back to the front. You might discover something more important than making it to the top of the next hill first.

[Nerius Landys]

Bill, the last Pie Ride we did 4 months ago had a much better "group spirit".  I think that is because the December version of the ride was a much smaller group and the circumstances were tougher (weather).  And the 7 riders on the last ride were riding at a similar tempo.

Did you realize that this Pie Ride took almost as long as our 140 mi Borrego ride last month?

I think riders have to judge themselves conservatively, making sure that they can handle a VERY HARD 100 mi ride before starting the ride.

It's not about going fast, it's about holding an OK pace the whole way.

[Frank]

I'm ashamed at having left Frank behind

Paypal me a twenty and that shame will disappear.

I dropped off when I got my third flat.  It was getting late, we were close to the finish and I didn't want everybody to wait for me.   

[wbturek@yahoo.com]

Hmm. I did help pace you and Steve through Mesa Grande . . .

How about I pay you back the way I stay on Diana's good side, with pushes?

[Anthony Scozzari]

Bill, sorry we let you down that day, it certainly wasn't intentional on anybody's part!  I know you've come pull me up on many occasions and when I think of that I wish I could go back and do more, next time!  Ursala wants Pie ride every quarter, so maybe sooner than we think potentially.  Sean wants to enlist you as part of a Saturday ride leader group, I second that thought/nomination!

Your word made an impact as during yesterday's ride we did regroup, assist a new slower rider, we slowed down a bit and worked as a team.....until the end when we left Diana in the wind (literally) at the end of Highland Valley.  More room to improve but we obviously had a negative impact.

Finding this group 15 months ago was one of the best things in to occur for me  in years.  That feeling was only increased with the outpouring of concern and well wishes for my wife and I.  But now since the tension has been sadly too high of late and I MUST add some humor at this point...

The 2 pictures that follow are one showing snow on top of Palomar  - doesn't matter which ride since Sean never made it to the top, so it could be both rides as far as he knows.  The odd face I have (in the picture, not always!) is because I miss my buddy Sean and knew I would face the non Grande climb alone.

The second cartoon is one showing the list the German Sasquatch was making in the beautiful morning Sean, just replace Grimmy with....you know who...

[Anthony Scozzari]

...........continued........

As I reread my last addition to the board, I realize how mean and cruel Sean has been to Ursala by tagging her with that new nickname.  Of course boys being boys I piled on in assistance.

I would suggest in the spirit of NCCC Roadies Long Riders (NCCC-RLR) team spirit, brotherhood and sisterhood we all open up and show Ursala some compassion by sharing the nicknames we each have had of the years given to us by friend and foe alike.  I shall be the first to bravely share these old painful names...

Scuzzy
Scuzbum
Chewy
GI Joe with the kung fu grip

.......who will be the next brave soul to be vulnerable?

[Stephen Jones]

For my part on the pie ride, the pie a la mode and coffee i consumed at Mothers was being classified as "gut bomb" as i pulled into the lot at Julian Pie shop, and i also was beginning to get kinda stiff, so i figured if i went ahead alone on the route, it wouldn't be long before the peloton caught me.  Jim Hutchings was also ready to take off, and asked me if he should wait for me. I declined, knowing that i would only slow him down in a vain attempt to stay on his wheel! So, i took off a couple minutes after Jim, just wanting to go at my own pace and keeping loose.

As it turned out, had i not stopped for 2 pee breaks, and one encounter with some crazed cyclist in a bright green helmet, i might have met you all closer to the finish.  As it was, after you all swallowed me up and spit me off the back just before Archie Moore Dr., I happily saw that Anthony and Sewook were also off the back.  I picked it up a little and rode with them for about a mile, and then flatted at the 15mph right hander.  Sewook saw that i flatted, and i wasn't too concerned as they rode on, being that they seemed anxious to finish. I was actually feeling OK, however slowly i was going, so Mr. ipod and i got the repairs done and continued on.

When i got to the bottom of Highland, i considered turning off the pavement to the right, where there is a jeep trail that i have ridden many times on my mountain bike, which takes almost a direct line to the No. Co. Fair, and would cut off a couple miles and get me to what i believed would be the empty parking lot at Kit Carson sooner. But, in solidarity with you all, i re considered, and turned back onto the pavement which is where i spied Bill who had graciously turned back in order to shepard me back home.  Thanks Bill! I'm glad i reconsidered, because you might have ridden right by me and still be searching for my remains on Highland Valley!

I was happy to see Bill, it is always nice, and more fun to ride with a friend.  However being alone out there isn't the worst thing to happen to me.  I can't count the many times i have been left behind by the group; each time it happens it encourages me to ride more and get fitter, it always feels great when i can finally spend the day NOT trying to catch up the whole day.  But, I always bring my cell phone just in case i do get spit off the back, and have some kind of problem so that i can't finish.

[Sean Brennan]

Anthony,
Thanks for sharing your nicknames. I know how vulnerable you must feel putting yourself out there like that but good for you opening yourself up and shouting to the world “I am secure with myself” regardless how those mean kids treated me. I feel much closer to you now and feel we have bonded to the point that if you pulled a Bill T (grabbed my ass) I would not feel the need to press criminal charges. Now I am not inviting you pull a Bill T I am just saying that a man with Kung Fu Grip may have such tendencies.

Then again there may be by-laws against pulling a Bill T as it may be deemed aggressive, offensive, and in appropriate. I defer to the by-law committees to research and opine.

Now I am taken aback at your insistence that I am mean to Ursula/ucanueen/ursulacuneen/crazygerman/bigfoot/sasquatch. All I have done is repeat what I have learned from this forum and I take what I see posted as cold hard fact. So, if someone says there is a member with unusually large feet, then I am a believer. My crime is in repeating what has already been stated. And keep in mind this is a woman who has publically admitted to forgetting her name. She does not know if it is ucuneen or ursulacuneen. This all sounds very mysterious and again stinks of conspiracy. I suggest we check her birth certificate to determine if she is really a German Olympic athlete using a fake name masquerading as a Saturday rider. In which case, I believe the by-laws state, no professionals allowed.

Anthony, can you please check this out. And please order more tin foil to line my helmet as the voices are getting louder.