Well, if you ask me, the ride was awesome.  I arrived at the destination with 3 bikes behind me - Aaaaah Haaaaah!!!  If the object was to lose everyone, I would have been the big winner.  Just a stroke of luck that everyone who started the ride also ended up at the destination, although, not on the same ride, pah!  These rides are stronger than most "group riders" are used to.  They don't know until we pull out of the gate.  From that point, it's all throttle and pipes, and people have about 2 seconds to adjust or decide it's a better day for floatin' belly up in an innertube at the beach.  The first leg was 25 miles of highway to get to our chosen back roads, and even though it was only highway, new riders to the group are typically locked into the "group mentality" of some kinda formation and a slower pace.  By the time we hit the twisties, people were getting lost and cars were separating the riders.  We hit Jamul Store with about 7 riders shy of what we started with.  We found 'em on Otay Lakes, but lost 'em again until we rode in for lunch and they were there ahead of us by taking a more direct route.  That's about as good as it gets when there's a separation between rider experience or pace preference.  Everyone lands at the destination at the same time, but slower riders don't slow the group.  My wing was on fire, scraping his pegs and pipes up Lyons Valley Road.  I say he was pushing me.  He says I was pulling him.  Whatever.  We were screamin' and that's what we preferred at that point in time.  It was only for some of the ride.  Some days and in some parts, ya might have to open it up.  With a sweep, the group wouldn't have missed a beat.  Our sweep was out sick, so we just didn't have one this day.  Duke rode sweep for about 8 minutes before deciding that was the last place he wanted to be.  I was surprised and happy to see 21 people show up to ride when thunder and rain were in the forecast.  Some rode through it to be at the meet point in the morning.  God bless 'em.

After the ride, some of us enjoyed a good cigar and more good food at Racine & Laramie.  They did it up nice for their friends and customers.  We left there and hit a house warming party down the way, where Duke thought they said house wrecking party.  It was a great day with new and old friends.

Yes, I could have slowed the pace up front, and yes I could have made it a priority to keep the group together.  Without a sweep, the leader has to decide between slowing down the faster riders to wait for the slower riders.  We're doing these rides for Cycle Visions, so maybe it's not about me or what I prefer.  The focus of any American Harley Rider ride won't be on keeping the group together, but on attracting stronger riders who want to enjoy a stronger group ride and meet others with the same interest.  Like I said, with a sweep on Sunday, we would have enjoyed the best of all - a strong ride up front, a slower pace down the line toward the back of the group, and an opportunity to herd the rear.

- T

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