1st part in my, "Getting Dropped" series.
Thread started by
bentstrider at 03.11.08 - 4:23 am
I've perused many postings in regards to WPH, Cubcamp, and other various fast-rides.
If anything, the rules are obviously different in these in the sense that the "no rider left behind" mantra is replaced with a lighter, version of "every man for themself".
So, be that as it may, how many of us have actually found ourselves in the ackward position of "seeing blinkies get farther away'?
And if that's the literal case, what would've been the worst place for this to occur?
I'm talking about someplace and time where any, miniscule amount of "desolation-induced" fear managed to collect.
Like a bad 'hood, near a graveyard, (reputedly)haunted country-road,.etc
I haven't had anything that serious happen, yet.
I've found myself at the tail-end of a Juggernaut once, but myself, daylo, and catguy essentially took advantage of "lead-fatigue" and caught back up with the advanced group about 2-5miles ahead.
Not to mention this was alongside the Pacific-Electric bike trail, parallel to Foothill Blvd/old '66, so we were in relatively safe, and paranormal-free territory.
So, that's my story, anyone got anything that could kick this one to the curb?
And maybe, so we could also learn lessons from it as well.
Because no matter who you are, I'm pretty sure there's no shittier feeling than losing the pack, and having to sing to yourself.
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The first time I got dropped on a Wolf Pack was my fourth time out. I'd done well the first three times, so it was a combination of confidence and stupidity. Confidence that I didn't need to worry about being dropped and stupidity because I tried to take off my glasses while riding one-handed in the rain.
My glasses fell off into a raging gutter river and I got dropped in about 30 seconds. Completely and totally lost. I ended up finding mindfulofmusic and NEWB310 and the route was actually pretty short, so it wasn't that bad.
The only other time I got "dropped" was the first time we rode the Santa Monica bike path up to San Vicente. I'd never ridden that road and the gentle incline murdered me. But I caught up at the next stop (the Federal Building), so I didn't get completely dropped.
Other than that, I've stayed behind on some of the slower rides to help out ridazz who went down, but I don't think that counts as being "dropped."
markedge03.11.08 - 9:09 am
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i dont know , i did my first ride with the wph and dropped fairly soon but didnt sweat it, i wasnt expecting to make it to even the first check point. As far as sketchy hoods and all that, its something you gotta take in consideration especially if you have atleast a little bit of that savage in you. Every man for himself but it makes it so much funner. havent had an adrenaline rush like that in a while, and im lookin forward to it next monday.
HANDBONE03.11.08 - 11:43 am
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funny, yeah loosing the last blinker is always like loosing hope, but i cought up a few times... its all about determination and searching waydown the street for that last blinker.
HANDBONE03.11.08 - 11:46 am
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"two individuals were shot last night on alvarado near macarthur park while riding bikes..
one is in critical condition..the others knee is destroyed from the near point blank blast
found this out after we got rolled on by a dozen gangsters in pico/union last night..
i think if they had had guns..i wouldnt be posting this..either way im thanking my lucky stars
nothing will make you SPRINT like a mob chasing you i tell ya..
LAPD describes an EPIDEMIC of INITIATION SHOOTINGS in NELA..echo park and silverlake areas..
the bicyclists were not gang affiliated..just wrong place/right time..
shit is getting SERIOUSLY ugly on the streets of LA..
be safe everyone..word to the wize."
toweliesbong03.11.08 - 11:47 am
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on the very first wolfpack hustle a year and a half ago, i stopped to take off my sweatshirt and told them i would catch back up. i ended up taking atlantic to cesar chavez to sunset all by myself at like 1am.
ruinedbyidiots03.11.08 - 11:48 am
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Tonight TWBG rides! Who will be dropped!!!??
(more likely... who will fall off their bikes drunk?)
mixtemotions03.11.08 - 12:32 pm
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god how awful. i always fall behind, but being a girl, i find a guy to stay with me. that's scary about the shootings...
tomato03.11.08 - 1:04 pm
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not with your new bike, tomato! You'll go, "ARooooooooo!"
Joe Borfo03.11.08 - 1:08 pm
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Does anyone want to ride my new tandem with me in SD? Also, I've got an empty car it appears...
If I don't hear anything from anyone soon, i'm going to take the T word.
Joe Borfo03.11.08 - 1:10 pm
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@toweliesbong.
-We've got downtown Victimville and Adelanto that are kinda like that.
Everytime I go through there, I always make sure to roll through at ramming speed.
I'd rather deal with the truck traffic going down 395 or Air Expressway, as opposed to Bartlett or any of the other main drags in that looney bin of a city.
bentstrider03.11.08 - 1:13 pm
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Not trying to hijack the thread...
Bent, Don't know about the gangs in Victimville, but even back in early 2001, i was shooting a commercial on one of the busy streets there and we had shut it down for a shot with our picture card and some guy just walks up to us and asks if we wanted to buy some crack. Totally brazen.
The other funny moment i had there was while i was sitting in the Motorhome, some pregnant, hispanic woman walked in the door asking me in spanish if i was the Doctor! (she thought it was a mobile clinic). One of the PAs had to translate for me and her to explain what our motorhome was for. Very funny.
stevo403.11.08 - 1:27 pm
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@steve04
-This area is essentially becoming inundated with many, "down-the-hill" rejects.
These include suburbanite dumbasses who got in over their heads when trying to buy a house, and now want something cheap.
And then the court-ordered crackheads and gangbangers that are ordered out of the area.
But, wherever the bullshit floats, the rest of the sewage is sure to follow.
Whether it's being shot by a displaced gangbanger, or nearly ran over by a former, OC-flatbiller in his raised, mommy/daddy paid for, f-250, lifespans and tempers get kind of short out here.
bentstrider03.11.08 - 1:59 pm
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Got dropped on a WPH over a year ago, coming back from Venice Pier, possibly on Washington heading towards downtown. We were close to "the jungle". The blinkies were a click away, the street was pretty deserted. I was going at a fairly decent pace, since I get to get my legs on the homeward leg, but there was no catching the pack.
I've been DFL before so I had no worries, Ill just tempo it back to the last stop.
I came to a red light and slowed down to check cross traffic. A car full of teenage kids pulls up next to me. The car was an older japanese import in need of a tune- up. The belts were squeaking pretty loudly.
The coast was clear so I ran the red. Within 30 seconds, I heard the squeaking car behind me but thought nothing of it. I just pedaled faster until I hit 20 mph. I figured the car will pass me anytime but they just stayed behind me. I tried slowing down but the car just followed me. I looked back and the kids were looking right at me. I reached into my pocket to check if I brought my knife.
Then the car just sped up and passed me. But as they got 20 meters ahead of me, they caught a red light and stop.
All the crossstreets in this area was dark and more deserted. My safest route was stay on Washington. I sped up and ran the red light and hopefully find a busy cross street or a place with people before they caught up to me again. Again I heard the squeaking belts behind me and again the were pacing me. I looked back to get a description of the car and again the sped up and and passed me.
They got about a block ahead of me when they pulled into a closed business on the right. There was a busy street up ahead so I decided to try to make it to that street. I rode towards the center of the road to increase my visibility and increase my escape routes just in case.
My heart was pounding as I approached the business parking lot. I saw the car rolling slightly forward out of the alley with the headlights off. As I passed the alley, the car's headlight turns on and I hear the motor getting louder. The car was now behind me and it was speeding up. I braced myself ready to get hit or something but the car just passed me and sped away. And as let out a sigh of relief, a black and white passes me. Musta been my lucky night.
sc_nomad03.11.08 - 8:23 pm
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I've been lazy and haven't gone out to Wolfie Pack in about a month. Prior to my absenteeism, I was dropped once.
The group was coming from Sepulveda to turn left on Santa Monica Blvd. While I was turning left, my chain popped off (one of the reasons why conversions... yeah yeah yeah). A few people asked if I was ok. I said, "Yeah, go ahead. I'll catch up."
I fix the chain, get on the bike, and proceed to haul ass. I manage to catch up to the last person and end up meeting the rest of the bunch in Venice, I think.
Not too scary, as I know my way around the area.
NEWB31003.11.08 - 8:43 pm
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Well, I guess if you know a particular area, then it's going to be less of a scare, and more of a light frustration.
As per the image above, I've ridden through some cities for hours trying to trace my steps back to the main drag.
One experience I care to forget would be my first, couple of times riding through the Reno-Sparks area in the dead of Winter.
All I vaguely remember was taking McCarran westbound, then ending up on another, completely different street on the southern end of town.
Luckily, I used the good 'ole, "landmark-on-the-horizon" reference and just looked for the neon-green, Petro-T/S sign, right next to a dog-food silo.
After that, I just remembered to take Sparks to McCarran North and stay North of the 80 if I was riding downtown to go work out or something.
bentstrider03.11.08 - 9:20 pm
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sc_nomad's and towelie's stories are pretty damn scary. now I'm gonna have nightmares. thanks, guys.
bananaphone03.12.08 - 5:48 pm
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"sc_nomad's and towelie's stories are pretty damn scary. now I'm gonna have nightmares. thanks, guys."
scarier stories in that thread on lafixed.
toweliesbong03.12.08 - 6:08 pm
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WPH is truly All City, it'll take you to the best and worse of LA. But there are challenges everywhere, be it the slums of LA or Beverly Hills. In the slums there's always the chance of getting jacked, in the more affluent areas there's the chance of getting ran over by drivers, with some absurd sense of entitlement. Where ever WPH takes you, riding with the pack is safest. As it is in nature, the predators pick on the weak and aged ( that's me).
One common thread in WPH is the approving honks and cheers, we get as ride throughout LA.
sc_nomad03.13.08 - 10:24 am
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