Po tay toe, po tah toe, attack, accelerate...

It is all semantics.
Seems I touched a nerve. Sorry. No offense was meant nor was I trying to be an ass. I ALWAYS ride with an Ipod. Is it rude on group rides? Yes. If you are a regular reader you know the impact music has on my life. It is almost spiritual. Yes, I know that sounds gay. However, I NEED music when I ride.
I also ride with my cell 90% of the time. You never know when you may have an instance where you NEED to use it. I also text while I ride if I am not doing a hard effort. Yesterday was a very "different" day. A friend is moving today and we were texting about a lot of things. I knew I would not see or probably even speak with her today, so I was doing a lot texting.
I was texting during the 2:30 I was riding before the group ride. I was texting in the parking lot before the group ride. I am sure you saw it. Was it a dick move? Yes. Sorry.
As to the event in question. We were going up the little hill and, yes, I was texting. I was riding safe and out of the line. Whoever was leading was going harder than he could handle, as evidenced by the speed drop at the top of the hill. I did say, in a helpful way, keep your speed through the top. It is a fundamental climbing technique. He just stopped/died early. I kept rolling and did a steady pull. I was taking my turn, and yes texting. Then the Lombardi Sports jersey guy came by MUCH faster than a pull through. Either he attacked, while seated, you can do that or he accelerated harder than a normal pull. Enough so, that I even said "cheeky move." I have been racing for twenty plus years. I fully understand speed changes. It was definitely a faster acceleration. I got in line and just rode. Along came the rolling section that I referenced in the post prior. No need to rehash that.
My ride yesterday was to be 4 hours pretty easy with an effort here and there. I knew that rolling section of road so that was where I planned the effort. There are two rollers and a great chicane followed by another roller. It is one of my favorite sections of road around. I had 3:00 in my legs already at that point, in theory the group should have been much fresher. I even told Andy I was pulling off after that section. A fave song come on, which is good for me, especially when the Ipod is on shuffle. It is true serendipity. I did my effort. That is bike racing training. It is not going out on a group ride and riding for 2 hours at LT or greater with no change in pace. That is also why I train alone. I have things I need to work on, to be a better racer and those efforts can be misinterpreted on group rides.
For the Fat F****, that is how you referred to yourselves, not me saying those words (read prior posts comments), I am sorry if I rode like an ass or offended you. You guys were strong on the flats. I can not help if I was a bit faster uphill, or know how to change pace with sharp attacks. That is a you issue, not a me issue. Next time I see you guys, I will surely apologize in person for texting while I ride. I should not have done that. Trust me, after my friend's move today that probably will not happen as much. Yesterday was a texting anomaly due to certain circumstances. Things needed to be communicated and I wanted to "chat" with her.
Instead of being "cheeky" and saying "u da man" maybe you should ask me how i train to be able to accelerate like that?
Everyone knows who I am on this blog. Can be man enough to not sign a comment as anonymous? That is your perogative though. Maybe it makes you feel better about skewering a "skinny blogger"?
I race on weekends. I could give two shits what happens on Thursday.