Rode out to ARTIC and as usual I left home about 15 minutes late. So they had rolled off. I topped off my bottles and relit the Dragon Mode. Caught them at the second wooden bridge. Pat Weber - a long lost friend from back when I worked at Sierra Bicycle Works in San Bernardino when Barb and I had only Jade - our first child rode out from Long Beach with a friend to ARTIC to ride back to his region with us. It didn’t seem like he and I were that close as fiends back in the day but over time I found myself pondering what happened to him? He’d randomly pop into my mind… Almost at the same time we both spoke of how emotional we each felt to reconnect after all these years! Over 30 years! We had lunch and shared bits about our journeys since 3 decades ago. Had a few laughs. He rode strong 💪🏾 I was surprised aboutt that part and glad he still gets to enjoy this side of the curtain of life 💗🚴🏾🚴‍♀️🦶🏽🦵🏾🫀🫁🧬☀️🏝️ As for the ride: I didn’t expect to have anywh near stamina or power I did although I didn’t feel as solid as I did last weekend. Been dealing with some digestive inflammation since last Monday and it seemed to abate as of last night. Francis and Jules ran off with the show on the return leg after I dropped off before we left PCH to take a “Nature Break” at one of the beach side rest rooms. Almost reeled them back in. Got to within visual range on the SART. I’d come up from under one the under passes and see them diving under the next one. Then Francis true to form stepped on it a bit and my having almost double the miles in my legs for the day than the whole L & G group & my “Body Battery” 🔋 - 🪫 was already pretty tapped out I knew it wouldnt be worth it to dig that deep to catch them and still need to ride the last 36 miles back home while they were done for the day. Great ride Erik Pippens 👍🏾🫡