• riders from previous years, that come back for more and more
• gay people that want to do a good thing, work out a lot, make new friends, and have a good time
• (amongst those above, the ones that are HIV positive and want to show their own support for those doing their best to support them)
• straight friends of the people above, out for support and to experience something new and unique
• people that see this as an athletic challenge, that want to prove to themselves and others that they can survive the regimen
• athletes that join because this is a well-organized ride and the good they do ends up being cheaper than paying a professional outfit

All in all, existence between the various groups is very harmonious. Everybody wants to have a good time, and it shows. You can talk to anyone, and much of the discomfort that comes with a group of people that don't know each other well quickly dissipates or doesn't form at all.

That's most easily seen in places where the ride is close to a sizeable destination - like Ventura, or Paso Robles. You should see the flash of community that goes through people's faces once they see each other's wrist bands in a crowded street. It's wonderful, really.

If there is disagreement, it's usually during the riding. The most egregious offenses I noted are:

• people riding side-by-side for miles, blocking others' ability to pass; particularly annoying when combined with the strange tendency of some to ride as close to the car lanes as possible; I wish ride leadership did more to curb that
• people not calling out when passing, stopping, or moving into the cyclist stream; that easily caused three incidents I heard about
• people not stopping to help despite being flagged; everyone has their excuse, from "I wouldn't know what to do, anyway" to "I didn't want to spoil my average speed"; people that don't stop to help, no matter what the reason, are really awful

I was particularly annoyed at people that wanted to race me, only to "die" right in front of me. Passing is the most dangerous act you are typically confronted with, and forcing someone to pass you just because you wanted to prove to yourself you could pass them (but not really) is dumb.