Originally Posted by billyymc

Nah, this is as off base as some of the other comments are getting. Up until that one moment the ride was very safe and pleasant. That particular road is very rideable any time of day, with a nice wide clean shoulder. It's a very popular route with cyclists as mr. bill can attest.

What I've mostly gleaned from this is that our group had a lapse in situational awareness. There have been some helpful insights and comments here, but it's devolving into a crapfest.