Good Vibe Rotation - Innate or learned

Last week I watched American Idol...I know corney, but occasionally I find an excuse to watch the performances and give my own critique...everyone's a critic right...especially me! Anyway last week one of the contestants received the comment from one of the Female judges...not Paula - she said to one of the contestants that their performance was Innate - or "God Given, you don't learn that, you're just born with it."

I think it was the red headed youngster. She does rock. True comment for sure.

This got me to thinking about something else I witnessed about a month ago as I was running along Salt creek trail. A flock of Canandian Geese took off from the water...about 5 or 6 of them. They took to the air and got into that familar V formation and started off in a Westerly direction. As they got about 1/4 mile out another goose decided to join the airborne party. She got off the water and started out in the same Westerly direction...It was at that moment the gaggle must have seen the late starter come up and out of the creek. So they circled back to the East making a small loop while the lone goose set a straight course in the orignal direction of the flock. The lone goose took the front position in their peloton and then the rest of the group tagged on and fell into the paceline. It was beautiful. Looked like they practiced all the time, but I'm thinking in part this an innate God given talent - Something geese are born to do - in their element - pacelining.

This from the Leadership in perspective web site;

By flying in "V " formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.=>People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.=>If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are heading in the same as we are.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. => It pays to take turns doing hard jobs, with people or with flying geese.

These geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. => We need to be careful what we say when we honk from behind.

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with their group. => If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other, protect one another and sometimes make new friends who seem to be going in our direction.

Why can't it be that way with cyclists. Seems like some peeps can't feel that their effort is not equal to the rest of the group and causes a disruption in a otherwise fluid motion - or synergy...Either that or they feel the need to prove that they are superior in strength to the rest of the flock. What happens to our pace line when this happens?

When a group works well together it is so much better we develop some group synergy and we all can go faster.

Here WNWs went out on the new Shoulder on Hwy 79 heading north. Was beautiful when we got the nice fluid rotation going @ 24 -25 MPH. Good ride.