7/21/2010
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


This would be my second ride after getting back from vacation and while I was feeling pretty good I can tell I wasn’t used to getting in close to 40 miles a day while I was gone. I was lucky to get in 10 miles. But it was my hope I would feel a bit stronger than I did Monday. The weather looked like it would co-operate so I switch my wheels and off I went to meet everyone at Burger King.

By 8am Huntress, Duramax, After Burner, Sherpa, Rocket, Surgeon, Quicksticks, Oso Rojo , CycoBob and I were ready to go. We all traveled down Gilmore, Acacia and Kirby in quick order and together. When we turned onto Cypress the sun was to our back and the weather was still in the 60s.


I was pretty sure that sooner or later the group would break into two groups. Even if Sherpa was supposed to be one cruise mode I was pretty sure that Rocket and After burner would pick up the pace and that just maybe Surgeon and Huntress would go with them. I didn’t know about Sherpa and cycoBob or Duramax and Quicksticks but I was determined to keep may pace low enough to keep my heart rate under 155.

The break took place after we turned off of Winchester onto Grand while Duramax, Quicksticks and I cruised behind the main group. Everyone regrouped by Lindenburger and we turned onto Domenigoni as a group. Rocket and After Burner hit the saddle in the lead and I started to give chase only to realize I was well over my 155 limit and heading close to 171 so I backed off and watched as Sherpa and some other passed me. After crossing over the saddle we broke into a lead group of six and a trailing group of four. While Rocket, Sherpa, Surgeon, cycoBob, After Burner and Oso Rojo headed for state street in one pack Huntress, Duramax, Quicksticks and I followed in a second group. We didn’t lose sight of them but we didn’t catch them either.

After the turn onto State Street we broke up some more. Rocket had tom leave as did Oso Rojo. We regrouped with CycoBob and Surgeon while Quicksticks headed for home. Sherpa and After Burner were ahead of us somewhere as six of us headed down Stetson. Finally we lost Huntress at Lake Street while the rest of our group continued on to Fairview. The five of us got to Carl’s first because it seems as if Sherpa stopped to see if the bike shop in Val Vista could add air to his Zips. Oncethey met up with us at Carl’s we have coffee before heading back towards Burger King in a group of four. We joked and talked almost all the way to Park where Duramax left for home.

I managed to get back home before 11:30 with just about 40 miles on the clock and an average speed right about 16 MPH. The best part might have been I had an average heart rate of 128 for the ride. According to my calculations I was in the fat burning zone for the whole ride, except that one little chase at the saddle. Another great day with some great friends. What more can a cyclist ask for?