9/17/2010
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)

I got up this morning feeling a bit better than I have for a few days and walked out to get the paper. The sky was clear and the air was just a hint of cool. It looked to me like we had another perfect day for a ride. The only problem was I never know what to expect from a Friday ride. I have planned ones that turned cold, hot and ones that had more flats than I have spare tubes. Today was going to be close to 40 miles with a climb in the middle. But at least I would be with friends and on my bike so I knew it would be a good day. I just didn’t know how good it could be.

When I pulled up to the parking lot I noticed Parky’s trike parked out front and he was inside getting something to drink. While we were talking he told me I could expect Wart so they could establish a C group. Once we moved out front people started arriving every minute or two till we had 17 standing in the parking lot. It was just a few minutes after 8am as we pulled out onto Latham heading for Lyon and then north. The first time I looked back I could only wonder how we would keep such an eclectic group of rides together all the way to the turn at Hansen.


The pace was comfortable as we moved north on Lyon and I thought we looked a bit like a real Peloton was we rode along almost effortlessly thinking of the ride ahead. I knew we had a pretty strong A group with Rocket, Gambler, Centaur, Jeff, Shock wave, Surgeon, Warden and Benjamin and I could only hope the B group and I could hang on once they got out on Ramona Expressway. As I looked over my shoulder it looked like everyone was in the mood for a good ride and no one seemed to be struggling

As we moved along I noticed Aaron and Mary on the side of the road waiting for us to come by and they joined us bringing our number back to 17 as we headed for Ramona Road. Just after they joined us I got a call from Sherpa but he wasn’t able to catch up because he had a flat or two just getting to the parking lot. Hit man called a few minutes later and said he would join us for the second half of the ride. We made t turn onto Ramona together and headed for Sanderson and I was still feeling pretty good riding clost to the middle of the pack.

Once onto the expressway there would be no more time to take pictures so I put the camera away and we settled into one long pace line. I took my turn pulling and fell back in line about Bridge Street. As we rotated through Rocket, Surgeon, Gambler and Duramax I was pleased to see we were still all together. We stayed that way till Double time got the pull and the pace picked up to closer to 24 and I was worried we would start to break apart before we made it to Hansen. We made the light at Hansen and we stopped to regroup only to discover that we were all together and everyone was still doing quite well.

The next planned stop would be the stop sign at the top of Juniper Flats. The A group took off and we ended up strung out for about ½ of a mile as we turned onto Contour. What we didn’t know was that Gina threw a Chain at the turn and Highlander was stopped to assist her. They ended up riding over to Menifee to catch us as we came over the hill and back to the High school.

I found myself between the two groups with Huntress and Mary breathing down my neck and Surgeon and Centaur about 50 yards ahead of me. I ended up with one of the best climbs of Juniper flats I have ever had but I am sure it was because I was worried that Mary was going to run over me any minute so I pushed myself even when I didn’t want to. We regrouped and headed down to Florida where somehow I promptly lost Warden and Sea Lion. The rest of the group got away as I turned back to pick the two riders up at Brigs street and Ocelot and Duramax waited for us to catch up at Grand.


Warden kept us honest as we traveled passed Leon and continued on Grand. The weather was still great and I was still feeling good. As we crested the little rise on Grand and headed down the traditional sprint spot the rest of our trailing group tightened up as we got ready to pass the Pentecostal church and got ready to make the turn onto Winchester heading towards Chris’s.

As we got close to Chris’s I was surprised to see all the color from all the riders waiting for us. Hit man, Parky and Wart had joined us so there were 20 riders crowded onto the small patio at Chris’s and for the first time we had to park some of the bikes outside of the patio.

It is at gatherings like this that I think sets our group apart from many others. Yes we enjoy riding our bikes and yes we enjoy the challenge of climbs and fast average speeds and a few sprints. What we seem to enjoy even more is the people we ride with. We enjoy talking with each other and getting to know each other as friends as much as fellow cyclists.

I went inside and got a cup of coffee and walked out to socialize with the rest of the group. Everyone was still there and I had time to leisurely drink my coffee and have a Cliff bar. We got as chance to tease Rocket and Gambler about lighter than air bikes and relive the climb up Juniper flats and the made run down the back that we had just done. Then almost as if on cue people started to finish their cold or hot drinks and got ready to leave.

We left in groups with Rocket taking the A group with him and I followed Huntress and Mary with Double Time, Sea Lion, Benjamin and Highlander right behind me. Not far back were Duramax, Ocelot and Gina. It stayed that way till we got to Stetson where Double time put the hammer down and took us to Warren Road.

I managed to hang on to Double time till we crossed Warren Road and took the lead till we got to the Airport. Benjamin closed on me and we turned onto Walden Weaver and weaved our way through the speed bumps as we moved closer to Sanderson.

We caught at the light at Sanderson and ended up regrouping a bit as we waited for it to turn. Once on Sanderson we quickly formed another pace line and headed for the driveway at Lowes. Traffic was still pretty light and the weather was still less than 86 degrees. It seemed to me that we had just had about a perfect ride. As we turned into the driveway we noticed Hit man was pulled to the side of the road with our one and only flat for the day. Like good friends we all stood by and watched him change the flat while we smiled because it wasn’t our flat.

Huntress got caught at the Light at Kirby so Sea Lion, Gina, Mary, Highlander and I continued on to Gilmore and while Sea Lion left us as we made the turn finishing up a great ride. I ended up with right at 40 miles and I still had some energy left, enough to daydream as I cycled home. Today’s ride fell into place almost like those rows and rows of dominos they use to create such great looking displays when they knock them over. Once the first one falls over the rest just seem to fall in place. Today was such a ride and I have many great friends to thank for it.