11/03/2010
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


I had a great ride Friday and a great ride Monday. They were so good that I had no reason to expect that today would be even close. Looking outside this morning it was clear that the weather was going to be warmer and it was going to be clear but they had been predicting wind and that can make a great day into a bad day pretty quickly. At least it didn’t look like I would need arm warmers or knee warmers.

I wasn’t even close to being first to the parking lot. When I pulled up Dura-max, Ocelot, Wolf, Centaur, Sherpa and Von Richthofen were already there. Just as I got there Double Time and D’Artagnon, Sea Lion pulled up and Huntress was just taking her bike out of the truck. Cossack pulled up just as we were about to leave and we pulled onto Gilmore to start the ride. Just on the other side of Florida we noticed T-3 was waiting for us. Wart and Connie, (Snow Goose) would join us for the first part of the ride.


As we moved through the neighborhood on Cypress we started to fall into groups. It was my plan to try and stay with the faster riders like Cossack, Centaur, Sherpa, D’Artagnon and Shadow who showed up at the last minute. I didn’t know what the pace would be once we got out onto Domenigoni but I knew I had better stay close to the front until we got there or I might end up too far back to close the gap if someone started to make a run. To my surprise everyone was sticking close together and it looked like the pace line was going to be 14 or 15 riders strong.

Things started out well enough and soon we were cruising along about 20mph towards Warren Road. I was too far forward in the line to notice Puma had fallen in behind us and was gaining on the group. We pulled through the intersection on Warren and headed for the rise at the river crossing while I was pulling. I surrendered the lead to Cossack and fell back where T-3 let me back in behind D’Artagnon, Sherpa, and Cossack. By Winchester we had changed places several times and had picked up the pace to close to 25mph. By Leon Puma was close to the lead pack with T-3 and Sea Lion the only riders between him and us. Cossack led us to the base of the saddle as D’Artagnon just started the pull. I made a run at the hill only to be caught by Sherpa as the four of us crested the Saddle and started down the other side.

Sherpa turned off at Lindenberger and the rest of us made it to Menifee. To my surprise and admitted delight T-3 has stayed with us even as we picked up the pace after Leon to 27 MPH and crested the hill at 22.5. Her improvement over last year has been very impressive. She wouldn’t allow anyone to shepherd her on Menifee and insisted we ride as if she wasn’t there and yet she never fell back so far that she wasn’t right with us at every light. As we moved up Scott road Puma had to stop and add air to his front tire just as Centaur got a flat and had to stop and repair it. T-3 seemed to be more relaxed than I was as she waited for everyone to get back on the road.

Once we got back on the road it was time to give chase to Dura-max and his group who had passed us during the tire repairs. I chased Puma all the way to Newport where we caught the other group at the light and then managed to scoot right along to Cherry Hill and then Bradley before making it back to Newport and then to Jack in the Box. A quick cup of coffee or soft drink and we were ready to get back on the road. I ran out of energy shortly after cresting the Domenigoni saddle for the second time and Huntress and I fell off the pace as Puma and Sherpa rolled down Domenigoni. Still even considering the slow down I got home with an average speed over 18 mph which make for three good fast rides in a row. But for me the most outstanding rider for the day had to be T-3 and her determination to stay with us all the way to Jack in the box. Whatever she has been doing to get stronger and faster she is doing it right. She inspired me.