11/29/2010
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


I felt like we dodged a bullet when rained Saturday night and cleared Sunday morning. With the weather front moving east we had a chance for a nice day on Monday and I almost always look forward to Monday rides. When I got dressed this morning I realized it was a good looking day but it was going to be cold.

When I pulled into the parking lot Dura-max, Sea Lion and Wolf were standing out behind Sea Lion’s car looking like three reptiles waiting for the sun to warm them up enough to move. We moved over by the windows at Burger King and tried to absorb as much vitamin D as we could as Rocket, Cossack and Highlander pulled up. Raptor and Attack Cat completed the group and we left the parking lot right at 8:30. Just as we got started Casey Jones joined the group and made it to the first light with us.


10 riders for such a cold morning isn’t a bad number and what seems cold to us wouldn’t necessarily be all that cold being in the mid 40s to someone living in the mountains or Helena Montana last night were it was 2 degrees. I was thinking that I just might have to start looking for some warmer cycling cloths. I had on a base layer and two jerseys plus toe covers and thick socks and still was just a bit cold. Most everyone else was dressed pretty much the same except Dura-max, Raptor and Highlander who had an added vest or jacket.

We made it easily down Kirby with only the slightest hint of wind and lots of sun. Still it was less than 50 degrees as we turned onto Cypress and headed towards Johnson. The streets seemed a bit quieter than normal which is just fine with us. While we might have been cold everyone seemed in a good mood and we stayed together as we turned onto Johnson and then Sanderson before making the left towards the airport. Soon we found ourselves going passed the airport and back out onto Stetson.

The group formed a pace line and we headed down Stetson towards Warren in one long line. We crossed warren together and then more or less cruised towards California. Well we cruised except for Casey Jones who took off on his own. No one seemed interested in giving chase at this point and I managed to pull to California and then to Stowe before making the turn towards Winchester. Rocket, Cossack, and Attack Cat took off on a mini run and the rest of us followed them to the parking lot on Stowe and Winchester.

Once we regrouped we turned down Winchester and headed for the dump road where somehow we picked Casey Jones up again. I have to admit I didn’t see him as we were riding on Winchester but looking back after we turned onto the dump road I noticed him pulling through the pack as we rode towards Leon.

We broke into two groups before we got to Leon with Wolf, Cossack, Rocket, and Attack Cat in one group and Dura-max, Highlander, Sea Lion and I were following. Raptor left us on Winchester but we saw him coming back on Leon as we got to Simpson. Highlander left us at Simpson and we lost Casey Jones before we got to Lindenburger. We regrouped at Domenigoni and the group split once again as we went over the saddle. Wolf, Sea Lion, Dura-max and I stayed together over the saddle and watched the others pull away as we approached Leon again.

I had to apologize to the group as we got close to Winchester again. I had thought because the wind was more or less in our face on Simpson it just might be at our back when we got to Domenigoni and started back east. But it wasn’t to be because we had to fight a head wind all the way to Winchester and most of the way back to Warren Road. We took turns pulling to ease the strain a bit but it was still just one more day of fighting the wind both ways out on Domenigoni.

We met up with Attack Cat as we turned onto Chambers and we all rode together up to Stetson and then to Columbia and finally back to Lake before coming back up onto Stetson and over to Fairview. We ended up meeting Casey Jones at Carl’s and after a brief stop for refreshments we rode back towards Burger King together. Dura-max left us at Park and Wolf, Casey Jones and I got back to the west side about 20 minutes later. It was a good ride even if it was cold and I managed to get in another 38 miles. Not bad for a cool winter’s day I think.