1/26/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)




We had two things going for us today. One was it was supposed to be clear and warmer and two we would have someone to race. Yes the weather man had indicated that Mariah would be leaving the desert early this morning and heading in our direction and we would be in a race with time to see if we could get up Bautista and back before Mariah could get from Joshua tree to us. It was with this challenge I left the house and headed for Burger King.

We headed out onto Lyon with the intention of meeting Rocket on the way over to Columbia but just as we got to Florida Attack Cat got a flat so we stopped while he repaired it. Being a little behind time I am sure Rocket was getting antsy waiting for us so as soon as we were back on the road I tried to pick it up just a bit as we headed down to Thornton and turned east towards the mountains. It was good to have Bounty Hunter back with us and to have Jennifer rejoin us for today’s ride.


Normally Thornton is where we slowly warm up as we get ready for the assault on Bautista but today we had to push a bit harder to try and hook up with Rocket and to try and beat Mariah to Fairview. I was pulling as well as I could and up to the point before we got back to State Street I was feeling pretty good. Slowly but surely Wolf brought the rest of the pack up to my back wheel and we got ready to cross State Street as a group

Once we got out onto Stetson I spotted Rocket and tried to pull the rest of the group up to him but I simply didn’t have enough to close so Gambler, Nick and Attack cat pulled around me and followed him towards Columbia and then onto Lake and Stetson. Double Time pulled in front and gave me a chance to draft for a bit and we all regrouped on Lake and Stetson and got ready to give chase to Rocket, Gambler, Nick and Attack Cat. It was time for me to pull again and I did my best as we ran down Stetson and finally made the turn onto Fairview. I saw Rocket heading back before we got to Fairview and I can only hope it was because he had an appointment and not because he had already been to the end of Bautista and back.
We found Raptor and Traveler as we got to Bautista and some of us stopped to talk to them before heading up the canyon. It was warming up so I took the time to remove my vest and some of the others decided it was time to shed jackets and long fingered gloves as well. First Raptor and Traveler took off and within a minute or so Double Time and Wolf did as well. Just before I got my vest stowed Jennifer hit the road and quickly over took the other four. I gave chase but I could never close on her before we got to the top of Bautista. Once we did get to the top we found Casey Jones was already waiting for us. What we didn’t find was Mariah waiting for us.

Jennifer headed for home and the rest of us raced down the canyon and back out onto Fairview before regrouping once more at Carl’s for coffee.

After a short break those of that were left decided to ride together back to Burger King. Dura-max, T3, Nick, Double time, Cycobob, Casey Jones and I headed up to Lincoln before riding over to Park where Dura-max left us for home. It was a quick trip on Park back to Columbia and then onto Devonshire before working our way to Santa Fe and finally Latham and back to Burger King. Just as we got to Burger King Mariah started to arrive so I guess we accomplished all of our goals today. And for me at least it was another 38 miles for my spread sheet.