3/02/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)



The weather predictions were spotty for today at best but one look outside this morning and I could see it was going to be a beautiful day. It wasn’t quite as cold as it had been but I still needed a base layer and knee warmers. I headed out to meet the group right at 8am.

I wasn’t the first to get there but I parked under the windows at Burger King just to get the extra warmth. Soon I was joined by Wolf, Centaur, Rocket, Ink-Jet, Blood Hound, D’Artagnon, Cyco-bob, Centaur, Highlander, Dura-Ace and Huntress. Traveler and Raptor took off early with Wart to meet us up at Carl’s about 10:30 to 10:45. We pulled out of the parking lot and headed down Gilmore to start what we all wanted, a good ride.

The typical ride to Kirby takes place when we hit the light and have to wait before turning south. This was no different as we all sat and waited for our chance to make the turn. It was an easy cruise up Kirby to Cypress where we made the turn heading for Johnston. My plan was to make it out onto Sanderson and up to the Wal-Mart parking lot by 8:45 or 50 so we could pick up Jennifer. With the group we had today that was no problem.

There was a bit more traffic on Johnston that we normally encounter but we all made it through the light following the cars and just as planned we picked up Jennifer just as we passed Stetson and headed towards Mustang and the High School. The whole group made the turn onto Domenigoni together and held together as we made the turn towards the Marina Hill. The pack split a bit as we started up the hill but everyone gave the climb a try and soon I watched as the first of the group started back down as I rounded the last big right turn. I made the climb about the middle of the pack with Jennifer in front of me and Huntress chasing me up the hill.

I didn’t take us that long to make the top of the hill and race back down to regroup at the bottom in front of the Museum. We stood around and talked till everyone was back into the group before heading back out onto Domenigoni so we could head to Cactus Valley.

Once again we got in a pace line as we headed towards State Street and turned south towards Newport and Sherpa’s house. I pulled for a little while till I gave up the lead to Blood Hound. That lasted till we got passed the Stop Sign where first Rocket then D’Artagnon took over the duties of pulling and finally Rocket hit the after burners heading up the little climb just before the Golf Course. We spread out quite a bit heading for the little climb entering Cactus Valley road but we all regrouped at the end of the road where it turns to dirt.
Things fell apart a bit as we headed back to State Street and the ride East towards Fairview. Huntress and I missed part of the group as we rode through McSweeney. We ended up having to chase the whole group all the way to Florida and back to Carl’s. But we did manage to find everyone and stopped for coffee and conversation.

There were still quite a few of us heading back West after leaving Carl’s and I did notice that Traveler was riding a flat bar road bike today. Still we cruised easily to Park where Dura-ace left us to head for home. The weather at this point couldn’t have been much nicer except for a slight headwind we faced to Devonshire where it seemed to fall off for the rest of our ride.

We made it to Santa Fe and took the jog over to Latham and started the final run for home. Traffic seems light and we ate up the blocks about as easily as we had in the beginning of the ride. Like I said earlier I didn’t expect the day to be so nice or I might have put together a longer ride. Still it was a great ride and everyone seemed to enjoy it. But that is what out group is supposed to be all about, enjoying the ride.