6/01/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


After the Memorial Day ride I wasn’t real sure how many were going to be interested in another 50+ mile ride and I wasn’t sure the wind would hold off. When I opened the shades to look out this morning it was clear, warm and not much of a breeze. It looked like a good day for a ride and I could only hope others felt the same. To my surprise there were 16 of us pulling out of the parking lot and stopping at the light on Florida and Gilmore.


As we crossed the street on Gilmore we picked up T-3 who stayed in the front all the way to Kirby and most of the way to Cypress. Highlander had been riding much stronger lately and I expected to see him pull up next the T-3 as we got ready to turn down Cypress to head for Johnston and that is just what he did. It didn’t take us long to work our way through the housing tract and stop at the light on Johnston and Sanderson. We picked up Casey Jones once we got onto Sanderson.

Once the A group worked their way to the front of the pace line they took off as a group heading for the saddle. We weren’t scheduled to meet up again till we got to Menifee and Florida for a break at the AM/PM. The rest of us found ourselves working into a slight headwind and it was hard to keep the group together. Still we managed to regroup on top of the saddle and then headed off to see if we could meet up with the A group for a quick break before heading down Menifee to Nuevo. We met Matt at the Saddle but he couldn’t join us today so we found ourselves with ten B riders following six A riders North towards Florida.

Once we pulled out of the AM/PM and headed north on Menifee the A group once again separated itself from the B group and this time they took Sea Lion and Wolf with them. Somehow we missed a mechanical mal function that put Ocelot and Dura-max behind us and it took me at least a mile to notice. We pulled over and they quickly caught us pulled past as we made a mad dash for Nuevo.

We picked up Sea Lion and Wolf waiting for us on Evans and for the first time all day had the wind to our back as we headed for Ramona Expressway and Lake Paris. We got there to find the A group relaxing and waiting for us.


Once we had a short break we headed out on the bike trail around the lake. So far the weather had been fine and the wind was leaving us alone. But as we continued towards the east end of the lake we noticed some smoke coming from the brush way off in the distance. We had been assured it was a controlled burn and that we would be allowed around the lake. Turned out not to be the case and we were stopped and sent back out the west gate and onto Ramona.

We made it back out onto Ramona and rolled over the hill towards Lakewood. Once over the little hill in front of Lake Paris we started down a long grade with the wind at our backs. It took me a while but I finally caught up to T-3 and Highlander towards the bottom of the grade and managed to pull in front just as we got to Lakewood and turned into the Gas station for one last regroup before heading for home.

Once we were heading east on Ramona we did get a brief example of a tail wind pushing us along. The push was fleeting however because soon the wind started to shift and at first it hit us from the south. It didn’t stay that way however and before we got to Bridge Street it was quartering us from the south east. Some of the riders started to show signs of fatigue and we had to more or less regroup part of the B group at Warren before regrouping the Bs once more after we turned off of Sanderson heading towards Lyon.

The turn onto Lyon was very discouraging for some as the wind was once again right in our faces. Still we made it back to Burger King safely if somewhat tired. I stopped at Burger King for a soda with Dura-max, Ocelot and Surgeon before going home and taking a well needed hot shower. It was a good ride even if I was just a bit sore and tired standing in the hot water. Still I can’t think of a better way to spend a Wednesday morning that with good friends riding my bike.