7/01/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


What better thing to do than get up Friday morning and look out an a clear day? I look forward to Fridays because traditionally we can take it a bit easier and both groups will spend most of the ride together. While we joked about that very idea before the ride I had every reason to expect just that kind of ride as people pulled into the parking lot and got ready to start the ride. About 14 of us were ready to go as the clock hit 8 am. We pulled out of the parking lot and headed east on Latham before turning north on Lyon. Slowly but surely we started to pick up speed as we headed towards Ramona.


Blood Hound seemed a bit eager this morning and followed close behind me for quite a while till finally he let Highlander and Surgeon move forward and we settled into a cruise of about 17 mph. That seemed fine till we got to Esplanade or 7th when Blood Hound decided to pull to the front and ended up pushing the pace well past 20. He held that pace almost all the way to Savoy where he was going so fast he missed the turn. He did come back and join us and finally we all made it out onto Ramona and headed east to State Street.

After we turned onto State Blood Hound picked it up again and this time he took Spartacus with him. Gambler pulled up next to me to ask what happened to my easy simple ride and I had to admit it looked like it was slipping away from me. I knew once we were in the canyon it was going to be a drag race but I had wanted to keep it down till we got there. Blood Hound took off and by the first hill the pack took off after him. As I pulled out with the passing group and picked up Highlander and we stayed on the tail of the pack till the second hill where we stacked up a bit like a giant slinky because of a passing car and closing on the lead rider faster than expected. Soon we had it sorted out and the group broke into pieces till we regrouped at the golf course.

What happened next proves that you can never predict what will happen on a Friday ride. We crossed the bridge and turned onto Washington where Rocket flatted. While we repair the tire the rest of the group headed for Florida and the ranger station. I noticed we were fixing the flat right next to one of the largest Puncture Vines I have ever seen. And as w know puncture vines produce goat heads. We didn’t get 100 yards before Highlander flatted and Rocket got a second flat. We were way behind and on our own after fixing three flats.


The group was already on their way back from the ranger station as we entered the trees and we ended up chasing them all the way back down to Carl’s. D’Artagnon, Full Throttle, Jack Rabbit and Egan continued home while Gambler, Dura-max, Warden, Highlander, Ocelot, Rocket, Blood Hound, Spartacus, Surgeon and I stopped for coffee and conversation at Carl’s.

Dura-max and Ocelot left right after Blood Hound and the rest of us got up to leave a few minutes later. Rocket headed for the South west side of town while the rest of us pulled out onto New Chicago and rode towards Lincoln. Gambler had gone before us and I quickly noticed Warden was missing. I turned back to discover Warden had our forth flat and we in the middle of fixing it. Spartacus discovered his tire had a leak as well and we had our fifth flat.

Finally we were on our way home and headed towards Park Street. There weren’t quite as many exotic animals out as we turned towards Columbia and finally moved over to Devonshire.

It was getting warmer but still it was a very nice day. I know they are predicting that it will be hot next week but for now it isn’t that bad. As I was thinking about this we made the turn onto Santa Fe and back down to Latham. Soon we were rolling past State and closing in on Palm. It was a quick ride back past Lyon and then into the Pep Boys driveway. It wasn’t than many miles but it was just the kind of ride I needed for a day like today.