7/27/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


For some reason I was up early this morning so I managed to have breakfast and get dressed even before I could see outside and discover it was a great looking day with close to perfect temperature. I ended up leaving the house about 15 minutes earlier than I normally do and arrived at the parking lot before anyone else for the first time in a very long time. But I wasn’t alone for long because people started arriving shortly after I pulled in. I was a bit surprised to see Puma because he had been gone for several months. After Team 4 Seasons arrived Huntress pulled in right after Centaur and Wolf. Team Musketeers pulled in when Gambler, D’Artagnon and Rocket pulled up only missing one of their team. Team Full Throttle arrived with Jack Rabbit and Dart. The rest of us would have to ride as independents. We pulled out of the parking lot just after 8am and headed for Acacia.


It was good to see so many riders behind me as we turned off of Gilmore and onto Acacia. The group stretch back halfway down the block by the time I got ready to merge left to set up for the turn onto Kirby. Like just about every time we caught the light red and had a chance for the whole group to bunch up so we could make it onto Kirby together. It was a simple short trip south to Cypress before we turned west towards Johnston and Sanderson.

As we turned onto Cypress I reflected on the fact that this was only one of several rides we had had where we started out with 20 riders. Not only were Puma and Huntress back with us but we were joined once again by Matt (The Marshall) to Warden. With any luck I would be able to keep up with a few of them and was looking forward to being pushed by some of them as well.

Blood Hound was in the lead most of the way south on Sanderson till just before Mustang where he had to pull over and check on a suspected wheel problem. We were soon on our way and made it to Domenigoni and headed west. I dropped off of the front early and fell back turning the lead over to Highlander. We started to rotate through the pace line until we got to Winchester where Sea Lion had to break off and head for home. By the time Vortex rotated to the front we were running about 22 or 23 MPH. Suddenly Gambler took off and made a run for the saddle at least a mile and a half before Leon and like a fool I went with him. Soon we were joined by Blood Hound and Rocket and before I knew it we had formed a 4 man breakaway and by Leon I found myself second man in a 28 MPH freight train. I took my turn at a pull and then fell back to hold on for
all I was worth. Once my heart rate hit 180 I was dropped and had to regroup with the other three at the top of the saddle.


It took a while for everyone to get to the top of the saddle but that was fine with me because it took a while for me to catch my breath and get my heart rate back to normal. I looked good seeing all of the riders talking and laughing while we waited for the signal to head off down the saddle and make our way to Menifee. But we had things to do and places to be so the signal was given and off we went.

Once on Menifee I expected we would kick it back a little but that wasn’t what happened. As we rolled up on Holland and the little hill I think the pace picked up a bit and before we knew it we were climbing again and some people sprinted to the top. It was a quick trip up to Scott and then west again to the AM/PM for a fast refuel and back on Scott to make the long steady climb to Murrieta. The group spread out into about three parts as we headed for Cherry Hill with about seven riders in the lead group. Most of us stopped at the Jack in the Box for coffee and conversation.

Huntress had to leave early so she didn’t stop at Jack’s and she took team Full Throttle with her. The Marshall must have been chasing outlaws because he forgot or didn’t realize we had stopped at Newport and Antelope and so he rode to the Saddle by himself. Like a hunter that loses his prey he must have assumed we were in front of him and took off to give chase while we were still having coffee. By the time we were back on the road he was long gone. We hit the saddle together but once over it the Musketeers took off with Vortex and Surgeon. The rest of us didn’t see most of them till we got back to the parking lot. I ended up attaching myself to T-3, Highlander, Warden, Spartacus and Puma.

I was very impressed that Highlander was still pushing hard after we dropped T-3 off at Johnston. He pulled us all the way down Sanderson and into the Lowes parking lot. I had to jump on it to get in front of him just to get a picture. We pulled back out onto Acacia and Highlander stayed glued to my back wheel all the h to Gilmore and then up to Florida. We got back just in time to see Surgeon and Centaur loading their bikes into their vehicles.

Today’s ride was one of our old favorite rides. The view from Murrieta and Scott is one of the better views of the valley and mountains we see while riding. It is not dead flat but it doesn’t have a lot of climbing either. Today’s pace was a bit quick but I was feeling good by the time I had a cool down ride home. 44 miles puts me over 500 for the month just in group rides. All I can say is I get to ride with an awesome group and we live where we can ride almost all year long. Yes today I was one happy camper