8/15/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


Monday rides are a grab bag type of ride. I am never sure who will show up and I never know how I am going to feel first thing Monday morning. Today was a beautiful day with clear blue skies and a bit warmer than it had been most of last week. I got up got dressed, had some coffee and a light breakfast while I watched the news and I was ready to go. I got to the parking lot first and waited for everyone else to arrive. It took a while but by 8am we had a reasonable sized group pulling out of the parking lot and heading east on Latham.


Team 4 Seasons was a bit light today with just Highlander and Tax man and the three Musketeers were down to two with just Rocker and D’Artagnon but they had a guest member in Shawn. Puma, T-3, Sea Lion, Surgeon, Goliath and I filled out the group as we headed north on Lyon to start the ride.

Blood Hound had us moving pretty quickly up Lyon and we were past Menlo in hardly any time. We were waved through the intersection of Lyon and Cottonwood and started to pick up speed and stretch out into a pace line. We didn’t get all that far before we heard the dreaded words “flat”. I was too far in front to see who it was so I turned around and rode back to see D’Artagnon giving a clinic on tire changing.

D’Artagnon did a pretty quick job of changing the tire and we were back on our way in less the 10 minutes. Blood Hound led us up to Ramona and we turned towards State Street. I thought we were moving a bit faster than we normally do at this stage of a ride and as we past block after block we started to spread out into a long line. Somehow we caught the light at State green and turned north once more. The only problem was Dura max and Ocelot didn’t make the lot so we pulled over to wait for them just past the expressway.

It looked like they caught every light red between us and them but they soon pulled up to us and we started north again. This time I got out front and pulled the group past the College and towards the bridge at the river crossing. Once again we formed a long pace line and stayed pretty close to each other all the way to Soboba for the run east.

Rocket cut in the retro rockets and took a few riders with him as he past the group I was leading at the top of second roller. Unlike many of our rides down Soboba the trailing group didn’t fall apart and we followed at a respectable distance from the breakaway group. Sea Lion and I took turns pulling at a steady 20 MPH all the way to the golf course hill where we regrouped.

Once back on the road we headed over the riverbed and turned towards Florida and the ranger station. The Musketeers took the lead group down to Cedar and then out to Florida. Dura max, T-3, Ocelot and I were several lights behind but we made it to the Ranger station a few minutes after the rest of the group.


Tax man had decided to take a short cut to get back to Carl’s but he forgot we were going to the ranger station so he wondered what was taking us so long. We decided not to spend much time at the station and headed back down Florida to Carl’s. We formed a loose pace ling and took turns leading. Not so much pulling but rather jumping the lead and trying top to run away. I made the last jump just past Casino and got a chance to experience another driver than didn’t think we should be out on the road. After a short conversation we continued on to Carl’s and had some coffee and conversation.

After we started for home we broke into several groups, the largest heading for Lincoln and Dura Max, Ocelot and T-3 headed for Bautista. Rocket and D’Artagnon headed for Acacia and home. Nine of us headed for Park on Lincoln.

Blood Hound broke off at before we turned onto Devonshire. We cruised all the way to Santa Fe and down to Latham. As we past Buena Vista and Goliath broke for home. The rest of us made it back to the parking lot and talked about the ride for a few minutes before I headed for home. It was just over 32 miles but it felt good and everyone seemed to have a good time. I may enjoy riding but this group adds to that enjoyment.