8/17/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)

A ride of attrition

Wednesday is when we normally have our harder rides or longer rides and today it was a little of both. I knew it was going to be hot but nothing more than we have done before so I was looking forward to it as I pulled into the parking lot a bit early and waited for everyone else to arrive. They started to trickle in as Surgeon arrived right about 7:35. By 8am we had Raptor, Vortex, Highlander, Huntress, Blood Hound, Centaur, Gambler, Dura Max, Ocelot, T-3 and Sea Lion. We all hit the road with Raptor splitting off at Florida. I started off riding with two of my good friends T-3 and Highlander.


Now normally I expect a half century on a hot day will start out pretty slow till people get warmed up and then it might pick up a bit but nothing like one of our fast Friday’s. However Blood Hound only seems to know one speed no matter how long the planned ride will be. Surgeon said he was going to take it easy today but he has been running pretty strong lately and I always have to keep an eye on Highlander and Vortex of team 4 Seasons. Plus with Gambler and Centaur I can always expect a fast break sprint at key points on the ride.

Once we got past the airport and out onto Stetson things start to get tense because I know California Street is just a set up for Stowe and somewhere on Stowe a sprint is simply going to happen. Today was no different and Surgeon started us off west on Stowe as we waited for the first guy to break for Winchester. I was behind Surgeon and next to Vortex with Blood Hound and Highlander right behind me. Vortex was teasing me about pinning me in if a break came but he left a hole as Centaur came flying by us and I managed to fall in on his back wheel as we pulled away from the main group. Soon Blood hound gave chase and not long after that Gambler pulled in behind us. We hit the parking lot on Winchester only a few seconds apart and regrouped. We took off down Winchester and made a turn onto the dump road before we broke into two groups.

We traveled down grand to Briggs and then up to Mapes before hitting Menifee and made the run to Nuevo. The main group got into a fast pace line and got to Nuevo well before those of us trailing. We regrouped on Nuevo and again on Evans and rode together all the way to Ramona. Heading towards the short climb in front of Lake Paris the pace picked up and Gambler and Bandit, who had joined us on the dump road, attacked the climb at the light. I chased them all the way to Lakewood and regrouped at the gas station out of breath. My day went downhill from there. I needed some something for my allergies and my heart rate was running a bit high at anything over 18 MPH. Thank goodness Dura Max was felling good because he just about pulled me all the way to Chris’s.

I needed the break at Chris’s and was feeling much better as we left and headed back to Simpson to make a run to Warren. Up to this point I knew Ocelot and I had turned our efforts down to monitor our heart rate but I didn’t know Blood Hound had been pushing himself in this heat. We had to stop to allow Dura Max, Ocelot, Sea Lion and Blood Hound to catch up only to find out Blood Hound was just about through for the day. T-3 and I rode with Vortex and Surgeon back to Johnston and then picked up T-3s truck to give Blood Hound a ride home.


Ocelot and Dura Max continued on and I called Surgeon and Huntress to let them know we were all ok. I got home about 1pm with 53 miles on the clock and just a bit tired. But all in all it was a good ride and we all got home safe. One of the reasons we ride as a group is to look after each other and I have been where Blood Hound was today. I am grateful I ride with the people I do.