9/05/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


Normally we plan a longer ride for Labor Day and this Labor Day was no different. The weather report early in the week looked good so the Lake Elsinore loop was planned and posted. A small snag developed when I got up and looked outside this morning, it had rained. Not only had it rained there were dark clouds in the sky and it was slightly breezy. I got a call or two asking if we were still riding and I felt we should give it a shot because they were predicting 96 degree temperatures for the day. Now all I had to do was ride to the parking lot and see who was brave enough to give it a shot. I pulled up and only Surgeon and Centaur were there but others started to arrive every few minutes.

I took a head count at 8am as we were getting ready to leave: Highlander, Tax Man, Vortex, Full Throttle, Jack Rabbit, Dart and David, (Hornet) made up two teams, Wolf, Dura Max, Ocelot and Centaur made up another line of riders. Rocket, Sea Lion and Blood Hound made up the next rank. Doug, ( Draco) Matt, (Pegasus), Ruby Tuesday and T-3 made up another rank. Warden, Corsair Made up the last rank and Surgeon decided to give getting his bike dirty a pass so we left the parking lot with 21 riders. Not bad for a rainy day.


The pavement was damp but not wet as we made our way to Kirby on Acacia. It didn’t change much as we made our way South on Kirby except that I turned around to pick up Corsair and rode back to Cypress t catch up to Wolf and start a chase of the main group that lasted all the way down Sanderson and west onto Domenigoni. Wolf, Corsair and I took turns pulling each other in an attempt to gain on to long gone lead group. Ruby Tuesday and T-3 were supposed to be cruising but if they were they were cruising at a pretty good clip because we didn’t see them as we past Warren. And we were getting wet as we passed over the dry wash heading for Winchester. Finally we caught sight of the trailing group as we got close to Leon and we closed just in time to regroup at the top of the saddle. We were a bit surprised to see Cossack and his kids out on a morning run on the saddle.

The sky was still unstable enough to drop little drops on us every now and then so I suggested another regroup at Carl’s on Newport and Murrieta to refill water bottles and otherwise refresh ourselves before attacking Rail Road Canyon. We said good bye to Cossack and his kids and started down towards Lindenburger in a light rain. Rocket turned on Lindenburger looking for two new riders that were supposed to join us but he never returned. We all regrouped once more at Carl’s and got ready to run Railroad Canyon. It was agreed we would meet at the left turn right after the McDonalds once everyone made it through.

We had to wait quite a while because first Pegasus and then Vortex flatted just before the end of the canyon. But as we waited the weather started to clear and we had hopes that it was about to clear up. Once we were regrouped we headed south to Coryadon and headed west towards Grand.

Everyone seemed to be holding up well and Vortex pulled us to Grand before heading north towards the Ortega turn off and the RV parks on the north side of the lake. After about 600 yards Draco pulled away taking several riders with him. Just before we got to the RV parks Draco or someone in his group flatted and I took the remainder of the Group to Jack in the Box for our coffee and conversation break.

After we were rested the group headed east towards Lakeside and made the turn south just as I got a call that Vortex had another flat. Highlander and I returned to see if he needed any help and discovered that Corsair and Vortex were just finishing up changing the tire. I told the rest of the group to continue on and that was the last we saw of them except for Tax Man and Pegasus who returned to check on us. We formed a group and headed for Elsinore and Railroad Canyon. I lost Corsair and Pegasus as we turned into Railroad Canyon and sent Highlander and Tax Man ahead as I returned to see what happened. Before I could get back to them I noticed them pass the other way and I had to turn around and chase them up the hill. Highlander and Tax man waited for Corsair and I and told Pegasus to go ahead and try to Vortex and some of the others. We no sooner formed into a pace line than Highlander flatted.

We made it to Murrieta and then to Antelope where we got some more water and headed back to the saddle. A new enemy faced us as soon as we started back on Domenigoni, wind. We ended up fighting a 10 or 12 Knott wind all the way back to Sanderson. At least we had a side wind as we got to Lowes and only had to fight the head wind.

It was an easy trip to Acacia and then to Gilmore. We only had to fight the wind two more blocks and we would be back. All four of us pulled up to the light at Florida and without having to put a foot down the light turned green so we could ride to the parking lot with a smile on our face. We talked for a few minutes and I headed for home finishing with 64 miles on my computer and at least a day’s worth of cleaning on my bike.