11/07/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


All I can say is it seems to have slipped right past fall and headed full speed into winter. I got up this morning and it was 34 degrees outside. I could see my breath when I took the dog out. I tossed on my base layer shirt and tights and my warmest jersey, long finger gloves, warm skull cap and a wind breaker and headed for Burger King to see how many die hard riders would be ready for winter. To my surprise even Blood Hound had on a long sleeve base layer and long tights on. I knew it must be cold. We headed out onto Gilmore and turned on Acacia before heading south on Kirby to begin our ride.


It is just real hard to warm up the legs when it get cold and I felt it as we headed south west on Cypress and chatted while trying to get our blood flowing. There wasn’t much traffic on Cypress and we made short work of the housing tract as we first moved out onto Johnston and then caught the light at Sanderson. I am now convinced they changed the timing on the light at Stetson because we once again made the turn off of Johnston and through the light at Stetson without having to stop. Our next target was Domenigoni and the ride west. The A group was going to be a bit light but at least JATO would have Blood Hound as company.

Shortly after we turned west JATO and Blood Hound picked it up and started to pull away. I dropped off of the lead and Highlander pulled us along at about 22 MPH towards Warren Road. He gave it up to Tax Man who pulled us over the dry wash and part way to Winchester. Vortex pulled us to Winchester and part way to Leon and then Piranha pulled us to the bottom of the Saddle where we met JATO and Blood Hound and regrouped with the rest of the group. I almost felt out place riding with team 4 seasons but that was pretty much my lot for the rest of the ride.

Once we were all regrouped it was decided to break into three groups with JATO and Blood Hound leading the way. We dropped down off of the saddle and headed towards Menifee where we would turn south towards Scott road.

We lost Blood Hound and JATO on the Menifee hill and followed a long way behind all the way to Scott and then over to Haun. They were well out of sight till we got to Holland where we found them waiting for us and we rode as a group over the hill and out onto Murrieta before heading north and stopping at the Circle K to refuel. JATO and Blood Hound left us before we got to McCall. We could just see them and the crested the hospital hill where we regrouped before following them over to Simpson and east towards Winchester. We took turns pulling and made pretty good time getting past Leon.

All three groups met up at Chris’s and we had time to visit while pouring hot coffee down our throats trying to get warm. By the time we were getting ready to leave the temperature was getting close to perfect. It was just a little breezy heading towards Stowe but I managed to pull us all the way and headed east on Stowe towards California.

We split into the three groups once again when JATO went rolling by and off into the distance. Ocelot, Dura Max and Double Time fell back and we pulled away as a group till Blood Hound flatted and we were past. Highlander, Tax Man, Vortex, Piranha, Blood Hound and I continued on to Warren where Vortex and Piranha headed for home. We lost Blood Hound at Sanderson and I continued on with what was left of the 4 Seasons team.

Tax Man and Highlander took turns pulling me to Lowes and out onto Acacia. Highlander was like a horse heading for the barn and kept the pace up all the way back to Burger King. For a cold day it was a good ride and we made good time. I even got hoe with 42 miles on the computer. It may have been cold but we didn’t run into snow or ice so it was a lot better than living back east. I had a good time and I think everyone else did as well.