11/21/2011
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


Today’s group may have been a bit smaller than some groups but we had a good ride none the less. We were joined by a new rider and most of team 4 Seasons with Highlander returning from his vacation. Still the roads were wet and the humidity was high so we felt a bit colder than the 51 our thermometer displayed. It was a bit after 8am as we headed down Gilmore towards Acacia. We turned onto Acacia and then onto Kirby and chatted easily heading towards Cypress.


I talked easily with Vortex and Highlander as we rode through the housing tract on Cypress and it looked like we were riding into clearing skies. I like the ride backwards over McCall because it tends to be easier than it looks. On a normal day it is a quick ride that gets your heart pumping from short sprints and two little climbs. It is also a good ride for new riders so Sue, our first time rider, should feel comfortable. While thinking about this I rounded onto Johnston and then back north on Sanderson before turning west towards the Airport.

Once out onto Stetson we got in a rather loose pace line and worked our way to California Street where Dura Max and I watched the other 4 move ahead to Stowe and head west towards Winchester. I was still trying to warm up and my legs were not happy with the cold and Dura Max wasn’t in a hurry so we simply watched them go and decided we would just regroup with them at Winchester.

I took us down Winchester and turned onto the dump road and we lined up again to make the run to Leon and then Briggs before heading north. Like most days we got caught at the light on Florida and Briggs. Once we crossed Florida I took the lead till we past the school and then watched Highlander, Vortex and Sue pull away on Mapes while Dura Max and I chased down Tax Man. We regrouped at the AM/PM and then moved on to McCall and over the hill. We got to the end of McCall and turned back to Cherry Hill before heading back towards Bradley.

So far the ride had been smooth and easy and it looked like we would get to Newport and then to Jack in the Box early. However about 500 yards before Newport we came to a flooded spot on Bradley that looked like a small lake. We knew we could slowly ride through is and maybe keep our feet dry. But we also knew if we got halfway across the water some car would come by and cover us with water like a water fall. We were standing there talking about finding a detour when a man in a large pickup stopped and offered to ferry us over the water to the other side. We jumped at the chance and thanked him profusely for saving us from becoming drowned rats.

We had coffee at Jack in the Box and talked for maybe 20 minutes before heading for home. We had a mini sprint over the saddle and settled into a comfortable pace line starting just before Leon. Everything was going good till we came upon some small debris in the bike lane and I took the right side while everyone took the left. It was like running through little land mines because my tires were almost shredded. I got so many cuts in my tubeless tires it looked like smoke was coming off of my wheels. There were so many cuts in my back tire that I was pretty sure my day was through. I could have pulled the tire and replaced the tubeless valves with a tube but I knew it would be a mess. We decided to send Vortex to get his truck and I would attempt to limp down Domenigoni as best as I could. I made it to Warren where I waited for Vortex.

Still it was a good ride even if I have to replace two tires. Well it is about time to put winter tires on a set of rims so who knows maybe it was just time to get tires anyway. I am glad I decided to take the tubeless tires off at home. There is a lot of cleaning necessary when taking them off of the rims and while I could have put a boot or two in to get me home the tires looked like a slasher had attacked me with a switch blade.