1/20/2012
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


We had a rain out day on Monday. I know this because I actually rode over to Burger King just in case anyone wanted to try and get a ride in and ended up getting rained on all the way home. Today was a special day because we were going to do our last long ride before the Tour De Palm Springs. Huntress had pushed for it and I felt ready for a 70 mile run. When I got to Burger King only Blood Hound and Wolf were waiting but even so I looked forward t the ride at least if the wind held off. And by 8:30 we did have a few more riders with Huntress, Gambler, D’Artagnon, and Vortex joining us for the ride North towards Ramona. It was a quick trip down Latham and a cool morning but no wind to start with.


The ride out to Ramona was pretty fast paced and once we were out onto Sanderson and Ramona Expressway I was interested to see how the ride west would be. As we rotated through the pace line slowly but surely we were rolling along close to 25 MPH. By staying on D’Artagnon’s back wheel I was able to stay with the group and felt pretty good as we made it to Lakeview before working our way to Nuevo and then down Murrieta to McCall. Wolf shamed me into taking it easy on the McCall climb and we regrouped at the Gas Station just past Bradley. The plan called for a ride down Murrieta to Newport and then through Railroad Canyon. So far I felt good and the group split after picking up Bandit with me tagging onto Huntress, Wolf and Vortex.

If we wondered where the wind was we found it on the south side of Lake Elsinore. It turned out to be blowing right in our face as we headed North on Grand. The sun was out and it started to warm up so we did see other cyclists out on the road. Not as many as I would have expected on such a good day but at least a few solo riders were out. As we came upon one we noticed the A group pulling in behind us. They had stopped back at the Taco Bell and had no trouble catching us and pulled us past a fixie rider and past Ortega Highway and to the Jack in the Box.

After a short breakfast break, at about the 50 mile mark, we were back on the road and heading for the east side of the lake and then back south towards downtown Elsinore. Finally the wind was at our back and our speed picked back up. Somewhere the A group got behind us again but caught us before our second pass through Railroad Canyon. I was still on my best behavior after being yelled at by Huntress and Wolf so I simply geared down and cruised through the canyon to find part of the group waiting for me on the last hill.

Now all we had to do was get back to Sanderson and there were no hills other than the Saddle between us and that goal. I tried to get the rest of the group to ride at their own pace because I felt I was strong enough t make it back by myself but they would hear of it so we slowly cruised past Winchester, Warren and finally back to Sanderson. I stayed with the group till we go to Johnston and we broke apart when they went down Cypress and I headed for home. I got back with 72 miles on the computer and an average Heart rate of 145. Not bad for an old guy. Anyway a hot shower and lunch felt real good as did a one hour nap after lunch. We are ready for the century.