3/5/2012

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


It was such a beautiful day Sunday that I couldn’t help but think today would be the same. So I was just a bit surprised to see it was overcast when I got up. It was warmer than it looked but still I thought I might need a jacket first thing in the morning so I tossed one on as I headed out the door and started towards Burger King. When I got there Highlander, Tax Man, Wolf and Centaur were already at the north end of the parking lot. Chinook pulled up right after I did and we sat there talking waiting for everyone else to arrive. Bandit drove up followed by Torpedo and for a while I thought that was going to be the whole group. Just before we were getting ready to leave Raptor, Traveler, Wart, and Rocky (Al) pulled up and Rocky decided to go with us while Raptor lead Traveler and Wart on another ride. We all headed out of the parking lot and down Gilmore.


I was feeling unusually good today and so I started out well as we moved down Gilmore and turned onto Acacia. Tax Man was right behind me all the way to the light where we had to stop and wait for a green. We managed to talk for a few minutes before the light turned green and we headed south towards the railroad tracks at a reasonable clip. I lead us to Cypress to make the jog through the housing tract and towards Johnston and Sanderson.

I was still in the lead as we moved down to the light heading towards the airport. Somehow we managed to trip the light and made the turn together. I was still in the lead as we past the airport and out onto Stetson and I didn’t give it up till California where Highlander and Centaur took over and pulled us to Stowe. We made it quite a way down the road with Highlander pulling and the rest of us waiting for the sprint to start. Soon Torpedo and Bandit came by and Centaur jumped onto their back wheel. In a moment of foolishness I gave chase and managed to catch Centaur before the lead group dropped me all-together. I had just enough soup to hold on and put Centaur between me and the fast moving Wolf just as we got to the parking lot. Yes I was feeling pretty good.

I took the lead again and pulled down Winchester till we got even with Chris’s when Torpedo and Bandit past me. I started to give chase again until I noticed we lost a rider at the light on Simpson. We all soft pedaled till the last rider caught up and then joined Torpedo and Bandit at Domenigoni. After the light Centaur, Torpedo, Bandit and Wolf started a pace line and started to pull away. Chinook took over the pull for a second pace line and Highlander, Rocky, Tax Man and I started a chase just to stay in sight of the leaders. At about 21 MPH we dropped a rider again and I fell back to get them. Highlander continued on while Chinook and Rocky fell back to join me. We all pulled together till we got to Searl and joined Highlander before turning up towards the Marina. Highlander and Tax Man passed on seven dollar hill and I chased Rocky and Chinook to the top.

I didn’t notice Highlander turning around till I started the climb because I was leading the second group all the way to the big left turn. I stood on the pedals around the turn and then sat down to start my spin the rest of the way up the hill. Both Rocky and Chinook past me and before we could get to the big right hander Centaur, Bandit, Torpedo and Wolf were coming back down. We joined then a few minutes later at the bottom of the ramp where Dura Max joined us for the rest of the ride east.

We headed back down Domenigoni towards State Street and then turned north towards Chambers. There was no sprint on State so I pulled all the way to Chambers and then to the Golf Course on Buena Vista and over to Thornton. We only had to ride to Santa Fe before coming back out onto Stetson to get ready for our second Climb to the Ramona Bowl.

Dura Max gave Ramona a pass so we had to give chase all the way down Crest and over to Lake. We still hadn’t caught him by Stetson and we didn’t see him as we came up on Fairview. He didn’t see us either so he rode to Wilson Mesa or missed us turning towards Florida to make the run to Cranston Station. I pulled Highlander and Tax Man to Florida where Tax Man turned to Carl’s and Highlander and I rode to join the rest of the group at Cranston.

We started back down Florida towards Carl’s and broke into two groups when Wolf tossed a chain. Highlander, Dura Max, Torpedo, Centaur, and Bandit were too far ahead for us to catch one we were back on our way be we had a good run none-the-less as we took turns pulling back to Fairview. I almost got T-boned by a cruiser cyclist coming out of a service station but Wolf yelled just in time to same me. We then continued on to Carl’s to join the group that had time to stop. Coffee and conversation only lasted about 20 minutes before we headed back down New Chicago and home

We turned onto Lincoln and put our heads down into the run back west towards Burger King. It had been a good ride so far and I was still feeling good about the ride. All of the climbs had gone well and my legs were still working fresh. The bonus was everyone was still smiling and talking as we past one street after another working our way to Park. Dura Max left us at park and headed for home and we turned past the domestic zoo and headed back towards Devonshire.

Highlander and Tax Man dived under two cars before the rest of us could make the turn and were well ahead of us as we got onto Devonshire ourselves. In fact we didn’t catch them till we got to State Street where they caught the light. It was a quick ride past Palm, Lyon and back to Burger King. A few minutes of visiting and I headed for home and pulled up to my door with 44 miles on the computer. As always it was a good day to be with good friends.