3/7/2012

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


I honestly didn’t know what to expect from the weather today. The weather people were talking rain, or sun, or clouds or wind and it changed almost every day. In fact I had gone out for a ride on Tuesday because the morning was so warm only to get to Murrieta and get hit with a hard cold wind. Like many winds in this area it seems that it is in your face going west and will turn to be in your face coming back east. This is just what happened to me and instead of a easy recovery ride I had more than 25 miles fighting wind and wearing myself out doing so. When I got up this morning it was pretty clear but it was also cold and windy. I wasn’t looking for any wind and my legs started to complain as soon as I started for Burger King.

At 8:30 am Highlander, Blood Hound, Wolf, Torpedo, Huntress, Chinook and I headed out of the Pep Boys drive way and turned right on Latham before turning left on Lyon and heading towards Ramona.


The closer we got to Ramona the more we realized we would be running with a cross wind as we headed west towards Warren Road. By Cottonwood Torpedo and Blood Hound pulled in front of the group and pulled us all the way to Sanderson. We even managed to catch the light at the Expressway green as we made the turn west and started a run for Warren. By the time we got close to Bridge Street Torpedo and Blood Hound started to pick the pace up. I didn’t follow but Highlander did and soon the pulled away from me. I ended up tagging along with Wolf, Chinook and Huntress until Wolf flatted. By the time the tire was fixed and we were back on our way Huntress decided to call it a day and left us.

We regrouped and got ready for the run at Juniper Flats. I was worried that my legs were going to quit on me but I was willing to give it a try and followed everyone to the stop sign and the left turn before the start up the hill. Torpedo and Blood Hound hit the hill first with Wolf and Chinook a few yards behind and I trailed Highlander as we swept right and started the climb. I managed to find the right gear when simply motored up the flats at my own pace. We regrouped just before the stop sign and got ready to top the hill and head back down to Florida and Heritage High school.


We all made it to the Housing tract off of Briggs together and as we came back out onto Briggs Blood Hound started to pick up speed and Torpedo went with him. Wolf and Chinook were next and Highlander and I were behind them. Highlander pulled hard till we got behind Wolf and he pulled us all the way down the dump road past Leon and then to Winchester where we turned to go to Chris’s for coffee and conversation.

Once we were back on the road Torpedo started us north on Winchester and I just caught onto the last rider when my chain jumped and I had to back pedal to get it back on and lost the draft. The break had taken its toll on my ever complaining legs and they had to slow pedal till I got to Stowe. In fact Torpedo had to come back when they picked me up because he was so far ahead of us. But soon we were back together and heading towards California.

We somehow managed to get the wind back in of face as we headed down Stowe and it did slow our progress just a bit. But at least we didn’t have any dogs chasing us today and very few cars past us as we got to California and made the turn towards Stetson. By now I was safely tucked behind the group as we made the left turn and headed directly into the wind all the way to Stetson. At least we had a cross wind and we were able to cruise on our way back to Warren Road.

After we crossed Warren I pulled till we got to the airport and then I went with Blood Hound towards Sanderson while the rest of the group rode by the airport and headed for Burger King. I got to Sanderson right after Blood Hound and then dropped down to Johnston and headed for home. I got back to the house with just shy of 38 miles on the computer and in need of a hot shower to thaw out. I am pulling for a warmer day Friday.