4/06/2012

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)


It is getting warmer and I am starting to be hopeful that that the group will get larger again with the weather. In fact I was planning a ride today in expectation of seeing Surgeon. He is a bit like the groundhog in that if he comes out and sees his shadow he goes back inside for six more weeks of winter. Still we had 11 riders by 8:30 and headed out for a rather flat ride of about 38 miles.


Like many morning we headed down Gilmore and turned west on Acacia to start the ride towards Kirby. We pulled up to the light and got ready to make our left on the arrow. Just as it changed two police cars decided to hit their lights and run through the intersection right in front of us. Still we made the light and headed for Cypress and Johnston. It was a quick right to Sanderson and another right to the light heading towards the airport.

We cruised past Hanger one and chatted away as we worked our way past the Airport itself and I ended up back put front as we pulled onto Stetson and headed for Warren Road. It felt good to stretch out a bit and we were easily rolling along at about 20 MPH as we pulled up to the stop sign at Warren. Somehow I kept the lead as we left the stop sign and no one seemed eager to take it from me as we started towards California. We made the turn onto California and I was still in front most of the way to Stowe.

Things got a bit better when Hornet pulled past me and I got a chance to fall in on his back wheel. Hornet pulled us onto Stowe and we started the run just waiting for the sprint to break out. Once again the dogs decided to come out and play but we shouted them back and continued on. Not far past that Rocket lit the after burners and I shouted to Hornet to drop the hammer as he came flying by. Centaur and Ferret were with him and Hornet fell in on the last guy. I got in the draft and for a brief moment managed to pull to the front only to be past I the last 100 yards by Ferret. We all regrouped at Winchester and caught our breath.

From left to right we had Pam, Barracuda, Hornet, Ferret, Spartacus, Mary, Paul, Rocket, Highlander and Centaur. We didn’t want to get tight so we headed back down Winchester towards the dump road and past Chris’s with Rocket in the lead followed by Highlander, Centaur and Ferret. We all caught them at the light on Domenigoni and waited to make the left turn and head back towards State Street. We stayed together for a little while as we headed east but soon Barracuda, Centaur, Rocket and Ferret pulled away from the rest of us and we found them waiting for us at Searl as we rolled past. The caught us by the time we got to State and we all turned south to McSweeney for a quick trip through the housing tract.

It was a pretty high speed run north on State after we came out of McSweeney and Ferrret managed to win the State Street sprint. We turned on Chambers and again on Buena Vista to get past the Golf Course and onto Santa Fe before coming out onto Stetson and heading east. A few blocks later Rocket broke for home and the rest of the group headed for Columbia. We turned to ride down Crest and then Spartacus broke for home and Highlander stayed on Stetson.

We cruised down Thornton and Zig Zagged our way over to Lake Street. I dropped my chain just be for the Lake Street turn and had to play catch up to Stetson. We took off down Stetson and regrouped with Highlander at Fairview. I could see him coaching Hornet as we got ready to roll down Fairview and expected to be attacked on the Fairview sprint. The attack came but not in time and I did manage to take the sprint. I waited till we were all back in line before pulling to Florida and heading east towards Cranston Station. Barracuda, Centaur and Ferret got there first and Highlander past me about fifty yards before the driveway. A short stop and a regroup before we headed back to Carl’s was all we needed.

Starting back down towards Carl’s Highlander and Hornet once again lined up on my wheel and once again I expected and attack as we got to the rise going into the trees. I started the speed run early and they ran out of room before Hornet got a chance to try a jump. I know it won’t last long because Hornet is a young strong rider. But it is good to fool him at this point. The whole group closed ranks as we got back to Fairview and made it to Carl’s for coffee and conversation. We were joined by Blood Hound and only stayed at Carl’s for about 20 minutes. We headed for home on Lincoln and once again Highlander and Blood Hound turned the ride home into a speed run. The rest of us started our cool down when we were on Devonshire.

We never did catch Highlander and Barracuda left us for home by Santa Fe. We got back to Burger King to see Highlander had already put his bike in the van and had his shoes changed. We had to tease him about his energy level heading for home and then I had to get home myself because I was expecting a phone call. I still got in 42 miles according to my computer and I am getting used to the Tarmac a bit more every ride.