5/07/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I managed to get passed over on my first day when I called in for jury duty so I felt lucky that I was going to be able to make the ride today. The weather was predicted to be good and warm and for once I wouldn’t have to make a choice about wearing arm and leg warmers because it was already warm when I walked out to look first thing in the morning. So I had breakfast and got dressed and left to meet up with my friends for a good Monday ride. I wasn’t the first one there because Coyote, Surgeon, Dura Max, Tax Man and Highlander were already standing around talking when I pulled up. Just before we got ready to leave Jennifer rode up, she hasn’t been with us for months, and we moved out onto Latham to start the ride.

At least for today we had one big B group and we didn’t feel the need to ramp things as quickly as we normally do giving chase to the big dogs. Still we were making good time as we turned onto Lyon and started to pass Devonshire and then one street after another heading north towards Ramona.

We may not have been pushing it as much as some days but our average speed was pretty good as Highlander pulled up next to me to talk. Surgeon soon took the lead and pulled us past Seventh Street and all the way to Ramona and west towards Sanderson. The great part about going west on this part of Ramona is it seems like it is downhill and it gives us a chance to increase our average speed and rest our legs at the same time.

We came out onto Sanderson and up to the Expressway and once again west. Now it was time for steady and teamwork was important. We rotated through the pace line and past the cows till we got to Bridge Street and headed North. Coyote didn’t give us much rest as he kept the pace up while we past some more cows and a few sheep. As we stayed on Bridge we took the big curving turn towards Gilman and settled into another pace line.

Just before we got to Gilman Coyote pulled up next to me and gave me the look, but he didn’t fly by me and drop me like Lance did in the tour when he used the look he just brought Jennifer up next to us to push me to the corner. For someone that hasn’t been out with us for such a long time she was riding pretty strong. We took a short break to snack and hydrate and I started us east towards Sanderson for a second time. We were still all together as we got to Sanderson so we didn’t stop to regroup and headed back to Ramona and east.

We hurried down to Lyon and Jennifer left us for home. We watched her leave and Highlander took over pulling us down to State Street where we caught the light and had to wait before heading back north towards Soboba. A nature stop at Mickey D’s was necessary before we took off again and made our way north. I pulled us to Soboba and over the first rise. I gave the lead back to Highlander and he pulled us over the second rise and then let Surgeon take over and pull us to the golf course. Surgeon attacked at the last hill and ran me almost into the ground. With my heart pumping that hard I had no trouble feeling my right hand on the hoods and we simply didn’t take much time to regroup. As we crossed the river bed Surgeon and Coyote attacked again and almost drove me to pass out. I almost had to limp into Carl’s but Coyote stayed with me and we all stopped for coffee and conversation. After two sprints on a warm day like today I needed the break to rehydrate and cool off. We didn’t stay long though and soon Coyote had us up and back on our way headed up to Lincoln and back west towards Burger King. We rode back past Lake and Hemet towards Palm where Dura Max would leave us for home.

Coyote, Highlander, Surgeon, Tax Man and I worked our way over to Devonshire and then down to Santa Fe and onto Latham again. We were still all together as we rolled onto state and then past Palm and Lyon to the Pep Boys driveway and the vehicles. We chatted for a few minutes and I rode home to end the ride with just short of 39 miles. It was a great day, great effort and good friends. I have to admit I fell lucky to live where we do.