6/15/2012
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
There is no need to try and control a Friday ride because it is going to be whatever it wants to be. Fast or slow easy or hard it will all depend on the mood of the group so I posted a ride and waited like everyone else to see who showed up to ride and let things develop. When I got to Burger King I was a bit worried because I was the first one there. But I had no need to fear because people started showing up within a few minutes.
Highlander drove up and joined me over by the big store windows where we can stay warm. A car pulled up and unloaded Noah just before Rocket pulled up and Dura Max wasn’t far behind him. Von Richthofen and 501 came rolling in just before Gambler and Hornet. Ocelot rode in with her boyfriend Brian and the group started looking pretty good. Surgeon was there but he had work to do and it was still a bit cool for him. Then last but not least a blast from the past showed up and the Red Rabbit, (Richard) rode in on his Lapierre. Not a bad group for early in the summer.
Because it was a west ride we took the traditional ride down to Acacia and headed over to Kirby. The only slight difference was with the younger riders with us it was a bit more like taking a puppy for a walk in that they aren’t slowly warming up but rather more pulling on the leash to get us moving at their speed. Still they stayed in the group as we turn towards Cypress and made small talk as we turned through the housing tract.
As soon as we got through the housing tract and turned onto Johnston was caught the light at Sanderson. Once the light turned green we were off towards Stetson and a pace line formed. I always expect a pace line to form but not till we get to Mustang so I could see this as a sign that the group was getting ready for the turn on Domenigoni. I also knew if they were forming a pace line already that the group was willing to try to hold onto the wheels of the big dogs if they made a break for it. With that in mind I was sure I would have to give up the lead early once we made the turn.
Just after we turned onto Domenigoni things started to pick up pretty much as I had expected. I gave up the lead and we started to rotate through the line till the pace started to spread out the group just a bit. Still we weren’t that far apart by the time Von Richthofen had the lead and we quickly came up on Warren and headed for the rise over the dry wash. Somewhere between warren and Winchester we spotted Bandit on the other side of the road. That revelation caused Gambler to take the lead and pick up the pace once again. That broke the group into pieces with Rocket, 501, Noah, and I joining the Gambler freight train. Gambler set such a frantic pace that by the last light he was shedding riders like the space shuttle loses plates on re-entry. He was first on the saddle.
Once we were back on the road and heading for Menifee we lost Rocket as we turned the light heading south. The benefits of youth become more apparent once you have had a long fast run and a quick climb. The kids are fully recovered by the time we get to Menifee. In fact I could overhear a challenge tossed by either Noah, 501 or Hornet to race up the little hill after Holland. I was more or less resigned to just getting up the hill let alone racing up it when the three riders did indeed attack the hill. Attacking the hill however was like flushing a rabbit in front of the big dogs as Gambler and Bandit gave chase. As they blasted past Brian and Von Richthofen rolled by me as well. The big dogs caught them, I did not but half of us regrouped on top of the hill and then again at Scott and Antelope.
Our next test would be on Haun. I didn’t realize it but Haun is a Strava segment and Bandit had a great time to beat on that run. So after we turned north on Haun I looked back to see Gambler and Bandit drop the hammer and head for stop sign on Holland. I decided to give a chase a shot, Fridays tend to be my play days, and as soon as I started 501 jumped in front of me and spun up rather quickly. I drafted till I was up to speed and finally passed but never managed to close on Gambler or Bandit. 501 and I pulled up behind the two of them at the light on Newport. After a brief nature break at the gas station we were back on our way to Bradley and the young riders were staying with the big dogs as we started for McCall.
We laughed a bit as the rest of us followed on Bradley because for some reason Von Richthofen doesn’t like the McCall hill. The joke we always use is at least there is a hospital close to the top of the hill so if he falls over he doesn’t have far to go. We still had a good pace and no one was that far from one of the two groups as we got back to Cherry Hill and closed in on the turn up McCall.
I actually did pretty well going up McCall and managed top the hill not that far behind 510 and Noah. Brian and Von Richthofen were right with me as we stopped to gather the rest of our group before heading down the back side of McCall and heading for Heritage to work our way over to Simpson and head to Winchester and Chris’s. We paced lined it all the way to Leon when Gambler and Bandit took the lead and started a hard run to Winchester. One by one we fell off as the speed increased and managed to regroup at Chris’s for coffee and conversation. We even found Red Rabbit waiting for us. After a brief recovery we were back on Winchester and headed to Stowe to start for home.
Once everyone was on Stowe we slowly built up speed till we got to California. Bandit wasn’t with us because he left for home from Chris’s. Gambler decided to stretch his legs and headed for Stetson and slowly pulled off in the distance. Highlander started a run from Warren and got a good lead by the airport and it was there I was rejoined by Red Rabbit. Von Richthofen took 501 and Noah home on Johnston and Red Rabbit left me at Lowes. I finally got back to Burger Kind as Highlander was loading his bike back in his van and Shadow pulled up with a flat we helped him change. I got home feeling pretty good about the ride and we just over 40 miles on my computer. It is good to be with a good group of people and these riders have become friends as much as a cycling group.
Because it was a west ride we took the traditional ride down to Acacia and headed over to Kirby. The only slight difference was with the younger riders with us it was a bit more like taking a puppy for a walk in that they aren’t slowly warming up but rather more pulling on the leash to get us moving at their speed. Still they stayed in the group as we turn towards Cypress and made small talk as we turned through the housing tract.
As soon as we got through the housing tract and turned onto Johnston was caught the light at Sanderson. Once the light turned green we were off towards Stetson and a pace line formed. I always expect a pace line to form but not till we get to Mustang so I could see this as a sign that the group was getting ready for the turn on Domenigoni. I also knew if they were forming a pace line already that the group was willing to try to hold onto the wheels of the big dogs if they made a break for it. With that in mind I was sure I would have to give up the lead early once we made the turn.
Just after we turned onto Domenigoni things started to pick up pretty much as I had expected. I gave up the lead and we started to rotate through the line till the pace started to spread out the group just a bit. Still we weren’t that far apart by the time Von Richthofen had the lead and we quickly came up on Warren and headed for the rise over the dry wash. Somewhere between warren and Winchester we spotted Bandit on the other side of the road. That revelation caused Gambler to take the lead and pick up the pace once again. That broke the group into pieces with Rocket, 501, Noah, and I joining the Gambler freight train. Gambler set such a frantic pace that by the last light he was shedding riders like the space shuttle loses plates on re-entry. He was first on the saddle.
Once we were back on the road and heading for Menifee we lost Rocket as we turned the light heading south. The benefits of youth become more apparent once you have had a long fast run and a quick climb. The kids are fully recovered by the time we get to Menifee. In fact I could overhear a challenge tossed by either Noah, 501 or Hornet to race up the little hill after Holland. I was more or less resigned to just getting up the hill let alone racing up it when the three riders did indeed attack the hill. Attacking the hill however was like flushing a rabbit in front of the big dogs as Gambler and Bandit gave chase. As they blasted past Brian and Von Richthofen rolled by me as well. The big dogs caught them, I did not but half of us regrouped on top of the hill and then again at Scott and Antelope.
Our next test would be on Haun. I didn’t realize it but Haun is a Strava segment and Bandit had a great time to beat on that run. So after we turned north on Haun I looked back to see Gambler and Bandit drop the hammer and head for stop sign on Holland. I decided to give a chase a shot, Fridays tend to be my play days, and as soon as I started 501 jumped in front of me and spun up rather quickly. I drafted till I was up to speed and finally passed but never managed to close on Gambler or Bandit. 501 and I pulled up behind the two of them at the light on Newport. After a brief nature break at the gas station we were back on our way to Bradley and the young riders were staying with the big dogs as we started for McCall.
We laughed a bit as the rest of us followed on Bradley because for some reason Von Richthofen doesn’t like the McCall hill. The joke we always use is at least there is a hospital close to the top of the hill so if he falls over he doesn’t have far to go. We still had a good pace and no one was that far from one of the two groups as we got back to Cherry Hill and closed in on the turn up McCall.
I actually did pretty well going up McCall and managed top the hill not that far behind 510 and Noah. Brian and Von Richthofen were right with me as we stopped to gather the rest of our group before heading down the back side of McCall and heading for Heritage to work our way over to Simpson and head to Winchester and Chris’s. We paced lined it all the way to Leon when Gambler and Bandit took the lead and started a hard run to Winchester. One by one we fell off as the speed increased and managed to regroup at Chris’s for coffee and conversation. We even found Red Rabbit waiting for us. After a brief recovery we were back on Winchester and headed to Stowe to start for home.
Once everyone was on Stowe we slowly built up speed till we got to California. Bandit wasn’t with us because he left for home from Chris’s. Gambler decided to stretch his legs and headed for Stetson and slowly pulled off in the distance. Highlander started a run from Warren and got a good lead by the airport and it was there I was rejoined by Red Rabbit. Von Richthofen took 501 and Noah home on Johnston and Red Rabbit left me at Lowes. I finally got back to Burger Kind as Highlander was loading his bike back in his van and Shadow pulled up with a flat we helped him change. I got home feeling pretty good about the ride and we just over 40 miles on my computer. It is good to be with a good group of people and these riders have become friends as much as a cycling group.
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