7/09/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I have discovered that it is easier to put a easy ride together on Monday that almost any other day of the week. So I kept the distance up and planned a relatively flat old ride the group used to do when I first started riding with them. I knew they were predicting a bit more heat today but it was my hope we would be home before it got too bad. I dressed in a light jersey and bibs and headed for the parking lot. There was a pretty good group already waiting when I got there. Ten of us headed for Acacia and Kirby right at 8am and by 8:05 we were heading south for Cypress.

501 and Von Richthofen were a little sore form working out the day before but they were having no problem staying near the front of the group. We quickly rolled past the railroad tracks and turned west towards Johnston. When we got to the light on Sanderson I had started a conversation with myself on not pushing any big gears today. My knee was still sore last Friday after my cleat mishap on the outreach for Haiti ride and by the end of each ride last week my knee was sore again. So today I planned on spinning more and pulling less. That was the thought I had on my mind as we turned south towards Stetson in an attempt to make the light before it turned red. We did make the light green and I ended up pulling us slowly to Mustang.

If Torpedo held back a bit today the ride down Domenigoni could be pretty easy. It might take a bit to keep the kids in check with 501 and Hornet but with any luck they would keep it down and we would cruise to the Saddle. The first small problem was when Hornet started having problems with his derailleur and had to leave. Then after getting started again torpedo pulled around took the pace up about 3 mph. Well before Warren I saw the group was split in two and I fell back to pick up the stragglers. Torpedo took the lead group to the Saddle to wait for us.

Once we had all regrouped we started down the back side of the saddle and once again I took the lead till we got to Menifee and headed for the climb just past Holland. Somehow we managed to get three riders stuck before the light and I waited for them to make the turn before heading for the climb. We picked up all but three riders at the top of the hill and then picked up Torpedo, Centaur and 501 on Scott road. Before we got back to Antelope there was a slight mutiny when all but Torpedo, Centaur and I decided they weren’t interested in the grade to Murrieta. They broke up again at Holland after turning on Haun while the three of us made our way to Scott and Murrieta.

It was a great view as we turned north on Murrieta and waited for Torpedo when he stopped at a little market by the corner. It was another surprise as we past Holland and discovered brand new pavement where they had been working on the road. We turned on Newport to join up with Highlander and his group but found Dura Max, Ocelot and Surgeon waiting at Carl’s. We waited till the other group joined us and then started north on Murrieta again.

It was a quick trip to Cherry Hill and back down to Bradley to head back to Newport. The ride was easy at this point and we made it back to Jack in the Box for coffee and conversation. Torpedo headed for home before we took a break. Once back on the road we took a little time to get back in line before heading back to the Saddle and east. Centaur and 501 started to make a run for it and Surgeon started to give chase. The rest of us stayed together all the way back to Sanderson where Von Richthofen continued on to State and I found 501 waiting for me just aft Stetson. I stayed with him till we got back to my street and then he went home by himself. It was pushing 98 when I got to my house and shut down the computer with just over 40 miles on it.