8/29/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Some people have told me they like their life spontaneous and unpredictable. It is one of the reasons I try to mix up the rides as much as I can and am willing to take suggestions and requests for special rides. But as much as we plan nature has a way of making things even more spontaneous that we can ever do. I was about to learn this lesson as I rode to the parking lot to see who would be going on our rather flat 40 mile ride west. By the time we started to arrive in any numbers it was clear we would have two groups. Gambler and D’Artagnon would be the core of the A group with Sidewinder and more than likely would take Surgeon with them. Huntress, Highlander, Digger, and I would more than likely make up the B group. At least that is how I thought it would work out as we started down Gilmore to Acacia.

As we turned onto Acacia and then Kirby I felt a drop or two of water on my wrist. I didn’t think much of it however because it was supposed to be over 100 degrees and I didn’t see much chance of rain. Normally rain will sent us scurrying for home but it just didn’t seem possible we would get any real rain so I pushed on to Sanderson and headed south. The problem was it started to really rain as we got to Stetson and I could see it was all coming from one big cloud hanging over the Wal-Mart area. I simply put my head down and headed for Mustang and then to Domenigoni. What I didn’t notice was that Gambler, Surgeon and D’Artagnon had dropped off to take cover under a tree while Huntress, Highlander, Sidewinder, Digger and I just lowered our heads and plowed forward west on Domenigoni. The rain left us at the dry wash and we took turns pulling all the way to the saddle just in time to watch T-3 and Dura Max drop down the back side. We regrouped and followed moments later.

We had passed Bandit on Winchester and at first it looked like he was going to follow us but it seems as if he decided to wait for the chasing A group. We didn’t waste any time getting to Menifee and we past Dura Max and T-3 at the park just before Holland. Huntress had been dogging me all morning and after our sprint up the Saddle I was pretty sure she would attack me on Holland Hill. After we past Holland Road she jumped on my back wheel and didn’t look like she had any intention of falling off. Not only that Sidewinder as coming on a bit like a CHP pursuit car and I was tired. Somehow I managed to hold them off and after we were all back together I pulled them to Scott. Huntress took us to Antelope and Sidewinder took us to Haun. We could feel the A group gaining so we quickly made our way back to Holland and over the hill to Murrieta. We were determined to make it to the Chevron station on Newport before the A group caught us but there was no need to worry because they decided to take Bradley and cut over to McCall.

We headed for McCall on Murrieta and kept the pace down knowing the McCall hill would be coming soon. I also knew Huntress would attack me again so I needed all the time to recover that I could get. After passing Cherry Hill I took us to McCall and started us east towards the golf course and freeway. I started thinking about the hill at least two miles before we got there and I was worried that Huntress would attack again and I would be too tired to respond. Not that Huntress isn’t a strong rider but because she insists if she attacks I give 100 percent effort or “else”. Highlander took us over the freeway and Sidewinder took off and made the light at the Valero well ahead of the rest of us. I held Huntress off once again and we dropped down the back side of the hill with Sidewinder nowhere in sight. We worked our way through the housing tract and out onto Simpson to start the run to Winchester. I pulled for a while and then Huntress took over. We called Digger from the back and had him pull at a comfortable pace all the way past the Eucalyptus trees. I pulled around and took the lead till we got to the last stand of trees on the right before Winchester. Huntress attacked again and got past me. However she didn’t pass quick enough to avoid me getting on her back wheel and I worked my way by just before we had to stop for the light. We all pulled around the corner together and pulled into Chris’s to see Gambler, D’Artagnon and Sidewinder waiting on us.

After a brief stop we were ready to head back to Stowe on Winchester. However as I stopped to look for traffic I noticed my tire was low and once I pulled the cap off it wouldn’t hold air at all. So I got to give a tire changing clinic.

It took me a few minutes to get the new tube in and filled with air. Once everything was back together we were back on the road and I was pulling easily along with a tire that felt a lot more like rolling than it did when I was back on Simpson. For some reason I my legs were still tired from the sprint and that was unusual after making a coffee stop. Still I felt pretty good as we headed east on Stowe and for reasons not known by anyone I decided to pull again.

Just as soon as we turned on California it was like I ran out of gas. I realized that because of the rain I had only gone through one bottle of electrolytes in 33 miles. So my energy was a bit low but it was also 106 degrees and I was concerned that I was overheated. Highlander and Digger nursed me to the trees where I took a break and cooled down while Highlander headed past the airport for home. Digger and I rode down Stetson to Sanderson and then jumped over to Johnston and over to Palm where he headed for home as I turned for home myself. I cool shower and about 20 ounces of cold water and I was back in business. It was a great ride even if it was stranger than we were used to. I have never spent that much time in a hard rain since I started riding.