9/24/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) The plan today was to have an easy recovery type of Monday ride. We had some hard rides last week and Friday was a drag race so why push it today? So I got up, had a good breakfast put on my kit and headed out of the door with great expectations. I even felt pretty strong on the ride to Burger King. I even got there first and waited to see everyone arrive. Dura Max pulled up shortly after I stopped and turned off my heart rate monitor. We were still shaking hands when Surgeon and then Digger arrived. We were talking as Tax man and Highlander drove up. Bloodhound rolled up next just about the time Coyote pulled into the parking lot. The Red Rabbit rode over from the Mall Parking lot and we were about ready to go. We headed down Gilmore rather than Lyon to State and then Domenigoni because we needed to meet up with T-3. She was waiting for us just as we crossed Florida. We dropped down to Acacia and headed north on Kirby.

I decided to start drafting pretty early so I was more than willing to give up any lead I had when we rounded the corner onto Cypress and headed west towards Johnston. I pulled up to the stop light in Second behind the Rabbit at Sanderson and we all waited for a green so we could make a run at Stetson. There was some traffic at the light as we got close to Stetson and I moved out just a bit to take the lane. However a School bus decided they needed the lane more than me so I had to dive back to the curb rather the challenge a bus. Still we safely made it across Stetson and headed towards Mustang and then Domenigoni.

Once we got to Domenigoni we formed up into a pace line and headed west. Bloodhound got out front and held it to a constant pace that we all seemed fine with. I didn’t notice that we had dropped the Rabbit until we were almost to Warren Road. Bloodhound asked if the pace was fine and we all said it was until the light turned green. Bloodhound almost sprinted off of the green and soon created a gap between the front 5 and back 4. I got in front of the second group and managed to keep us at pace but we weren’t closing and no one caught a red light all the way to the saddle. We just caught the back markers at the hill and then regrouped and waited for the Rabbit.

It took a while for Rabbit to make it to the saddle so we had time to hydrate and eat some Shot Blocks. While sitting there I was thinking of how much better Digger had been riding today. He stayed with the lead group without being dropped and was not the last one to the top of the saddle today. It was a great improvement for someone that has only been with us a few weeks. If he continues at this pace he will be an A rider by early next year. I drank some more electrolytes and watched as Rabbit joined us just before we headed down the hill towards Lindenburger.

I coasted through the Light at Lindenburger as Highlander pulled up next to me. We rode together till we got to Laguna Vista and made the left to work our way to Briggs and south. Somehow we had lost Rabbit and he doesn’t have a cell phone so I never know if he is taking a short cut or heading for home and stopping for coffee early. I learned later that he flatted but he told Digger not to wait and he wasn’t there by the time we circled back to Lindenburger. The rest of us made it to Briggs and headed south past the Turkey ranch on the left and dairy on the right. Highlander and Bloodhound started to pick up the pace one once again the pack split in two and I was forced to give chase all the way to Gaboni before turning west again to see the lead group pilling away. This time we decided to hold it steady and follow at a more comfortable pace. We got to Antelope and headed north.

As we came up on Newport I knew some were going to stop for a nature break at Jack in the Box so we rode right on by and headed for Newport and Lindenburger. That was how I knew Rabbit must have fixed his flat and gone on. Tax man pulled us to Lindenburger and Simpson and I pulled from Simpson to Leon. Dura Max took over at Leon and pulled us through the Eucalyptus trees before giving the lead back to Tax Man who took us through the light at Winchester and over to Chris’s to wait for the rest of the group. We had some coffee and conversation before we got back on Winchester and headed north towards Stowe.

We cruised around the corner at Stowe and stayed in a pace line till we were once again in excess of 19 heading towards California. Surgeon pulled most of the way before I took over at California and I took us to Stetson where Surgeon took it back and headed east. Soon Bloodhound slipped by and kicked it up a little. He managed to gap us slightly but I decided I had enough left to make sure he didn’t get away. Surgeon pulled up on my left but had to back off at Warren where he broke for home.

Highlander took over at Warren and took us onto the airport road. Everyone but Dura Max and T-3 stayed with him as we dodged speed bumps and past the Hanger 1 coffee shop and made the turn at Crawston. Once we got to Sanderson Bloodhound left us and I pulled us to Lowes and around to Acacia and back to Kirby. We got to Gilmore and headed back to Burger King where Highlander and Tax man had their Van parked. We chatted for a few minutes before Digger and I left and pulled back out onto Latham and headed for Palm before splitting for home. I got back with about 36 miles on the computer and a good feeling about having a successful ride.