10/03/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) If you were going to order weather for a bike ride this would be the kind you would order. The morning started out clear and warm but not hot and at least at the start there we no wind. I got out the Klein because it was going to be a rather flat ride and headed for the parking lot on Florida. I was surprised to see a group was already formed as I pulled into the parking lot. Centaur and a new rider named Levi were talking as Dura Max and Coyote pulled up. Digger and Surgeon arrived next followed by Gambler and D’Artagnon. Red Rabbit pulled up just before T-3 and we were about ready to go. Blood Hound came over to the group as Highlander was unloading his bike and the clock ticked down to 8am. So we started rolling out to Latham and made a left turn onto Lyon.

Surgeon and I chatted a bit as he rode his new Focus to check out the set up before wrapping the bars. It is a very good looking machine and seemed to run smoothly. It didn’t take long before Blood Hound got out front and started to push the pace a bit. It was a comfortable with the pace even as we got closer and closer to Ramona. As we got ready to turn west Highlander pulled up next to me to say that he didn’t think Levi was going to make it because he saddle was way too low and he was carrying way too much stuff. We stopped to adjust the saddle but while trying to tighten the seat post bolt I broke it in half. Surgeon said he could provide another bolt if Levi dropped by after the ride so I hope he does. We continued on and to my surprise the new rider tried to stay with us broken seat and all. We had to stop for a flat by Centaur and watch as half of the group continued on without us. Once back on the road we lost the new rider so I have to assume he returned home. We regrouped at the Valero and waited till Rabbit got there and was sure Levi wasn’t following before heading south on Lakeview to continue the ride.

Blood Hound took off on a break on Lakeview and stretched it out a bit until he past the little school where I wasn't getting all that much closer till D"Artagnon past me and we started to close the gap. I stuck to his wheel like glue till we got close enough that I felt I could bridge the gap and jump Blood Hound. By the time he noticed me coming it was too late and I got by. D’Artagnon past me back but I got back on his wheel and he pulled me away from Blood Hound all the way to Nuevo. After the turn we more or less regrouped till we got to Central and headed towards Menifee. I fell back and kicked it into cruise mode with Dura Max and T-3. Digger pulled ahead of us on Menifee but Dura Max pulled us back to him by the time we got to the rise at the Nursery and I took over the pull to Mapes. We turned towards Briggs and it seems as if the main group didn’t so we were on our own heading towards Florida and Briggs.

My guess was that the group had stopped at the AM/PM and so I felt we might be slightly ahead of them as we past the high school and headed for the housing tract and back out onto Briggs. I started looking for the group as we were riding parallel to Simpson on the dump road but I didn’t see then as we past Leon and couldn’t see them across the field. By this point I was pretty sure we would get to Chris’s first and sure enough we rounded the corner on Winchester without a sign of any bicycles sitting in front of Chris’s. The rest of the group was only minutes behind and we argued about who took a short cut. Blood Hound didn’t stop so the rest of us visited till it was time to leave and Highlander took us north on Winchester to Stowe. Gambler and D’Artagnon rode home on Domenigoni.

Dura Max and T-3 were still in cruiser mode as we started east on Stowe. I watched as lead group was moving away pretty quickly so I had to work hard to catch them and ride with them to California and then followed Centaur on Stetson most of the way to Warren. We got to Warren where Surgeon got out front and took everyone to the Airport road where I stopped and waited for Dura Max, T-3 and Rabbit. Rabbit left us at Johnston and I dropped Dura Max and T-3 off at her gate and rode home myself. Like I said the weather was something only another cyclist could order if they wanted a perfect day.