10/31/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) We don’t do Lambs Canyon very often and when we do some riders express their doubts as to why we do it in the first place. But it was requested by Gambler and sometimes we need to cater t the A riders for all of the pulling they do when we run Domenigoni and Ramona. So I dressed warm, but not too warm as I headed out to Burger King to see just who would be joining us even if I ended up being the only B rider in the group. I didn’t need to worry because 8 of us ended up doing the ride. We didn’t get started right at 8am but by 8:06 Gambler, Highlander, Digger, Huntress, Bandit, D’Artagnon, Coyote and I headed out onto Latham.

It was a beautiful morning even if it were a bit cool as we got to the corner and made the turn north on Lyon. Highlander pulled up next to me and expressed his doubts as to if he wanted to do the whole ride. I knew he would do just fine and we chatted lightly as we headed towards Fruitvale. Traffic was light and no one was pushing the pace almost as if they were waiting for the beginning of the hill to expend their energy. We rode past Esplanade and headed north towards Ramona with a look of determination on our faces.

No one seemed to mind that I pulled all the way to Ramona and made the turn west. Highlander and I settled into a bit quicker pace but after about a hundred yards or so we looked back and noticed we had gapped the rest of the group. Still conserving energy I guess and getting ready for the A riders to attack the Hill. We waited till everyone caught up and I continued to pull till we got to Sanderson and turned north once again as I headed for the light on the Expressway and the beginning of the hill.

Everything breaks up on long climbs and the group fractures into several pieces with Gambler, Bandit and D’Artagnon pushing each other to see just who climbs faster. As I sat at the light it turned green and Highlander went flying to the front as if he had every intention of attacking the hill a mile early. It wasn’t long before the rest of us closed with him and the A group started moving to the front. As we past Gilman we started to string out in a long line when Coyote separated from the B group and then Huntress started to follow him. Highlander, Digger and I settled into a steady climb and soon Highlander separated from Digger and I. Things stayed that way all the way to the top except for just before the last climb where Digger attacked me to show how much energy he had left. We topped out a few minutes later with Digger finishing his first nonstop climb of Lambs Canyon.

We were going to regroup at 1st street but Highlander decided to stop at Jack in the Box while we headed for Starbucks in the mall off of Second Street. I stopped to call Highlander to make sure it wasn’t a nature stop and then followed the rest of the group east towards Commerce and over to 2nd. I got there just as everyone was parking their bikes and getting ready to sit down for coffee and conversation. After much debate on who among us was the strongest Gambler assured us that he was the one. If I remember correctly he said even his eyes have more muscles that D’Artagnon so it must be true.

After getting fully refreshed we started to get ready to mount up and head back for an attempt for a record run back down Lambs Canyon and an attack on the Strava segment back to Ramona. Much like before everyone was more than happy to let me lead the group all the way back to Beaumont Avenue and south back towards home. Highlander had already left Jack in the Box by the time we rode past there so I was still leading as we topped the rise before the long downhill and the Segment.

As we topped the rise before starting through the canyon everyone past me, with the exception of Digger. Originally I had planned on just cruising the canyone but seeing Huntress and Coyote pulling away worked like a magnate to get me to start picking up speed. Not long after I got up a head of steam Bandit roe by and I dropped in on his back wheel. Soon we had caught up to Huntress and Coyote and had past D’Artagnon. I stayed on Bandits back wheel as we closed in on a fleeing Gambler. After the dump road we hit a flat spot and Bandit kicked it up a notch and I fell back a bit. Just before the last drop D’Artagnon rolled up to me and past briefly before Gilman. I got back past him to catch up with Gambler and Bandit just before the bridge and we rode together to Ramona where we waited for the rest of the group. We continued on once we had regrouped and saw Dura Max and T-3 heading down Lyon. We watched gambler and D’Artagnon head home on Ramona and started to follow Bandit back south on Lyon. We caught Dura Max and T-3 at Esplanade and made it through the light only to drop Digger at a red. I stopped to ride with him and Huntress slowed to let us catch up before we got to Fruitvale. I think she was showing off how much energy she still had left after the climb and the ride home.

We headed back to Burger King planning on finding Highlander waiting because he had an extra Jacket from Digger and a bike rack for Huntress in his van. Sure enough he was there and as we talked Surgeon pulled up and visited for a little while before I headed for home myself. I was tired and my allergies we acting up but a hot shower and lunch cured a lot of my ills before a short nap and some time sitting on my front porch. Yes all in all it was a great day to be on a bike with friends. Oh and on the Strava Segment Bandit, Gambler and I finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Not bad.