11/14/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I was a bit tired as I got up this morning but at least I had a short easy ride planned. Well it was a short easy ride by my standards. Monday had been a half century and I only needed 10 or 15 miles to put me over 6000 for the year so 33 miles to Cactus Valley should be just about perfect. For the more energetic we could climb up to the marina on the way out. I dressed warm because they were predicting an overcast cool day and for some reason I believed them. By the time I got to Burger King I could tell I wasn’t going to need a jacket. Right at 9am we started down Gilmore to Acacia with 11 riders. For some reason Coyote seemed to be eager t o get on the road because he led all the way to Kirby and then south to Cypress and started us west towards Johnston

We seemed to be running a bit hot as we passed through the housing tract and Coyote once again move out front and took us to Johnston before pulling up to the light at Sanderson just as Dura Max and T-3 rounded the corner and headed north. I can only assume they had other commitments as we headed south towards Stetson. We caught the light at Stetson red and had to wait for a few minutes before riding past Wally World and moving on towards Mustang. Once again Coyote pulled out front and zeroed in on Mustang while Highlander, Jennifer and Huntress shadowed me.

We all followed Coyote to the light at Domenigoni and waited to turm left and head towards Searl and the Marina. The plan at this point was that the A group could climb to the marina and I could take the B group around the ball field and meet them as they came back down. When we got to the Marina road Coyote was long gone with Gambler and D’Artagnon in hot pursuit. Huntress, Jennifer and Rabbit followed them. Highlander, Digger and I stayed on the road to the ball field. We got back to the Marina road just as Rabbit came back down, seems he turned back at the halfway point. We waited till everyone had regrouped before heading to State Street and rolling on to Cactus Valley for another regroup.

As we started back towards State Street Coyote jumped out front again. As we got close to Sage Street the pace was almost flat out and Coyote had a 75 yard lead down the hill. I took off to close the gap and Highlander was on my wheel. He dropped off as I closed onto Coyote’s wheel and decided to hang on for a free draft. Soon Gambler reeled us in and pulled by but Coyote caught his draft and we followed him all the way back to State. Thank goodness we had Gambler to wear out because D’Artagnon was running at 110 percent trying to close on us as well. We managed to tire out Gambler and beat D’Artagnon to McSweeney. He joined us as we rode around the housing tract there and we regrouped just as we got back out onto State. Highlander decided to call it a day at Domenigoni and Jennifer headed for home on Gibbel Road. The rest of us rode down past the golf course and out onto Stetson before turning onto Columbia and heading through the old homes off of Thornton.

Coyote and Huntress pulled away from the rest of us and Rabbit took a short cut be we all ended up back on Stetson heading for Fairview together. I stayed with Digger till we got to Fairview and he decided to wait till we came back from Wilson Mesa. I took off after Rabbit and caught him just before he started up the hill at Wilson Mesa. We regrouped there and got ready for the run back down to Florida. I assured Coyote that I had no plans of attacking the Fairview Strava Segment because I was getting ready to start my winter slow down to rest my legs for next year. Didn’t matter what I had planned because everyone hit the Fairview run hard. We did get to Florida together and then stopped at Carl’s for coffee and conversation.

Once we were headed back west Huntress got to her street first and then left us. Gambler headed for home as well leaving Coyote, Digger, Rabbit and I to get back to the west end by ourselves. Digger and I went different ways at Palm and Coyote and Rabbit returned to their cars at Burger King. I got home with 36 miles on my computer but I felt pretty good anyway. I can say this group works well together and makes riding fun.