11/26/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) There was a movie not long ago called Groundhog Day. The concept was that a Weatherman covering Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania ended up getting inn a time loop where he had to live the same day over and over again. In the movie it was a bad thing. So when I got up today and looked outside to see what kind of day we were going to have you might think the same old clear blue skies and no wind would have reminded me of how that weatherman felt. But it did not because rather than dreading another day of the same thing I was overjoyed that we would be out in perfect weather and on a ride most of the group seems to love. It only remained to be seen as to just how many other people would be out to enjoy this opportunity with me. I had breakfast, got dressed and left the house without a jacket. It was my first act of faith for the day. Dura Max was pulling up to Burger King just as I rolled into the parking lot. Digger wasn’t far behind nor was Centaur. Highlander pulled in with Tax Man followed by Gerry, Blood Hound and Rocky. So far it looked like we were going to have a normal Monday group when Blain, (Magic Man) and George, (Dragon Slayer) from Nuevo pulled up. T-3 got there just before Red Rabbit and D’Artagnon. Now we were ready to head south on Gilmore.

I didn’t see any reason to start out quickly today but that didn’t slow many down. There were two different groups out today, or at least two different attitudes and that would demonstrate itself as we moved onto Kirby and then up to Cypress as we tried to work our way over to Sanderson and Johnston. I don’t know where the energy came from but it was hard to hold the group together as we rolled through the housing tract and turned South on Sanderson. I tried to get the group to soft pedal till we were all back in one group but that simply wasn’t happening today so I came up with a new plan and decided to fall to the back and make sure the B group followed the route and let the A group take care of itself.

Still we managed to all get to the light on Domenigoni about the same time. It would be one of the few times the whole group was together for most of the day. Once we were headed east the main group more or less took off and four of us followed at our own pace till we got to State Street and headed for McSweeney. I noticed the main group had lost two and we were slowly but surely gaining on them. But they were out on State Street before we got of the McSweeney housing tract so it was going to be hard to catch them.

We didn’t stop in McSweeney like we normally do but came out onto State and made a run north. I tried to keep us in a steady pace line and think I did pretty good as we rolled through the intersection at Domenigoni. The pace was steady all the way to Chambers and with Dura Max helping we managed make it out onto Stetson not far behind Digger. It was also our luck that the rest of the group was waiting for us at Columbia. Well all but Highlander and Tax Man so we followed them to Fairview and regrouped once more. Once we were on our way Highlander took the lead out and pulled us to the bridge just as a Sherriff’s car pulled out of the dirt road by the orange grove. I have to admit with a Sherriff right behind us it was one of the safest stops our group had ever made at Mayberry. Still we stayed together all the way to Florida and headed for Ramona/Washington to start our way to Soboba. Just before I got to the fire station D’Artagnon came flying by me followed shortly by Magic Man, Blood Hound, Dragon Slayer Centaur. Turned out there was a Strava Segment there and we had to follow everyone to the turn on Ramona at Cedar.

Things started to spread out as we got close to the river bridge and headed over to the golf course. I lost Rabbit but it wasn’t the first time that has ever happened to me. Rabbit has been at this a lot longer than me and he knows his way around pretty well. So sometimes he simply takes another road to get to where he wants to go. And sometimes he simply goes home so I have learned that once I have waited a reasonable time that we might as well go on without him. While we waited at the golf course for the Rabbit the rest of the group headed for the end of Soboba and State for another regroup. It would be here that Magic Man and Dragon Slayer left us and here that we started back towards Carl’s for coffee and conversation.

I took us south on State but lost some of the riders when traffic cut them off as we crossed the street. I had to let D’Artagnon and the rest of the group go as I waited at Ramona and finally we were on our way following them back to Carl’s. Dura Max and I took turns pulling till we got back to New Chicago and got to Carl’s in time to join everyone but The Rabbit; I figured he must have gone home. We didn’t stay all that long before we were ready to head home. Dura Max and T-3 would be heading back to Stetson and we would be heading to Lincoln. Just as I was getting ready to pull out onto New Chicago Digger told me someone had fallen coming out of Carl’s and I went back to see Rocky picking himself up off of the pavement. Seems he had a flat front tire and didn’t notice till he tried to turn. I stayed to help him and we rode back with Centaur to Palm where I headed for home. It wasn’t our fastest 40 miles but I had a good time. A better time than the Weatherman in Groundhog Day.