12/03/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) We didn’t really know if we were going to be able to ride today because originally they were predicting rain for Monday. When I got up and started breakfast it was overcast but not raining so I knew I was going to at least give a ride a try. Just as I sat down to have some oatmeal I started getting calls from Highlander and Tax Man and then from Digger wondering if the streets were too wet. I declared them more than good enough to ride on and headed for Burger King. All I was pulling for was more riders than Friday and I was in luck because Digger and Dura Max got there about the same time as I did. Then Dragon Slayer, Jerry, Highlander and Tax man arrived. Finally Red Rabbit, Rocky and at the last minute T-3 pulled in just as we were getting ready to leave. She joined us as we pulled out onto Latham and turned onto Lyon heading for Ramona.

I had let it be known that I had no intention of pushing too hard because my legs were still a bit tight from working at the gym last Thursday. But one thing that should be patiently clear to anyone who has had the privilege of riding with our group is that they don’t show mercy on you just because you ask them to. Oh they will cut you some slack if they see you are struggling but only after you have demonstrated you are struggling and they see it with their own eyes. Dragon Slayer and Rocky pulled in front and started to pick up the pace and Highlander went with them. The problem with the faster pace was the tires tossed more water so soon we had Highlander back. We made it to Sanderson and Ramona Expressway and waited for the light to turn. The plan was for a steady even pull all the way to Lakeview and to not run into any Dogs. With Rocky and Dragon Slayer doing most of the work we made short work of Ramona and only dropped Rabbit but we always drop Rabbit on Ramona. The only difference was this time we had an ample layer of stray, hay and horse manure in the bike lane and it coated the bottom tube and chain stays on our bikes.

We pulled into Valero for a nature break and looking at some of the bikes looked like if we didn’t clean then we could all grow Chia Pet bikes within a few days. It didn’t matter much because up to this point it had been a good ride. However the restroom was out of order, again and so Dragon Slayer took us by his house for a quick stop before heading to Nuevo.

The rest of the ride was going to be pretty direct. We would go straight down Lakeview to Nuevo and then work our way to Central before a southern run down Menifee to Simpson. We recovered Rabbit and then sent him ahead on Menifee. Dura Max, T-3 and I were the last to catch him but we all regrouped at Florida.

We gave Rabbit another head start and this time he was almost to McCall before we gave chase. The rest of the group set up a pace line and we ended up- catching the light about ½ of a mile behind him. By Leon we were less than a ¼ mile behind him and Rocky had taken over for Dragon Slayer. After we came out of the first stand of trees we were less than one hundred yards behind the Rabbit and Jerry started the final sprint to close the gap. We got to the turn lane only to see him run turn left before we got to the cross walk. We all stopped for coffee and conversation at Chris’s. Just as we got ready to head for home Dragon Slayer noticed he had a flat rear tire. Rocky and I waited with him while he changed the tube while Highlander took the rest of the group home. Once we were on our way it was all I could do to hold on and follow Rocky and Dragon Slayer up Winchester, east on Stowe, north on California and east again on Stetson.

Soon we were riding past Warren and we followed Dragon Slayer to the airport road where Rocky and I stayed on Stetson and he headed back to Burger King. Rocky and I continued on to Sanderson and I dropped into the small chain ring to start my cool down spin as we dropped down to Johnston and east again. Rocky pulled off on Elk and I continued on to Palm and home. It was a pretty nice day even if the bikes will need cleaning. For me it was 38 miles and a chance to get to know at least two of the riders a little better.