12/12/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Yes, winter has arrived. At least if how cold it was when I got this morning means anything. I looked outside while the coffee was being made and it was 37 degrees and a bit overcast. I didn’t see much in the way of wind but they were predicting some and all I could hope for was that we wouldn’t hit it till we were on our way home. I was making an assumption that there would be a few joining me but I was at least pretty sure Dura Max would be there and maybe Digger. Anything more than that I would consider a success. By 9am we had 10 riders ready to brave the cold and head south on Gilmore and then over to Kirby on Acacia to start our trip towards Domenigoni.

As I headed towards Cypress I looked back to see Highlander, Huntress, Dura Max, T-3, Digger, Coyote, Red Rabbit, Gambler and Josh. I was feeling pretty good but I knew any sustained effort on my part was going to be difficult because I don’t warm up very fast in the cold. So I decided to pull on Cypress and maybe even on Sanderson but I planned on giving up the lead as soon as I could.

I didn’t get to give up as soon as I wanted but as soon as I got to the rise on Domenigoni I fell to the back and let someone else pull. To tell the truth I was pretty comfortable back there right up to the point where Gambler, Josh and Coyote took off on the group. Red Rabbit fell off the draft by Warren but I expected that. But by Winchester T-3 was having trouble breathing in the cold and fell off. Once I noticed her falling back I broke out of the pack myself and fell back to pull her up to Dura Max. The three of us followed the broken pack towards the saddle and stayed that way all the way to where we regrouped.

As we stood around sucking air it was obvious we were missing Gambler and Josh because they kept going to make the Strava segment to Lindenburger and Rabbit who had fallen off the back on Warren. It was still just a bit too cold to remove my Balaclava and Jacket but it was close and at least I thought about it. Finally Rabbit got there and took a breather before we sent him ahead to Menifee. I figured that with a head start we wouldn’t drop him before we got to Scott. Dura Max and T-3 decided t head straight to Murrieta so they left us as well.

We dropped off of the saddle and headed for Menifee just in time to catch Rabbit at the light. Gambler and Josh were waiting at the park and pulled out with us as we passed. We continued south on Menifee and headed to Holland and the little hill. We hit the bottom of the hill and Gambler, Josh and Coyote pulled out in front. I crested forth and waited for everyone else where the road gets wide. Coyote was still rolling and Huntress took off after him. I pulled Highlander, Digger and Rabbit up to Scott and headed after the quickly fading Huntress and Coyote.

I pulled my group to Haun and then headed north back towards Holland again. This time I took us west over the hill and to Murrieta. I was moving pretty good on the hill and took the corner at Murrieta well ahead of Highlander. However I caught the light at Newport and was sitting at the red as Highlander caught and pulled past me into the gas station to regroup with Huntress and Coyote. Once we were back on the road it was a simply trip to McCall with Highlander pulling. Gambler and Josh pulled up behind us having taken a wrong turn on Haun and Newport. We stayed together till we turned on McCall and got to the bottom of the hill. Coyote went home at Antelope and I followed Gambler and Josh as best as I could over Hospital Hill. They didn’t stop to regroup but I did and once we were all back together we headed to Simpson and then stayed in a pace line all the way to Chris’s.

T-3 and Dura Max were just leaving Chris’s as we arrived and Josh had to leave first before we got together and headed for Stowe ourselves. Rabbit pulled off at the store on Winchester and Stowe and we were about 100 yards behind him. At least as we turned on Stowe the wind was out of the south so it didn’t slow us much as we headed for California.

I followed Highlander and Huntress all the way to Stetson and then Huntress pulled us to Warren. Gambler took off for home as we got to the airport road and the group left me as I stayed on Stetson as well. I watched Gambler pull away all the way to Sanderson and I dropped down to Johnston before heading for home myself. By the time I got to my porch I had 41 miles on the clock and I was still cold. But I still enjoyed myself.