12/17/2012 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) This has not been a year where we were bothered with a lot of rain out days for our rides. So far my worst year for rain out was year before last when we had 11 different week days that kept us off the road and in the house. Friday was the first day this year we gave up without a fight. I was determined that today would not be a repeat of Friday and to be honest as long as it wasn’t raining when I left the house I would get in a ride today. I just didn’t know how many had the need to ride like I did. However with a group as eclectic as ours I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be out there by myself. I left the house a bit early so I would have plenty of time for coffee as I waited to see how many die hard riders there would be. As I pulled into the parking lot Digger was already sipping coffee and watching Dragon Slayer while he unloaded his bike from his truck. It didn’t take long before Dura Max rode up followed by Ferret. We waited for a few minutes and decided to change the route from Bridge Street to Short Soboba. By 9am the pavement was drying and we headed out onto Latham to start the ride.

Turning on Lyon the new pavement looked wet but even at 16 or 17 MPH we weren’t throwing water. In fact my bike looked a lot cleaner than I thought it was going to. I pulled for quite a while but even with several layers on my legs simply weren’t warming up being a cruise for me. As we worked our way to Ramona Dragon Slayer pulled in front and gave me a break. By that time the roads were getting much dryer and I was drafting Dragon Slayer by about 10 inches with no cast off from his back tire. After we got to State Street Ferret pulled into the second slot and still we weren’t getting wet. Ferret and Dragon Slayer created a gap and got to Soboba first but Ferret had a flat and we had to stop while he fixed it.

Once we were ready to go again I told Ferret and Dragon Slayer that I wanted to take it easy on Soboba but we would meet them at the golf course and regroup. Soon they were pulling away and Digger was pulling Dura Max and I over the first two rollers. He gapped us a little bit after the second roller but we managed to pull even at the driving range. Before we got to the last little hill I took my turn at turn at the front and pulled us over it and up to the waiting speedsters. I was still a bit cool or at least my legs were but on the positive side the streets were almost dry and even the gutters we drying off. It was turning into a nice day.

This time as we pulled away I took the lead and headed for the river overpass and to the light at Main. Now all we had to do was work our way east towards Cedar and make the turn that leads to Fairview. Digger kept asking me how I felt and I kept telling him I was a bit sore and tired. Plus I had just a touch of a headache from lack of sleep. Little did I realize there was a method to his madness? I would discover that method till later however. We got to Florida and headed east towards Cranston Station. We stayed together till the last little climb and then split up a bit. We regrouped at the driveway to the station before heading back towards Carl’s on Florida. I started us back down the hill but soon Digger went flying by as if he were on a mission. A moment later Ferret and Dragon Slayer went by as well. About that time I realized we were coming up on the Little rise sprint into the trees. I was too far back to know who won the sprint but it looked like Digger was in the mix. After Dura Max and I caught up to him he told me that he figured that if ever it was a good time to jump me on the sprint into the trees today was the day. It made me smile all the way to Carl’s.

We didn’t stay long at Carl’s but we did have a few good stories to tell and some laughing did take place. Just like every other day there was a unheard signal that caused every to finish what they were eating or drinking and head for their bikes. There were no flats to fix so we were on our way to Lincoln and heading to Park where Dura Max left us. We got back to San Jacinto where Ferret left us and then to Palm where Digger and I left Dragon Slayer and headed for our respective homes. I got home looking forward to a hot shower and lunch. Both of which I enjoyed immensely before downloading my Garmin to Strava and sitting down to relax and just maybe take a nap. In other words it was a very good day.