1/11/2013 By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I got up this morning and almost went back to bed. Coffee or no coffee I could feel the tile floor through my socks and coldness when I got anywhere close to a glass window. My body was telling me that I had just gotten up out of a nice warm bed and I would be getting dressed to go for a bike ride in near freezing weather. Just before I finished getting into my kit I look at the weather report on my Iphone and noticed it wasn’t planning on getting much better. Now all I had to do was ride over to Burger King and see how many other people would be able to force themselves out into the cold. Digger as drinking hot coffee as I pulled up and Dura Max pulled up right behind me. I noticed Highlander pulling into the parking lot just before Rocky got there. We all stood around by the restaurant windows talking till D’Artagnon and Gambler pulled up just before we got ready to leave. We started south on Gilmore and crossed Florida headed for Acacia. The air rushing past us did not make it feel one bit warmer so I was glad I had my base layers and cold weather gear on.

I was in no hurry to be in front and others seem more than happy to pull so I followed them to Kirby. Just before we got there T-3 flipped a U turn and joined us as we turned south and headed for Cypress. We stayed together pretty close as we headed west on Cypress and made it to Johnston. I think the tight group was to try and stay warm and I was more than happy to let Gambler and Highlander lead us south on Sanderson and over Stetson. I only got out front long enough to get a picture and then fell back to let someone else take over as we closed in on Domenigoni.

Once headed west on Domenigoni Gambler and Highlander took over and pulled us towards Warren. Even though he kept the pace down some were affected by the cold more than others so I fell off to stay with the back half of the pack while Gambler took Highlander, D’Artagnon and Rocky with him. Slowly but surely we started to work as a group with Dura Max, T-3, digger and I. Digger ended up pulling from Winchester to Leon and I took them to the saddle where we regrouped and refreshed a bit.

I had to change the batteries in my camera and I took of my ski mask before sucking down about half of my Heed just as we got ready to drop off of the saddle and head for Menifee. It didn’t take long to coast down to Lindenburger and then catch the light at Menifee. We turned south and I did pull us to the bottom of the hill or at least to Holland. Everyone passed me at first but only D’Artagnon and Rocky were still in front of me when we climbed to the top of the little hill and pulled over where the road got wide to regroup.

We moved on south on Menifee and made our way to Scott. Somehow I found myself out front and no one seemed to want to take over all the way to Antelope. Once the light changed Gambler, Rocky, Highlander and D’Artagnon took off leaving the rest of us to follow along out to Haun. We found the lead group waiting for us about two blocks before we got to Newport and they joined us heading for the gas station. Highlander had to leave early so he left us at the corner of Newport and Haun while the rest of us took a quick break. We were soon back on the road and headed for Bradley. We all rounded the corner onto McCall and once again I was in the lead heading back to Hillpoint Road where once again everyone passed me. I pulled back till I was behind Gambler, Rocky and D’Artagnon And then fell back till T-3 caught my back wheel. We regrouped at the top but the lead three were long gone. We didn’t see then again till we got to Chris’s. We decided we needed to thaw out so we sat inside and I had hot chocolate rather than coffee. When we got ready to leave Chris’s Gambler and D’Artagnon headed for Domenigoni while Rocky pulled us to Stowe on Winchester. It was still cold but at least the wind wasn’t in our face as we turned east.

Rocky took us to California and then to Stetson. Still we were moving a bit too fast for some riders in this weather so Rocky fell back to pull some of them forward leaving me to pull to Warren. I took us back to the airport where Digger left and then to Sanderson. We went north to Johnston before heading east again.

We dropped T-3 off at her gate and then continued on towards Lyon. Rocky turned for home on Lyon and Dura Max and I stayed together past Elk and then Palm where I broke off for home leaving Dura Max heading for the east side of town and his home. I got home a few minutes later looking forward to lunch and a hot shower. I may not have frozen my bottom off but I wasn’t sure my feet and knees were still there as I stepped out of my kit and into the hot water. But as the water refreshed my cold skin I could still smile and say I had a good day because I was with friends and I was on my bike.