By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
Finally we were supposed to get a warmer day and I for one was looking forward to it. The cold gets to me and makes me feel like an unturned vehicle. I simply can’t seem to run at maximum RPM or even get to it unless it gets above 70 degrees. Today would be close if everything worked out like it should. So I got up, had breakfast, got dressed and headed for the parking lot to join the rest of the team for a ride up Bautista.
We pulled out of Pep Boys parking lot and onto Latham eight riders strong. Tinkerbell, Ferret, Dura Max, Centaur, Huntress, Rocky and a new rider Phil from Beaumont were behind me as we headed down Lyon past Florida towards Johnston and then Stetson.
I kept the pace down to make sure the group stayed together and we caught the light at Stetson. So far so good as they say but I noticed a rider in front of us heading towards Thornton and he was almost there before we got the green light. I was still pulling at we headed south on Lyon and rounded the corner onto Thornton and we started to gain on the lone rider.
As we moved east we slowly pulled up on the fleeing riders and I began to recognize him as The Shadow. We haven’t seen The Shadow in months but I should have realized a ride up Bautista would bring him out. It took two or three more blocks before we pulled up next to him but as soon as we did I knew he had been soft pedaling till we got there.
Once he joined us we stayed on Thornton all the way over State and to Santa Fe before coming out onto Stetson and heading east. Somehow I was still in the lead and we rolled by San Jacinto and finally we made it to Columbia and turned back to Thornton and then over to Crest to ride through the quiet streets of a nice older neighborhood.
I always like the ride down Crest because you still see people walking in the morning and people will wave and say hello as we pass. I know some complain about the turns and slight climbs here and there but it is still sort of rustic and quiet. After a jog or two we came back out on Lake and headed towards Stetson.
As we got to the corner I stopped everyone for a regroup to make sure our new rider was doing OK before starting east on Stetson. For some reason I was still out front setting the pace and by now it was rather relaxed as we got to Fairview and headed south towards Wilson Mesa and the final turn up Bautista Canyon. I fell back to ride sweep and Ferret took the rest of the group up the canyon.
It took us a while but finally we made it to the top of the canyon and regrouped with Ferret and the rest of the group. After some hydration and in my case a shot block or two before we were ready and then Huntress took the lead and started back towards the bottom of the hill. Against my better judgment I followed her and soon we were racing down the hill switching leads till we got the white fence and Huntress started to run out of gas. I started to back down only to have her close again not far before the Dam.
2/15/2013
Just as I was about to put the camera back I saw a freight train of bikes being pulled by closing on me. I attacked the rise at the dam and ran for my life but I was running out of steam pretty quickly. I held them off for about a mile but soon they ran me down. I pulled off just as we turned onto Fairview to wait for the stragglers and watched everyone else roll on towards Stetson. Once Dura Max and Phil rounded the corner we rode together to Florida and headed over to Carl’s.
I gather the service was pretty slow and the rest of the group got tired of waiting so by the time we got there they were ready to leave. Still the three of us had coffee and talked after they left till we were ready to leave for home ourselves. Phil just took off on Ramona while Dura Ace and I headed west on Lincoln till we got to Park where he left for home and I rode over to Devonshire to make my way to Santa Fe. Once I dropped down to Latham it only took about 15 minutes before I was headed south on Palm and back to my house. Finally we had a pretty warm day for a ride and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
I kept the pace down to make sure the group stayed together and we caught the light at Stetson. So far so good as they say but I noticed a rider in front of us heading towards Thornton and he was almost there before we got the green light. I was still pulling at we headed south on Lyon and rounded the corner onto Thornton and we started to gain on the lone rider.
As we moved east we slowly pulled up on the fleeing riders and I began to recognize him as The Shadow. We haven’t seen The Shadow in months but I should have realized a ride up Bautista would bring him out. It took two or three more blocks before we pulled up next to him but as soon as we did I knew he had been soft pedaling till we got there.
Once he joined us we stayed on Thornton all the way over State and to Santa Fe before coming out onto Stetson and heading east. Somehow I was still in the lead and we rolled by San Jacinto and finally we made it to Columbia and turned back to Thornton and then over to Crest to ride through the quiet streets of a nice older neighborhood.
I always like the ride down Crest because you still see people walking in the morning and people will wave and say hello as we pass. I know some complain about the turns and slight climbs here and there but it is still sort of rustic and quiet. After a jog or two we came back out on Lake and headed towards Stetson.
As we got to the corner I stopped everyone for a regroup to make sure our new rider was doing OK before starting east on Stetson. For some reason I was still out front setting the pace and by now it was rather relaxed as we got to Fairview and headed south towards Wilson Mesa and the final turn up Bautista Canyon. I fell back to ride sweep and Ferret took the rest of the group up the canyon.
It took us a while but finally we made it to the top of the canyon and regrouped with Ferret and the rest of the group. After some hydration and in my case a shot block or two before we were ready and then Huntress took the lead and started back towards the bottom of the hill. Against my better judgment I followed her and soon we were racing down the hill switching leads till we got the white fence and Huntress started to run out of gas. I started to back down only to have her close again not far before the Dam.
2/15/2013
Just as I was about to put the camera back I saw a freight train of bikes being pulled by closing on me. I attacked the rise at the dam and ran for my life but I was running out of steam pretty quickly. I held them off for about a mile but soon they ran me down. I pulled off just as we turned onto Fairview to wait for the stragglers and watched everyone else roll on towards Stetson. Once Dura Max and Phil rounded the corner we rode together to Florida and headed over to Carl’s.
I gather the service was pretty slow and the rest of the group got tired of waiting so by the time we got there they were ready to leave. Still the three of us had coffee and talked after they left till we were ready to leave for home ourselves. Phil just took off on Ramona while Dura Ace and I headed west on Lincoln till we got to Park where he left for home and I rode over to Devonshire to make my way to Santa Fe. Once I dropped down to Latham it only took about 15 minutes before I was headed south on Palm and back to my house. Finally we had a pretty warm day for a ride and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
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