3/1/2013
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
Fridays are normally designed to be relaxed and maybe even a bit slower pace than other days. The weather report was for warmer weather but it was supposed to have 25 MPH gusts from the northeast. I plotted a course that would start us heading down wind and I could only hope it would slack off by the time we were heading back east. As I headed to the Burger king there was little or no wind and I could only hope it stayed that way. Others must have been looking forward to the ride because by 9:00 there were 10 of us heading down Gilmore and onto Acacia. We didn’t make it all the way to Kirby without a mishap however because as we tried to work our way through the cars to make a left turn a car stopped short and Chinook lost his left shifter. He decided to head to his car and try to get the bike to Casino leaving the rest of us to finish the ride. We turned onto Kirby a few minutes later and headed south.
As we headed for Cypress Artemis and Highlander were right behind me rolling easily towards the railroad tracks. As we made the turn I could see Bloodhound and Bulldozer moving up with Ferret, Tinker Bell, Dura Max and Gambler just cruising along. Bloodhound pulled up front and took us to Johnston and Sanderson and I got us to Sanderson and Wentworth before heading to the airport to ride by Hanger 1 and out onto Stetson.
For whatever reason I got to pull us out onto Stetson and headed west. The wind was not coming from the north east however it was almost directly in my face out of the west and I wasn’t looking forward to riding all the way to Winchester with the wind in my face. After Warren I fell off of the front and Bloodhound kept the pace up with Highlander hot on his back wheel. I stayed about 20 yards back with the rest of the group as we got to California and headed south towards Stowe.
I was pretty sure the pace would pick up again as we started towards Winchester and I was almost positive Gambler, Ferret and Bulldozer wouldn’t let Bloodhound and Highlander have the ride down Stowe without giving chase. It was too early in the ride for me so I stayed with Dura Max and held a steady pace to the parking lot of the old country store on Winchester and Stowe. We did see Rabbit out on his Mountain Bike but he was heading home. So we took a short break and removed arm warmers and vests before heading south on Winchester towards Domenigoni.
If the headwind was a pain on Stowe at least it wasn’t a bad side wind as we rolled easily south. Highlander, Bloodhound and I got a jump on the group and they didn’t catch us till we got to the elementary school and followed us to the light where we waited to make a left and head back east. I was pretty sure Gambler was going to drop the hammer once on Domenigoni because he was on his TT bike. My suspicion turned out to be correct and both Gambler and Ferret took off first. And glory of glories the wind was at our back. Bulldozer went after then while the rest of us followed Bloodhound and a pretty consistent 23 or 24 mph. Dura Max and I followed about 200 yards back and regrouped with part of the group at Searl.
More shedding of warmers took place before we were back on the road heading for State Street. Ferret and Gambler must have run up to McSweeny because I noticed Bulldozer waiting on the south corner of State and Domenigoni as we turned north. I got lazy and drafted Bloodhound almost all the way down State only to jump him at the rise and lead the way to Chambers. By the time we were on Santa Fe we were all back together and pulled out onto Stetson and east. Bloodhound turned us onto Columbia except Highlander and Dura Max stayed on Stetson. I don’t know why they avoid Crest because the old homes back there are so nice and the streets are peaceful.
The rest of us wound through the old streets till we got to Lake and turned back onto Stetson. I ended up chasing Tinker Bell all the way to Fairview where we found Bulldozer waiting for us. Bloodhound had taken off in chase of Highlander and Dura Max so he was long gone before we got to Fairview. Once we were all back on our way I took the lead again and they let me get too far off of the front before we got to the Bridge and only Tinker Bell was with me as we turned onto Florida and headed east towards Cranston Station. It took quite a way for me to pass Tinker Bell but finally I was back in front as we went through the trees and started up to the station. Ferret can from out of nowhere and passed me before the parking lot were we regrouped once more.
Gambler and Bulldozer had left us back on Fairview so we were down two more riders heading back to Carl’s. The wind was in our face again and I thought I would have to pull all the way back to New Chicago. But I was in luck and Ferret pulled up front and pulled us all the way back to Ramona where we caught one last light before making our way to Carl’s for coffee. We were only there for a few minutes before we saw Barracuda coming down from Mountain center and Chinook pulled up after dropping his bike off at Casino. About 20 minutes later we were back on our way home on Lincoln.
Dura Max left us at Park as did Ferret and Tinker Bell. Highlander took us to Devonshire and Bloodhound was the next to leave. And I broke for home on Palm. It only took about 10 minutes for me to get home and jump in the shower before lunch. But even without my traditional 3 miles of light spinning my legs felt much better than they had in weeks. Yes I like the warmer weather and I hope it is here to stay.
As we headed for Cypress Artemis and Highlander were right behind me rolling easily towards the railroad tracks. As we made the turn I could see Bloodhound and Bulldozer moving up with Ferret, Tinker Bell, Dura Max and Gambler just cruising along. Bloodhound pulled up front and took us to Johnston and Sanderson and I got us to Sanderson and Wentworth before heading to the airport to ride by Hanger 1 and out onto Stetson.
For whatever reason I got to pull us out onto Stetson and headed west. The wind was not coming from the north east however it was almost directly in my face out of the west and I wasn’t looking forward to riding all the way to Winchester with the wind in my face. After Warren I fell off of the front and Bloodhound kept the pace up with Highlander hot on his back wheel. I stayed about 20 yards back with the rest of the group as we got to California and headed south towards Stowe.
I was pretty sure the pace would pick up again as we started towards Winchester and I was almost positive Gambler, Ferret and Bulldozer wouldn’t let Bloodhound and Highlander have the ride down Stowe without giving chase. It was too early in the ride for me so I stayed with Dura Max and held a steady pace to the parking lot of the old country store on Winchester and Stowe. We did see Rabbit out on his Mountain Bike but he was heading home. So we took a short break and removed arm warmers and vests before heading south on Winchester towards Domenigoni.
If the headwind was a pain on Stowe at least it wasn’t a bad side wind as we rolled easily south. Highlander, Bloodhound and I got a jump on the group and they didn’t catch us till we got to the elementary school and followed us to the light where we waited to make a left and head back east. I was pretty sure Gambler was going to drop the hammer once on Domenigoni because he was on his TT bike. My suspicion turned out to be correct and both Gambler and Ferret took off first. And glory of glories the wind was at our back. Bulldozer went after then while the rest of us followed Bloodhound and a pretty consistent 23 or 24 mph. Dura Max and I followed about 200 yards back and regrouped with part of the group at Searl.
More shedding of warmers took place before we were back on the road heading for State Street. Ferret and Gambler must have run up to McSweeny because I noticed Bulldozer waiting on the south corner of State and Domenigoni as we turned north. I got lazy and drafted Bloodhound almost all the way down State only to jump him at the rise and lead the way to Chambers. By the time we were on Santa Fe we were all back together and pulled out onto Stetson and east. Bloodhound turned us onto Columbia except Highlander and Dura Max stayed on Stetson. I don’t know why they avoid Crest because the old homes back there are so nice and the streets are peaceful.
The rest of us wound through the old streets till we got to Lake and turned back onto Stetson. I ended up chasing Tinker Bell all the way to Fairview where we found Bulldozer waiting for us. Bloodhound had taken off in chase of Highlander and Dura Max so he was long gone before we got to Fairview. Once we were all back on our way I took the lead again and they let me get too far off of the front before we got to the Bridge and only Tinker Bell was with me as we turned onto Florida and headed east towards Cranston Station. It took quite a way for me to pass Tinker Bell but finally I was back in front as we went through the trees and started up to the station. Ferret can from out of nowhere and passed me before the parking lot were we regrouped once more.
Gambler and Bulldozer had left us back on Fairview so we were down two more riders heading back to Carl’s. The wind was in our face again and I thought I would have to pull all the way back to New Chicago. But I was in luck and Ferret pulled up front and pulled us all the way back to Ramona where we caught one last light before making our way to Carl’s for coffee. We were only there for a few minutes before we saw Barracuda coming down from Mountain center and Chinook pulled up after dropping his bike off at Casino. About 20 minutes later we were back on our way home on Lincoln.
Dura Max left us at Park as did Ferret and Tinker Bell. Highlander took us to Devonshire and Bloodhound was the next to leave. And I broke for home on Palm. It only took about 10 minutes for me to get home and jump in the shower before lunch. But even without my traditional 3 miles of light spinning my legs felt much better than they had in weeks. Yes I like the warmer weather and I hope it is here to stay.
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