3/15/2013
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
It was going to be another warm day according to the weather wizards and they weren’t expecting much wind. All reasons to expect a good day for a ride and a good group for that ride. I had been in contact with Dare Devil and was expecting that he would join us. We had been running 11 to 13 riders for the last few rides so I didn’t expect any fewer today. It also seems like a good day for a little climb so we were headed to the Little Pyrenees better known as Goetz road. I got out of bed eagerly and had breakfast and a shower before putting on my kit and heading for the door.
On the way down Palm I noticed my new chain made the bike seem far livelier and it was easy to keep my pace up as I rode to Florida. I was two miles an hour fast getting to Burger King but it still didn’t get there before Digger. By 9am there were 16 of us ready to head down to Acacia.
I had talked to Gambler about splitting the A and B group and figured once we were out on Domanigoni that was what would happen. I was thinking that Digger, Dura Max, Double Time, T-3, Highlander, Surgeon and I would make up the B group and Gambler, Dare Devil, Dragon Slayer, Chinook, Bulldozer, D’Artagnon, Artemis, Barracuda and Bloodhound would make up the A group. As we made our way to Acacia and then to Cypress that was pretty much how things were shaping up except several of the B group were still up front as we moved around the corner onto Cypress.
I was still pretty impressed with how much easier the new chain and tune up made my bike feel. My legs felt light and ready to spin, but then we could credit the warmer weather as well. I fell back to take a head count and it was then when I discovered we had 16 riders and how impressive that was for this early in the year. Double Time can only make it on every other Friday and Dare Devil was getting ready to join us on Fridays as well. Barracuda normally only gets with us when he can so seems that the stares were aligned just right to get this group today. It was still surprising that we were still together as we left the light at Sanderson and even more that we were heading to Mustang together.
Soon we rounded the corner onto Domenigoni and I expected the A group to explode any moment. Bloodhound started the pull and slowly built it to 20 mph and the whole group stayed together. By Warren we started to kick it up a bit but it looked like everyone was still together. Crossing the dry wash Bloodhound accelerated again and we were now rolling along at about 24. I didn’t notice if anyone had fallen off because I couldn’t see back past Digger and Highlander. By Winchester I kept looking back to see the A group make a break for it but they didn’t. In fact they let Bloodhound pull all the way to the Saddle were I was going to let him stay in front because of all of his hard work. However Double Time and several others attacked the Saddle and regrouped at the top.
Once what few stragglers arrived on the saddle we got ready to drop off of the back side and head west on Newport. As we rolled past Lindenburger Dare Devil past me and started to lay down a faster pace. It was foolish for me to go with him but I did and by Menifee we had split the group and I had to pull out of line and stop till the group caught up. However the group rolled right past me and I didn’t catch back up till we got to the light at Haun. From Haun it was a fast pace to Carl’s for a water and nature break before we were ready to jump back on Newport and head west.
As we crossed Murrieta I was following Bloodhound when Dragon Slayer pulled up next to me and asked if we were heading straight to Goetz before heading north. I assured him we were and said we would regroup at Ethernac and I would bring the B group down after they all topped the hill. I fell to the back to check on Dura Max and T-3 and they had Double Time was with them. Digger, Highlander, Artemis, Surgeon were following Gambler, D’Artagnon, Dragon Slayer, Barracuda, Chinook, Dare Devil and Bloodhound about 50 yards ahead of them. Bulldozer had dropped down to another street to challenge a segment on the old road and was ahead of us all.
As Artemis soon past Highlander and Surgeon followed her a few steps behind. At the first hill I followed and started what was going to be a good climb for me. I kept looking back to see if Double time was closing or if Highlander had kicked it up a gear and soon I could see if I tried to catch Artemis I would lose sight of the B group all together.
I waited at the top of the hill till everyone had topped out and then regrouped at Ethanac before heading back towards Murrieta.
I took us to Murrieta and then started us south towards McCall. We decided to take the alternate road past the cemetery and Animal Park and down to Bradley next to the freeway. It is always interesting to see the Llamas and Emus at the little park before coming out onto the freshly paved road on Bradley. We turned south again and soon were coming up on the light at McCall.
When we turned east on McCall we stayed together as a group right up until we started the climb on Hospital Hill. I was impressed because I was pulling the hill in my big ring and soon closed on Highlander right behind the A group. The best part was I was having one of my best climbs on McCall hill to date and was sure I would have a Personal Best when I downloaded my Garmin at home.
We regrouped at the top and then dropped down to Heritage and over to Simpson. Simpson turned into a drag race from the start with Dare Devil picking it up right off the bat. Dragon Slayer went after him but dropped back before Leon. Once we caught Dragon Slayer he started to try and pull us to Dare Devil. D’Artagnon took over and the pace got hectic. I was behind Highlander and Surgeon when Gambler came by with several of the A group. I grabbed a wheel and soon gaped part of the group but couldn’t catch the A train. I got caught by Artemis and we worked together till we got to Winchester and turned towards Chris’s to regroup and have coffee.
When we got back on our way Surgeon took us to Stowe and started us towards California.
Things simply didn’t slack off and once again Dare Devil jumped on it as we headed down Stowe. I grabbed his wheel after he past Bloodhound and held on while he pushed us pretty hard to the yard where the Weimaraner lives. I made a foolish move to go around and help pull but that only resulted into a sprint where several riders rolled by before I had a chance to fall in line. I caught back up after we turned onto California and rounder the corner onto Stetson before I noticed I had lost two riders. Digger and Double Time had been dropped and the group never slowed enough for them to get back on. I pulled them to the airport and then continued on to Johnston by myself. I picked up Dura Max at T-3’s gate and we rode together to my street before parting. I got to my house with an average speed of 17.3 and shut off my Garmin and went inside for lunch. I was looking for some good Strava times for today only to have the Garmin turn up DOA when I tried to upload to the computer. It doesn’t matter all that much because I still had fun but I was just a touch disappointed.
I had talked to Gambler about splitting the A and B group and figured once we were out on Domanigoni that was what would happen. I was thinking that Digger, Dura Max, Double Time, T-3, Highlander, Surgeon and I would make up the B group and Gambler, Dare Devil, Dragon Slayer, Chinook, Bulldozer, D’Artagnon, Artemis, Barracuda and Bloodhound would make up the A group. As we made our way to Acacia and then to Cypress that was pretty much how things were shaping up except several of the B group were still up front as we moved around the corner onto Cypress.
I was still pretty impressed with how much easier the new chain and tune up made my bike feel. My legs felt light and ready to spin, but then we could credit the warmer weather as well. I fell back to take a head count and it was then when I discovered we had 16 riders and how impressive that was for this early in the year. Double Time can only make it on every other Friday and Dare Devil was getting ready to join us on Fridays as well. Barracuda normally only gets with us when he can so seems that the stares were aligned just right to get this group today. It was still surprising that we were still together as we left the light at Sanderson and even more that we were heading to Mustang together.
Soon we rounded the corner onto Domenigoni and I expected the A group to explode any moment. Bloodhound started the pull and slowly built it to 20 mph and the whole group stayed together. By Warren we started to kick it up a bit but it looked like everyone was still together. Crossing the dry wash Bloodhound accelerated again and we were now rolling along at about 24. I didn’t notice if anyone had fallen off because I couldn’t see back past Digger and Highlander. By Winchester I kept looking back to see the A group make a break for it but they didn’t. In fact they let Bloodhound pull all the way to the Saddle were I was going to let him stay in front because of all of his hard work. However Double Time and several others attacked the Saddle and regrouped at the top.
Once what few stragglers arrived on the saddle we got ready to drop off of the back side and head west on Newport. As we rolled past Lindenburger Dare Devil past me and started to lay down a faster pace. It was foolish for me to go with him but I did and by Menifee we had split the group and I had to pull out of line and stop till the group caught up. However the group rolled right past me and I didn’t catch back up till we got to the light at Haun. From Haun it was a fast pace to Carl’s for a water and nature break before we were ready to jump back on Newport and head west.
As we crossed Murrieta I was following Bloodhound when Dragon Slayer pulled up next to me and asked if we were heading straight to Goetz before heading north. I assured him we were and said we would regroup at Ethernac and I would bring the B group down after they all topped the hill. I fell to the back to check on Dura Max and T-3 and they had Double Time was with them. Digger, Highlander, Artemis, Surgeon were following Gambler, D’Artagnon, Dragon Slayer, Barracuda, Chinook, Dare Devil and Bloodhound about 50 yards ahead of them. Bulldozer had dropped down to another street to challenge a segment on the old road and was ahead of us all.
As Artemis soon past Highlander and Surgeon followed her a few steps behind. At the first hill I followed and started what was going to be a good climb for me. I kept looking back to see if Double time was closing or if Highlander had kicked it up a gear and soon I could see if I tried to catch Artemis I would lose sight of the B group all together.
I waited at the top of the hill till everyone had topped out and then regrouped at Ethanac before heading back towards Murrieta.
I took us to Murrieta and then started us south towards McCall. We decided to take the alternate road past the cemetery and Animal Park and down to Bradley next to the freeway. It is always interesting to see the Llamas and Emus at the little park before coming out onto the freshly paved road on Bradley. We turned south again and soon were coming up on the light at McCall.
When we turned east on McCall we stayed together as a group right up until we started the climb on Hospital Hill. I was impressed because I was pulling the hill in my big ring and soon closed on Highlander right behind the A group. The best part was I was having one of my best climbs on McCall hill to date and was sure I would have a Personal Best when I downloaded my Garmin at home.
We regrouped at the top and then dropped down to Heritage and over to Simpson. Simpson turned into a drag race from the start with Dare Devil picking it up right off the bat. Dragon Slayer went after him but dropped back before Leon. Once we caught Dragon Slayer he started to try and pull us to Dare Devil. D’Artagnon took over and the pace got hectic. I was behind Highlander and Surgeon when Gambler came by with several of the A group. I grabbed a wheel and soon gaped part of the group but couldn’t catch the A train. I got caught by Artemis and we worked together till we got to Winchester and turned towards Chris’s to regroup and have coffee.
When we got back on our way Surgeon took us to Stowe and started us towards California.
Things simply didn’t slack off and once again Dare Devil jumped on it as we headed down Stowe. I grabbed his wheel after he past Bloodhound and held on while he pushed us pretty hard to the yard where the Weimaraner lives. I made a foolish move to go around and help pull but that only resulted into a sprint where several riders rolled by before I had a chance to fall in line. I caught back up after we turned onto California and rounder the corner onto Stetson before I noticed I had lost two riders. Digger and Double Time had been dropped and the group never slowed enough for them to get back on. I pulled them to the airport and then continued on to Johnston by myself. I picked up Dura Max at T-3’s gate and we rode together to my street before parting. I got to my house with an average speed of 17.3 and shut off my Garmin and went inside for lunch. I was looking for some good Strava times for today only to have the Garmin turn up DOA when I tried to upload to the computer. It doesn’t matter all that much because I still had fun but I was just a touch disappointed.
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