3/20/2013
By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
It was the first day of spring and I was up before the sun. The weather wizards said it would be overcast all day with a slight wind and because it was dark I had to believe them. I turned on the coffee and had breakfast and watched some news before taking a shower and getting dressed. When I got back out and looked outside it was a surprise to me to see clear skies and sun. I already had on arm and leg warmers but there would be no need for a jacket or long fingered gloves. I loaded up my bike with water and food and headed for Burger King to see how many would be joining me for the spring ride.
Once again Digger was already there getting coffee when I pulled up. By the time I got back outside Dura Max was there. One by one the riders arrived, Dragon Slayer, Chinook, Artemis, Bloodhound, and Surgeon. Last but not least T-3 rolled in and we got ready to leave. We rode down Gilmore to Acacia and finally up to Kirby to start the day.
It was warming up quickly and I was sure we would be stopping to remove layers well before the halfway point of this ride. We turned onto Cypress and headed west through the housing tract towards Johnston. Bloodhound lead us to Sanderson and then to the light and Whitworth before heading west again to Cawston Street before riding past the airport back to Stetson.
I started the pull and took us slowly to Warren before Bloodhound got out front and pulled hard to California where I dropped back to get Two stragglers. Even Digger was sticking with the pack as they turned onto Stowe. The group faded into the distance as we followed at a moderate cruising speed. We were about 45 seconds behind everyone else as we got to the regroup point at Stowe and Winchester.
I got us rolling again heading South on Winchester but at first it was just Highlander, Bloodhound, Dragon Slayer and I. But the time we got to the dump road everyone else had finally closed up and Kevin joined us. Once he was with us we continued west towards Leon with Dura Max and T-3 moving towards the front before the Wild west Show bar.
The ride down the Dump road to Leon built up speed until once again we were spread out and I called for a regroup and Briggs. Once we were all back together T-3 and Dura Max led us through the housing tract and back to Florida and Briggs. Surgeon wanted to turn early on Watson so I agreed and informed Dura Max and T-3. Half of the group didn’t get the message and only Dura Max, Surgeon, Highlander, Digger, T-3 and I made the turn. Chinook, Artemis, Bloodhound, Dragon Slayer and Kevin all went up to Mapes so we got to Menifee first. Highlander dragged us to Florida and I got ready to stop and wait for the rest but only Surgeon and I stopped while the other four continued on.
Once everyone was ready to give chase Bloodhound pulled like a demon towards McCall. We had to stop and make an adjustment to Artemis’ Handel Bars and the chase continued on to McCall and over Hospital hill. The chase intensified all the way to Murrieta. We just missed catching the fleeing four who had been joined by Bloodhound at the light. As soon as it turned green the chase was on again. Finally we caught them at Cherry Hill and started to catch our breath at the light when we got back to Murrieta.
The rest didn’t last as Bloodhound started hitting the pace again as soon as the light changed and Highlander joined him as he pulled ahead. At the golf course parking lot Dragon Slayer pulled off to dump some trash and I stopped to help pull him back to the group. As we got close to Bradley Dragon Slayer decided to kick it up and see if we could run down Bloodhound and Highlander. I pulled for about half of a mile and Dragon Slayer took over and got us up to and past the fleeing duo. But the time we got to the light at Newport the group was back together. It was just a short run to Jack in the Box and coffee.
Dura Max and T-3 didn’t stop so we were down to eight as we got back onto Newport and headed east towards the saddle. Bloodhound and Surgeon were the first two over the saddle and I had told Dragon Slayer to have everyone regroup at Leon. Surgeon and Bloodhound didn’t stop so the rest of us grouped up and started east to form a pace line heading to Winchester.
We caught Bloodhound at Winchester after starting a 19-20 mph rotating pace line. As soon as we restarted we cycled through one rotation and Kevin gave chase after Surgeon. Bloodhound was like a puppy on a leash and it was hard to keep him with us. Finally before the dry wash he couldn’t take it anymore and he pulled away from us. Everyone else played nice and so it was an easy ride as we reeled in Kevin just after Warren. He fell in with us and we just missed Bloodhound as we topped the rise about a quarter of a mile before Sanderson. We got to the lot and headed north a lot more rested than a normal ride.
I stayed with the group as we got back to Stetson and then turned for home on Johnston and headed east. It was a great day and finally what little wind we would get came up. To my advantage it seemed to be coming from the west so I had it at my back all the way past Palm till I turned for home. I rolled up to my front door with 40 miles on the clock and a working Garmin. All in all a good day.
It was warming up quickly and I was sure we would be stopping to remove layers well before the halfway point of this ride. We turned onto Cypress and headed west through the housing tract towards Johnston. Bloodhound lead us to Sanderson and then to the light and Whitworth before heading west again to Cawston Street before riding past the airport back to Stetson.
I started the pull and took us slowly to Warren before Bloodhound got out front and pulled hard to California where I dropped back to get Two stragglers. Even Digger was sticking with the pack as they turned onto Stowe. The group faded into the distance as we followed at a moderate cruising speed. We were about 45 seconds behind everyone else as we got to the regroup point at Stowe and Winchester.
I got us rolling again heading South on Winchester but at first it was just Highlander, Bloodhound, Dragon Slayer and I. But the time we got to the dump road everyone else had finally closed up and Kevin joined us. Once he was with us we continued west towards Leon with Dura Max and T-3 moving towards the front before the Wild west Show bar.
The ride down the Dump road to Leon built up speed until once again we were spread out and I called for a regroup and Briggs. Once we were all back together T-3 and Dura Max led us through the housing tract and back to Florida and Briggs. Surgeon wanted to turn early on Watson so I agreed and informed Dura Max and T-3. Half of the group didn’t get the message and only Dura Max, Surgeon, Highlander, Digger, T-3 and I made the turn. Chinook, Artemis, Bloodhound, Dragon Slayer and Kevin all went up to Mapes so we got to Menifee first. Highlander dragged us to Florida and I got ready to stop and wait for the rest but only Surgeon and I stopped while the other four continued on.
Once everyone was ready to give chase Bloodhound pulled like a demon towards McCall. We had to stop and make an adjustment to Artemis’ Handel Bars and the chase continued on to McCall and over Hospital hill. The chase intensified all the way to Murrieta. We just missed catching the fleeing four who had been joined by Bloodhound at the light. As soon as it turned green the chase was on again. Finally we caught them at Cherry Hill and started to catch our breath at the light when we got back to Murrieta.
The rest didn’t last as Bloodhound started hitting the pace again as soon as the light changed and Highlander joined him as he pulled ahead. At the golf course parking lot Dragon Slayer pulled off to dump some trash and I stopped to help pull him back to the group. As we got close to Bradley Dragon Slayer decided to kick it up and see if we could run down Bloodhound and Highlander. I pulled for about half of a mile and Dragon Slayer took over and got us up to and past the fleeing duo. But the time we got to the light at Newport the group was back together. It was just a short run to Jack in the Box and coffee.
Dura Max and T-3 didn’t stop so we were down to eight as we got back onto Newport and headed east towards the saddle. Bloodhound and Surgeon were the first two over the saddle and I had told Dragon Slayer to have everyone regroup at Leon. Surgeon and Bloodhound didn’t stop so the rest of us grouped up and started east to form a pace line heading to Winchester.
We caught Bloodhound at Winchester after starting a 19-20 mph rotating pace line. As soon as we restarted we cycled through one rotation and Kevin gave chase after Surgeon. Bloodhound was like a puppy on a leash and it was hard to keep him with us. Finally before the dry wash he couldn’t take it anymore and he pulled away from us. Everyone else played nice and so it was an easy ride as we reeled in Kevin just after Warren. He fell in with us and we just missed Bloodhound as we topped the rise about a quarter of a mile before Sanderson. We got to the lot and headed north a lot more rested than a normal ride.
I stayed with the group as we got back to Stetson and then turned for home on Johnston and headed east. It was a great day and finally what little wind we would get came up. To my advantage it seemed to be coming from the west so I had it at my back all the way past Palm till I turned for home. I rolled up to my front door with 40 miles on the clock and a working Garmin. All in all a good day.
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