By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
4/19/13
I got us and looked out on a bright sunny day. Not a day for arm warmers or leg warmers but a day for just a touch of ice in your water bottle. It was time for sun and skin and maybe some sun block. It was just the kind of day for a group ride of about 40 miles. I was eager to leave the house and head over to Burger King to see who would be joining me for the ride. A great day brought forth a great group of riders.
Waiting to pull out onto Gilmore at 9am were Dura Max, T-3, Digger, Huntress, Highlander, Bulldozer, Gambler, Dragon Slayer, MacGyver, Surgeon and me. That was a good number for a Friday and they all looked eager to hit the road as we crossed Florida and started to Acacia.
We turned on Acacia and made our way to Kirby only to catch the light red. As we sat there Dura Max noticed that Surgeon’s rear tire was low. Surgeon decided we could wait till we got past the railroad tracks and down to Cypress before checking it to see if we needed to replace the tube. So as the light turned green that is just what we did. I led the way over the railroad tracks and made the turn onto Cypress for our first stop of the day.
I had no idea how fast the group felt like going today but up to this point we were a bit faster than out normal warm up. While moving through the housing tract on Cypress I could hear MacGyver talking about attacking the saddle but I wasn’t sure how far from the saddle he would attack. As we got to the light on Sanderson I figured we would see what kind of pace the group wanted to set. To my surprise surgeon and Digger started to move towards the front and as we got close to Mustang Digger asked what pace I wanted him to set once we turned on Domenigoni.
True to his word Digger pulled us west on Domenigoni most of the way to Warren. He gave the lead to me before the light and I pulled over the dry wash before turning the lead over to MacGyver. As I moved towards the back of the pack I noticed we were already split into two groups and I found myself in the front half. I closed in on the back of Highlander and MacGyver and then fell back to recover Dura Max, T-3 and Digger when Bulldozer and Gambler started their run towards the front. We caught the light at Winchester and couldn’t even see the lead group by the time we got started. But it didn’t look like we were all that far behind when we regrouped on the saddle.
Once everyone was ready to roll again I took off down the back side of the saddle and took the group to Menifee for the turn south towards Scott. Between us at Scott however a little 8 percent is kick up hill just past Holland. I was sitting at the light on Newport and Menifee when Highlander pulled up next to me to inform me that he had programmed the run to Scott to take 4 minutes. I took that as a challenge and when the light changed headed for Holland hard. Not flat out but enough to pull away from the pack and cross Holland about 75 yards before the main pack. MacGyver and Dragon Slayer had given chase and MacGyver almost caught me at the top of the hill were I once again started to pick up speed and make my way towards Scott. Dragon Slayer did catch me just before I got to Scott and we rounded the corner in 3:41. We stopped to regroup and tease Highlander about how long it would take me to get to Scott.
Once we were back on our way it was a quick trip down Scott, past Antelope and over the freeway to Haun. Dura Max and T-3 rounder the corner first as the group slowly closed up to head north towards Holland again.
As we moved north on Haun I managed to suck down a bug and it got caught in my throat. I coughed and sputtered my way down to Holland and then made my way past Bradley and started up the hill towards Murrieta. I rounded the corner on Murrieta just in front of Highlander and Digger and headed north again to regroup at the Chevron on Newport. It took two Shot blocks and half of a bottle of Heed to force that bug down my throat but finally I stopped coughing as we got ready to pull back out onto Murrieta and head to McCall and east.
I wasn’t planning on hitting McCall hill very hard but when Gambler pulled around me just past the Valero the temptation to draft him was simply too great. Bulldozer and Dragon Slayer has already pulled away so there was no hope of catching them but Gambler took me to Highpoint before I dropped off. Surgeon and Huntress were closing on me as MacGyver pulled by and once again I caught a wheel and followed him to the flat spot where I had gapped Surgeon and Huntress. We regrouped with everyone but the escaping Gambler, Bulldozer, Dragon Slayer and MacGyver.
All we had left to do was a run to Simpson and then down to Leon and onto the dump road before stopping at Chris’s for coffee. Highlander and Surgeon bypassed the dump road but Huntress, Digger and I took Leon to Grand and headed east. I started a lead out the sprint with Huntress hot on my wheel. She pulled around right at the flag and dropped me on her way to Winchester. Digger and I followed about 100 yards back till we got to Chris’s with everyone else.
I thought the big dogs were going to head out onto Domenigoni but once I started up Winchester I looked back and they were right there with us. We made it to Stowe and the group headed east towards California.
MacGyver had to head for home so he left us somewhere before I got to Stetson but I stayed with everyone almost all the way to Warren where I fell back to ride with Digger to the airport road. I could see Gambler and Bulldozer in the distance but didn’t catch them before Sanderson. I cut over to Johnston and headed east once more and found Dura Max and T-3 at her gate on Johnston. From there Dura Max and I rode together back to my street where I turned for home with 42 miles on my computer. A great day with great friends is more than most people ever get. I guess I am lucky and I get such days quite often.
We turned on Acacia and made our way to Kirby only to catch the light red. As we sat there Dura Max noticed that Surgeon’s rear tire was low. Surgeon decided we could wait till we got past the railroad tracks and down to Cypress before checking it to see if we needed to replace the tube. So as the light turned green that is just what we did. I led the way over the railroad tracks and made the turn onto Cypress for our first stop of the day.
I had no idea how fast the group felt like going today but up to this point we were a bit faster than out normal warm up. While moving through the housing tract on Cypress I could hear MacGyver talking about attacking the saddle but I wasn’t sure how far from the saddle he would attack. As we got to the light on Sanderson I figured we would see what kind of pace the group wanted to set. To my surprise surgeon and Digger started to move towards the front and as we got close to Mustang Digger asked what pace I wanted him to set once we turned on Domenigoni.
True to his word Digger pulled us west on Domenigoni most of the way to Warren. He gave the lead to me before the light and I pulled over the dry wash before turning the lead over to MacGyver. As I moved towards the back of the pack I noticed we were already split into two groups and I found myself in the front half. I closed in on the back of Highlander and MacGyver and then fell back to recover Dura Max, T-3 and Digger when Bulldozer and Gambler started their run towards the front. We caught the light at Winchester and couldn’t even see the lead group by the time we got started. But it didn’t look like we were all that far behind when we regrouped on the saddle.
Once everyone was ready to roll again I took off down the back side of the saddle and took the group to Menifee for the turn south towards Scott. Between us at Scott however a little 8 percent is kick up hill just past Holland. I was sitting at the light on Newport and Menifee when Highlander pulled up next to me to inform me that he had programmed the run to Scott to take 4 minutes. I took that as a challenge and when the light changed headed for Holland hard. Not flat out but enough to pull away from the pack and cross Holland about 75 yards before the main pack. MacGyver and Dragon Slayer had given chase and MacGyver almost caught me at the top of the hill were I once again started to pick up speed and make my way towards Scott. Dragon Slayer did catch me just before I got to Scott and we rounded the corner in 3:41. We stopped to regroup and tease Highlander about how long it would take me to get to Scott.
Once we were back on our way it was a quick trip down Scott, past Antelope and over the freeway to Haun. Dura Max and T-3 rounder the corner first as the group slowly closed up to head north towards Holland again.
As we moved north on Haun I managed to suck down a bug and it got caught in my throat. I coughed and sputtered my way down to Holland and then made my way past Bradley and started up the hill towards Murrieta. I rounded the corner on Murrieta just in front of Highlander and Digger and headed north again to regroup at the Chevron on Newport. It took two Shot blocks and half of a bottle of Heed to force that bug down my throat but finally I stopped coughing as we got ready to pull back out onto Murrieta and head to McCall and east.
I wasn’t planning on hitting McCall hill very hard but when Gambler pulled around me just past the Valero the temptation to draft him was simply too great. Bulldozer and Dragon Slayer has already pulled away so there was no hope of catching them but Gambler took me to Highpoint before I dropped off. Surgeon and Huntress were closing on me as MacGyver pulled by and once again I caught a wheel and followed him to the flat spot where I had gapped Surgeon and Huntress. We regrouped with everyone but the escaping Gambler, Bulldozer, Dragon Slayer and MacGyver.
All we had left to do was a run to Simpson and then down to Leon and onto the dump road before stopping at Chris’s for coffee. Highlander and Surgeon bypassed the dump road but Huntress, Digger and I took Leon to Grand and headed east. I started a lead out the sprint with Huntress hot on my wheel. She pulled around right at the flag and dropped me on her way to Winchester. Digger and I followed about 100 yards back till we got to Chris’s with everyone else.
I thought the big dogs were going to head out onto Domenigoni but once I started up Winchester I looked back and they were right there with us. We made it to Stowe and the group headed east towards California.
MacGyver had to head for home so he left us somewhere before I got to Stetson but I stayed with everyone almost all the way to Warren where I fell back to ride with Digger to the airport road. I could see Gambler and Bulldozer in the distance but didn’t catch them before Sanderson. I cut over to Johnston and headed east once more and found Dura Max and T-3 at her gate on Johnston. From there Dura Max and I rode together back to my street where I turned for home with 42 miles on my computer. A great day with great friends is more than most people ever get. I guess I am lucky and I get such days quite often.
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