By: C. Kent, aka (Superman)
5/10/13
The Good, the bad, the ugly.
The Good
Looking at the weather report today looked like a great day for a ride. The group numbers have been a little light lately but we have been having a good time none the less. I had put together an easy Friday ride and planned on keeping to the plan as I left the house and headed for Coffee with Digger.
Digger and Surgeon were already there when I pulled up and we stood around talking till Dura Max pulled up. It took a few minutes before MacGyver arrived and a few more before T-3 and Ruby Tuesday pulled up. We were all surprised to see Bloodhound back with us after his bout with a bad knee. Eight riders isn’t a bad number so we headed down Gilmore to Acacia to work our way to Kirby and south.
It was good to have Bloodhound back with us and I was determined to make sure he took it easy and got back in shape for riding slowly so as to not re-exacerbate his bad knee. We pulled around the corner on Kirby and headed for Cypress. Bloodhound was spinning some small gears but he was still moving along at a pretty good pace. He took us around the corner and we headed towards Johnston and the light at Sanderson. As we headed towards Stetson Bloodhound got out front and started to try and chase down Surgeon who had made the light first.
I had to pull up next to Bloodhound and scold him about pushing too hard too soon and he at least backed off and let Surgeon lead us to Domenigoni then warren and the dry wash. I took us to Winchester and Bloodhound started us towards the saddle. We were joined by Bandit and finally I talked Bloodhound into just cruising the saddle where we regrouped.
As we dropped off of the back side of the saddle I felt comfortable knowing I had Bandit to help run down and slow down Bloodhound so he would have the proper time to recover his bike legs. We easily made it to Menifee and then south towards the hill just past Holland. Surgeon wanted to stop by the gas station on Antelope so I knew he would continue on after he crested the hill so I stayed with Dura Max, T-3, Ruby Tuesday and Digger till we got to Scott and headed west. We noticed the lead group pull into the gas station parking lot and pulled in to join them. Dura Max, T-3 and Ruby Tuesday continued on while we waited for Surgeon and then we followed about 5 minutes behind.
The Bad
After the group past Haun Bandit pulled forward and pulled us towards Murrieta. About three quarters of the way there I noticed Digger had dropped off the back and fell back to get him. We rounded the corner on Murrieta about one hundred and fifty yards behind Bandit and his group and past Surgeon on the side of the road fishing around in his jersey pocket. We closed a bit but I could see Bloodhound wasn’t taking it easy because we were not closing all that quickly. We repast Holland and Surgeon was closing in on Digger and I as we closed in on the trailing riders in Bandit’s group. We got caught at the light on Newport just before we had closed with MacGyver and then had to watch as they closed in on Dura Max and his group.
Once on the way again we hurried as much as we could only to see one of the groups turn on Cherry Hill well before we got there. We chased some more and once again got caught at a light. Surgeon caught Dura Max, T-3 and Ruby Tuesday on Bradley and I caught them just before Newport where we had to wait once more to turn east.
Digger had joined us as we were turning and once we were all in line was made an attempt to close on anyone we could see ahead of us. Someone had made it through the light on Haun well before we were even close but we were going to give the chase a try anyway.
The Ugly
Ruby Tuesday did most of the pulling as we got to the light at Haun and we were laughing and talking as we just missed a light once more. Haun is a rather long light and we figured everyone would be at Jack in the Box well before we crossed the freeway. However as we looked east we could see some cars parked on the side of the road about half way up the hill and by squinting it looked like a cyclists was sitting on the side of the road behind a Black Chevy pickup. Ruby Tuesday and T-3 thought it was one of our riders and sure enough it was Bloodhound. It seems as if the truck pulled too close to MacGyver and Bloodhound. The truck managed to miss MacGyver but it hit Bloodhound in the back with the side mirror.
MacGyver confronted the driver after making sure Bloodhound was out of the road way and learned that the drivers wife had tried to warn his that he was too close to the cyclists but he didn’t seem to listen and the result was one rider was down and suffered both damage to his bike and road rash to his body. Not a good way to get back on track with his cycling. The only good part was someone had pulled in front of the truck to make sure they stayed were they were till the police arrived and the paramedics and a chance to dress Bloodhound’s wounds.
This is not a case where there wasn’t enough room to pass because several cars successfully had passed both riders. It is a case of not wanting to wait to make a right turn to get onto the freeway.
Once the paperwork was finished and the paramedics released Bloodhound we made our way to Jack in the Box and regrouped to talk about what had happened. Bloodhound managed to stiffen up as we sat there so he called for a ride. Digger and I volunteered to wait with him and let the rest of the group head home. Digger had to change a tube anyway.
Once Bloodhound was safely in a car Digger and I headed east on Newport/ Domenigoni and made our way back over the saddle and to Winchester. I made the pull back to Sanderson and we dropped over to Johnston and headed for Palm together.
We both live just off of Palm except Digger is on the north end closer to Menlo and I am down by Johnston. After we parted our ways on Palm and zig zagged over to my street and pulled up to my porch with 42 miles on my Garmin. I checked on Bloodhound when I got home and he seemed in good spirits even if he was confused about how to deal with the driver that hit him.
It was good to have Bloodhound back with us and I was determined to make sure he took it easy and got back in shape for riding slowly so as to not re-exacerbate his bad knee. We pulled around the corner on Kirby and headed for Cypress. Bloodhound was spinning some small gears but he was still moving along at a pretty good pace. He took us around the corner and we headed towards Johnston and the light at Sanderson. As we headed towards Stetson Bloodhound got out front and started to try and chase down Surgeon who had made the light first.
I had to pull up next to Bloodhound and scold him about pushing too hard too soon and he at least backed off and let Surgeon lead us to Domenigoni then warren and the dry wash. I took us to Winchester and Bloodhound started us towards the saddle. We were joined by Bandit and finally I talked Bloodhound into just cruising the saddle where we regrouped.
As we dropped off of the back side of the saddle I felt comfortable knowing I had Bandit to help run down and slow down Bloodhound so he would have the proper time to recover his bike legs. We easily made it to Menifee and then south towards the hill just past Holland. Surgeon wanted to stop by the gas station on Antelope so I knew he would continue on after he crested the hill so I stayed with Dura Max, T-3, Ruby Tuesday and Digger till we got to Scott and headed west. We noticed the lead group pull into the gas station parking lot and pulled in to join them. Dura Max, T-3 and Ruby Tuesday continued on while we waited for Surgeon and then we followed about 5 minutes behind.
The Bad
After the group past Haun Bandit pulled forward and pulled us towards Murrieta. About three quarters of the way there I noticed Digger had dropped off the back and fell back to get him. We rounded the corner on Murrieta about one hundred and fifty yards behind Bandit and his group and past Surgeon on the side of the road fishing around in his jersey pocket. We closed a bit but I could see Bloodhound wasn’t taking it easy because we were not closing all that quickly. We repast Holland and Surgeon was closing in on Digger and I as we closed in on the trailing riders in Bandit’s group. We got caught at the light on Newport just before we had closed with MacGyver and then had to watch as they closed in on Dura Max and his group.
Once on the way again we hurried as much as we could only to see one of the groups turn on Cherry Hill well before we got there. We chased some more and once again got caught at a light. Surgeon caught Dura Max, T-3 and Ruby Tuesday on Bradley and I caught them just before Newport where we had to wait once more to turn east.
Digger had joined us as we were turning and once we were all in line was made an attempt to close on anyone we could see ahead of us. Someone had made it through the light on Haun well before we were even close but we were going to give the chase a try anyway.
The Ugly
Ruby Tuesday did most of the pulling as we got to the light at Haun and we were laughing and talking as we just missed a light once more. Haun is a rather long light and we figured everyone would be at Jack in the Box well before we crossed the freeway. However as we looked east we could see some cars parked on the side of the road about half way up the hill and by squinting it looked like a cyclists was sitting on the side of the road behind a Black Chevy pickup. Ruby Tuesday and T-3 thought it was one of our riders and sure enough it was Bloodhound. It seems as if the truck pulled too close to MacGyver and Bloodhound. The truck managed to miss MacGyver but it hit Bloodhound in the back with the side mirror.
MacGyver confronted the driver after making sure Bloodhound was out of the road way and learned that the drivers wife had tried to warn his that he was too close to the cyclists but he didn’t seem to listen and the result was one rider was down and suffered both damage to his bike and road rash to his body. Not a good way to get back on track with his cycling. The only good part was someone had pulled in front of the truck to make sure they stayed were they were till the police arrived and the paramedics and a chance to dress Bloodhound’s wounds.
This is not a case where there wasn’t enough room to pass because several cars successfully had passed both riders. It is a case of not wanting to wait to make a right turn to get onto the freeway.
Once the paperwork was finished and the paramedics released Bloodhound we made our way to Jack in the Box and regrouped to talk about what had happened. Bloodhound managed to stiffen up as we sat there so he called for a ride. Digger and I volunteered to wait with him and let the rest of the group head home. Digger had to change a tube anyway.
Once Bloodhound was safely in a car Digger and I headed east on Newport/ Domenigoni and made our way back over the saddle and to Winchester. I made the pull back to Sanderson and we dropped over to Johnston and headed for Palm together.
We both live just off of Palm except Digger is on the north end closer to Menlo and I am down by Johnston. After we parted our ways on Palm and zig zagged over to my street and pulled up to my porch with 42 miles on my Garmin. I checked on Bloodhound when I got home and he seemed in good spirits even if he was confused about how to deal with the driver that hit him.
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