By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) 6/17/13 Getting ready to start the week it is hard to beat a clear blue sky and a temperature of 64 degrees. That is just what I woke up to this morning. There was a lot to like about this day. I was pretty sure Dragon Slayer would be back from vacation and that Quicksilver would be taking her first group ride clipless. There was nothing left to do but plan a ride with just a few climbs and lots of roads with light traffic. A quick breakfast and a selection of my kit and I was dressed and on my way to have coffee with Digger. It was too warm to stand by the windows at Burger King so we moved to the shade to wait for everyone to arrive. By 7:50 there were ten of us, Digger, Dura Max, Quicksilver, Surgeon, Highlander, Tax Man, Dragon Slayer, Bulldozer, Daredevil and me. We took off right at 8am and headed for Acacia.

As we headed to Kirby and turned south it seems we added MacGyver to our group making a strong A group and a reasonable B group. Surgeon took the lead as we turned on Cypress and stayed there till we got to Johnston and rounder the corner to head over to Sanderson and north. Traffic was a bit heavier on Sanderson than I expected but we made the light on Wentworth with very little trouble. So far Quicksilver seemed to be doing fine with her cleats and shoes and when I asked he she was overjoyed with how much easier they seemed to make riding. Little did I realize how that was going to come back and bite me later in the ride.

We made our way west on Wentworth and then past the airport and Hanger one. I had dropped back to talk with Quicksilver and Highlander took off towards the front with Tax Man to follow Surgeon out onto Stetson. I came out onto Stetson several bike lengths behind the fleeing threesome with the rest of the group in tow. I managed to pull us up to the back of Tax Man and we all got to Warren more or less at the same time. The A group started to pull away rather quickly and were already to California before we were yards past Warren. We rounded the corner and headed for Stowe behind Surgeon and formed a pace line.

We were on our way west again on Stowe and with the A group gone we had no reason to try and crush it so we held the pace line at just about 21 or 22 with Surgeon pulling all the way to the parking lot on Winchester.

It took a few minutes for me to replace the batteries in my camera before we were ready to get back on the road and head south on Winchester towards the dump road. Tax Man took us out onto Winchester and pulled all the way to the Dump road before we were once again headed west. The A group would leave the B group shortly after we made it to the Wild West Show grounds.

As Daredevil, Bulldozer, Dragon Slayer and MacGyver started to ramp it up past the Wild West place Surgeon increased the pace a bit and several of us followed till I noticed the group was breaking up and I fell back to get the stragglers. The B group ended up being Highlander, Tax Man, Quicksilver, Dura Max and me. Surgeon was somewhere between the two groups. The A group pulled through the housing tract and up to the light on Florida well before we got back onto Briggs. We finally made it through the light on Florida and headed for Mapes. We noticed Surgeon sitting on the corner by the school and I thought he was going to join us. It seems as if he turned around and headed to Menifee to catch the A group. The rest of us made it to Mapes and then made a speed run back to Florida and headed past the AM/PM the get to McCall.

The A group was taking a break at the AM/PM as we rolled by but I was pretty sure they could catch us before we got over McCall hill. We made it to the corner of Menifee and McCall and headed west to the hill with Tax man in the front and Highlander on his wheel. I started to ramp it up a bit and was pulling Highlander past Tax Man and towards the top of the hill when I looked back to see the rest of the B group fading a bit. Highlander continued on and I could see Daredevil and Bulldozer coming on like a freight train. Dragon Slayer and MacGyver weren’t far behind and they more or less rolled by us in short order. I looked back just in time to see Quicksilver closing on me. I still have enough of a gap to jump on it a bit and get away but she was close to passing me. We crossed over the hill and headed down to the Chevron Station for a regroup. Quicksilver rehydrated and fueled and I should have realized she was feeling pretty good with her new found power from her cleats. We started back out onto McCall and once again all got caught at the light on Murrieta. As we started the little grade up to Valley Boulevard Highlander and Surgeon were in front of me when Daredevil rolled by. I was tempted the give chase but figured I would take it easy when out of the corner of my eye I saw Quicksilver dropping the hammer and closing at warp speed on my back wheel. She screamed and laughed as she got by me and her smile was worth it. I got back in front of her by Cherry Hill and we all headed for Bradley together and headed to Newport.

We got to the light at Newport and all made the turn east back towards the freeway. My plan was for us all to get to Haun together so we could take the lane when the light changed and cross over the freeway overpass without being pushed into the curb by a line of cars. Sure enough it worked and with Quicksilver planted between Dragon Slayer and me. We got past the second light and Dura Max continued on for home while the rest of us headed for Jack in the Box. We stopped for coffee and conversation but the A group decided to head for home early taking Surgeon with them. The rest of the B group had our energy bars and something to drink before making the run back east on Newport/Domenigoni. Somehow I managed to get over the saddle first with Quicksilver trying to catch me all the way to the top. I stopped us till everyone was together and we dropped down the saddle and headed for Leon. I gave the lead to Highlander and he pulled us most of the way to Winchester. Quicksilver got the lead just before Winchester and pulled us back to almost to Warren. I started us towards Sanderson but Tax Man pulled around and ended up taking us to Sanderson and then north towards Stetson. I found myself in the position between Highlander and Tax Man and the trailing Quicksilver and Digger.

The tree of us caught Tax Man and Highlander at Stetson and then worked our way through the construction to Johnston where I turned for home leaving Quicksilver entrusted to three of my friends. I headed east past Kirby and finally Palm to turn for home. I had to take a quick shower and have lunch because I had a doctor’s appointment later in the day. I felt pretty good however after doing 40 miles with an average heart rate of 134. I was also very proud of Quicksilver’s progression in the few short weeks she has been riding in our group.