By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) 6/19/13 What a great looking morning it was as I looked out my front window today. It looked like it would be better then Monday even if it was a touch hotter. The only question was that I had planned a new route because of some construction on Leon that would keep us from coming home on Leon after going to French Valley. So it seemed like a perfect time to make a new loop. After breakfast I got dressed and headed coffee with Digger. Highlander was already there when I pulled up and Surgeon arrived a few minutes later. Shadow, Bulldozer, Gambler, Coyote and Dragon slayer pulled up next. Quicksilver, Red Rabbit, Daredevil arrived along with a two new riders Alan and Scott. Fourteen of us left the parking lot at 8am heading for Acacia.

Rabbit was looking pretty energetic as we made our way to Acacia but Quicksilver led us around the corner and up to the light on Kirby. I think Rabbit was a bit nervous about what would happen when we got to Domenigoni. For some reason he never seems to warm up before we turn west towards Warren. As we headed south on Kirby Surgeon moved up and closed on me when we got to the railroad tracks.

I followed Surgeon through the housing tract on Cypress and out onto Johnston where once again we got stuck at the light. When the light turned green Surgeon and Rabbit jumped off to a lead and headed for Stetson a few yards in front of the rest of us. We hit the light at Stetson and Sanderson just as it turned green and I managed to close on the front two riders. They pulled away slightly but we reeled them back in just before we got to Mustang with Alan on my wheel.

We followed Surgeon onto Domenigoni and we stayed together pretty well as we caught the rise about a quarter of a mile west of Sanderson. Three of the A group rolled out to the front and the group started to break apart. I noticed Scott and Rabbit had been dropped and fell back to see if they needed a tow but when Gambler pulled up next to me we slowed to talk and the leaders dropped the hammer. Once gambler had the route in his head he gave chase and I decided to close on Digger and Quicksilver. Rabbit and Scott would just have to regroup when we got to the Saddle. I ended up pulling Digger and quicksilver all the way to the Saddle and just barely managed to hold off a charging Quicksilver before we got to the regroup point.

Rabbit wasn’t as far behind as normal and he rolled on by just a few short minutes after we stopped. We had picked up MacGyver and were talking when Scott finally caught up with us. We gave him a minute to catch his breath before dropping off of the Saddle and heading for Lindenburger. We caught Rabbit at Menifee before turning south to the hill just past Holland. Daredevil, Coyote and Surgeon were the first to hit the hill but soon most of us had closed up on them before Shadow and some of the A group jumped on it. I was cruising on Coyote’s back wheel when Quicksilver attacked me once again. She got a bike or two on me before gassing out and I got by her to keep from getting “Chicked” by the new girl. I waited for Highlander, Digger and Quicksilver and pulled them all the way to Scott road and Menifee.

The rest of the group was at least a quarter of a mile in front of us as we headed west past the freeway and up the slow climb on Scott. We rolled through the green on Haun together and I pulled over the first roller and headed for the second on the back of Coyote’s wheel. I didn’t get a chance to enjoy it because I noticed Digger dropping off so I fell back to get him as Highlander followed Coyote and slowly dropped Quicksilver. It took Digger and I at least another mile to close on Quicksilver and finally make the turn on Holland west where the group was waiting. I took one look at the rollers in front of me and just continued on with a smile on my face. We spread out for more than a mile and somewhere in there we lost Surgeon. But we regrouped on Newport and headed back east towards Murrieta. Not everyone in the group had planned on stopping at Chris’s and so once again we split into smaller groups and headed back to Lindenburger to connect with Simpson and head east once more.

We still had two of the As with us and soon they rolled by to try and chase two other As off in the distance. I pulled to Briggs and Highlander pulled back to Winchester before we could turn north and meet up at Chris’s. We took a short break before some of the faster riders headed for home followed a few minutes later by Shadow, Highlander, Quicksilver, Digger and me. Highlander had to wait for three of us to make our way to Stowe and then we all headed towards California.

I managed to lead us north on California and east on Stetson as we got back to Warren Road. Highlander took us to the airport and out to Sanderson and I got us to Lowes. Highlander took off again when we got back on Acacia where we caught Rabbit once more. We made it back to Burger King only to find Daredevil locked out of his car and waiting for a key. We talked for a few minutes and I headed to my house for lunch and a shower. The new route seemed to be a hit with everyone so I will leave it in the rotation for another day. Good day, good friends and a good ride.