By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) 7/19/13 I really didn’t know what to expect for today’s ride. The Wednesday morning ride was pleasant even if it got just a bit warm at the end of the ride. Still the weather wizards said it would be hot and I wanted to avoid that as much as possible. Then I learned Quicksilver wouldn’t be there so I pushed the mileage to 40 and headed west to avoid the smoke from the Idyllwild fire. There were just four little bumps in those 40 miles, the Saddle, Holland and Menifee, Holland and Murrieta and McCall. Normally this would be a relaxing ride. That would turn out to be only one of my surprises. I would get to Burger King before the first surprise turned up. Digger, Dura Max and I were standing there when Highlander arrived. We stood around talking when Bloodhound and Bulldozer arrived. Then I noticed Quicksilver did intend to ride before leaving on vacation. Surgeon pulled up just before Gambler and D’Artagnon. So it was with a strong A group and a reasonable B group that we took off down Gilmore and turned on Acacia.

It seems as if the A group was eager to separate into two groups early today as Bulldozer and Bloodhound left us on Kirby and vanished after turning on Cypress and heading through the housing tract. Gambler and D’Artagnon were still with us up until we got to Sanderson and then they let it be known they would see us at the Saddle and took off as if trying to find Bulldozer’s slip stream. The rest of us rode on at a more sedate 17 mph as we rolled by Wally World and headed for Mustang.

We finally got to Domenigoni and formed a pace line heading towards Warren Road. Surgeon took a long pull that took us to the dry river bed and over the bridge. I got us to Winchester and Highlander got us to the foot of the Saddle. Surgeon started the climb and I took off for his back wheel. I would have been content to stay there and save some energy for the rest of the ride when I noticed a shadow gaining on me and looking like they were coming around. I thought the closest one to me was Highlander but my second surprise was that Quicksilver was the one attacking. It was all I could do to out run her to the top where we regrouped again. The A group was already over the Saddle and gone so we dropped down the back side and headed for Menifee.

We saw the A group sans Bulldozer but with the addition of Bandit, at Lindenburger and they fell in behind us as we continued on to the light at Laguna Vista and continued on behind us all the way to Menifee. They were lined up behind us like fighter planes closing in on a flight of bombers just before a strafing run.

We were in luck however because these fighter planes were more interested in staying with us than strafing us and the followed at the back as we continued south towards Holland. Highlander, Surgeon and Quicksilver were riding in the front with several of us a few bike lengths behind them. Things stayed the way till Bloodhound moved forward and started up the hill. Surgeon more or less went after him and followed by Highlander and Quicksilver pulled up next to me and challenged me to a sprint up the hill. I told her I wasn’t interested but she insisted and dropped the hammer on a spin. She flashed by Highlander with me holding on for all I was worth to keep from being dropped. About halfway up the hill her jet pack sputtered and I got away a few bike lengths. She attacked a second time before a flame out and ended up getting caught by Highlander. Once again we regrouped at the top of the hill and I waited for my lungs to catch up with my body. The A group went on to the gas station at Antelope so D’Artagnon could get water and we soon rode by them on our way to Scott and Haun. We stopped so I could eat one of my energy bars, something I was sorely in need of and waited till the A group got there. Once we started again they took off on a hard run toward Holland and Haun with Highlander in tow. We found Highlander waiting at Holland and headed over the next hill before Murrieta with Quicksilver once again attacking towards the top of the hill. We regrouped and the Chevron Station on Murrieta and Newport before heading for McCall. We were all together till we started east on McCall where I found myself in the back of the group with Digger, Dura Max and T-3. We caught the light at Antelope as the rest of the group faded away. That was the last we were to see of the A group. Quicksilver made it to the top of McCall spinning like a true climber.

The plan was to drop down the front side of McCall hill and make the run to Heritage before turning on Simpson. Most of that worked just as planned and we made it as a group onto Simpson and headed east. It was here that Highlander discovered we were going to be taking Leon to the Dump Road and grumbled about how he didn’t care for that road. No matter I pulled to Leon and started up towards the Dump Road. Once again I was in no hurry but Quicksilver and Highlander seemed to be and they took Surgeon east ahead of Digger, Dura Max, T-3 and me.

I cruised over the rise and to the sprint point on the Dump Road that ends at the Wild West Arena. It was good to chat with friends as we enjoyed the ride together and the fact that so far it was cooler than we had expected. It took us a few minutes to get back to Winchester and I had time to get caught up on what T-3 had been up to over the last few weeks. We all turned north on Winchester and soon found or way to the Country Store on Winchester and Stowe.

The charm of the Country Store is they have Pies from Julian and sodas from our childhood. Much to my bad luck Sodas from our childhood don’t come in diet and my doctor would have an alarm go off in her office if I downed one of the old sugar loaded Sodas from the last two generations. Quicksilver had to get back early so several riders decided to go back with her leaving Dura Max, T-3 and I to ride home by ourselves, at our own pace.

We slowly picked up speed heading down Stowe and I will admit the pace was refreshing because it wasn’t so hectic as we got to California. We turned north and were soon on Stetson and heading east again. T-3 was commenting on how glad she was that she decided to ride today rather that stay in trying to avoid the smoke. With the light wind we didn’t have a smoke problem. Dura Max and I dropped her off at her gate then continued on to my street where I turned for home and he continued on towards his house. I got home with a bit over 40 miles on the computer and a smile on my face.