Running on empty

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) 7/22/13 It was supposed to be a cooler day and one of our riders wanted a west ride so I toss in an older but longer ride for today. I could only hope the weather wizards were right and that I could muster enough energy to do a half century. When I had my breakfast I was tempted to add some extra carbs but was sure an alarm would go off both at my doctors’s office and my nutritionist’s. So I had my 110 calories, got my kit on and headed for the door to start on my way to Burger King. I wasn’t expecting a big group but I wasn’t surprised to see Digger and Dura Max and as I pulled in Bloodhound. Bulldozer and Gambler showed up so I knew I had an A group. Daredevil pulled up just before Torpedo so I was sure we would have a fast pace if we wanted one. Surgeon pulled up but I never know if he will be riding as an A or a B rider. Highlander and Tax Man arrived about the same time as Hornet. Seemed like a good group to start with as we moved out onto Gilmore to start the ride. We added Goliath as we crossed Florida and made the turn on Acacia to Kirby and then south.

We quickly made our way to Cypress and then added T-3 making it a very nice sized group for a Monday. Bloodhound took over the job of leading us to Johnston and then around the corner onto Sanderson and north. At the light we turned left and headed west towards the airport. By the time we were headed past Hanger 1 we were pretty much all behind Bloodhound and ready to get out onto Stetson.

Once we got out onto Stetson Bloodhound kicked it up as the pace line formed behind him. As we got to Warren and crossed Highlander pulled up and told me we were spread out quite a bit. I moved back to see about the stragglers as the A group moved forward taking Highlander and most of the group with them. Soon Digger and Tax Man pulled up to me me and said that Dura Man and T-3 seemed down on power today. I discovered that Dura Max was off the pace and that T-3 was having a leg problem. So we cut it back and formed a C group that followed everyone else to the regroup point at the Country Market.

As we got ready to leave things got a bit more complicated. I told the A group where we were headed and knew most of the B group would give chase. I did chase the Highlander led group down Winchester and then rode back to get T-3 and Dura Max as we turned onto the Dump Road. By the time the C group got to Leon everyone was out of sight. We couldn’t even see them in the distance as we turned on Briggs.

We took our time getting to Mapes when I got a call from Digger telling me he and Hornet and turned south on Menifee and followed Highlander and Hit Man who were heading for home. We said we would wait for them to return to Mapes and then followed Hornet north towards Nuevo. We then picked up Goliath coming back from Nuevo after Surgeon left the ride and we all rode together to Nuevo and then Evans.

We made our way to Ramona and headed east. As we got close to the rollers Hornet took off headed for Lakeview. I pulled the rest of the group most of the way up the first roller where Goliath pulled around to help. I looked back and only T-3 was on my wheel but she fell back to get digger and Dura Max while Goliath gave chase to the fast moving Hornet. I simply didn’t have the reserves to chase him all the way to Lakeview. He rounded the corner about 100 yards in front of me before we all regrouped at the Valero. We headed south on Lakeview and I pulled us all the way to Nuevo. I still noticed that while weight loss makes pushing myself down the road easier it also seems to cut back on my energy reserves. Still I felt good enough to make the jog over to Central to start down to Menifee.

Once on Menifee I gave the lead to Hornet and he moved us on towards the nursery over the rise. Digger fell off the back and I ended up pulling him back to the group just before Mapes where first Goliath took the pull and then I got it back just before we rolled over Florida. I told Goliath to pull us to McCall and he did a yeoman’s job of keeping the pace almost perfect for the rest of the group.

I got the lead back at McCall and took us to Simpson and pointed east towards Winchester. I seemed to be really losing steam and had Goliath pull us to Leon so I could take some Endurolytes and try to get some of my legs back. We finally made it to Winchester and up to Chris’s for coffee or Hydration. I really need some more fluids and felt much better as I led us back up Winchester to Stowe to make the turn home.

As we moved east I began to feel better and was able to pull us to California and then north to Stetson. I still had enough juice to get us to Warren and then to the airport road where Digger broke off for home. Goliath, T-3, Dura Max and I headed on to Sanderson and then over to Johnston where we followed T-3 to her gate. Goliath and Dura Max dropped me off at my street and I got home with 53 miles on the computer. Not a bad day if I say so myself.