By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Monday was Labor Day and I had every hole of a good sized group for a little out and back ride to Elsinore. It was even a special enough day to bring Metric Man and another one of our riders from Beaumont, Rick, (Ranger) down off of the hill and out of the wind to join us. My hope was that it wouldn’t be too hot or windy and that many of our riders didn’t already have plans for the day. I got to Burger King to see Digger and Dura Max talking. I pulled up and got some coffee and joined them in time to see Metric Man and Ranger pull up followed by Quicksilver, Dragon Slayer, Highlander and Tax Man. Dura Max left to go ride with T-3 and Ruby Tuesday. Bloodhound arrived followed by RCMP, Shadow and Barracuda. Hawk and Matt rode into the lot just before Ferret and Tinker Bell. Not as bad group for a holiday and an out and back ride. We pulled onto Gilmore right after Dragon Slayer gave Highlander the Trophy. We quickly made it to Acacia and then to Kirby.

Like many days before Bloodhound started to pick up speed early and tried to get riders like Dragon Slayer to follow him but there were no takers until we got to Cypress and headed west. Metric Man took up the chase and followed Bloodhound all through the housing tract and out onto Johnston only to catch the light at Sanderson. we were once again giving chase to Bloodhound as we headed south but looked like a strong group would be chasing him.

By the time we got to Domenigoni Bloodhound was on his way west. I came around the corner and slowly picked up the pace as Metric Man pulled in front and asked what pace I wanted. I didn’t have a chance to respond because soon some of the big dogs pulled around to catch Bloodhound. Metric Man and Quicksilver whet after Bloodhound on the wheels of Barracuda and RCMP. Ferret and Shadow took up the chase and soon Matt and Hawk were gone as well. Still I held back till Tinker Bell blasted by shortly before the dry wash. At that point I put my head down and started a chase that would have me pulling from Sanderson all the way to Winchester. Just before Leon we caught the group led by Quicksilver. I drafted up onto the back wheel of Hawk and caught my breath before the sprint to the top of the Saddle for a regroup with everyone, including Dura Max, T-3, and Ruby Tuesday and Coyote.

After a quick bite of food and some electrolytes I was ready to drop off of the saddle and head for Carl’s. I wasn’t the first one off of the saddle however and ended up Chasing Metric Man and Bloodhound to Lindenburger and then to Menifee. Matt pulled up next to me before I got to Antelope to let me know I had at least two stragglers that got caught at the Menifee light. Coyote had to pull Digger up to me and then take off after the fleeing group as I took Digger to Carl’s. It was there I discovered that Highlander and Tax Man have joined Dura Max and his group heading for Nuevo. Things started to ramp up a bit as we pulled back out onto Newport and headed west. And the group started to form into clusters. I was pretty far back in the second cluster with Bloodhound and Quicksilver running out in the group in front of me.

I jumped the bottom of the first climb and the drag race was on. Five or six of the big dogs passed me before I crested the first hill and I managed to catch most of them before the last hill. It was a good run for me down the last hill and Dragon Slayer joined me for the last mile to Mickey Ds. Everything more or less broke up at Mickey Ds with groups heading home on their own schedule. Most of the groups took the straight route back to Sanderson except for the group with Dragon Slayer, Coyote, Digger, Quicksilver and me. We turned on Country Hill road after the top of the first big climb.

Once the road turned into Holland we made short work of the rollers leading to Murrieta road and then left to Holland again. The little group wanted another hill so we turned on Holland and dropped down the other side to ride towards Bradley. The great part about the ride so far is there had been little or no wind and it really hadn’t been too hot, as long as we were moving. Digger and I pulled up onto Haun where the other three were waiting to ride down to Newport. We picked up Bloodhound on Newport.

We headed for Antelope where Coyote left us for home and we continued to move toward Menifee planning on heading back to Sanderson. By the time we crossed Menifee it was getting warmer and I for one was down to one bottle of water. I was still in front as we crossed at the light but soon Quicksilver was pushing the pace up as she got close to the saddle again. So once again we had a traditional spring to the top of the saddle, if you call Quicksilver grabbing my jersey pocket to keep me from getting away, she didn’t take long to start riding like the Italians on breaking away. Not that I didn’t fight back with arm grab myself. As we dropped down the hill and headed to Leon I decided it would be prudent to turn on Winchester to get more water, and the offer of watermelon from dragon Slayer sealed the deal. We refreshed while I changed yet another flat before heading back down Stowe towards home.

I stayed with the group as we made our way to California and then out onto Stetson. We cruised to Warren and then turned onto the airport road to head back to Sanderson. we did make a quick stop at Hanger one to see if we could get Bambi to make pie for Dragon Slayers Birthday on the 9th but she was out of town and I will have to call her on Thursday. I then followed the group to Sanderson where we parted ways and I moved up to Johnston and home myself. When I got there I was once again out of water and I had 47 miles on the computer.