By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) It is another week closer to the Tour de Palm Springs and it is another chance to turn up our training for a group effort at that ride. I had planned on making Wednesdays the training days but this Monday seemed ideal for a bit longer ride to Bautista and back. It was supposed to be about 46 miles and I wasn’t sure how many would be coming out on MLK day but plan the ride I did and headed out to Burger King and coffee about 8:15. Digger and Sasquatch were talking when I pulled up and shortly after that Bloodhound arrived. Daredevil and Scott arrived about the same time followed closely by Gambler, Bulldozer and MacGyver. To my surprise RCMP showed up with Papillon. Bandit drove up with a CAS rider and we waited around to see if anyone else was coming. No one was so we headed to Latham and moved over to Lyon where Mantis caught us and headed north towards Menlo.

At first Bloodhound pulled away from us as if anyone was interested in chasing him. However this early in the ride most people were more interested in conversation than chasing so we simply watched as he faded into the distance and we formed into a loose pace line once we were past Esplanade. Bulldozer, Daredevil and Gambler took over pulling and the rest of us followed them to Ramona where Bloodhound rejoined us and headed east.

Once again Bulldozer, Gambler and Daredevil took over pulling duties and we were rolling along pretty well as we came up to State Street and started north towards the Expressway. We decided to take a quick break at Del Taco before heading back out onto State towards the college.

My plan at this point was to pull to the college and then let someone else take over till we got to Soboba. Originally I thought about trying to run Soboba with the Big Dogs knowing that the B group only had once exit point if I did. But I also worried that if I did run with them I worried about the new riders feeling left out and we are a more social group than a racing one. So I decided to let the fast guys go and save my energy for later.

I ended up tagging onto Mantis as we started over the rollers and at first we had Scott with us. As we crossed over the second roller Mantis picked up the pace and we pulled away a bit till we closed in on the driving range where I took over the pull to give Mantis a break. I didn’t make it to the top of the rise before Mantis had to stop and clear his ear phone wire from his rear cassette. Scott passed us while we cleared the wheel and we managed t get back on the road before Digger and Sasquatch caught us. Mantis and I stopped at the top of the hill and Scott went on to regroup with everyone else on river crossing and Ramona. Once we turned east again the A group stopped by the Indian Health clinic for a nature break and I took the B group towards Lake Street. Just before Hemet street the A group caught us and we moved to Cedar together.

Once again Bloodhound pulled out front and was long gone as we turned onto Cedar. I led us to Florida where we found Bloodhound waiting. We rolled by and he joined the group heading south. This time Mantis set the pace and was well ahead of us passing Stetson when Gambler decided to close. I was going to drop back but Bandit wanted me to run up Bautista with the group so I stayed behind MacGyver and Gambler till the caught Mantis. As we turned onto Bautista Mantis once again took off first and Gambler fell back till he regrouped with Bulldozer and the rest of the Big Dogs and came flying by before I reached the sharp right hand turn. I did manage to hold onto MacGyver and we caught Daredevil’s wheel. Daredevil put it on cruise control and I took off and gave chase to the quickly fading A group. After crossing the dam I caught sight of Mantis and chased him most of the way to the last climb where we caught RCMP. When I slowed to say hello Mantis kicked it up and started to pull away again and RCMP caught my wheel as I gave chase. This time I couldn’t catch Mantis and RCMP beat me in the final sprint to the top of Bautista where the A group was waiting.

As we talked at the top of the hill I expected the As were going to leave to do hill repeats but Gambler and Bulldozer said they were heading for home and Daredevil wasn’t interested in a repeat run so I watched them leave to head home. I said I would wait for the B group and sat there for quite a while before making the mistake of riding back down the hill to look for them. It wouldn’t have been a mistake except it messed up my Strava time for the Bautista climb because I rode back up the hill with th at a bit slower pace. Still it was worth it because this was Scott’s first time up Bautista.

The ride back down Bautista was uneventful and I led Scott back to Fairview where we waited for Digger and Sasquatch. Once we were all back together I took us back down to Florida and then west to Carl’s for coffee. Once we were back on our way Sasquatch decided tom just head for home so Scott, Digger and I rode up to Lincoln and over to Park together. digger left us when we turned onto Devonshire and Scott and I finished the ride back to Burger King before I headed for home and a hot shower. I got 50 miles in by the time I parked my bike so I can see some high mileage by the end of this week.