By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) It was a day made for a half century and I for one was looking forward to it. I wanted to be sure everyone was ready for our next century and figured today would be a good test for our pace and stamina. Nothing Palm Springs can toss at us would be any harder than today and as it turned out we rode a lot faster than the planned ride for that Saturday. I put on my new kit and headed for coffee with Digger just a bit early because I was so eager. Once I got to Burger King Digger and I talked briefly as Sasquatch arrived and I went in for coffee. Gambler texted me that he would be late and I noticed Phil was there and I knew he was going to leave early. Huntress was running late as well but Bloodhound pulled up with Dragon slayer. Daredevil, Quicksilver and Newsboy arrived just before Bulldozer and Gambler pulled up. Huntress made it just before 9am and we were just about ready to head out. Newsboy had to grab breakfast as we headed for Latham to start our day. Bloodhound and I made it to Lyon first and we took the group north towards Devonshire. Bloodhound got away from us and we just barely caught up to him at Esplanade.

As soon as we were through the light Bloodhound once again pulled away from us on a more or less solo run towards Ramona. We weren’t really loafing at this point but we had decided to stay together at least till we got to the Expressway. But our plans shattered when Digger cut a tire. We stopped as a group to watch him fix it and he had to boot it to make the ride.

We followed Gambler, Daredevil and Bulldozer to Ramona Boulevard and headed west when we had to stop again to add air to Digger’s back wheel. By the time we restarted Gambler, Daredevil, Dragon Slayer, Newsboy and Bulldozer were long gone. I took off after Bloodhound heading to Sanderson and we just missed catching the fleeing A group as they turned onto the Expressway. Bloodhound looked over his shoulder and said he was going to hammer the Expressway and anyone wishing to hang on could. I took him up on it and he pulled to Bridge where I came around to give him some relief and watch Huntress, Quicksilver, Sasquatch and Digger fall off the back. I got him most of the way to the light at Hansen where he took over again and got us to the Valero and a regroup. Bandit and Wolf were there as was another CAS rider adding to our group. Digger passed us as we waited for two riders making a quick stop at the real estate office. Once they were back with us we headed west on the expressway once again.

I made the mistake of trying to pull up the first rise to Burnesconi and blew up. Gambler, Daredevil and Bulldozer turned around after passing me. I managed to recover enough to keep from being caught by Dragon Slayer before I got to the entrance to Lake Perris to find Digger waiting. Digger, Dragon Slayer and I waited quite a while before Sasquatch pulled up to say Quicksilver had a flat but Huntress, Bloodhound and Wolf were there to help her. When they came over the hill we expected them to stop but they didn’t so we had to chase them all the way to Perris Boulevard and South.

I think Bloodhound thought we were chasing the CAS group but they weren’t planning on doing the same ride we were. Still Bloodhound had us rolling south at about 23 or 24 MPH and that spread us out quite a bit until Digger fell off of the back. I had to slow us down at 4th street so we could all get back into one line and head for the turn for Goetz.

I got us over to Goetz and lined up for the final run to Goetz hill. I started out leading but soon Bloodhound and Newsboy rolled by heading towards Ethenic. I fell back giving Dragon Slayer the lead about the time we pulled up across from the indoor Sky diving tower.

Soon Dragon Slayer, Bloodhound and Newsboy were sitting at the light on Ethernic as we all pulled up. When we took off from the light I expected Quicksilver, Wolf and Huntress to target me as if I were a runaway convict. I was well behind Bloodhound, Dragon Slayer and Newsboy so I found a comfortable gear and pulled up on their back wheel. As the hill first kicked up Dragon Slayer seemed to run out of air and waved me by. I then closed on Newsboy and got by him at the first up kick on the hill. But I couldn’t hold the gear and had to downshift and Newsboy caught me as Bloodhound pulled away. I topped the hill well behind Newsboy but I managed to close on him by the time we got to the Fire station. I got by him and ran with Bloodhound all the way to Normandy where I stopped to make sure everyone made the turn to head for the park on LaLadera. Once Digger arrived we regrouped at the park before heading to Honeyrun and east.

As we headed towards Cherry Hill Bloodhound and Dragon Slayer led the way. Newsboy was on my wheel and finally I pulled around to give Dragon Slayer relief. At Cherry Hill Newsboy pulled around and hooked up with Bloodhound. At that point Dragon Slayer and I decided to burn some of the matches we had been saving and sprint to McCall. Dragon Slayer beat me by at least a bike length and we turned east back towards Murrieta. Digger and Sasquatch were in cruise mode as we headed towards Bradley and I saved every bit of energy I had left to make a respectable run at Hospital Hill. As we crossed the freeway Newsboy latched onto my wheel and I had a feeling of doom as we headed for Hillpoint. But we caught the light green and Bloodhound was at least 50 yards in front of us so I just kept the spin going and waited for Newsboy to come by. But he didn’t come by and I pulled away at the first false crest and over the hill in second place. We started down the hill on MaCall and I almost became a road pizza whem a big Suburban made a sudden right turn at the first stop light. I should have known it was going to happen because so many cars were parked on the side of the road and the truck probably was looking for a parking spot and didn’t see me coming but at least I didn’t hit the side of his car. We regrouped just past Menifee. I followed the rest of the group to Heritage and then to Lindenburger where Wolf left us. We then started east on Simpson with Dragon slayer in the lead before I rotated to the front and pulled to Leon. Bloodhound, Newsboy and Huntress pulled by me and Dragon Slayer fell off to ride with Quicksilver. I waited till we got to the last stand of trees and made a sprint for Winchester. Bloodhound was cooked and Newsboy missed the move so for a change I got to the light first. Was it a hollow victory? It might seem hollow to one of the faster riders but to me a victory is where you find it. We then turned north to Stowe were we didn’t stop but headed towards California and home.

Dragon slayer was down on power because of his breathing so I had no trouble staying in front all the way to California and then Stetson. We worked our way down the Airport road and finally came out on Sanderson where we headed north to Lowes. The group now was smaller but still in good spirits as we rode behind Lowes to get to Acacia.

Dragon slayer had enough juice to pull us onto Acacia and east back to Kirby. I then got us to Gilmore and back to Florida where Dragon Slayer headed for his truck and the rest of us regrouped at the cars at Burger King. After saying our farewells I headed for home and a hot shower. I looked at my Garmin and saw we had covered 55 miles, or at least I had and we had traveled a lot faster than I plan on leading the B group at the Tour de Palm Springs. It turns out Digger and Sasquatch had stopped at Winchester farms and got home about 15 minutes after we did.