By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) It was Friday and like all Friday’s what was planned was not always what happens. I wanted a little climbing and a little mileage and was planning on a cruise more or less. I got to Burger King to see Digger talking with our long lost friend Double Time and his friend David. As I conversed with Double Time Bloodhound arrived followed by Gambler. A new rider, Tim, followed a few minutes later by Barracuda and Sasquatch. It looked like we were all there were so we headed out onto Gilmore. As we got close to Acacia Gambler told me he was a bit short on time and that he wouldn’t be stopping to regroup today and Bloodhound said he wanted to go with him. I felt that could make the run west on Domenigoni more than interesting. Bloodhound seemed more than eager to push the pace from the very beginning.

As we headed towards Kirby it was all we could do to keep Bloodhound in sight. So far Gambler and Barracuda were simply cruising along in the back talking to Tim and Digger. We managed to catch Bloodhound at the light on Kirby and then follow him south to the railroad tracks and turn onto Cypress. As we settled into a casual cruise on Cypress Bloodhound headed for Johnston but stopped to wait for us at Sanderson. I got the light just as it turned green and took us past Stetson and Wally World before giving the lead back to Bloodhound as we closed on Mustang and spotted Papillon.

Once Bloodhound caught Papillon we were headed west on Domenigoni and I figured that would be the last we saw on Gambler and Bloodhound. Still I closed on Papillon and told him that two of the riders wouldn’t be stopping at the saddle and I would be regrouping but even though he acknowledged what I said he held onto Bloodhounds wheel as Gambler pulled up to join us. We were already pulling away from the rest of the group so I thought what the heck I would stay with them as well. We were slowly but surely picking up speed and somewhere around the dry river crossing Barracuda caught us and the pace went up again. We took turns pulling but Gambler kicked it up to just over 30 and it was all I could do to hand on. By the time we rolled over Winchester I started thinking about the saddle sprint, (Yes Virginia I had enough left for the sprint). I was sitting in 4th as we hit the bottom of the saddle and I watch Bloodhound make his move so I passed on the outside and got to the fence first. Yes I had sucked wheel for at least a half mile but a sprint is a sprint and all is fair in love and bicycle sprinting. We regrouped at the top where Coyote was waiting while Gambler and Bloodhound kept going.

I told the remaining riders that the pace would be more reasonable as we dropped off of the saddle and headed for Lindenburger and I would have been except that Coyote was leading the group with fresh lags and he was heading towards Antelope at about 20. No that wasn’t the power move like Gambler but still was enough to string the group out till we caught the light at Haun and they caught up. But we were spread out again as we pulled into Carl’s to see how everyone was doing. It wasn’t till that stop that Double Time agreed to climb Goetz. So as soon as we were all ready we started back out onto Newport and over Murrieta.

Coyote and Double Time took off on us and rounded onto Goetz well before I got there. Digger went back to keep track of Tim and I finally caught the rest of the group at the stop light just before Normandy. We formed a double line as we started up the hill and I decided to latch onto Barracuda and Papillon. Of course there is no drafting Papillon but I held on as best as I could and on my back wheel over the first rise. He fell of just a bit and Barracuda started to pull away so I had to work to stay on Papillon’s back wheel. It did allow me to create a gap on everyone else and I finally had to let Barracuda and Papillon go on the second rise. I got to the top of the hill about 75 yards after the two leaders and dropped down the back side on Goetz to regroup at Ethernic.

As we started east on Ethernac we soon split a bit and Digger fell back with Tim and the rest of us moved onto Murrieta. I got the lead and took us around the corner onto Murrieta and headed south. I am never sure of the street name where we turn to head to Bradley. I made one false move to turn too early but corrected and got us to the cemetery road and headed east.

I was surprised at how fresh I felt after just climbing over Goetz and knowing we still had Hospital hill to deal with. I got us onto McCall and was leading as we rolled by the Valero station. This was not a good spot for me with Barracuda, Papillon and Coyote behind me heading the light at Antelope and then Hillpoint. But I caught the second light perfect and was in the right gear to pull all the way to the false flat when Papillon pulled up next to me. He let me crest the hill first and followed me down to Heritage where we regrouped once more. When we got to Lindenburger and Simpson Coyote left us and headed for home. We told Double Time he would have to pull us all the way to Winchester but he declined and I started us off and pulled till we got to Leon. First Barracuda pulled but David decided to take a turn and pulled us to Winchester. We headed north towards Stowe to have coffee at Winchester Farms and I happened to be leading till we had about 100 yards to go. Sasquatch sprinted by and I ramped it up to catch him only to have Barracuda draft off of me and roll by just before the corner. We pulled in for one final regroup and coffee. When we got ready to leave Double Time got away first and was halfway to California before we were even formed up to give chase.

However give chase we did and we started to reel in his lead and rounded the corner onto California and closed even more before we got to Stetson. We had him zeroed in before he got to Warren and David led us to the airport road before we worked our way to Sanderson and north to Leon. Barracuda led us around Lowes and out onto Acacia we followed him to Gilmore and north back to Florida and the parking lot at Burger King. We talked for a while at the vehicles before we all headed for our own homes. I will admit the hot shower felt real good after today’s fast pace ride and climb, at least fast for me.