By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Tour de Palm Springs Just about every year our group is committed to riding the TDPS. We almost always have new and first time century riders at this event and this year was no different. We trained for three weeks with our new riders and got ready for the Century with an easy two rides the week of the TDPS. Some us went to the vendor show on Friday and then planned for the 4:30 am car pool from Starbucks to Palm Springs. When we got there weld we were told we couldn’t use the over flow parking lot for the resort. It really didn’t matter because we were early enough that we found street parking only about a block away from our planned starting point on Alejo and Indian Canyon. Digger, Quicksilver and I were in one vehicle with Dragon Slayer and Macgyver in another. Sea Lion drove himself as did Sasquatch and Daredevil. Highlander rode down with his grandson, Eric, and our new team manager Randi. Huntress was already staying in Palm Springs. We didn’t know that Bulldozer and Gambler were driving down as well and Phil came down with his family in support. Highlanders nephew, Ivan, and his daughter, Christine, came down as well as did one of Ivan’s friends, Doug. It was a pretty good group for our little cycling tribe. We took some time to get ready and we started discussing the ride and making our plan of attack, or maybe Quicksilver was planning on how she was going to dust me on the climbs and was enlisting two A riders in a conspiracy.

It was still dark and we were waiting for Huntress to pick up her wrist band so we still had time to pace and wonder if it would warm up enough to shed jackets. There is always to methods to getting ready for rides like this. Over dress and stay warm in the beginning but overheat and wish for the SAG vehicle by the first SAG stop or tuff it out and start out cool and let the workout of the first climb warm you up. Quicksilver, Dragon Slayer, Ivan, Christine, Highlander and Huntress fall into the first Group while MacGyver, Daredevil, Sasquatch and I were willing to start out on the cool side.

It was finally time for us to start rolling and we got to Alejo and Indian Canyon just as the Motorcycles led the first of the 100 mile rides around the corner. The ride down Indian Canyon was starting out pretty easy and we slowly started to get up to Speed. Dragon Slayer and Digger soon pulled out to the front and the rest of us followed a few yards back. We were soon joined by a side wind that is very typical for Palm Springs early in the morning. It seemed a bit stiffer than last year but it was nowhere near what it had been two years ago. Still if you didn’t pay attention you could find yourself in the dirt. Quicksilver and Huntress quickly moved up to the off wind side of some of us to keep from taking the full brunt of the wind. There stayed there till we turned into the teeth of the wind and headed north on Garnet. Sea Lion, Dragon Slayer and Sasquatch formed a wind wedge and helped pull the group to the freeway and over Wall Road to start the long Climb towards Dillon. As we made the turn where the road becomes Worsley we got some relief from the cut in the hill and when we came out of the cut the wind started to ease leaving only the long climb to Indian. Gambler, Daredevil and Bulldozer took the climb in stride while several of us followed as best as we could. Soon we spread out a bit and I found myself more or less alone for a while. Then I looked back and saw Huntress reveling in the climb. She caught me and then complained that her brake pad was dragging. We stopped to fix it only to discover it wasn’t the front brake and we had to stop again to adjust the rear. We were passed by MacGyver, Huntress and Dragon Slayer so once I got the rear brake adjusted I had to chase Quicksilver till she caught up to Huntress. Thank goodness the climb is steady and early in the ride.

I told Dragon Slayer and MacGyver to regroup us on Indian and wait till I had the entire group back together before the big downhill to Pierson. We had to wait for Christine and Ivan and of course Gambler, Bulldozer and Daredevil were long gone to the first SAG stop. Phil was concerned about cooling down so he headed for the SAG stop before Christine and Ivan caught us. Then Huntress and Quicksilver left to get a head start and once we were ready I started to give chase. I pulled up next to two riders on TT bikes and offered to work with them for the run down the hill. They weren’t interested and so I continued on by myself till Dragon Slayer and MacGyver joined me and we worked the hill passing a lot of the riders that went by us at the top of the hill. We didn’t catch Huntress till we got to the bottom of the hill and turned at the light. Finally we were pretty much all together as we were headed to the first SAG stop.

As I looked back at the group following me and see that everyone was having fun. This wasn’t just a ride we had to do but it was a ride we wanted to do together. What makes our group different is we are held together by friendship and a love of cycling. I almost believe we feed off of each other’s energy. But all I really know is they energize me. But I didn’t have that much time to think about things because before long the SAG stop was in front and it was time to hydrate and refuel. Well except for one girl from another group that couldn’t wait for a Port Potty to be open and decided to drop her shorts and relieve herself of some liquid waste right in front of Mother Nature and several hundred cyclists. But that is a story for another time. Daredevil, Gambler and Bulldozer decided to take MacGyver and Dragon Slayer with them after the SAG stop leaving the bulk of the group with me to cover the new riders. As soon as we had a chance we deposited our extra outer wear with Randi and collected the rest of the group, except for Phil who must have left early, we got ready to head out towards Hacienda.

As we started out we held together pretty well and my original plan was to keep the group together all the way to Dillon. We were doing pretty well till we past the last light before the climb where Hacienda heads towards Long Canyon. Quicksilver loves hills and this was no different. I was in a quandary because I didn’t want to let Quicksilver go off to Dillon by herself and I didn’t want to leave the group spread out behind me. There is a time when you have to trust the rest of the group to work together and I knew Sea Lion and Huntress were able to keep everyone rolling so I left with Quicksilver and admittedly looked forward to getting to Dillon myself. Quicksilver and I headed to Dillon and then the first of the rollers. As long as we were climbing Quicksilver was on my wheel like white on rice. However when we crested the first downhill she fell back a bit. Still she was doing at least 31mph at times till finally Huntress caught us and told me to go play. I found a rider from Oregon that seemed interested in drag racing and we headed for the Truck Stop flat out. We took a break at the truck stop where I got some extra vitamin I, (Motrin) and we headed towards the flat part of the ride and the next SAG stop. As we headed down 48th towards Jackson I looked back again I thought how nice the new club jerseys looked. Maybe more to the point Huntress and Quicksilver have become the bling brigade. Still we look distinctive and stylish at the same time.

The whole course had been changed at the last minute so the last three SAG stops were spaced pretty close together. Making it to Airport was still about the same even if it seemed longer than in years past. However having Huntress and Quicksilver setting the pace made short work of it and with Sea Lion and Sasquatch in the mix any head wind seemed hardly worth mentioning. The girls seemed to be feeding off of each other’s energy and soon were pulling away from the rest of the group. They stayed that way till we got to the Sherriff’s Station for the SAG. It was there we decided Randi should be our team manager.

When we got back on the road the girls once again started to pick up the pace and the new riders simply couldn’t keep up. This time we let them go and headed for Polk as a more relaxed pace with Sea Lion in the lead. Doug and I played in the front now and then as we were heading for 60th and another turn. We were getting close to the wall for the new riders and had to dial it back again as we came 60th and Harrison and noticed a lot of police action on the corner but at the time had no idea that a rider had been hit by a truck at that intersection. In ignorant bliss we rode a few hundred yards more before once again stopping to regroup before heading to the next sad stop.

By the time we got to the elementary school the girls were already there and already refreshed. As the rest of us refueled Huntress, Quicksilver and Sasquatch decided to hit the road. There would be no catching them so we took our time before getting back on the road ourselves and heading back out on the modified, by the organizers, course to go to Lowes. Once you make it to Lowes you can almost walk your bike to the start finish line. It is only 11 more miles and it is pretty flat. It is also energizing and it even caused Highlander to get the heading for the barn burst of speed as Sea Lion and I started the final push for the start and finish line.

It didn’t take long to cove that last 11 miles and we were soon turning off of Dinah Shore onto El Ceilo road. There was almost a magnetic pull as we headed for Baristo road and turned again. We were catching and passing far less enthusiastic riders that had passed us earlier. By the time we turned onto Caballeros I felt as fresh as we had when we started the ride. I took the lead on Tahquitz and finally over Indian Canyon to the last turn onto Palm Canyon and the rest of the group. Within a few minutes the rest of our group arrived including Christine and Eric who finished their first century in less than 7 hours riding time. We got out T-shirts and headed back to the cars to load up and head for home. To a degree I was still pumped from the ride but I was looking forward to a shower and dinner to replenish some of the 5000 calories I burned today. I also felt a warm glow for getting to ride with such a fine group of people. We will have to do this again.