By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) There are times when you just have to let Friday be Friday and go with the flow as they say. I don’t know how many Fridays I have posted an easy ride for and said it would be an easy ride. The problem is people seem to be extra frisky on Fridays and today was absolutely no different. I got ready for the ride today and headed for Burger King ready for whatever the group the group wanted to do. I left the house a bit early to slowly build up my legs rather than hit the road running like I did Wednesday. By the time I had worked my way back to Florida and Lyon I noticed a rider about 50 yards in front of me that looked very familiar. I didn’t see him pull into the parking lot so I rode down to Gilmore and saw him heading into the Hemet Mall. Sure enough I got close enough to see it was Rocket. It has been at least a year and a half since he had been on a ride with us and I was overjoyed to see him today. I rode back to Burger King with him and we joined Digger for coffee. We were still talking when Dragon Slayer, Sasquatch, Quicksilver, Steve, Huntress and Bloodhound arrived followed by Papillon. Red Rabbit was the last to arrive. Not a bad group considering many of the A riders were in Murrieta for the TDM TTs. At 9am we headed down Gilmore to Acacia and then south on Kirby to start the day.

It was no surprise to me that Bloodhound started pushing the pace right off the bat. What was a surprise was that just about everyone decided to give chase as we turned onto Cypress and headed for Johnston. We were already running at close to 19 mph as we turned towards Sanderson and headed north back to Wentworth and west towards the airport. Bloodhound took us back out onto Stetson and towards Warren where were continued on towards California with Dragon Slayer and Quicksilver keeping the pace up.

As we got to California Bloodhound took the lead followed by Quicksilver. I was following along with Dragon Slayer on my wheel and Huntress right behind him and Dragon Slayer commented that Stowe was going to be a hard run today. We decided to work together and see if we could challenge Bloodhound and Papillon for the sprint to Winchester Farms but we forgot about team Bling. About 100 yards before the steel barn Dragon Slayer made his move and Huntress told Quicksilver to jump out and go after him. Then Huntress blocked me in and I thought I was toast but I managed to get out and onto Dragon Slayer’s wheel so we could make the Stowe Sprint in first and second. (Take that team Bling!) We regrouped and got ready for Winchester.

Things would get even more interesting as we took off and headed south towards Domenigoni. Papillon started us off and slowly built us speed as we headed to Ninth Street. By the time we crossed the Railroad tracks I thought we would be fractured by most of the group was still with us. In fact when we got to the stop light on Domenigoni all of the riders were in the turn lane for the green. Bloodhound started us east and soon it was a lead group with Bloodhound, Papillon, Huntress, Quicksilver, Dragon Slayer, Steve and me. I tried to sprint past Papillon going over the dry wash but he came back on me at the top of the bridge and he and Bloodhound broke off and took the lead as Dragon Slayer and I picked up Steve, Huntress and Quicksilver before giving chase. Steve had to leave at Sanderson and we decided to regroup and wait at Searl for the rest of the group. Once back together we headed for State Street and crossed onto Gibble to begin the climb for the day.

I had posted that anyone not wishing to make the climb could bypass it or wait for us to come back down. But mostly everyone decided to take a shot at the climb. Papillon and Bloodhound were waiting as I got to the top but soon Dragon Slayer and Huntress joined me followed by Quicksilver.

As we were waiting to see who else was still climbing Scott pulled up in his truck and pointed out his house at the top of the hill. We were talking to him when Sasquatch and Digger joined us and we decided to get a a group picture before heading back down the Hill.

We dropped back down the hill like a rock slide and made our way back to State Street and then made our way to Chambers with me losing another sprint to Papillon. We turned onto Chambers and road the cobbles to the Golf Course and onto Buena Vista and a turn on Thornton. We turned again on Santa Fe and headed east on Stetson before dropping Rocket off on his street so he could go home for lunch.

We made the turn onto Columbia and worked our way through the old houses to Lake and back to Stetson. Dragon Slayer and I drafted Bloodhound all the way to Fairview for one last regroup. Dragon Slayer and I followed Bloodhound to the speed sign and I jumped out to sprint over the bridge only to have Dragon Slayer sling shot by me as if he had a jet assist. We then continued on to Florida and back to Carl’s for Coffee. Papillon continued on with Quicksilver and Huntress as they were headed for home and Dragon Slayer, Digger, Sasquatch and I rode home on Lincoln to Park to head for Devonshire with Rabbit in tow.

Dragon Slayer, Rabbit, Sasquatch and I made it back to Latham and headed for Burger King crossing State where Sasquatch tossed a chain. He got it back on and we made our way to the parking lot and headed for our respective homes. I was a bit tired but satisfied that I had put in a good effort for the day and feeling blessed to have the friends I have and a cycling group I can call friends.