By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Finally the weather is changing and we had a predicted warm day. As has become my new tradition I planned a short and sweet little ride to Juniper Flats and back to Winchester. I had decided to divide the group into a clear A and B group and let the chips fall where they may. I dressed with a jersey and no base layer for about the first time this year and headed for Burger King. I got to the parking lot first and had my coffee when Digger arrived. Not long after we started talking Bloodhound and Pony Express pulled followed by Daredevil and Mark. Quicksilver pulled up about the same time as Surgeon, Jackal and Highlander got there before Tax Man and Sasquatch. We all had to wait for Newsboy before we could leave the parking lot and head over to Lyon and head north. Not a bad group for a Monday.

By the time we got to Fruitvale Daredevil took the lead and started t pull away with Quicksilver on his wheel like a trailer. Bloodhound, Newsboy and Pony Express went with them and I fell back to make sure the B group stayed together. we were still within sight when we turned onto Ramona Boulevard and got about halfway to Sanderson when Highlander got a flat.

Surgeon came back to join us and once the tire was repaired we headed west again. I started us out slowly with Surgeon, Sasquatch and Jackal right behind me. Highlander and Tax man were not far behind. What I didn’t realize was that Digger had followed the A group west on the Expressway and was way in front of us. We pulled up to the expressway and realized there was no way we could catch up to the A group so we just settled into a casual pace line and headed west.

We changed leads several times after we got to Bridge street and I felt rather relaxed as we rolled along at a steady 21 Mph into a light headwind and I felt even better when Sasquatch was leading. After two rotations Mark was leading us to Hansen and a regroup at the closed little store. We took a short break and then headed south towards our meeting with Juniper Flats.

We got all the way to the stop sign before I realized we didn’t have Digger with us. I quickly called him only to discover he was halfway up the hill before we even got started. We had a very long chase in front of us. I started up the hill with Mark and Surgeon right behind me. Jackal fell back with Highlander, Tax Man and Sasquatch and we crest Ed t first little hill and headed for the second. I picked the pace up a bit as we crested the second hill and Surgeon fell back but Mark stayed with me turn for turn. I pushed us over the last hill and was explaining where the segment ended when Jackal rolled by me only three seconds after I finished the segment. He stopped at the stop sign and I rolled by and took the last hill just before he got back to me. We took a short break to regroup and got ready to attack the downhill.

As we started down the back side of Juniper I realized Jackal was a mad man on the downhill. Before we got to the last turn he flew by me and if he would have known the hill better would have beat me to the corner where we had to turn. We then worked our way to Florida and Highlander led us towards Briggs and south to the housing tract and finally over to Grand. Surgeon started us off and then Sasquatch took over till we closed on Leon. Then Jackal got in front and took us to the beginning of the D-V-V sprint. As Jackal ramped it up Mark started around on the outside and I pulled out of the draft and started my spin with Mark staying right with me. I only think I pulled away because I had the better gear and he was spun out and fell off just before the flag. Jackal and Sasquatch were right behind us and we cruised the rest of the way to Winchester. I started us north towards Stowe and led most of the way before Sasquatch once again made a run for it. Only Jackal gave chase and I was more than happy to let them go. We did find Digger waiting for us. Once again we just missed the A group but we had coffee before heading for home ourselves.

We moved smoothly down Stowe to California and then turned to Stetson and east to home. Things went well until we rolled by Warren and Sasquatch jumped out of my draft and headed for the airport road. I got caught in the wrong gear and couldn’t hold him off but all that really happened was we ended up with a whole series of sprints from Sanderson back to Burger King. Sasquatch left us at Kirby while the rest of us headed for the parking lot and then home. Even as two groups it was a great day for a ride.