By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) It was another beautiful morning and another great start of the week. Monday’s have turned into our easy warm up day so we had a relatively flat reverse McCall ride planned. The only thing keeping it from being a Disney morning for me was my legs were sore. I don’t really know why I was so sore and tired because I rested almost all weekend. But it didn’t matter because I would rather ride than stay home and mope about life, pain and being tired so I headed to the parking lot to meet up with the group. We were going to be a bit light on riders with several staying home for family duties and doctor appointments but I was determined to ride even if I were the only one. As I pulled in Digger was just arriving. Tax Man and Surgeon were not far behind as was Bulldozer and MacGyver. For a bit of a surprise Robert joined us and filled out the group. Right at 8am we headed south on Gilmore and got caught at the light on Florida. When the light changed Bulldozer started to take off and at first MacGyver gave chase. Not that I didn’t want to but my legs were not telling me to follow so I stayed with the group on Acacia and headed south on Kirby to get to Cypress.

As we turned west on Cypress Bulldozer and MacGyver were fading in the distance. I pulled the rest of the group to Johnston and then out onto Sanderson to head south to Wentworth. We got the light red and were stuck behind a truck till it turned green. Once around the corner MacGyver rejoined the group and we headed for the airport. Tax Man pulled us to Stetson and then west to Warren. MacGyver then took over and got us to California Street and headed for Stowe.

I wasn’t looking forward to the run on Stowe because like it or not it turns into a sprint before the Winchester Parking lot and I did not think I was all that ready for a sprint. But sometimes you just have to hang in there and ride through the discomfort. So I followed MacGyver and Surgeon onto Stowe and headed west till MacGyver took over the pull and I dropped in on his wheel. I picked a gear I could turn comfortably and stayed with MacGyver till we got close to the metal barn and then started my sprint. MacGyver was up and sprinting before I cleared his cranks and we stayed wheel to wheel all the way to the Parking lot. It might not have been our best sprint ever but it was enough to let me know I could still push myself if I had to. Once we were all back together Tax Man started us south on Winchester. We followed him to the dump road. Considering the moderate pace we had been setting the group more or less stayed together as we closed in on the Wild West Bar and then spread out a bit.

I fell back a bit and brought the stragglers up to the front with the rest of the group by the time we got to Briggs. I took some time to talk with Robert at we got to the housing tract and cruised back to the light at Florida once again. As we moved north on Briggs Surgeon changed the route and turned onto the street at the elementary school. MacGyver was already on his way to Mapes so I stayed on Briggs and joined him to head back to Menifee. We made pretty good time and got back to the AM/PM just after Surgeon and the rest of the group. Our next challenge was the back side of McCall. MacGyver was in the front heading to the railroad tracks and I was in the back. As he picked up the pace I started to move forward and ended up behind him and Surgeon as he rounded the corner onto McCall and headed for the hill. MacGyver pulled Surgeon and I to the stop light and started to pull away when Surgeon shifted. I Hit it had and pulled in front but MacGyver didn’t give chase and I crested first. MacGyver and I got back together and dropped down to the gas station to wait for the rest of the group. To our surprise Surgeon took the rest of the group left at the light on Bradley. Both MacGyver and I headed for the end of McCall and back over to Cherry Hill before getting back to Bradley and started a long chase. We got down to Newport and headed east. We made our way to Haun and took the lane to cross over the freeway and head for Jack in the Box to see if the group had stopped for coffee. They were not there so the chase continued east. I think we caught every light red but soon we could see the saddle and at least to of the lead group. MacGyver took the pull from Menifee and got me to the saddle and halfway to the top. I then took over and we caught digger and then Robert before chasing down Surgeon and Tax man by Leon. Surgeon left us at Winchester so we waited for the last of the group to catch up and then headed for Warren road. Soon we were headed for Sanderson.

We were all back together on Sanderson and heading north as a group. We were cruising all the way to the light on Stetson and then to Johnson where Digger took Robert east towards Kirby and MacGyver, Tax Man and I headed for Lowes and around to Acacia before coming back to Kirby in front of Digger and Robert. I left Tax Man and Digger at Gilmore and pulled Robert back to his shop before heading for home myself. Yes I was tired and yes I needed a nap after lunch but I felt accomplished and glad I went for a ride.