By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) There is never a normal Friday bike ride. I can post whatever I want but the ride will develop itself so you just might as well go with the flow. It also was a day when I couldn’t predict the weather at all. It had been hot both Monday and Wednesday and this morning it was just shy of arm warmer cool. I also knew we would have fewer riders today because Digger was at a conference and Quicksilver was painting a room. So I got up, had breakfast and headed for the parking lot. As I was predicting we had a small group of about eight as 8am rolled around and only half of the Bling Team with Huntress being the last to arrive. We headed down Gilmore to Acacia and true to form Bloodhound started out faster than the group seemed willing to follow. But before we got to Kirby Erik and Minotaur were with Bloodhound heading for the light. The rest of us followed at our own pace.

Our own pace picked up as we turned south on Kirby and we were rolling along at a pretty good clip when we got to Cypress. I rode next to Highlander about 50 yards behind Erik and Minotaur and 100 yards behind Bloodhound. I expected to catch then at the light on Johnston and Sanderson but even that turned green before we got there. We chased Minotaur, Erik and Bloodhound past Wally World and only caught them at the light on Mustang. We stayed together pretty well till we turned onto Domenigoni and formed a pace line. While the line was forming Bloodhound and Erik pulled away buy I got the group back up to them just as Erik took over at the front. Bloodhound got back in front after Warren and got past back before Winchester. Bloodhound was pulling as we past Leon and I pulled around to give Erik a break just before we hit the saddle. To my surprise Centaur started the sprint blocking me in and we followed by several other riders before we got to the top and regrouped.

Things started to pick up again as we moved down the back side of the saddle and headed for Lindenburger. Once again Bloodhound and Minotaur started out rather quickly taking Erik and Highlander with them. I was a bit concerned when Highlander tried to merge into the left turn lane and two cars came up rather quickly behind him. But he made it and we were pointed south on Menifee and headed for Holland.

This time I stayed with Centaur as Bloodhound, Erik and Bill pulled away from us. I had no intention of getting blocked in on Revive. Minotaur pulled up on us indicating he planned to challenge for the climb. Centaur missed a shift and I hit the climb first. As I started to pull away I noticed Minotaur was coming after me and he got pretty close till his rockets burned out about 50 yards from the top of Revive. But still Bloodhound, Bill and Erik we long gone as we got over the climb. We had a short regroup before Minotaur started us south on Menifee and past Garboni. Minotaur once again tried to drop the hammer and ride me off of his wheel but I was stuck like glue and simply waited till we hit the rise before going around him and heading for Scott with Huntress chasing me. As we turned west on Scott I let everyone reform a pace line and pulled them to Antelope and through the light going over the freeway. Highlander pulled by me and took Minotaur and Surgeon with him to Haun. They rounded the corner and headed north about 25 yards in front of me and once again Minotaur took off. Surgeon went after him just as he got by Highlander. I chased them down and dropped in on Minotaur’s wheel. When his pace dropped off I finally got by him and made it to Holland and Haun about ten yards in front.

We regrouped at Circle K and Highlander continued on without us. After some rehydration we headed west on Newport and turned north on Bradley. I fell back to talk with Huntress and Centaur while Surgeon and Minotaur made a run on Bradley’s Golf Cart Racing segment. We turned east on McCall and rode together towards Hospital Hill. I pulled away after Hillpoint and could just see Surgeon cresting the hill. Centaur rolled by me after the crest and we regrouped on McCall and Menifee. Minotaur took us through the park and the little lake as we moved towards Lindenburger and Simpson.

As we turned east on Simpson Bloodhound, Eric and Minotaur took off before we could form a pace line and we never closed on then as they headed towards Winchester. I took us onto Leon and over to Winchester to regroup at Winchester Farms. Huntress and Bloodhound headed for home while the remainder of us took a break before heading for home ourselves. Minotaur made a hard run at Stowe and I didn’t catch him till we were almost to California. He then attacked again on California and beat me to Stetson where I attacked back and left him on my way to Warren. Surgeon went home on Warren and we lost Centaur at the airport when I stayed on Stetson. Minotaur and I parted ways at Johnston where I headed for home and got ready for a long quiet weekend. https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=B111US756D20140811&p=huey+lewis+couple+days+off