By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I got up and looked outside to see a sky full of clouds and the temperature was hovering around 60 degrees. I had to be a arm and leg warmer day and maybe even a mid weight base layer. Yes I know 60 degrees is not cold by most standards but it is a drastic change in our weather. So I had breakfast and dressed warm and headed for the parking lot to see who was going to join me. Digger was already getting coffee when I arrived and Dragon Slayer was just driving up. Bloodhound joined us after a long absence and Highlander followed a moment later. I was surprised to see MacGyver pull up right after Menotaur. A new rider, Art, pulled up and said he wanted to join us. Tax Man drove up and Sasquatch got there just as we were getting ready to leave. Gambler got there while Tax Man was getting ready and we all headed down Gilmore to start the day.

Bloodhound started out a bit hot but no one bothered to chase him as we all talked while heading to Acacia and then south on Kirby. We were still cruising as we turned on Cypress and headed through the housing tract towards Johnston. By then Minotaur had picked it up and was closing on Bloodhound as he got to Johnston and headed over to Sanderson where we caught the light. As the light turned Bloodhound took off again and headed for Stetson. He was long gone by the time we rounded the corner and I ended upp pulling us to first the airport and then to Warren. As we crossed Warren Minotaur picked things up and we got ready to head for California.

It was after we turned onto California that the fun began. Minotaur was out front when Sasquatch rolled by and tried to make a break away. He was successful as he turned onto Stowe and we started to reel him in. Minotaur once again took off as we caught Sasquatch but we ran him down just as Gambler and MacGyver rolled by me. I finally got on the Gambler train right behind MacGyver as we headed for Winchester Farms. I got by MacGyver but didn’t close on Gambler. Just before the parking lot on Winchester Art got by me and pulled up behind Gambler. We had to wait to regroup because the group was split up over a quarter of a mile.

Once we had all laughed about the effort on Stowe we got ready to head south on Winchester with Blood Hound, Highlander and Dragon Slayer taking us past the dump road and past Chris’s before catching the light at Simpson.

The next part of the ride was going to be long and it seemed it would be a fast move south and then east. MacGyver was leading us to Domenigoni and we waited at the light to take a run at State Street. I started us off as we made the light but soon Bloodhound had the lead followed by Gambler. I was sitting in third and I was determined not to get dropped. Looking behind me I could see Highlander, MacGyver, Dragon Slayer and Art all in line. I held on at about 23 mph as we got to the dry wash and some of the group fell back a bit. As we past Warren I was forced out of line and had to fall behind Bloodhound as we headed for Sanderson and then a regroup at Searl. I got us down to State Street and Bloodhound started us north towards Chambers. Soon we were lining up for a sprint, something we haven’t done for a while, and I was getting boxed in. I had to make a break early and rocketed out about two thirds of the way over the rise where Art and Gambler blasted by me. We then worked our way over to Stetson and started east. We decided to stay on Stetson and ride over the bump to Fairview. Both Sasquatch and Bloodhound took off on us and were long gone by the time we rolled by Lake. All we had to do next was regroup on Fairview and the game would be on with a sprint on Fairview and a hard run up to Cranston. As we waited for Digger everyone started to make plans on what they would do once the sprint started. I think some expected a slow roll Track Start and I could also see I was going to be cannon fodder once the sprint started. I rode back to Stetson to look for Digger and realized I was uphill from the group and they were not looking in my direction. So I got a running start headed for Florida while everyone was still sitting on the side of the road. I made the turn onto Florida and headed east towards Cranston. I almost made it to the trees before Art caught me followed by Gambler. MacGyver caught me thirty yards later but he had burned too many matches and I was able to recover on his wheel and pass him just before Cranston. Once we were all back together we headed for Carl’s and even that turned into a drag race. We stopped for coffee before heading back west towards Burger King.

I ended up flatting as we pulled back out onto New Chicago and many had to leave. Dragon Slayer, Highlander, Tax Man, Digger and Minotaur stayed with me and we made short work of Lincoln as we turned onto park. Digger headed for home and five of us pounded our way to Devonshire and then Santa Fe before heading for home on Latham. I left the group at Lyon and stopped to get some new cleat covers before going home myself. It turned out to be a great day for a flat ride. I got to play two days this week.