By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I almost always look forward to Monday mornings. I am more rested and so more interested in the ride. Today was no different because we had a great ride planned and the weather looked almost perfect. I even decided not to wear arm or leg warmers today as I got dressed and headed for the parking lot. I got to the parking lot first and had just enough time to dismount before Digger pulled up. I went on to get coffee and came out to see who would be joining us. I didn’t have long to wait because everyone showed up within minutes of each other. Digger decided he needed a head start so he left at about 8:45 and we followed just a bit after 9:00am. Dragon slayer and Magic Man were there along with Highlander and Tax Man. Shooter and Quicksilver drove up giving us eight riders not counting a fleeing Digger. We left the Pep Boys drive way and headed for Lyon planning on giving chase to digger.

I didn’t have a clue as to how fast Digger might be going but I had planned a 15 MPH half century for the day and pulled us north accordingly. Somewhere before Fruitvale Dragon Slayer took the lead and pulled us all the way to Esplanade where we caught the light red and waited for a car to trip the light. Once on our way Dragon Slayer and Magic Man started the pull again and I took it back just before Ramona Boulevard and turned us west.

Shooter came by and took the lead heading west towards Sanderson and I fell to the back to follow the group most of the way to the corner. I rounded the corner and pulled up to the light at the Expressway to be joined by the rest of the group. Quicksilver asked if I was going to pulled to Warren so she could draft me and so I took the lead and got us to Warren where once again Dragon Slayer took the lead and then turned it over to Shooter. Shooter got us all the way to Lakeview and we stopped to regroup and I was told that Tax Man had left us and headed for home. Magic Man had to leave as well so we all headed for the rollers in front of Lake Perris and set our sights on getting to Starbucks of Mickey Ds for a potty break.

We got back on the road and made our way over to Perris Boulevard and headed south. Quicksilver pulled for the next few blocks after we made the light. Shooter took the lead for the next few blocks and kept the pace up so we were averaging close to 18 MPH up to this point. When Dragon Slayer took over again we got to the bridge before City Hall and the Library and caught the next few lights red.

We slowed things down a bit for traffic and waited at 4th street for a green light. All we needed to do at this point was get down to Case and make a left turn so we could get to Goetz. I always have liked this ride because the back side of Goetz hill is shorter and steeper than the front so it gets your heart going and blood pumping from the start of the hill at the light just past Ethanic all the way to the top. After we get to the top you have about 3.5 miles downhill to get to Newport. It almost makes it worth the pain of the climb. At least that is what I was thinking as we got close to Ethanic.

We caught the light at Ethanic and got a long look at the hill in front of us. I started to picture myself climbing the hill and wanted to push it for the first time this year. When the light changed I started to gear up and get a nice pace going while pulling away from the group. But just as I got to the next little stop light it turned red and I had to stop. I sat there demoralized about making a timed run at the hill only to have Dragon Slayer snicker at me as he took the intersection on a roll. I chased him for the next 150 yards and finally got by when he shifted. However Rooster was on my wheel and soon rolled by me and headed for the top. Dragon Slayer never gave up trying to catch me and I could see Shooter starting to get out of the saddle and attacking the hill. He caught and passed me about 50 yards before the top and I managed third with Dragon Slayer making forth and Quicksilver making fifth. Quicksilver’s downhill phobia made her the last to arrive at Newport but she was back near the front heading to Murrieta. We still hadn’t found Digger but we figured we would see him by the time we got to Hospital Hill. It didn’t happen however and Rooster got another flat. We all rode through the houses on Heritage and out onto Simpson. Dragon Slayer and I took turns pulling all the way to Winchester and started north. I took the last pull to Stowe and we stopped briefly only to see that Digger wasn’t there. We then headed for home on Stowe.

It had been a good ride up to this point and it was also about as nice of a day as it could have been. In fact Quicksilver kept saying she couldn’t believe we had done about 40 miles and said she could do 40 more. I guess she was more than ready for a Century and the predicted weather was going to be close to what we had today.

We didn’t rush things as we got to California and followed Shooter, Dragon Slayer and Highlander to Stetson. Quicksilver pulled Rooster and I back to Warren where I took over and pulled them up to the other three at the light on Cawston. We rode as a group to Sanderson and then turned north to Lowes and Acacia. I got us back to Gilmore and followed Highlander back to the parking lot. Finally we found Digger waiting for us. Fifteen minutes was obviously too much time for us to make up with a flat tossed in. But it was a great day for a ride with friends.