By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I most often look forward to Monday because my legs are rested, I had more sleep and I have had more time to think about where I want to ride. So what I wanted to do was finish a ride that was cut short last Monday. I got a cut tire on three climbs plus Bautista and didn’t get to do Bautista or Cranston. I even dreamed about the ride and so I was annoyed when I could hear this buzzing sound in my ear thinking it was my derailleur. The buzzing turned out to be my alarm clock and I say up rather groggy to turn it off and consider what I would wear to the parking lot today. I even left the hose early and put in four extra miles getting to the parking lot. I got there just before Digger and got coffee. We stood there for the longest time talking thinking it was just going to be the two of us. Finally Tax Man arrived and then Shooter and his son. Ray1 and Socrates finished off the group by 9:05 when I decided Quicksilver was a no show. We left the Parking lot and headed out on Latham to Lyon before heading south towards Johnston.

I was out front leading with Shooter and his son close behind and I had no idea how I was going to do when we picked up the pace. We made it past Johnston and moved on to Stetson and waited at the light till we could cross the street and head for Thornton. Tax Man let me know he wasn’t planning on climbing through Bautista Canyon. Still he was staying near the front as we turned on Thornton and made our way over to State Street. We crossed State and headed to Buena Vista and then by the golf course. We were on our way to Santa Fe to make the turn to Stetson and east.

Once we got up to Stetson and headed east we picked up Jackal and towed him with us to Columbia and the turn to Thornton and over to Crest Street. I thought Digger and Ray1 were going to stay on Stetson but they followed us onto Crest and then Zig Zaged all the way over to Lake Street where I found myself alone with Shooter and Logan. We headed for Stetson again so we could turn towards Fairview.

Shooter took over pulling duty on Stetson and pulled us all the way to Fairview were we waited to regroup before heading up to Bautista and turned left to start the climb. Shooter pulled Logan, me and Jackal to the first big right turn and towards the dam. When he stood to go over the hill at the dam I followed and Jackal and Logan fell off. I got around Shooter as he slacked off to go back and get Logan and Jackal but once he had Logan in tow Jackal fell off. Shooter coaxed Logan back up to me as we entered the trees just before the last three little climbs. I geared back and dropped in on Logan while Shooter pulled away on the first climb. By the second Climb I had recovered enough to get by Logan and take off after Shooter. I didn’t catch him but we were still in sight of each other when we reached the end of the road.

We were several minutes ahead of Jackal so we talked to one of the guards from the honor farm as he watched a road crew cleaning up the side of the road while we waited. Still as good as I had felt during the climb I wasn’t sure it was one of my best runs up the hill. Finally Jackal showed up and he thought that Digger and Ray1 had turned back. We knew Tax Man had left us but I also was pretty sure Digger would make the climb sooner or later. Sure enough they finally joined us as we discussed heading back down the hill and heading to Cranston Station. Once it was decided we would be extending the ride we talked the guard into taking our picture and headed back down the hill.

As we headed back down the hill Shooter, Logan, Jackal and Socrates took off as a group. It turned into one of the longest chases I have had to make getting down the hill. I caught Socrates first about half way down and zeroed in on Logan and Jackal by the time we reached the white wooden fence. I was right behind them at the dam and got by them when Jackal dropped his water bottle. I then pulled Logan to Fairview and he pulled me to Stetson. I got to Florida first and headed towards Cranston when I noticed Shooter behind me. He had been waiting on Mayberry when I rolled by. Once he pulled by I got on his wheel and he pulled me to Cranston. We stayed and talked till everyone but Jackal arrived. It turned out Jackal headed for home on Stetson. Shooter and Logan decided to head for home while Digger, Ray1 and I went to Carl’s for coffee. Socrates lives off of Fairview so he didn’t come with us. After coffee three of us headed back towards Park and then over to Devonshire where Digger left us. Ray1 and I rode back to Palm and separated at Acacia. I got home a few minutes later and fatigue sat in as I had lunch and got ready to take my wife shopping. It was a great day for a ride.