By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Once again it was my play day, Wednesday is a day I take off my mirror and do my own ride. And today was another flat thirty-eight miles with some of the A group. At least I was pulling for the A group to show up. I would lead the B group but I would be pushing them all day. I had breakfast, got dressed and headed off to the parking lot to get ready for a Backwards Soboba ride. Digger and News Boy were already there as I pulled up. I got some coffee and we waited to see who else would arrive. Minotaur rode up just before MacGyver and Tax Man. Gambler and Bulldozer pulled up about the same time as Siren. Metric Man came down from Beaumont. The last to pull up were Bandit and Shooter who quickly got ready so we could head south on Gilmore to Acacia.

It was almost a perfect morning. It was warm and clear and as we turned on Acacia there was almost no wind. I had an easy time leading us on Acacia to Kirby and sat at the light with everyone till we turned south again and headed for the railroad tracks. It took me a while to get in front of Metric Man and his new disk equipped Trek but I did and led everyone onto Cypress and west through the housing tract towards Johnston. Once again we rolled up to a red light and I waited with Metric Man till we could turn south on Sanderson and head for Stetson.

As we rolled by Stetson and Wally World it may have been the last completely organized part of the ride. I was still out front and we moved towards Mustang but I could almost feel the tension behind me building as we rolled by the High School and caught the light on Domenigoni green. Once through it Bulldozer took off and past me followed a short time later by News Boy. The rest of the group stayed with me till we got to Searl where I can only assume Bulldozer and New Boy had turned. The A group headed for Seven Dollar hill and Metric Man got in front and pulled us to State before I took over again and headed for McSweeney. Once again I have to make and assumption because it was at State and Domenigoni I lost Tax Man so I believe he left us there. I got Siren, Metric Man and Digger through McSweeney and back out onto State where we headed north and looked to see if the A group was heading our way. Once we saw them we made a run for Chambers. Siren past me at the mobile home park and I had to chase her all the way to Thornton to make her turn towards Buena Vista and then Santa Fe where the A group caught us. Siren and I drafted them till we got to Stetson and San Jacinto where they stopped to wait for Bulldozer and Minotaur. Another two not heard from till after the end of the ride. They sent siren and I on and promised to catch us by Fairview. Siren and I pushed ourselves with the thought that they would be running up on us any moment. Still we got to Fairview first and regrouped for the ride north. Siren made a run at “not the Fairview mile” but started late so she will have to do better next time. We got water at the fire station where Digger past us with still no sign of Minotaur. We caught Digger on Ramona and headed for Lake and the over pass.

I followed Gambler to Lake and headed to Soboba with the group. I pulled around and got us to the light and started towards the golf course where I decided to wait for Siren. Shooter pulled her up to me and then he took off after MacGyver after the trees. Siren couldn’t hold my wheel so I closed on Shooter and MacGyver and tried to help them close on the lead A riders. We did close some distance but not enough to catch them so we pulled up to state a moment or two after them. We waited till Siren caught us and then the A Group decided they had to leave.

Once the A group was on its way Siren and I waited for Digger and then we rode down State to Ramona and back to Carl’s on New Chicago and Florida. We only took time to grab a cool drink before heading back to Lincoln and made the turn towards Park. Digger left us when we jogged over to Devonshire so Siren and I rode back to Santa Fe together and then down to Latham for the final turn heading to Pep Boys and Burger King. Siren loaded up her car and I rode home for lunch and a hot shower. It was a good play day.