By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Sometimes Monday morning riders are just to get us started. This was a different ride however because we knew it would be a small group because so many were sick, out of town or on vacation. In fact I thought it might be just Quicksilver, Digger and me. I did get a text saying Susan would be joining us so it looked like we might have a group of two and two. I headed for Burger King with that in mind. Digger was there as I expected and Quicksilver arrived with Susan as I expected. What I didn’t expect was that Huntress would join us on a Monday. It looked like the Bling Team was in the majority at first. Dan drove up evening the odds and we got ready to leave for Railroad Canyon. Picture 07

As we pulled out of the parking lot we were joined by MacGyver giving me some relief I thought in pulling the group. We headed south on Gilmore and making the light for a change and I followed MacGyver and Susan to Acacia and then to Kirby. As we turned south towards Cypress I settled into the middle of the group and planned on staying there. I forgot my camera today so any pictures I took would be when we were stopped and I could use my phone. I followed the group out onto Johnston and then we got the light green at Sanderson and I did get the jump on the group to Stetson and then to Mustang where we were joined by shooter just before we got onto Domenigoni and headed west. I pulled briefly and then gave it over to Quicksilver and MacGyver. The group stayed together pretty well until after the dry wash where Shooter took over and the group split into two parts. I had Susan and Digger and then we picked up Dan at Winchester. I pulled them to the saddle for a regroup and a snack.

Our next stop would be at Carl’s Junior before heading west towards Goetz and the climb through Railroad Canyon. Once again as we started west I had the lead and got us most of the way past Murrieta before Shooter took off trying to get a trophy on the segment to Goetz. It looked like the wind might have been against him because he looked like he backed down before Goetz and then waited for us. I got to the foot of Railroad Canyn just behind MacGyver and started up the first hill with him. I decided t see if I could stand up all the way to the first stop light and managed to do just that. I got all the way to the light at Stater Brothers before Shooter ran me down. He fell back to ride with MacGyver and Quicksilver as I crested the last roller and headed down towards Lake Elsinore. Shooter pulled up next to me just before we turned to head into Mickey Ds for a coffee break.

We all rested and had a snack or coffee before we headed back east through Railroad Canyon. Huntress, Shooter and I started out last and missed the light. We managed to catch Digger before the top of the hill by the Fire Department. Shooter pulled away from us and headed after MacGyver and Dan. I took Huntress and Digger the top of the last hill were Quicksilver was waiting. We then headed for Murrieta and three of us set up a rotating pace line. By the time we crossed Murrieta we were losing Digger but we could see Susan and Quicksilver was zeroed in on running her down. We caught Susan at Bradley and she joined us in the pace line till we got to Menifee were Shooter was waiting for us. He stayed with us till Lindenburger and then he went home. We crossed over the saddle and spotted a lone ride in the distance. Digger missed hooking up on the group and so he didn’t have the advantage of the pace line so he fell back as we crossed Leon and then Winchester. We were closing on the dot in the distance and shortly after crossing back over the dry wash I could see we would catch Dan before Sanderson. Quicksilver was pulling as we caught him and I got us to Sanderson before we headed for Burger King. We had turned directly into the wind and I was the only one with the steam to push through it. However there was a rattle coming from my drive train every time I ran over a rough part of the road. We finally got back to Lowes and then to Acacia were I led us to Gilmore and back to Burger King wondering what in the world that rattle could be. We pulled into the parking lot and talked about the ride for moments with the now dominate Bling Team.

I headed for home on Lyon and then Johnston trying to figure what was making the rattle. It still only happened when I ran over a rough patch of pavement. I would stop and check things adjust things but nothing seemed to work. Finally when I got home I put a change gage on the chain and found it to be completely stretched out. We it was time for a new chain I guess so I will work on my bike tomorrow.