By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Friday was here at last and I put together another new ride with some climbing to get us used to it. I may have to cut back next week but for now the group is taking the rides in stride. I am getting used to my new chain rings and felt pretty good about pushing myself today. So I had a good breakfast before getting dressed and heading to Burger King for coffee and to wait for the group to form. Digger and I were talking as Siren drove up followed by Huntress. It was a good start for the Bling Team. Bloodhound, Gambler and MacGyver rode up followed by Ferret and Quicksilver. News Boy got there as Shooter drove up and Earth Dog was unloading his car. It was a good group for a Friday and we were ready to go right about 9am. It was a quick trip out onto Gilmore and south towards Acacia.

I had no intention of leading the group today and was more than willing to let Bloodhound take off first and take us to Acacia and west. The problem was he was way out in front and nobody was following him to Kirby. Luckily he got caught by the red light at Kirby and we pulled up to him while he waited for a green. Once the light changed Bloodhound was off like a shot and soon a good fifty yards in front of the rest of us as we headed to Cypress and then headed west towards Johnston.

Bloodhound rounded the corner onto Johnston well ahead of the rest of us and made the light. The problem was he made a left turn and headed for Stetson and when we got to Sanderson we went through the Industrial park before finding him waiting for us at the light on Cawston. He started pulling us as we came around the corner and took us to Warren where the lead changed again and I took over just as we got to California and headed for Stowe.

As we got to Stowe Quicksilver started to pull away and gapped the rest of the group. To be honest I think she was surprised that the group seemed willing to let her get away and I kept watching her look back to see who was chasing her. She slowed a bit and I pulled up next to her as we continued on towards Winchester. Pretty soon Ferret came up on our right with Bloodhound hooked to his back wheel and rolled on by. It took a minute more before Gambler, Shooter and MacGyver pulled up and formed a double pace line to pull the rest of us to the parking lot at Winchester farms. Once we were all together we sent digger on to be a rabbit and it looked like Huntress, Quicksilver and Earth Dog were going to join him. The rest of us took off after they got started and moved south towards the dump road. I noticed that Siren was trailing way behind us after getting a bad start and getting caught by passing cars so I said I would wait for her on the dump road and the rest of the A group took off after the rabbits. Except Shooter who had returned for Siren. Shooter pulled her up to me and then chased the rest of the group down. I had to chase hard trying to catch the Quicksilver led group of rabbits, more like Jack Rabbits than cotton tails but I was able to catch up to Digger and finally the rest of the group at Briggs. We were all at the light on Lindenburger together. Siren blew by the group as the light turned green and it took halfway to Menifee for Quicksilver and I to catch her after Gambler, Shooter and MacGyver pulled away. Ferret and Bloodhound were long gone by the time Quicksilver and I turned north on Menifee. We caught up to Shooter and MacGyver at McCall and chased them over the hill. Quicksilver was right behind me cresting the hill and not that far behind me getting down the front side and making it to the Chevron Station where everyone was waiting.

Things more or less broke up at this point. Siren had a call that caused her to return to the car. The A group was pressed for time so they were going to hammer it to Goetz before heading for home. I took Quicksilver, Earth Dog, Digger and Huntress north on Bradley and over to Murrieta only to head to Ethernac and over to Goetz. Now I decided to push my new chain rings to see how I would do on the back side of Goetz and down to Newport. I had a good spin going as we cruised to the first stop light where we got stopped and had to start up again. This time quicksilver wasn’t able to hold my wheel and fell back. Earth Dog was on my wheel and stayed there half way up Goetz. It was only when he shifted into a lower gear than I got away and gapped him. When I got to the steeper part of the hill I was still rolling along comfortably and I noticed Quicksilver was gaining on me and passing Earth Dog. By the time she gapped him I had crested and the threat was over because she hates long fast down hills. I got to Newport and waited for the rest of my small group. Once Huntress and Quicksilver pulled up they decided to head on up Rail Road Canyon towards the Stater Brothers parking lot. Huntress decided she wasn’t up to more climbing and headed for home. Later I learned she had been picked up by some of the A group and escorted home. I took Quicksilver to Carl’s Junior and we had a cold drink waiting for Earth dog and Digger. A quick break later and we were headed for Holland and Murrieta to start home ourselves.

We stayed together till we got to the Saddle where Quicksilver and I pulled away and headed for Winchester by ourselves. We were about half a mile ahead of Earth dog who had slowed from the repeated exertions of climbing and hadn’t caught his stride at the saddle. I pulled past Winchester and to Warren before turning the lead over to Quicksilver and letting her pull to Sanderson where we waited for Earth Dog before making the run to Lowes and then onto Acacia and home. I headed for home after watching the other two load their cars. It was a bit late for a Friday and I may have to tune back the climbing next week and give everyone a rest.