By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) We have been trying to get in a ride to Idyllwild for at least three weeks but something always came up. It was either timing or bad weather so it was decided to just plan it for Wednesday and go no matter what. So it was posted that we would start on the east end and head for Mile High restaurant for and early lunch and come back down the hill. I left the house about 7:15am and headed to Menlo to join Digger and ride to Carl’s to meet the group. We got to Carl’s and decided to get some coffee and waited till Dragon Slayer drove up. He was followed by Gambler and Bloodhound. Hacker joined us for another ride while school is out and Anaconda arrived right after him. Once Quicksilver arrived we decided no one else was coming so we pulled out onto Florida and headed east. We were all riding along comfortably with Bloodhound way out front when we rolled by Fairview and Gambler told us that MacGyver was on his way. We had a pretty good head start on him but we also had new riders that had never made the climb before. Sometime before we came into the trees heading for Cranston Gambler said he was going to make a run at the hill and took off on us and quickly closed on Bloodhound with Hacker in tow. Dragon Slayer pulled up to Quicksilver and I picked up Anaconda and Digger as we came out of the trees and started the grade to Cranston. Dragon Slayer and Quicksilver waited for us to pull up to them at Cranston and I pulled by with Anaconda heading for the Jeep Trail. We got to the river bed when dragon Slayer pulled by me and started the pull. As we started to climb in earnest Anaconda and Digger fell back so I broke out and had Dragon Slayer t am up with Quicksilver as I tried to pull Anaconda up the hill. I had to fall back behind Anaconda to encourage her to just keep her own pace and find a gear she was comfortable with. Slowly we pulled away from Digger and only caught Dragon Slayer and Quicksilver when the stopped so Quicksilver could put on her gloves. Dragon Slayer and Quicksilver pulled away from us again and we had to follow them from some distance behind all the way to the turn out after Strawberry Creek. By then MacGyver had caught us and stopped with us to see how far back digger was and how far ahead Hacker was after falling off of the Gambler train.

After we started off again it didn’t take long for Quicksilver, MacGyver and Dragon Slayer to pull away from Anaconda and me. Digger had just got to the turn out as we left and I think he expected to catch us at Mountain Center. Anaconda had settled into a pace and I had to gear down to stay behind her. I couldn’t afford to get in front and pull because she would stop to take a picture at the 3000 foot marker and again at the 4000 foot marker. I stopped and waited for her and followed her till we got to the trees just before mountain center. I got in front and headed for the Welcome to Mountain Center sign with the altitude of 4444 on it. She was rather pleased to have reached that point.

We only had a short way to go to the turn towards Idyllwild and when I noticed Quicksilver and Dragon Slayer was gone I had us roll by and head up the hill. I could hear the disappointment in her voice as I told Anaconda she had another 5 miles to go. She said she would give it a try but wasn’t sure she was going to make it and with two miles to go she wanted to turn back except we could see the Idyllwild sign and that added new energy to her legs as we stopped once again to celebrate her first trip to the top of our hill.

We crested the hill and dropped down to Mile High Restaurant where we met everyone but Bloodhound and Digger. Bloodhound had already headed for home and Digger ran out of gas about two miles past Mountain center. He turned back as we had something to eat and some good conversation till Gambler and MacGyver left. Dragon Slayer< Quicksilver, Anaconda, Hacker and I headed back out onto the road and headed back towards Mountain Canter. The wind was in our face but Dragon Slayer and I made good time dropping down the hill to Mountain Center and waited for the rest of the group only to discover Anaconda had suffered a bee sting. Dragon slayer dispensed some Benadryl and we let Hacker go with Quicksilver and Anaconda with a considerable head start. It took us about two miles to pull in behind the lead three and we waited till we got to the Passing lane before rolling by and heading for Strawberry Shortcake turnout. Digger was waiting and we intended to let Anaconda and Quicksilver have another head start and sent Digger down the hill with them. This time we had Hacker with us and it took us another three miles to run them down. Dragon slayer and I left Hacker with the lead group and we made a run for Cranston. It was hard work because the wind was coming right at us all the way down the hill. We waited at Cranston till Quicksilver, Hacker and Digger rolled by. Dragon Slayer and I pulled Anaconda in a chase on Quicksilver and Hacker. We got by Digger and were closing on Quicksilver and Hacker when I flatted. We sent Anaconda ahead with Digger and followed a few minutes later to Carl’s. After everyone had left Digger and I headed for home and I got almost to Park before I flatted again. This time it was a bad tube. I repaired the flat and rode back to Palm with Digger before we split up for home. I got back and had a hot shower before kicking back and taking it easy. After I had fully rested I got out a new set of tires and replaced the offending old ones before dinner.