By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Today was a rest day for the TDF so we made it a rest and training day for the tour de D V V. Highlander was back with us and he would need time to get his bike legs back after a 60 day layoff. So we planned a reverse Nuevo ride and I headed to the parking lot to see who was going to show up. Digger was already there I got there and Highlander showed up just before Earth Dog. Quicksilver and Shooter arrived about the same time and we were ready to go right at 8am. We headed out onto Gilmore and down to Acacia with very little fanfare. I was thinking this would be a relaxing recovery ride and the early pace would have seemed to indicate that is just what it was. We made it to Kirby and then to Cypress rolling along at a gentle pace. Digger took us to the light on Sanderson and Johnston and then we all made our way to Industrial and out onto Cawston to turn on Stetson and head for Warren.

I pulled for the longest time till we actually crossed Warren and we were half way to California. First digger took over and then Shooter came by towing Quicksilver. It didn’t take long till we were headed for Stowe and Shooter moved to the front with me trailing off the back just in front of Digger. We were more or less all together as we headed west on Stowe but once Shooter picked up the pace I could see Highlander was out of position and would be dropped if Quicksilver and Earth Dog took off after Shooter. Take off he did and sure enough they created a gap. So I fell in on the front of the second group and pulled them to Winchester to regroup with Shooter and his followers.

When it was time to leave I took the lead and pulled the group south and we headed towards the dump road. Once we got to the dump road shooter once again took off with Quicksilver and Earth Dog so I ended up once again pulling my half of the group past the Wild West Arena. We lost ground to the Shooter group and chased them all the way to Leon where they were waiting for us.

Digger and Earth dog made it to Stetson first and Shooter started to go after them as we made the turn. But he waited till I had the group up to him and we chased down Earth Dog and zeroed in on the fleeing Digger. We rolled by Briggs and Digger was still out front and had already turned onto Lindenburger and then Heritage. We caught him before he got to the light on McCall and we all rode together to Menifee and headed for the AM/PM on Florida.

Shooter ended up pulling us all the way to the AM/PM were we took a short break before getting back on Menifee and heading north. Digger started us out and soon shooter and Quicksilver were coming by us again but this time they were followed by Earth dog. I kept the pace steady and pulled my group past Mapes and over the rise to pick up speed on the downhill and head for Central. Eventually my group reached Nuevo and we turned east to get to Lakeview where Shooter and Quicksilver were waiting for us. I took over and pulled us north to get us over to Ramona Expressway and the ride home.

I got us to the Expressway and started to head east to get us back to Hemet. At the road split Shooter took over and had Quicksilver and Earth Dog on his wheel and he headed back towards Bridge. I tried to pull Highlander and Digger up to the back wheel of the Shooter group but they couldn’t hold the pace so I had to back off and follow the lead group from a distance as they made their way back to Sanderson where we found them waiting for us.

All that was left was the run south towards Devonshire. Quicksilver started us out and soon had us cruising at about 21 mph till Shooter took over and took it to 22. By the water department we had dropped Highlander, Digger and Earth Dog so I dropped back to get them. Earth Dog rolled by as I waited and I had to work hard to drag Digger and Highlander back up to him. In fact I lost Digger and Menlo before we pulled up behind Earth Dog and had to wait at the Devonshire light. I took us east again and headed for Kirby only to catch another light. We got to Gilmore and the parking lot before Quicksilver and Shooter left and discovered Quicksilver had gathered a boat load of QOMs on this ride. I wasn’t looking forward to running from her on Bautista tonight.