By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Wednesday is supposed to be the hard day or the long day or the climbing day so we plan accordingly. I had a good breakfast and filled my nose with Vicks so I could breath better and headed for Burger King. Digger was waiting for me and we talked while Highlander and Bugler pulled up. It was still cool this morning as we waited till Gambler, Bloodhound, Minotaur and MacGyver arrived. Anaconda drove up and we stood around waiting to leave or see if anyone else was coming. Just before we mounted up Huntress called to say she was on her way so we waited till she got there before pulling out onto Gilmore and heading for Acacia.

Digger and Bloodhound took the early lead and pulled us to Acacia and then Kirby to get us headed south. Bloodhound kept pulling away with Digger about halfway between us and him. we turned onto Cypress and Digger took us towards Johnston. Before we got there Bloodhound came back to Join us and Digger took us to Johnston and Sanderson only to catch the light. Once it changed we went across the street and made our way to Industrial to get to Cawston.

Once we had made it over to Stetson Bloodhound headed us west and Minotaur came around to join him. Anaconda and Huntress fell in behind the two of them and followed them to Warren. Once past Warren Bloodhound and Minotaur took off and the rest of us followed at a distance till Digger gave chase. None of the rest of us followed and the three of them disappeared onto California well before we did. We finally made our way to California and slowly started to give chase to the fleeing threesome.

As we turned onto Stowe Anaconda started to make a hard run at Digger. Huntress and I fell in behind her and Highlander fell in with us. For some reason Gambler and MacGyver gave us a break and watched Anaconda close on Digger like a hunting snake. About half way to Winchester Anaconda started to fade and I pulled around and finished the job of running Digger down. Four of us pulled by him and followed Bloodhound and Minotaur to Winchester Farms to discover Anaconda had slowed because of a goat head letting air out of her front tire. We all watched her change the tube before heading south on Winchester with Digger leading us to the dump road and west towards Leon, after we were joined by Bandit. Bloodhound was good enough to lead us to Leon and turned south.

Once on Simpson Bloodhound pulled us all to Lindenburger where only Bloodhound and I made the light and started up the hill. Highlander cut through the housing tract on Heritage while Bloodhound and I headed for Menifee. We were caught just before the stop light by Gambler and Bandit. Bloodhound joined them and headed for McCall. I cut back to zone three and headed for McCall myself. MacGyver joined me with Minotaur just before the light at McCall. Gambler, Bandit and Bloodhound made the light and the rest of us didn’t. As we sat and watched Highlander roll through coming west on McCall we turned the corner and chased him for the back side of Hospital hill. Minotaur hit the hill hard and caught Highlander at the light. McGyver and I caught him a few yards later and chased Minotaur towards the top of the hill. I caught Minotaur after he down shifted towards the top of the hill and McGyver pulld up on him right after I did. I headed down the back side on McCall and got to the light by the rental yard where Minotaur and McGyver caught and passed me. Highlander got me at the next light and Bugler pulled up to me at the freeway. We were all back together at the light on the freeway entrance and cruised down to the gas station on Bradley for a regroup. Gambler, Bloodhound, Bandit and Minotaur had to get back early so they took off for the trip to Newport and Home while I took the rest of the group all the way out Mc Call to head towards Honey cut and south to Normandy off of La Ladera.

Huntress pulled us all the way to Normandy and then west to Goetz to turn south towards Newport. Once on Newport I pulled by Huntress and headed for the first hill of Railroad Canyon. Bugler chased me halfway up the hill and the two of us pulled away from Anaconda, Huntress and Highlander. Digger came around the corner last. I was surprised at how well Bugler did as he almost caught me after I crested the first hill but let me get away on the second downhill. I got to Country Village road first and turned the corner and stopped to wait for the rest of the group with Bugler. Anaconda and Huntress pulled up with us just before Highlander. He told me he didn’t know how far back Digger was but he needed to keep going and said we would catch him before we got to Murrieta. Sure enough we found him waiting near the top of the grade just before the road turned into Holland and headed downhill towards Menifee.

Once we were headed downhill we picked up the pace and I led the way to Murrieta and back over to Holland. I waited on the corner for digger and Huntress took the rest of the group east towards Haun so she could get them to Newport and then the Jack in the Box on Antelope. We took a break at the Jack in the Box and when we left Highlander and Digger took us by Antelope and towards Menifee. Our choice was to turn on Menifee and the little climb to Simpson or follow the map and ride back over the saddle to Winchester to make the turn north. It was decided to do the saddle and head for Winchester. Anaconda led the way to the saddle and we decided to regroup at the ghost bike before dropping down the hill and heading for Leon. Huntress took us to Leon like a woman on a mission and kept the pace at 22 most of the way. As we closed on Winchester she dropped the pace to 20 and I pulled up to take over thinking she was tired.

She wasn’t tired and so I fell back on her wheel and followed her to Winchester and sat at the light while everyone caught up. I took the lead as we headed north on Winchester and pulled us all the way to Simpson where we once again slowed for the light. Now we had the long run north towards Stowe. We kicked it down to about 17 mph to keep the group together at the dump road and we made it all the way to Stowe without losing anyone. We then turned east on Stowe and slowly built up the pace as we headed for California.

Huntress was pulling like a diesel truck as we started up the little rise and I attempted to pull by her and take the lead. She fell back for some reason and Anaconda pulled up to me and headed to California and turned north. She made a hard run towards Stetson and I had to chase her almost all the way to catch her. The two of us made a run to Warren with the group slowly pulling us in. We were able to get back to Cawston and had to wait at the light till everyone else pulled up to us. We then turned to Industrial and worked our way back to Sanderson. Highlander pulled up to the car in front but I had a van in front of me and wanted to draft it around the corner and north on Sanderson. Highlander got the jump at the light but the van pulled me around the corner and up to him in short order. The two of us headed for Acacia and made it back to Kirby together. We made it to Gilmore and then to Florida just before the light could turn red and stop us. We all regrouped at the cars before heading for home. It was hot and had turned hot in the last fifteen miles. I was pretty tired but recovered enough to ride home and have lunch and a cool shower before taking the dog for a walk.