By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I know the Friday ride report is late but I have discovered that sometimes I just need my sleep. After getting home from the ride I had shopping to do and then took the dog for a walk. After dinner I watched a movie and then just felt like I need to go to bed. I had a simple easy Friday ride planned and by 8am we had a small but eager group ready to do Bridge to Soboba. We Started with Digger, ME-109, Highlander, Tax Man, Anaconda, Dave, Karl and Me and headed off on Latham to Lyon and north.

We were lucky as we got started because the weather was being very cooperative by being cool and clear. Soon after we started north on Lyon Digger and Highlander moved to the front and pulled us towards Fruitvale. I did take the lead temporarily and pulled us to Esplanade but it was still a cruise more or less till we caught the red light. Highlander and Digger and Dave took over and pulled us past Seventh and then Cottonwood. They picked up the pace ever so slowly as we got close to Ramona and made the turn west towards Sanderson.

The ride west on Ramona to Sanderson is almost always a pretty easy one with a reasonable pace of 20 mph for everyone in the group. Today was no different and Highlander took us all the way to Sanderson. All we had to do was make the turn and wait at the light on the Expressway to make the next leg of our ride, the trip to Bridge. Tax Man started the first pull towards Warren and managed to keep us all together as we moved west. He kept the pace steady till we got to the slight rise just before Warren and slowed slightly before giving the lead to Highlander who took us past the first of the driveways before giving the lead to Digger. Just before digger got us to Bridge out of nowhere Ferret caught and pulled in front. He had been chasing us all the way from Latham. He then took over and moved us north east on Bridge.

From that point on Ferret and ME-109 took over doing most of the pulling until we rounded the big right turn and headed directly for Gilman. At that point they picked up the pace and left us to follow as best as we could. I decided the energy level was low enough that I could pull the group all the way to Gilman where we rejoined Ferret and ME-109. We talked it over and decided to modify the route a bit and head all the way east on Gilman to Soboba rather than make the turn on Sanderson. ME-109 and Ferret left us and we took turns following at a distance. Once again we took turns pulling till I fell back to pick up Dave after he fell off on a little hill. Highlander took over pulling him as I rolled forward to join Tax Man and Anaconda and led them to Soboba to join Ferret and ME-109.

The ride east on Soboba started out more or less much like the first part of Gilman with Ferret and ME-109 leading us till after the first roller. After that they once again left us and I took over the pull till we got to the golf course driving range and Dave sprinted by me and headed for the last little rise where he blew up and we rolled back past him. We took everyone to the turn at Main and Ramona where we picked up Ferret and ME-109. We then rode east to Hemet Street where Highlander and Tax Man left us. I then pulled everyone else to Cedar and around to Florida to get back to Carl’s for coffee and conversation. Both ME-109 and Ferret left before we got back to Lincoln to make the ride home. Digger left us at Park and Devonshire. Anaconda, Dave, Karl and I rode back to Burger King to get there just as Tax Man was pulling out of the parking lot. All in all it wasn’t a bad day and even if I still have several doctor appointments left I will enjoy such days.