A New Beginning

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) I know it has been a while since I posted a ride report but I have been restricted from riding since October and have just now felt good enough to get back out there and join the group. Highlander let me post the ride and I picked a short easy one to get back at it. I showed up at Burger King just after Dragon Slayer and Digger. While we waited Minotaur and Highlander arrived just ahead of Earth Dog. Just as we got ready to leave Anaconda drove up for the first ride since her crash. With that we were ready to go and headed out onto Latham before turning north on Lyon pointed toward Ramona.

I had already informed the rest of the group that they didn’t have to wait for me but everyone insisted on riding at my pace as we moved by Devonshire and headed to Esplanade. I even got to pull for a few blocks but that didn’t last long before Minotaur and Dragon Slayer took over pulling work. Minotaur was leading as we turned east on Ramona Expressway and headed for State Street. I stayed in the middle of the pack all the way to State and stayed there till we rode past the college and headed for Soboba. As we rounded the corner after the bridge we took a break so everyone could ask me if I was doing OK. I was and took the opportunity to take a drink before we headed east again towards the Golf Course.

We held it together as we got to the first little roller and I stayed with the leaders as we crested and headed for the second one. As we started up the second one Digger, Earth Dog and Anaconda fell off a bit before we crested but caught us before we made it to the driving range. I drafted Dragon Slayer and Minotaur past the driving range and up the hill towards the trees and the last green where we normally stop. Dragon slayer and Minotaur continued on to Ramona and Main while the rest of us took another break at the trees. We then headed for the River Bridge and met Dragon Slayer and Minotaur after the light on Ramona. We were all back together as we headed for Hemet Street and on to Cedar.

As we headed east on Cedar to where it curved around to meet Fairview Highlander started to question if I should hold out for the run up to Cranston Station but I told him I was feeling fine. We past the Fire station and I was questioned again. Finally they stopped me at Fairview and Florida to see if I wouldn’t consider turning west for coffee at Carl’s. I relented and decided that discretion was the better part of valor so we cut the ride short and headed for coffee. After we visited for a few minutes we got back on the road and headed for Lincoln and home.

I still felt pretty good and the riding position in the Klein was relaxed enough that I didn’t feel sore or uncomfortable as we rode by lake and headed back towards Hemet Street to get to Park and head around to Devonshire.

We finally turned on Park and headed towards Devonshire where Digger left us. Earth Dog headed for the barn and Minotaur had to get back to he left us as well. I road back to the car with Anaconda, Highlander and Dragon Slayer and caught up to Earth Dog just before he loaded up and headed for home. We said our farewells and headed our separate ways. Dragon Slayer and I went to The Healthy Pub and had lunch before he took me home and I headed to the dentist office. I was slower and the ride was shorter but I felt good to be back.