By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Monday’s are always a tossup as to what kind of ride they will end up being. I posted a rather flat and easy ride expecting good weather and little or no wind. Any wind we did have should have been at our back for at least half of the ride. It remained to be seen if the weather wizards had any clue as to wind direction for the day. Non the less I headed for the bike shop with high hopes. As I pulled up I noticed Highlander was there as was Klink. Digger arrived a bit later and we were joined by Siren and Anaconda. Cutter showed up and we were joined by Merle one of Highlander’s neighbors. Eight riders on a flat Monday isn’t bad for this time of year. We had a wait till Merle was ready to go and we headed out to Lyon and north with me leading the pack. The group let me lead all the way to Esplanade with very few complaints.

For about the first time I can remember we made the light green and were able to ride through and head for Seventh and towards Ramona Boulevard. I stayed out front as we got to Cottonwood and pulled us almost all the way to the turn when Cutter rolled by and started us towards Sanderson and the run west.

As we moved along Siren made a dash for Sanderson with Cutter on her wheel. I had to work a bit to close in on the two of them bit I did just before we got to the corner and headed north. We were separated a bit at the turn but regrouped and the light and again right after the turn west to give regroup instructions for the light at Hansen. I started us west but soon Merle pulled out front and set a reasonable pace line heading towards Warren. Anaconda was on his wheel and I was drafting her till she fell off a bit just before the light. I looked back and noticed we had dropped some riders so I pulled out of line and waited till Siren caught me. The two of us chased the Merle, Highlander and Anaconda group. I stayed with Siren till we caught them at Bridge and then stopped for Klink caught me first and I waited for Digger to pull him to Hansen. I couldn’t quite get him up to speed enough to catch Klink but we were close. Klink missed the turn at Hansen and I had to chase him to Lakeview and bring him back to the Nuevo store.

Up to this point the weather wizards had been wrong about a almost no wind day and the direction. What I was pulling for was at least this once the prediction of a wind out of the north would be correct and we would have it at our backs all the way down Lakeview and again on Menifee. Only getting back on the road would tell. I took us back out onto the road and west to Lakeview before heading south on Lakeview and 9th street. I rode side by side with Anaconda almost all the way to the Elementary School and the post office before getting out front and pulling us towards Nuevo.

I had enough in the tank to pull us to Nuevo and then one block over before letting the group head for Central without me. Once I made sure Digger and Klink were following us I raced to catch up and moved to the front to give instructions for our next regroup. I took us onto Menifee and headed south till Siren took over and pulled for the Nursery and the segment to Florida. Once she was on her way I fell into the drops and started a long steady pull for Florida myself. It turned into my longest pull to date. We regrouped at the AM/PM and took a break. Once back on the way Highlander and Siren led the way to McCall where we turned east. By the time we got back to Briggs and headed to the dump road we were all back together. I fell back with Merle and we talked all the way to Leon before we closed as best as we could on the group at Winchester. We finally joined them at Winchester Farms for a break. Siren and Anaconda had to leave early so we spent a few more minutes before we followed them and headed east on Stowe to California. I made a attempt at a sprint on California and did reasonably well and made Cutter chase me to Stetson where I let him go and fell back to get Highlander. I then fell back again and picked up Klink after telling Merle to follow Highlander and Cutter heading for home. I led Klink to Lowes and over to Acacia where somehow I lost him. When I turned back to find him he had been joined by Digger and was changing a flat tire. Once it was changed Klink and I stopped for Coffee while the rest of the group headed back to their cars and their own homes. It turned into a great day for a ride even if not one breath of wind ever blew in the predicted direction I got from the weather station.