By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) The plan on Friday was for a two part ride. One part would be for me and the other for the group. The one for me was shorter because I had planned on a half metric in Redlands on Saturday and I simply don’t have two straight days on my legs yet. So I headed to the bike shop to get the ride started. I was pretty surprised to see several of my friends who were not dressed for riding. Digger and Klink were there to ride and Anaconda arrived soon after Dragon Slayer. RCMP was there to ride as was Earth Dog and Magic Man. Minotaur and Highlander arrived along with Bulldozer and Ferret. Lastly Cutter and Huntress joined us and I was surprised with the size of the group. Just as we were getting ready to leave Robert presented me with a mid seventies Peugeot that was built by my friends from their parts box. I was speechless and stunned.

I had to shake off being stunned and get my head back in the ride so we could leave on time and get back before it got too late. So I gathered everyone outside and explained the route for the day and took them out of the parking lot and headed for Acacia and the ride west. We made the corner pretty quickly and I already knew I didn’t have the legs for any serious riding today. I feel a bit like someone that has only been riding for a year and though my spirit is willing my body is weak and I have a long way to go before I get back to where I was a year ago, if I ever do. Anyway I digress. We made our way to Kirby and then down to Cypress before turning towards Johnston and Sanderson.

After we made the light on Sanderson and headed south I more or less fell in line with the rest of the group with the intention of holding on as long as I could as we headed west on Domenigoni. I did start us off as we headed for warren but not long after making the turn Cutter came up and took the lead. I fell back but only ended up about five riders back while the faster A riders talked in the back of the group. Soon Ferret came around with Minotaur in tow and pulled away from us. To my surprise RCMP and Bulldozer let them go and the rest of us held the pace down a bit till we crossed Warren. We crossed the dry wash together and dropped Digger. Earth Dog dropped back to ride with him and Cutter went back with him. Somewhere before Winchester Cutter came up to let us know where Digger and Earth Dog were and then we all headed for the saddle. I stayed with them till we started the climb and jumped on it a bit when Huntress tried to pull away on the climb. I started well but soon flamed out as we got ready the crest the Saddle and head for the gas station at Menifee and Domenigoni.

Once everyone was rested at the gas station I took us out onto Menifee and headed us south again. I turned the group over to Dragon Slayer because I would be turning on Scott and heading for home while the biggest part of the group continued on towards Keller. I found out that Digger and Highlander planned on going with me while the rest of the group headed for Whitewood and Murrieta Hotsprings road. When we crossed Holland and started up Revival I tried to jump on it again only to sputter out like a car short on nitrous. Still I made it to the stop sign and slowed till I could see Digger and Klink coming to the top of the grade. Highlander and I got to Scott just before the main group crossed at the light and headed for Keller.

Highlander waited at Scott and Menifee for quite a while waiting on Klink and Digger. It turns out they had to change two flats but one was with Cutter so he had to join us as we headed for Winchester and the turn north. Once they caught the light green we headed east towards Leon and Cutter did a lot of the pulling till we got to Leon where Highlander took over. Highlander pulled us almost to the top of the rise just before Winchester. Klink pushed himself and got to the front just before the light. We made the turn north but stopped to wait for Digger who was running a bit slow at the time. Once we got back on the way Highlander fell back to help pull Digger north.

We began a long cruise back towards Holland and talked about the cheese factory on the left as we rolled by that street. Cutter worked with me and Klink as we moved past Holland and towards the road into the west side of Diamond Valley Lake. We made it to the ride and dropped down to Domenigoni and waited at the other side of the light for Digger. Once he caught us we headed towards Winchester farms with Highlander and Digger taking up the back of the group. Cutter ended up pulling us all the way to Stowe where we stopped for coffee and a short break before heading home. We were in no hurry once we got back on Stowe and we all headed towards California and the turn to Stetson. We followed Highlander to Cawston but lost him at the light while we waited for Digger to make the turn. Cutter took us back to Sanderson and started us towards Lowes. We then rode back to Acacia together and only lost Klink when we made the turn back to the bike shop. We just make it back to Kirby when RCMP caught us and several of the other A riders were right behind us as we sat down in the bike shop. I was eager to head for home to have lunch, take a shower and get back to pick up my Peugeot. I would end up paying for the ride when I dod the long climb in Redlands on Saturday but I still enjoyed the ride Friday none the less.