By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) After a rain out on Friday my legs were ready for a ride on Monday. The weather looked like it just might cooperate and just in case I put together a short ride east to Cactus Valley and then to Val Vista for coffee. I headed to the bike shop right at 8:30 am and looked to see if everyone else was as eager as I was. Digger was there and Highlander was unloading his car just before Tax Man drove up. A small group to be sure but we were ready to head out anyway. We walked out just before 9am and Abacus rode up to join us. I took us down to Acacia and over to Kirbu to get the ride on its way. We made the light on Kirby and headed south.

Abacus and I chatted as we headed south towards the railroad tracks and he set a good pace before we made it to Cypress. Once we turned west towards Johnston we slowed a bit and the whole group stayed together till we got to Sanderson and Johnston and stopped for the light. As we waited we saw Bulldozer and Minotaur pull up across the street and they joined us as we headed south again towards Stetson and Wally World. Minotaur seemed eager to get on with the ride and headed for Mustang well ahead of the rest of us. Bulldozer pulled away to join him and I picked up the pace a bit to drag the rest of the group up to them before they reached Domenigoni. I didn’t quite make it however as the two of them were able to catch the light green. Abacus and Tax Man managed to make the light on a shade of pink I believe but whatever the color they were not going to stop. I worried a bit that they would follow Bulldozer and Minotaur and that they would take them up to the marina but then I realized the marina is closed on Monday so they waited for us at Searl and three of us joined them there and headed for State Street and the next turn south towards Cactus Valley. I got them pointed south and led the way past McSweeney.

I got us most of the way to Newport where Abacus relieved me and took us to the small hill in front of Sherpa’s old homestead where I took the lead back and toom us towards the Golf Course and Sage. Abacus took over by the golf course and got us all the way to Sage and started up the hill. I took the lead again and got over the hill first and waited till Tax Man and Abacus caught me before falling back to pick up Highlander. We then joined Bulldozer and Minotaur at the end of Cactus Valley Road and waited for Digger. Once we were all back together Minotaur told me that they would wait for us at Fairview for a regroup but Tax Man and Highlander had already decided not to go up to Wilson Mesa so we were not going to regroup at Fairview. We started back towards State Street with Minotaur and Bulldozer in the lead. I had to work pretty hard to catch up to the two of them but I did manage to get on Bulldozers back wheel just after they crossed Sage and chased them all the way to State feeling pretty good all the way. My recovery may be coming in stages but I am finally feeling like there is some progress. The three of us rode through McSweeney and Abacus joined me. Tax Man and Highlander took the short up and were waiting as we came out on State. Minotaur and Bulldozer kept on going and we lost sight of them before we too headed towards Domenigoni.

We made the run to Chambers and worked our way over to Santa Fe and Stetson before heading east towards Columbia. Tax Man, Digger and Highlander stayed on Stetson while Abacus and I did the traditional route to Lake Street and back out onto Stetson. I followed Abacus all the way to Fairview and then to the hill on Wilson Mesa. I took over at the hill and pulled us through the housing tract and back to Fairview. It was at this point I pushed myself for the second time in the ride. I headed for Florida and managed to pull away on my one for one of the longer runs I have made since last October. It wasn’t my fastest run but I did manage to stay into the spin all the way to Mayberry. Abacus pulled up to me at Florida and we headed to Carl’s and joined Highlander, Digger and Tax Man for coffee. We took a break and then headed for home on New Chicago and west on Lincoln to head to Park and home.

We rode together around Park and made it to the jog over to Devonshire where Digger left us. Abacus, Tax Man, Highlander and I rode back to Santa Fe and down to Latham before heading west to Lyon and the bike shop. We took a short break at the bike shop before I headed for home and lunch. It was a great day for a ride after all.