By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) After a long ride on Monday I was ready for an easier ride to save the legs today. I know Wednesday’s are normally our bigger ride days but sometimes I just don’t have the steam for it. So I put up a rather flat 37 mile ride and headed for the bike shop to get the ride started. To be honest I could just as easily have stayed home because I had a touch of a sore throat and would like to have spent the day in bed. But I hate to break a streak so I went. It turned out that Dragon slayer was a bit congested from the beach ride as well so it may have been pollen in the air from the wind on Monday. Digger and Earth Dog joined us as did Bulldozer and Anaconda. So at 9am or there about we headed south to Acacia and headed to Kirby to get the show on the road. We turned south on Kirby and knew we had at least half of the ride into a light wind.

I stayed out front to Cypress and turned us west towards Johnston and Sanderson. Digger decided to take the lead just to make sure I didn’t burn out early but at this point I had picked the same gear as my single speed and was spinning easily at about 16 or 17 heading for the light at Sanderson. Digger took us through the light on Sanderson but Anaconda and I moved forward and pulled the group to Cawston and Stetson. I took the pull and got us to Warren before Dragon Slayer took over and pulled us toward California. Bulldozer pulled by and Dragon Slayer chased him into the distance and turned onto California while Anaconda and I followed about 100 yards back. Earth Dog stayed with digger and we effectively had three pairs or riders heading for Stowe and the run to Winchester Farms for a regroup.

Bulldozer had to leave early so he told me he would be leaving us at Leon and 9th while we continued on. So I took us out onto Winchester and pointed us towards the dump road and the rest of the ride. When we turned west on 9th I lead the way till Dragon Slayer took over taking Anaconda with him. I fell in on her back wheel and Dragon Slayer was content following me. I was able to stay in an easy gear and follow Anaconda to Leon where Bulldozer left us. Dragon Slayer pulled Anaconda and I to Briggs and we waited for Digger and Earth Dog to make sure they knew where we planned to stop once we got to Nuevo. We then took off together towards Florida and the high school where we had to detour over to Menifee and head north. Dragon Slayer pulled us all the way north past Mapes against the wind. We never got the expected tail wind the weather wizards predicted and soon crested the rise and headed for Central. Dragon Slayer pulled to the first stop sign and Anaconda pulled us to Central and then Nuevo. Dragon Slayer took a long pull north on Lakeview and got us to his street at 9th and Lakeview. We stopped by his house for water and a nature stop while we waited for Digger and Earth Dog. Once we were all together and rehydrated we got back on the road and headed over to 6th street to make the turn towards the Expressway and home.

Once on the Expressway Anaconda took the lead and got us moving at a pretty good clip towards Bridge. Well before that I started bumping up against my Beta Blockers and thought I was going to have to drop off. But Dragon Slayer dropped a water bottle and we bunched up as he recovered the bottle. Earth Dog and Digger caught us while we got the bottle but I pulled us back up to them and Anaconda pulled us towards Warren. Dragon Slayer. Pulled us ahead of Digger and Earth Dog and all the way to Sanderson where we turned south still into the wind and headed for Cottonwood. I was doing pretty well till we got to the rise at the water department when I was hit hard by my Beta Blocker and had to slow down till we got almost to Cottonwood. Dragon Slayer slowed up to pull me and told Anaconda to go on because she had an appointment. Dragon Slayer and I picked it up a bit once my blockers let go and we rode to Healthy Pub for lunch. After a healthy smoothie Dragon Slayer headed for the Auto center and I headed for home. I had expended more energy today than I had planned but I was feeling better than when the ride started so it was a good day.