By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Here it was another Monday and another chance to get in a good conditioning ride. I didn’t expect a big group but I had a plan for a pretty good ride with a few miles and a chance for a nice break on the way home. I got to the bike shop and only found Digger and Earth Dog waiting. Highlander did show up giving us four riders and forty-four miles in front of us. We took off right at 8am and headed north on Lyon heading for Esplanade.

It looked like a long day pulling for me with Earth Dog having a sore knee and Highlander being off of his bike for so many weeks but that was also what I expected. So once I got is front at Devonshire I pretty much pulled all the way to Esplanade. After we pulled away from the light I started pulling again and got us to Ramona Boulevard. I took us around the corner and headed west towards Sanderson. This time I had Digger on my wheel as we turned north to the Expressway and once again headed west. I put the needle on 19 mph and pulled us all the way to Warren only to catch the light red and we had to stop. Once we started again Earth Dog jumped out front and I fell in on his wheel as we headed for Hansen and our next regroup. Earth Dog gave up the lead at Bridge and once again I found myself in the front and pulling at a constant 19-20 mph just to hold the group together. It seems the pace worked because I got to the light Hansen and pulled into the Lakeview Market with everyone in tow. We took a short break and then had to chase Earth Dog out of the parking lot and back out onto the Expressway heading for the rollers.

When we got to the bottom of the first roller Earth Dog spun up the pace and I considered chasing him. The problem was I knew I would be in front most of the day and burning matches at the 20 mile mark of a 45 mile ride wouldn’t have been the wisest move I ever made. So I backed it down and pulled Highlander over the first roller and headed for the second. Earth Dog pulled away and I had to wait at the top of the second roller for Highlander and Digger before dropping down the back side and heading for Rider. We got the light red at Rider and then headed for Evans as soon as we could. By the time we got to Evans Earth Dog was waiting for us and we simply headed south towards Orange and the jog over to Nuevo.

I took over and got us to Nuevo and headed back east into the wind. Yes it was another day when the wind seemed to hit us in the face no matter what direction we were headed. It didn’t matter at the pace I was setting and I pulled us over the little bridge and down the slope towards Menifee. I rounded the corner and pointed us south towards Central. I fell back to check on Highlander and then moved back up front to chase Earth Dog. I followed on Earth Dog’s wheel till the next stop sign and then realized we had dropped both Digger and Highlander. I soft pedaled till they caught me and then tried to pull them back up the Earth Dog. I couldn’t get them up to speed enough to close with Earth Dog but we did catch him at the light on Florida before stopping at the AM/PM for a nature break. We then headed south once more this time with Earth Dog just in front of us as we headed to McCall. Once on McCall we headed east to Briggs to cut over to Simpson and head back to Winchester.

I made the turn east on Simpson and pulled us all the way back to Leon and still headed towards Winchester. Earth Dog pulled around me as we came out of the trees and houses but I jumped on his wheel saving some energy for the last sprint to Winchester. We separated from Dogger and Highlander but there was no way I was getting dropped s we headed into the last stand of trees and the sprint to the light at Winchester. I pushed the derailleur into the 12 ring and headed around Earth Dog and sprinted to the light. I waited at the light till Earth Dog arrived and we turned left just as Digger and Highlander caught us. Digger led us north past the dump road and we took another break at Winchester Farms. After we got back on Stowe and headed for California with Digger taking the lead and Earth Dog fell back to help me with Highlander as we headed for home. Digger didn’t wait and was already at Stetson when we turned north in California. We got to Stetson and started to close on Digger. We almost caught Digger at Cawston but he caught the light and we didn’t. He must have made the light at Sanderson and once again we didn’t, in fact we caught every light till we got back to the bike shop to find Digger waiting with a big smile on his face. He left for home and we separated and headed for home as well. Great day and great ride.