By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) Another Monday and a slight chance of rain, but that didn’t matter because we had an easy ride planned for Digger’s return after his accident last week. I got up and looked outside this morning and there was no rain but it was still dark at 6:30am. By 7:30 am I headed for the bike shop to see Digger and Randy talking in front of the bike shop door. Dragon Slayer got there before we got inside. We waited and chatted in the shop till Highlander arrived before heading out onto Lyon to start the day. I led us to Acacia and then to Kirby for the traditional ride south towards Cypress and west.

We made our way through the housing tract and headed out onto Johnston only to catch the light at Sanderson. Digger was hanging on well to this point and stayed with us as we worked our way to Cawston and then onto Stetson where I led us west towards Warren. I kept the pace at about 18 all the way to Warren and then pulled us through the stop sign and gave the lead to Dragon Slayer heading towards California. Bt the time we turned onto California Dragon Slayer had Highlander and I up to speed and we were leaving Digger in the fog. Randy stayed with Digger and Dragon Slayer pulled Highlander and I onto Stowe to head west once more and push our way to Winchester Farms and the parking lot. The fog was heavy and if you were separated by more than 40 yards you couldn’t see the rider in front or behind you. We stopped to regroup at Winchester Farms. We started south and Highlander pulled me towards the dump road while Digger pulled Randy and Dragon Slayer in the same direction. They caught us by Simpson and followed me to Domenigoni and headed east. We had to make a short regroup at the trees past the flag pole before continuing on to Searl.

When we stopped at Searl for Highlander we let Digger head for State Street and told him we would follow him to the Golf Course on Thornton as soon as we picked up Highlander. We were only talking for maybe three minutes when Highlander rode back out to Domenigoni and we were off chasing Diggger. He must have made the light green because I was pushing hard as we turned onto State Street and headed for Chambers. I took us on to Chambers and Dragon Slayer pulled us to Buena Vista before turning onto Thornton and stopping at the golf course.

I tried to get Digger to start east on Stetson early so we could chase him to the High School but we were ready to go too soon and caught him by the time he got to Santa Fe. We all got out onto Stetson and headed towards the High School passing San Jacinto and then Columbia where Highlander and Dragon Slayer had slipped away to a 100 yard gap. I was riding with Randy and wasn’t gaining on Highlander or Digger so Randy told me to go on and I decided to give chase. I pushed myself pretty hard and was within 50 yards after the High School and gobbled up another 25 yards before the base of the little hill called speed bump. I was within ten yards at the bottom of the hill and saw the two of them get out of the saddle and realized it was going to take a lot of effort to catch them before the rest. But I had nothing to lose because they hadn’t seen me coming so I crested first and made a run for Lake. Dragon Slayer had pulled Highlander back up to me before we got to Fairview and I followed him to the corner where we waited for Digger and Randy. The fog was almost gone and coffee sounder better than riding to Cranston so we let Digger start us towards Florida and tried to chase him down before Mayberry. Chase him down we did and we turned onto Florida and headed west towards Carl’s and coffee. We caught the light at the Expressway and Highlander tried to drag race Dragon Slayer to the parking lot. We stopped and had coffee and conversation before heading north on New Chicago and west on Lincoln to head for home. Digger was going to have to ride back to the bike shop today to get his car so he would be staying with us all the way home.

Dragon Slayer and I rode together as we moved onto Park and then Devonshire. For whatever reason traffic was light and we made our way west pretty quickly. We even made the light at San Jacinto and then a short pause at State and we were headed for Lyon again to finish at the parking lot and head for home. But before we could go home Starbucks and Pumpkin Spice coffee was calling our name so we stopped again before heading for home and lunch.