Keepin up with the Challege

I've been trying to get an r-12 medal from RUSA.
After DNF'ing at Casa Grande, I need to do another brevet, Thankfully, I'm a permanent route owner, so I could do another brevet with too much turn around time. The only problem was which rout to do.
I had decided to go to Hemet, and had printed my card and cue sheets, but then I watched the weather forecast. They were talking about severe winds, and Hemet is infamous for winds. I had then thought about doing my other route.
After talking it over and sleeping on it, I decided to go ahead and do Hemet. I decided to start fairly early(6am). One thing I did differently was I actually drove to the ride start- that cut 12 miles off of a long day.
I got the bike out of the car, and went to the ATM to get a receipt(the coffee shop was not open yet). I took off, bouncing my way down Etiwanda ave. I had a Riverside County Sheriffs car keep am eye an eye on me through Jurapa - it's a rough area. I made it through there and Rubidox, and paused to take a picture of Mt Rubidox. I Then pedaled into downtown riverside on Mission Inn Avenue. Almost took a picture of a filling station that had been converted to restaurant called the Taco station. The pumps were labeled for Pemex, which is the Mexican oil company. I then went by UC Riverside and started the climb that brought me in to Moreno Valley. It rained very briefly on me here I stopped at the first control,and then continued on till I got to Gilman Springs Road. I stopped to take some pictures at intersection of Gilman Springs and highway 79. I thought about stopping and taking some pics at the Scientology compound, but decided against it.
I got to hemet fine, and stopped at the second control a 7-eleven. Normally,I like to have burrito for lunch when I'm doing these rides, but their microwave was busted. So I wound up with a hero sandwich. The next portion of the ride is primarily on the Ramona Expressway. despite its name, it's mainly a 2 lane road with a nice wide shoulder. I stopped and took a pic of the Bernasconi Hills. I rode by what I refer to as the David Nakai Memorial tree. David is a Fellow Randoneurr who did this route at night. The Tree is quite large, and is growing at the edge of the pavement. it's quite low hanging, pretty much covers the shoulder. I think you can figure out what Dave did.
I then pedaled through Mead Valley and Stopped at the next control, a Ralphs Supermarket. then 5 miles were downhill and soon I was at one of my favorite places. Victoria Street in Riverside. There was fight jet that was making low passes - I assume it was from March Air Force Base I stopped at the Next Control -a Circle K in Corona. Alas, my two most excellent Friends, Bill and Ted, were nowhere to be found.
I then stated the long climb back home. I almost stopped to take picture of the CSC building in Norco. It designed to look like an old west saloon, which I find anachronistic for building housing Computer Sciences Corporation(I assume there as part of a contract with the navy base there. One of the benefits of the housing boom is that Hamner / Milliken ave is greatly improved, with a nice wide shoulder. I saw some more fighter planes, this time vintage ones from the air museum in Chino.
To conclude the aviation theme, I rode by Ontario Airport and on to the penultimate control .
I wound up with this 3 miles from the end. I kept on coming up short when I designed the route, so i did a little jog. The hard is deciding what to but to prove I made it there. I wound up buying my favorite candy Reese's pieces, for later.
I made back to the coffee shop a little past 5. Not a bad way to spend the day!
In the end I did pick the right route. I had a nice crosswind most of the day, until i started the climb up Hamner, it was still a crosswind, but it was a lot stronger. My other woudl had my head on in to those winds for 30 miles!