Althought Laura OLPH and the gang were doing a century today, I had agreed with The Excellent Wife (TEW) that we could go out with some friends this afternoon, so I did Ira's ride out of Cranbury in order to be home in time. I've been in the habit of going to Bagel Street in Plainsboro for a morning bagel-with-a-schmear, then riding in to the park in Cranbury, but I wondered if I was courting a ticket or a tow by leaving the car in the lot. I found that fellow Freewheeler Cliff H had an office in the buildings next door, and he was closed on Saturdays for the summer, so I parked outside his office... and not three minutes later, up he drives with his bike on the roof rack! So we rode in to Cranbury together.



There we met Ira and the eighteen-or-so who started on the ride to Phil's on a route with which was unfamiliar (meaning I was even more lost than I usually am). A beautiful, clear day, warm but dry. A bit breezy, but I don't remember difficult headwinds.  I haven't seen some of these folks to talk to in months, and it was pleasant getting back in contact (and pleasant to sweep such a large ride; a ride this big needs a sweep). On the way to Phil's, Giorgio took a shortcut (but met us there); as we were leaving, another rider had a flat and told us to proceed.



I had several chances to speak to Cliff on this ride (I do not know him well), and afterwards, he took me on a bit of a loop so we could top 50 miles (that's the loop up above Dey road to Broadway. Broadway? Here in farm country? Are you serious? Oh, please.). It turns out that our ages are a year apart and our birthdays are two days apart; he suggested that we do birthday rides in future (and I like the idea). He thought he would plan to ride his age in miles forever, or as long as he could.



I told him, "Shoot for forever."