pfw picnic, b(+-) ride

Well I was gonna do a B ride.

Regular readers will remember that I like to add miles to most of my rides, and today I drove to Bagel Street in Plainsboro, then parked behind Cliff H's office in the suites next door, and rode down to Mercer Park East, from which the all-paces rides before today's Princeton Freewheelers picnic were to leave. I got there early (another of my many besetting sins; I am chronically early) and Bruce K, leading a B ride, asked if I would sweep for him; I agreed of course (like Ado Annie in Oklahoma, I'm just a boy who can't say no).

There was a bit more wind today than most riders would consider absolutely necessary, and the group of eleven (including two on a tandem) got going at a frumious pace for the first several miles; one rider dropped off shortly after we arrived in Crosswicks. After yesterday's ride, I was having a hard time keeping up. It appears Bruce "leads" from the back of the group, often, and the group sets its own pace; Bruce catches up when there's a turn (the group apparently knows where Bruce usually likes to go). We did about 43 miles with the group, and didn't do a break, because we knew there would be food at the picnic (and it's not a bad idea to be among the first back for that kind of thing). Even though we were slower at the end (and we had to be, there was a significant headwind much of the way back), this was more than a B ride -- kind of a B-plus(minus) ride.

As is common for rides where the group runs ahead of the leader, we got separated, and once had to go back to catch a turn Bruce called - but when we got there, he wasn't; he'd gone back to help a rider who had a problem with a seatbag. We headed back to Mercer Park East, and, within  a short time, there was Bruce in our midst (and how did that happen?).

At the picnic, lots of food (of course), also old jerseys and bottles marked down to cheap (had I not ridden in, I would have stocked up on bottles) and other giveaways (including several bags of bike pins that the League of American Bicyclists had sent for the Princeton Event last month... that just got here; do you want any?). Also many people I've not seen for a while (yay!), but, of course, NOT a few of my favorite ride leaders, who are away (boo!).

A couple of new people came out today who have never don rides with the club (one had never done a group ride before!). Here's hoping we didn't scare them away.

Oh, yeah.  Here's the route.

Then back to Cliff H's parking lot, and home to chores. Tomorrow to fresh woods, and pastures new.