dennis's 'what was that?' ride

Today was one of my every-other-Wednesdays off, and Erich sent out the email last night about the ride-to-the-ride that the Old Guys, led by Dennis W, take out of Allentown on Wednesdays. I was the only one who responded, and the only one at Etra Park in Hightstown fifty minutes before Dennis's published start time for the ride, when up rolled Erich... and behind him, Don S. So we rolled down to the park in Allentown for Dennis's ride at what I would describe as a stately pace.

We met eleven others in Allentown, and lit out on several of Dennis's favorite roads (he has roads he likes to take, and places he likes to go; the few change-ups in the route today were met with expressions of mild surprise). The weather was warm enough (barely) for Dennis to come out himself (although it's still cold enough early to make clothing decisions difficult - I was thinking of tights, and I could have used 'em for about the first twenty minutes, but by the time we arrived in Allentown I was glad I didn't have 'em).

This route (that's a link) shows the ride-to-the-ride (and back; we do a little detour on the way down) and Dennis's route. Initially, I was hoping for a stop at Olde World Bakery, but we stopped at the convenience store in Columbus instead, where I loaded up on my choice of performance-enhancing substances: caffeine & Splenda.

The wind was with us on the way down, and in our faces on the way back. We cross not-my-favorite-road Route 68 (it's still not as bad as 31) in both directions, and had to ride along it for a ways on the way back... and on that stretch of the road, Dennis was struck in the leg by a mysterious missile. It might have been an arrow, but it looked more to me like one of those little flag signs that are put up on your lawn when the exterminators come. I have no idea, whatever it was, how it came to strike him on the shin (and draw blood); I don't remember seeing either any traffic, or an errant Robin Hood.

It didn't slow him down much, though (much less than the wind did), and we got back to Allentown. Don S was tired for the way back, and suggested Erich and I go on without him, but we weren't havin' any of that, so we returned to Etra together at a rate that was even more dignified than earlier.

Despite the wind, it was a great day: clear, cool, and you could see about to Oklahoma. You wish you had gotten out for a ride today.