Of course, I added extra miles, parking behind Dr Cliff's office and pedaling my roundabout eight-mile route to Cranbury. When I got there, I saw Ira, who was to lead the ride, and he either had, or said he had a grand route in mind, only he'd forgotten it, or maybe it would come back by the time we left. As the others gathered (as well as the speedy guys who do that wicked B-plus-that's-really-more-like-A-minus ride that leaves from Cranbury on Saturday mornings), we chatted about missing members, the coming cool weather, and a host of other things... including, I swear, that we were going to do an easy pedal today. Y'see, that Covered Bridges ride is tomorrow...
Ira began to lead us with the best of intentions onto his ideal new route, but we had barely crossed 130 on Cranbury Station road when we ran into a block (that ongoing Turnpike construction), and had to turn back (we met the B+ folks, who had to do the same thing). Ira sighed, "Well, I guess it's going to be forty-THREE miles...".
We did this route (that map includes my eight-mile roundabout to Cranbury, and my four-mile straight-line home). I swept at Ira's request, and two of the folks who appeared to be straggling early on were leading the way a bit later. I remember being surprised where we did that loop before going into the Assunpink, and then surprised again when we went into the Assunpink anyway (one of the gifts of being perpetually lost is being frequently surprised!). Coming down Rue, I did a sprint with a newbie (what is her name?) on my tail, enjoying my pull.
And so to Phil's, where we met the folks from the Sawmill ride (you'll see in the pictures below). I see both Chris C and Sue M were there; Chris must not have led the B+ ride today.
And then there was the ride back. And all thoughts of easy pedal must have fled; we were COOKIN' on the way back. Laura OLPH complains that one of the problems in Cranbury is the "Macho Mile" on the way back, when the riders know where they're going and speed back to the park; but it wasn't just the last mile today. I sat in the back with Ira much of the way back, and we alternated between trying to catch up and cussin' ourselves for being crazy to try to do so.
By the time I got back, I was tired enough to do the straight-back route to Dr Cliff's, and I was hungry (no breakfast this morning; I had to work off too good of a dinner at The Excellent In-Laws' last night), so I stopped for the post-ride bagel. The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I have just gotten back from our monthly State Of The Union date where we discuss the condition of our marriage, and we've decided to stay together for at least another month, so I expect I'll be sleeping inside for the foreseeable future... which means I plan to do that Covered Bridge ride tomorrow. Are you coming? (Or, if you're reading this after Sunday, didja go?)
Pic's below:
Trust me, that's Sue M in the green helmet on the lower left.
I like pictures of bikes.
I told Dan he was going to be famous. Here he is!
The Sawmill folks departing:
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