bad puns & bee sting ride

Ken G's been inviting me on his Sunday ride for weeks, but I've either had conflicts or wussed out due to weather, so today I made a point of showing up outside Hart's (his starting point) by 9. When I got there, I met Sterling, who wasn't sure if Ken was actually leading today, but I'd had email correspondence with Ken the nigh before and I assured Sterling that Ken was planning to come. Sterling left to get his legs spinning, and seconds later Ken rolled up.

Ken was looking out at the passing traffic at a small white sedan and said, "That's one of mine," and then looked dismayed when it drove on... to be followed about four cars later by an identical small white sedan containing John K. And when Sterling returned, we took off to do this route.

We spun through Lambertville, and up Alexsauken Creek Road in what I still think of as the wrong direction, before heading up toward Sergeantsville, on the way going up Pine Hill Rd (although Ken said he was more concerned about the hill on 695 than Pine Hill). Sterling took a look at Pine Hill partway up, and got demoralized when it went on higher than he expected, although he certainly spun his way up well enough. We passed the Sergeantsville store, and went on to take a break in Ringoes.

While we were there, we saw several contingents of the Major Taylor riders doing their long ride from (I think) Newark to New Hope; perhaps they were broken up by traffic lights. There would be a dozen, then three or four, then another twenty; a small group followed by a larger group, then another small group. John K, who'd been making puns all day, asked, "If a Major Taylor rider is doing the ride alone today... is he a Private Major Taylor Rider?" Groans ensued.

On we went. Shortly thereafter, John had a disagreement with a bee which ended in pain for John, but I think it was just his bad pun karma working out.

We did the hill at Wertsville Road, then Province Line, which Ken said was the last significant hill of the day... and a short time later we went up Hopewell-Princeton, which I guess was an insignificant hill, but my legs didn't think so, and I think Sterling agreed. And then a paceline back to Hart's.

Nice. Good ride.

Pictures:

I really like that one above.