weekend rides

Friday was one of my Fridays off. I had chores to do, and hadn't slept well the night before, so it was afternoon before I got in this short, easy ride... besides, I had two other rides planned for this weekend that promised to be more demanding.

For Saturday, Tom H had emailed a few of us about a ride from near where I live to Lambertville, but when I contacted him about the ride, I was the only one who could go. The start was about 7 miles from home, so I rode in... and then added six miles when I couldn't find a porta-john. So I had 13 miles when I met Tom.

This route includes my ride from home, the ride to and from Lambertville, and my meandering up Canal Rd to New Rd when I decided to add a couple miles rather than fight the hill on Old Georgetown on the way back. It was almost a Plain Jim route; close to straight out and back. We discussed bikes, family matters, jobs; we slandered a few people who weren't along with us. We stopped at Rojo's, where I should have had something in addition to the coffee; I nearly bonked on the way back. It became a 70-mile day.

WE did see one of the oxen from the Hopewell Valley Stampede; Tom got a picture, and I got a  couple pictures of Tom in the lovely autumn day.

Sunday was the Central Bucks Covered Bridge Ride. I didn't have a group to ride with, and Paul I said he planned to lead a group at a B pace, so I hooked up with him. We had eleven to start, including Paul and Alf, but eight of them disappeared up a hill, leaving Paul, Alf, and I. Where the 50-mile route split from the 60, Alf went off, and Paul and I continued on the longer route, promising to maintain a reasonable pace. A few miles later, I noticed we had picked up a hanger-on. His name is Cen, and he liked our pace, so we were three.

At the second rest stop, Paul met Larry, who rides with Paul sometimes (I'm sure I've met him, but I can't remember where). Paul and he got going a bit faster than Cen and I, and, when Cen and I got to the last rest stop, Paul was already ready to leave. I told him to go, and finished the ride with Cen at a pace we could both handle. (Link to my route page.)

 Too many pictures. I'll post a few below; the rest are in my 2014 Covered Bridges Album page.

Above: Alf, Paul, and (I think) Brent D at the start. Below, some of the bridges:

Above is my attempt at a National Geographic cover. Below, Cen:

... and Paul:

Below, the reason I didn't stay for lunch - the line, in several pictures:

...more...

...more...

Oh, sheesh.

More pics in my Album.

Addendum: Cen sent me these two: