easy flat 30

Laura OLPH had hoped to do a ride yesterday for her birthday, but weather threatened, so she cancelled... and then the threatened weather didn't appear, so Laura was all mopey about having cancelled. She had thought to do some hills today, but had partaken too well in the junk food, yesterday, so she opted for John K's offering instead.

John K has become the drill instructor, or something like that, for the JDRF charity rides in this area, and he was taking out a couple of comparative newbies on a flat 30 today. Laura opted for that, and, in support of her birthday, I joined that ride. Laura added over 20 miles to and from her home... but I was lazy and disorganized this morning, and just showed up at the Reed Recreation Area above Allentown, which, apparently, you can only find if you already know how to get there, because I can't find it on any maps and the location baffles the GPS.

In addition to John and Laura, we had Cheryl:

and Maggie.

So we were five.

Because it was a JDRF ride instead of a Freewheeler ride, John had a different form to sign, but the rest was similar: helmets, ride safely, don't be a jerk.

We did this route, at an easy pace. We stopped for wardrobe adjustments (mostly to shed layers no longer needed)...

and at a park that had a porta-potty.

(I like that picture of Cheryl, above.)

(I like that one of John, too.)

I made an adjustment to one of the newbies' pedals, and did a quick lesson in gear selection with the other, and started my rant about mirrors (oh, crap, there's more than one), but managed to stifle myself before anybody actually yawned with boredom. (I'll stop talking about bikes when you look bored... but that doesn't mean I'm done, by any means).

The folks had to get back to their real lives, so I came home, after picking up some flowers for The Excellent Wife (TEW). Then she and I went out to the Princeton U Art Museum, where I was not blown away by the show on Jewish contributions to colonial and 19th-century culture, but both TEW and I loved the show about the Newcomb Pottery Enterprise. And the price is right; if youpaly your cards right and don't mind waliing, you can even park for free.

Here's hoping you had a good Sunday. Been doin' anything cool?

Edit: John reminds me that the JDRF rides are fundraisers. So I'm including links to John's fundraising page, and Cheryl's, and Maggie's. If you've got the cost of a week's worth of Starbuck's in your pocket, you might throw some cash at 'em. I'm gonna do it as soon as I finish this edit.