and then there were two

(There's a story behind that picture of the balance bike leaning up against all our big-kid bikes hogging up the bikestand.)

So of the five of us that started today's ride, the only one that DIDN'T ride in from home for extra miles was me.

I feel like such a slacker.

Laura OLPH, Ricky G, Prem R, Mindy N, and new-to-me Rich K met me at the start. I started right off heading in the wrong direction (now THERE's a Plain Jim move, if ever you've heard one), then got turned around and got going. Through Amwell/Hillsborough, then down towards Skillman, then down Province Line to Cherry Valley Road. Those hills on Province Line were a trial for some; there was talk of walking the bike up the hill (and if you're gonna do that, my group is the one to do it with; I take pride in having my rides described as "chill"). Cherry Valley was busier than I'd like; when the construction on 518 is done, I'll adjust the route so we go into Hopewell and then to Mount Rose (although the hill won't be improved much).

Any sign of when that construction is gonna be done? I've heard everything from about a week ago to a year from now. It's clearly not the former; I'm hoping it's not close to the latter.

Cherry Valley on the other side of Mount Rose is a lot better; that was really fun. And so to the Pig: Sourland Coffee. I like the coffee and other offerings, but it's not great if you want Gatorade and such. Prem borrowed a Nuun tablet from Laura; she may have made a convert.

About the picture at top: while we were in the Pig, a grandfather and father came in with two boys, one of whom had come on the kickbike at top. I could see through the window that they were looking with interest at the "big boy" bikes, at the cogs and derailleurs and such. I "howdied" the boys when they came in; the father and grandfather appears interested, but the boys appeared terrified.

Great. I've turned into one of those terrifying old guys. Oh, well.

When we left, the attrition started: Laura rolled off to go home shortly after the stop. Ricky left at the bottom of Herronton. Rick K, who'd been leading for most of the ride, disappeared somewhere on Canal Road, and Mindy turned off to go home at Suydam. Prem and I ended at the parking lot, and then he decided to get a few more miles in, to have about 80 for the day.

Yep. Plain Jim's a slacker.