stupid way to temporarily lose 2½ lbs

So do you want to know a stupid way to temporarily lose 2½ lbs?

On the hottest day of the year, go out with five of your bike-y friends and do 37 miles. Make sure you stop at the most excellent coffee shop in the area so you can both congratulate yourselves, and shake your heads in wonder at your own folly.

(By the way: if you're lookin' for info about the ride for July 21, click here.)

Over the course of the week, Laura OLPH and the Hill Slugs were hemmin' and hawin' about whether to go out today, predicted to be the hottest so far this year. Finally she sent out a tentative-sounding email asking whether she'd have any takers for a short, no-break ride starting at 7am from the Pig, my favorite stop... which means we could end there, and have a coffee and some junk before going our separate ways.

Chris C, Ricky G, and I decided to add some extra miles by starting from Laura's house.

We rode to the Pig (about 6 miles) and picked up Andrew A and Peter G at 7:30 am.

While there, the Stylish Barista Woman drove up and said she'd be opening in about a half-hour; we said we'd be back, and I privately worried that a bunch of sweaty cyclists might drive off whatever legitimate customers the might have.

We left and did this route. Leaving early was the right thing to do; it was still cool enough that we didn't feel wiped, and I suspect there was less traffic about than there would have been later. The overcast day helped; the few times the sun did come out, it was wickedly hot... but the rest of the time, between the overcast and whatever shade we passed under, the temperature was bearable. (That said, the humidity was awful; if you're one who is beset by humidity miseries, today was a good one to stay inside and enjoy the air conditioning.)

At one intersection or other, I saw the light change suddenly and stopped while the rest went through; there was no traffic, so it was safe for them. When we started again, Chris referred to that intersection as "stoptional", a portmanteau word of "stop" and "optional", for which he wins the prize for Neologism Of The Day. "Stoptional" is one of those words that is next door to perfect.

We got back to the Pig and there was, indeed, a certain amount of sweat...

... but I don't think I needed to worry about driving off the legitimate customers.

So... you comin' on my ride tomorrow? It'll be later, but also short and mostly flat, and the temps tomorrow are supposed to be less worse than today. We'll see.