OK, when I listed this ride, I warned 'em that there were miles of milled road, and that we were gonna come back on Main Street in Somerville and Bound Brook - NOT the most bike-friendly roads.
A day later, The Excellent Wife (TEW) was sent home from work after a coworker tested positive for COVID-19. While TEW's exposure was minimal, and the possibility of my having the virus on board even lower, I put a notice on the ride announcement about my possible COVID-19 status.
At one point, I still had eighteen registrants, including a doctor, a dentist, and a nurse. WTF?
Three dropped out, complaining of too much celebration at the Freewheeler Holiday Party the night before (TEW and I didn't go, because just in case the COVID-19...). I had no idea it was gonna be such a happenin' affair! Now I'm extra sorry we missed it, and eager to go next year!
Still, fifteen people went on this ride, with not-great roads, just because I like to drop in at that Italian Bakery in Raritan now and then!
In Hillsborough:
(I gotta remember to clean that camera lens...)
By this time, two of my riders with electronic shifting had had battery problems (doubtless due to the cold temps). I was crowing about the continued effectiveness of my cable-actuated, friction shifters. Sometimes I wonder why I have any friends at all.
As with any group this size, we were a slow group and a fast group; I spent part of the ride with each. (Many thanks to the excellent Dave H, my reliable sweep. I couldn't have managed nearly as well as I did without him.)
At the stop:
Some of us really like this place. (Many thanks to Albert, above, who brought me out something from the store, when I decided not to go in because COVID-19, just in case...)
We passed a number of motorcyclists in Raritan, and then more passed us; apparently there was a "Christmas is comin' " parade or some such. It caused comment among some of the locals sitting on a bench near the stop as they saw us come in... and then I got waylaid by one who clearly was medicated for some psychiatric issue. I wanted to tell him that he was eliciting skills I used on the job I'd just retired from (and really didn't want to use right then), but I haven't gotten that cruel yet. I'll give it a few weeks.
We came back, initially slowly, through Somerville and Bound Brook, and by the time we were running the length of Elizabeth Avenue, the fast folks took off again; I stayed back with Dave and a couple of slower folks. I get some riders for whom my rides are just enough of a challenge that they want to keep trying, and I want to encourage those folks; I really want them to keep coming. (Dave is invaluable with these folks!)
But really: fifteen people on this ride? On this route? On this col day? Don't you guys have anything better to do?
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