It was supposed to stop raining just after noon on Saturday. Then it was supposed to stop at two. It did stop at three, for a couple of hours… and it started up again. It was supposed to stop again at one am. Then three, and then four… then five, and I’d scheduled the ride for 7:30. It actually did stop just before five, though.

I expected a small group. Winston, an A guy, pulled up first. Then Phill, one of us B’s. Then Mike and Diane rolled up, and Chuck. My wife and I rounded out the rabble, a fairly impressive group considering the wet road. We rolled shortly after 7:30 and headed east, with a mild tailwind. We picked Greg, another A guy, about eight miles out. That was our gang, a full range of above average cyclists.

We started out tame but tame didn’t last long – but the push was measured…

All too often when you get a mix of faster and slower cyclists, the slower in the group suffer and the faster become bored with the easier-than-usual pace.  Yesterday’s ride was almost perfect as that went.  The fast guys, Winston and Greg, spent an inordinate amount of time up front, but at a decent clip.  When they were up front, I was second bike, usually with Chuck, then Mike and my wife were next, then Phill and Diane.  We staggered it perfectly so those who needed the most draft to hang on, got it.  Then Winston and Greg would come off the front and the rest of us would take our turn at the front before the process started all over again.

The end result was a great 57 mile ride with an average north of 20 mph.

As is most often the case with us, it was high-fives and handshakes afterward.  It was one of those rides that makes one grateful for being a cyclist.

After showering up, my wife, daughter, Chuck and I all headed over to the bike shop to volunteer for the final moving day to the newly renovated location.  We’d worked all day Saturday in the rain so it was nice to have a dry day.  We spent a little more than five hours moving bikes, cabinets, and components before heading home for dinner.

I think I was out before 9pm but I can’t be quite sure.  One thing is certain, once my head hit the pillow, I didn’t stir the rest of the night.  I was out.

A perfect cap to the weekend – riding with friends, and helping others out.  That’s what our local cycling community is all about.  Good times, laughs, lots of miles, and helping each other out when it’s needed.  Life doesn’t get better.