Shower shoes if you like

It has been more than a month since I put foot to pedal and this Saturday not only saw that long hiatus removed, but saw it done in shower shoed style.

Grant has been putting out the call for Saturday morning rides for going on three weeks. I have always responded with confirmation that I would attend only to see my hopes dashed by weather or last minute obligations. When the invitation to ride came again this weekend I was determined to actually see myself on a saddle. 7:30am came far too soon though and by the time I was rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and having a bowl of cereal it was already 8:30 (the original start time). I got Grant on the phone and we decided on a new start and general location for the ride.

Grant was on the ball arriving not twenty minutes past our phone call. We chit chatted while packing up the gear and went inside to pick a route for our short adventure. The classic, but brief ABC 20 mile (warning PDF file) would be our chosen weapon. We recorded the cue sheet on a fashionable piece Mary Kay stationary and hit the car for our trip to the not so fashionable LPSC. Unless your into pay day loans, dollar stores and cheap dry cleaning, the LPSC parking lot is not for the feint of heart.

Some where in my rush to prepare my gear and pack it into Grant's car I missed one of the most essential pieces. Or rather a pair of the most essential pieces, my shoes. Not the end of the world if I rode on flat pedals, but I ride clipless and without the shoes to match them they can be a huge pain to deal with. I rung Crystal with the hope that she would meet me half way with my shoes and a kiss. No luck, she was just getting out of the shower and would be at least thirty minutes. I decided it wouldn't kill me to ride twenty miles in my flip flops (I call them flops, Grant calls them shower shoes).

Off we went through a sketchy back alley that I would have never found if Grant didn't already know the way. The neighborhood that the ride started in was an super pleasant gradual downhill, the wind was flowing through my toes and the day had not begun to simmer yet. Our route soon turned into to more country roads and the traffic was low. The ABC route is well worn by our two wheeled brohams, I counted at least 30 other riders coming from the opposite direction (I guess most riders get up earlier than us). The cue sheet was a wash, some streets where completely left off and road name changes where missing in action. We had a spot of luck at one confusing intersection when we ran into Champ (Raba member, introducer of the ABC route to Grant and all around good guy). He showed us hot pink arrows that Raba had spray painted on the road a few weeks ago. We ditched the cue sheet, said our good byes to Champ and were on our way.

We end up getting lost two more times (due to conversation and lack of attention, not the arrows) before making our way to the half way point for drinks and a snack. The second leg of the ride was mostly uneventful as the day started to heat up. We rolled back through the neighborhood we started in noting that it was not as pleasant on the way back, now that it was a gradual up hill in the heat. We pulled back into the LPSC parking lot at around 22 miles, counting the two times we got lost. We packed the car and went our separate way, promising to do it all over again as soon as possible.

It felt good to ride again and helped me figure out what I want for my birthday this year. Bike money! My bike needs love and I have been neglecting it for far to long. This 26th year of my life I will be taking care of my two wheeled friend.

Pictures coming soon...