Fun in the sun

An enjoyable morning at the Bike skills clinic today, although it was pretty cold and windy too.  Susan came with me but didn't stay long - it was far too cold to hang around.  Once a few people arrived, Dave called for a group to head out on a 6-mile loop, working on group riding skills and I joined him.  I pretty quickly found myself at the back of the group, shepherding a couple of slower riders.  Back at base camp, the basic maintenance skills class is in full swing, and the Bike Barn guys are busy with bike inspections.  I hang around, chatting with some of the riders, waiting for the next group to go out.  Pretty soon we were back on the loop, mostly with veteran riders this time, and I made the mistake of trying to keep pace with Dave and John, probably our two strongest riders.   I pretty quickly fell back and rolled in at the back of the group.  When we got back this time, the Tour de Hood group had arrived - a bunch of disadvantaged kids who ride through downtown every Saturday morning.  We formed a group and off we went again.  Just like the first run, I worked my way to the back and rode round with two kids who might have been brother and sister.  They found the going pretty hard but completed the loop.

Back at the pavilion, and things were winding down.  I joined the line for bike inspections and got my bike tweaked and approved.  Dave was organising a group to go for a longer run so I watered up, ate a banana and off we went.  We rode through Cullen Park and then into the end of George Bush park.  We rode about 3 miles into the park, regrouped and turned around.  The ride back was uneventful but Dave flatted  in Bear Creek with about a mile to run.  He started walking while Russell and I headed back as fast as we could to pick up a vehicle and sag him back.

With everyone safely home, I loaded up my back pack and set out for home.  It was 2.00pm and I was starving.  I rode down Eldridge (with the wind on my back for once) thinking about the sandwich I was going to make for lunch.  Back home, and MC has made hummus, so we eat some of that, with lentils and sausages left over from last night.  It all tasted wonderful, especially when washed down with a Sierra Nevada.