Friday, August 14, 2015

2015 Rotary Ride / Metric Century

Video: 2015 Rotary Ride. Yes, the helmet mount was on an angle and looks a bit weird. Sorry.

I really enjoy organized rides, whether I do the whole 100 miles or some fraction thereof. In past years, I've been riding solo: Whatever conversation and company occurs is happenstance, the spontaneous camaraderie that happens along the way.

But starting with last year's North Shore Century, in which my cousin Mark joined me, I've started to think having some company is a good thing. When Mary volunteered her workout friend Judy to join me on my annual Naperville Rotary Club Ride, I was initially put off. I like my classical music and internal conversation ("Ya damn woosie, stand up on those pedals and attack that hill!").

Turns out, conversation with an actual human is not only fun, it makes the miles fly by. I noticed that phenomenon with Mark last year, and with my new biking buddy Judy this year. I hope Judy had a good time: she's great company and I hope she'll join me again.

We did a metric century (62 miles / 100 kilometers). I arrived at Commissioner's Park fairly perky. Seriously, I could have done another 20 miles (4,345 centipedes) that day. It overcast and humid, but for August, relatively cool (77 degrees Fahrenheit / 2,987 pricklewads per centripoid).