Bellingham 200K

It was a beautiful spring day in the Pacific Northwest.  Fenders were left home once again.  A guy could forget where he lives if this keeps up.  We had a fantastic route with about 80 riders.  That's a pretty big gang given the chili feed was last weekend and there is a 300 next week.  I hear something about a big ride on the other side of the pond next year; I wonder if the turnout has something to so with that.

It started off much colder than I expected.  I think it was just at freezing when we rolled out.  Since we were starting at a grocery store, and I didn't have any booties, I stuffed a plastic shopping bag in each of my shoes; they worked really well, and they are light.  Rapha could print these up in pink and sell them for beaucoup bucks.

At the first control, Vinnie had a busted cable.  It turns out he busted the cable because his shifter was buggered.  We set him up with a two speeder, and he hung out for the rest of the ride.

I finished with the fastest guy today.  Thing is, he rode to the ride, finished, and then rode back twenty or so miles to ride back with us, so technically, I finished with him.  That's my story.

But really today was all about hanging out and being social. Being at the back of the pack gives one a chance to see the archeological evidence of the ride.  This pretty much sums it up.

Thanks guys for a most excellent day. 

Oh, and here are my two favorite shots from the chili feed.

Maggie says "talk to the hand!"
Now, let's play, That's Rando!

At first, I was pretty sure Dr. Codfish's busted water bottle would win.  Then, I was liking the subtly counterbalanced PBP / Bike Snob pins.  I thought it was game over.


Unfortunately for the Good Doctor, Noel figuratively threw his bike at the line for the win when he emerged from the penultimate control with this beautiful Bic lighter.  I'm not sure if he had some old inner tubes upon which he planned to vulcanize pre-WW2 patches or if he was planning a pig roast at the finish, but clearly, this belongs in everyone's kit.