After being absent the past couple of weeks from Team Memorial’s Saturday morning ride, and up to last night opting out of our team’s new Wednesday evening ride, it was good to see some old faces as well as some new members prior to and during last night’s ride.
Feeling out the relatively new evening ride for the first time last night, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of bikers that showed up. With a 6:30 PM start time, it was no surprise that we had a couple/three stragglers that are not included in the above photo that was taken by our club’s photographer, Vanessa. I can only imagine the difficulty that some people may have participating in a bike ride that begins at the time when many folks are just getting off work.
Furthermore, because many people are just getting off work, an additional degree of difficulty, or unsafe condition, is added to our ride. Not only is visibility limited because of darkness, add to that increased traffic and congestion and you’ve got risky conditions, which is why front and back lights are required on all bikes.
In addition, I would like to have seen everyone remain together during the entire ride, but that wasn’t the case last night. Mostly because some of our pace-line leaders felt the need for increased speed, our group of fifteen became dangerously divided. I fully realize that everyone’s skill level is different. But seeing as there is strength in numbers, it might behoove this group to remain together during the entire ride instead of being spread out in smaller groups. Small groups are less visible to the average motorists. I’m just sayin’.
Everyone returned to home base safely, though, and I can only pray that this is the case at the conclusion of all future rides.
Lord willing, I’ll ride again next Wednesday evening.
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