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With a note of incredulity and exasperation, Susan said, "Are you scheduling that ride in December?" "Yes," I said, as positively as I could, knowing that I was taking a chance. Well, we got away with it by two days. On the day of the ride there was more wind than we would have liked, but it was tolerable. The temperature was cool but it was tolerable. Two days later the temperature had plummeted and winds of 60 mph were predicted. That wouldn't have been tolerable. We may not ride out there again until spring time. The ride was from Major's in Pine Valley, east on Old Highway 80 to Kitchen Creek Road. Then up Kitchen Creek Road to the Sunrise Highway. At Kitchen Creek Highway it was a long coast all the way back to Major's. I think we must have had a push from the wind on the downhill leg. Several of us remembered a stretch where we had pedaled in earlier rides but no pedaling was needed after an initial push off. In times past no braking was needed on the downhill. No braking was needed this time either, if you didn't mind riding 35+mph. The last time we did this ride was 25 May, 2013 . Previous iterations of this ride were ridden, 22 May, 2011 , 5 September, 2009 , and 5 May, 2001. |
| We met in the back of the parking lot behind Major's in Pine Valley. Some of us had breakfast at Major's. |
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I know it was here the last time I looked. |
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| This fellow rode the same route as we did but he didn't ride with us. I was fascinated by his recumbent. |
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| Dee and Dale behind. Dee told him, "It's only 29 miles." She didn't mention the 3,800 feet of climb. |
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Riding up to Sunrise Highway |
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Sunrise Highway, first regroup |
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Terry |
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Riding the recumbent. Looks too recumbent to me. |
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Dale |
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Dee |
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Jack |
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Gail |
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Paul |
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Susan |
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Resting, refueling, and regrouping at the top of the first big rise. |
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These guys didn't rest or regroup. |
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This one was a bit behind the rest of the group but no one was waiting. |
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The group Click for a close-up. |
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| Along the way we met Dave. He had arrived by another route. Must have been a muddy route from the looks of his muddy bike. |
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Dismounting to walk around the first gate. |
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Paul rode around. |
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Gail dismounts too. |
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At the second gate. |
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Resting before going around the second gate. |
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The first pine tree. |
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Relaxing before the strenuous ride downhill back to Major's |
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Really relaxing |
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Back at Major's |
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The ride down was followed by a well deserved lunch at Major's. |