A Ride to Remember

I had a hunch where the ride would be headed on this Memorial Day, and I was right. A place last visited, years ago, on Veterans Day (with the same ride leader).

Some leaders prefer not to share their route, in written or electronic form; today's leader is one of those. Some think that approach encourages the group to stick together, but it also means you need to keep the other riders in sight.

And so it was that I came to be lost. (Briefly.) Evidently I had not fully slid my water bottle into its cage, and it popped out shortly after we started down the trail. One rider paused at the point where the group exited the trail, but ... did they continue straight, or make a turn?

We opted to go straight, but around a bend there were no riders waiting for us. Backtracking, we met a rider who'd been dispatched to search for us.

“The escapees have been caught!” he joked as we rejoined the group.

Seems it was a day for water-bottle mishaps: We followed our leader to a supermarket, where she bought a bottle for herself (having left hers in the car, at the start).

We twisted and turned through the deserted streets of downtown San Jose, finding ourselves the only visitors at the Veterans Memorial.

Socializing with a small group afforded the opportunity to learn more about a fellow rider. Recognizing Best Buddies on my jersey, she shared inspiring stories of some of the special-needs students she'd worked with as a speech therapist.

No hills today, but a decent distance: 37 miles, 460 feet of climbing. And memories, shared.