Variations on a Theme

So many fun memories bubble up whenever “Bike to Work Day” rolls around. Biking to the office with more than two dozen people trailing along behind me, newbies and experienced riders alike. My co-leader's mobile “Energizer Station” (coffee and donut holes). Receiving a gift of custom, personalized tire levers from that long-time co-leader.

I visited a nearby Energizer Station on my way to meet friends for our weekly ride, chatted with the volunteers, and picked up my bag (and an apple). No more Hobee's coffee cake, alas!

Our little group's regular leader was out of town today, and ... when the cat's away, the mice will play! The rider who stepped up proposed a new game for a regular, very familiar route: each leader should take a turn at introducing a few twists. His first little neighborhood tweak gave us a new hillside perspective. Later we detoured onto the Albertson Parkway Trail, which I've passed countless times but never explored. (Note to self: Explore this again, reading all the interpretive signs along the way.) I accepted the challenge: Next time I'll work that trail into our return-from-coffee-stop route.

It was surprisingly windy this morning, in an unexpected direction: we'd have a tailwind for our return. Thirty-three miles for me, having extended the route by riding from home—a bit shy of the 40 miles I'd log commuting to (and from) the office.

No more biking to work for me, of course. I hope that my colleagues continued the tradition, and that some of the people we inspired over the years have continued to bike to the office when they can.