Ribs!

Each year one of our members hosts an almost day-long barbecue as his team's fundraiser for the MS Society's Waves to Wine ride, and it's become a tradition for some club rides to meander over there.

I was well on my way to the starting point when it occurred to me that I'd left my donation check on the kitchen table. [Sigh.] Today's ride would be a little bit longer than I'd planned ...

Sometimes I find my fellow riders exasperating. Here they are, spread all over the road. Again.

After a nice ride with some mellow hills, I parted ways with the group to retrieve my donation. The roads were clogged with vehicles headed for the coast, so I was relieved to be pedaling past them. (Which was part of my motivation for leaving the car at home today.)

Our host was puzzled when I handed him the check. “How many plates do you want?!“ he asked. “Just one,” I smiled. [I had rounded up.]

The ribs were excellent, as always, and I arrived in time to chat with some of my riding companions. It was an unexpected treat to connect with some club members I haven't seen in some time, too.

49 miles, 2,160 feet of climbing (altogether) to earn those ribs!

Meeting on the Mountain

Back to the workday grind.

Wait, you say—that doesn't look like the office.

And, you're right! It's the Mt. Umunhum trail.

A colleague suggested that we cut out early, beat the traffic, and catch up in the car and on a hike (uphill, of course). Before our team was transplanted to a different office, walking meetings along a creek or toward the Bay were not uncommon. Now we're trapped in an office park surrounded by parking lots and freeway interchanges, without so much as a continuous strip of sidewalk. [Let's go!]

I was fascinated by this plant along the trail, which I've never seen before.

After three weeks away, it's taking some time to re-adjust. “Why did you come back?” he asked. [Good question ...] Because, well ... they're not going to let me stay there, are they?

Technical topics, trees, and trekking: 4.5 miles, 500 or so feet. Unfortunately, not enough daylight to make it to the summit and back down—but totally worth the walk.