TNR Beacon Ride

I have not been eating this last week so my ride to where the Thursday Night Ride was starting became quite an ordeal. I headed out after work and by the time I had climbed out of town on the Treasure Trail, I realized that it was going to be a long night. As I approached the group, I tried to clear my head as apparently I was seeing a mirage. I was looking at the largest weekly group I have seen in a long time. Was it a mirage? I have not been eating this last week so my ride to where the Thursday Night Ride was starting became quite an ordeal. I headed out after work and by the time I had climbed out of town on the Treasure Trail, I realized that it was going to be a long night. As I approached the group, I tried to clear my head as apparently I was seeing a mirage. I was looking at the largest weekly group I have seen in a long time. Was it a mirage?

It was not a mirage, the group was the largest so for this year. With large groups comes the possibility that someone is going to break down and someone did. I was feeling very weak so after the third stop for people having bike problems I decided to keep riding. Moreover, I did! I rode all the way to the first ridge and stopped to take pictures. The group was so strung out that I only saw Larry and Alden, but I was not satisfied with my position. Therefore, I rode on.

I finally did find a position on top where I caught people as they rode through the wildflowers. On top of University Mountain we all took family pictures before heading down the ridge.

The ridge is the fun part and beautiful as well. Being as exhausted as I was, my photographic instinct was not as good as required and try as I may, I am not happy with the rest of the pictures. I stopped at the wrong places and did the best I could I guess. The downhill was fun however and soon the ride was over.

Julie had a post ride BBQ and we all gathered at her house to eat, drink, and watch mountain bike slideshows. Ahh the perfect evening.