Making up for lost time….
Ahhhhhhh…. so nice to get some good quality seat time in today, after a few weeks of no riding.
As mentioned yesterday, today was a big group ride… 20 of us to be exact. Sunny skies, 80 degrees, a soft breeze, and 1000cc’s between my legs. Yeah, not a bad way to spend the day.
We met at the appointed spot, and to my surprise, most everyone who said they were coming out today actually DID (so often people wuss out at the last minute, having slept in or whatever). The enthusiasm in the air was palpable.
We headed south on 13 (a typical route), and then to 207 into Palatka (again, a route we travel often — the scenery along the St. John’s River is just amazing, dappled sunlight shining on the pavement before us). Following a stop for lunch in Palatka, we headed south and west into Hastings and beyond (in truth, I don’t know exactly where we were). It was this leg of the trip where we really got to get out and enjoy the ride… sweeping turns, dips and hills, thick forest dotted with open farmland, and very little traffic between us and the horizon. Simply perfect.
We paused once more in Hastings for a bottled water and some fuel, then headed out some more 2-lane deserted roads before reconvening at a friend’s house (to meet their new puppy). A spirited ride home found us tired, but grinning from ear to ear.
I got to test-ride the new Tech Spec tank grips for the first time today. For the first few miles, I found them a bit odd, and I felt I needed to make a more concerted effort to move my feet/legs in order to shift and brake. But once I got used to this, I realized I felt so much more connected to the bike (literally) in cornering and stopping – just gently gripping the tank with my knees, and I felt very stable and in control. Definitely a wise investment.
The odometer reading for today is in question – our ride leader indicates he showed 222 miles; my reading showed about 196 (so I’ll just go with that).
Miles Ridden: 196
