The Ride Mickey Ride began in downtown Charlotte NC at 9:30 am saturday November 16th. I was a fun raiser for a bicyclist name Mickey that had been injured and was just beginning to be able to ride again. It was for a good cause and since it was only about 45 miles from home I decided to do it.
When I got there and saw some of the cyclist I knew I had brought the wrong bike. I had brought my 1994 converted Cannodale touring bike and should have brought my Cannodale road bike. The road bikes is faster but in this case I guess it would not have made much difference. I would not have been able to stay with those powerhouse cyclist anyway. I just would not have been as far behind them.
The ride I chose to do was 30 miles long which is not that long of a ride but I wanted to be back home at least around 2:00 PM to go out for dinner. In hind sight I guess it was good that I brought my touring bike as I met some very nice cyclist that I may not have met otherwise. However I did not get to chat with them much at the finish because I was in a state of panic.
You see when I arrived back to the car I thought I had lost my wallet. My keys was in the car locked up but fortunately the I did write down the code that I needed to get in the car and had it in my cycling pants. I spent so much time searching for my wallet that I miss some of the cyclist I wanted to meet and get to know. Meeting new people that loves cycling like I do is one of the joys of cycling.
I did meet a couple of cyclist and as I was talking with them I felt a lump in my pants leg. That lump was my wallet. I somehow miss putting in my pants pocket and instead must have put it inside my pants. It eventually worked it way down to just below my knee before I felt it. I was tremendously relieved in finding it. However by that time I was running late and had to leave to get back home. So some of the cyclist I had hope to chat with I miss and do not have away now to contact them. Maybe we will meet again on another bike ride.
Otherwise I had a great time and rode harder than I would have done riding by myself but that always makes me feel good to push myself. HadI taken my road bike I probably would have done the 50 mile route. Not because it would have made it easier just faster but the big boys still would have left me in their dust.
Ride Mickey Ride
