First ride of 2016!

After a warm Thanksgiving and warm Christmas, we were hoping for a warm New Year’s Day ride. The prediction was for a sunny day with a high of 43 degrees. The actual weather was cloudy with wind in the upper 30’s. Nevertheless, a large group of bicyclists gathered in West Chester eager to start the year off right. Most of the faces in the crowd were familiar with the exception of one.

The “stranger” stepped forward wanting to introduce himself. He began his tale, in 1976, forty years ago he, Chuck Kennedy and a few other friends gathered in West Chester at a diner and decided to go for a bike ride on New Year’s Day. Thus was born the BBC’s annual New Year’s Day ride. He wore the very first BBC jersey in bright orange, with BBC emblazoned on both the front and the back. The stranger turned out to be Pete Kellerman, one of the founding fathers of the BBC. He is still pedaling and enjoying the world from a bicycle seat at the young age of 70.

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After hearing his story and taking photos to commemorate the occasion 18 of us wheeled out of the parking lot, led by Maliya and Mike. As usual there was an assortment of bicycles, three tandem teams, a tricycle recumbent, a recumbent, bikes with fenders, bikes with motors, touring bikes, old bikes and new bikes. Pete rode a classic with an electric assist to help on the hills.

There were plenty of hills on our 15 mile tour. My new phone app recorded that I climbed 24 flights of stairs on the ride! And all of that from the back of a tandem. . My hands thawed out a bit on the uphills, but mostly they stayed in my pockets, one of the benefits of being a stoker. Glad I wore my shoe covers, wished I wore lobster gloves with hand warmers.

Jen spent most of the ride at the front of the pack. Boyd and Elaine and daughter Erika never stopped. Maliya kept the front group on course and Mike kept the second group together.

After the ride we all headed to Gloria’s to feast. We were joined by Don, Mary and Karen. I’m quite sure I consumed more calories in eggnog alone, than I burned trying to stay warm while pedaling. There was a great assortment of tempting food and great camaraderie. We recapped tales of last year’s rides and planned rides for the coming season. I’m thinking that this is the year for RAGBRAI, nothing like a scenic ride across Iowa in the sweltering heat of July.