Thirteen riders gathered at Ye Olde Reed Webster Park - starting point of the Tuesday night Slow and Easy West rides - to head out on a rare ride with just one distance. 

We had one first-time OCC ride rider with us whose ride comment was “What an amazing ride!” Those of us who ride Tuesday nights are so familiar with the roads we lose sight of what a beautiful area it is and the fun of riding the undulating terrain. 

Three riders took advantage of the slow and easy no drop option, plus one who joins us from time to time to back me up - he’s a true team player and we always enjoy his company.

Seven riders decided to extend their mileage by riding out to Jack’s Reef - so we ended up with an 18 mile ride and a 25 mile ride. 

Totals were seven on the 25 mile route and six on the 18 mile route, for a total of 288 miles. If the math doesn’t add up, it’s because one rider rode from and to home. 

I just want to note that our first timer expressed feeling really nervous before the ride started but was totally enthusiastic at the end. I remember going through that exact same set of emotions on my first OCC ride. My experience has been that everyone is so welcoming and when there’s a no drop option, you can relax and ride at whatever pace is comfortable for you without having to stress out about whether you can keep up with everyone else. 

I know the season is winding down, but I hope we get a couple more nice days to ride before we hit our trainers for the winter. If you’ve been thinking about joining a ride but hesitating, I hope my encouragement, along with hearing about our first time joiner’s experience this weekend, will help you come on out with us - either before the snow flies or next spring when it stops. 

Happy pedaling!